Kays Translations

Chapter 32: Cats and Dogs ⑨

We returned to the guild and approached the receptionist—a Fairial woman with black-and-gold two-toned hair.

This time, she was in her Fairial form.

“Thank you for your hard work~ Is the request~ completed~?”

“Mm. It was a good harvest.”

Pakira returned the card, the key, and the Eye of Fortune.

“Please put~ the collected items~ in this wooden box~ here you go~”

The receptionist opened part of the counter, revealing a wooden box.

Pakira tried to take a horn out of her pouch… but it was too heavy, so she called Juicy.

Juicy gently placed four horns into the box.

“Sorry about that, Juicy.”
“Um, woof. I’m glad I could help.”
“Me too. Is this alright?”
“Yes~ Thank you very much~ Next, please sign here~ on the request acceptance form~”

The receptionist brought out the form, and Pakira signed it. Very procedural.

“Thank you~ Once the client confirms completion, the reward will be issued—”
“No need for that. I’m right here.”

That voice!? We turned around—and there he was.

“Um, woof! It’s Velent-san!”
“Velent-san!?”
“Why are you here?”
“Just perfect timing, huh?”

Velent laughed.

White beard, a burn scar over his left eye, and a body hardened by labor—his muscles were evident even under his work clothes.

No doubt, he was a strong dwarf. A reliable blacksmith dwarf.

“You’re the client~?”
“Yep. Mind if I take a look at the Monoceros’ magic silver?”
“Ehh, wait a sec~”

He took one of the horns from the box and tapped it lightly with a small hammer.

Kiinnn—a clear ring echoed, and part of the gray horn shimmered into a pale bluish-silver.

“The color changed!?”
“Yep. That part’s the magic silver.”
“So it’s not the whole thing?”
“Right. Just part of the horn.”
“What a strange color.”
“Um, um… it’s very pretty.”
“There’s quite a bit of magic silver in there.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, this is good stuff.”
“Of course it is.”
“Um, um, we all worked really hard to get it.”
“I see. That so?”

He tested each horn with his hammer.

Each time, the gray horn would partially transform into a vivid bluish-silver, never failing to catch the eye.

Then he stopped at the last and biggest one—the horn from the yellow-light Monoceros.

“…”

Verent touched the horn silently. Something was up.

Pakira asked…

“Is something wrong with that horn?”
“…I have a hunch… This one is—magic gold.”
“So it is, huh.”
“Magic gold?”
“Woof?”
“…No mistake.”
“Hmm. I see.”
“?”
“Um, um, you two—what’s going on?”

“Uh I’ll process things on this end~ Would you like to take it with you~?”

The receptionist flew over to Verent to ask.

“Yeah, I’ll do that. Pakira. Kid. And Tasan—”
“Um, um, I’m Juicy.”
“Ah, sorry. Juicy. Mind carrying the horns to the smithy for me?”
“Sure, no problem.”
“Also, wait for me there. I’ll be right back.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I’m fine with it too.”
“Um, um, I’m okay too.”
“Oh, right. There’s someone already waiting—pass the message along, will ya?”
“Alright.”
“Got it.”

Pakira packed the horns back into her pouch, and we left the guild.

We headed toward Verent’s blacksmith workshop. I asked right away:

“Pakira-san, what’s magic gold?”
“Um, um, I’m curious too!”

She seemed to have expected the question—understandably so.

Even so, Pakira seemed to have trouble explaining it clearly.

“Let’s see… How should I put it… Hm… Simply put, it’s rarer than magic silver, and even more useful for repairing ancient artifacts and all sorts of things. Think of it as a superior version of magic silver.”

That made sense somehow.

“So it must be very valuable, then?”
“Normally, yes, but—”

Pakira wore a complicated expression. Her ears drooped, and her tail twitched uncertainly.

Juicy noticed too.

“Um, um… so you’re saying it’s not always valuable?”
“Could it be that it’s so valuable no one knows how much it’s really worth?”
“―――Actually, you see… I’ve only heard this from my master, but… although it’s incredibly rare, its value is… unexpectedly low.”
“Even though it’s rare, it’s not worth much?”
“Um, um, you mean its market value is low? Even taking everything into account?”
“That’s right. It’s so rare that most people don’t even know its true worth.”
“Why is it considered low value?”
“Hmm… If I had to compare, maybe it’s like the eye of the three-eyed rabbit.”
“So it’s rare, but there’s no demand or use for it?”
“Woof! Um, that’s… kind of harsh.”
“It may be, but that’s how it is.”

But it’s super rare!

Wait—Tasan’s engagement ring was super rare too, wasn’t it?

It had value… but maybe this is one of those exceptions.

I sort of understood, but it still left me feeling oddly unsatisfied.

Soon, we arrived at Verent’s blacksmith workshop.

Someone was already inside. Come to think of it, he did say there will be someone waiting.

That person stood with their back to us, cloaked in a black robe with a hood pulled low.

Suspicious-looking, but not unusual around here.

Also, three tails stuck out from under the robe, and even through the hood, I could tell they had animal ears.

Wait a second—three tails? And that suggestive body shape…

“So you’re the one who got here first.”
“Um, um, um… nice to meet you.”

At our voices, the stranger turned around—and looked straight at me.

She grinned.

“Well, well, well. Fancy meeting my dear apprentice in a place like this.”

She said it cheerfully and flung back her hood with flair.

Ah. I knew it. I knew it. That beautiful face could only belong to a witch.

The cat, the fox, and the dog were now all together.

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