Chapter 18
Chapter 18
If You Bought It, You Should Use It
At the corner of the market stood a narrow, shabby butcher shop that always gave generous portions of high-quality meat.
“I’m sorry, Narsus. This is all the meat I have today. Looks like my shop might have to close soon.”
“What? What do you mean all of a sudden?”
According to the butcher, a group called the Black Fang Mercenary Corps had been causing havoc, trying to take over the market.
If the business permit wasn’t handed over cheaply within a few days,
They would fabricate debts and pin them on you,
And anyone who resisted would be crushed.
Burn it down, tear it apart, erase it completely.
A method befitting back-alley thugs.
‘Sigh… because of those scumbag gangsters, my cost-effective food supply is about to disappear.’
If those guys monopolized the market, I’d be forced to buy low-quality garbage meat at high prices.
For a household raising a dragon, that was nothing short of a disaster.
I returned home with heavy steps.
“Whaaat!?”
A massive earthquake shook Erika’s red eyes as she sat at the table.
The amount of meat stew that should’ve been piled like a mountain was noticeably reduced.
“Narsus. What exactly are you doing to me right now? Why does the meat look like this?”
Her voice dropped low, as if she might breathe fire at any moment.
I put on the most pitiful and wronged expression I could manage.
“I can’t help it, Erika. The butcher we always bought cheap meat from is about to go under because of some thugs.”
“Thugs?”
“Yeah. Because of them, this is all we can get for the same price now. If it weren’t for those bastards, I’d fill your stomach four times over, but I’m powerless…”
I lowered my eyes slightly and watched her reaction.
‘Come on, take the bait. You’re angry, right? Don’t you want to smash their heads in and get our food back?’
A dragon with overwhelming strength.
I was secretly hoping Erika would lose control of her anger and rush to the market to wipe them out.
Crack.
Just as I expected, the thick wooden spoon in Erika’s hand shattered.
Her red eyes burned with the killing intent of a ferocious beast.
“How dare they… touch my meat. My food. Those filthy worms…!”
‘That’s it! More!’
“…Hoo.”
Suddenly, Erika exhaled deeply, like a beast calming itself.
Her clenched fist slowly loosened, and she quietly set down the broken spoon before slumping into her chair.
“Huh… Erika?”
Something felt off.
I expected her to smash through the window and run out, but instead, she bit her lip, forcibly suppressing her anger.
“I am angry… but it cannot be helped. If that is the situation, then I will endure it.”
“W-What? You? Endure meat?!”
I shouted in disbelief, but Erika turned her head away with a pout and muttered,
“I made a promise to Camellia.”
“A promise?”
“Yes. Not to use force recklessly or spill blood. Especially… not to put you in danger again or cause trouble for you.”
For a moment, my mind went blank.
“So even if I’m angry… I will endure it. If you cannot help it due to lack of strength, then I will simply eat less.”
Erika lowered her gaze, suppressing her instincts.
Then she slowly picked at the insufficient pieces of meat.
The same uncontrollable dragon who used to smash everything according to her mood…
Had now learned to suppress her instincts out of concern for her ‘owner.’
‘Wow… our little glutton has grown…’
Something tugged at my chest.
My shallow plan to have her clean up the thugs had failed, but it didn’t matter anymore.
It felt like discovering a company that holds steady and strengthens itself even in a market downturn.
A wave of emotional satisfaction flooded in.
“Haha. Hahaha!”
I burst into cheerful laughter.
Erika frowned, confused.
“What is so funny? I am enduring hunger very seriously right now!”
“No, it’s just… I’m proud. There’s not much, but I’ll share the meat from my stew.”
The one trying to solve everything with brute force had actually been me.
A mix of embarrassment and pride in Erika’s growth made the meal feel warmer than usual.
The next day.
In front of the butcher shop in the market corner.
The bulky members of the Black Fang Mercenary Corps were smashing things and causing trouble.
“Hey! Didn’t we tell you to clear out by today? Smashing a butcher shop like this is nothing to us!”
“Please, stop! I’ll repay the debt somehow… this place is my family’s livelihood… my whole life is in here!”
Just as one thug grabbed the butcher by the collar and raised his fist—
“Hey, gentlemen over there. What do you think you’re doing to someone else’s property?”
I stepped forward through the gathered crowd.
The thugs looked me up and down and scoffed.
“What’s this skinny beggar? You got a death wish?”
I pulled out a stack of crisp documents and waved them in front of them.
The investment money Myrtle had given me.
I used that capital to buy this butcher shop building.
“I bought this building from the Merchant Guild. Which means I’m now the owner. You’re currently damaging my private property. Think you can afford the compensation?”
The moment they saw the official seal on the documents, their expressions twisted.
But they were muscle-brained idiots.
“Damn it… if we handle this well, boss said he’d give me this street…”
“Boss! That beggar looks like he just stole some money. Why don’t we just take it and bury him quietly?”
A brief silence.
Then the man called boss smirked.
That was the signal.
A thug holding an axe approached me menacingly.
A back alley where fists speak louder than law.
Still…
These guys were a bit too much.
“Ah, I tried to do this nicely… good thing I brought insurance. Erika!”
Boom!!
A thunderous sound exploded behind me, and the heavy axe snapped in half before crashing to the ground.
“Gah?!”
The thugs staggered back in terror.
There stood Erika, her black hair flowing.
“Ah, sorry. I tried to handle it cleanly myself, but these men were a bit persistent.”
She brushed metal dust off her hands casually.
“So this building full of meat smell is truly yours now?”
“Yeah. Bought it just now.”
The moment I answered, her red eyes gleamed coldly at the thugs.
A predatory smile spread across her lips.
“Camellia told me not to use force recklessly. Not to bully the weak or spill blood first.”
She stepped forward, loosening her neck.
“However… driving out thieves who trespass on territory you rightfully paid for is an entirely different matter, is it not?”
“Of course. No one would blame you for protecting your property from intruders.”
I stepped aside.
Cold killing intent flickered in Erika’s eyes.
“Then… I’ll clear out all those who touched my meat!!”
Three seconds later,
Screams like the roar of beasts echoed through the market alley.
When the dust settled, the thugs lay scattered on the ground, groaning.
The butcher collapsed, jaw dropped in disbelief.
“M-My goodness… Narsus… what is all this…”
I helped him up and brushed the dust off his apron.
“I told you. I bought this building. I just chased away some thieves trying to destroy my property.”
“You bought this building…?”
“Don’t worry. You can keep running your shop. I’ll also take care of your debts to them.”
“Ah…! How could I ever repay such kindness…”
Tears welled in the old man’s wrinkled eyes.
He looked ready to fall to the ground and kiss my feet.
But I’m not some charitable benefactor.
I’m a capitalist to the bone.
“Well, since you insist on repaying me… you should do it properly.”
At my cold tone, he swallowed nervously.
I smiled and began listing the contract terms.
“I won’t ask for immediate repayment. Instead, I’ll take all the by-products from this shop.”
“B-By-products?”
“Bones, organs, fat, leftover scraps. The parts you usually sell cheap. I’ll buy all of it at the lowest price.”
His eyes widened.
I wasn’t asking for it free, and considering what I invested, this was a fair deal.
‘Heh, don’t underestimate a dragon’s stomach. Premium cuts or scraps, it all disappears the same.’
And it wasn’t like it was inedible.
Boil bones and organs, and you get more volume and nutrients.
This is cost reduction at its finest.
“And second.”
I raised two fingers.
“I’ll regularly purchase a set amount of quality meat. I’ll become your biggest customer.”
“S-So…?”
“So… give me a discount.”
I presented a reasonable price without hesitation.
“What do you think? You get to clear inventory and secure stable income.”
After a moment, his face brightened.
“Narsus… you’re an angel! I’ll sell it almost at cost!”
‘Angel, my ass. I’m just trying to feed that glutton behind me.’
“And lastly, the rent…”
I spoke clearly.
“I’ll take it in meat.”
The butcher accepted with a smile.
And just like that,
I secured a supply chain to feed a dragon at the lowest cost in the market.
“Hehehe!”
A sinister capitalist laugh escaped me.
Behind me, Erika was already licking her lips.
“Narsus. You clearly said you’d buy good meat. Bones and organs? Hmph, I can chew those easily! Feed me properly starting today!”
The butcher was happy to keep his shop.
Erika was happy to get more food.
And I was happy to reduce costs.
Everyone believed they had gained.
There had been a bit of ‘commotion,’ but
Everyone was smiling.
So,
It worked out just fine.