With my [Appraisal] Skill, I Became the Top of the Streaming World - Chapter 9
In the morning, I checked my phone to find a notification from the refiner.
『Notice: Refining of Grey Poison Lizard Claws is complete. They are ready for pickup; please visit our shop. The buy-back amount, minus refining fees, is 27,500 yen.』
Those were the magic beast claws I’d dropped off a few days ago. My Appraisal had estimated around 30,000 yen, so while this was a slight low-ball, it was well within the expected range. Since I’d told my viewers it would be "around 30,000," I’d have to report the results.
But more importantly, I had other business today.
Last night, I finally sent a reply to the "Iron Grey Fang" clan.
『I’m willing to listen. Just let me know the time and place.』
Just a single line. I still didn't know their intentions for reaching out. I wasn't exactly enthusiastic, but I didn't have a cautious enough reason to ignore them either. I’d hear them out—that was it.
◇
The designated location was a room in a building near Shinagawa Station. It seemed to be the clan’s office; a plate with their logo was mounted at the entrance. When I walked in with my hood still up, the receptionist’s eyes widened slightly, but she didn't say anything and showed me in.
I was led into a small meeting room. Waiting for me across the table was a tall man in his mid-thirties with a composed air. He wasn't wearing a suit, but rather a functional-looking jacket designed for explorers.
"Mr. Scavenger, thank you for your time. I’m Takasaka, in charge of public relations for 'Iron Grey Fang'."
"I'm Makabe."
I said my real name without thinking and regretted it slightly. However, Takasaka didn't react much; he simply bowed and said, "It’s a pleasure."
"What I’d like to ask of you today is a preliminary appraisal of some equipment."
"I saw your recent stream and became interested in the accuracy of your Appraisal skill. To be honest, our clan purchased a bulk lot of equipment from a dealer last month, but... it seems some of them are malfunctioning."
"Malfunctioning?"
"Several members who used them have reported feeling 'off.' However, on the surface, everything looks fine. It hasn't triggered the standard inspections we usually perform, so I thought we should try looking through a professional Appraisal skill. That's why I contacted you."
I see.
I understood the request, and I didn't have any particular reason to refuse. Still, there was one thing I wanted to clarify.
"I will report the results exactly as I see them. Even if it's something inconvenient, I have no intention of changing the outcome."
"That's exactly what I'm asking for."
Takasaka answered without hesitation. His response was more sincere than I expected.
◇
Three items of equipment were lined up on the table.
A dagger for light-armor users. A bracelet. A small charm. All of them looked pristine and had the aura of high-end goods. Based on appearance alone, nothing seemed wrong.
"I’ll appraise all three."
First, I focused on the dagger.
Magic Steel Dagger - Lightweight Type
Rarity: B
Current Value: High
Condition: Good
Notes: No special remarks.
"The dagger is fine. Quality is good, no issues."
Next, the bracelet.
Mana Support Bracelet - Double-Inscription Type
Rarity: B
Current Value: Medium
Condition: Good
Notes: No special remarks.
"No problems with the bracelet either."
Finally, the charm.
The moment I picked it up, even before the display appeared, I felt a slight sense of wrongness. It might have been my imagination, but the weight felt uneven.
Warding Charm - Formula-Inscribed Type (Formula Contamination)
Rarity: B
Current Value: Low
Condition: Caution Advised
Notes: A foreign magical formula has been mixed into part of the inscription. Long-term use may interfere with the user's mana circulation.
Recommended: Immediate cessation of use / Submit to a specialized institution.
I set the charm down quietly on the table.
"You should stop using this immediately."
Takasaka’s expression shifted slightly. "...What does that mean?"
"There’s a foreign formula mixed into the inscription. It says that if used long-term, it could interfere with the owner’s mana circulation. The members who reported feeling 'off'—were they using this charm?"
Takasaka was silent for a moment. He checked something on his phone and then looked up.
"...Three of them. All of them are using charms from this lot."
"I think you should take it to a specialized institution as soon as possible."
"Understood."
His voice was calm, but his eyes had grown sharp. Whether it was anger toward the dealer or frustration at their own oversight, it was likely both.
"Mr. Makabe, thank you for being honest. This could have turned into something far worse than a simple 'malfunction'."
"I just told you what I saw."
"Usually, that's the hardest part."
Takasaka let out a small breath and placed an envelope on the table.
"This is the appraisal fee. 50,000 yen. Considering our own oversight, I think it’s too cheap, but please take this as our thanks for today."
"I’ll take it."
I answered without hesitation. If I did the work, I’d take the pay. It was as simple as that.
◇
As I was leaving, Takasaka stood up.
"Mr. Makabe, could we ask for your help again? Our clan will continue to procure equipment, and there’s no guarantee something like today won't happen again. It would be a huge help to have someone we can trust to look things over periodically."
"Depends on the details, but I don't plan on saying no."
"That’s more than enough."
We shook hands, and I left the meeting room.
While waiting for the elevator, I processed the day's events. A new job from an outside source had been born. Not a stream, but a direct request. And 50,000 yen for a single appraisal session? Not bad at all.
However, the matter with the charm bothered me.
Was that really just an oversight on the dealer’s part? Or was the formula mixed in intentionally? Appraisal only showed "contamination"—it didn't reveal the intent behind it.
Maybe I was overthinking it. But if the same kind of thing was mixed into salvaged items from the Upper Layers, the impact could be far more widespread.
◇
I stopped by the refiner and picked up the payment for the claws. 27,500 yen. Close enough to the "around 30,000" I’d quoted on stream.
Next up was handling the Magic Core Stone fragments and the Magic Core Crystal. When I contacted the shop, they told me, 『Re-compressing the fragments will take about three days.』 As for the Magic Core Crystal, they recommended listing it in a specialized auction, but I decided to make a call after checking the fees and scheduling.
"Movements are finally happening this week," I muttered to myself on the way home.
Today alone, I’d earned 50,000 yen in appraisal fees and 27,500 yen from the refining. And that was on a day where I didn't even run a single stream.
The reality of it started to sink in.
I stream under the name "Scavenger." But before I knew it, things were moving outside of my streams as well. I wasn't just picking things up and selling them in the dungeon anymore; I was identifying equipment flaws at the request of a clan.
I still don't see exactly where this is heading.
But my self from a month ago—the one who had just been fired from his company—could never have imagined a day like today.
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