"Well, the time has finally come."
I adjusted my posture and spoke with mock gravity. After returning from Pelmask, there was something I needed to have done. I pulled the Caterpillar Skill Crystal from my Item Box. Then, I unfastened the misanga from my ankle and handed it to Sherry.
Misanga: Accessory Skill: Empty
I hadn't been careless; I had already swapped my usual one for a piece featuring an empty skill slot. With this, there should be no room for error.
"Y-yes, Master."
"This will be the true test of my assessment that you are a genius, Sherry."
"Um... the idea that a Master Smith who succeeds with their very first misanga is guaranteed future success is just a folk belief—a superstition, really."
Sherry was nothing if not rational. Her logical defenses were quite formidable. However, I could tell she wasn't completely composed. I hadn't actually told her that the misanga I’d just handed her was the very first one she’d ever crafted.
They say even a sardine’s head can become a god if you pray to it enough. A drowning man will clutch at a straw—though a drowning beggar gets few alms. Even Sun Tzu supposedly said that those who hurry are saved. Or rather, "In war, I have heard of foolish haste, but I have never seen a clever delay." Basically, even a clumsy victory is better than losing while trying to be perfect.
Knock, and it shall be opened. Seek, and ye shall find.
"If you think it's just a superstition, then you simply have to become the living proof of a Master Smith who succeeded with her first craft. It’s simple, right? Don't you agree, Roxanne?"
"Yes. Since Master has deemed it so, I am certain Sherry will succeed."
I used Roxanne to help corner her. The joy of success is always sweeter when the pressure is high. That was my justification for pushing her, though a small part of me wondered what I’d actually do if the fusion failed.
Wait, what would I do? If she failed after I’d built this up so much, it would be a disaster. Was this really okay? Was success guaranteed? What if her previous successes were just fluke? What if her low level increased the failure rate despite the empty slot? There was no hundred-percent guarantee.
"I will begin the fusion now."
"Wait! Uh, no, it’s fine. I mean... sorry. Yeah. Go ahead."
If she failed after all this hype, I’d look like a total idiot. Thinking about it made me start acting suspicious. It wasn’t a sure thing. Was it really going to be okay? Well, Sherry was rational. Even if it failed, she’d probably find a way to cope. Most Master Smiths failed eventually, anyway. If it did fail, I'd just call it a trial from the gods. Happiness only comes to those who overcome trials. Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. O crescent moon, grant me seven tribulations and eight sufferings.
While I prayed to the moon in my heart, Sherry began the process. A light erupted—a dazzling glow that eventually faded. I watched, holding my breath.
Substitution Misanga: Accessory Skill: Substitution
Oh, thank God. Success.
"I... I did it!"
"That was terrible for my heart," I sighed.
"You were amazing, Sherry," Roxanne chimed in. "As expected, you are destined for success as a Master Smith. Master saw it in you from the start, so there was never any doubt. And Master’s intuition is as impressive as ever."
Roxanne was doing all the cheering. I was supposed to be the one doing that, but I’d been so nervous I couldn't find the words to hype her up.
"Thank you, Roxanne-san!"
"A-anyway, I'm glad. Well done, Sherry."
"Yes! Thank you very much."
I suppose this worked out. If I tried to start cheering now, it would just sound fake.
"I’ll take this and put it on right away."
I equipped the Substitution Misanga immediately. There was no reason not to use it, and neither Roxanne nor Sherry would want anyone but me wearing it.
"That is exactly as it should be, Master."
"Thank you."
It seemed I’d made the right choice. By the way, after experimenting with the Substitution Misanga and regular ones, I discovered that only the first piece of equipment I put on was active. Even if I wore multiple misangas, only the first one appeared in my Appraisal. If I put a plain one on my right ankle and the Substitution one on my left, Appraisal only showed "Misanga." If I took the right one off, it showed I had nothing equipped at all. The one on the left was essentially ignored the moment it was put on.
It was better not to hope for hidden effects. According to Sherry, a Substitution Misanga had to be re-equipped every time it broke anyway. The "moneybags strategy" of wearing a dozen misangas to automatically tank successive hits was apparently a no-go.
Armed with my new misanga, we entered the Vale Labyrinth. In a buoyant mood, I hunted rabbits and other monsters. By the end of the day, we reached the boss room on the 9th Floor. Since the floor monsters were Slow Rabbits, the boss was a Rapid Rabbit. I’d struggled against one in Quratar once, but this time, I stayed focused and used Overwhelming to slaughter it. Knowing the patterns made it easy. I’d managed to avoid developing a complex about them.
"What are the monsters on the 10th Floor of Vale?"
"NEET Ants," Sherry informed me.
NEET Ants, huh? Ever since that poison incident, I’d been a bit wary of them. We moved to the 10th Floor and began the hunt. It looked like I could handle them here. NEET Ants were weak to the Water Attribute, so magic ended them quickly, and Roxanne and Sherry handled the stragglers on the front line. I just had to be careful when I pulled out Durandal to recover MP; even if I took a hit, the sword would heal me. I could definitely fight on Vale’s 10th Floor.
Lately, though, I’d developed a distaste for tea.
After fighting until evening, I left the labyrinth and headed to the Imperial Capital for some market research. It had been a busy day, but I needed to see how Pelmask Mirrors were handled in the capital before meeting Gosler. I didn't want to get caught off guard by some basic market knowledge.
I visited a high-end general store and looked at their mirrors. The wall-mounted ones had incredibly gaudy frames, with wooden carvings entwined in complex geometric patterns. So that was an ornamental mirror. It was pointlessly flashy. It might look okay in a palace, but it would look ridiculous in our house in Quratar.
The prices were astronomical. The cheapest tabletop mirror with a stand was 18,000 Nahl. There weren't even any large full-length or three-way mirrors, yet the prices just went up from there. I left quickly. I have no idea what the clerk thought of me just asking for the price and leaving; they probably threw salt behind me as I walked out.
"How was it?" I asked Sherry once we were home.
"The items there are the same as the ones in Pelmask. They likely buy them and sell them as-is. However, the price has more than doubled."
"Good business for just moving a product."
"Um... it seems so when looking at the price, but the journey itself is quite an ordeal."
Was it? Well, having to relay through multiple Adventurer Guilds was a pain, I suppose. For anyone other than an Adventurer, it was a long round trip. With only three trips a day between Zabil and Pelmask, a day trip was impossible. A three-day trip would cost 3,000 Nahl in fares, plus a 1,000 Nahl daily allowance and another 1,000 for food and lodging. That was 7,000 Nahl in overhead alone. Since Field Walk can't carry a lot of cargo, adding 7,000 to the price of a single mirror was inevitable. To make a profit, the markup had to be even higher.
"When you think about it like that, the price is fair."
"Yes. It feels like my senses are being warped because you move so easily, Master, but it’s supposed to be difficult. Truly, my perception of distance is being ruined."
Why did she have to say it twice?
The next morning, we moved to the 10th Floor of the Quratar Labyrinth. But first, we had to face the 9th Floor boss.
"The boss of the NEET Ants is the Hunt Ant," Sherry briefed me. "It’s essentially a much stronger version of the regular ant. Its skill-based poison attacks are powerful, and you can even be poisoned by its normal physical attacks."
An ant that was just "strong" was no threat at all—not to Roxanne, anyway. Since she was the one standing in front of it, she simply dodged every attack while I thrashed it with Durandal from the safety of the rear. The boss fell. This strategy was still going strong.
"What's on the 10th Floor here?"
"Escape Goats."
"Ugh, those guys."
Escape Goats were a pain, especially on the higher floors. They had a habit of trying to flee once they took about half damage. That meant I had to deal the remaining half of their health while they were running away. If I hesitated, they’d vanish.
We managed to kill a Level 10 Escape Goat on the 10th Floor, but it was close. It started running right on cue, and I barely managed to finish it off with magic before it reached the edge of the room. Timing-wise, even a second's delay would have resulted in a failed kill. I had a feeling Escape Goats were going to become my most hated monster.
Since being run away from was annoying, I shifted our focus back to the Vale Labyrinth. After exploring Vale until sunrise, I headed to Bode in the Harz Duchy alone. I’d asked Roxanne and Sherry to handle the laundry and breakfast; it was probably better not to take them to a castle full of handsome Elves.
I emerged in the same castle room I’d used during the flood relief. It was a lobby-like area with a wall designated for Adventurers using Field Walk.
"I wish to see Knight Captain Gosler," I told a man who looked like a member of the Knight Order. I handed him my emblem. He checked both sides carefully.
"May I have your name?"
"It's Michio. Tell him I'm the Adventurer from the flood; he'll know who I am."
"Please wait here a moment."
The knight headed deeper into the castle. The emblem worked wonders. I waited in the lobby, which was surprisingly bright. The side windows were wide open, letting in the morning light. They’d been shuttered when I was here before, likely because of the rain. In Quratar, the sun had only just risen, but here it seemed high in the sky. I knew it was to the north, but was it also significantly to the east?
"Oh! It really is the Adventurer."
A voice called out from behind me as I was staring out the window. It didn't sound like Gosler. I turned to find Duke Harz standing there. He had a brilliant, radiant smile—not a malicious one, but a genuine, shining grin. He was a very handsome man. Why can't Elves be cursed? It was definitely the right choice to leave the girls at home.
"Um, where is Gosler-dono?"
"Gosler is at the training grounds. I shall hear your business in his stead. Follow me to my study."
The Duke turned and swept out of the lobby. He was as impatient as ever. For the head of a ducal house, he lacked composure, but I suppose when you're that handsome, you can get away with anything.
"I came early because I thought you might be busy once the sun was up, but was I too late?"
"It’s no problem. It’s the season, after all. Soon, people will be waking up long after it has become bright."
"Ah."
I see. It was because we were in the north. From spring to summer, the further north you go, the earlier the sunrise. In the Arctic Circle, you’d have the midnight sun. Since we were north of Quratar, the sun rose earlier here.
"You went through much trouble the other day," the Duke said as we walked. "The rain has stopped and the water is receding. The danger of flooding has passed."
"I'm glad it didn't turn into a catastrophe."
The Duke opened the door to the same small office from before.
"Sit. So, did you have business with Gosler?"
"I met him recently at the Quratar Merchant Guild."
"Ah, that time." The Duke sat at his desk while I took the sofa. We were at opposite ends of the room—a good distance to avoid any suspicion of an assassination attempt.
"I heard that Pelmask Mirrors are sometimes used as gifts."
"Indeed. They are excellent items to bestow upon those within the territory."
So they were for "bestowing." In that case, maybe they did need fancy frames? Oh well.
"I visited Pelmask recently," I continued. "I was told that with a Letter of Authorization from a noble, they would sell the mirror glass itself without the frames. It would be considerably cheaper that way."
"I see. Just the glass?"
"Well, I imagine this territory produces excellent timber."
"Ho. So you suggest using Taluem wood?"
I’d seen a forest out the window and took a gamble, and it seemed to have paid off. If there was a forest, there was a woodworking industry.
"If they are for gifts, I thought it would be better to use frames crafted from local materials."
"Is that so?" The Duke nodded and rang a bell on his desk. Almost instantly, the door opened. That was too fast. "Tell Gosler to come here at once."
"At once, your Grace!"
The man, likely a guard, bowed so low I couldn't see his face and hurried off. The Duke might act like he’s on his own, but he’s clearly guarded every second. I leaned back on the sofa while the Duke began working on some papers. He really was a busy man.
Eventually, Gosler arrived. He knocked and entered. "Pardon me, I'm late. Oh! It’s the Adventurer-dono."
"This is Michio-dono," the Duke corrected. I realized the Duke must have learned my name from the receptionist today.
"I am Michio."
"Michio-dono can travel to Pelmask with ease," the Duke boasted, puffing out his chest at Gosler. "He is an exceptional Adventurer. I knew I had an eye for talent."
"All the way to Pelmask?" Gosler looked surprised.
"I win," the Duke declared.
What did he mean by "win"? Had they placed a bet on me? I could imagine Gosler scolding the Duke for approaching a random Adventurer, and the Duke stubbornly insisting I was a genius. I could see the whole dynamic playing out.
"Did you really go to Pelmask?" Gosler asked.
"Well, I wouldn't say it was easy."
"No one in the Knight Order can make the trip from Bode to Pelmask," Gosler noted.
I wasn't even sure if I could Warp there from Bode in one go, and I certainly didn't want to try. My MP couldn't handle the strain. I decided to ignore the Duke's "with ease" comment for now. I didn't want him exaggerating my abilities any further.
"Michio-dono says he can buy mirrors without decorations in Pelmask," the Duke explained.
"Mirrors without decorations?"
"We were discussing having Michio-dono bring them here and using Taluem wood for the frames."
"I see. Taluem would be perfect."
The Duke handled the entire explanation.
"I think it’s a good plan," the Duke said.
"I agree. What would the cost be?" Gosler asked, turning to me. As the man in charge of the practicalities, he was naturally focused on the bottom line. It was a tough question, so I went with honesty.
"I was told I needed a Letter of Authorization before they’d give me a price, so I haven't gotten that far yet."
"And you came here to get one?"
"I’ve already written it. This should suffice." The Duke waved a piece of paper. He’d been scribbling with his quill this whole time; I’d thought he was doing work, but he’d been writing my authorization. If it meant getting it faster, I wasn't complaining.
"As for the price," Gosler said, "if it's just the glass, I'd expect it to be around ten-thousand-some Nahl. It would be problematic if it exceeded twenty thousand. If it’s below that, we’ll take them. For now, let’s start with ten mirrors so we can let the craftsmen experiment with the frames. As for size, a variety would be preferable."
"I can't transport them all at once."
"I don't mind if it takes several days."
"Understood."
The deal was struck. All that was left was to actually get the mirrors. Sherry seemed sure the authorization would work. Price-wise, based on what I saw in the capital, it should be fine. Pelmask would be cheaper, and without the gaudy frames, it shouldn't hit 10,000 Nahl. I was glad I’d done that research.
"If you're going to Pelmask, you might want to sell some amber there," Gosler suggested.
"Amber?"
"Yes. It’s a specialty of this territory. They’re gemstones, so they’re small and valuable. I don't know the exact market price in Pelmask, but they should fetch a good sum."
"Oh, I see. That’s a great idea. I agree," the Duke chimed in.
Making a profit on the way to Pelmask as well as on the way back made perfect sense. Since "amber" translated properly, it definitely existed here. It wasn't as expensive as diamonds, but it was light and high-value—perfect for an Adventurer to trade.
"I agree."
"I’ll introduce you to a merchant here in Bode," Gosler said. "They are a reliable firm we’ve done business with for years. They’re right next to the Bode Adventurer Guild."
"I’ll write the letter of introduction," the Duke said, picking up his quill again. "With this, they won't try to sell you anything inferior."
He finished writing, folded the papyrus, and sealed it with melted wax and a signet. So that was how they did it. I didn't see much point in sealing the authorization, though.
"Here you go. Hand the letter of introduction to the shop owner."
Gosler took the papers from the Duke and placed the letter of introduction, the authorization, and my emblem on the table. I didn't really need the emblem back, but I suppose I might need it for future visits. The authorization was written on a high-quality sheet—parchment, maybe—unlike the papyrus used for the letter of introduction.
"Thank you very much."
I took the documents and left the Duke's study. I walked out of the castle and headed back.
"I got the authorization. We're going to Pelmask."
I explained the situation to the girls over breakfast.
"He gave it to you that easily?" Sherry was shocked, even though she was the one who told me to get it.
"It seems Pelmask Mirrors are quite in demand."
"Still... I didn't expect you to get it so quickly, Master."
"It’s only natural for Master," Roxanne said.
Whether it was natural or not, the Duke seemed like a very impulsive man. He was either light on his feet or just reckless. "Decisive" might be too kind a word.
"The request is for ten mirrors without decorations. The contract says 'about ten,' so a little more or less shouldn't be a problem. We’ll also get one for our house. We can have a simple stand made for ours."
"That sounds wonderful."
"They want a variety of sizes. We can't carry ten at once, so we’ll make multiple trips. Also, amber is a specialty here. Find out if there's a market for it in Pelmask."
"Understood. If we can profit from both ends of the trip, that’s ideal," Sherry agreed. She really had a head for business.
After breakfast, we moved to the Pelmask Adventurer Guild. I sent the two of them off with the authorization, the money, and the silver coins for the entry tax. I felt a bit uneasy sending slaves with a ducal authorization, but since I couldn't pass the Intelligence Card check in Pelmask, I had no choice. Sherry didn't seem to think it was weird for slaves to act as noble couriers.
Warping into the city myself would save on taxes, but it was too difficult. I can only Warp to places I’ve seen, and the only spot I knew in Pelmask was right in front of the guild. Warping there in the middle of the night was an option, but then I'd have to hide until morning. A stranger wandering the streets before dawn would be suspicious. I could stay at an inn, but the cost of the room would negate the tax savings. Plus, I couldn't be sure there weren't night patrols. If I was going to make multiple trips, I was bound to be caught eventually. According to Sherry, finding a safe, private spot in the city was harder than it sounded.
I killed time at home and in the labyrinth before heading back to the Pelmask Guild. After waiting a while, the two returned. They were each clutching a large, heavy package to their chests. They’d actually managed to buy them! But they were carrying them by hand...
The mirrors were quite large, reaching from their waists to their necks. They were big enough to be used as dressing mirrors. Carrying them like that meant they could only bring one each. Two per trip. And because they were so bulky, using relay points was out. Glass is fragile, and I couldn't risk them getting bumped in a labyrinth. We couldn't stop to recover MP.
"You got them, then?"
"Yes, Master."
"Then let’s head back."
It was unavoidable. I had to see if I could make the trip in one go. I Warped straight from the Pelmask Guild back to our house.
The moment we arrived, the world distorted. I let out a strangled cry. The ground seemed to heave, darkness clouded my vision, and the air grew heavy and stagnant. The cause was obvious: massive MP depletion. It had been a long time since I’d pushed myself this far.
Ah, no. God, forgive me. What have I done? Have I committed some grave sin? This defiled, devilish, fallen angel that I am...
"You can fly all the way from Pelmask in a single leap. As expected of Master!"
"...It was... at the limit," I wheezed. "Put the mirrors down. I’m Warping to the labyrinth immediately. Find me a monster."
"Of course!"
I felt incredibly uncool despite her praise. I Warped us to the 4th Floor of Quratar. Safety was my only priority now. From the house, Quratar was closer than Vale, meaning less MP to Warp there. And on the 4th Floor, I could kill anything with one swing of Durandal.
Or so I thought, but the first thing we ran into was a group of one Cheap Sheep and two Spice Spiders. Not a group. Please, not a group. Spice Spiders are poisonous; if I fought them now, I’d probably get bitten. They were 3rd Floor monsters, so they showed up frequently on the 4th. I hadn't thought this through. My brain was barely functioning.
Roxanne had clearly found a group with the best intentions, though in my current state, I wondered if she was secretly punishing me. If I’d had two brain cells to rub together, I would have realized the 4th Floor was a bad idea. My stupid, low-IQ brain. My cognitive functions were failing me.
I managed to kill them with three swings of Durandal. The haze in my head began to clear. Thinking about it calmly, there was no reason to be terrified of two spiders. It was a good thing I hadn't run away. I’d probably looked pathetic in front of Roxanne and Sherry, but there was nothing I could do about it now. I killed one more group to top off my MP and we headed back home.
"These are the Pelmask Mirrors," Sherry said, peeling back the papyrus wrapping. They were large, beautiful mirrors, completely devoid of frames or stands.
"Thanks to you, Master, we were able to buy excellent quality glass."
"I’d heard they were good, but the reflection is so clear," Roxanne marveled.
Compared to a mirror from modern Japan, they were... well, normal. Maybe a little duller. But compared to the metal mirrors common in this world, they were in a different league entirely. This was more than enough.
"I'm glad you're happy with them."
"We are! Thank you, Master."
"Yes, thank you. The price was thirty-five silver coins per mirror. However, they offered us eleven mirrors for three hundred and fifty silver. Furthermore, because I offered to pay for the whole lot in advance, I managed to get them down to just three gold coins."
She haggled them down? That was impressive. As expected of Sherry. She got a bulk discount and an advance-payment discount. Her rational mind was also quite shrewd.
"Ho?"
"It was only possible because you trusted me with the gold coins, Master. The workshop owns land in Pelmask, so I don't think they’d risk their reputation by taking the money and running."
"I suppose not. At most, they might just claim they never received it."
"If they try that, I will..." Roxanne started. What was she going to do? She sounded terrifying. In this world, thieves could be cut down without a second thought. Taking money and not delivering a product was no different from theft.
"They said they can provide a mix of different sizes," Sherry continued. "The price remains the same regardless. They also do custom decorations at the workshop. They’ve agreed to craft a simple tabletop stand for one of them—something they don't usually sell. We’ll have it attached to the largest mirror."
"I see." So we were keeping the biggest one for ourselves. And the price was the same, minus the stand.
"They’re going to do the stand as a free service by the next time we visit, since we bought so many."
The stand was free too? Sherry was a genius.
"I told them I really wanted it, and they agreed," Roxanne added.
Oh, so that part was Roxanne's negotiation? She was becoming quite the bargainer herself.
"Since they do decorations, they’re also interested in buying amber," Sherry said. "They can process it themselves, so they want raw stones."
"So the amber trade is viable too?"
"Based on the conversation, amber is very rare in Pelmask. Probably because they’re so far from the northern seas where it’s found. It will definitely be profitable."
Sherry had certainly been busy. But wait, amber is found in the sea? I thought it was fossilized resin dug out of the ground. Maybe it was like offshore oil? Or maybe the amber in this world was just different. I decided it was better not to say anything stupid.
"In that case, we should visit the amber merchant here."
Since we had the mirrors, I’d take them to the Duke tomorrow morning. But I wanted to see the amber merchant today. That way, if there were any issues—like him refusing to sell to us—I could ask the Duke for help tomorrow.
"That’s a good idea."
"Let's all go together."
"Are you sure, Master?"
"You two will be the ones doing the selling in Pelmask, after all." They needed to see the product. Sherry had already spoken with the workshop, so she knew what they were looking for.
"Understood. Thank you, Master."
I took the two of them and Warped to Bode Castle. We asked for directions to the Adventurer Guild and headed into the castle town. The amber shop was right next door. As we walked along the quiet cobblestone streets, we found the guild easily. Like every Adventurer Guild, it had a square sign representing the earth—symbolizing that an Adventurer could go anywhere on the planet.
Right next to it was a building with its doors wide open. This had to be the place. We stepped inside, but there was no amber on display.
"Welcome," a female Cat-kin clerk greeted us.
Oh! Cat-ears. They really are great. Lady Kycilia would be pleased!
"Is this the shop that handles amber?"
"It is indeed, sir."
So it was the right place. It felt more like an office than a shop. Amber was likely too expensive to leave sitting out on a counter.
"I noticed you aren't Elves," I remarked.
"Amber is harvested from the sea, and the sea is the territory of the Cat-kin," she explained.
My quiet mutter had been overheard. I didn't quite get the logic, but that was how it worked here. So amber was from the sea. Was it actually pearls?
"I travel quite a bit, and I was thinking of trading in amber. The Knight Order recommended this shop." I handed over the Duke's letter of introduction to smooth things over.
"Please wait one moment." She took the letter, bowed, and hurried off.
"Could this be... a personal introduction from his Grace the Duke?"
An older, sophisticated-looking Cat-kin man appeared from the back almost immediately. He was also a Cat-kin—a merchant-type older man. It actually suited him quite well. Maybe I should send him to Lady Kycilia too.
"He wrote it for me personally," I said.
"Please, come this way."
We were shown to a back room. The female clerk had already prepared herb tea. The power of a ducal letter was absolute. I sat at the table with Roxanne and Sherry on either side of me. The clerk placed four cups of tea down. She was treating the girls as guests too.
"Thank you."
"So, you wish to trade in amber?" the merchant asked, sitting across from us. The female clerk stepped outside. A shame.
"I mentioned it to the Duke, and he suggested I come here." I played up the connection. Given how impulsive the Duke was, it might not mean much, but it couldn't hurt.
"I cannot neglect a guest who carries a personal letter from his Grace."
"I appreciate that."
"However, our firm supplies the local area and the Imperial Capital directly. It would be problematic if we were undercut. Where do you intend to sell?"
So they did have a display-less business model. They were protecting their territory. Of course, since I’d be adding a margin, buying directly from the firm would be cheaper for a local, but transportation was the real cost. Moving a mirror to the capital doubled its price; amber was probably the same. As an Adventurer, I could bypass those costs.
"I'm heading to Pelmask. I'll be trading on the side while I'm there, so it won't be large-scale."
"I see. If it is only a small amount, it matters not where you sell it. For somewhere as distant as Pelmask, there is no problem at all."
The merchant brought out a wooden box and placed it on the table. Inside were transparent, pale-orange gemstones. It really was amber. Not pearls.
"Wow..." Roxanne and Sherry breathed. They clearly loved shiny things.
"For raw amber, small pieces like these start at several thousand Nahl. If they are crafted into necklaces, they can reach tens of thousands. This necklace is fifty-five thousand Nahl, and this one is fifty thousand. They use exceptionally large stones and are very rare. What do you think?"
Seeing an opening, the merchant immediately started pitching to the girls. Shrewd.
"Oh, no, we couldn't..."
"Well, looking is free," I encouraged them. "Go ahead and see."
"If you're sure, Master... just looking."
The two of them reached out. Roxanne took the 55,000 Nahl necklace, while Sherry picked up the one for 50,000.