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Chapter 28
Three people knocked on the gates of the estate early in the morning.
An elderly man with a small and round body, a thin middle-aged man, and a young man with an ordinary face who kept his shoulders slightly hunched.
“You look more like a knight or a mercenary than an apothecary, haha. Is that rude of me to say?”
The first to speak was the owner of the Liam Trading Company, the largest herb merchant in Kaspel. He looked Duncan up and down.
“Your name sounds like a woman’s name… Usually apothecaries are either skilled women or pale, soft-looking men. I didn’t expect someone so muscular.”
“Haha, I hear that a lot. I suppose I’m the type that breaks stereotypes.”
Duncan laughed loudly and rolled his right shoulder.
His thick muscles moved, and there was a cracking sound as his bones shifted. The old man flinched and quietly closed his mouth. Watching from the side, Glen gave a small laugh and changed the subject.
“So what kind of rumor is spreading in Kaspel that brought you all the way here?”
“You don’t know? Right now in Kaspel, there are amazing stories about Master Aril, the cold-attribute specialist.”
The second merchant, the owner of the Abraxium Trading Company, which was second in size after Liam Trading Company, stepped in.
“Hmm, was there really anything worthy of such stories?”
“It’s said that Master Aril suddenly appeared in Viscount Nemar’s territory, donated a box of materials, and then left. By chance, our Abraxium Company obtained some of those samples. The quality was truly the best.”
“Ah, that.”
“To dismantle a White Orc or a goblin’s organs that delicately, you must have great physical strength!”
Duncan proudly stroked his thick arm. Glen forced himself not to burst out laughing and kept a serious face.
“How could you underestimate these magnificent muscles of Master Aril? Has the head of Liam Trading Company lost his sharp eye?”
“What? A mid-level company that can’t even earn one million gold a year dares to question my judgment?”
Sparks flew between the heads of Liam Trading Company and Abraxium Trading Company.
At that moment, a tiny voice interrupted.
“Excuse me, but the rumor I heard is a little different…”
The third merchant, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. He was Matar Ismail, the young owner of Ismail Trading Company.
“I heard that Master Aril handled a Snow Fairy. That spirit is known to be fierce and sensitive. It doesn’t harm civilians, but it’s nearly impossible to capture and tame.”
The young man glanced at Duncan’s muscular arms with admiration. He even nodded seriously, clearly impressed by “Master Aril’s” appearance.
Duncan’s lips stretched into a wide grin.
“Ahem, well… rumors are only rumors!”
The owner of Liam Trading Company quickly added,
“Nothing has been proven yet. People in Kaspel are just curious about whether the rumors are true. Few were willing to come all the way here. Since this old man took the lead, these two youngsters followed.”
“That’s not true. We planned to visit Hezate Territory first.”
The head of Abraxium snorted and handed Glen his business card.
“You must be familiar with our company’s name. We even opened a branch in Viscount Nemar’s estate, and you used it often.”
“Ah, yes. I’ve traded with Abraxium several times.”
They were also one of the thieves who charged five times the market price…
How long did he have to listen to this pointless introduction? Glen glanced quietly under the sofa.
Scratch, scratch.
The sound of a pencil moving could be heard, and then a sketchbook slowly popped out from behind the sofa.
Reason for visit.
Glen couldn’t take his eyes off the cute, curly handwriting.
“So, what brings you here in person?”
“We want to purchase all medicinal ingredients produced in Hezate Territory exclusively.”
The head of Liam Trading Company spoke first. The other two had the same goal.
Arilette, almost lying flat behind the sofa, moved her pencil quickly.
“Ah, my hand isn’t moving fast enough.”
“How will you set the prices? What about detailed contract terms? For example, profit sharing ratios or contract duration?”
“First, please show us the goods so we can evaluate them. Of course, negotiation is possible.”
“Lord, our Abraxium Company has already verified the samples, so we can proceed with the contract immediately. We even prepared the contract in advance!”
The Abraxium head was quick.
In an instant, he placed a contract on the table.
“As you can see on the first page, if you sign an exclusive contract with us, we will provide a signing bonus.”
“How much is the signing bonus?”
Glen almost popped his eyes out for a moment.
“Five hundred gold, my lord.”
“Ah… sorry, but that won’t work.”
Our teacher says this is worth ten thousand gold. There are even three exclamation marks.
Duncan, who had also widened his eyes, slowly rubbed his bumpy arm.
“Hmm… that seems a bit stingy.”
A signing bonus doesn’t have to be paid back, right?
And ten thousand gold was enough to feed the entire population of Hezate Territory for one year. The poor lord and knight could almost hear the sweet clinking of gold coins in their ears.
‘We could repair the old houses… rebuild the broken wall in the square…’
‘And throw a barbecue party for the border guards!’
Seeing the situation turn against him, the head of Liam Trading Company frowned and made a bold move.
“Then I will offer three times the market price. Three times. What do you say? That easily surpasses a mere ten-thousand-gold signing bonus. It’s a groundbreaking condition, my lord.”
Three times!
Glen and Duncan’s bodies leaned toward him this time.
Arilette, still lying over her sketchbook, let out a deep sigh.
Ugh, you two are so easily swayed.
Scratch, scratch.
“Ahem… Ismail, you’ve been quiet.”
Finally regaining his senses, Glen turned to the young man who had been silent.
“We…”
Ismail squeezed his eyes shut.
“We cannot afford to provide a signing bonus or advance payment. Instead, we will share the profits from sales with you!”
Compared to the earlier offers, it sounded modest.
It had to be. Even in Kaspel, Ismail Trading Company was on the verge of bankruptcy.
When your company is close to collapse, you can’t offer an impressive signing bonus.
“The signing bonus is considerable, so perhaps Abraxium Company would be the better—”
Glen glanced behind the sofa.
As expected, the sketchbook popped out again.
No?
“—or perhaps the well-established distribution network of Liam Company would be more—”
Riiip.
The sound of a page being torn.
This time, a giant X filled the entire page.
Two out of three were eliminated. That left only one candidate.
“—more appealing… but still, I’d like to talk with Mr. Ismail.”
Instead of the sketchbook, a small hand popped out.
Thumbs up.
So this is the correct answer.
“Y-you mean me?”
Ismail, who had almost given up, opened his eyes wide in shock.
Our condition may be ordinary, but if the little teacher is pushing for him so strongly, there must be a reason.
Glen declared cheerfully,
“Since you’ve come all this way, let’s write up the contract before you leave, Mr. Ismail.”
