I delivered the third mirror to the Duke.
Naturally, I didn't take Roxanne along.
After I collected the payment and broached the subject of further sales, he decided to purchase three more mirrors.
Back at the house, I got the necklaces ready. I needed to have the commissions sorted before heading out to source more mirrors.
I warped to the Bode Adventurer Guild and headed for the Kohaku Merchant Office.
"Welcome! Unfortunately, since it hasn't been long since your last visit, I haven't been able to source any Raw Kohaku just yet."
"That can't be helped. I’m here for necklaces today."
"I see. In that case, please, follow me."
The Catkin merchant led us toward the back of the shop.
"I'll leave the choosing to the three of you."
"Understood."
"Leave it to us."
"Yes, desu."
I entrusted the task to them as I followed along.
"The necklace you showed us the other day—the one you said was the finest piece in years—is it still available?"
Before we had even taken our seats, Sherry took the lead and questioned the merchant.
"We do. It's right here."
The merchant scurried behind the counter and produced the item.
Was that the necklace Sherry had been eyeing before?
"It’s just as I remember; the quality is exquisite. Simply wonderful. The color, the clarity... it truly is a masterpiece."
Sherry held the necklace up, heaping praise upon it.
I wondered if it was wise to be so complimentary. Wouldn't that just give him leverage to keep the price high?
"It certainly is, isn't it?"
"And the price?"
"As I mentioned before, I’m willing to part with it for the special price of 69,800 Nahl."
The price was the same as last time. I guess he wasn't trying to take advantage of us.
Despite that, Sherry let out a heavy sigh upon hearing the merchant's answer.
"The price is still the issue, I see..." she muttered, setting the necklace back down.
"Do you have anything else comparable to this?"
"Something comparable... Well, this one here is a piece that doesn't fall far behind it."
The merchant pulled out another item. It was a necklace with a single, large piece of Kohaku hanging from the center.
"I see. This is also a fine piece."
"This one features a Deep Crimson Large Bead. It’s rare to find Kohaku of this caliber more than once every fifty years. Because of that, we can’t set it with multiple stones like our other pieces. This one is 65,000 Nahl."
"Hmm."
Sherry crossed her arms and tilted her head.
Meanwhile, the merchant brought out more necklaces to show Roxanne and Miria.
"It's beautiful."
"Pretty, desu."
Roxanne and Miria were admiring them lightheartedly.
"What do you think?"
Sherry brought the two necklaces over to Roxanne.
"Um. Well..."
"The one with the multiple stones is definitely better, but that price... hmm..."
"I... I see. Well, since you've taken such a liking to it, I suppose I could let it go for 68,000 Nahl—just for today."
Faced with Sherry's visible hesitation, the merchant lowered his price.
"Hmm. A little more."
"67,500 Nahl! Truly, I can go no lower than this."
"I suppose it can't be helped at that price. This one will do."
Having successfully squeezed a discount out of the merchant, Sherry brought the necklace over to me.
To make him cave twice... Sherry, you're a terrifying girl.
"Understood."
"I’d also like to see something in the 50,000 Nahl range."
"In that case, it would be these. How about these items?"
The merchant brought out two more necklaces and handed them to Sherry.
"These?"
"The one on the left uses high-quality Kohaku with a soft, rich hue. The one you’re holding has a striking brilliance. The first is 52,000 Nahl, and the one in your hand is 50,000."
"I see. But this one seems a bit cloudy, doesn't it?"
After listening to the merchant's explanation, Sherry compared them intently before handing one back. It was the one she had been holding first.
"Other than those, we have this as well. It is a piece that surpasses that necklace. Though the price is a bit high at 56,000 Nahl..."
"It is lovely, certainly. But I have to keep my customer's requirements in mind."
Sherry looked it over briefly before returning it to the merchant. We had already informed him that we were reselling these necklaces.
"Then how about this? It strikes a perfect balance between brilliance and color. 54,500 Nahl."
"This is nice. But for the client... hmm. What do you two think?"
"Um... well..."
"Hmm, desu."
Sherry turned to Roxanne and Miria for their opinions.
I thought that was a bit of a tall order for them. Neither of them would know how to respond to a prompt like that.
"I see. Then, as a special exception, I'll drop it to 53,500 Nahl. What do you say?"
"I see. At that price... but still... hmm."
Sherry tilted her head once more.