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Chapter 06
My trembling hands grew firm.
I headed to the shop.
[OPEN]
Seeing the letters engraved on the door sign made it real.
I really had become the owner of the pawnshop.
“Why do you want to follow grandpa around so much? What’s so good about an old, worn-out pawnshop?”
“Well, that’s because grandpa likes the pawnshop.”
“What? That’s your reason? No, more than that, you like it because grandpa likes it…?”
“I know everything. Grandpa always grumbles, but actually likes that shop. And I know grandpa is a good person. Because a good person likes a place, I like it too.”
A place a good person likes. So I grew to like it, too.
Grandpa’s pawnshop was always bustling with many customers.
He never charged excessive interest rates on collateral and always ran it honestly.
I wasn’t just inheriting a simple store. I was inheriting my grandfather’s will.
I had no intention of taking it lightly.
I took a deep breath.
“Alright. Let’s do this.”
Business started.
The next day.
Helena, who had been staring at the “Reopening Notification” for a long time, stood up.
As she walked down the street, the pawnshop came into view in the distance. No customers yet.
“Well, they probably aren’t doing any grand opening discount events or promotional stunts at a pawnshop.”
It was one of the few businesses that had to rely entirely on word of mouth. Quite difficult.
Restaurants only needed to make good food, boutiques just pretty clothes, but a pawnshop?
“It’s completely dependent on the items customers bring.”
If the owner couldn’t tell the value of items, it might be better to close early, Helena thought.
Helena was the guild leader. She had to consider the interests of the whole street.
What if a pawnshop owner who couldn’t spot fakes got tricked into paying out for counterfeit goods?
“We just chased out criminals, but they might come back looking for easy money. It would damage the street’s reputation, and that girl could be in danger.”
Thinking coldly, Helena looked at the two jewels in her bag.
Both were sapphires, but one was genuine and the other was a finely crafted fake.
Of course, she planned to have both appraised as if they were real.
What if the fake wasn’t detected?
“Then she’s not qualified to run a pawnshop.”
Ding—
When she opened the door and entered, Elisha greeted her with a bright smile.
“Hello, Mrs. Helena! You kept your promise. Please, have a seat.”
There was no sign of disappointment despite no customers.
“A real businessperson wouldn’t act like that.”
Helena frowned; Elisha’s confident attitude yesterday was unexpected, but today it was clear she treated this like a childhood game.
Helena pulled out two jewel cases.
“Buy both of these.”
“Both?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s see how much you offer.”
Helena’s genuine sapphire was a jewel purchased at this pawnshop a year ago when Michele was here.
Its appraisal value was 1.4 million gold, and Helena had bought it from Michele for 1.2 million gold.
Depending on item and condition, Michele generally bought gems at about 60% of appraisal.
So Elisha should offer around 800,000 gold for the real sapphire.
“Yes, I’ll take a look.”
Wearing gloves, Elisha took the first sapphire and a loupe.
While examining the jewel, she checked the dichroscope and filter film.
“Huh, she sees it somewhat like her grandfather. Probably learned over his shoulder.”
Helena thought, and Elisha put down the first sapphire and picked up the second.
She peered through the loupe and suddenly tilted her head.
“Hmm?”
Helena had to hold back a laugh.
“Since you brought two sapphires, you must have thought one might be fake? Not a bad guess, but you’re wrong. You guessed wrong.”
Because the second sapphire was the real one.
Yet Elisha’s puzzled expression?
Clearly, she didn’t know much.
It was obvious she was trying to probe Helena by watching her expression. Helena forced herself to stay calm.
After a long time, Elisha finished checking even the certificates for both jewels and took off her gloves.
“Hmm…”
Elisha made a subtle sound as if to buy time.
Helena, feeling disinterested, leaned back and crossed her arms.
“I’ll start with the second sapphire.”
“Fine.”
Helena, half-heartedly, responded, but then heard words that made her doubt her ears.
“I can buy it for 1.5 million gold.”
“What… 1.5 million gold?!”
Helena’s eyes widened involuntarily and she pulled back sharply.
But Elisha’s expression didn’t change; she clearly enunciated once more.
“Yes, 1.5 million gold.”
Helena’s frown slowly deepened.
“Don’t tell me… you think that if you pay a high price, I’ll look favorably on you?”
She was speechless and her neck stiffened in disbelief.
“I bought this for 1.2 million gold. Considering the appraisal, you should offer around 800,000 gold. But 1.5 million gold?”
The more she spoke, the more irritated she became at this young appraiser.
“Offering 700,000 more is just bribery. Do I look like someone who’d like that just because I’m the guild leader?”
Ha!
Helena snorted and jumped up.
“If you plan to do business by judging people like this, you might as well quit right now.”
She started packing the jewels, no need to look further.
“Before a guild leader, I’m a fellow merchant, and I can’t tolerate acts that cause confusion! I’m sorry to Michele, but right now—”
“Did you read today’s newspaper, Mrs. Helena?”
Stopping mid-action, Helena looked up.
Elisha pointed to a small article tucked in the corner.
[Tehita Sapphire Mine Declared Completely Depleted…]
“Tehita sapphires are popular for their deep, vivid color.”
“I thought you would know, ma’am,” Elisha continued calmly despite Helena’s excitement.
“But now they are gems you can only buy because you have to; they’re depleted.”
Helena’s gaze went to the sapphire in her bag.
That’s right. The sapphires she had brought were from Tehita.
“So…”
“1.5 million gold is a fair price, including future value.”
Elisha’s voice was full of confidence.
“You could have bought it for 800,000 gold pretending not to know, but then when you learned the news later, you probably wouldn’t come back to our pawnshop, right?”
Elisha smiled and added seriously.
“A pawnshop deals in items, but those items come from customers. We have to be honest. To the items and the customers.”
Helena was speechless and swallowed hard.
“That’s actually… quite impressive. Not just good at appraisal, but checking current issues and reflecting that in pricing.”
Elisha looked at Helena steadily and cheerfully said,
“And the first sapphire is fake. Its certificate is forged.”
Helena’s mouth fell open.
“How did you know that?”
“First, it lacked the inclusions natural stones have. Also, the certificate was too flimsy.”
Helena began to focus on Elisha’s words.
“The certificate paper looked brand new, and it had only one fold mark. It was recently made. And above all—”
“Above all?”
“When you were about to leave, Mrs. Helena, you roughly threw the first sapphire into your bag.”
Elisha smiled.
“But you carefully placed the second sapphire. That was a clue.”
Ha!
It was the same smile, but this time Helena’s was no hollow laugh.
She sincerely admired Elisha and brushed her face.
“You’re quite skilled.”
“Thank you.”
“But… why did you tilt your head earlier? I thought you were guessing.”
“Oh, that. When I looked at the jewel, I thought of a proposal to make.”
“Proposal?” Helena leaned in without realizing.
“But I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it, so I hesitated to say it.”
“Go ahead and say it.”
“Well… you see…”
Elisha whispered as if telling a great secret.
“I said I could buy your Tehita sapphire for 1.5 million gold. That means the appraisal value is 2.4 million gold.”
“And?”
“Wouldn’t it be nice to get a bit more money? There’s a way you can take about 2 million gold.”
Helena thought: is this a bribe this time?
“I’ll act as an agent and guarantor for you.”
Elisha smiled slyly and handed her a document.
At the top was a large title:
[Consignment Sales Contract]
“Would you like to try consignment sales? Not buying outright or pawning.”
“You only pay a small commission.”
Elisha handed Helena a pen.
Helena took the pen as if spellbound.
