Grams' eyes flashed over to Draco for a second before he looked back down at the last tunic, busying himself while continuing to eavesdrop. Ruth let out a deep sigh, she knew he wasn't going to give up on this idea so she gave him the price, albeit with a shop worker discount. "Altogether it would equal around seven hundred and thirty-four thousand dollars."
She dropped the number and continued before he could say anything. "However with the mage's robe it will bring it down to six hundred and ninety-seven thousand." she knew even with being in a Door that long, there was no way he would be able to afford that amount, seeing as he was stuck in an F-rank Door. however, he insisted so she wanted to give the boy a straight answer. "Can I pay that all at once?"
This time both Ruth and Gram's eyes bugged a little. Gram had known Draco since he had been working there for almost 8 years and had seen him come in multiple times to greet his mother. And he knew Draco was an F-rank Striker, seeing as his mother had talked about it when she had come out of the room with her son and Ruth. Ruth was so dumbfounded by how he said it like that was a raindrop compared to his oceans worth of his funds.
She just stood there so long that Gram told him he could grab his items beside the mage's robe and follow him to the checkout counter. Draco nodded and followed him out to the front, Ruth walking distractingly behind them both. As They walked she looked over at his mother and saw that she had a worried look on her face. His mother quickly walked up to her as she fell behind staring into space as she thought. "Ruth."
Ruth snapped back to reality and looked at her worker and friend. "What can I help you with Joice?" his mother looked over to Draco who had just passed through the door into the main building, then back at her. "Thank you very much for helping my son, however, I will find a way to pay you back for the clothes you gave him, and anything else you give him. I know you said it was a gift, but I can't let you keep helping my son when it's costing you so much money. So I would like it if you would count how much we owe you and I will slowly pay it off."
Ruth had never seen Joice look so embarrassed before, so she quickly answered. "Joice, although I understand where you're coming from, I cannot allow you to pay for those clothes. They were a gift from me to him, however, I will most certainly make him pay for anything else he wants to buy so don't you worry about that. also, he brought me a piece of fabric today, he didn't want anything else." "Oh… well then I'm sorry for my outburst." Joice quickly walked back to her workstation and continued working. Ruth's eyes narrowed on Draco's mother.
'Just what did you go through? And why are you keeping it from your mother?' She decided that it was none of her business a second later and walked out to the front, where Gram was tallying up the price she had told Draco. "Six hundred ninety-seven thousand, we do offer payments if you are interested." Draco shook his head. "It's alright." he pulled out his Striker's credit card and inserted it into the machine. Both Ruth and Gram held their breath as it was verified, when it went through they both let the breath go.
Gram thanked Draco for his purchase and walked back into the back, as he was walking back Ruth stopped him and whispered in his ear. "Confidentiality." Gram nodded and continued his walk to the back. All her employees knew that when she said confidentiality she was pretty much telling them that this doesn't leave those present and if it does she would fire them, or worse. Gram knew she was saying don't tell Joice about this and he trusted her so he was going to keep a tight lip.
Ruth turned to Draco. "Now then Draco, about where you should go to sell that gear. Have you been anywhere else, and wanted a second opinion, or have you only come to me?" Ruth noticed Draco's visible shudder before saying. "I went over to the place with the chest plate logo on the sign, in the shopping district. How-" Ruth cut him off, taking a hold of his face, and looked him over, like she was trying to see a wound somewhere.
"Did you talk to the shop owner? Did you buy anything?" "No, I left after he greeted me." Ruth looked into his eyes for a second more before sighing and backing up. "Don't go there again, his Title allows him to heavily influence people into doing business with them. It's a good thing you didn't buy anything from there. I don't know how it works, all I know is people that buy stuff from him tend to make unneeded purchases quite frequently. I'm quite surprised you were even able to leave, you said he talked to you?"
Draco nodded. "How interesting. Anyway don't go there, although it is a place that is very popular, they would scam you on the price for all the items you were intending to sell. No, you want to go to this place about a thirty-minute walk from here, they are a small shop owned by a friend of mine, and although it may look small it has a very skilled Blacksmith as an owner. So watch what you say and be respectful, is that understood?"
Draco nodded and after getting directions he thanked Ruth for helping him out. As he was walking out of the store she called out for him and he turned. "You understand that you are not allowed to tell others about what I have just told you." Draco gave her a stern nod. She watched him for any obvious lies, seeing none she walked over to him and handed him an envelope and a little see-through case, however, though he tried he couldn't tell what it was inside it.
"Take these to them and tell them you're a friend of Ruth, do not read the letter. The information in this letter is very valuable so don't lose it either." Draco nodded and walked out of the shop. After he was gone Ruth fell into the chair behind the counter and rubbed her temples with her fingers. "I wonder what you went through. I've never seen you so serious before. Oh well, as long as you're safe, that's all that matters I suppose."