Chapter 93: Can you tell what's different about me today?

Their appointment with Arnold took place in a palace meeting room. As one of many chambers used by the royal family, its furnishings were first class. The round table in the center of the room would never be found in guest quarters.

Eventually, there was a knock. Oliver, Arnold's attendant, opened the door and waved the prince in. Kyle, who was already seated, stood and bowed.

"Prince Arnold. I appreciate you taking the time to see me."

"Let me just say this first." Arnold glared at Kyle from across the table.

"I don't intend to have a repeat of our conversation from the other night. I still see no value in an alliance with Coyolles."

"I am aware."

"However…" His eyes flicked to the corner of the room. "This'll be worth my while, right, Rishe?"

"Of course, Prince Arnold."

Standing away from the table like a simple maid, Rishe returned Arnold's gaze with a smile.

Don't be intimidated. This is a business negotiation. A fight.

Arnold's stare was aggressive, and his belligerence raised the tension in the room. Kyle must have felt it too.

Smirking, Arnold took a seat. "Go on, sit," He told Kyle. "Let's get started already."

"First things first, Prince Arnold."

Rishe went over to the table, standing between Kyle and Arnold. She faced the crown prince and spread her arms wide, smiling at him. "Can you tell what's different about me today?"

Arnold frowned at the question. He put his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his hand. "Your necklace, bracelets, and earrings. I don't recognize any of them. You haven't worn them in front of me before, have you?"

She'd expected his scowl but not his guess.

He's got sharp eyes. His mind is quick too. It feels like he sees right through me sometimes.

Rishe nodded and sat down. "It's just as you say. I purchased these from the Aria Trading Company yesterday. All these pieces were crafted in Coyolles."

"Allow me to explain Coyolles's industry," Kyle cut in. "We mine jewels, but we are also trapped inside for over half the year. These conditions have produced extremely talented artisans."

People from Coyolles had many strategies for dealing with the long winters.

Their custom of men singing women's praises had developed to maintain harmony within the household while families were stuck inside together. They'd honed their craft to pass the time.

"In Coyolles, artisans can complete their work far faster—and with more precision—than elsewhere. This is one of the treasures we can boast of above the rest of the world."

Everything Kyle said was true. The ring Arnold had purchased for Rishe in town would have normally taken a month to complete, but the letter from the old woman told Rishe the crafting time would only be a week. That was thanks to the artisans from Coyolles who'd been on the ship with Kyle.

Craftsmen from Coyolles are the best in the world. Living as a merchant taught me that.

Galkhein was Coyolles's polar opposite. Due to the war, Galkhein's skilled artisans—jewelers included—were practically nonexistent. Crafting weapons out of metal took a different set of skills than making fine, delicate pieces, and people from Galkhein could pretty much only do the former. None of their artisans could do detailed metalwork.

Still, Arnold's gaze was cold.

"Rishe."

Rishe shuddered, but she maintained her soft smile.

This will work.

She knew Arnold wasn't interested in jewelers, but this was the nature of business. If presented with one product, a customer had two choices: buy or don't buy. Choosing the latter could result in a lost business opportunity.

However, presenting multiple products changed the customer's frame of mind. Instead of to buy or not to buy, they asked, "Buy which?" and "Which of these is most valuable?"

A sale was easier with an array of choices, rather than just one.

I don't expect cheap tactics like that to work on Prince Arnold, though.

Rishe glanced at Kyle, and her former client quietly nodded. He reached into his jacket pocket, drew something out, and placed it on the table. Arnold's expression didn't change.

"This product is familiar to you, isn't it, Prince Arnold?" Kyle asked, although he already knew the answer.

"It's mine, so yeah. What about it?" Arnold's response was indifferent.

Rishe jumped in to explain. "This is—"

"Wait."

Arnold stopped her, glowering. His earlier disinterest looked genuine, but now that was changing.

Sensing why, Rishe was surprised. "I didn't think you'd even notice this."

Rishe still had her business smile on, but inside she was reeling. Arnold hadn't said anything, but he'd likely seen through her ploy.

"The watch on the table is not, in fact, yours. This is an exact imitation of the watch you treasured during the war, Prince Arnold."

Rishe plucked something from a bag at her side. Just like Kyle had, she placed it on the table before her.

"I have your watch right here."

Two pocket watches sat on the table. They were identical, save for a slightly different metallic sheen. This small difference had tipped Arnold off.

"Prince Kyle's watch is a replica of the one I borrowed from you."

Arnold looked quietly at Rishe.

"This was created by an artisan who arrived in Galkhein on the same ship as Prince Kyle. I consulted one of the jewelry sellers on what we needed and borrowed the equipment. Apparently, wheels and springs and such are cast in the same exact way they cast metal for jewelry."

Artisans made a model of wax, created a mold, and then poured the metal into that mold. The model was the most time-consuming step, but once they had the mold, it could be used again and again in a short amount of time. That was the benefit of casting. Skilled craftsmen could cast items with minute, finicky details. Still, getting it finished in time had been a gamble.

A "skilled artisan from Coyolles" and someone who arrived with Prince Kyle on a royal ship. I thought I knew who it would be, and I'm glad I was right.