The transaction continued behind the polished wooden desk. Hera kept calculating and carefully examining the quality, the clarity of the gems, and the weight of every gram of jewelry on the desk. Her hands moved very skillfully, separating the pure gold jewelry from those studded with diamonds.
Calian and Wolvin waited patiently in front of the desk. Occasionally, their eyes observed the atmosphere of the busy guild lobby, then returned to watching the receptionist work swiftly yet meticulously to ensure there were no mistakes in the price appraisal.
After a dozen minutes passed, the clinking sound of coins being counted was heard. Hera smiled professionally.
"I apologize for making the two of you wait quite a long time." Hera said after completing her task and organizing the pile of coins on a velvet-lined wooden tray. "The total value for all this high-class jewelry is 743,882 Lens, Sir. Please count them again."
Calian lowered his gaze toward the tray. Upon it, the coins had been arranged into several very neat piles. There were 74 gleaming gold coins, 3 silver coins, 88 large-sized copper coins, and 2 smaller-sized copper coins.
"Before that, I want to ask." Calian said, still feeling a bit unfamiliar and confused by the amount of coin piles on the desk. "Could you explain to me the currency value system applicable in this empire?"
Hera was slightly surprised by the basic question, because usually clients who brought such luxurious jewelry were wealthy merchants or nobles who were already very well-versed in financial matters. However, as a central guild employee, she remained friendly and professional.
"Of course, Sir!" Hera answered, beginning to point at the coins from the smallest one to explain the currency in the Erthland Empire. "One small copper coin is the base value, which is 1 Len. Then, one large copper coin is equal in value to 10 Lens."
Hera then shifted to point at the more gleaming coins. "As for this silver piece, its value is 1,000 Lens. And finally, one gold coin is worth 10,000 Lens."
So that her two customers would get a clearer picture of the currency's purchasing power, Hera added a small comparison.
"For example, for daily necessities, the price of a loaf of bread in the capital averages 8 Lens." Hera continued explaining patiently. "Meanwhile, renting the cheapest inn room on the outskirts of the capital costs around 100 Lens per night."
Hearing the price comparison for bread and lodging, Calian and Wolvin nodded slowly. They now completely understood and had a clear picture from the receptionist's explanation. The hundreds of thousands of Lens they currently possessed turned out to be a very massive amount for living standards in the capital.
"Thank you very much for the explanation, Miss Hera." Calian said sincerely, feeling greatly helped. "The explanation you gave was very practical and easy for me to understand."
"You are welcome. It is my duty to serve you, Sir." Hera replied while bowing respectfully for a moment.
As they were wrapping up their casual conversation, the guild doors opened. A capital security guard who was on patrol entered the merchant guild lobby, walking side by side with a local merchant.
When the soldier cast his gaze toward the reception desk, his steps suddenly halted. Realizing the familiar figure of the purple-haired teenager beside a beastfolk teenager from the Night Wolf clan, the soldier immediately left his merchant companion.
There was only one purple-haired teenager accompanied by a beastfolk from the Night Wolf clan that he knows. The soldier approached the desk with quick but steady steps, then bowed respectfully to the two of them.
"Good morning, Your Highness!" the soldier greeted in a very polite voice, ignoring the stares of the people around the lobby. "Are you and your spouse enjoying the morning air on your first day touring this empire?"
Instinctively, Hera, who heard the conversation and official greeting, immediately widened her eyes. Her heart felt like it jumped. She stared at Calian in disbelief.
I have indeed heard the rumors about the imperial prince who just returned from a faraway place alongside Her Highness the Crown Princess. Hera thought in shock, her hands unconsciously gripping the edge of her desk. But... I never expected that the young man with a very handsome and polite face I just served was the prince himself! No wonder the jewelry he brought had a fantastic value.
Receiving the sudden greeting from the capital guard, Calian did not look panicked or bothered at all.
"Yes, you are right." Calian answered casually, etching a faint smile to appreciate the soldier's greeting. "The two of us are enjoying a leisurely walk in the capital and want to get to know the ins and outs of this city firsthand."
"Do you need an escort during your journey, Your Highness?" the soldier offered promptly, offering his protective services.
"No need." Calian replied, still in his unarguable casual tone. "I want to spend time just the two of us with Wolvin. But, thank you very much for the offer."
The soldier nodded in understanding and bowed again as he stepped back to make way.
After that brief conversation, Calian gave a signal to Wolvin. The Night Wolf teenager deftly gathered the piles of gold, silver, and copper coins back, storing them safely inside the dimensional necklace around his neck.
Once everything was settled, the two of them turned around and walked away, leaving the guild lobby that was slowly filling with whispers.
Behind her desk, Hera could only stand frozen, staring at the backs of the two teenagers as they walked casually out through the guild lobby's double doors. However, there was one thing from the previous conversation that made her feel very surprised and piqued her curiosity.
"Pardon me if I am being presumptuous to ask, Mr. Guard." Hera said a bit nervously, calling the soldier who was still standing not far from her desk. "Was the person who just walked out truly the prince of this Erthland Empire?"
"That's correct, Miss Receptionist." the soldier answered with a proud expression. "He is the son of Her Highness Princess Esdelara Wallfend Zien Da Erthland. And the beastfolk teenager who kept standing beside him is his one and only spouse."
From the soldier's confirmation, the beautiful woman finally learned the complete truth. Her memory replayed the moment when she served the prince's transaction earlier. She indeed clearly saw a pair of identically designed gold rings circling perfectly on the left ring fingers of the two teenage boys.
So that's how it is, huh? No wonder the prince refused the escort because he wanted to be alone with that beastfolk. Hera thought to herself, still feeling amazed and bewildered by the dynamics of the prince's relationship. But... why did a prince with such a high position choose to marry a man? Did he not think about the future of this empire? Who will inherit the imperial throne if he cannot have a descendant from his marriage?
Meanwhile, far from the receptionist's curiosity, life on the capital's streets continued. The young married couple walked casually through the bustling city, their fingers tightly intertwined once again.
"Darling, where are we going after this?" Wolvin asked enthusiastically, his head turning to look at the various store signboards lining the street. "Would you mind if we go looking for long pants for me first?"
Hearing that request, Calian was reminded of his spouse's strong desire to buy new pants specifically designed for his anatomy. All this time, Calian had to sacrifice his pants, which were constantly being forcefully pierced at the back by Wolvin so his tail could come out comfortably.
"Alright, of course, Wolvin!" Calian answered with an amused smile, remembering his ruined pants. "Let's go find some new pants that fit you first."
"Thank you very much, Darling!" Wolvin answered happily, his tail wagging quickly. He could not wait to have his own clothes and new pants so he would not always ruin and poke holes in his husband's pants anymore.
Continuing to hold hands through the warm morning sunlight, the two of them resumed their steps, walking down the capital's streets to search and find a clothing store that specifically sold clothes for the beastfolk race.