Battle on the Table
I slung the bag over my shoulder and said, “Let’s head back.”
Ar’s expression turned subtle. The meaning behind my words was obvious. “Let’s head back” was code for “get in my arms.”
This time, Ar hesitated less than before. She obediently stepped in front of me, and I lifted her just like earlier. She even wrapped her arms around my neck. I cast Haste and sprinted down the mountain.
The forest whipped past us in a blur. In the distance, I heard the cry of a magic beast. I glanced over, startled, but it was only a Grade 5. The creature wasn’t particularly fast, so I ignored it and kept running. There was no way it could catch up to us anyway.
By the time we’d nearly crossed out of the Grade 2 magic beast zone, the Haste spell wore off. Ar immediately slid down from my arms and let out a long breath.
If you’re going to be carried the whole way, you might as well relax and enjoy it. I don’t understand why she stays so tense.
Am I too indifferent about it?
We arrived back in Hapim that way. The sun hadn’t even set yet. Our haul consisted of the Roller bones we’d left behind yesterday and Vailie’s intact corpse.
I left Ar at the lodging and headed straight for the Nertin Trading Company. The clerk at the entrance guided me to the same appraiser as yesterday. The moment the appraiser saw me, he offered a polite bow.
“Welcome back. We’ve been expecting you.”
“Really? That’s good to hear. At least I won’t have to disappoint you.”
The appraiser smiled at my words. It looked far too genuine for a business smile. Could it actually be sincere?
I set the Roller bones on the tray. The appraiser immediately leaned in to examine them closely.
“Excellent quality. Though it’s a shame about the broken sections.”
That couldn’t be helped. Some parts had been too difficult to fully strip of meat, and other magic beasts had gnawed on them, snapping the bones. There was nothing I could do about that.
“Still, they’re bones. It shouldn’t affect the value too much, right?”
“That is true.”
As he spoke, the appraiser carefully set aside the broken pieces and those with irregular fracture surfaces. He clearly intended to discount those. Well, that was his job, so I couldn’t complain.
“Hmm… It looks like that’s everything. Shall I prepare an estimate?”
The appraiser removed his gloves as he spoke.
“Not yet. Could you bring me another tray?”
He immediately fetched one. I placed Vailie’s corpse on it without hesitation.
“Ohh…”
An intact Grade 6 magic beast corpse. There was a hole in its head, but that part didn’t affect pricing. The appraiser looked genuinely pleased. He examined every inch of the body and took measurements with a tape.
While he worked, I organized my bag and settled onto the sofa. No matter how I thought about it, this felt like cheating. Just the corpses in front of me right now would easily fetch over 200,000 marcas. And the best part was that I got to keep it all for myself.
Extreme cost efficiency. The thrill of a solo monopoly. On top of that, this was a sustainable business. It wasn’t going to end after one time.
“Appraisal complete. Is there… anything else that might surprise me today?”
The appraiser seemed to be in a good mood. Probably because the condition of the materials was excellent.
“No, that’s all for today.”
“Understood. I’ll prepare the estimate then. Ah, would you like something to drink? We can also provide a light spirit if you’d prefer.”
Oh. The treatment had definitely improved. Offering alcohol? That meant the estimate would take a little longer. He was probably going to bring up an exclusive contract.
“Then I’d appreciate it.”
“Of course.”
The appraiser rang a small bell. Soon another clerk entered the room. The moment he saw the magic beast corpses on the tray, his eyes widened in shock. Understandable. It wasn’t exactly a common sight.
The appraiser gave the clerk several instructions, and the man quickly left. Even as he went, he kept stealing glances back at the corpses.
Hmm. This is definitely going to spread around.
The appraiser’s mouth seemed heavy enough to keep secrets, but that clerk? Not so much. By tomorrow, most of the magic beast hunters in Hapim would be whispering about the mysterious hunter who brought in Roller bones and an intact Vailie corpse.
The appraiser removed his gloves and began writing the estimate. The clerk returned shortly after with an expensive-looking bottle of liquor and a tray of simple fruits. He opened the bottle and filled the glass in front of me to the brim.
Wow. The aroma was incredible. When the price was high enough, they really rolled out the service.
I took a small sip. The liquor slid smoothly down my throat. Damn. It was surprisingly sweet for alcohol. And the alcohol content seemed quite high. If someone gulped it down without knowing better, they’d be drunk in no time.
That was exactly why I only took that first sip and then deliberately stuck to eating the fruit. I knew why they’d brought out this particular drink. If I got drunk, the negotiation would go more smoothly for them. Not completely wasted, just pleasantly buzzed. That way I wouldn’t make unreasonable demands and would overlook complicated details.
Not everyone fell for it, but inexperienced beginners got caught surprisingly easily. When a huge profit was on the line and they were being treated well by a prestigious trading company, they’d get excited without realizing it. Their vanity and desire to show off would come bubbling up.
These people were merchants. Skilled ones at that. I couldn’t let my guard down. In some ways, they were more frightening than magic beasts.
Since I wasn’t drinking any more, the appraiser finished writing the estimate. If I hadn’t known this trick, his behavior wouldn’t have seemed suspicious at all. I couldn’t exactly call it underhanded, so I didn’t show any reaction. Now that both sides understood the other wasn’t easily fooled, they probably wouldn’t try any strange tactics.
“Here it is. Please review it.”
I checked the estimate. The Roller bones came to 80,000 marcas. Vailie’s corpse totaled 160,000. Combined, 240,000 marcas. Just as I’d expected.
The appraiser then slid another sheet of paper toward me. It was an exclusive contract, as anticipated.
“Five percent additional for exclusivity? That’s a bit disappointing. I assume it’s because of the market fluctuation guarantee?”
“Correct. Most sellers sign the exclusive contract without hesitation thanks to that option.”
That was true. A market fluctuation guarantee was quite advantageous for the seller. For example, if the price of magic beast materials suddenly plummeted to half its value for some reason, sellers would see their profits cut in half despite putting in the same effort. But with the guarantee, it was different. If the contract stated a 75 percent guarantee like mine did, even if the market dropped to 50 percent, I could still sell at 75 percent of the original price. That meant a 25 percent profit.
When I first heard about this, I’d wondered why such an option even existed. No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like the trading company would be taking a loss. People who counted every single coin wouldn’t include a clause like that for no reason.
But once I understood the mechanics, I realized the company wasn’t losing anything. First, they gained a monopoly on supply. That meant they could secure far more volume than their competitors. Once they controlled the supply, they could set the prices themselves. After all, the company didn’t use the magic beast materials themselves. They supplied everything to the Roderick Kingdom. So the purchase price didn’t matter much to them. The price at which they sold to Roderick remained relatively stable.
What mattered most to them was whether they could supply the kingdom reliably. No matter what, they had to meet the buyer’s demand. That was the core of an exclusive contract. It was their source of income. Therefore, offering sellers a market fluctuation guarantee was by no means a loss.
“There’s nothing in here about adjusting my rank?”
“Ah. That isn’t included in the exclusive contract. Even if you choose not to sign and simply sell to us, you will still be confirmed as Grade 4.”
“I see. Hmm. Then did you price this based on me being Grade 4?”
“No, not at all. You are currently Grade 3, sir. Once you reach Grade 4, an additional five percent will be added on top.”
“I assume that’s multiplicative?”
“Of course.”
Then… that would come to 264,600 marcas? Wow. That was an unreal amount.
“Very well. Let’s proceed with the deal. I’ll sign the exclusive contract as well.”
The moment I said that, the appraiser’s face brightened. Probably because I hadn’t haggled or caused any trouble and agreed so readily. Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to squeeze out more. I could have if I wanted to. But if I did, I would lose out on the voluntary services they offered later. I’d always hear complaints during transactions, and the appraisal values would get shaved down here and there. Sacrificing long-term gains for short-term profit was ultimately a loss. It was something I absolutely shouldn’t do.
So agreeing so willingly wasn’t being a pushover. It was smart.
I signed and stamped the document. Since I completed every required step, including the personal seal, the appraiser neatly folded the contract and handed it to me.
“Please wait just a moment.”
After bowing politely, the appraiser stepped out of the room briefly. When he returned, he carried a tray and placed it in front of me.
“This is your Grade 4 identification tag. Here is the imperial bond, and the silver coins are here as well. Ah, may I have your Grade 3 tag back?”
He took the old tag and then respectfully offered me the dagger that had been on the tray.
“This is a personal gift from me. Consider it a little bribe to ensure our continued good relationship.”
“Can a merchant really throw around the word ‘bribe’ so casually?”
I laughed as I accepted the dagger, and the appraiser laughed as well.
“A bribe is a bribe. Or would ‘service’ sound better?”
“That does sound better. Ah, may I take a look at it?”
“Of course.”
I drew the dagger. The well-forged blade gleamed. Wow. This was actually a pretty decent piece. Definitely not cheap.
“That item retails for 4,000 marcas in our shop.”
I was genuinely surprised. Four thousand marcas? That was an incredibly expensive dagger. Wow. Looks like being cooperative with the contract had its rewards. They were offering something like this right away?
“Are you sure it’s alright to just give me something like this? It doesn’t seem like you’d have much left for yourself, appraiser.”
“It’s fine. Thank you for your concern. Ah, if you find that dagger to your liking after using it, please take a look at our other weapons as well. They’re from a blacksmith we’ve recently begun working with, and I can confidently say the quality is outstanding.”
Ah, so it was a promotion. Still, anything that benefited me was good. If the company was selling it for 4,000 marcas, it had to be worth that much.
“Understood. Since I’ve come into a decent amount of money, I’ll stop by soon. I’ll bring my companion with me next time.”
“Thank you, Theo.”
It had been a good deal. Clean, fair price, and even some service on top. A success by any measure. No need to be greedy for more.
“Oh, one more thing I’m curious about.”
“Yes, Theo?”
“Does this company have any restrictions on beastperson entry? I mean slave beastpeople.”
“Not at all. It’s perfectly fine. You may bring her anytime.”
“I see. Then I’ll be going now.”
“Please take care.”
I left the trading company. Hmm. So that’s how it is. Then I should bring Ar along next time. She might need a few things herself.