Chapter 104
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Turning the Muzzle (4)
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The meeting with the black magic trader was unfolding in a direction completely different from what I'd expected.
"Simply paying royalties can't fully preserve the value of this great recipe you've created, Mr. Kang Ihyeon!"
"Pardon? Even if you say that now..."
"Think bigger! Greater! Let's forge a new contract!"
The fervor in the trader's mad eyes—eyes belonging to the witch's slave—was starting to give me a headache.
'Everything's fine, but why does it have to be so grandiose?'
I'd just planned to hand over the potion recipe to the witch lady and pocket some hefty royalties. But the man in the neat suit and silver-rimmed glasses plunked down a thick binder in front of me and made an entirely different proposal.
The gist was to scale things up.
"Honestly, I don't quite get what you mean... Wouldn't I profit just fine from a cut of the sales as per the contract?"
"Haha! Of course, a contract is a contract! But Mr. Kang Ihyeon, we're looking at the bigger picture. Circulating these elixirs on the black market in small, clandestine batches like this barely taps even 1% of their potential."
"Ah, I see... And?"
"We propose establishing an official 'company'!"
The man's eyes gleamed from behind his glasses.
"Tentatively named 'Nocturne Apothecary'. Nocturne Pharmacy! We'd install you, Mr. Kang Ihyeon, as chief technical advisor and founding shareholder. We'd handle actual production and distribution centered in Nocturne Town! Not just some shady black market dealer, but a monopoly pharmaceutical company dominating Nocturne Town's underworld. That's the future we're envisioning!"
"...Excuse me, but have you lost your mind?"
This went way beyond pocket money from selling a few potions.
I'd sensed from the first glance that the guy was a bit off his rocker, but damn, he really was crazy.
Just like you'd expect from a slave under the witch—he was clearly broken somewhere in his psyche. The middle-aged butler I'd seen before was the sane one; in a way, this might be the norm.
What? Set up a pharmacy in Nocturne Town?
And plaster 'Nocturne' right in the company name?
"...That sounds an awful lot like merging every elixir seller in Nocturne Town."
"Exactly!"
He passionately pointed to the choker around his neck.
"Mr. Kang Ihyeon's ingenious recipe! My master's, the witch's, profound alchemy! With those combined, what couldn't we achieve?!"
"...Could you explain in a bit more detail? If I take the chief technical advisor role, what exactly would I be doing?"
"Heh heh, thank you for asking."
The man flipped open the binder as if he'd been waiting and slid it toward me. It was a finely crafted parchment document sealed with magic.
"As the provider of the core recipe technology, you'd hold 30% of the company's shares, Mr. Kang Ihyeon. The witch gets the same, 30%! The remaining 40% goes to Nocturne Town's key figures!"
"40%?"
"Hahaha! The wealth flowing into Nocturne Town will be shared fairly with the residents! That's Nocturne's rule! Even with majority control combined with my master, it's more than enough to silence any complaints!"
Ah, right, I'd heard something like that.
From a homeless guy a while back, I think.
"Board seats are guaranteed, of course, along with final approval on all new elixir developments. All you'd need to do, Mr. Kang Ihyeon, is keep providing those brilliant ideas like you have been, and enjoy the immense wealth and power we'll bring you."
He whispered it like a devil offering sweet poison.
Forming a company, huh.
Was this the witch's will? Or this guy's solo act?
Judging by her enslaving Doris Finch and inviting me to the mansion, the witch clearly had a huge interest in this recipe.
'Just offering 40% to Nocturne Town's bigwigs suggests talks with them are already done.'
Thinking about it, the witch wasn't the first to go after Doris Finch.
It was the pharmaceutical companies desperate over the substitute recipe, and the Hunter Association guys they sent. As an outsider, I'd brushed it off as no big deal, but the locals in Nocturne Town—and the witch—might see it differently.
They might really be gearing up to challenge the big corporate incumbents.
As I crossed my arms in thought, he fidgeted with his choker, looking anxious, and pressed on.
"Imagine! Low-grade substitute elixirs made from cheap, easy-to-get ingredients without pricey magic materials! That means even bottom-tier hunters with empty pockets—or ordinary folks right here in Nocturne Town—could afford elixirs!"
"Sure, that's the intent behind them."
"Exactly! And that also means far higher risk of illegal knockoffs compared to standard recipes! Without a company for mass production and supply chain control, profits will plummet within months!"
Illegal manufacturing.
Yeah, it made sense when he put it like that.
The recipe was meant to emerge naturally in a year anyway.
No way would Earth's outdated relics like FDA approvals or patents hold up in Nocturne Town.
'Feels like the branches are outgrowing the trunk, but yeah, there's solid justification for a company. Plus, if they take the front stage, I won't draw any aggro.'
Above all, the promise of more money hooked me.
My only worry was drawing heat from big pharma or the Hunter Association once the substitute recipe leaked.
But if all of Nocturne Town jumped in, that changed everything.
They'd be pitting themselves against Tartaros's entire underworld, not just one mega-guild.
"Alright. I'll consider your proposal positively."
"Ooh! As expected of Mr. Kang Ihyeon! A wise decision!"
"But on one condition. Leave my personal name out of the contract."
"Pardon? What do you mean...? If you're not a founding shareholder, the deal loses all meaning..."
"Register it under the guild, 'Arbiter', instead."
At least that much safety net was necessary.
"Arbiter Guild... Hm, I see your intent! We'll prepare it without exposing you upfront. Then, who's the guild master of Arbiter Guild?"
I glanced at Aira standing quietly beside me, then at the woman huddled on the floor in the corner, not even allowed to sit.
A once-promising genius alchemist, now stripped of everything and reduced to the witch's slave.
Doris Finch.
"Pardon?"
"......"
"W-Why are you looking at me like that..."
She didn't even seem to grasp why I was staring.
I chuckled inwardly and made my decision.
You it is.
Sensing my gaze, she flinched and looked up.
What better figurehead could there be?
A tragic genius alchemist ruined by a massive pharma conspiracy and the Hunter Association, losing everything.
Now, she rises from the abyss, founding a new company to strike back at those who pushed her down.
How perfect, how thrilling a narrative.
"The guild master of Arbiter Guild will be this woman, Doris Finch."
"Heeek! M-Me? Gulp—"
My bombshell declaration left the silver-glasses man speechless for a moment.
"Mr... Mr. Kang Ihyeon. Did I hear that wrong? You're making her the Arbiter Guild master?"
"Yes. You heard right. Any issue?"
To my firm reply, he stroked his chin thoughtfully, glancing down at the cowering Doris Finch with contempt.
"Are you sure? Not that it's my place... but that wench is my master's, the witch's, 'property'. Legally a slave. Putting someone like that as your guild's face... doesn't that bother you?"
A sly warning disguised as polite concern.
Her leash was still in the witch's hands, so she could be yanked away anytime—is that okay?
The guild could end up in the witch's grasp.
I snorted inwardly.
'Yeah, totally fine.'
Without a word, I kneaded Aira's shoulder beside me. A strange, beautiful smile spread across her lips as she perfectly grasped my intent.
'I'll have a clone of your master ready soon anyway.'
But outwardly, I wore the most earnest, trust-filled expression.
"It's fine."
"......"
"I trust the witch."
"Khup...!"
The man clutched his chest, unable to contain his emotions. His eyes reddened behind his glasses.
"Ahh, Mr. Kang Ihyeon...! What manner of man are you...! Such immense, bold trust...!"
"......"
"Putting my master's slave forward as the face of this massive venture, staking everything on it! It's no less than a pledge of loyalty, handing all authority to her willingly!"
His voice trembled with utter rapture.
"Now I understand why my master holds you in such high regard! This lowly slave is overwhelmed by your profound intent—I don't know where to put myself!"
He shot up from his seat and bowed 90 degrees to me.
The newly appointed guild master, meanwhile, trembled like an aspen leaf.
He shook his head as if he couldn't contain the emotion any longer.
"No, no... This won't do. My heart won't rest like this. My paltry loyalty alone can't repay your great trust, Mr. Kang Ihyeon."
"No, I just..."
"No! Please, accept this humble token at least!"
He pulled a pitch-black ticket from his pocket.
"This is...?"
"An invitation to a very special 'event' at Nocturne Town's underground auction house. They call it a 'slave auction'. With this ticket, you can take one of the 'items' on display absolutely free. Ah, why not join me for some fun 'human shopping'? I'll teach you how to pick the good ones!"
"Slaves, huh. Pulling in some useful talent wouldn't hurt."
Whether combat prowess or special skills, more manpower was always better. Especially perfectly obedient manpower that was mine alone.
I'd thought about it before, but filling the guild with clones alone was impractical for now.
At my ready agreement, color bloomed on the man's face. He looked like he'd finally met a kindred spirit who understood him.
"Kuhahat! Indeed! As I said, Mr. Kang Ihyeon is no ordinary man! My eye for people is spot on! We really do click!"
"...Do we?"
"Of course! Normal folks recoil and gag at the mere word 'slave'. Hypocrites!"
He paused, then smacked his forehead as if remembering something.
"Ah, come to think of it, I haven't properly introduced myself yet. Not even exchanged names."
He placed a hand politely over his heart and bowed deeply once more.
"I'm Laszlo Laszlo. Just call me Laszlo casually."
Why repeat the name like that?
Confirming he was nuts, I quietly accepted his greeting.
'What does he mean we click, anyway.'
No way I could get along with a lunatic like this.
Though he seemed somewhat competent.
"Then I'll leave the rest to you, Aira."
"No worries, Master."
I entrusted the follow-up to reliable Aira and followed the odd man named Laszlo out.
Human shopping, huh.
His phrasing was repulsive, but the chance to snag free talent wasn't bad.
Laszlo led me with the familiarity of strolling through his own home.
And after some time?
"Huh?"
Rounding the alley corner, I doubted my eyes.
A tight black leather jacket clinging to her body, ripped jeans.
Face hidden by a black hood, but no way I'd fail to recognize that face I'd seen countless times.
A familiar woman, dressed utterly unlike her usual swimsuit getup, was waiting for me.
"Finally found you!"