The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Strength entered my trembling hands.

I headed to the shop.

[OPEN]

Seeing the letters carved on the door sign made it feel real.

I had truly become the owner of the pawnshop now.

“Why do you want to follow your grandfather around so much? What’s so good about an old, worn-down pawnshop?”

“Well, it’s because Grandfather likes the pawnshop too.”

“What? That’s your only reason? No, more than that, what do you mean I like it…?”

“I know everything. Grandfather always grumbles, but you actually like that shop. And I know that Grandfather is a good person. Since it’s a place that a good person likes, I like it too.”

A place that a good person likes. That’s why I came to like it too.

Grandfather’s pawnshop was always bustling with many customers.

He never tried to charge excessive interest rates on items used as collateral, and always operated honestly.

I didn’t just inherit a simple shop. I inherited Grandfather’s will.

I had no intention of doing this carelessly.

I took a deep breath.

“Alright. Let’s do this.”

Business was starting.

***

The next day.

Helena, who had been staring down at the “Reopening Notice” for a while, stood up.

Walking down the street, she could see the pawnshop in the distance. There were no customers yet.

‘Well, it’s not like a pawnshop can have grand opening discount events or solicit customers.’

It was one of the few businesses that had to rely solely on word of mouth. Quite tricky indeed.

Restaurants just need to make delicious food, boutiques just need to make pretty clothes, but pawnshops?

‘It depends entirely on what items customers bring in.’

Helena thought it might be better to close early if one lacked the skills.

Helena was the guild leader. She had no choice but to consider the interests of the entire street.

What if a pawnshop owner who couldn’t appraise items properly got fooled by counterfeits and paid out money?

‘We finally drove out the criminals, but those bastards might come back targeting easy money. Not only would it be a problem for the street’s image, but that young lady could be in danger too.’

Thinking coldly, Helena thought of the two gems in her bag.

Both were sapphires, but one was real and one was an expertly crafted fake.

Of course, she planned to have both appraised while pretending they were both real.

If she failed to identify the fake?

‘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 sit down.”

There wasn’t a single customer, yet she didn’t seem particularly disheartened.

‘Would a real businessperson act like that?’

Yesterday’s confident attitude was quite unexpected, but seeing her today, she was clearly treating this like child’s play.

Frowning, Helena took out two jewelry cases.

“Buy both of these.”

“Both of them?”

“Yes.”

‘Let’s see how much you price them at.’

Helena’s real sapphire was a gem she had purchased from this pawnshop when Mickele was here a year ago.

The appraised value was 1.4 million gold, and the amount Helena had bought it from Mickele for was 1.2 million gold.

Though it varied by item and condition, Mickele usually bought gems at about 60% of their appraised value.

So Elisha should quote around 800,000 gold for the real sapphire.

“Yes, let me take a look.”

Elisha put on gloves and picked up the first sapphire and a loupe.

Examining the gem with the magnifying glass, Elisha checked the dichroism and filter film.

‘Well, she does look similar to her grandfather. I guess she learned by watching over his shoulder?’

While Helena was thinking, Elisha put down the first sapphire and picked up the second one.

Then, while checking with the loupe, she tilted her head.

“Hmm?”

At that reaction, Helena had to suppress her laughter.

‘Since I brought two sapphires, she’s probably thinking one might be fake, right? Well, her instincts aren’t bad, but she got the wrong answer. She guessed wrong.’

Because the second sapphire was the real one.

Yet she had such a puzzled expression!

She clearly didn’t know much of anything.

It was obvious she was trying to read her expression and probe. Helena desperately maintained her composure.

After a long while, having finished checking even the certificates of both gems, Elisha took off her gloves.

“Hmm…”

Elisha made a sound with a subtle expression, as if stalling for time.

Just as I thought, Helena lost interest and leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.

“Let me start with the second sapphire here.”

“Go ahead.”

Helena answered indifferently, then doubted her ears at what followed.

“I can buy it for 1.5 million gold.”

“Right… What? 1.5 million gold?!”

Helena’s eyes widened as she unconsciously jerked forward.

However, Elisha’s expression didn’t change. She even repeated it clearly once more.

“Yes. 1.5 million gold.”

Helena’s brow gradually furrowed after her initial bewilderment.

“Don’t tell me… you think I’ll look favorably on you if you offer to buy it at a high price?”

She was so incredulous that the back of her neck tensed up.

“I bought this for 1.2 million gold. Considering the appraised value, you should be quoting around 800,000 gold. But 1.5 million gold?”

The more Helena spoke, the more insufferable she found this young appraiser.

“How is offering 700,000 gold more any different from paying a bribe? Did I look like someone who would appreciate such things just because I’m the guild leader?”

Ha!

Helena let out a hollow laugh and stood up abruptly.

“If you plan to do business by sizing people up like this, quit right now.”

Helena began gathering up the gems. There was no need to see more.

“Before being the guild leader, as a fellow merchant, I cannot tolerate such disruptive behavior! I’m sorry to Mr. Mickele, but immediately…!”

“Did you happen to see today’s newspaper, Mrs. Helena?”

Helena, who was putting the gems in her bag, stopped abruptly.

Elisha held out the newspaper and pointed to a small article in the corner.

[Tehita Sapphire Mine Announces Complete Depletion…]

“Tehita sapphires are popular because of their deep, vivid color.”

I think you would know this too, madam,

Elisha added, maintaining a calm attitude even in front of the agitated Helena.

“But now it’s become a gemstone you can’t buy even if you want to. Because it’s been depleted.”

Helena’s gaze turned to the gemstone in the bag.

That was right. The sapphire she had brought was from Tehita Mountain.

“Then….”

“1.5 million gold is a fair price that includes future value.”

Elisha’s voice was filled with confidence.

“I could have pretended not to know and bought it for 800,000 gold, but then when you found out the news later, you would never have come to our pawnshop again. Right?”

Elisha smiled brightly and added seriously.

“A pawnshop is a business that evaluates items, but those items are ultimately brought by customers. We must be honest. To both the items and the customers.”

Helena, left speechless, gulped.

‘She’s quite, no… surprisingly impressive? Not only does she evaluate items well, but she even checks current issues and reflects them in the price.’

Elisha, who had been watching Helena intently, said cheerfully.

“And the first sapphire is a fake. The certificate is forged too.”

Helena’s mouth fell wide open.

“How did you know that?”

“First, it lacked the inclusions that should be present in natural stones. Plus, the certificate was too shoddy.”

Helena was now completely focused on Elisha’s words.

“The certificate paper was too new and had only one fold mark. It was made recently. And most importantly.”

“Most importantly?”

“When you were about to leave earlier, you carelessly tossed the first sapphire into your bag.”

Elisha smiled brightly.

“But you carefully put away the second sapphire. That was also a clue.”

Ha!

It was the same laugh, but this time it wasn’t a hollow laugh.

Helena, genuinely impressed, rubbed her face.

“Miss. Your skills are quite impressive, aren’t they?”

“Thank you.”

“But… why did you tilt your head earlier? I thought you were just guessing.”

“Ah, that. While looking at that gemstone, I thought of a proposal I wanted to make.”

A proposal? Helena unconsciously leaned in closer.

“But I wasn’t sure how you would think about it, so I was debating whether to mention it or not.”

“Just tell me.”

“Um, so….”

Elisha whispered as if sharing a big secret.

“I said I could buy the Tehita sapphire for 1.5 million gold. That means the appraisal value is 2.4 million gold.”

“So?”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if you could get a bit more money? There’s a way you could take more. About 2 million gold?”

Could this finally be a bribe?

Helena was thinking when.

“I’ll act as both broker and guarantor for you.”

Elisha grinned and held out some documents.

At the top of the documents, a title was written in large letters.

《Consignment Sales Contract》

“Would you like to try consignment sales? Instead of purchase or pawning.”

You just need to pay a small commission fee.

Elisha, who had placed a pen between her fingers, added that.

Helena picked up the pen as if entranced.

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