Chapter 83 - - 83: Rain Feather Pegasus

Chapter 83: Chapter - 83: Rain Feather Pegasus

Our conversation ended naturally when the staff members began moving toward the center of the stage.

The auctioneer stepped aside, then I noticed the size of the next object that is being brought and it was large.

Much larger than any of the items that had been presented so far.

Two staff members were pushing a trolley forward, but the object on top of it was completely covered by a red cloth which reached almost to the floor.

Whatever was underneath it was tall enough that even the staff members had to push carefully.

The sight immediately changed the atmosphere in the hall.

People began whispering "is it a beast?"

"Could it be?"

The speculation spread rapidly.

I looked at the shape beneath the cloth and It was unmistakably that of a living creature.

Or at least something shaped like one. A few people in the normal seating area leaned forward and the VIP balconies also became noticeably quieter.

If the Royal Auction House was going to use one of its three surprise lots to present a magical beast, then it has to be a rare one.

They would not waste one of the three most secretive lots of the day on an ordinary magical beast.

The auctioneer stood beside the trolley.

He looked around the hall and seemed pleased with the reaction "I see that many of you have already begun making guesses."

"Unfortunately, I cannot confirm whether any of those guesses are correct."

He walked slowly around the covered creature.

"However, I can tell you one thing. The Royal Auction House did not bring this creature here simply because it happens to be unusual."

That generated another wave of murmurs.

The auctioneer continued speaking for a little longer, deliberately giving the audience enough information to become curious without revealing what was underneath the cloth. I had to admit that he was good at his job. Even I was becoming curious.

Eventually, he stopped beside the trolley.

"Then I believe we have kept you waiting long enough."

He reached for the edge of the red cloth and with one smooth motion, he pulled it away, revealing the creature underneath it.

*A horse?*

At first glance, that’s what I thought it was but when its full form was revealed, I was proved wrong.

It stood approximately 5.7 feet tall, with a beautiful sky-blue coat that looked almost as though it had been touched by the reflection of a clear afternoon sky.

But the most obvious difference, impossible to miss were its pair of wings.

A pair of long wings extended from its back, but they were unlike the wings of any ordinary bird. The feathers on its wings were almost completely transparent.

They resembled elongated drops of rain that had somehow been stretched into the shape of feathers, each one catching the light in a faint, translucent shimmer.

The wings were folded neatly against its body at the moment, but even folded, they were large enough to make the creature look considerably different from an ordinary horse.

The hall fell unusually quiet as people stared at it.

The auctioneer smiled "Allow me to introduce the first surprise lot of today’s Auction."

He placed one hand toward the creature.

"This is a Rain Feather Pegasus."

The auctioneer announced the name while standing beside the uncovered creature, allowing everyone in the hall another moment to look at it before continuing with his explanation.

"Among the many species of flying horses that inhabit the world, the Rain Feather Pegasus is considered one of the rarer varieties, and the reason is not particularly complicated. Their natural fertility rate is extremely low, which makes maintaining their population considerably more difficult than that of other magical beasts and flying horses."

He gestured toward the Pegasus.

"That rarity is reflected in several of its qualities."

The auctioneer paused briefly before continuing, seemingly deciding where to begin.

"The first quality should be obvious to everyone present."

Several people laughed dryly. Or are they pretending to laugh? Whatever.

"Even among magical beasts, the Rain Feather Pegasus possesses an appearance that is difficult to overlook. Its sky-blue body, majestic posture, and unique feathered wings make it an exceptionally beautiful creature, while the translucent feathers of its wings give it an appearance unlike almost any other flying horse."

It is as he said, the Pegasus is really beautiful, and that really attracted immense attention from the crowd.

The auctioneer continued "However, its appearance is far from being its greatest quality."

He raised one finger.

"Rain Feather Pegasuses are excellent flyers. Their speed is considerably greater than that of ordinary flying horses, but their most valuable characteristic is not their maximum speed."

He paused deliberately.

"It is their ability to maintain stable flight even under heavy rain and stormy weather."

That drew more attention from the audience.

"Unlike most flying creatures, which struggle when faced with strong winds, heavy rain, or turbulent atmospheric conditions, the Rain Feather Pegasus can continue flying with remarkable stability even when the weather becomes unfavorable. For travelers, explorers, adventurers, and nobles who frequently travel between territories, such an ability can provide a considerable advantage."

"After all, nobody wants their journey interrupted simply because the weather has decided to become inconvenient."

A few people genuinely laughed at that.

The auctioneer waited for the reaction before continuing.

"Furthermore, Rain Feather Pegasuses are known for their loyalty toward their riders once a proper bond has been established, and their intelligence allows them to understand commands considerably better than most flying horses."

He stopped speaking, taking a deliberate pause.

I noticed that he looked around the audience, but his gaze lingered slightly longer on the six VIP balconies above.

It was obvious what he was doing.

He wanted the people sitting in the expensive seats to think about what he was going to say next.

Then he continued. "Those who are familiar with the species may have already noticed something from its size."

The auctioneer placed his hand toward the Pegasus. "This is not a fully grown Rain Feather Pegasus."

The reaction was not particularly loud, but several people immediately began whispering among themselves.

"That means whoever acquires it today will have the opportunity to raise it from a relatively young age and establish a strong trust bond with it."

"And there is another important point that potential buyers should know."

The auctioneer’s smile widened slightly.

"If raised properly and provided with sufficient resources, this Rain Feather Pegasus has a very high chance of eventually reaching the level of a Savage Beast."

That sentence landed rather differently from everything he had said before.

The murmuring spread throughout the hall almost immediately.

Some people began discussing the possibility with their attendants, while others simply stared at the Pegasus with renewed interest.

A young Rain Feather Pegasus that could potentially reach the Savage Beast realm was obviously much more valuable than an ordinary flying mount.

I could not help letting out a faint chuckle.

The auctioneer was not lying. Most of what he had said was true. But there was one important detail he had conveniently left out.

Rain Feather Pegasuses are not easily obedient creatures.

They are loyalloyal indeed.

But these two are different things.

A Rain Feather Pegasus would not simply accept whoever purchased it as its rider. The person first had to earn its respect and establish a bond with it. Only after that would the Pegasus willingly obey its rider.

I knew this considerably better than most people in the hall.

Because my father, Marquis Yude Shen, owned one.

In fact, as far as I knew, it was the only Rain Feather Pegasus in our territory and probably the only one in the neighboring territories as well.

My grandfather, the previous Marquis of the Shen family, had purchased it many years ago.

At that time, it had already been relatively young, and my father had spent considerable effort establishing a bond with it and now it is already quite old.

I still remembered how difficult it had been for me to convince that creature to let me ride it even once when I was younger.

I had assumed that being the son of its owner would make things easier it did not.

The Pegasus had gauge me for a long time before eventually allowing me onto its back, and even then, it had made it abundantly clear that it was doing so because it tolerated me rather than because it considered me worthy.

It took considerably more time before it started treating me with genuine familiarity.

So when the auctioneer described Rain Feather Pegasuses as loyal and obedient, I knew exactly what kind of image he was trying to create.

Dalas seemed to understand the same thing "The auctioneer is really good with his words," he remarked quietly.

I nodded "He is."

Dalas looked toward the Pegasus "Most buyers probably would not know about the difficulty of establishing a bond."

"Actually those who can buy probably do." I glanced toward the other balconies.

"Even if he does not mention it, I think the people sitting up there already know how proud these creatures are. And I do not think that knowledge will reduce the price very much."

The rarity alone was enough to maintain the value. The possibility of raising a magical beast capable of reaching the Savage Beast realm was an additional incentive.

And unlike a magic core, this was a living creature. Someone who successfully raised it would have a powerful flying mount for many years.

I know that because even my family has tried finding another one. My father had occasionally asked merchants and traveling adventurers to keep an eye out for one whenever they traveled beyond our territory.

But none had been found. The reason was exactly what the auctioneer had already explained.

Rain Feather Pegasuses are rare, and their fertility rate is extremely low.

Finding one in the wild was difficult enough. Finding one young enough to establish a bond with was even harder.

I glances at Elena and her eyes were already sparkling.

She looked at the Pegasus, then at me "This is perfect! We need to get it for you."

...........

Rain Feather Pegasus.