Chapter 4
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 4
The silver-haired girl's youthful face was an expressionless mask. Upon closer inspection, her limbs were slender. She looked far too young; there was no way a child like this could have cleared a dungeon and obtained mana stones on her own...
‘She must be the child of a famous family.’
A thought suddenly flashed through Amer’s mind. There was, after all, a family among the Imperial Nine Families known for its hereditary silver hair.
Furthermore, she wore a shabby robe that looked like a deliberate attempt to hide her identity.
‘A shabby robe... silver hair...’
The two clues clicked into place, painting a picture in her mind. What if the daughter of that family had run away from home, secretly bringing the family’s treasured mana stones with her? That would explain everything.
“...I have been rude. I never imagined you would possess such high-quality goods.”
“...”
“Very well. We, ‘Wing,’ are interested in purchasing these mana stones. But first, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Graumitz Amer, the leader of this Magic Tower Guild, ‘Wing.’ Might I ask your name, if you don’t mind?”
“Re…”
“Pardon?”
“…Ren.”
“Ren, I see. And your surname is… No, let’s set aside such trivial matters. You don’t even have to tell me which family you’re from. Let’s move straight to the transaction. How many are you selling? All of them?”
“All of them.”
“My, you’re quite bold.”
Amer fought to respond calmly, a cold sweat beading on her forehead. She was realizing just how disorienting it was to negotiate with someone whose expression was impossible to read. Faced with such an extraordinary offer, delivered so nonchalantly, she was at a complete loss for how to set the price. She had no idea whether to aim high or low. The only thought filling Amer’s head was that she had to secure this deal, no matter what.
—Bring out all the gold coins and gems in the guild. Now.
After sending a telepathic message to the nearby guild members, Amer picked up a mana stone and toyed with it, pretending to appraise it.
She couldn't give the girl a moment to rest. She couldn't give this silver-haired girl time to think.
“How much were you looking to get for these?”
“You set the price.”
“How does 50 Gold Ounces per stone sound? For the ones in prime condition, I'll even give you up to 80.”
Hearing that, Ren hesitated for a moment.
‘To buy just one of these, commoners would have to save up for ten years.’
The words of the merchant she had met earlier came back to her.
In Ren’s understanding, an average person earned about 10 Gold Ounces a year. Ten years would be 100 ounces.
"But the mana stones you brought are all bigger than this, right?"
“...Play games with me, human, and you die.”
“Ha, haha. You have a sharp tongue. I was only joking. But to be honest, even if I combined all the funds ‘Wing’ has, it wouldn’t be enough to buy all of these.”
“Then just buy what you can.”
“However, Miss Ren, judging by your attire, it seems you don’t want your identity exposed. Our guild guarantees the privacy of our clients as a top priority, so there’s no risk of rumors starting here. But if you go around selling mana stones all over the city, won't word spread like wildfire?”
“...”
“Oh, and just to be clear, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not trying to threaten you; I’m saying this because I’m truly worried about you.”
With a sly expression, Amer slowly approached Ren. Her words weren't pleasant, but she wasn't wrong. Shopping them around to too many places would attract unwanted attention, especially since these items weren't easy to sell.
Ren nodded a few times in acknowledgment.
Soon after, two mages arrived and set a chest down before Amer.
“As you can see, this is everything. It’s a bit less than 2,000 Gold Ounces. But given our respective situations, I think it would be best for us to conclude the entire transaction here.”
“Get to the point.”
“On the condition that you trade everything to us, I was thinking of throwing in a few other valuable items. What do you think?”
“What kind of items?”
“We have many things prepared, mostly gemstones.”
“Is their value… guaranteed?”
“There may be some variation, but most of them are items with a history of past transactions.”
“They must be easy to sell, then.”
“You needn’t worry about that.”
“Fine.”
“...Well then, let’s go have a look.”
Contrary to Amer’s expectation that she would deliberate, Ren’s answer was simple and clear. Amer smiled, trying her best to appear unruffled. It was a smile drenched in pretense, but Ren simply let out a small yawn, as if she couldn't care less about Amer’s changing expressions.
After their brief conversation, Amer led the way upstairs. They went to the 9th floor, the highest level, with Ren following behind Amer while carrying her bundle. On the 9th floor of the Magic Tower, there was no one to be seen other than the two mages who had come up with Amer.
“This is our Magic Tower’s vault.”
Only after Amer stopped walking and finished her explanation did Ren lift her head slightly to survey the space.
Contrary to her expectation of a dusty room cluttered with magic tools, the vault was immaculately decorated with brilliantly colored storage boxes and fine ornaments. If the human Emperor were to build a treasure vault, it would likely look something like this.
Ren had no idea why the leader of a Magic Tower would maintain such a lavish space, not that it would have mattered if she did. She simply observed the items in silence, tapping her heel against the floor.
Most were ornaments—gemstones that nobles would favor.
‘Gems like these aren't bad.’
She had no personal greed for jewelry, but as Amer said, these kinds of gems were easy to exchange for cash. The value of gemstones didn't drop easily.
“This is a necklace that belonged to the eldest daughter of the Elaha family, who was executed in a coup half a century ago. It’s a rare treasure we obtained from a boss during the subjugation of the ‘Cursed Deep Swamp’ dungeon last year.”
They moved on. Ren’s footsteps stopped in front of a black pearl.
“This is called the ‘Living Black Pearl.’ It’s a pearl that makes the sound of a crying baby if there is poison near the wearer. It’s a favorite among nobles who fear assassination by poison. Most of those nobles are shady characters, but regardless, this is a masterpiece of alchemy… My, Miss Ren. You look quite displeased. Well, alchemy is an unseemly field of study, so many people find it repulsive.”
As if avoiding something foul, Ren quickened her pace.
“This is a tiara made of four-carat diamonds. It was a treasure bestowed by the 2nd Imperial Prince when we rescued him after he got lost in the ‘Spider Castle’ dungeon… but you’re not interested. And that over there… It’s nothing much. Just a ‘Red Love Stone.’ Let’s skip that one. Next, that ring is…”
The clicking of heels stopped. When Amer turned her head, Ren was standing in front of the red, heart-shaped gemstone.
“…Red Love Stone?”
“Oh, are you interested in this? This is also a mana stone. Rather than a gem naturally imbued with mana, it’s one where mana was artificially injected… Shall we say it’s a gem that makes love come true? In my opinion, it’s not something you would really need, Miss Ren…”
“Explain. In detail.”
“Pardon?”
“Explain it. In detail.”
Amer fell silent, momentarily flustered. She furrowed her brow slightly, as if she didn't understand the situation. The silver-haired girl remained expressionless. As always, her intentions were impossible to grasp from her outward appearance.
A few seconds of silence passed.
“Mhm-hm.”
Soon, Amer spoke up, sounding amused. A thick, oily smile spread across her lips as she spoke in a sly voice.
“Well, there isn't much to explain. If you channel mana into this gem in front of the person you like, the spirit dwelling within the stone will grant the two of you eternal love. You will receive infinite love until the day you die.”
“Are there exceptions?”
“It’s not such a flimsy item that it would have exceptions.”
“With anyone? Can you guarantee it?”
“I can swear it on my name as the Tower Leader.”
“I’ll take this.”
At Ren’s decision, Amer secretly swallowed hard, organizing her thoughts while pretending to deliberate. The smile that returned to her face was one of pure malice, stretching from ear to ear.
“Do you really want this one?”
“I must have this stone.”
“Ah… Haa. To be honest, I didn't mention it because I didn't think you’d be interested… This is unfortunate. Truth be told, it’s a bit difficult for me to part with this. This stone, more than any other, is worth whatever I ask for it. With this one gem, you could even steal the heart of His Imperial Majesty. In a way, it’s a treasure precious enough to be traded for the Empire itself. It’s also the greatest treasure of our Magic Tower. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can give it to you. Perhaps you’d like to look at some other things…”
“I need that.”
“…I understand how you feel, Miss Ren, but I simply cannot give you that gem.”
“What if I give you this?”
“Pardon?”
“How about… this?”
For the first time, a flicker of hesitation appeared on Ren’s blunt face.
What the girl pulled from inside her robe was—
“How do you have this, Miss Ren?”
The first thing that burst from Amer’s mouth wasn't admiration, but a question. At this point, nothing should have surprised her. Though she spoke those words, her mind was screaming with joy at the unexpected windfall.
“Everything else, plus the remaining amount. Give me that gem.”
*
“You certainly scammed her good, Leader.”
“She’s obviously a fool. Spoiled nobles like her, who know nothing of the world, need to get burned badly before they come to their senses.”
Watching the silver-haired girl leave the Magic Tower with light steps, Haim, a member of ‘Wing,’ sat down next to Amer. He let out a sigh, his expression a mixture of worry and resignation as he stared at the floor.
“Ah, I don’t know… That’s more than just getting burned. How could you give her a gem with a demon sealed inside?”
“What does it matter? She’s the one who wanted it. Besides, it’s true that it’s valuable. That thing is strong enough to kill most living creatures in an instant. I don’t know who that blunt, unpleasant brat has her eyes on, but I almost feel sorry for the target.”
“A person’s life isn't a joke. That girl is going to die.”
“Don’t get a conscience on me now. If you wanted to be a busybody, you should have told her the truth earlier.”
“…”
“Besides, isn’t it kind of nice? At least she won’t die a painful death.”
At the words ‘she’ll die,’ Haim’s brow furrowed. He wanted to argue, to ask ‘What kind of mindset does this woman have?’—but he knew she wasn't someone he could reason with. As he slowly stood up, Amer smirked. Her smile was less human and more like that of a slit-mouthed monster.
“Why so serious? This is something to celebrate. Look, we can finally reach the top.”