The Dragon King's Heart

Apart from the Duchess, there were other nobles in the store. Though some knew with a glance who Laina was, no one offered her a helping hand. Rumors about Laina had been spread by the nobility of Kinshearth and some were foolish enough to believe it. 

Laina took a look around the store on the first floor. She knew instantly what sort of gemstones they were. She knew their price and how much they cost. It would not cost more than a drop of her wealth. 

"Since you refuse to tell me how much it all costs, I take it that it's such a low number you think it's not worth my time. I would say you're right," Laina declared with a grin as she folded her arms. 

Her words left the shop assistant speechless. They did not know what to say in return. 

"I'll take everything," Laina added as she clapped her hands together. 

"Everything?" the shop assistant echoed. 

"Yes, everything."

The shop assistant's reaction was not what Laina had expected. They burst out in laughter, successfully attracting the attention of the other patrons. 

"Miss, you must be joking. I don't think..."

From her spatial storage, Laina revealed a sparkling diamond the size of her palm. People gasped in shock and amazement, fighting to take a closer look. None of them had ever seen such a huge diamond. Duchess Ophelia, who was watching from above widened her eyes in surprise too. 

A diamond of that size was worth a hefty sum. Not to mention, the diamond in question was of the best clarity anyone present had ever seen. It perfectly refracted light at every angle. 

"I'm sure this is enough to pay for everything and more. May I go upstairs?" 

"Thief! You... you stole that didn't you?!" the shop assistant accused. 

Laina was livid. First, they refused her and now they were accusing her of a crime she did not commit. Could it get any worse? All the ruckus finally attracted the attention of the store manager. 

He was previously busy attending to the customers on the higher floors, but the store assistant's accusation rang loud and clear for all to hear. He came rushing down the stairs. 

"What in Dracona is going on here?" his voice boomed. 

Now, they had the entire store's attention. Laina felt a little uncomfortable. She had never quite enjoyed the limelight. Furthermore, it had been a while since she was last in the spotlight. 

The store assistant was one step ahead of Laina. They told the man what had occurred from their perspective. From his attire, Laina knew he was the store manager. She let out a sigh. All she wanted was a nice afternoon window shopping. 

Not only was that ruined, but she was also accused of being a thief for a diamond she owned. Laina had the amulet Dante had given her in her right pocket. But showing it here would do her no good. 

Laina clenched her jaw. She had to stand up for herself. She was not in the wrong, why did she need rescuing. 

"Miss, may I take a look at the diamond?" the store manager asked politely. 

"But sir-"

The store manager turned back to glare at the assistant. They immediately kept quiet. Laina was a little hesitant to hand it over to him and it was written on her face. 

"I don't mean to be rude, miss," the store manager assured her, "I just want to check the diamond to see its origin. It would allow me to identify if this is in fact a diamond from our store."

The crowd that had gathered erupted with whispers. Some pointed at Laina, shaking their heads. Laina could not help but sigh. She knew as clear as day the store did not have one like it. In fact, she knew all the supply chains the store had. 

When she was the Crown Princess of Kinshearth, one of the most gemstone-rich Kingdoms in all of Gaia, Laina knew almost every supplier of gemstones, crystals, and geodes. She knew their trade routes, their partners, their customers. She even memorized the type of gemstones they order and the type of jewelry they carry. 

"I don't think that would be necessary," Laina replied casually. 

"Oh?" the store manager said as he glanced over to the security that stood by the door, signaling them to come over. 

Duchess Ophelia and Shara who were watching it play out watched on. Shara was getting anxious. She knew things were about to go down. 

"My lady, shouldn't we..."

The Duchess shook her head as she pointed to Laina, "Watch."

"You don't carry this diamond in your store. I know that for a fact," Laina said smuggly. 

20th November 2021 Writing

The store manager arched an eyebrow. It was clear to Laina that he knew what she said was true. But he continued to deny everything. 

"Miss, it is impossible for you to know -"

Laina did not wait for him to reply, "Judging from your attire and that shiny tag on your coat, you must be Alron, the store manager."

Duchess Ophelia, who was watching from above was impressed. So were the others who were watching as things unfolded. Laina walked up closer to the store manager. 

"I would assume the store manager would know the inventory of the store better than I do, but I assume you're incompetent with your job," she said while grinning. 

Laina was getting a little cocky, but rightly so. After all, she had the upper hand in this conversation. There would be no loss for her. She did not give Alron, a chance to defend himself. This was not his stage. It was hers. 

"This store, owned by the Gaeron Family, uses precious stone from the Quartzern Mining Company," Laina informed as she placed her hand on her chin, "From what I recall, the Quartzern Mines have never produced diamonds of this size. So how would it be possible for the store to have it?"

"Furthermore, it is common knowledge that a diamond of this size is rare. In fact, there are only three known pieces in the world. One of which is owned by Duchess Ophelia, am I right?" Laina declared as she glanced up and made eye contact with the Duchess. 

Ophelia smiled. She was impressed. She did not expect Laina to have noticed her from where she stood. But perhaps with the amount of attention she was getting, it became clear. Shara gasped in shock. No one expected Laina to name the Duchess. 

All eyes were on Ophelia. 

They hung on her response.