I see. So that was how it worked.
The necklace featured a dozen or so egg-shaped Kohaku stones, each cut into an oval and polished to a shine. It looked like something you might find in modern Japan, or perhaps it was a bit old-fashioned. I didn't know enough about jewelry to tell the difference.
"Kohaku can also be processed into brooches," the middle-aged merchant said, handing me a piece of his stock. "If a high-quality stone can be cut into a large size, it becomes a truly rare specimen. This cloak fastener, for example, is twenty thousand Nahl."
I assumed men used these to secure their cloaks. To be honest, I wasn't interested.
"Is it possible to deal in Raw Kohaku?" I asked.
"I see. Indeed, Pelmask is a city famous for its crafts. If you intend to take them there, raw stones that haven't been processed yet might be the better choice."
I returned the brooch immediately, and the merchant practically bit at the suggestion.
"Perhaps," I replied.
Sherry had already gathered that information, but I kept quiet about it. I didn't want him to think I was too eager and try to overcharge me.
Sherry was staring intently at the Kohaku. She was feigning indifference, but her eyes were deadly serious. She even swapped it with the necklace Roxanne had been handed, inspecting the stones in minute detail. As for Roxanne, she was visibly fascinated.
"Thank you very much," Roxanne said, returning her necklace.
"How did you find it?" the merchant pressed.
"Well... it’s just, I think I would prefer a slightly paler color."
"In that case, I have items like this as well!"
Roxanne had spoken vaguely, likely trying to offer a polite excuse to decline, but the merchant didn't miss a beat. He pulled another wooden box from beneath his feet and lifted out a different necklace.
"O-Oh."
"This necklace is comprised of Kohaku with exceptionally high transparency. Its selling point is its faint, refreshing charm. Since the color isn't as intense, the price is lower, making it quite a bargain."
"No, I..."
He was practically forcing it on the hesitating Roxanne. The man was a born salesman.
"And how about you, young lady?" he asked, turning to Sherry.
"They are both fine necklaces," Sherry replied, returning the one she held. Her voice was cold. That was a good sign—at least for me.
"Did they not catch your fancy?"
"To begin with, these necklaces are a bit too long for a Dwarf."
"Many people prefer them long, though we do have other options."
The merchant produced yet another item—a necklace with a single large Kohaku Pendant. With that design, the length could be adjusted freely.
"I see."
"Also, inside this box is the Raw Kohaku."
Having pushed the necklaces onto Roxanne and Sherry, the merchant finally turned back to me. Inside the wooden box were several reddish stones. I suppose "stone" wasn't technically correct if it was Kohaku. He picked one up and handed it to me.
"Is this the raw state?"
"Even though it's raw, it's not exactly as it was found in nature. These are stones collected from the coast that have been rough-cut. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to discern the quality at all."
"I see." Indeed, a portion of the surface had been shaved down.
"Do you happen to know the criteria for quality Kohaku, sir?"
"I don't." There was no way I would. I didn't even know much about the amber on Earth, and even if I did, this world likely had its own standards.
"Generally, high transparency and a reddish tint are considered superior. Rough-cutting allows us to judge the hue to an extent, though it isn't absolute."
"Is that so?"
"When polished, foreign objects are sometimes found inside. It is said that Kohaku was created when a goddess used magic to drive away swarming insects. Because of that, insects are often trapped within. Stones containing an entire small ant or the like are considered extremely precious and beautiful, holding immense value. However, we can't make that determination at the rough-cut stage."
I suspected Kohaku was just fossilized resin here too, but I decided to ask Sherry.
"Is it really the goddess's magic?"
"That's the legend," she explained. "Since it’s believed to contain the goddess's magic power, some Dwarves have wondered if it could be used for equipment. I’ve never heard of anyone succeeding, though. The common consensus is that it's impossible because it isn't a drop from a monster. Aside from that, there are scholars who research ways to extract magic from it."
I dared to say it in my mind: it was useless.
"Huh. Is that right?"
"There was once a famous scholar who claimed he could extract magic power just by rubbing the stone."
That was definitely just static electricity. I recalled that the word for Kohaku in ancient Greece was "elektron." In my world, electricity had been discovered through amber.
I turned back to the merchant and returned the raw stone. "It seems difficult to judge the quality at this stage."
"It is impossible for anyone without years of experience. Even then, please understand that there is a certain element of chance involved. Of course, I will provide you with the most reliable pieces I have."
I figured he was just giving me a disclaimer to prevent future complaints.
"Understood."
"For stones of this size and quality, the price is eight hundred Nahl each. Since the processing is done elsewhere, I don't keep my entire stock in the shop. At the moment, I can provide you with up to ten stones."
Eight hundred Nahl felt cheap in one sense, but if I thought of them as just pebbles, it seemed expensive. Polishing them would bring the value up to several thousand? Considering the labor, I suppose that made sense.
"Since I have a referral from the Duke, I'll take all of them."
I didn't know the exact volume or price I could get at the Pelmask workshops, but I wasn't going to buy just one as a sample. By bringing in a decent amount at the start, I could show them I was a serious supplier. Since it was jewelry, it didn't need to be a mountain of product, but one stone would be pathetic.
I'd buy the lot and see what happened. Gosler had mentioned a limit of twenty thousand Nahl, so I could make a significant profit on the mirrors alone. Even if this failed, it was an acceptable price for a lesson.
Even as I finished my business with the owner, Roxanne and Sherry were still mesmerized by the jewelry. I wondered if Sherry had even heard the price for the raw stones. Since a layman couldn't judge the raw Kohaku anyway, there hadn't been much point in bringing them along.
Well, they looked happy, so I suppose it didn't matter. Roxanne, in particular, was staring at a necklace with incredible intensity.
If I imagined a Kohaku Necklace resting on those breasts...
This was dangerous. It was practically an act of violence against my self-control. A beautiful necklace on those lush, beautiful curves. If I could fully appreciate a necklace resting directly against her skin...
I wanted to squeeze them. I wanted to knead them. I wanted her to wear it while we were in bed.
To make that happen, I had to buy it. And it would make her happy, too.
Am I really doing this? Do I have no choice?
Wait. Don't panic. This was the merchant's trap. It was impossible.
I looked away. Sherry was also staring at a necklace, though she had a slight frown on her face. Perhaps she didn't like it as much? Or maybe that was just my wishful thinking.
"I believe this piece would suit this young lady perfectly," the merchant said, sensing her hesitation and bringing over a different item. It was a deep red necklace with large, uniform beads.
Sherry held it up to her chest, and her face immediately lit up. "Wow."
I had to admit, the necklace looked gorgeous against her. The merchant certainly had a keen eye.
"B-But... um, I don't really..."
Sherry was being modest, but it was obvious she loved it.
"This necklace has a deep red hue, a very popular color, so it is forty-five thousand Nahl. The one that other lady is holding is thirty thousand Nahl."
The merchant directed the prices at me. The fact that it was an amount I could actually afford felt calculated and unpleasant. He knew exactly who was holding the coin purse.
However, he'd made a mistake. It wouldn't do for Roxanne's necklace to be cheaper than Sherry's. She was my First Slave, after all. I could use that as an excuse to get out of this. The merchant had overplayed his hand by suggesting something too expensive at the end.
"I see."
"And for that lady, I highly recommend this one."
When I acted coldly, the merchant produced yet another necklace and placed it before Roxanne.
"Oh?"
"The color is lighter, but these stones are completely free of foreign matter—a pride of our guild. The central stone in particular is a rare find; it's almost impossible to find one of this size with this much transparency."
It was a pale Kohaku, but incredibly clear. There was a remarkably large bead in the center, flanked by other large, tightly packed stones.
"How does it look?" Roxanne asked, holding it against her chest.
There were... three mountains.
A great peak of Kohaku sat in the center, flanked by two other massive peaks rising on either side behind the transparent stone. Because the color was so delicate, the necklace didn't demand attention for itself. It lay quietly at the base of her breasts, its modest presence only serving to accentuate the height of the "mountains" behind it.
Don't mess with me. This was war. It was one thing to look at it now, but if I actually put it on her... it would be total war!
"I-It suits you."
"Thank you very much!" Her smile was blinding.
"What do you think, sir?"
"Indeed, I think this one suits her better."
"This necklace will be fifty thousand Nahl."
It was five thousand Nahl more than Sherry's. My path of retreat had been completely cut off.
"Th-Then, I'll take both necklaces."
"Are you certain?" Roxanne asked, still holding the large Kohaku against her lush chest.
I felt like that was a redundant question given the circumstances. I gave her a firm, silent nod of consent.
"Very well! Including the raw stones, and since you were referred by His Grace, I'll make it a special service. Let's say seventy-two thousand, one hundred Nahl for everything."
The merchant beamed at me. Damn it. I’d definitely been played. What was all that about a "special service"? He’d just applied the thirty-percent discount from my skill. I wasn't convinced, but there was nothing to be done. I had the necklaces that would decorate their chests, so I suppose I could live with it.
"Then this should be the exact amount." I paid the price.
"Thank you very much. It is exactly right."
"I appreciate the help."
"I will prepare more Raw Kohaku for your next visit. They aren't collected every day, so it may take some time."
"Understood."
We left the office and returned home. I could have gone back to Pelmask immediately, but there was no need to rush. I didn't want to seem desperate or untrustworthy, especially since I'd already paid the deposit for the mirrors. Rushing a deal often looked like a swindler's tactic. It was better to show some composure. Going to Pelmask once a day was enough.
"Thank you very much, Master," they both said once we were back inside.
"Are you sure it was alright?" Sherry added.
"It's fine. Since I'm going to have you two sell Kohaku in Pelmask, you need to be wearing it yourselves. Think of it as a necessary business expense."
Actually, that was a valid point. It was a live demonstration. A saleswoman selling Kohaku should probably be wearing some.
"In that case, I will borrow it whenever I need to use it," Sherry said.
"Borrow it?"
"Anything an Owner buys for a Slave belongs to the Owner. It's different for consumables, daily necessities, or the Underwear we wear every day."
So that was how it worked. Even if I bought them for the girls, they remained my property. I recalled something similar being said when I bought their clothes.
"Well, in any case, if you two work hard to sell that Raw Kohaku, we'll make the money back in no time. Though I don't know exactly what the profit will be."
I could sell the mirrors to the Knight Order for at least three times what I paid. I imagined Kohaku would be similar. Since it was easier to carry, maybe the markup wouldn't be as high? Neither item was a monster drop, so they wouldn't fit in the Item Box.
Given how easily mirrors could break, transporting many at once was difficult. Roxanne and Sherry had only brought one each. If there was a better way, the workshop would likely tell us. Kohaku, on the other hand, were just small stones. I could fit a decent amount in a bag.
"I-I'll do my best!"
Maybe I shouldn't have pressured them.
"It's just a side business, so as long as we don't lose money, it's fine."
I looked forward to seeing how much we'd make.
We didn't return to Pelmask that day, instead spending the afternoon in the Vale Labyrinth. After dinner, we took a bath to cleanse ourselves. Once Roxanne was finished, I placed the Kohaku Necklace around her neck.
Looking down from above, the way her breasts swelled... and the Kohaku resting there created such a suggestive atmosphere. Buying it was definitely the right decision.
Next, I placed the other necklace around Sherry's neck. The gorgeous red stones rested quietly against her chest. The jewelry looked incredible against their pale red and white Camisoles.
The modest Kohaku Necklace resting against Roxanne’s prominent chest, and the gorgeous one shining on Sherry’s more reserved figure. They were the ultimate accessories.
I savored every bit of them.