When we entered the store, we were greeted by the same calm man who had greeted us the last time.

　He looked around at us, smiled gently, and approached me.

Welcome, sir. Are you in need of an extra ring?
"Don't say anything dangerous!

　I shook my head in panic at the sudden danger thrown at me.
　You can't be too careful, even though he looks like a gentleman.　This guy.
　He seems to remember exactly where I bought the ring and what we talked about at the time.

　It's true that when you bring a woman to a store like this, it's normal to assume that she's here on your business.

"Oh, I see. How about you, then?
I don't need one at the moment, unfortunately.

　I don't need it at the moment either, unfortunately." Tohya's reply was met with a slightly disappointed look from Mitya behind her.

　I'm sure you'll be able to figure out how to use this to your advantage.

Today I was introduced by the adventurer's guild to sell some rough gemstones. ...... Or maybe I came to ask for an appraisal?　Well, that's what I'm here for.

I see, so you're here as an adventurer. Then go to the other room.

　The clerk nodded at Yuki's words and led us to another room in the back, not the reception set where we had been shown the jewels last time.

　Incidentally, we were all wearing casual clothes today.

　Since we were not planning to leave the town, we were not wearing any armor or carrying any weapons.

　We've been living in Raffan for so long that it's no exaggeration to say that we're already locals.
　I no longer need to be overly cautious as I used to be.

　The fact that I can now go out easily like this is probably a sign of growth.

Please sit over there.
Thank you.

　I wondered what kind of room it would be, since it was referred to as an "adventurer's room," but the room I was shown to was an ordinary, elegant reception room.

　There was a sofa and a table where we could all sit comfortably.
　The furnishings were also very well done, making the room stand out from the guild's rooms.

　It may be natural, considering the kind of goods they handle, but as a commoner, I felt a little uncomfortable.



　And the same type of people as me are Toya and Mary.
　Natsuki, of course, and Haruka and Yuki, too, have settled down without a care in the world.
　And then there was Mitya.

　She sits deep in the soft sofa, enjoying its rebound and letting her legs dangle.

Can I see it then?

　The waitress laid a thick cloth on the table, indicated it with her hand and smiled.

"Yes, I understand.

　As I laid out the stones from my magic bag on the cloth in order, the clerk took them one by one, examining them with interest.

　Like Diora, I nodded my head and looked at them, but I'm sure I'm not like her. She wouldn't say, "It's a stone.

　She spends a lot of time looking at it.
　And of course, my expectations were not disappointed.

"Yes. Yes, I did. A gemstone and a thunder egg. What would you like to do with them?　Are you sure you want to buy them all?

"Well, I'm still trying to decide what to do with them, so can I just have them rough processed first?

Yes, you can. There are a lot of unnecessary parts in the original stone. I'll call a specialist.

　The clerk smiled at Haruka's words and left the store.
　After a while, he brought in a man who looked like a craftsman.
　--A dwarf.

　Dwarves are rarely seen in this town, but the mere fact that they are dwarves makes me feel that I can trust them.

"Well, that's quite a lot of stuff you've brought in. Let's see.

　He only bows lightly to us, then immediately picks up a stone on the table and starts pounding it with a small hammer.

　At first glance, it looks as if he's just tapping away, but then the black parts start to peel off and the shape of the stone gradually changes.

　As he tapped the stone, the lustrous stone was revealed, so it must have been an unnecessary part that was falling off.

I'm sorry, sir. I'm an unsociable craftsman. But you can trust my skill.


It looks like...

　In just a few moments, the gemstone had shrunk more than a stone in size, but from it emerged an object that was clearly a gem.

What are you working on now?

Just checking to see what kind of gems are in it.

We need to know what kind of gemstone it is and how much it is worth before we can take it in for rough processing, so we're working on that now.

　The clerk adds a detailed explanation to the craftsman's simple explanation.
　At first glance, a rough stone looks like a dirty little stone.

　Even if you are told after you have entrusted it to us that there were no precious stones inside, a layman would not be able to judge whether it was a lie or the truth.

　In some cases, you may even be suspected of hiding the fact that there were gems inside. In some cases, they may even suspect that you are hiding the fact that there were jewels in the store, which can actually happen in suspicious stores.

　To avoid this, it is best to do the whole process in front of the customer, but it is not something that can be done in a short time, and waiting for a long time is too hard for both the person watching and the person being watched.

　That's why they are doing this work to check the approximate condition of the gemstones and to share information with each other about what kind of gemstones they have received.

"Hmm, all very good. This is from the dungeon, isn't it?
Do you know that?
I know. Naturally mined material doesn't contain this many gems.

　There are two types of gemstones: those dug out of deposits and those found in treasure chests in dungeons.
　Even though they look similar, the latter is apparently more valuable.

　However, the similarity in appearance is a danger, and there is a risk of being switched if the item is brought to an inferior place and deposited.

If you want to be safe, take it to a decent store like ours, even though it will cost you a bit more.

Is that right, ......?

"We value trust. If you betray it, you will not get a recommendation from the guild, and you will lose your connection with promising adventurers like you. If you fail to do so, we will not be able to get recommendations from the guild, and we will not be able to connect with promising adventurers like you. Please feel free to bring in your items in the future.

　There is a part of me that wonders how much I can trust the words of the shopkeeper himself, but this is the store that Diora introduced me to, and I am satisfied with the ring she made for me.

　It's not a bad deal, though, and there's no reason to bring it to a shady store, even if the clerk suddenly throws a dangerous ball. .......

I'm sure you're right, it depends on the outcome of this case.
"Hahaha, that's harsh.

　I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.

　I wonder if they are confident in their response.


　If that's the case, it'll be easier for us.