Chapter 0: Prologue

“Is this Palmer Jewelry?”

‘f*ck, that scared me.’

Just as I was about to open the shop door, a voice suddenly piped up from behind without a hint of presence.

It is rare for a customer to visit at this hour.

Startled, I almost let a curse slip right out of my mouth. I swallowed the words dangling on the tip of my tongue along with a breath and turned around.

I affixed a smile to my lips.

“That is correct. I apologize for the inadequate greeting.”

I had done nothing wrong, but I apologized anyway.

The customer before me was flaring his nostrils. His eyes were fierce as well. It was the kind of face that suggested he would have caused a scene had I not apologized quickly.

“How may I help you?”

I quickly opened the door and ushered the customer inside. When I asked with a smile still plastered on my face, the customer let out a dry cough, “ahem.”

Fortunately, it was a signal that he would let it slide this once.

I pride myself on being able to put on a business smile at any moment. It is thanks to my training in the Jongno Jewelry District.

Even those whom others called nuisance customers were precious clients to me. I could not afford to lose even a single one.

At one point, I used to worry uselessly about whether I was living too servile a life. That was back when I was immature.

I came to my senses belatedly in Jongno, but here in Henia, I did not even have time to worry. If I had buried myself in useless thoughts, I would have already been sold off to a fishing boat. If so, I would be in the belly of some fish by now, or waiting my turn to be hanged as a pirate.

Either way, my head would not be in its proper place.

Tap, tap, tap.

I heard the sound of the customer tapping the floor with his cane.

He could not easily reveal the business that had him waiting in front of the shop before it opened, but he could not hide his anxiety. It was clear he was here to sell jewelry, not buy it.

I quickly scanned the customer’s attire.

The hat, which originally likely had beaver fur attached, looked bare. The buttons that should have been on his coat were missing, and only loose threads dangled from the unfastened front. The overall silhouette was also far behind the latest fashion.

It was obvious he had spent the night blowing money at the gambling tables, hurriedly ripping off and selling his fur and buttons.

A severe addict who, having lost even those funds and been kicked out of the casino, immediately sought out his jewelry to bring here.

The distinct, acrid smell of cannabis stung my nose.

“Please take your time looking around, and call me if you need any assistance.”

As I took a step back to turn on the shop lights, the customer’s anxiety reached its peak. The man, appearing to be in his fifties, dropped his cane while hurriedly rummaging through his breast pocket.

Clunk, clunk, roll.

The cane made a loud noise as it rolled across the marble floor, but I pretended not to hear it.

The man frantically pulled out a gem.

“It is a yellow diamond.”

“Both the quality and size are top-tier. Furthermore, it is an item with deep history.”

It seemed the money he hadn’t even received yet was making him comfortable. I nodded as I listened to his pretentious words, which contrasted with his hasty attitude.

“May I examine it closely?”

“I allow it.”

“If you are a proper jeweler, you will surely recognize its value. They say gems from the New Continent are getting attention these days, but this is qualitatively different from such things. Although I decided to sell it due to circumstances, if it is not recognized for its fair value, well…”

The man slammed his cane down with a thud. It was a rather threatening sound.

“There are many impurities mixed in.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“The clarity is very low due to inclusions, and the color is cloudy. The cutting skill itself is not bad, but I cannot give it a good grade because it is a simple baguette cut. Since the cutting style is old, the reflection rate is terrible. Like this, the diamond’s brilliance cannot be properly revealed. The latest trend is more complex and precise cutting. If we recut it, the weight will decrease significantly.”

“Naturally, there will be crafting fees as well.”

It is an uncommon size at about 15 carats, but it is an item that would be hard to get full price for its weight even in Jongno. It is the lowest grade, I-grade, where inclusions can be confirmed with the naked eye.

“Above all, the contamination rate is too high, so it is in a state where it cannot accept magical power. It is an item a mage would never touch.”

Gems have high value as beautiful ornaments, but they are also mediums that amplify and materialize magical power. Gems are essential components in magic items that allow non-mages to use magic. Whether a skilled mage or a mediocre one, they have no choice but to strive to obtain high-quality gems.

However, no mage would even look at a gem with this level of contamination. That is likely why the casino did not accept it either.

This customer probably could not accept that. So he must have been kicked out.  The picture was obvious.

I suddenly almost laughed.

Because seven years ago when I was running an ordinary jewelry store in Jongno, I could not have even imagined that words like magical power or mage would feel so cliché, or that I would be explaining these things to a customer.

Although the history of inheriting the jewelry store after losing my parents, older brother, and entire family in a traffic accident might not be ordinary.

“Bullshit! Do you have any idea how many mages coveted this gem? How dare a quack slander my gem?”

At his angry shout, I looked at the diamond before me again. I almost clicked my tongue at the dull reflection.

“That may have been true in the past.”

Back when the baguette cut was the latest trend, that is. Which means it was a very long time ago. Being a gem of large weight, the mana it absorbed and released would also have been significant.

Then the probability of contamination is bound to increase. Especially since the cutting, which affects the flow of magical power, is not precise.

“However, it is currently heavily contaminated. To the point where it can be clearly confirmed with the naked eye.”

“You…!”

“300 Heni. No matter where you go, there will be no place that offers this much.”

Converting 300 gold coins of this era to 2020s KRW value, it’s roughly 10 million won. It is a large sum, but for the value of a 15-carat diamond, it is a terrible level.

If this yellow diamond had been in perfect condition, even 50,000 Heni would not have been a waste. However, in its current state, it is not even good for use as a decorative accessory, let alone a magic item. Since its only merit is that it is old, 300 is a generous offer.

“Impertinent…! How dare a lowly Beta!”

The customer suddenly became extremely furious and looked as if he would swing his cane at me right away.

‘Is this customer an Alpha?’

I felt a weak vibration on my wrist. It was a signal that the customer in front of me was releasing pheromones. It was so weak that, like an alarm ringing while in a deep sleep, I might have missed it.

Just as I came to naturally use words like mana and magic, I also came to accept the classification of Alpha, Omega, and Beta. I do not use the terms with complete understanding.

Anyway, unlike magic which is visible, I cannot smell pheromones. I, or rather my body, is particularly dull even among Betas.

If I were a grocery store clerk rather than a jewelry shop one, my constitution would not have been an issue. Because I wouldn’t have had reason to see the ‘high and mighty’.

But I work in a jewelry store, and because of this dull constitution, I had to memorize the list and characteristics of Alphas and Omegas residing in the capital. I must not make a mistake with the noble ones.

I haven’t heard any rumors about Alphas or Omegas entering from foreign countries recently. Even if they are provincial aristocrats, I know all those who own townhouses in the capital.

An Alpha who has been off the list until now but starts gambling as soon as he enters the capital. He reeked of something fishy just as much as the opium smell coming from his body.

While I was pondering about the Alpha in front of me, the cane was swung down at me with full force.

Clang!

It made a sound as if someone were about to shout, “Wrong!”

I blinked my eyes. Because I was so dumbfounded. The barrier installed on the display case is a maintenance-fee-eating monster. I have to swap in a one-carat diamond every month. 

If this shop were mine, it would have been hard to resist the temptation to downgrade the barrier. The one who installed this expensive barrier is not me, but my employer.

Clang!

The customer, who had swung the cane with all his might, stumbled back as if about to fall from the recoil of hitting the barrier.

“Please be careful. All display cases are equipped with barriers. I am worried you might get hurt.”

“Cowardly…!”

Cowardly? Does he mean I should just let myself be hit by the cane? And let him smash the display case?

Does this customer lack a brain? Ah, right, he’s someone whose brain has melted from gambling and opium.

He seems to think that because it’s a Beta’s shop, he, an Alpha, can smash everything and be fine, but no way.

There are few people who can cause a scene in shops around here and return home unscathed but an Alpha I don’t recognize? Straight to the police station.

This is a place where you can’t do business without a solid backer. My employer is also someone with significant influence.

And even if it were truly cowardly, bravely charging in is the foolish act. What good would come from bravely fighting against an old nuisance Alpha who doesn’t even view Betas as people?

“If you are not satisfied with the price offered by our shop, you are welcome to inquire elsewhere.”

As I placed the yellow diamond on a tray and pushed it forward with a kind explanation, the customer turned beet red and trembled all over.

He gripped his cane so hard that I could hear it creaking.  His expression was full of grim determination to land a hit on me no matter what.

I flashed a smile full of salesmanship and adjusted the barrier’s settings. As the barrier turned opaque and revealed its presence, the customer flinched and stepped back.

At that moment, the shop door opened, and the bell rang.

The person entering was a young man with a very robust physique.

“Ahem.” The customer let out a dry cough, his embarrassment evident.

“If I knew this place was so vulgar, I never would have stepped foot in here!”

Barking loudly like a dog that reacts too late, the customer strode out of the shop door.

“Please keep your temper in check while you work, Manager.”

The newcomer, Nathan, spoke to me with a look of pity as soon as the customer was completely out and the door closed.

Nathan, whose physique was sturdy enough to be mistaken for an Alpha hiding his pheromones, is a clerk at this shop.

Although he looks like a full-grown adult, he is only seventeen years old wearing what was provided as a uniform. This guy is the clerk, and I’m the manager.

“Even if our shop is doing well, we are Betas and commoners. If you do whatever you want in front of nobles, you won’t live long.”

Nathan spoke out of genuine worry for me, but it was hard for me to accept. I wondered what kind of absurd misunderstanding this was, but Nathan looked down at me with pitying eyes.

I just feel wronged. I didn’t forget my business smile and politely worried about the customer’s physical well-being until the very end.

“…From what point did you see?”

“I just saw the customer leaving with a large gem.”

“So you didn’t see anything.”

“Hey, I can tell just by looking. He came to sell a gem but left because of you, Manager. For a gentleman who looked desperate for money to do that…”

“What kind of gem was it?”

“Uh, a yellow diamond, about 15 carats?”

He certainly has a sharp eye.

“Did it look okay?”

“Probably not, right? If it were fine, you wouldn’t have let the customer just leave, Manager.”

“He’s a customer who will come back anyway.”

“…Maybe, I guess.” Nathan had a reluctant expression it was clear he didn’t agree.

“Why were you late?”

When asked to explain the reason for his lateness, Nathan straightened his attitude.

He spewed out words as if pouring out something he had memorized in preparation. He must be afraid of the fine for being late.

“I was coming to the shop when Sammy was waiting for me. He said a gambler who lost all his money was heading toward the jewelry district at dawn. He started showing up at the casino the day before yesterday, and apparently, he was cleaned out in two days. They say he’s a Baron who came up from the Shehen province, and since he’s reportedly an Alpha, I had to investigate to inform you…”

Nathan trailed off. That was because I nodded.

Nathan finally realized the identity of the customer who had just left the shop.

“So he was an Alpha after all.”

“Ah…”

“Tell Sammy I’m counting on him regarding the casino side. Tell him again strictly not to overdo it. I’ll accept your lateness today as being due to work activities.”

Sammy is the leader of the shoeshine boys, chimney sweeps, newsboys, and coal delivery boys who operate in Pistoga Street, where this jewelry shop is located.

Just as a detective in 19th-century London on Earth used street children as informants, I was collecting information on Alphas and Omegas from Sammy.

“A person must look at where they lie before stretching their feet.” My words seemed to sound quite random to Nathan.

While I wrote ‘Purchase of contaminated 15-carat yellow diamond’ in the cash journal, Nathan tilted his head with his eyes squinted strangely.

“What do you mean?”

The fact that I can express ‘don’t talk nonsense’ in a roundabout way suggests my employee training wasn’t completely in vain.

Although the instruction to maintain a calm smile no matter what dog-like nonsense one hears doesn’t seem to have worked at all.

“I am a safety-first person all the way. I have to cherish my own body. I have to cherish it to live well.”

“What document did you just write?”

Nathan changed the subject with a face that said, ‘I should just stop talking.’

They say you can’t even drink scorched-rice water freely in front of children; seeing how quickly he learned, it almost made me scoff.

“Cash journal. I have to report to our employer.” At my answer, Nathan made a worried face again.

“That, if you write it in advance and it doesn’t happen…”

“As if. That customer is bound to come back.”

“Uh, having confidence is a good thing.”Nathan’s reluctant expression showed no sign of relaxing.

I thought about making a bet, but decided against it. It was quite an impertinent attitude for a clerk to have toward a manager, but I knew he was saying it out of worry for me.

They say Nathan used to be a pickpocket.

It seems the police had a hard time because he wasn’t caught for quite a long while; when Nathan faced the risk of being caught, instead of turning himself in, he revealed his true profession to me and demanded I hire him. He had said that getting a job at my shop was the only normal way to earn money he could think of. He pretended to be confident, but my heart wavered at his eyes filled with worry.

I, too, had a time when I wandered the streets. I was lucky to be hired by my current employer, but if I had been just a little unluckier, I might have joined a traveling troupe and wandered the whole country. Another profession of the traveling troupes was prostitution and pickpocketing. I actually had times when I had to practice pickpocketing, and I knew well how much an orphan with no connections gets exploited.

Nathan, who used to feed the street children, was still taking care of them. Leader Nathan, who handed me information about Alphas and Omegas, never once gave me false information.

My eyes weren’t that bad; Nathan, the clerk of Palmer Jewelry, has never stolen from the shop or a customer so far.

“But confidence shouldn’t become arrogance. That’s how I almost got caught.” Nathan said in a tone that was serious in its own way.

“Want to bet?”

“Never mind.”

“You’re not confident, are you?” 

“Let’s do it, the bet. 1 Heni?” At the wager of a gold coin, Nathan’s eyes gleamed.

“1 Heni!”

With Nathan’s agreement, the bet was established. And naturally, it was my victory.

Our noble junkie Alpha customer returned to the shop in less than an hour, just as predicted.

“I can purchase it for 260 Heni, customer.”

As the price for teaching reality to a customer who didn’t know how the world works, I was able to slash another 40 Heni from the initial offer. Still, it was probably 10 Heni more than other shops would offer.

Naturally, I also cannot give the full price to a customer who came back. If I can’t cut the price here, I lack professional consciousness.

Having personally experienced the life lesson that 10 Heni is extremely precious, the customer had no choice but to sell the item to me.

“This is a scam.”

Having received 1 Heni from the guy, I passed 2 Heni to Sammy, adding the value of the information.

Our customer, who came back trembling with withdrawal symptoms in just an hour, would also become happier by 10 Heni worth of opium.

And I know how to restore this gem, bought at 260, to its state before it was contaminated. To its original form worth over 50,000.

It is a happy ending for everyone.

For our employer who will become the new owner of this gem, and of course, for myself, who will receive 49,740 Heni as an incentive.