Chapter 164 -- Sparks Fly

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Guild Master Adriano-san announced as he returned with the gem appraiser Ruslan-san following behind. "Well," he said after sitting down, "We'd like to buy most of the items you have offered us. The items are..."

The jewels that Adriano-san wanted to purchase were the smaller stones, the ruby, emerald, aquamarine, garnet, the two amethysts and the peridot as well as the two small diamonds and the two medium-sized ones. In addition he wanted the gold ingot, the diamond ring and lastly the Imperial Topaz. I got the impression that diamonds were popular gems in this world but the large yellow diamond that Ruslan-san had enthused over was not included in his list, probably because they simply couldn't afford to pay me a realistic price for it. The tanzanite necklace was also rejected, perhaps because it was unusual and hence would be difficult to sell on.

"I would like to buy these," he said, separating the items he had listed on one side of the cloth on the table. "Is that acceptable?" When I agreed, Adriano-san read out the price he was offering for each as Ugor-san and I listened closely.

"The small ruby is worth 180 gold coins, the small emerald 170 gold coins, the small aquamarine 140 gold coins, the small garnet 120 gold coins, the two small amethysts are each 80 gold coins so that makes 160 gold coins and the peridot is 110 gold coins." He separated each gem as he priced it, pushing it to one side of the cloth with a finger.

"The diamonds now, the two smaller diamonds are each worth 500 gold coins so that makes 1000 gold coins and the two larger diamonds are each worth 750 gold coins so that makes 1500 gold coins. As for the other items, the gold ingot is worth 300 gold coins, the Imperial Topaz is worth 1600 gold coins and I'd like to offer 680 gold coins for the diamond ring. That makes a total of 7460 gold coins." He looked up at me with a smile. "Is that agreeable to you, Mukouda-san?"

Jewellery is amazing, it’s expensive in this world too. 7460 gold coins for those? I looked at the gems on the cloth, coloured glass in pleasing shapes and they were worth, let me see, the price of eight Black Magic Cooking Stoves, or was that nine? I could understand large amounts of money better that way, somehow. I opened my mouth to agree but...

"Ehh, can I just interrupt here to say 'please wait a moment'?" Ugor-san broke in before I could say anything. “The purchase price you offered Mukouda-san seems a bit on the low side to me, Guild Master, especially for the Imperial Topaz and the diamonds." He sat back as Adriano-san's eyes locked on him.

"As the Deputy Guild Master of Doran's Adventurers Guild, a lot of information about the prices and rarity of assorted items Adventurers might wish to sell passes across my desk, including gems and jewellery. I try to make careful note of such things." He leaned forward and laid his finger on the Imperial Topaz on the cloth, mimicking the manner Adriano-san had touched it earlier as he sorted through the items he wished to purchase.

"For example, I've heard of the Imperial Topaz before today. It is one of the fabled 'Phantom Jewels', is it not?" Ruslan-san twitched at Ugor-san's words but Adriano-san's expression did not change. Ugor-san smiled. "Yes, with a name like that, one would expect jewellers to prize such stones above others for their rarity and desirability." Ugor-san moved the Imperial Topaz with his finger, as if to shift it over to where the unwanted large yellow diamond and the tanzanite necklace lay. Adriano-san tensed momentarily but quickly regained his calm demeanour and returned Ugor-san's smile with one of his own, if a rather tight-lipped one.

"And of course everyone knows that larger gemstones are more expensive than smaller ones." Ugor-san plunged in for the kill. "Isn't it a little strange that a 'Phantom Jewel' of this size and quality is worth, according to your good selves, only 1600 gold coins?"

Ugor-san lifted his finger from the Imperial Topaz, only to touch each of the larger diamonds in turn. "And the price you quoted for the diamonds, that seems strangely low to me. Diamonds are a very popular jewel due to their brilliance. Now these are very high quality diamonds from Doran's dungeon as Ruslan-san attested. I've not seen diamonds as large as these recovered from the dungeon before but to my certain knowledge smaller diamonds were sold for the price you are offering for these larger ones, 750 gold pieces each. How odd, I can't help thinking to myself."

O- oh, so that's how it is? Ugor-san really knew his stuff. If it had been Elland-san accompanying me to the Merchants Guild I suspect things would have gone differently. After all I had no idea at all what these gems were really worth, in this world or my own.

“Mukouda-san," Ugor-san turned to me, "you don't have to sell these gems right away, do you?" I nodded, following the Deputy Guild Master's lead. I wasn't troubled by any lack of money and I could hold on to these gems and other items indefinitely without having to turn them into cash.

“If that is the case, you can sell them to an Adventurers Guild in another city." Ugor-san continued. "Mukouda-san is a registered Adventurer after all, Adriano-san. It would be better for him to do that and get a fair price from his own Guild, don't you agree?" It was certainly something to think about...

"Please wait a moment." Adriano-san said, leaning forward eagerly. "Of course as you say, Mukouda-san is an Adventurer but were you aware that he is also registered in the Merchants Guild?" Ugor-san seemed surprised to hear that but of course I hadn't told him, or indeed anyone in Doran that I was a member of the Merchants Guild. Adriano-san, how did you know I was registered with the Merchants Guild? I had done that months ago and far from here, in another country. I could only think he had researched me and I marvelled at his thorough preparation before our meeting today. I could understand now why he was Master of the city's Merchants Guild.

“Yes, I’m registered with the Merchants Guild but I'm only iron-ranked, because I'm good at cooking and I thought at one time about setting up a food stall or maybe opening a small restaurant." I gestured behind me where Fer was lying on the luxurious carpet pretending to sleep with Dora-chan curled up on top of him, half-buried in his fur. "Now I have contracted monsters I mostly carry out Adventurer work." I sighed theatrically. "Really, I'm thinking of letting my Merchants Guild membership lapse since it's not of any real benefit to me these days." I added the last bit to support Ugor-san's efforts in dealing with Adriano-san. After all I owed a lot to the Adventurers Guild.

“That’s right." Ugor-san picked up from where I had left off, negating Adriano-san's temporary leverage in the battle of wits raging across the table. "If you’re going to take advantage of one of our Guild member's inexperience in selling such rare and sought-after items then I can only think to recommend he holds on to them for now and sells them elsewhere when he can get a better price." The Deputy Guild Master and the Guild Master traded smiles, sparks flying between them as they looked at each other. In the end Adriano-san was the one that capitulated. "Please wait a moment," he said before leaning over and whispering to Ruslan-san. I couldn't make out what he said but Ruslan-san nodded after a brief delay.

“Cough." Adriano-san looked like he was chewing a lemon, but rallied bravely. "I'm sorry. Regarding the purchase prices I mentioned earlier I would like to correct them a little. We will offer you 2100 gold coins for the Imperial Topaz, the two smaller diamonds are 700 gold coins each for a total of 1400 gold coins and the two larger diamonds are 1000 gold coins each for a total of 2000 gold coins. The diamond ring, we will increase our offer for that to 800 gold coins. I would like to buy all the items I listed earlier for a total of 9480 gold coins. Is that satisfactory?"

Oh, the price has increased significantly, but is it high enough yet? When I glanced over at Ugor-san he thought for a moment then nodded slightly which I took as a go-ahead.

"Yes, that price is acceptable." When I said that Adriano-san let out a long deep breath.

“That’s the payment you are owed then. However, since it's such a large amount can we pay you with white gold coins and large gold coins?" I had to think for a moment, white gold coins were worth a hundred regular gold coins, weren't they? I had never seen one before and rather looked forward to the experience, especially when it would be Adriano-san reluctantly giving them to me.

"Yes, that's okay." I agreed. Adriano-san stood up when I agreed and left the room. When he returned he was carrying a tray with piles of glowing coins. Glowing? I vaguely remembered that white gold coins were made from an alloy of Mithril so seeing them glow wasn't too surprising after all. The tray of coins was a more elegant method of delivering payment, usually when I received coins from the Adventurers Guild I got them in rough-woven hemp sacks.

Adriano-san counted the coins out onto the table before me, stacking them in piles of ten which was the usual way of making payments in this world. “That’s 94 white gold coins and 8 large gold coins, a total of 9480 gold coins." He swallowed again. "Please confirm the sum."

I looked carefully at the white gold coins, which sure enough had a glowing blue colour indicative of their Mithril content. My curiosity satisfied for the moment I counted the stacks of coins under Adriano's watchful eye -- 1, 2, 3... (omitted) ... 94 white gold coins and to one side there were 8 large gold coins. Yosh!

“Yes, I confirm the sum is as agreed." I pushed the cloth carrying the purchased items across the table in Adriano-san's direction then started putting the tanzanite necklace and the large yellow diamond back in my Item Box along with the coins from the table. Ruslan-san's eyes followed my hand holding the yellow diamond until it disappeared into my Item Box, his expression wistful but also strangely content. Adriano-san bundled up the cloth containing the gems and jewellery the Guild had purchased and handed it to Ruslan-san who hurried from the room.

“It was a pleasure doing business with you." I said to Adriano-san, getting up. It was time to return with Ugor-san to the Adventurers Guild and then from there go back to the inn. Dinner awaited.

"Likewise." Adriano-san said before he suddenly raised a finger. "Ah! Could I beg a moment more of your time, please Mukouda-san? A thought just struck me, you mentioned you were a good cook when you were explaining why you registered with the Merchants Guild. Could I ask you a favour...?"

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