Chapter 249 (2/2)
Food, iron-made arms and armor, lower to mid-grade HP and MP potions, all kind of status increasing drugs and medicine for the removal of abnormal conditions.
(…The amount is less than I expected and price per unit is quite low. And they wanted to hold a conference for this?)
Numbers and prices on all three order forms were less than antic.i.p.ated.
Most likely they discussed it among themselves beforehand and decided on prices and proportions for what they going to buy from me.
Even for a big trading a.s.sociation such as mine, there is a limit to the volume of supplies it can provide.
If all was provided by one company, prices would inevitably climb higher which surely would not be a happy occurrence for those three companies.
（Well, that is a natural decision, I would do the same. No, this is the only way.）
If you think about the profit of your company, this is definitely the best choice.
However…
「Hm, each company is not even worth the talk.」
「「「What!?」」」
I toss away all three of the order forms in an abrupt motion as if throwing them away.
「Suppose the amount is alright. This is the amount that even us might not be unable to provide. But those prices are not acceptable. There should be at least a bit more to them.」
I take the order forms into my hands once again and after making corrections with a pen return them to the three.
「…President Grond, no matter how you look at this, this is just too greedy.」
「Tha, That is correct. The prices that we provided already had enough extra to them considering the current market situation.」
「Yes, this is just ridiculous!」
The trio were fl.u.s.tered and raised their voices after glancing over my corrections.
「Well well well, I actually consider those to be quite fair prices. This is an emergency and everyone holds their lives dear. Those will be sold in a blink of an eye in the exact amount that you will be able to provide. Even if most of the monsters blocking the highway were exterminated, there still will be a lot of them due to the influence of the magic storm. There is almost no need to worry about anything being left unsold.」
The words flowing from my mouth were very smooth.
Using lies and pretense to win your opponent over is that being merchant is all about.
And if the content of your speech is an actual truth then words come out even more smoothly.
「Oh, how enviable. I am working on the opening of a branch store, so at the moment I am more in the need of coin than stock, but this is an opportunity that a merchant can only wish for.」
Hahaha, I make a laugh.
「Though, personally instead of trading in small quant.i.ties, I would prefer first to dispose of the stock by turning it into profit since it would be easier to operate this way. Right, everyone, with this approach, we all will be able to make an earning?」
As I show a confident smile, the merchant facade on their faces crumbles for a moment, allowing a peek at their faces, burned with humiliation, that were hiding beneath it.
That is only natural.
Though what I am saying is not a lie and we all will profit from this, with this sum of money, there is a huge disparity in our gains.
In essence, there is a small difference from this and from telling them to work for free.
(Yet, even so, you won't be able to refuse?)
It was close to a genuine order.
A defeated general should not talk of the battle.
For them that came with the capitulation, there is nothing else to do but to grovel before me.
Since if they manage to get in the favor of our a.s.sociation then there is a high probability that a good opportunity might be presented to them later by us.
「…Un, understood. Us, the Fugine Trading a.s.sociation will make a deal under those prices and for this quant.i.ty.」
「……Ochalea Trading a.s.sociation as well.」
「Same for the Munaito Trading a.s.sociation.」
OoOo, just those faces alone can make me forget about a certain degree of hards.h.i.+ps.
Complete victory!
In truth, I want to start laughing loudly right here and now.
Of course, what one truly thinks should be hidden behind a facade. No matter the circ.u.mstances during negotiations, it is unbelievable for a merchant to take off his mask and expose his delight.
「Oh, you got my point. Then please sign an order form.」
I present to the three the written forms with already revised numbers.
The sight of them lowering themselves in order to sign the order forms is almost like they are kneeling before me.
Feels good. Feels so good.
Since the heads of all three were lowered, I smiled without thinking.
And right in front of my eyes, the proof of their defeat is being produced.
What is important is not the amount of profit made from the contract.
What is important is the fact that I was able to make the deal with that much advantage towards our side.
This deal that under normal circ.u.mstances would be absolutely impossible, makes positions of trading a.s.sociations of this town clear.
This is a ritual to put my Grond Trading a.s.sociation on the top.
At that second, I felt like I heard a creaking sound from somewhere.
（…What, what is this feeling.）
This is something that I have experienced a number of times during my life as a merchant, it is a signal to be cautious.
A heavy sensation of uneasiness burning in my spine that has nothing to do with logic or reason.
A feeling like I committed some kind of a grave mistake.
(That is strange, why? What is the problem?)
Before me are the losers that had dropped their heads unsightly.
No matter how you think about this, it is unmistakable that they are in my hands. Since I am dictating my will to them as a winner.
However, despite my thoughts, the ripples in my heart showed no sign of disappearing.
This feeling arises when I am basically being deceived by someone and is about to lose something.
「Then president Grond, one copy goes to you and we will take the other copy with us.」
As the president of Ochalea Trading a.s.sociation hands over the doc.u.ments that he was done with, heads of other two companies also present me the order forms that they finished signing.
(Could it be, this? Could it be that they did something to those order forms?)
Usually, during business transactions, two copies of a contract are being made and each side gets to keep one.
This is done to prevent annulation of a contract for the convenience of one side.
While receiving a contract, I check with the magic tool that was hidden in my inner pocket for any manipulations that could be done to it but detect nothing abnormal.
「Did some point catch your attention?」
「Ah, no, there is nothing. Indeed, with this contract is sealed.」
After collecting my copy of each contract one by one, I hand them over to my subordinate.
The subordinate that received the contracts leaves the room in order to deposit them under safekeeping.
Even though deal went without a hitch, the sense of uneasiness would not leave me after all.
(Why… What am I missing exactly?)
Could it be that I am just overthinking this?
Could it be that the feeling of obtaining what I wished for has made me anxious?
「Well, then let us decide on the deals for the next month. We are busy people, opening another day for that would be just foolish.」
It appears that I am a merchant at my core.
I have to do what must be done. So I proceed with the talk as planned.
Each of the three trading a.s.sociations had its own forte.
The Ochalea Trading a.s.sociation had potions for temporary status enhancements, the Fugine Trading a.s.sociation excelled in arms, armor and various ironware while the Munaito Trading a.s.sociation is advanced in the trading of high-quality provision and magic tools.
Compared to that, our trading a.s.sociation did not have anything that it particularly excelled in, but in exchange, we were quite versatile and did not have any weak areas.
Though our goods were lagging behind a bit compared to the goods that could be considered their forte, we could trade in articles that other companies weren't so good with in cheaper prices.
(As our positions were just made clear, I should strike while the iron is hot and deliver another decisive blow.)
However, the three men sitting before me looked at each other appearing bewildered.
But before I could even think about the meaning of that, the president of Munaito trading a.s.sociation spoke on behalf of all three.
「………What are you talking about? There is no way we would trade with Grond Trading a.s.sociation anymore. Or rather did you actually think that you still can do business in this town?」
「……Huh?」
To my own voice that I unintentionally let out, the ground began to sound like it had crumbled beneath my feet.