Dad is Back From a Deserted Island - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Father has returned from the Deserted Island
Chapter 10

When the two of us and one divine beast arrived at Beluang, it was the most bustling village in the region.
Not only were the shops thriving, but night markets opened every week, and wandering troupes of performers frequented the place.
“Wow! Look over there!”
[Kiki!]
Vivian was so excited, as if discovering a whole new world, that she was snorting with delight. Seeing Vivian’s enthusiasm, Kiki beside her couldn’t help but cry out in excitement as well.
“First, I’ll exchange the gems for money, and then we need to buy a carriage. That way we can have the luggage brought to it. We can buy clothes later, can’t we, Vivian?”
“Yes!”
Truth be told, buying clothes wasn’t really necessary. Not at all.
This was the first time I’d seen so many people, and the first time I’d seen buildings this tall. Clothes were the least of my concerns.
“Let’s go to a restaurant, eat something delicious, and explore this place.”
“Yes, yes! I love it so much!”
Vivian bounced on her feet with excitement.
The carriage came to a stop.
“Here we are. Let’s get down, princess. Up we go.”
“Up we go!”
Ron lifted Vivian effortlessly from the carriage and set her down. Kiki, clinging to Vivian’s shoulder, didn’t need to be helped down separately.
Ron, glancing around the surroundings, lowered himself and whispered to Kiki.
“Um, divine beast. I’m saying this just in case, but you mustn’t wander off from us. The people here have never seen a monkey before. You might end up being sold.”
[How dare you! If anyone tries anything funny, I’ll turn into a shark and bite them, so don’t worry!]
“A shark? You’ll turn into one and bite them? No need to worry, he says!”
Ron pressed his forehead. A shark suddenly appearing among people who’d never even seen the sea? He didn’t even want to imagine it.
“That’s obviously… not going to happen. Just stay attached to Vivian’s shoulder. Vivian, you can’t talk to the divine beast outside either. Understood?”
[I wondered who you took after to be so impudent, but it seems you take after your father, Vivian.]
“Who do you take after to be so impudent, Kiki?”
At Vivian’s words, Kiki was struck speechless.
Ron entered the jewelry shop with Vivian.
There was one large man who appeared to be a guard, and one man wearing a monocle standing behind the counter.
“Welcome.”
The man with the monocle, presumably the shop owner, quickly sized up the two visitors.
Their clothing was neat but of outdated design, and the child looked gaunt, as if not eating well. The father and daughter both had strikingly beautiful faces, but they seemed like ordinary customers.
His assessment was made in an instant.
His eyes widened briefly when he noticed the monkey clinging to the child.
“What sort of animal is that?”
“A monkey,” I said. “It’s an animal that lives in great numbers far away on the New Continent.”
“Ah, an animal found only on the New Continent, you say? How adorable it looks.”
[Heh. The old human does have an eye for such things.]
Upon hearing that the animal came from the New Continent, the Jeweler Owner mentally upgraded his customer’s standing.
“Have you come to find a gift to purchase?”
“No. I’ve come to sell some gemstones.”
I withdrew a pouch from my pocket.
Exchanging too many gems at once would mean receiving less than their true value, so I had brought only what would fit in a single pouch.
“Ah, yes. I’ll need some time to appraise them. Would you mind waiting a moment?”
“Understood. Vivian, stay here quietly.”
“Yes.”
Vivian, entering a shop of this caliber for the first time, felt somewhat intimidated.
So she found herself whispering softly to Kiki, perched upon her shoulder.
“Aren’t you curious about this place? There are so many gemstones here.”
[What’s so remarkable about an abundance of gems?]
“Oh, that’s right.”
Come to think of it, this divine beast had slumbered within a treasure chest overflowing with jewels. Such gems could hardly be novel to her.
As Vivian gazed around the shop with curious eyes, the Jeweler Owner completed his appraisal.
“These are fine quality gemstones. Might I ask their origin?”
“They are heirlooms left behind by my late wife.”
In truth, they were gems from the treasure chest.
Most of the heirlooms my wife had left were disposed of during the process of liquidating assets for business purposes, and what remained were only those pieces she had worn frequently enough that I could not bring myself to sell them.
“My apologies. I asked only because there were no certificates of authenticity. The stones themselves are quite large with no impurities and possess a lovely color. However, the cutting leaves something to be desired. You see here—notice how the faceting is somewhat dull? The symmetry is also off. With such flaws, from certain angles the stone won’t appear transparent but rather somewhat cloudy. These don’t appear to be the work of a skilled lapidary.”
“Is that so?”
I asked in a skeptical tone. From my examination, these gems had been flawless and perfect.
I began to suspect the Jeweler Owner was underestimating me and attempting to drive down the price.
“All told, I’d say these come to around one thousand gold. I’m being quite generous with this valuation.”
One thousand gold was several years’ living expenses for a common family. In fact, most people would never even touch a thousand gold in their entire lives.
Yet this was only about half of what the appraiser’s assessment had been based on my past experience. As my suspicions deepened further.
Kiki, perched on Vivian’s shoulder, let out a derisive snort.
[Vivian, that old human is trying to swindle your father.]
“Huh?”
[Those gems in that chest were all from the Imperial Palace. Of course they were cut by the finest craftsmen from the highest quality stones! To disparage items that were kept alongside this body—how audacious of this wretch!]
The only part Vivian properly understood was that the Jeweler Owner was attempting to defraud her father.
But that was enough. Vivian quietly tugged at my sleeve.
“Vivian?”
“Father, wait a moment.”
I didn’t scold her for interrupting the conversation. Instead, I bent down toward her. I knew well that Vivian was not a child who spoke out without good reason.
“Father. That man is trying to cheat you.”
“…How did you know that?”
“Kiki said so. The box she was in came from the Imperial Palace. She kept complaining that everything with her was top-quality merchandise.”
“The Imperial Palace…?”
A flicker of interest crossed Jean’s eyes. It was certainly strange that the divine beast left behind by the dragon, the Empire’s founder, would be on a Deserted Island rather than in the Imperial Palace.
Some accident must have caused it to wash up on that island.
Jean lifted his chin and replied to the owner.
“Then I’ll need to look elsewhere.”
“I… I beg your pardon?”
“I need to find someone who truly understands the value of these jewels. Do I seem like someone who doesn’t know their worth?”
“Sir, we operate with complete honesty and transparency! We would never undervalue gems for customers unfamiliar with them!”
“However, your skill in appraising the craftsmanship of jewels seems somewhat lacking. Vivian, let’s go elsewhere. There is another jeweler in town.”
“Sir! Wait, just a moment! I’ll add five hundred gold coins to my offer!”
At the mention of visiting a competing shop, the owner rushed out from behind the counter to stop him.
But Jean’s trust had already been broken, and his willingness to conduct such a large transaction had vanished.
Fortunately, the other jeweler offered a fair price, and Jean was able to complete a quite satisfactory transaction.
With his pockets now heavy with coin, Jean smiled and spoke to Vivian.
“Thank you, Vivian. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to sell at such a good price. I suspected that man was offering too little, but if I hadn’t heard Kiki’s words and gained certainty, I might have settled for less than fair value. I’m grateful to you as well, Kiki.”
Before my return, I had often seen high-quality jewels, but I had never studied gem appraisal professionally, and I didn’t know what the current market prices were.
[Hehehehe. Bow before me, human!]
Kiki stood on Vivian’s shoulder and puffed out her chest proudly.
“-Bow!”
Vivian, having received praise from her father, also puffed out her chest.
With a substantial sum in hand, Jean purchased a carriage with a roof—something Vivian had never seen before—hired a coachman, took Vivian’s hand, and set off to accomplish today’s true purpose.
Before an elegantly appointed shop.
Unable to read the characters on the sign yet, Vivian couldn’t tell what kind of shop this was.
“Father, where are we?”
“Well, this is where we’ll have beautiful clothes made for our princess.”
“Beautiful clothes! I like it!”
[Get me clothes too, human!]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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