Better than you dared hope.

Amelia raises her hand to stop you. "There's no need for negotiation I think." For a second your heart sinks and you fear the worst, but the old woman keeps smiling. "I think for an item of this value, not mention to historical significance, the price you suggested in your letters is more than fair." You can hardly believe your ears as Amelia starts digging through a drawer in her desk. The whole point of setting the price so high was so the price you'd accept wouldn't sound so ludicrous.

Closing the drawer, Amelia places a large pouch on her desk. "150 aurum, as promised." She pushes the sack of coins to you and you numbly pick it up and assess it with your aura. Sure enough, you can feel there's exactly 150 heavy gold coins in the purse, more money than your entire caravan earned last year. Attempting to regain your composure you shake your head and laugh. "Well then, I think its more than fair to say it's been a pleasure doing business with you." You drop the purse into the bag of holding at your hip and tie it closed. "The heartstring is yours, with my thanks."

Amelia delicately stows her purchase into a padded box on the desk and turns back to you. "So is it safe to assume that your aura helps you count out coins somehow?" When you stare at her blankly Amelia taps her glasses. "Enchanted lenses, they allow me to see the flow of magic and aura, your hands and eyes lit up when you picked up the purse." You kick yourself internally for not counting the coins manually, and decide you can trust her with an honest answer. "Something like that, my aura allows me to assess items I see, identifying them and assigning a quality value. If I pick up a box or bag I can tell whats inside it as long as I'm at least familiar with what each object is on my own." You rub the back of your neck and grin proudly. "If my aura is active and I get close to something I would know as valuable then it appears to glow to me. When I stumbled across the bow with the heartstring I nearly went blind."

"That's incredible, you're like a living wilding treasure detector!" Both you and the artificer whip around to look at Arnulf, who has just spoken for the first time since you arrived. "With a power like that, you could do just... about...." As if just he has just realized he was speaking, Arnulf purses his lips and starts blushing like a tomato, "...just about anything." He finishes, going silent and staring down at his feet. Amelia giggles to herself, "He's not wrong you know, that sounds like an incredibly useful ability. In fact..." She appraises you seriously, looking you up and down. "So the way you explained it, your auras usefulness is based on your own knowledge and skill, you need to study to use it correct?" You nod and she pauses for a moment. "Well then I've made up my mind." Amelia reaches toward a bookshelf and a tome flies out of it into her waiting hand.

"This," She dusts off the cover with a wave of her hand, "Is an encyclopedia of enchanted items and weapons, a record of items created by royal artificers and workshop enchanters. It's a rather old edition so I don't mind passing it along to someone of your talent." She reaches across the desk to offer you the book, which glows gently in your eyes. You take it hesitantly. "You're.. giving me this?" You ask quietly.

Amelia smiles at you, "Don't think of it as a gift, but as a job offer." You look down at the heavy tome in your lap and run a hand over the title 'A Record of the Workshop and its Creations - 12th ed.' You tremble a bit, you know exactly how rare this book is, and how many doors it could open for you. Amelia continues, "Being able to identify that heartstring was impressive, being able to evaluate who would be willing to purchase it and make your way to me is decidedly more so. You and your ability could both be incredibly useful to my work, therefore I'm offering you a position here."

You open your mouth to speak but Amelia cuts you off with a raised hand. "Should you accept, you'll be working under royal protection and I'll guarantee generous pay. My workshop is technically part of the military service, so you and your family would even be eligible to apply for citizenship." She looks you in the eyes, her voice growing stern, "Please take a day or two to decide, I am not fond of people who make rash decisions in pursuit of coin, and your discretion is half the reason I'm offering you this position."

Now completely thrown off your script, you sit stunned for a moment before thinking of an answer. "O-of course, I'll keep your offer in mind." Amelia nods at you with an air of finality and calls out, "Cynane!" The same felis guard who guided you before enters the room, her tail flicking anxiously. "Yes Mistress Amelia?"

Amelia takes the box from her desk and places it on her lap, rolling herself back from where she'd been sitting. "Would you kindly escort Miss De Gauss to her residence, our business has been concluded and I'd like to know that she made it safely." Cynane gives a short bow to her employer and waits for you to rise. Clutching your new book close to your chest, you rise and give your good wishes to Amelia and Arnulf before following the guard out the door.

As you exit the archway entrance to the manse Cynane, walking beside you, turns to you and asks "So is it safe to say your meeting went well? You look like your entire world has been thrown for a loop." You take a moment to take stock before replying. "Best sale I've ever made." Cynane grins at you and turns back to the street, the rest of your trip home taken in comfortable silence.