Chapter 125
“These are the new pieces we made using the gemstones you recently provided.”
The shop owner immediately showed Hestia the newest jewelry items.
As expected, since they were crafted from high-quality gems, the stones were larger and more vibrant than others.
“They’re beautiful. I’m sure they’ll be really popular.”
“We’ve already taken orders through the first half of next year. We’re now booking for the second half.”
“Wow, really?”
“Yes! Not just us—other stores are in the same situation. Thanks to the steady supply of quality stones, customers prioritize Byron’s jewelry.”
Seeing the smiling jeweler reminded Hestia of the first time she had supplied gemstones to Byron last year.
Back then, the jewelers practically fought each other to buy the stones.
Now, with plenty of supply, they no longer had to fight to get what they wanted.
“So, I was wondering… since we buy so much, maybe you could lower the price just a little…”
The jeweler gave it a try, just in case.
“Nope, not happening.”
Hestia smiled, but her tone was firm.
When the jeweler turned to Raven with a helpless look, Raven just shook his head.
“I did try… but as expected, I can’t win against the young lady.”
Earlier, Raven had also asked Hestia to lower the price slightly in exchange for buying more. But she didn’t budge.
“Where else are you going to get better quality stones than ours? You’re basically monopolizing something others are desperate to buy, and now you want a discount too? If you keep doing this, we might stop doing business altogether.”
“Ahh, it was worth a shot. We’re all Byron people, aren’t we?”
“That’s exactly why we need to keep business and personal matters separate. Right now, I’m not acting as a Frost family member, but as a guardian of Winston.”
“…You’re absolutely right.”
The jeweler, realizing he had no argument, looked defeated.
As they continued talking, Elvin silently watched from the side.
Now that he was paying attention, he could really see how his sister worked.
‘This is a great opportunity.’
Raven was skilled and had a lot to teach, but many still said no one could surpass Hestia.
Since she only visited Byron every few months and spent time with family rather than working when she came to Winston, it was rare to see her like this.
Elvin decided to observe everything carefully and learn from her.
“Oh, and the blue diamond you requested is finally finished.”
“Ooh! Show me!”
Just as they were about to leave, the jeweler brought out a box from the workshop.
It contained a gem Hestia had personally commissioned—a massive blue diamond she’d received from Gus before the mines began full operations.
It was so large and valuable that she hadn’t wanted to risk it being mishandled, so she’d left it in the hands of the best jewelers.
For a long time, there had been no news, so she had wondered if it was just too difficult to work with. But finally—
“The stone’s size was its greatest strength. But with something that big, it’s hard to make jewelry that can actually hold it.”
The stone was literally the size of a fist.
“So as we discussed last time, we made two identical pieces instead.”
When he opened the wooden case, everyone gasped at the elegant jewelry inside.
Each box held a brooch as big as a hand.
Even after splitting the gemstone in two, its size and brilliance made a powerful impression.
“I can confidently say there’s nothing this large in the market right now. If sold, this could go for a fortune.”
The jeweler was thrilled to have his name attached to something so legendary.
“It’s stunning… Splitting it into two was a good decision. Making it into one piece would have been grand, but…”
“Yes, people might admire it, but they wouldn’t actually wear it.”
So instead, the idea was to make two matching pieces and give them symbolic value.
“You can choose how to use them, but maybe consider giving one to someone meaningful to strengthen a bond?”
It seemed unlikely there’d be anyone worthy of such a gift, but…
“Got it. This is the most beautiful gem I’ve ever seen.”
“We were honored to work with such a stone. Oh, and we also made a ring using small fragments from the cutting process. It’s subtle enough for everyday wear.”
The ring had tiny blue diamonds set all around the band.
‘This would be perfect for Gus,’ she thought.
It would be a meaningful gift for the one who had never given up and finally retrieved the gem.
After finishing up at the jewelry store, Hestia followed Elvin’s lead as they visited other places.
As she watched him, she could tell he was genuinely trying to learn and had real passion for the work.
It reassured her—he wasn’t just going through the motions.
Eventually, Raven checked the time and spoke up.
“Sorry, I’ll have to leave you here. I have another appointment.”
“Oh, sorry for keeping you so long.”
“Not at all. I really enjoyed being able to accompany you today. Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
Even after Raven left, the group continued visiting more stores.
Just as they were about done, Hestia noticed a shop.
“Wait, before going home, let’s stop here.”
“…A fountain pen shop?”
It was a small shop that sold handcrafted fountain pens.
Inside, the atmosphere was cozy and clean, with elegant pens displayed on the shelves.
“Ooh, this is pretty nice…”
“The pens here write really well. I use their pen myself.”
Luciard, who had spent a lot of time at a desk, had never cared for pens before, but he now showed interest.
While Elvin was recommending a pen to Luciard, Hestia peeked behind the counter.
“Is anyone there?”
An old man who had been dozing off inside quickly woke up and looked her way.
Adjusting his glasses, he broke into a big smile when he saw her.
“Young lady! Welcome! It’s been a while.”
“It has. Have you been well?”
“Very well! What brings you here today?”
“Remember the fountain pen Jerome asked you to fix a while back? I wanted to check on the progress.”
“Oh, the one that was all burned up?”
As the craftsman recalled it, Hestia stepped behind the counter.
“So Jerome was doing it on your behalf? I thought it was a strange request.”
“Yes, it’s an important piece of evidence.”
“Ah, that explains why you asked for restoration instead of just repair.”
The craftsman opened a box and showed the damaged pen—it was still in terrible shape.
“You want this restored to its original form, including the color and engravings?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“I figured as much, which is why I haven’t touched it yet. If it were just a repair job to make it usable, it’d take less than a week. But full restoration… that’s another matter.”
The pen was so badly burned and melted that its original form was nearly unrecognizable.
The craftsman hadn’t dared to start without a clear plan.
“…I guess this will be really difficult, huh.”
Just when she was disappointed that the pen looked almost the same as when she first brought it in, the craftsman brought out several other boxes.
“It’s difficult to restore the original, so I tried making new ones that look similar. I studied the materials and general shape of the original pen and created a few versions myself.”
He showed her five luxurious fountain pens. Though the details were different, the overall shape was similar.
“I could recreate the general shape, but I have no idea what kind of pattern was originally engraved here. I’m sure there was something, but the fire melted it so badly that it’s unrecognizable.”
The craftsman pointed at the damaged part.
“Can I ask why you’re trying to restore this?”
“…It’s the only piece of evidence left behind by someone who committed a great crime before dying. It was a sudden death with no clear reason, so I was trying to find out if something was behind it.”
“Hmm…”
“But it’s already been two years. I don’t think there’s any more danger, so maybe it’s meaningless to keep digging.”
Jerome had investigated Albert several times, but after the first report, he found no further clues.
“I think it’s fine now. We can stop here.”
As Hestia smiled, hiding her regret, the craftsman thought for a moment and said:
“With a reason like that, I can’t just give up as a craftsman. Let me try one more time. If I succeed, I’ll contact you.”
“…Thank you for the thought.”
“Haha, compared to what you’ve done for me, this is nothing at all.”
His warm smile reminded her of a kind neighborhood grandfather, and Hestia smiled back.
Just then, someone called out from outside the store.
“Excuse me, can I buy this fountain pen?”
It was Luciard. He seemed to like one of the pens and came in holding it.
Hestia walked over to check which one he picked.
“Nice choice. That one writes really well.”
“Yeah, I tried it earlier, and it felt great. Plus, Elvin recommended it too.”
Luciard glanced at Elvin, who blushed slightly and turned his head shyly.
“Well… the pens here are really good!”
“Of course. Give me that. I’ll buy it for you.”
“Huh? Really?”
Luciad was surprised as Hestia took the box from him.
“Yes. You’ve worked hard lately. I’ll get it for you. Elvin, do you want one too? Pick something out. Big sister will buy it.”
Elvin hesitated for a second.
“If you take too long, I’ll only buy Luciard’s. 5… 4… 3…”
“Ah! Wait! I’ve got something!”
Elvin rushed to the display and brought back a pen and some ink.
Hestia narrowed her eyes as she looked at the price.
“You picked something expensive.”
“Well, you did say I could choose anything. I’ve been saving up to buy this one.”
He joked that this was the perfect time to take advantage of having a rich big sister, and Hestia had the sudden urge to flick his forehead.
But as she watched him grinning, it felt like they were back to being the playful siblings they used to be. She couldn’t help but smile.
“Alright. This is no problem. I’ll pay for these.”
“That’ll be 12 gold total.”
When Hestia happily paid, Luciard and Elvin beamed with joy.
“Thanks. I’ll use it well.”
“Me too, thanks a lot.”
“If you’re thankful, work even harder from now on, both of you.”
“…If we work any harder, we’ll drop dead.”
“We’re already working super hard, okay?”
Hestia burst into laughter at their dramatic reactions.
Hearing her laugh, the two men also looked at each other and laughed along.
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• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Freya• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
If you want to support the translation and the translator, you can buy a coffee~
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