Chapter 217: The Gift
Luo En took out the beautifully crafted gift voucher, and at the same time, he took out the monocle and put it on his right eye.
Although his spirituality didn't detect anything unusual, it was always right to be extra careful.
A faint spiritual reaction on the lens flashed past.
A moment later, he felt relieved and put down the voucher.
No problem, this was indeed just an ordinary voucher with complex anti-counterfeiting features. There were no curses or hidden marks attached to it.
"Visiting a pen pal, huh?" Luo En thought of his pen pal, whom he had never met.
"I deliberately revealed some things in front of Sherlock earlier, which gave him a clear signal.
He can't do anything to me in the short term, otherwise, he will also expose his abnormality."
"There's still a good chance he'll actively seek me out to explain these things, so at least for now, I'm safe."
"Then the only thing left to do is—
"Fors Wall." Luo En picked up the stack of letters she had written to him from the table and read them again.
The reason he hadn't gone to find her before was that he was afraid of bringing unnecessary trouble to her.
But now that the detective had personally said that he received the commission from her, no matter what the truth was, this pen pal must have already entered the detective's sights.
"It's better to visit in person. It's good to clarify everything."
Backlund, Empress Borough.
Luo En quickly found a very luxurious-looking gift shop based on the address marked on the voucher.
Going empty-handed to visit would be quite impolite, so Luo En chose to accept Meihua 5's kindness.
Unlike conventional luxury stores, this shop's decor had an added touch of elegance and vintage charm.
"This Society—its commercial reach is truly wide," Luo En silently mused to himself.
He took a deep breath and walked straight into this shop, which was clearly for the rich and noble.
The interior of the shop was spacious and sumptuously decorated. He noticed many wealthy young ladies and noblewomen in splendid dresses gathered in small groups, strolling around and chatting in low voices.
There were also some nobles and rich merchants dressed as proper gentlemen, standing in front of various display cases, seemingly meticulously choosing gifts for their female companions.
Luo En's attire today was not overly elaborate. Compared to the other glittering customers around him, he seemed a bit out of place.
Therefore, shortly after he entered, he felt several scrutinizing and curious gazes fall upon him.
However, Luo En himself didn't pay much attention, walking purposefully towards the back of the shop.
Since his transmigration, he had gradually learned a truth: sometimes, it's better not to pay too much attention to others' gazes, otherwise, it's more likely to backfire.
Luo En glanced roughly at the price tags on the shelves and found that the cheapest item, a palm-sized wooden carving, cost 30 pounds.
"Is this wood made of gold? No, this is much more expensive than gold."
Before long, a female attendant dressed in a proper servant's uniform walked over with elegant steps.
She first looked Luo En's outfit up and down, as if evaluating something. After a few seconds of pause, she walked up to Luo En and said in a rather polite tone, "Sir, you might have taken a wrong turn. The ordinary shopping mall is on the other side of the street."
"This is—she thinks I can't afford it, so she's trying to give me a way out, indirectly trying to get rid of me."
Luo En pouted but didn't react on the spot.
The attendant's tone was still amiable. Although her eyes subtly revealed an undeniable sense of haughtiness, she hadn't directly asked him to leave.
Compared to the attendants he encountered in some so-called international brand stores before his transmigration, her attitude was already much better.
But Luo En also noticed that several customers had already cast gloating glances his way, seemingly wanting to see him make a fool of himself.
"No, I didn't take a wrong turn."
Luo En took out the voucher given to him by Meihua 5 from his pocket and handed it to the female attendant.
The female attendant's expression changed slightly the moment she saw the voucher.
"I am very sorry, sir, I was rude. Please follow me."
Luo En was then led by her to the deepest part of the gift shop. The decor here was even more luxurious than outside, feeling like a special area reserved for top-tier clients, not open to ordinary customers.
A moment later, a man of decent appearance but somewhat gloomy demeanor quickly walked over and bowed very formally to Luo En.
"I am very sorry, sir. Our staff was a bit rude just now."
Luo En magnanimously indicated that he didn't mind.
"I am Russ Bartoli, the manager of this shop."
"Mr. Bartoli, may I ask what kind of items this voucher can be exchanged for?"
"Theoretically," Bartoli said, "it can be exchanged for any existing item in our shop. Of course, the shop itself is not included in the exchange. Also, some specially customized items are not included."
Bartoli did not inquire about the origin of Luo En's voucher but enthusiastically began to introduce the various aspects of the shop to Luo En.
"I would like a gift that is suitable for a female Author." Luo En asked.
"A female Author…" Bartoli pondered for a moment and said, "An antique book set. We also have an antique desk here, the kind used by royalty in the Fourth Epoch."
"Do you have anything more practical?"
Practical? Do luxury goods need to be practical? Bartoli's expression became a little strange. But in the end, he still introduced it in a very professional tone:
"How about a fountain pen? We have fountain pens made of pure handmade gold here. They are inlaid with top-grade gems and various natural crystals. Understated yet luxurious, very suitable for ladies who love literature."
"Listen—such a luxurious fountain pen doesn't sound practical at all. Would anyone actually use it?"
"Can I see it?"
"Of course."
The other party called his subordinates to bring several exquisitely packaged small boxes. When they were opened in front of Luo En, he saw a series of glittering, even somewhat ostentatious fountain pens.
"This fountain pen is much more expensive than a person." After some thought, Luo En finally chose the most understated fountain pen, which was inlaid with a large sapphire and had exquisite wood grain carvings on its body.
"May I ask presumptuously," Luo En asked curiously, "how much would this fountain pen cost if I were to buy it directly?"
"900 pounds," Bartoli replied.
So expensive! In terms of purchasing power, this pen is an astronomical figure!
"That kind of voucher is so valuable—."
Actually, Luo En had initially planned to directly use this voucher to exchange for the most expensive item in the store and take it away. As for the gift for his pen pal, he would just buy another one separately.
But after thinking about it, directly taking advantage like that would make him seem too greedy. Although the probability was very low, if he were to offend Meihua 5 over such a small gain, it would be a bit of a loss.
"Do you have cameras here?"
While waiting for the clerk to take the fountain pen for packaging, Luo En looked at the surrounding display cases and unexpectedly found a relatively modern item.
It was a small, unflashy silver-black camera.
"Hmm." Bartoli introduced, "Many of our customers enjoy photography. So, we also sell cameras here that are purely handmade by professional craftsmen."
"Handmade?"
Luo En picked up his monocle and observed it carefully.
Compared to those expensive jewelry and accessories that cost thousands of pounds, the materials of this camera were much cheaper. However, its exterior had a design full of mechanical beauty. Moreover, compared to the bulky cameras on the market that were half the size of a head, this camera was much more compact.
Luo En recalled his past experience of photographing the murals on that primitive island.
An item that could be used to record images anytime, anywhere could be said to be quite convenient.
"How much is this camera?"
"200 pounds," Bartoli explained, "This type of camera is purely handmade by professional mechanical craftsmen, so it cannot be mass-produced. Not to mention its materials, just its internal precise structures and unique design are one of a kind."
"I'll take it."
"Alright, thank you for your patronage."
Bartoli also didn't seem to think Luo En couldn't afford the bill. He accepted this additional transaction with a smile on his face.
"Susie, slow down."
Just then, a clear and pleasant voice came from the entrance of the shop.
Luo En, who was waiting for his items to be packaged, subconsciously turned his head.
He saw a noble young lady in a splendid dress and a golden retriever.
"Huh?"