As I placed my hand on the lid of the wooden box, which had its nails removed, I used the 【Floating Orb】 to lift it up.

…This feels like a crane game.

Anyway, it’s time to meet the contents of the box.

“Oh…?”

The box was packed tightly with wood shavings.

“That’s to ensure the contents don’t get damaged during transportation. Each box holds five units,” the old man explained hurriedly as I tilted my head in confusion.

“Ah, I see.”

So it’s like packing material. There’s no bubble wrap or anything here. Using wood shavings, which can be sourced locally, is a smart and efficient choice. They even used it like this during the festival.

“Let’s see… Ah, found it.”

I dug my hands into the box and rummaged around until I felt something hard at my fingertips. Gripping it firmly, I pulled it out.

“A wolf!”

It was a carved magical beast in the form of a wolf.

This type of magical beast is common, appearing frequently in various regions, including dungeons. Similarly, they often show up in the First Forest. The wolves there are quite intelligent, making them formidable opponents—they’ll coordinate attacks and even use feints.

The carving depicted such a wolf, baring its fangs and raising its tail as if ready to pounce. Though it wasn’t painted, the craftsmanship was impressive.

“Not bad at all.”

Liesel, who was watching as I held it up, commented with an admiring tone.

“Right?” I replied enthusiastically, my voice unintentionally upbeat.

It was about 10 centimeters in size, but the details were meticulous. And for just two silver coins each, it was quite a deal. There were twenty in total, meaning four large silver coins altogether.

Considering the quality of the shelves hadn’t been inspected yet, the total cost—two gold coins for everything—wasn’t cheap, but I felt it was worth it. I wondered if I should’ve paid a little extra.

For now, I decided to check the contents of the box and then discuss an additional reward if necessary.

◇

“From here on, would you mind? …It’s quite heavy, is that all right?”

The men who carried the shelves and boxes to the boundary between the main building and the southern wing on the second floor looked at us uncertainly.

The shelf was about 2 meters high, 1 meter wide, and 30 centimeters deep. The top section had hinged doors, while the bottom section had sliding ones, both made of glass.

Though its size was standard, the sturdy wood used made it much heavier than it appeared.

Since our group consisted entirely of young women, and all of them had already been adorned with the new 【Mira’s Blesssing】 as part of their payment, making them look strikingly elegant, I understood their hesitation.

“It’s fine. Thank you for your hard work,” I replied curtly, brushing aside their concern.

“Ah… Understood. Excuse us, then.”

With a bow, they turned and left. I thought I saw their shoulders slump slightly—perhaps they had some ulterior motives?

These men were staff members of the Commercial Guild, holding relatively high ranks. Their presence here indicated they were deemed trustworthy. As potential suitors, they weren’t bad candidates, but judging by the maids’ reactions, they hadn’t made a favorable impression.

In any case, they had carried the shelves and boxes all the way up from the first floor. Watching them descend the stairs, I felt a bit guilty. The 【Prayer】 I’d used to test it hadn’t applied to them, as they weren’t considered my companions. So, they had to rely entirely on their own strength.

…It must’ve been tough.

As I watched them leave, feeling a twinge of remorse, a voice called out to me from behind.

“All right, Sera-chan. You’re up.”

Turning around, I saw that they were already prepared to carry the items.

“Got it!”

I quickly activated 【Prayer】. The maids, now faintly glowing, nodded and began their work.

“Let’s move out!”

With that, we directed the 【Floating Orb】 toward Seriana’s room.

◇

“Oh? Arranged like this, they’re more impressive than I expected.”

Seriana muttered in surprise as she examined the shelf, now installed along the wall. Elena and Teresa, standing at a distance from their desks, nodded in agreement. Even from afar, the display’s appeal was evident.

The lower section was still empty, but the upper section showcased a neatly aligned collection of magical beast figurines. The shelf itself was a dark brown, nearly black, while its interior was painted white, allowing the carvings to stand out clearly under the room’s lighting.

The design specifications had been my suggestion. Although I’d never been into collecting or displaying figurines in my previous life, it seemed my vague instincts had paid off. Seriana’s words confirmed its success.

“It looks like Sera caused you all some trouble. You may leave and take a well-earned rest,” Seriana said, her tone unusually gentle as she addressed the maids who had carried the items.

Smiling softly, the maids bowed and left the room.

In their place, Seriana and the other two women approached the shelf. Their eagerness was evident—perhaps they wanted to see the details up close?

“Sera, what do you plan to put on the lower section?”

“Hmm… Maybe materials from the magical beasts I’ve defeated? Once hunts in the lower layers stabilize, I could use their remains to add some flair.”

I already had something similar at the 【Hideout】, but perhaps this could be tailored more for display—something to impress visitors.

“…Though I’m not sure what kind of adventurer-themed display Seriana’s guests would find appealing.”

“Well, there’s no rush to fill it. Take your time and decide,” Seriana said with a bemused smile, her eyes still fixed on the shelf.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Sera: 【Hideout】 +1, 【Prayer】, 【Mira’s Blessing】, 【Wind’s Garment】, 【Floating Orb】 +1, 【Shadow Sword】, 【Scarlet Bee Needle】, 【Fairy Eye】, 【Dragon’s Lung】, 【Amber Sword】, 【Danrem’s Thread】, 【Snake Tail】, 【Ankle Bracelet】, 【Amber Shield】, 【Purple Wings】 ・ 15 cards

Seriana: 【Range Identification】 ・ 【】 ・ 28 cards

Elena: 【】 ・ 【Green Fang】, 【Amber Sword】 ・ 4 cards

Alec: 【Strong Strike】 ・ 【Red Shield】, 【Fierce Horned Trumpet】 ・ 8 cards