Chapter 44: The bad situation of the company and a new journey
After finishing the adventurer guild registration of my two followers, I went to another place to ask about the preparations I had to do in order to open a store.
I thought of asking about a good lot at the place where I would make my ‘business card’.
But it seems that the former will work, however, the latter doesn’t seem like it will work.
Regarding the land, it seems that they can prepare it soon and can give me the information of available places. Well, I can’t make hasty decisions since problems may arise.
But for the business card, the paper is valuable so the cost will be incredibly high if it is made in large amounts.
In truth, the price of only one was pretty high, so I dismissed the idea. For me that can freely enter Asora, a place that has money producing trees, it’s an expense that I don’t want to do.
I don’t know how they make people remember their names in this world, so I indirectly asked them but, it seems that they just straightforwardly show their face. It looks like they are able to show each others’ guild cards and exchange their company’s information.
I was taught that there is also the method of giving presents every end of the year. I certainly felt that giving presents was an effective way.
It means that, to be able to live as a merchant, you must have good memory. If you are unable to remember the face and names you are already out.
I want to somehow make the business card and have them remember my face that way. I went through the trouble of thinking about it so I want to use it. Moreover, the merchant guild card can only be used when both parties are merchants. Isn’t there something I can use for customers? I should think about it.
About the logo, it seems that it can be used as soon as you have it ready. Of course, if you are able to design and make it.
But, more importantly!
The most pressing problem is the store’s place! This is the foremost problem!
In the case where you are aiming to put up a store in Tsige.
Our Kuzunoha Company will become members of the Aion kingdom, or so they say. At this moment, it was the first time I heard the name of this land. So this place is called Aion. And it’s a monarchy huh.
And, leaving aside the opening of a store inside the kingdom, when you are going to open it in a foreign country there seems to be a lot of restrictions applied.
It seems that opening a store and acting as spies is something extremely normal in this world, more like, when you are going to a foreign country to open a store, it is normal for the country itself to ask you ‘want to be a spy?’.
That I am still okay even with the stupidness of Tomoe and Mio, is because there is a fixed rank in the merchant guild to allow companies to open up stores in foreign countries.
Meaning that, as my name as a merchant gets more famous and my rank gets higher, the moment I want to open up a store in another country I will be called to the castle. Well, that’s how it roughly is.
As an exception, if you are a caravan merchant you will be called at a pretty early stage. Because while they are moving they are able to pick up a lot of information after all.
H-How incredibly stupid.
Why is a merchant that is aiming to do business in another country supposed to work as a spy at the same time? I thoroughly refuse. A merchant spy? Don’t joke around with me.
Just because I am in the Aion kingdom doesn’t mean that I have patriotic feelings. Don’t underestimate modern people.
However, it seems that if I refuse it will affect my future business inside the kingdom so it is not recommended, or so they told me. The reception Onee-san, with a sad face, tells me to not do it please. For the sake of doing business more freely, please fight firmly for your rights merchant guild-san.
Don’t. Joke. Around!
Doesn’t it mean that if they call me I won’t be able to refuse?!
This practice is especially stronger on Aion kingdom that puts more emphasis in information gathering. That’s right, this seems to be a problematic nation with high spy vectors. Everyone, this is an important issue so I said it twice.
In short, I found the land I was looking for, to get possession of it I quickly made a request to make a store, and it flowed in a bad direction.
The region I finally arrived to ended up being one that was zeal in spy activity. What kind of trial is this?
For now, I had a method to do my business without minding about the propriety of my store.
Borrowing an area inside the store of another company, I will be able to operate without minding it. It’s like selling takoyaki inside a super market.
From what I heard it is impossible, but there seems to be a way to do business without doing a petition to the guild.
With this method I would be able to do legal business, or so they told me.
So when I asked, in which nation I am able to open my first store with no connections and evil intentions added to it…
“Raidou-sama really has a different way of thinking. To ask which nation you should do business in. Taking into account the essence of the merchant guild, this is, in a sense, an ideal way of thinking. Not being under any nation, or more like, the towns are all affiliated to their nation. If you are to open shop there, it might be possible”
Now that I think about it, there is no international society in this world, so it is obvious that opening a global business is reckless.
To have a branch in every nation and have a business that would provide products at a cheap price which would treat their diseases or wounds. That was the ideal I had.
Mumumumu.
Get along with each other, medieval fantasy world!
The receptionist-san that is dealing with my wild thinking, told me that she doesn’t know the possibilities of it.
Well, thinking about the capital to open and the articles’ inventory, in the end, she made the conclusion that it would be difficult though.
Even so, a place where there is a chance for that, in other words, a place where I can push through, just knowing about such a place is a good harvest.
“Fumu, Academy Town huh” (Makoto)
“Oya, Waka, what happened?” (Tomoe)
“N” (Makoto)
I returned to the inn and while thinking about the details of the conversation, I mumbled the place that I was told about. The one that reacted was Tomoe.
“Well, I was thinking about the place we would open our store. Because we would have to get affiliated to Aion if we open here after all” (Makoto)
“Yeah. Even though this place has a lot of autonomy, it is still the territory of Aion kingdom” (Tomoe)
She is saying that this land is of Aion kingdom as if it were obvious. Tomoe-san, please tell me that geographic information faster.
“As expected. Then at the front we will be doing business under the roof of another company, and while we do that we wait for the chance and go to this Academy Town” (Makoto)
“Academy Town? What is that?” (Tomoe)
“So you don’t know of it Tomoe. Then it is most likely a new town. I was told that it is one of the few towns that are neutral. That’s why, if we open our business there, there is a chance that we will be able to do business in all the other countries” (Makoto)
The Aion kingdom is one of the four major powers’ pillar.
Meaning that this kingdom has been, for a long time, a nation that holds secret information. How despairing. Tsige is in a remote region after all, I didn’t feel like it was that kind of place.
… I don’t want to think that they are at a level where they gather every spontaneous information. The walls have ears and the sliding doors have eyes. To have that kind of thinking is unpleasant.
“Wa wa~, in the time I wasn’t watching, the world has changed quite a lot. I heard that the territories of the world have changed considerably” (Tomoe)
That is most likely because of the advance of the demon race.
That’s right, a world map. In this world, maps must be quite expensive, but it’s still worth to buy. I have seen bare hills, wastelands and a volcano though. Since the time I came to this world I haven’t encountered the pure sea, mountains, and a beautiful natural scenery.
In a world filled with fantasy elements, these points should be important. I want to experience them! The wasteland was light brown and Asora gave me more of a nostalgic feeling after all. I even found radish not too long ago.
“Then Waka, about tomorrow…” (Tomoe)
“Ah, tomorrow go to the merchant guild and check out the prospect lands. It is fine for you to choose the one that you feel it’s appropriate. Just, I will be returning to what we last said, since there is the talk about affiliation we will not be constructing a store” (Makoto)
“Is it fine to just buy the land?” (Tomoe)
“I want to have a store at Tsige in the future so. About the present matters I will go to Rembrandt Company tomorrow and decide depending on the result, but…” (Makoto)
“Do you have some worries?” (Tomoe)
Tomoe is totally in business mode and following the conversation without messing around. Seeing that Tomoe can do such a change of gears, makes me wonder if she is actually fit for commerce.
In terms of look, Mio seems to be more suitable for it though.
“Yeah, the type of industry we will be registering in. This is difficult” (Makoto)
“If that’s the case, didn’t you decide it not too long ago?” (Tomoe)
“Well, yeah. In the time that I was distressing, the ideal type appeared but…” (Makoto)
“With just medicine it is a bit hard to move so, isn’t it alright?” (Tomoe)
“You know… a ‘Do Anything Store’. I feel malice in this name” (Makoto)
A do anything store. As the name says, whatever it is, we will do it. But the advantages you will receive from the guild compared to specialized ones will be lower. For example, the medicines, commodities, raw materials, in exchange for being 10 percent more expensive, we are able to sell any of those.
For weapons, armor and escort supplies, it falls into the same category.
It seems to be the type of store that companies with long history take when they increase their range of products. As proof, only the big stores have this kind of type. It has a totally different image from the modern era’s ‘do anything store’.
When I suddenly told the reception Onee-san that I would applying as a ‘Do Anything Store’, she warned me that it was not profitable. She must have remembered our talk about a commerce route, the first thing she recommended me was to be a caravan merchant.
The reason was simple, to tackle such a broad area from the beginning is close to impossible. Because you would be losing to the ones that are specialized in only one thing after all.
Even I think that is exactly right.
“There is no one that would be able to oppose our specialty anyways, and I feel that thinking too deeply is not good” (Tomoe)
“A ‘Do Anything Store’ huh. I think its fine. And, Mio?” (Makoto)
“As Waka has told me, I had two of the Arkes head to the flower’s location. Ambrosia right? They should be returning in a couple of days” (Mio)
“I see. Then, Tomoe will be checking the lands and while she is at that she will be doing random requests. That’s right, finish them together with Toa-san and the others, for about one week” (Makoto)
“Requests? With those people?” (Tomoe)
Tomoe does a ‘why?’ face. Well, that’s the normal reaction. If she wants to raise her own rank, she doesn’t need Toa-san and the others to accompany her, she must be thinking that it is better for her to do various ranked quests or special ranked ones to increase her rank after all.
“I want you to learn the basic way an adventurer should act. And while you are at that, it would be good to learn some methods to collect raw materials” (Makoto)
“Raw materials, I see. If I remember correctly, Mio said that she can already do that. Then Waka, is it okay to buy a few books regarding raw materials while I’m at it?” (Tomoe)
“Of course. Studying is important. You are the one carrying our money after all. It is okay to buy anything that you think it’s necessary. I still have to arrange the itinerary before we head to Academy Town and the request to Rembrandt Company. There are a lot of things I have to do” (Makoto)
“I understand. Then, it is fine if I direct my reports to Asora right?” (Tomoe)
“Well, let’s see. I made a barrier so that no one could enter the inn’s room so. I will be resting in Asora at nights. It is fine to do your reports at those times. Oh, I almost forgot something. I don’t mind if it’s expensive, I want a world map. And also a map with details about the Aion kingdom. If there isn’t enough money, tell me” (Makoto)
I feel like details will be a bit dangerous. In the Sengoku Era, the strategic maps were incredibly important, it could even be considered classified information. Maybe we should just secretly investigate and make one ourselves. At least that way we won’t be suspected by this country. In any case, it would be bad to go around searching for a detailed map.
“No, wait for a bit. I don’t need a detailed map. It’s fine with a map that is circulated normally, one that will not be strange even if a merchant has it” (Makoto)
“Waka is a real worrywart. I understand. Then, I will be moving in a way that won’t raise any suspicions” (Tomoe)
Tomoe, what a handy girl. A person that can detect the subtleties of my words is pretty important. That even though she understands it and she does a completely different thing is out of the question though.
“I ask of you. Please do it well” (Makoto)
“Then, at night I will be reporting at that place” (Tomoe)
Well, Ema-san is also asking me to go to her place at least twice a day if I can after all~.
They told me that if I can stay with them for one whole day every week, everyone would be happy.
I haven’t used the bow for a while so (leaving out actual combat).
“Now, let’s sleep. It will be the last night in this room, good night~” (Makoto)
“As you wish. Have a good night” (Tomoe)
While looking forward to tomorrow’s busy days, I fell asleep.
Wow, with how the conversation went. I really have to doubt if that was really Tomoe O_O