"Whoa, that's a lot," Ace remarked, carefully storing the deformed ring box in the storage talisman. Then he asked, "Rose, by your estimate, how much are the treasures we've collected so far worth?"
"Master, due to the large number of uncut gems and diamonds, not to mention the antiques, it's impossible to estimate the actual value of our treasures. If I were to personally cut the gems and diamonds with my laser, they would be worth significantly more in today's market, though they might attract unwanted attention. Antiques are more likely to fetch higher prices at auction. So, I can't accurately price them or provide a reliable estimate of our haul. However, just in gold alone, we've accumulated more than $34.6 million. That's from the 410 kg of gold bricks we found in the rusted iron and petrified wooden trunks—not including the gold from jewelry and other items," Dame Wasp explained, emphasizing the difficulty of valuing the treasures they had unearthed.
"$34.6 million? 410 kg of gold bricks!" Ace exclaimed, his jaw dropping in astonishment. His eyes widened as he stared at Dame Wasp, as if she had just revealed the most unbelievable news in the world. After all, it was an enormous sum for a high school senior.
Recovering from his shock, Ace looked at Dame Wasp with a mixture of awe and gratitude. "Rose, you're the best thing that ever happened to me," he declared. "I couldn't have asked for a better first Toy Summon. I love you. Come here, let me give you a few kisses." He reached out enthusiastically to grab her tiny body, but she dodged his affectionate gesture.
"No, Master. My body is covered in harmful fumes. Maybe later," she replied with concern in her voice.
"Then go wash up in the water outside," Ace suggested, his eyes gleaming with joy. If only she were an adult silicone doll, he thought, he could have rewarded her more appropriately. "Rose, all of this wouldn't be possible without you. I have to show my appreciation properly. Come on, don't be shy," Ace insisted, his voice filled with a mix of gratitude and authority as he leaned forward.
"Master, let's save it for when I get my new body," Dame Wasp replied firmly. Seeing her unwavering determination, Ace sighed and relented, though he playfully added, "Okay, as you wish, my lady."
As Dame Wasp prepared to return to digging out treasures, Ace stopped her. "Dame Wasp, wait. Before you go, tell me—how much would the $2 million diamond ring fetch at an auction?"
"If you can prove it's historical—meaning it's from the wreckage of that unfortunate night one and a half centuries ago—it could be worth about $5 million, possibly more. At auction, it might fetch anywhere from $6 to $7 million. However, if you were to sell it as a regular 21-carat flawless round-cut ring, it might fetch around $2.4 million. Still, I wouldn't get our hopes too high," Dame Wasp answered thoughtfully, her eyes narrowing as she considered the intricate relationship between a jewel's history and its value, especially in the volatile auction market.
"Now that's just..." Ace trailed off, struggling to find the words to express the sheer absurdity of the situation. It was mind-boggling to think that the same piece of jewelry could be worth multiple times more simply because it was tied to a significant historical event.
Shaking his head, Ace said, "Rose, that diamond ring is going to get you Janice's hair, as you requested, first thing tomorrow morning. This way, you're one step closer to getting your new body." He wanted to do something meaningful for Dame Wasp, and knowing that the diamond ring was worth significantly less without its historical provenance, Ace devised a plan to kill two birds with one stone.
"Thank you, Master!" Dame Wasp exclaimed, her tiny body trembling with excitement. She still harbored insecurities about her size, especially her inability to participate in her master's adult play time. She yearned for a body that would allow her to fully experience her Master, just like Emi.
"Alright, now get to work. Remember—just grab the valuables and leave the junk," Ace reminded Dame Wasp, his voice sharp and impatient as he recalled her haul out all sorts of debris from the wreckage.
"Got it, Master," Dame Wasp replied, her voice small but resolute. She then reduced herself to her 1/100 form and disappeared back into the main bore, ready to comb through the debris and salvage any valuable items scattered across the buried fault.
Ace stopped wasting time sifting through trinkets and quickly stored them away in the storage talisman, which he had placed in Emi's toy space. They had arrived late—half an hour past midnight—because of his parents. Now, two hours into their operation, they had already dug out most of the valuable treasures. With only half an hour left before the lake surface filled with boats and its bed with crab nets, they needed to wrap up quickly.
Dame Wasp was giving it her all. Without her laser and the toybox's recall skill, they wouldn't have been able to extract so many treasures in just two hours. However, if they couldn't recover the remaining valuables in the next half hour, they would have to leave them behind. Ace didn't want to push their luck. After all, the buried treasures weren't going anywhere, and he could always return later. That said, considering the few small items left, he doubted he would bother coming back. Instead, he preferred Dame Wasp to search the lake for another buried fault or hidden treasures.
— Twenty-Five Minutes Later —
"Done. That's the last valuable item in there, Master," Dame Wasp announced, handing Ace a small diamond ring with a gold-and-silver alloy band. She seemed to have salvaged it from one of the skeletons buried within the fault. A triumphant smile played on her lips accomplishing her mission with time to spare.
"We still have five minutes to spare. Well done, Rose. I knew you could do it," Ace praised, patting her tiny head affectionately. A sense of satisfaction washed over him. They had successfully cleared the buried fault of all its treasures and wouldn't need to return.