The Tutorial Boss Trades with the Young Lady

Lijet gave a glance to her maid. The maid carefully set down ink and parchment on the table. She dipped the quill in ink, ready to take notes.

"Let's summarize the terms."

Lijet set down her teacup and straightened her posture. She arched her back gracefully and fixed her gaze straight ahead.

"We'll buy up all the red materials at seventy percent of market price, and in exchange for the remaining thirty percent, we'll introduce you to a mage and an alchemist as you requested beforehand."

Lijet laid out the fine details: collection quotas for red materials, prohibitions on dealing with third parties, and more.

Red materials were expensive. Thirty percent of the projected trade volume was no small sum. But if that money could secure talent that even nobles couldn't buy outright, it was a bargain by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠far.

Mages and alchemists served only nobles—or the obscenely wealthy who could offer ongoing patronage. What was mere pocket change to the lord's connections would have cost me a fortune and endless groveling otherwise.

Lijet tapped her chin with a fingertip and eyed me.

"I'll make sure you're prioritized for commissions whenever you need them. Of course, any costs for materials or facilities are on you."

"Got it."

It carried the nuance that they had never paid a dime to use those services. Whatever. This unlocked access to the advanced enchantment system starting from Chapter 2. Mages for enchantments, alchemists for potions and material refining. Essential for upgrading Elena's gear or crafting special consumables.

Elena's growth resources and Elis's medicine ingredients. First hurdle cleared.

"And on the night of the Red Moon, you'll provide Knight Barie as an escort."

Lijet turned to Barie. The silver-haired beauty with her icy demeanor gave a stiff nod.

"Barie, while accompanying Eck, follow his orders."

"Understood."

"Mind if I add one more condition?"

Lijet furrowed her brow. She shot me a glare for a split second before smoothing her expression.

"You're bold. Go ahead."

"Anyone can see you trust Knight Barie. She's undoubtedly loyal to you."

"Yes. You've got a good eye. Barie's been with me since childhood. She endured brutal training to return as my knight. After my father and mother, she's the one I trust most."

Every word dripped with unconditional faith. The kind where even if Barie killed someone right in front of her, Lijet would just ask for the circumstances.

Hearing her lady's trust, Barie's cool skin flushed pink.

"That's why I'd like to add a condition. A knight's loyalty is legendary even among adventurers. Without it, I'm too scared to go with her."

"What condition?"

"If she disobeys my orders or slips my control, hand over Knight Barie's sword to me."

Barie widened her eyes and glared at me.

"Do you know what that means and still demand it?"

"I do. That's how terrifying her loyalty is to me."

"...?"

"The forest on Red Moon night tempts with all sorts of things. A knight's devotion to fetch good materials for her lady... I don't want to underestimate it."

"Hm..."

Lijet propped her chin on her hand and tapped her lower lip with her index finger.

"Fine. Barie can handle that. I was short-sighted."

"Thank you for understanding."

"Nothing else you want?"

"No."

Lijet took the contract and quill from her maid, reviewed the terms once more, then signed at the bottom. I received the parchment.

Nothing missing, nothing extra. Once I signed, Lijet pressed a seal stamped with the lord's family crest into molten wax, sealing the contract.

"There. The deal is done."

The maid took the contract. Lijet smiled contentedly.

"A pleasant transaction, Eck."

"I'll do my best to satisfy you."

Elena packed her gear in the new dorm she'd moved into. Thanks to my introduction, it was a high-end place reserved for female adventurers D-rank and above.

Female adventurers faced less risk of being outright killed by monsters than males, but they often got aggressively assaulted—returning in embarrassing states they didn't want men to see. This place was women-only for that reason.

Uncle had muttered something weird about it being "developer consideration for virgins." Whatever.

Anyway, Elena donned the Ogre Leather Armor spread out on the bed. She fitted the arm guard to her left arm; the leather hugged her skin snugly. The joints had fine seams that folded without hindering movement.

The chest piece fit perfectly at shoulders, chest, and back. How'd he know my size?

Did he observe her that closely? It made her blush.

She strapped on the greaves and laced her boots. Finally, she pulled on the leather gloves, clenching and unclenching her fingers. She gripped the sword hilt. No slip—perfect grip.

No mirror for a full view, but twisting side to side, nothing snagged. Light yet sturdy. And it looked cool.

The face of the man who'd provided it came to mind. His gruff tone claiming he'd "found it." Her lips curved up involuntarily. She covered her mouth to suppress it, but couldn't force them down.

She exhaled and opened the door.

"Cough."

A cough sounded. Across from Elena's bed, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Elis lay buried under blankets up to her chin. Her pale face glistened with sweat; on the bedside table sat the medicine packet and water bottle the doctor had left that morning.

"Sis?"

Elis opened her eyes. Her hazy gaze turned to Elena.

"Going out?"

"Yeah. Be back soon."

"Be careful."

Elis's voice was faint. A hand poked out from under the blanket, waving weakly.

"If I'm late, make sure to take your meds on time?"

"Yeah. I will."

"Then I'm off, sis."

"Yeah. Come back safe."

Elena closed the door and descended the dorm stairs. At the main entrance, her steps halted.

A middle-aged man with a medical bag waited at the entrance. Roan, the doctor who tended Elis.

"Ah, Elena. There you are."

Roan called her over.

"Got a moment?"

"What's up?"

She was running late for her party meetup, but Elis came first.

"Won't take long."

Roan met her eyes squarely.

"Elis's condition is bad."

"...I know."

"No, worse than you think. The meds keep her stable, but she's never improved once."

"If it's ingredients for a cure, I'll get them. I promise."

Roan shook his head.

"These meds dull the mind. Too much thinking worsens her Wisdom Fever, so she takes them to suppress thoughts. But long-term, it's not good."

His gaze on Elena was appraising, like checking her state too.

"Bad for Elis, and bad for you."

"Me too?"

"Lately, feel foggy? Thoughts jumping or skimming over depths?"

Elena listened intently.

"......Now that you mention it, yeah. A bit more spaced out than before."

"The effect's that strong. It disperses easily into the air, absorbs through skin. Even that little amount is dulling your mind bit by bit."

"That's... what it was?"

"Keep this up, you'll swallow lies without question. That's what worries me."

Elena's face hardened. She tried linking it to her recent experiences, but fog rolled in—thoughts wouldn't deepen.

"But we can't stop the meds?"

"Cut them, and I can't predict when she'll go."

Roan lowered his voice.

"That's why I'm saying—"

He was deadly serious.

"Leave Elis to me."

"Leave her? With you?"

"I'll take her, care for her properly. Monitor to prevent decline. Give precise doses at the right moments. Handle any changes immediately."

"...."

"I know your work's dangerous. What if you vanish suddenly? Who's looking after Elis?"

The fear of leaving Elis alone had hit hard when she decided to adventure. But words didn't come easy. Memories of the near-miss back at the old place.

The move reduced that risk, but adventuring kept dangers alive. Roan was right. Maybe hand her to someone trustworthy now.

Roan was reliable. No one better—he nursed her too.

But Elena shook her head.

"Thank you. Truly. But Elis is my little sister."

"Elena."

"I'll take care of her."

Her voice trembled, but her eyes didn't waver. Before, she might've handed her over. Now, hope burned.

"...."

Roan glanced at her gear, bit back questions on where she'd gotten it, and shut his mouth.

"...Fine. Nosy of me."

"No. I'm truly grateful. Without you, I'd have lost her already."

That day Dad died, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the future went dark. Dad gone, sister sick. Roan brought Dad's death notice—and his final words of care—letting them scrape by.

"No need to thank me. Sigh. But tolerance is building, so double the dose."

"How much?"

"Twice now."

"Twice as much?!"

"That's why I offered to take her. Changed your mind?"

"N-no. We'll manage."

Elena recalculated daily costs with doubled meds in her head. She parted from Roan and headed to meet her party.