The Golden Transaction
Because the Chloe Grace they knew was an idiot who could barely read, let alone do calculations.
Dong-hee blinked in surprise at the two men who were shocked by such simple addition.
“Of course. I can do this kind of math with my eyes closed. Anyway, what do you think, butler?”
“In my opinion, it seems appropriate to ask for a total of 150 gold.”
“Not 200 gold?”
She had no idea how much one gold was worth in Korean money, but Dong-hee decided to quote a high price anyway. Sure enough, Gold Rich—who had confidently tossed out his own figure—flinched visibly at the amount she named.
“I’m disappointed, Gold Rich. I told you I have tons of these. It looks like I’ll have to take my business elsewhere.”
She had no other jewelers to call on, but Dong-hee decided to play hard to get for the moment.
As if to declare that further negotiation was impossible, she rose, picked up the jewelry box, and walked slowly toward the table.
The closer Chloe drew to the table, the faster Gold Rich’s head swiveled back and forth between her and the gems.
Dong-hee gathered the necklaces with the relaxed air of someone who had nothing to lose, stealing sidelong glances at Gold Rich’s expression.
Each time a necklace vanished from the table, his already yellowish face grew a shade yellower.
Keep that up and it’ll turn the color of shit.
“Butler, contact another jeweler…”
“No! I’ll give you 200 gold!”
Gold Rich lunged forward and seized Chloe’s hand.
His thick palm was hot and damp with anxiety.
Dong-hee frowned, yanked her hand free, and wiped it briskly on her dress.
Flustered, Gold Rich pulled a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket and offered it with both hands in polite apology.
“Forgive me, My Lord. I let my eagerness get the better of me. Please overlook the rudeness of this ignorant merchant.”
She rather liked how quick-witted he was.
“Then four pieces for 200 gold, correct?”
“Yes. I will pay you at once.”
Realizing the deal was sealed, color flooded back into Gold Rich’s face.
“Give me 1,000 gold and take them. Come back next time for more.”
“What? You clearly said 200 gold earlier! What kind of outrageous price is that!”
Gold Rich shot to his feet, dumbfounded.
His plump cheeks burned crimson with anger. Looking at him, Dong-hee thought he resembled nothing so much as a toad fresh off a hot skillet.
“Such a short temper.”
Dong-hee fetched another box from the bed and set it on the table.
At the sight of the shabby container that looked like it might hold nothing but cookies, Gold Rich’s face twisted with irritation.
Even if Chloe Grace couldn’t tell heaven from earth, raising the price this drastically was simply unacceptable.
But the moment the lid opened, his sour expression vanished along with his jaw, which dropped clean to the floor.
Inside the box—one that looked fit for the trash—lay four more identical necklaces, each set exactly like the first.
“Well? 1,000 gold.”
At Dong-hee’s triumphant question, Gold Rich stretched out a trembling hand and asked,
“M-may I examine them closely?”
“By all means.”
The words had scarcely left Chloe’s mouth before Gold Rich forgot all dignity, dropped to the floor, and pulled on a pair of white cotton gloves he produced from inside his coat.
His name was embroidered on the back in golden thread.
“Then, if you’ll permit me.”
A look of solemn resolve settled over his face, like a knight who had finished his battle preparations.
Gold Rich drew a deep breath and slowly reached into the box. Dong-hee watched in silence as the tips of his fingers trembled violently with tension.
If I told him I have another hundred of these, he’d probably faint on the spot.
Ever since Borimdang had become an activated zone, Dong-hee had worked diligently transporting jewels right up until the day before Gold Rich’s arrival.
As a result, every box in the room was packed to bursting, and she had shown him only a small portion.
“Such craftsmanship is impossible!”
“My heavens! How beautiful!”
“This cannot be the work of human hands! Oh, God, am I truly not dreaming?”
“To think a day like this would come for me! Heh heh heh… heuk!”
Gold Rich remained seated until sunset, muttering to himself, laughing one moment and weeping the next.
Only after darkness had fallen outside did he finally rise, his face puffy, and break into a radiant smile. He looked as refreshed as if he had just woken from a deep sleep at a bathhouse.
“1,000 gold! I shall give it to you. No—I will give you 1,100 gold! I earnestly beg you to continue doing business with me in the future, My Lord!”
He bowed so deeply his forehead nearly touched the floor, pleading—no, begging—respectfully.
At the offer of more money than originally promised, the corners of Dong-hee’s mouth twitched upward, but she forced her expression to remain solemn.
“I’ll consider it.”
At Chloe’s gracious remark, Gold Rich folded his stout body into a perfect ninety-degree bow.
“I implore you. I will truly offer a most generous price.”
“We’ll see how you behave.”
“Thank you!”
Gold Rich smiled obsequiously, then personally fetched a large chest and began placing the jewels inside with meticulous care.
Watching him, Dong-hee decided she would need to bring proper cases next time.
After all, nothing raised a price quite like elegant packaging.
And since the materials for those cases didn’t exist in this world, they might command a high price themselves.
Gold Rich filled the chest without letting anyone else see, then secured it with a sturdy lock. Only after hanging the key around his neck and tucking it safely inside his clothes did he call for help.
The person who entered at his summons bore an astonishing resemblance to Gold Rich.
The differences were that he was slightly taller and younger.
“Your son, I presume.”
When Chloe asked with interest, Gold Rich answered with a proud smile.
“Yes, I’m bringing him along to teach him the trade.”
“I see.”
“What are you doing? Greet the Lord of Grace! My own son, yet so utterly tactless! I am ashamed!”
“It’s fine. These things happen. If I’m displeased, I can simply take my business elsewhere. Don’t trouble yourself.”
“Aigo! My Lord! You worthless boy!”
Gold Rich smacked the back of his son’s head with a loud thwack and roared.
“Apologize to Her Lordship at once!”
“…Yes. I’m sorry. Please forgive my transgression.”
The son prostrated himself and begged forgiveness without the faintest idea what he had done wrong.
The father, who had been badmouthing the Lord of Grace only moments earlier, now looked every inch the loyal vassal.
Aha. So this is what power tastes like.
Savoring the winner’s leisure, Dong-hee smiled with as much benevolence as she could muster.
“Your son’s name wouldn’t happen to be Silver Rich, would it?”
“How did you know?!”
Gold Rich’s eyes widened in astonishment at the dad-joke quip.
“Whoa, for real?”
It seemed opening a naming agency in this world would be a terrible idea. The names were so painfully on the nose.
Gold Rich made a point of adding that his second son was named Bronze Rich and his youngest daughter Dia Rich before leaving the drawing room.
“I look forward to our next meeting, My Lord!”
“Yeah. You can go now.”
Dong-hee imitated the expression Gold Rich had worn at the start and waved her hand dismissively, as though the whole affair bored her.
“Yes, thank you.”
When Gold Rich bowed deeply once more, his son Silver Rich called to one of the attendants waiting outside. A man strode in carrying a large chest.
At the sudden appearance of the stranger, Dong-hee swallowed hard without realizing it.
He was a giant easily two meters tall. Not only was he huge, but every inch of him rippled with thick muscle; his thighs were as wide around as Dong-hee’s entire torso.
His feet were so enormous that crafting his shoes would require several times more leather than an ordinary person’s.
Despite his intimidating physique, the man’s face was strangely adorable—most likely thanks to his unusually round, sparkling eyes and thick lashes.
The disconnect between face and body left Dong-hee unsure whether she should be afraid or laugh.
The man set the chest of gold coins on the floor as gently as if it were a lunchbox.
“Inside the chest are 1,000 gold. And here is the additional 100 gold I promised, for a total of 1,100 gold.”
Gold Rich placed a leather pouch containing the extra 100 gold atop the chest and spoke in a respectful tone.
“I trust you.”
“Thank you.”
Completely unaware that she simply found counting it now too troublesome, Gold Rich bowed with a deeply moved expression and departed.
The chest he left behind was filled to the brim with gleaming yellow gold coins.
Scrooge, the butler who had been frugally managing the estate’s finances while tightening his own belt, rubbed his eyes again and again, unable to believe the mountain of gold before him.
“Butler.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
His voice trembled faintly with anticipation.
“We still have a long way to go before we have enough money, but let’s start with the most urgent matters.”
“If it’s urgent matters…”
“First, let’s do something about Morta Village.”