"Why did you suddenly give work?" Reeva asked.
"I could do it myself, but it would take twice as long. Would you prefer that?" Holen replied with a smile.
Reeva grinned, understanding the urgency. He really couldn’t afford to waste any more ti. "Sure, I can do that."
They went over a few more details before Reeva left for the day. Talking with Holen had taken up most of the day, and it was already closing ti for the shop again. He decided to visit the jewelry shop tomorrow. As for the head of the fishing association, he would need to schedule a eting.
So, he decided to go ho and rest for the day.
-------------------
The next day, Reeva finally finished his morning shift. He considered hiring more people for the job but decided to hold off until he opened the full restaurant. The three people he hired for the evening shift still needed ti to train. Taking on more people would drop the quality of his burger and in turn his reputation.
He wasn’t willing to leave the stall open for only half a day. Even though money might be aningless in the author’s words, it had a very real impact on making his life easier.
The restaurant was coming along nicely, with the interior being built every day. Reeva would occasionally survey the progress, but usually, he had Theia or Hilda handle it.
"Here’s the present," Jenny said, handing Reeva a box before her shift started. Reeva then gave it to Hilda and had her leave.
Today, he would be going to the jewelry shop with Theia, under the guise of buying his "sister" a new accessory. Hilda would return to the hotel to store the gift, and then arrange a eting with the head of the sailors’ association. Ideally, Reeva would like to et him tomorrow.
On Grand Road, close to the central district, there was a small jewelry shop nestled inside one of the dieval buildings. Looking through the large glass window, one could peer into an old-fashioned shop.
There were mannequins on the other side of the glass, displaying the jewelry for sale.
"Rember what you have to do," Reeva reminded Theia. "The owner prefers to speak with won, so I’m leaving this to you."
"You can count on !" Theia replied, feeling a surge of determination. Most of the ti, she was just following Reeva around, but now he finally needed her to do sothing other than flipping burgers. She was determined to do her best.
They entered the jewelry shop, which was nicely decorated with ornate wood and many glass displays showcasing gems that had been made into necklaces, rings, and other pieces.
Two bodyguards in suits stood at the entrance, intimidating any potential thieves. Reeva and Theia walked right up to the counter and saw a middle-aged woman using a monocle with one eye closed, inspecting a gem’s shine.
Noticing the two individuals who had entered, she removed her monocle and said,
"If you’re looking for a cheap gem, try another place." Her voice was laced with disdain, as the brother and sister appeared to be middle-class or fallen nobility, judging by the lack of accessories on their clothes.
"We are looking for Purefire Ambers. Do you have any here?" Theia asked, using her best noble voice. It was a little unrefined, but it got the job done.
"Throwing around expensive gem nas doesn’t make you credible, kid," the woman replied, though her tone softened a bit. Knowing the gem na ant they had handled it before or learned about it from sowhere, most people just said "that white one" or "that blue one," which infuriated her to no end.
"We ca here looking to purchase one as a gift for myself, I won a bet with my brother you see," Theia said, keeping her composure with the middle-aged lady. She already had a sense of what kind of person the lady was.
She then placed a bag containing a hundred stac on the counter. The lady’s deanor visibly changed when Theia did that.
"What do you want the Purefire Amber to be made into? We recomnd a necklace to allow the radiant light of the Purefire Amber to shine through—it would look the best."
She began suggesting the most expensive item she could make with the Purefire Amber. The amber itself cost about 20 stac, but crafting it into a necklace raised its price to around 35 stac.
"I would like it to be made into a ring," Theia responded, her tone polite but firm.
"A ring, of course," the lady nodded, her smile widening as she began jotting down the details. "The Purefire Amber will look exquisite on a ring—so elegant and refined. It’s a popular choice among our more discerning clients."
Theia leaned in slightly, feigning casual interest. "I imagine you must have quite a few high-profile custors. Tumidus is such a big city, and this shop is well-known for its quality work."
The lady preened at the complint, her deanor becoming even more accommodating. "Oh, we do indeed! Nobles, wealthy rchants, and even so from beyond Tumidus. Why, just the other day, we had a request from a prominent family to craft a custom piece."
"Really? That’s fascinating," Theia replied, her eyes widening as if genuinely impressed. "It must be exciting to work with such influential people. I bet you get to hear all kinds of interesting stories and news from your clients."
The lady chuckled, clearly pleased to have soone take an interest in her world.
"Oh, you have no idea! The things I could tell you... But of course, discretion is key in my line of work."
"Of course," Theia agreed, nodding sympathetically. "But I imagine you’ve built quite a rapport with your clients over the years. I’ve heard that certain rchants, like Riche Toepes, for instance, have been regulars here. Is that true? He seems to be quite a notable figure."
At the ntion of Riche, the lady’s expression flickered with a mix of recognition and caution.
"Riche Toepes... yes, I rember him. He was indeed one of our custors for a ti, quite particular about his purchases."
Theia leaned in just a bit closer, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret.
"I’ve heard so interesting things about him recently. It seems he’s been involved in so rather unusual business. Did he ever ntion anything out of the ordinary during his visits here?"
The lady hesitated for a mont, clearly intrigued but also wary.
"Well, he did have so rather... unconventional tastes, especially in his later visits. But I’m not sure it’s sothing I should discuss."
Theia offered a reassuring smile, her tone gentle.
"I completely understand. It’s just that, with all the rumors swirling around, it’s hard not to be curious. Especially when soone as respected as you might have so insight. Any little detail could help clear things up."
The lady glanced around the shop, ensuring they weren’t being overheard, before leaning in slightly. "Well, there were a few things... but it would be best if we kept this between us."
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