«If you are satisfied with my explanation, allow me to introduce myself, Nikola Crokbos. I am the Chief of the local branch of the Guild. We want to buy all your stones at two gold coins each,» the man said and began to fill a contract form.

Mr. Nikola Corkbos was a burly man of medium height with dark brown hair, light-brown eyes, and around and good-natured face.

«My pleasure. My name is Amadeus, five gold coins,» said Amadeus with a tone as if she had caught a thief by the hand.

During the appraisal, she saw the price of the stone and did not hesitate to overestimate it. The pen fell out of Nicola's hands, and he understood that today is not his lucky day.

«It' s a rip-off!!! Who will I ...» cough, cough, «... the Guild exist? I want to eat, too, and my children and wife are starving at home, three gold coins,» the man replied with a grave gaze.

«What a poor man. Your fat ass can't fit on a chair because you're starving, can you? Swollen from starving?» thought Amadeus.

«Four gold coins or, I'm leaving off to feed someone else,» said Amadeus, getting up and turning to the door.

«All right, all right, four gold coins for each,» said Mr. Crokbos soothingly, stopping her and continued in a sad voice, «And don't you lady have any shame in making a poor woman and the little ones hungry?»

«Very shameful,» replied Amadeus, as if shyly shuffling her foot across the floor, «That's why four gold coins and not five.»

***

After completing the deal, Amadeus had a pouch of twelve large gold coins.

«I wonder if that's a lot or not. What is the money worth here, anyway?» she thought.

«Tsuri, we're going to stay here for a while, don't give me any trouble,» Amadeus asked.

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«Have I ever made trouble?» Tsuri couldn't remember whether or not she had ever caused trouble.

Amadeus looked menacingly at the squirrel, spelling out each word, «Just. Don't. Create. Trouble.»

«O-Okay, no problem!» replied Tsuri, trying to calm the herd of goosebumps.

Without even seeing the girl's face behind the mask, the squirrel understood that crossing Amadeus, now, was a bad idea.

After a while, Amadeus found a respectable inn. In fact, she found out that twelve large gold coins were more than an impressive sum to pay for lodging, food, and more besides. This money would have been enough for a month, by Amadeus' standards, and to ordinary citizens for about a year. The value of money was simple; one silver coin was roughly equal to one dollar. It turned out that one large coin is equivalent to ten standard or twenty small/half coins, and one gold coin is a hundred silver coins or one thousand copper coins.

Sunset was approaching. Amadeus and Tsuri went shopping to see the city and listen to gossip. They bought many necessities: a traveling bag, a more comfortable cloak, underwear, various small things for camping, and a bonfire. Unfortunately, it was impossible to find out what kind of world or country it was. Amadeus did not want to ask directly and give herself away.

***

«Oh, Come On, PLEASE!!!» sounded a tinkling voice from Tsuri.

«Nope. We won't need that,» said Amadeus.

The girl didn't understand why this little kid was so spoiled.

«I'll never ask you for anything again if you buy me this,» said the squirrel and pointed with her furry paw at a large bottle, filled to the top with some fruit.

It was not ordinary fruit, but fermented fruit. In other words, it was a liqueur.

«You're too young to drink such things,» Amadeus said.

«I won't drink it! I'll eat only the fruit,» Tsuri kept begging.

Frankly, the girl didn't want to allow the squirrel to drink alcohol. Amadeus didn't know what effect it would have, but she wanted to pamper Tsuri, too.

«All right. I'll buy it, but you shouldn't eat too many,» Amadeus said, giving the money to the salesman.

***

Back at the inn, Amadeus left off all the shopping and Tsuri in her room and went to the baths. She wanted to get Tsuri with her, but she stuck to the bottle. Walk around with a three-liter bottle, with a squirrel stick to it, at night, across the inn... In the end, she went alone, taking her bath supplies with her. It was already quite late, so there was no one in the bathing room. She undressed and took off her mask. Finding a large silver mirror in the dressing room, she decided to take a closer look at her renewed appearance.

She had thick, long hair that came down below her hips, the color of untamed snow. Her eyelashes were long and fluffy, like butterfly wings, and her eyebrows were straight and dense. A small, slightly upturned nose and plump pink lips on her round face made her appearance more sensual and delicate. Her Heterochrome eyes would have charmed anyone who gazed into them. She was not tall, but very shapely, for her age. All her modeling looks didn't match her cold and vacant gaze.