”Oohhh… finally made it.”
On the way, they’d taken down the usual monsters that attacked them, collected medicinal herbs, and arrived at the domain capital, Granliger, right on schedule.
Neither the Red-Haired Quanine Fang Bear nor the dragon had shown up along the way.
…Thank goodness, truly…
They quickly found an inn and sent a messenger to request an audience with Viscount Bruno Liegel, the lord of this domain. Afterwards, everyone headed to the Commercial Guild.
”Silver wolf pelts? One silver and five copper per pelt,” the clerk announced.
”Well now, isn’t this a Dark Forest Tiger!? They move through the shadows and they’re that wary-normally even gettin’ a glimpse of one’s near impossible, yet here’s three of ’em!!” another guild member exclaimed.
”Th-this is a Crystal Crown Deer, and-no way-a Golden One-Horned Bear!? Both are said to be phantom beasts! You lot are somethin’ else!!” a third voice chimed in.
”Herbs? Ooh, these are in fine condition! I’ll give ya a little extra-three copper a bundle, no, I’ll take ’em for four!” the appraiser offered.
”There’s Moondew Grass, Paralyzin’ Tengu Mushroom, Dream-Drunk Herb, Dappled Fire Leaf, Wind-Dance Fruit-and even Demon-Cutter Vine!? Unbelievable! Every last one of these is valuable potion material, would ya believe it!!”
”Just where did you folks go!? Even seein’ these with my own eyes, I still can hardly credit it!!”
”Am I dreamin’ or what!?”
Everyone was sellin’ the game they’d hunted along the way. Since they’d brought a fair haul, it should be a decent payday.
Though most of it’d probably just vanish into drink…
”Still, ‘ow’d you know about them rare ‘erbs?” Alfred asked.
”Ah, it’s nowt-we’ve been trained by old Luciola since we were lads. This sort o’ thing’s no bother,” Zeno the mason waved his hand dismissively, as if it were hardly worth mentionin’.
Old Luciola was the village’s only alchemist. She made precious potions from all sorts of herbs and helped the villagers-she was a truly kind soul.
When Alfred’s father, Jade, was done in by the Red-Haired Quanine Fang Bear, it was old Luciola’s heal-in’ potion that made his recovery remarkably fast.
These days, Luciola stayed quietly at home, but when Zeno and the others were young, she used to take the lead, draggin’ the youngsters into the mountains and drillin’ ’em in herb collection with Spartan discipline.
Incidentally, old Luciola wasn’t just around when Alfred was born-she was already a veteran alchemist in the village when his father, Jade, came into the world.
Just how old was she? No one dared ask. It’d become one of the village’s seven great mysteries.
”Lord Alfred, thank you for waiting. My name is Natalie Olcott, from the Granliger branch of the Commercial Guild.”
When Alfred mentioned he wanted to apply for a patent, they were shown to a private room enchanted with soundproofin’ and detection-blockin’ magic-the kind used for important meetings and sensitive negotiations. The person in charge greeted them there.
Natalie was a beautiful, slender woman in her mid-twenties with a sharp, career-woman look about her. Her purple-black bob cut framed her translucent white skin, and her face, lightly made-up, had a crisp, refined elegance-the very image of a polished professional.
”Pleased to meet you. I’m Alfred Lindrott. Thank you for your time today. Since you have a family name, I take it you’re nobility, Lady Natalie?” Alfred asked.
”Yes, my family, the Olcotts, have served the Commercial Guild for generations. In recognition, the Kingdom of Flumford granted us the title of viscount,” she replied.
”Oh! I’m honored to have such a capable person assigned to handle our business. That’s reassuring,” Alfred said.
”Hehe. Since I’m dealing with Baron Alfred Lindrott of the Lindrott household, I wanted to ensure the best possible service. Once again, I look forward to working with you,” Natalie said with a warm smile.
Indeed, just before leavin’ the Lindrott territory, a missive had arrived from the royal castle, officially confirmin’ Alfred’s appointment to the rank of baron.
Still, word certainly traveled fast. That was the Guild, he supposed.
From there, they moved to business negotiations.
First: the patent application for Reversi.
Natalie seemed to have gotten hooked on the game during Alfred’s explanation-her eyes sparkled throughout.
They sold the three hundred sets they’d brought for five silver coins each.
She’d already secured a set for herself… Was that okay? Wouldn’t she get in trouble for embezzlement?
Just the Reversi sale brought in a total of one hundred fifty gold coins. That would be enough to buy plenty of food to take back to the village.
Ten silver coins to one gold coin.
For the future production and sale of Reversi, Alfred entrusted everything to the Commercial Guild and signed a royalty contract.
Producin’ them in Lindrott village would be a pain to transport all the way here anyway, and Reversi was sure to spread across the entire kingdom-maybe even to other countries.
Better to leave it to the Guild.
Normally, a royalty contract would take a thirty percent cut, but Alfred offered to reduce it to twenty percent.
In exchange, he requested they lower the retail price and, in the future, organize official Reversi tournaments.
A lower price meant even commoners could afford it, and if tournaments took off, the game would gain popularity and sell explosively.
If that happened, the Guild would likely see massive profits down the line-so everyone would be thrilled.
After handling several other business discussions, they left the private room.
”That was a wonderful negotiation. This product is absolutely going to sell! If you ever need anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact us,” Natalie said with a beamin’ smile and shook Alfred’s hand.
By the time they left, even the Guildmaster came out to see them off with great courtesy.
Well, he could understand why.
Back at the inn, the rest of the group had already gone out drinkin’. They’d left a note sayin’ they wouldn’t be back tonight.
Really now-just how much did these people love alcohol…?
Also, a letter had arrived from Viscount Bruno. Apparently, he could meet them tomorrow.
Alfred had heard he didn’t have the best reputation-what sort of man was he?
Maybe it’d be wise to prepare some countermeasures.
Trivia:
- Alfred’s internal fear about the Red-Haired Quanine Fang Bear and dragon is revealed through his relief that neither appeared, suggesting previous trauma from the bear injuring his father.
- The guild clerk’s escalating shock follows a deliberate pattern–from common silver wolf pelts to rare phantom beasts–building comedic effect through exaggeration.
- Natalie’s immediate addiction to Reversi during the explanation is a classic isekai trope where Earth games captivate fantasy world inhabitants.
- Alfred’s decision to lower royalty rates from 30% to 20% demonstrates strategic long-term thinking, prioritizing market penetration and tournament culture over immediate profit.
- The mention that Luciola was already a veteran alchemist when Jade was born implies she is at least 50-60 years older than she appears, hinting at possible magical longevity.
- Alfred’s internal worry about Natalie potentially embezzling a Reversi set for herself shows his unfamiliarity with guild culture and noble privilege.
- The fact that word of Alfred’s barony appointment reached the Commercial Guild before he did demonstrates the Guild’s extensive information network and political influence.
- Bruno’s poor reputation is established solely through hearsay before he appears, creating narrative tension for the next chapter’s meeting.
- The village’s “seven great mysteries” includes Luciola’s age, suggesting other unexplained phenomena exist in Lindrott that may be explored later.
- Alfred’s companions immediately going drinking upon reaching the inn contrasts with his business-focused priorities, highlighting their different values and his role as the responsible leader.