Chapter 5
“The Rethor Baronial Family once had a sage.”
“A sage?”
“Heh, you don’t even know that much? Yes, they say the sage could see through everything and knew all.”
“See through…”
Baeksan, who had been staring at the floating window in the air, lowered her head again.
“But what about this sage? Isn’t he already dead?”
“Died long ago. But they say he left a prophecy that another sage would appear in the Rethor family someday.”
“Ah…”
“So the Rethor family and the royal family made an agreement. The royal family would provide financial support to the baronial family, and in return, if a sage was born, they would hand them over to the royal family.”
The story was starting to make sense.
“But no sage was born, right?”
“That’s right. So a few years ago, the royal family withdrew their support from the Rethor family.”
“Did the baron accept that?”
“How could he? The baron and his wife strongly protested, but it was futile. Because of that, the baron died from shock, and the baroness left for somewhere.”
Baeksan’s gaze sharpened.
“Did they have any children?”
“An only daughter, I think? But what became of her…”
That only daughter is right here.
Baeksan smiled.
“That’s enough. As thanks for your story, may I pay for your drinks?”
“Fine by us. What a generous young girl!”
“Haha. Have a good day!”
Having gathered sufficient information, Baeksan rose from her seat. Her hand pressed down on her robe again.
‘So, Minervina Rethor is from a fallen noble family.’
Based on the circumstances, it seemed she was the ‘sage’ who should have appeared in the Rethor family.
Plus, that ability of the previous sage to see through everything.
That definitely seemed similar to this ability to read information windows.
‘Seems there was someone with this ability before me.’
Baeksan smoothly moved past that part. It wasn’t important anyway.
What was important was that just a few years ago, royal support was cut off, reducing them to nobility in name only.
Remembering Princess Bathilda from yesterday, Baeksan broke into a cold sweat.
‘Thank goodness.’
What kind of madmen would support an entire family for generations just to gain one talented individual?
They’d obviously be the type to work that one talented person until their bones separated from their flesh.
‘Even though they can’t take me since the contract’s ended, I should avoid getting involved with royalty.’
Having resolved one worry, Baeksan stepped onto the street with a bright smile.
However, moments later.
She returned and asked the middle-aged man who had just started on a fresh beer.
“Is there a pawnshop or… well, anywhere that does appraisals around here?”
* * *
Though Princess Bathilda had given quite a bit of money, Baeksan couldn’t remain unemployed forever.
She needed a job.
After consideration, she ruled out becoming a doctor. It seemed it would make it too easy to bring about the world’s end.
‘I’d probably get too many quests like “Spread this epidemic!”‘
So Baeksan considered three places.
Pawnshop. Jeweler. Auction house.
She ruled out pawnshops first, thinking they wouldn’t pay well since they weren’t very large.
Next, she visited jewelers, but weren’t even given consideration.
‘Well, they wouldn’t let a commoner of questionable background handle jewels without references.’
When she reluctantly revealed herself as ‘Minervina Rethor,’ she was refused with a startled expression.
In a business where trust was crucial, they seemed reluctant to employ a fallen noble.
The most famous auction house, ‘Gahasu Auction House,’ was the same. Apparently, you had to complete their academy to become an appraiser. That was impossible for her, who needed money immediately.
Only appraisal houses remained.
At first, this concept of ‘appraisal houses’ felt strange. Only after hearing the explanation from a kind Gahasu employee did she understand.
Appraisal houses served everyone regardless of social status.
From stones picked up on the road to national treasures. They’d appraise anything for a fee.
This was possible because in this world, appraisal used magical power.
For certain items, like jewels, you didn’t necessarily need a magician. A state-certified qualification was enough for appraisal.
But this was a world where all sorts of magic, curses, and spells actually existed, and sometimes there were items too dangerous to handle.
Therefore, dangerous-grade items or things difficult to identify with mere ‘knowledge’ required a magician’s appraisal.
‘Of course, I don’t need any of that.’
And so, Baeksan was now confidently walking toward what was said to be the continent’s finest appraisal house.
Soon, she saw a building with an entrance lavishly decorated in silver in the middle of the street.
‘Sophs Appraisal House.’
Ironically, this ‘Sophs’ was the name of the ancient Rethor sage.
Sophs Rethor.
They say he was the first to establish appraisal houses in Orquenina.
‘People really think alike. When you need to make a living, you use whatever talent you have.’
Thanks for that, dear ancestor.
Baeksan smirked as they entered the appraisal house.
Ding.
A clear bell sound rang.
The building’s interior was surprisingly spacious and clean.
On the first floor chairs sat a farmer holding what looked like a box found while plowing, and a middle-aged woman sitting straight-backed, seemingly carrying a family heirloom.
Staff members walked around providing guidance, and numbered papers in the hands of waiting customers caught the eye.
‘Feels somewhat like a bank.’
Baeksan was secretly impressed by the unexpectedly systematic appearance.
‘More valuable items must be appraised upstairs?’
Just as she glanced at the stairs on one side of the appraisal house, a footman approached.
“Excuse me. How may I help you?”
Baeksan smiled interestedly under her robe.
‘They’re well-trained in customer service, treating even someone in a shabby robe respectfully.’
This was definitely the place. No need to look elsewhere.
“Hello. I’m thinking of applying for a job.”
“Are you here to learn about our establishment’s reputation before applying elsewhere?”
“No. I want to work here.”
“Pardon?”
“Yes.”
“…”
* * *
The footman stared blankly at the woman before him. Finally gathering his wits, he said,
“Ah, well, our appraisal house’s recruitment period for new appraisers has already ended…”
“That’s what they all say, but then they hire through special recruitment or personal connections anyway.”
“…”
Not wrong, but not something a stranger should say.
The footman looked Baeksan up and down while thinking this.
Shabby robe.
But the purple-blue hair braided beneath the hat gleamed with health.
Her bearing was confident too. None of the awkwardness commoners usually showed when receiving polite treatment.
‘Normally I should send them away immediately, but…’
Hmm.
Somehow it felt like she shouldn’t be turned away.
Just then, the woman patted his shoulder as if dusting it off.
“Nice clothes you’re wearing. Custom-made from Fruge’s workshop, right? You have a small dog at home. And you should quit smoking.”
“…?”
How did she know…?
Though he looked at the woman in surprise, she just smiled slightly, her eyes hidden by the hood.
Finally, the footman sighed softly.
“…Would you wait a moment? I’ll contact my superiors.”
* * *
Elize Barrett, Deputy Guild Master of Sophs Appraisal House.
She was a beautiful woman with shoulder-length golden hair that swayed gently and sharp sand-colored eyes.
These days, the wrinkles on her fine forehead never seemed to smooth out.
“Collapsed again?”
“Yes. The magical formula basics are so different, we can’t make any sense of it.”
“Hah…”
It was all because of a troublesome recent ‘acquisition.’
The appraisal house not only appraised items brought in but also bought undervalued items to resell at a profit.
Elize had recently acquired a box for this purpose.
It was a large, sturdy mahogany box.
The box had an old Lutian lock and seven powerful protection spells that most magicians couldn’t even touch.
It was clearly no ordinary item.
‘That’s why I bought it… but I didn’t expect it to be this difficult to analyze.’
