"This is something good you brought back." the old lady said excited, holding out her hands as if she wanted to caress this object.
"And what is it? Does seem quite valuable when it makes you so thrilled." Mikael asked, trying to feel the sensation better, but couldn't get it to be stronger or clearer. It was as if he wanted to grab and hold something but had no limbs to do so.
"Valueable it is for sure. A crystal can occasionally occur in strong or old creatures, almost certainly in evolved monsters. They are containers to keep mana, changing it into something that can be manipulated. For magicians it is a tool that is used for experiments, staffs that empower their own magic or they make magic items from them."
Her eyes were enticed by the crystal, her voice nearly vanishing as she got quieter as she explained.
"So how much do we get for bringing that back? If it's so useful, sure it amounts to some coins?"
On Sophia's blunt question, the gray haired woman snorted.
"Ignorant folks these adventurers. Can't even appreciate the sheer luck they had getting their hands on a source of mana." she whispered, but still audible enough for them to hear.
"I'll tell the staff to give you an appropriate reward. You yourselves sure can't utilize this piece, nor sell it to the right person. Let us handle that, we know how to handle it. Now go, I still want to dig into this monsters brain a bit."
They were send out, left with her last disturbing sentence.
"How does she want to dig in its brain?"
"Beat me. Nothing good comes around when dealing with fanatics like that, but they sure are knowledgeable. I'm more interested how much more money we get now."
They found themselves back at the counter, the employee writing something down on a piece of parchment, looking up as they approached.
Shortly before they could ask about the reward, another Guild member came towards them, holding a relatively big box in his arm.
"Hello Hunters, after Mrs. Doris evaluated the object, she send me to retrieve your reward, as well as to be a witness for the process of handing it over. If you'd follow me."
The man led them to a mostly vacant table, one where only another old but neatly clothed man in a vest and straight pants sat.
The box was placed in the middle, with Mikael and Sophia seating opposite to that man.
"First let me introduce myself: name is Vaskor, and I'm handling transactions and negotiations for our branch. In cases of this where larger sums of money change hands, I also play my part. This here is Tilo, my disciple and assistant. I hope you don't have something against him being here."
He smiled at them, a smile all business man and hagglers had.
His calm demeanor and eloquent way of speaking pared with his appearance made it comfortable for Mikael to be around him.
But as his gaze landed a second on Sophia, he saw her also smiling like him, albeit hers had a bit of shrewdness and a hint of disgust mixed in.
'Wow, this is far apart her usual smile. Well, normally she gets it when fighting or scheming something.'
Her eyes radiated not the warmth he got when seeing Vaskor, but his also made him nervous, as if being a target.
"As per Mrs. Doris evaluation, we thinks this amount here should be enough to be of your satisfaction." he wrote something on a piece of paper, handing it Sophia facing the table.
Receiving it, she held her hand before the paper, hiding also her mouth.
'Is this a genuine smile?' Mikael saw from his perspective.
Her eyes remained, only her mouth opened a bit before returning to before.
"I think a bit more should be doable. We got injured in the process of hunting that monster, have taken on even more monsters as the quest had presumed."
Handing over the paper to Mikael, he couldn't contain his surprise as well as Sophia, the number may seeming small, but was made big with the big G behind it.
'12 Gold, that are 6 each, for a single monster? Sure it was strong and has a crystal thing but that amount... And she wants to raise it?'
Vaskor didn't change his smile, shifting his legs in another position and buttoning up his shirtsleeve.
"The additional threat and your injury was already counted in. Don't misunderstand, the crystal may be valuable, but not exponentially rare. We sometimes get these in, and many are bigger or in a higher quality. This is merely a Goblin core."
"A core that belonged to a magician should be something interesting, even, or because it belonged to a monster, aren't I right? And not to forget that I had to use an expensive potion to heal me and my companion here." she lied the last part, but her reasoning seemed to hit a nail, as Vaskor looked at Tilo, who almost instantly vanished, walking towards the old woman's place.
Silence descended, and Mikael estimated what to do with that much money.
'First I can pay my debt to the Guild, freed of the pressure it exerted invisibly. Then maybe stroll around the village, take a day or two off until or journey with the group begins. Mother knows I can use a real break. A visit to Leon is also due. When already visiting Jenny to get his whereabouts I need to buy some potions and bandages. Having them won't ever be disadvantageous... '
Shortly after Tilo left he came back, a piece of paper that was torn as if ripped out in haste.
Vaskor took a look at it, and like Sophia kept his expression under control, simply pocketing the piece. He folded his hands, leaning back on the chair.
"Mrs. Doris admitted that a magician coree from a usual lesser species is unusual, thus raising her evaluation. We'd add an additional 1 Gold and 6 silver. Each."
He put both his feet on the ground, raising an eyebrow looking at them questioning.
"This would be the best our Guild offers. No more as most of the handling and actions are done by us, costing a pretty coin as well."
Sophia sighed. Raising her finger to her temple as if complementing, Mikael already got nervous.
'What are you doing, that are nearly 8 Gold for each of us. I never had so much money in my whole life together added up.'
And she didn't disappoint.
"I guess that offer is acceptable. Then Mr. Vaskor, a pleasure to do business with you." she stretched out her hand for a handshake.
Vaskor received it, the smile still plastered on his face, now looking a bit more genuine as before.
"The pleasure was with me, Miss Sophia. It is not everyday I get to barter a bit with someone."
He looked at his assistant, gesturing to open the box.
"Tilo, if you would please."
Without another order the box was opened, and small piles of Gold, Silver and Copper was displayed. The shimmer was reflected in their eyes, and Mikael got instantly the desire to grab all of it.
He felt his fingertips tingle, before calming himself down.
'It would be beyond stupid to even think about grabbing into that box. Forget getting away with it, leaving this room would be impossible.'
Bit by bit, one coin after another was retrieved until two simple pouches with the respectable sum was filled.
"If you manage to get a hold on another core, please visit us again. Our establishment will negotiate a fair price with you." Vaskor said as they parted, and Tilo simply bowed a small bit.
Together they walked down to the ground floor, Sophia happily playing with the pouch, throwing it up, letting the coins ring.
"Leon for sure will be jealous of our yield. So much for a Goblin, can't we get this every time?"
"And nearly be roasted alive or eaten up by these creatures? I can refrain from that." Mikael said, nervously putting his own money close to his body.
'My own pouch can't even hold all that money. Why does it have to be that small.' he never thought that this would be the case.
"A hit of risk is always involved, are you a weakling or what. From what I saw you got great quality to be a first class hunter in the future. I mean, what brat could take on so many enemies and a evolved creature, living to tell the tale."
That genuine praise was new for Mikael, letting him go quiet.
"Damn, when I receive money I get all sensible and stuff, how annoying. I'll leave you for now, have some personal things to finish. We see each other again when meeting up here for the mission. Bye." she quickly said, leaving Mikael alone at the exit from the Guild, where he stood now alone.
"Sure, stay safe." was all he called at her, unsure how to proceed now.
In a moment of enlightenment he turned on his heels, walking back up to the first floor.
He slammed his pouch on the counter, taking out the reddish card and saying with a smile on his face:" I'm here to pay off my debt!"
With a light and slightly lingering mind he walked towards Jenny's shop. He still had around two Gold combined, ready to spend it on necessary goods.
The thought of gambling came to his mind once, but was quickly suppressed.
Entering the shop and getting greeted by her, for the first time Mikael looked around the shelves, ready to buy something.
"What are you searching for?" He got asked as he crouched before some boxes, slowly reading the description written on it.
"I just came back from a difficult mission and had to see how valuable potions as medicine was. Can you maybe suggest me something?"
"What is your price range, and how many do you want? There are some differences for size, potency and effect. Healing potions are quite expensive, the bigger the flask the more you'd have to spend. And not all are the same, as you for sure now. The ingredients determine how strong or effective something is, and the processing method is vital, too."
She taught him, and in his mind the image of leaving here with handfuls of bottles vanished.
"Then what would be the best for around two Gold?" he silently asked, looking up at her with a unsure expression if that would cut it.
"That's is a tight budget, let's see what I can throw together with that, but don't expect much."