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Catherine is a sage-level Grand Wizard. The staff she carries is also anything but ordinary. Instantly, the staff’s gaze changed amongst the employees, as if they recognized her from a previous visit.

“She must be a VIP.”

As I sent the dedicated staff back, those words popped out immediately.

“Well, it is an upscale establishment managed by the only Wizard Guild in the capital.”

Catherine sent back the dedicated staff and perused the pamphlet she received while tapping her staff. The letters written on the map of the pamphlet flickered and changed.

“Could it be that the pamphlet is enchanted too?”

“Of course, it’s the Wizard Guild, after all.”

Indeed, the Treasure Vault in Winterhome also had various magical tools that were all sorts of fascinating.

“The luxury of using an ordinary pamphlet as a magic tool is a testament to the Wizard Guild’s exceptional skills.”

“The prices must be no joke, though.”

“Magic is fundamentally high in cost, after all.”

I glanced over the cheapest magic materials on the first floor. Just a single piece of some shell I couldn’t identify cost several silver coins.

I sensed the gaze of the shelf’s attendant, akin to that of a country bumpkin observing me, but Karem could hardly conceal his astonishment.

“Are you telling me a single shell is worth this much?”

“It might be an opportunity for you, Karem.”

“Huh? For me?”

“You’ve always grumbled that no matter what you buy, due to business reasons you have to pay, so your savings never seem to grow. I know how much is in your piggy bank.”

For reference, the piggy bank’s capacity is such that Alicia could crumple herself inside.

By suppressing his salary increase, the 10 crowns he received, combined with bonuses and dividends, meant he was gradually reaching a point where he needed another piggy bank or a larger one.

Even at this moment, while in Bendleig, his savings were increasing.

“…But how do you know the amount in my piggy bank?”

“Who do you think cleans out your piggy bank?”

Mary, having observed Catherine asking something to a distant staff while holding the pamphlet, lowered her head slightly towards Karem.

“No one in this world cleans a piggy bank.”

“I cleaned it so it’d shine and squeak while being spotless.”

But really, who in the world, not even collectors, would clean money? Thinking about it, even collectors wouldn’t dare clean it for fear of damage.

However, aside from that ridiculous claim, there was a certain validity to Mary’s words.

The price of the cheapest magic tools on the first floor indeed amounted to dozens of silver coins, befitting an upscale establishment. Currently, Karem’s inner coat pocket contained several golden coins and a stash of silver coins he had gathered from a department store-like place.

“A surprise gift prepared for my lover.”

“Mm!”

“This is an opportunity to gift something purchased with my hard-earned money, breaking free from merely receiving things.”

“Umm!!!”

A surprise gift for a lover? Karem was amazed by a peculiar sense of satisfaction resonating from deep inside him as he turned to Mary. Mary raised an eyebrow as if asking how he felt about that.

“Hmm. Is it the season or something? The quality isn’t that great.”

Had she finished asking everything she needed to, Catherine returned.

“But what are you two doing over there?”

“Well, we were waiting for Miss Catherine.”

“Just by entering here, it’s a sort of identity guarantee, so feel free to look around.”

“Um… I’ll follow Miss Catherine and explore around a bit. I don’t know where anything is.”

When choosing a gift, one has to be cautious. So for now, it was exploration time.

Catherine, peering at the pamphlet, briefly lifted her head and met my gaze before nodding.

“Indeed. You must not be very familiar with this place.”

With one hand, Catherine quickly folded the pamphlet.

“Then let’s spend some time and thoroughly explore from the bottom to the top.”

Fortunately, unlike being dragged around like a daffodil without control in my past life, the staff here was filled with sights everywhere, eliminating any instinctive aversion I might have felt.

Unlike the usual clothes, bags, and accessories found in department stores from my past life, magical tools, scrolls, magic books, and more were displayed all around.

Though I had seen these items countless times in the Mage Tower in Winterhome, I found them fascinating each time, perhaps due to influences from my past life.

In fact, with so many options, it was challenging to choose a gift.

“You look like a rookie adventurer visiting a forge for the first time.”

“It’s just that everything is so fascinating.”

“And you’ve seen it every day in Winterhome?”

“Yeah. But seeing it all on display like this feels different…”

“Just don’t get caught up in daydreaming and fall flat on your face.”

Catherine examined the labels of the books on the shelves and playfully tapped Karem’s arm with the pamphlet.

“Of the displayed items, those that draw the eye and have fancy names, six out of ten are just bait used to fish for boastful rich guys and flashy nobles.”

“Even so, the craftsmanship and details seem to have been attended to quite well.”

Having lived in Felwinter Mage Tower for over a year, I had enough experience to judge the exterior craftsmanship.

“That’s why they can fetch a better price. Stay sharp.”

“Well, even if that’s the case, isn’t it fine to have Mary take care of it?”

“Right, there’s that workaholic house fairy…”

“So don’t worry about it.”

With that said, we finished inspecting the relatively inexpensive general exhibition on the first floor and moved up to the second floor using the lift, passing the consumable magic tools on the third floor, the magic books on the fourth, and reached the fifth floor.

Here, they were selling magic materials.

Sluuuurp-!

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Hihihihihihihi! Hi-hing-!

Buuuuuum-!

Some creatures were still moving around as they were alive.

‘…Though there was a pet store at the department store, so there’s no real reason there wouldn’t be living creatures here.’

A thicket of rats, each the size of a sparrow, flailed their wings threateningly from their cages, plants moved without any wind, and there were also living water horses thrashing about in their displays.

“Is that a Hippocampus?”

“Exactly. This was acquired from a seller who visited our guild in early spring.”

The attendant who answered Catherine’s question approached her.

“Normally, they only inhabit intermediate seas near Servianus, but we captured this one alive, possibly after being driven out of its flock or swept up by currents.”

Long before the establishment of the Palatino Empire, it was said that Hippocampi drew the chariot of the sea god, existing akin to the Pegasus of the ocean.

Whether for viewing, experimentation, potion crafting, or magic tool and equipment crafting, it was something anyone with money and skills would want.

Catherine was impressed.

“Wow, that seller must have been quite skilled.”

“He was good enough to have been directly employed by His Grace, the Duke of Southcoast, but I’ve heard luck played a significant role as well.”

“Luck?”

“Yes. They found it when it was completely exhausted.”

Hippocampi, being known to carry storms and tides, could hardly be tracked, captured, or hunted without substantial skill.

“As you know, looking at its size, it’s not fully grown. The guild speculates it was a curious individual that got lost after straying from its group.”

“So, is there any buyer?”

“The Hippocampus will be sold through an auction targeted at distinguished guests after the display period ends. If Sir Atanitas graces us with his presence-”

“Hmm. I’ll think about it.”

Catherine waved her hands and turned her body.

To say there was no desire would be a lie. Still, it wasn’t something I coveted that much.

If I told my patron and lord, Alfred, while it might take time, I could obtain something of that caliber anytime.

Yet, the seedlings back home might be curious…

“…Wait a minute. Where did those two go?”

Catherine quickly turned her head, looking around.

Before she commenced her conversation with the Hippocampus manager, the two who had stood behind her had completely vanished.

‘I told them to avoid letting their guard down.’

Could it be Mary had also joined in? There shouldn’t have been anything to catch her interest! Catherine looked around, tapping the floor with her staff.

As a noble couple passed by, she found the two hidden just two sections away.

“I’m sure I warned you.”

Catherine stared at what was positioned between Karem and the staff member.

A hand-sized, lumpy egg was placed atop a case filled with large and small stones and dirt, clearly visible through its transparent cover.

The internal air shimmered like a mirage, suggesting a high temperature.

“Are you seriously coveting a Salamander’s egg?”

“Huh? What? No!?”

Karem, who had been talking with the manager, jumped at Catherine’s sudden questioning from the side.

“Even I wouldn’t let my appetite run wild enough to covet elemental eggs.”

“Well, given the history you’ve shown so far, I think doubting you isn’t unwarranted.”

Hmm…now that I think about it.

However, Karem felt genuinely wronged.

Of course, he was curious about what elemental eggs might taste like, but not right now.

“I was interested in the heating device that’s storing the egg.”

Karem grumbled a little, trying to justify himself.

“What about this container?”

“What’s it for?”

“Naturally, for cooking.”

He was a cook, not a monster tamer.

“So, this heating device just maintains a constant high temperature inside, correct?”

“Yes. Salamanders are the only elemental beings that breed through eggs among the four elemental spirits. Their eggs are highly sensitive to magic, so the temperature is maintained using pure heat without any interference from magic.”

“So that means it doesn’t matter what else you put in there? For example…meat?”

“…Ahem. Of course. As previously explained, the internal temperature is maintained by pure heat.”

The employee lightly tapped the transparent incubator.

“Salamander eggs are also very sensitive to temperature, so without this heating device, they’d spoil quickly. If you put something else in, it would probably just burn or cook too hot-”

“And how do you control the temperature?”

“You turn this rotary knob to set the desired temperature-”

Catherine, who had been silently observing, went over to Mary, who seemed lost in thought.

“So, what exactly happened here?”

“Originally, Karem planned to sneak a peek at a gift for his contractor while coming up.”

“Wait…what? A gift?”

How noble of a thought that was! Catherine was taken aback and looked at the employee with a stunned expression before shifting her gaze back to Karem.

“But while passing by, he muttered something about a barbecue machine and walked over here as if enchanted by a ghost.”

I tried to stop him, Mary shrugged.

Catherine’s gaze returned to normal.

Then she turned back to Karem, her expression knowing. Though I didn’t know what a barbecue machine was, the cause of Karem’s odd behavior was all too clear.

Karem, who had happily paid half the price for the heating device in advance, felt quite pleased with the surprisingly low price and had ordered it.

“So, how does it feel to have gotten sidetracked while trying to buy a gift for me?”

“It wasn’t that expensive, you know. I still had a gold coin left…but how did you know that?”

“Mary revealed the current situation in its entirety.”

How could she betray me like that! Karem whipped his head around to look at Mary. She shrugged her shoulders, hands held palm up in a ‘what can you do’ gesture.

“You never asked for me to keep it a secret, did you?”

“Oh no.”

Catherine chuckled quietly, covering her mouth with her hand, and smiled, tapping her staff.

“Let’s pick out this ‘gift’ together.”

“No, listen! Miss Catherine! A gift should be chosen while the person it’s for remains unaware—”

“And you think I’d know what I like?”

“…Sweet desserts?”

While not entirely wrong, it wasn’t the answer she was looking for in this situation.

“Enough chatter, just follow me.”

“Yes!”

Well, maybe this wouldn’t turn out too bad?

 

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