They returned to the shop once more. Sallandin was already waiting for them, the money Kishiar had paid earlier laid out exactly as it was on the table.

"I'm sorry for troubling you with the return trip. My daughter is still learning the work, and she made a mistake due to inexperience."

Though she called it a mistake, her eyes didn’t look the least bit apologetic—they were more baffled and dumbfounded. Yuder glanced between the pile of coins on the table and Kishiar’s face.

What the hell did he do?

At a glance, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with the money. It looked like the exact amount she had asked for earlier.

Sallandin soon gave the answer.

"You paid entirely in Aspile silver coins. For a small shop like ours, it’s difficult to properly assess and handle the value of Aspile silver. We can either exchange them for regular silver coins, or cancel the transaction and refund you."

Yuder’s brow twitched upward.

Aspile silver?

Only then did the coins laid out on the table look different. More precisely, it was the silver coins tucked between the others—so easily overlooked next to the gleam of gold—that had peculiar markings on them.

The pattern’s slightly different from what’s used on current silver coins. I remember hearing about this in my past life. Some silver coins are more expensive than gold ones... This must be one of them.

Over the Empire’s thousand-year history, the engraved designs on coins had changed multiple times. The reasons varied—political reform, economic resets, new emperors—and certain old coins had transformed almost overnight from simple currency into rare collector’s items.

Apparently, this silver was one of those.

Anyone unfamiliar would just focus on whether the gold is real and ignore the silver. Sallandin must’ve only realized after the fact and called us back.

It was a masterfully played trick.

“A little trick,” he said. Yeah right—more like a major one.

Judging by her reaction, those silver coins weren’t just rare—they were extremely valuable. What would’ve happened if Sallandin had kept quiet and let them go? Yuder turned his head in disbelief, only to find the culprit smiling innocently like nothing had happened.

With the kind of face you’d never expect from someone who’d just almost conned a fortune out of someone, Kishiar calmly took a seat across from Sallandin. A soft, measured voice flowed from his smiling lips. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Once a transaction is complete, it cannot be undone. That’s the first rule among those who trade in precious goods. Wouldn’t you agree?"

The casual, laid-back tone he’d used earlier was gone. This was Kishiar la Orr—his familiar voice, relaxed yet commanding, with an undertone of strange power.

Sallandin blinked and frowned. Her stern, defiant gaze gradually shifted to one of cautious tension and formality.

"...You know that rule?"

"You said it yourself earlier. You have any idea how hard it was collecting every disguise artifact on the continent? Of course I know."

It was an outright admission that he was the very person she had referred to offhandedly.

"Even if your daughter didn’t recognize the Aspile silver, even if I did do it on purpose, the transaction already took place. The buyer recognizing the value of the payment is the seller’s responsibility. I have no intention of voiding the deal."

Kishiar leaned back and crossed his arms. Sallandin studied him sharply, her gaze laced with tension, and murmured.

"Then what is it you want?"

"Naturally, I want what I paid for."

"You could take everything in this shop and it still wouldn’t add up to the value of those Aspile coins."

How valuable were those plain-looking silver coins for her to react like that? As Yuder tried to decide whether she was bluffing or not, Kishiar spoke again with a bright, composed smile.

"In terms of goods, perhaps. But I’m not here for objects. I want a person and information."

At that, Sallandin froze, lips shut tight like she’d forgotten how to breathe.

"I'm just an old woman who retired from the field because of poor health. What are you—"

Kishiar didn’t let her finish. He continued speaking smoothly, as if humming.

"The value of words, and the person who can speak them, changes depending on who’s listening. You can absolutely give me what I came for."

"And what makes you so sure?"

"This time, how about we write up a proper transaction receipt? That should ease your concerns."

After a long pause, Sallandin sighed and nodded.

"Dear, bring me a receipt form and a pen."

Her daughter, still looking pale and confused, disappeared into the back room. Taking that chance, Sallandin touched her temple lightly and whispered.

"I don’t know who you really are, but you’re truly making an old woman’s day difficult. My daughter believes this place is just a humble antique pawn shop. I have no plans to pass on my work to her, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t scare her further."

"My apologies. But I’m desperate in my own way. You seemed to know more than you were letting on, and since you wouldn’t say anything, I had to get creative."

"..."

She knew more but had kept it to herself?

Yuder hadn’t sensed anything unusual, but apparently Kishiar had picked up on something subtle.

If it was something I couldn’t detect but Kishiar could... Then it must be something related to magic again.

"Mother, I brought it."

"Good. Well done. Go rest inside."

"But I made the mistake—I should be here too. You’re not well—"

"It’s fine. This won’t take long. Go on now."

Sallandin’s daughter reluctantly returned to the back room, shoulders slumped. Left alone, Sallandin straightened her posture and opened the receipt form.

"You want a person and information. Very well. But let’s be clear—this agreement covers only the conversation happening here and now. I won’t entertain any further demands beyond this. And if you try another trick like earlier, next time—"

"You won’t need to call me back again. What I paid is yours now, and I’ll take full responsibility for it."

Sallandin wrinkled her nose.

"Your words flow like oil, don’t they?"

"I get that a lot."

"I’ve written it all. Place your seal on the ink."

Both of them pressed their fingerprints onto the document. As their prints glowed, the paper lit up briefly, similar to a magical contract.

Only then did Sallandin turn back toward them, ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) visibly more composed.

"Now. Tell me—what is it you want me to answer?"

"When you answered this man’s earlier questions, I felt no lies in your words. But... they were only a recounting of what you saw and experienced. Something obvious—something that should have been mentioned—was suspiciously missing."

"And what do you think that was?"

"You’ve lived here a long time. Running a pawn shop that caters to mages, selling antiques—doesn’t that also mean you’ve gotten to know quite a few mages?"

A faint, cold smile touched Kishiar’s lips.

"Then you’d also know that before Mr. Mel ever came to your shop, a group of mages had come to investigate the mountain range nearby. And despite the distance between here and there, I find it hard to believe you never heard of them. The mage world is small, and that group stayed for more than just a few days. Most villages up there seemed to have frequent exchanges with this one."

Ah. Yuder almost gasped aloud.

"A tragic accident occurred among that group of mages over twenty years ago. And after that, your mysterious guest began frequenting this shop. I want to know: in all the time he visited, did he truly never once cross paths with any other mage clients? Were you really unaware of any connection between those events? Was it all... just coincidence? Please—tell me honestly."

Sallandin closed her eyes.

After letting out a long, slow breath, she opened them again and began to speak.

"Indeed. That’s a question worth paying for with Aspile silver."

"..."