Chapter 374: Powerless, Yet Mighty
That person gives off a vibe of having a seriously intense real-world social status, so I've got a feeling the goods will be delivered by the fastest mail possible. Therefore, I want to get everything I can do in SLF done first.
In the end, I died when the Guardian Elder Crystal Scorpion showed up. After respawning, I regrouped with Emul—who was nibbling on a carrot in a corner of an Eighthold back alley, now tidied up nicely, maybe because it's become his regular spot—and warped to Fifticia. From there, we head straight to the Golden Scales. Since I get VIP treatment, I don't need to go through the front door. I just lightly wave to the guard standing at the back entrance, who radiates a distinct aura of being a strong character, and I'm let inside. It's a case of face-pass... or rather, Lycagon’s Contusion pass. I pointedly ignore the fact that my headgear is the first thing they check.
???: "...What business brings you here today?"
Sunraku: "Negotiations. I won't ask for your top man, but I'd like someone with enough authority to meddle in the company's funds."
Alright. A complete change of pace from the musou game I was playing earlier. From here on, it's time for a money game that uses the head.
Antonio: "It's been a while, Sunraku-sama. I'd heard you'd headed for the New Land, but..."
Sunraku: "Well, let's just say I've got a few connections."
I didn't come here for small talk. Both I and the young master of the Golden Scales who'd come to greet me know that.
Antonio: "...Well then, shall we get down to business? I'm told you've come to sell something today."
Sunraku: "Yeah, let's skip the lengthy preamble... What I'm presenting today is this."
With a sound that hints at considerable weight and hardness against the quality desk, I place a strangely shaped crystal object from my hand.
Antonio: "This is... no, this shape, could it be...?"
Sunraku: "It's the outer shell of a Crystal Scorpion. Rumor has it that the 'shield' wielded exclusively by successive commanders of the First Knight Order is made of the same stuff, yes?"
Antonio: "...Yes. Several generations ago, a former president of our trading company was involved in crafting that shield. Are you looking to sell this today?"
A flicker of slight disappointment, and the smile of a merchant masking his composure... They probably already have a single shell or two in circulation. But watch this, you bastard. I'll smash that smile to pieces.
Sunraku: "No? That's what you'd call a sample. If you like, I could even give you a piece or two for free."
Antonio: "...You have more?"
He leaned forward. Well, it's rare for a player to offload an entire stock of rare monster materials. Normally, you'd keep them for yourself. And if the largest trading company, the Golden Scales, was buying them up piecemeal from the fringes, they wouldn't have many. That's where the opportunity lies.
Sunraku: "Carapace, leg casing, shell fragments, tail... And, rarely, the Luminous Jewel Crystals generated within their bodies..."
Antonio: "Th-this is, truly incredible..."
Sunraku: "What's the total?"
Antonio: "Well... yes. Just a moment, please."
If this were a true medieval setting, he'd probably be scrawling numbers on parchment. But this is SLF—swords and fantasy, with occasional hyper-civilization. The young master of the trading company, the Number Two man, starts casting some sort of magic on the Crystal Scorpion items, muttering to himself as he sinks into thought.
Antonio: "...My word, I underestimated you. This Luminous Jewel Crystal, was it? Offering just this one to the royal family would secure our position as their purveyor for a decade... Yes, even this shard alone is easily fifty thousand Mani. For all of this, if you'd allow me to offer a total of fifty million Mani..."
Sunraku: "I see. Well then, the minimum bid is one billion Mani."
Antonio: "Pardon?"
The obvious discrepancy in numbers. The young master's face goes blank precisely because our conversation had been perfectly coherent just moments before.
Antonio: "Y-you must be joking..."
Sunraku: "Indeed. By the way, Antonio-kun... What do you think is the most important thing in closing a deal?"
Antonio: "Pardon?"
Maintain the strong-character moves. Violence isn't just about STR. That's right. The important thing is the numbers, no matter what parameter.
Sunraku: "First, mutual profit. A good transaction is defined by both parties achieving satisfactory gain."
I recross my legs, leaning back as if looking down on everything. Now the real test begins.
Sunraku: "And second, trust. Antonio-kun... I place great trust in the Golden Scales. I haven't forgotten the debt I owe you for acting as a bridge when I established my connection with Norman-kun. And that's precisely why... I'm presenting this opportunity only to you."
I snap my fingers with my left hand while my right hand, hidden behind my back, works frantically to pull items from Inventoria. Under the room's light, they scatter a divine brilliance so intense that Antonio-kun, the young master, instinctively averts his eyes. It's all Crystal Scorpion materials, materials, materials... A deluxe material pack, releasing ninety percent of my hoarded Crystal Scorpion item stock.
Sunraku: "The full set of Crystal Scorpion materials I just presented to you... Ten sets' worth. Furthermore, carapace: 172. Leg casing: 121. Shell fragments: 352. Tails: 8..."
Antonio: "Ha... haha..."
It's a massive release of all the materials I've been stockpiling. Drown in the bulk-pack swamp...!
Sunraku: "Now then, it's business time, Antonio-kun. Let's make a deal that profits us both."
I'm dead certain I scored a critical hit.
Emul: "Are you sure about this, wa? It felt like you could have pushed the price up much, much higher."
Sunraku: "It's fine. This makes my position as a patron absolute. And the money I need will definitely come in, even if it takes time."
Well, this is a game, so I want to believe it wouldn't happen... but if the Golden Scales got any ideas about skimming the materials, a bright-red beast... would probably show up for divine punishment, I suppose.
Sunraku: "Emul, in this world, there are relationships that exert power just by being acquainted. And the more refined a society is, the stronger that power becomes..."
And people call that power "influence." It's conditional, but I gave them a forty percent discount from the original price. Even at the massive sum of four billion Mani, they can't pull their hands away from this sudden mountain of super-rare items. It's just like a monkey with its hand stuck in a gourd. As long as it's clutching the rice inside, its hand can't come out. That means those guys are now essentially the wallet of an ultra-patron named me... Heh heh heh, fwahahahahaha!!
Sunraku: "Well, with this, you could say the tribute for Elke is secured."
Emul: "What in the world is Onee-chan planning to do, gathering that much money, wa..."
Sunraku: "Maybe build a house out of Mani?"
Emul: "It would probably collapse right away, wa."
Yeah, I think so too. Still, in selling the Crystal Scorpion items, I attached two conditions. Considering those two, losing a billion-and-change is cheap.
One: the right to freely use the Scales of Compensation, but only within the Golden Scales. Requesting to take it out was too high a hurdle. So I secured a compromise—under their watchful eye, I can use it.
The other condition was: "Do not sell these materials to the current royal authority—that is, the usurper king Alex and the factions that support him." The material of the Crystal Scorpions is also used in the shield of the supernaturally handsome First Knight Order Commander. If, by any chance, the First Prince's faction got their hands on it, Toravante's chances of winning would plummet.
Sunraku: "Considering trade with the New Land, the Toravante government is more peaceful. Under the Alex government, worst case, their funds could be drained by dealing with a messy guerrilla conflict."
Emul: "Wh-What a schemer! Sunraku-san is a massive schemer, wa...!?"
Sunraku: "Don't be stupid. If Pencilgon were doing this, it'd be way worse."
First, as a basic premise, she'd buy out the Golden Scales with massive materials, secure commercial connections, and then make contact with the royal family. She'd flatter the Alex faction while strengthening the Toravante faction from the shadows, then sweep the Alex faction away... The Toravante faction, deeply in her debt, wouldn't be able to ignore Pencilgon. If she played her cards right, one of the cities from Firstia to Fifticia could even become her property. In other words, she'd debut as nobility. The rest goes without saying: incite a player-led kingdom takeover on out-of-game forums, declare herself the Demon Lord Pencilgon, and coup d'état the Einvarus Kingdom. Finally, as the Demon Lord, self-destruct castle and all... Yep, that's roughly the flow of the Apocalyptic Round Table Pencilgon Dynasty chronicle.
Compared to that, becoming something like the primary shareholder is lukewarm. But this mild credit transaction is what's important to me. At the very least, as long as I don't betray them, they'll act in a way that doesn't damage my trust.
Sunraku: "Ahh, we really are battle buddies..."
Keep it coming from now on, Scorpions——!