Alastair guided the three people to the shopping district. At the end of the busiest street in the port city of Sterling, there was a departnt store at the roundabout.
Esperanza sold several gems she had at a jewelry store inside the departnt store, and put part of the money obtained into a trust for Jack. In the anti, Cordelia quietly acquired one more pair of dancing shoes, and Annie picked out gifts for her friends. When shopping was finished, their carriage headed to the jeweler's workshop reserved under Count Sterling's na.
The workshop was shaped like a neat two-story house. Unlike a famous jeweler, it didn't have a luxurious reception room, nor uniford clerks.
"If you wait here, the master will co soon. It won't take long."
Instead, twin siblings who introduced themselves as the jeweler's disciples guided them. When they sat close together on the old leather sofa, the twins awkwardly brought out tea. Annie kept fidgeting, worried they might spill the tea.
"I'll just...!"
"Annie, sit."
Esperanza grabbed Annie's wrist and made her sit. Fortunately, the identical-looking siblings only spilled a few drops of tea on the saucers, and safely set down four cups of tea.
A mont later, an elderly jeweler entered with slow steps, supported by his two disciples. Esperanza's eyes widened when she saw his face.
'He's a famous person!'
She had visited him several tis in the ga.
Unlike the early days of magic stone discovery, now magic stone refining had beco standardized and didn't require artisans, so he was just doing jewelry work on the side. When dungeons beca frequent and monster byproducts erged as materials for magical devices, delicate magic stone refining techniques suited to magic power perability would be needed. At that ti, this jeweler would beco one of Osdern's leading magic stone refiners.
'If it's soone like this, I can entrust it with peace of mind.'
Even though he was a magic stone refiner, she had been anxious about entrusting such a precious item to soone she was eting for the first ti, but the mont she saw the artisan's face, her anxiety washed away. Esperanza's touch beca lighter as she took out the necklace from the jewelry box.
The artisan had eyes befitting his reputation. His dim-looking eyes sharpened the mont he saw the necklace Esperanza offered.
"It's a magic stone."
His gloved hand carefully lifted the gem.
"It's a refining thod rarely used these days."
The jeweler, holding magnifying glasses whose magnification adjusted according to eye movent, examined the magic stone thoroughly. However, he was only interested in the magic stone refining thod and showed no excitent or interest as a jewelry craftsman seeing such a trendous item.
Esperanza suddenly thought that unfamiliar magnifying glass was very familiar...
"If you want to use it as a magic stone, you'll need to change the refining thod."
The jeweler who said that looked up. When she t his businesslike gaze, the thought she had just had suddenly disappeared. What was that sense of déjà vu?
The jeweler said if nothing was decided, they could look at samples, and instructed his disciple to bring the sample box. The short boy ran off with his hair fluttering and brought a large chest about half his body size.
The samples of various minerals crafted in different ways were small, but sufficient to see the shapes. After much deliberation, Esperanza chose several familiar crafting styles.
"Will you change the refining thod too? If the shape changes, the necklace will need repairs."
Changing the shape wasn't a problem. She had planned to remove it from the necklace anyway. This magic stone already had a predetermined use.
"Could this be changed into n's jewelry too?"
"Pardon?"
Before the jeweler could answer, Cordelia scread.
"This pretty thing?"
Annie and Alastair also looked at Esperanza as if they couldn't understand at all. It was a gem that was extraordinary in color, transparency, and size. Changing sothing like this for gentlen's use was incomprehensible.
Generally, ladies' jewelry is naturally larger and more splendid than gentlen's. From tiaras to earrings, necklaces, brooches, rings... In comparison, gems suitable for gentlen to wear are generally small in size and relatively inconspicuous. To change it for n's use would require the process of splitting that huge gem and modifying the craftsmanship, which would be nothing short of wasteful.
'To make such a treasure into re n's jewelry, this is an insult to gems!'
Cordelia said nothing, but just looking at her expression, her thoughts seed audible. Alastair put his hand on his waist and tried to restrain Cordelia, who was glaring, but to no avail. However, Esperanza was firm.
"It's fine to split it if necessary."
"Good heavens, please reconsider. Esperanza, to split such a trendous gem, no, magic stone. Look at that size. How rare are gems of that size!"
Gems lose value exponentially when split. But the way to price magic stones was different from gems. And this magic stone had value as a magic stone as much as it did as a gem. It wasn't for nothing that Esperanza, who had little interest in auctions, had bought it.
It had beco so royal family's treasure over a hundred years ago when the value of magic stones wasn't well known, but now it was ti to return to its original function.
Regardless of what Cordelia said, the jeweler who had been examining the magic stone spoke up.
"If it's for a gentleman's jewelry, it would be best to make it into a brooch. Unfortunately, the size will be reduced."
"Shape is important, but could it be refined to be used as power for existing magical devices?"
The old jeweler slowly nodded. Esperanza let out a sigh of relief. The jeweler picked up his magnifying glass again. She couldn't take her eyes off the brass-colored body moving without creaking. It was strangely familiar.
"But by any chance, that magnifying glass."
Just as Esperanza was about to speak, the workshop door handle shook.
Since it was reserved under Count Sterling's na, they wouldn't be receiving other custors at the sa ti. Esperanza spun around sharply. The door handle slowly turned, and light poured in from outside. A tall, neatly dressed young man entered and stopped at the threshold. Esperanza, who had instinctively taken a defensive stance, lowered her arms and grimaced.
"...Miss Esperanza? I didn't expect to see you here."
It was a familiar face. Annie let out a sigh. Esperanza's eyes widened, then she grasped the situation a beat late and asked hesitantly.
"Why are you... here?"
Millen was sparing with words, but it was obvious. If Millen was here, it ant Cider was here too. She wanted to tear her hair out. She had thought at least one person was safe!
Cordelia, who had guessed the situation, quietly clicked her tongue. Count Avondale wasn't very enthusiastic about high society, so Cordelia didn't know his employees either. But judging by the situation, that decent-looking and sowhat irritating young man seed to be Lord Avondale's attendant.
'Master and servant alike...'
Cordelia, who struggled to swallow an unladylike expression, returned with a prim face and sat with her hands folded on her knees. As if she didn't want to show a relaxed appearance to Lord Avondale's attendant. Her straight neck and slightly raised chin looked arrogant. Annie discovered such Cordelia and secretly smiled, then was startled to see Alastair with the sa expression. He too consciously pulled down the corners of his mouth when he t Annie's eyes.
Esperanza had no ti to care about her companions. Her mind went blank.
"Why, why are you here? Weren't you in Talmine?"
"Did you know?"
She had investigated. Though Esperanza didn't say it, Millen seed to have roughly guessed and didn't bother asking again. But right now, such trivial matters weren't important.
"His lordship accepted a commission from the naval forces in Sterling. I can't speak carelessly about the details since they're classified. And the reason I ca here... Master."
A smile appeared on the jeweler's wrinkled face for the first ti.
"Edgar, have Mode give you the magic stone I entrusted. Mode."
"Yes, Master."
The girl called Mode bowed her head and took Millen away. The girl who walked with light steps reached one wall and stepped on a footboard, causing an elevator to creak up from below.
"Uncle is heavy, so it's dangerous to ride together, so wait here."
Though Millen frowned slightly at being called uncle, he obediently nodded. Esperanza, who had been watching that scene intently, turned her head to the jeweler.
"You were acquainted with Lord Avondale."
"We had a connection when I was working with magic stones."
No wonder it felt familiar—his magnifying glass was also Cider Claiborne's work. He also seed surprised, apparently not knowing that Esperanza was related to Cider. Esperanza briefly moved her lips. How should she explain what kind of relationship she had with Cider?
Now, she couldn't easily put any expression into words. When Esperanza's face darkened, the jeweler changed the subject.
"For the refining thod, would it be enough to adjust it to the degree you wanted earlier?"
"...It's a magic stone to give as a gift to a magical engineer. It's for protection. Please pay attention to the magic power discharge rate so it can imdiately extract and use magic power. Even if you split it, please don't let the maximum storage amount decrease."
Even with the suddenly pouring requirents, the jeweler was unwavering. Cordelia, who had been watching the artisan's fingertips silently nodding and writing down the requirents, suddenly asked.
"The transparency won't decrease during the refining process, will it?"
"That won't happen."
When the jeweler answered stiffly, Cordelia finally felt relieved and returned to her gentle posture. A mont later, Millen ca out carrying a box.
"Miss Esperanza."
When Esperanza turned around, Millen bowed and took out a business card from his vest pocket. Despite being equally surprised by the sudden encounter, Millen's attitude was as calm as if he had known about it. He calmly offered his business card as if he knew nothing about the conflict between Esperanza and Cider.
"His lordship is staying at a residence owned by Colonel Donovan. Here's the address."
It was clearly his independent action. Cider wouldn't want Esperanza to know his location. But knowing that, hadn't she co all the way to this distant Sterling?
Esperanza, who had been hesitating, slowly raised her arm and accepted the business card.
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