Volume 7 Chapter 15 Tough Negotiation
We visited Coin because Lord Birk said so.
'"To complete the "Bloodline Curse", we need exceptional technology. In other words, we need a currency that can replace the Creator's Gold Coin, one that can't be counterfeited.'
Lord Birk continued.
'We also need an existence that can guarantee its value. Of course, as a lord, I'll provide my backing, but if the Traveler Mine Guild, the largest merchant guild, acknowledges it, we'll make great progress.'
However, Lord Birk added at the end.
'He's not a simple person. Be careful.'
In other words, he's a person who has both technology and credibility. That's what the great merchant Coin is, a man who possesses both.
That's why we were facing Coin...
"Hah, cigarettes are the best..."
The shady-looking shota with a blissful expression blew out cigarette smoke... Lord Birk, it would've been better if you had warned us about his character instead of saying 'be careful'. This is ridiculous.
"Well, then..."
After we finished explaining, Coin crushed the cigarette butt in the crystal ashtray and said.
"So, the lord is making a new currency and wants me to cooperate? Well, I'm the only one who can handle such a big job, right? Hmm?"
Coin laughed with a mischievous grin, looking at us.
I said.
"For now, it's a cooperation request. We'll discuss the specific rewards for cooperation later. Ah, and this is a gift."
I handed Coin the sweets I had bought from the store earlier. "Oh, I understand," Coin said, receiving them.
But when Coin saw the box, he stopped in his tracks. Then, he stared at my face intensely.
"...Something?"
"Earlier, one of my subordinates came crying that he was beaten up by an aristocratic brat at the store that sells this souvenir..."
The tension between us grew. It's probably my fault. Almost certainly my fault.
"That noble brat, no matter what you say, it's not like the Birk territory is that vast. Yeah, they're proud, but if you exclude the lord's family, the number of nobles is surprisingly small. But, even if you hear about their characteristics, it doesn't ring a bell in my memory."
Coin says to me,
"What's with the characteristics my subordinate mentioned, matching perfectly with Marquis Württemberg? What's the deal with that?"
"...I don't remember."
"Don't play dumb! This is no time for excuses! Apologize right now!"
"Ahh!"
Coin suddenly flared up and threw a crystal ashtray at me. Ridge let out a scream and hastily dodged.
"You're not worth talking to! Bring the lord here right now! If not, this conversation is going nowhere, got it?"
As Coin yelled at me with all his might, I quickly caught the crystal ashtray and crushed it into pieces with my bare hands.
The shattered crystal fell from my palm, and Coin's tone weakened, his face turning pale.
I gazed at Roman's face, nodded, and decided to strip off the noble's fake skin. Since we've come this far, there's no point in pretending anymore.
I chuckled and dropped the polite language.
"You're cute when you're angry, Coin-kun. But, it was your subordinate who started the fight."
Coin was taken aback by my sudden change, and I took a step forward, saying,
"It's better to settle the score with both the superior and the subordinate present. The one you're dealing with is Wade, the gold-ranked torch adventurer who fought on par with Fist of the Dragon, 'Slow'."
"...Wade Gravitas Württemberg... Ah, I see. I underestimated you because you didn't seem like a noble... Who would have thought you were 'Slow'..."
Coin sat down, his tense face still fixed on me.
I said,
"So? You said I'm not worth talking to? Say it again. Next time, you'll understand, right?"
I tap the desk with my finger. With just my physical strength, I create a hole in the desk. I've been training myself with gravity magic, so this is a piece of cake for me.
But Coin doesn't seem to be the kind of guy who would be intimidated by this.
"Hah! You're definitely not someone to be underestimated. A guy like you has the qualifications to stand in front of me. But can I really make a deal with someone who's crushed my allies? Eh?"
"It's your subordinate's lack of education that's the problem."
"You're really full of yourself, aren't you bastard? You're even trying to meddle with our educational policies! Eh?!"
Coin crosses his arms, tilts his head, and raises an eyebrow, showing off his attitude. At this point, it's clear he's a big shot.
"You don't even understand the basics of business, 'Slow'. You bring a gift, make the other party feel good, show them your benefits, and be sincere ―― that's how you win a deal."
Trust, Coin says.
"Business is always a gamble. To increase the chances of success, you need to partner with someone exceptional. Trust is exactly that. Doing business with someone you can't trust is a bad gamble."
"Didn't I say we'd talk about the reward later? It's not about whether you sell or not, but about the lord paying you, right? You don't even have any trustworthiness."
"There's no way a amateur like you, who can't even trust others, would believe that you'll get a proper reward... You're not living in a world that's easy to survive in."
Hmm, I think to myself. Up until now, I've been receiving money through the guild. The guild, in itself, was a huge guarantee of trust.
"Then, it's time for you to learn, 'Slow'."
Coin says.
"Didn't I say we'd talk about the reward later? Then, let me decide."
"Huh?"
Coin gives a sly, mocking smile.
"Do you want to issue new currency? Then, I'll do everything. I'll decide how much to issue and how much to circulate. You people on the lord's side just need to acknowledge it."
"You think that's going to fly? If I, a merchant, let you do that, you'll just take over this territory too, won't you?"
If we're talking about the 'Bloodline Curse', then accepting this offer is equivalent to giving him the power to control the production of blood and the range of its effects.
If that happens, the organizations that are on bad terms with Coin will crumble, and only the ones that are on good terms will thrive. As a result, Margrave Birk's territory will die from organ failure.
After that, Coin, who only had an arm, will rise again with a complete body. Once a territory dies, a completely new one will rise.
It's an enormous benefit. It's like saying, 'You can take over this territory, it's okay.' But if you don't understand the structure, it's hard to make a judgment. If you hadn't heard of the 'Bloodline Curse', you'd be suspicious.
However, this proposal seemed like a light jab, and Coin burst out laughing.
"As expected, you don't want to take such a seemingly invitation ———Hey!"
At Coin's call, a receptionist girl rushed in. Coin whispered something in her ear, and then shouted, "Alright, get back to work!" The girl hastily retreated.
"Well, what do you do then? What? I'm a big merchant who controls this city, and the other's a 'Slow' hero who's bad at business talks..."
Coin gazed at me with a narrow, appraising gaze, as if sizing me up. I thought, "This crappy brat," and stood up.
"I'll take a step back. Wait for me after washing your neck."
"Hah, you finally got one right. Alright, go back. I'm busy."
I ignored Coin's dismissive gesture and told Roman, "You did great. I'll leave the reflection meeting to you." "Leave it to me," Roman replied.
The 4 of us left the Traveler Mine Guild. Then, I let out a sigh of relief.
"Ugh, I got played! It's like Mudi's bad luck. I didn't think it'd be that tough."
"Good job today, Wade-sama. You were impressive."
"Thanks, Ridge."
"Then, let's head back and have a reflection meeting. The flow isn't bad. What we need to do is clear."
"Yeah, Roman. Let's shut that fake brat up quickly."
It was the timing when Ridge, who was worried about me, being patted by me, gave a nod to Roman, and said, "Alright, let's get on the carriage!"
A shadow that blocked the evening sun. It appeared near us.
A bandage covering his eyes, a worn-out gray ceremonial outfit, and a long sword that was rusty and worn out. His slender body approached us, giving off a subtle presence, and drew his sword.
"Hello, Wade the 'Slow'. I'm 'Oath', the platinum sword."
As he said that, 'Oath' slowly drew out the rusty long sword.
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