Chapter 48: Client

I know there’s a stereotypical image of merchants… but it’s just that it makes me want to punch them ?

[Red Oath] finally arrived at the “Abott Firm” as requested from the client for the Rock Lizard materials.

“Excuses me, we’re the hunters who took the request for Rock Lizard materials. We’ve come to deliver them.” (Mevis)

As the leader, Mevis was tasked for formal negotiations and called out to the person who seemed like a store employee.

“Oh, yes, I’ll inform the firm owner right away. Please wait one moment” (Clerk)

A brief moment after the clerk went to the back, a man who seemed to be the firm owner looked like he was in his forties, and had a belly large enough that would make you think ‘He’s a merchant’ came out.

“Ohh, are you the hunters who’ve taken the request for Rock Lizard materials? How young…” (Owner)

Even though smiling, the owner gave off a shady look. Those eyes, be it evil or good, it was undoubtedly a merchant’s.

“Yes, we’re the C-Rank hunters [Red Oath]. We want you to assess the prey, as well as signing the request completion form” (Mevis)

“Yes yes. And? Where is this prey?”(Owner)

“Mile, take it out” (Mevis)

“”Kay!” (Mile)

As instructed, Mile pulls out one nicely preserved Rock Lizard from her item box. Nicely in this case, means that the tail and neck must be cleanly cut, and from that it’s assessed by three points: the head, body and tail.

“Eh? Storage magic? I see, that’s why the number of people… Well now, this sure is a problem”

It’s rare for a veteran merchant to show their true feelings with their face, even still, the sight of seeing the petite Mile effortlessly pull out a single Rock Lizard from her storage, and judging by the state of the prey, he let out a slightly shocked expression. Though only a little bit. After carefully inspecting the Rock Lizard, he quickly glanced at Mile and the others. After thinking for a bit, he told the assessment results to them.

“Twelve small gold pieces should be good” (Owner)

「「「「Eh?」」」」

Without thinking [Red Oath] let out a cry, instantly after Mevis voiced her disapproval.

“W-Why is that? Based on it’s current condition, it shouldn’t be any less than fifteen small gold pieces, there should be no reason for the price to drop so low!” (Mevis)

“No no, because the tail and neck has been cut off, there’s a big proportion of skin we can no longer obtain. Also, it’s been three days since you hunted this, correct? Oh look, there’s scratch there as well…” (Owner)

“However, isn’t that originally the price before the dismantling the skin! Besides, it’s hasn’t even been 2 days since we hunted!” (Mevis) [T/L note: Mevis is talking about the lizard as a whole, not just the skin. Remember the conditions when they first accepted the quest “そこは元々皮剥ぎの前に解体作業で切断するところでしょう” if you have any better suggestions]

“Even if you say that, this is part of my assessment criteria after all” (Owner)

The firm owner lightly brushed off Mevis’ complaint. Though she wanted to protest more, from the side Pauline poked her back. It was a signal to change places made beforehand.

“Excuse me, there’s more than one prey actually, could you check them all?” (Pauline)

“Ohh! You have more I see, please let me take a look!” (Owner)

“Very well. Mile, please take out the remaining two.” (Pauline)

As instructed, Mile pulls out two Rock Lizards from her storage. Their conditions are pretty much the same as the one that has already been examined.

“What’s this!  To think you could fit three Rock Lizards in your storage!” (Owner)

As expected, not even the firm owner could hold back his astonishment. And once again, the owner gave a cheap evaluation to the party.

“For each of these nine small gold pieces each. All together would be thirty small gold pieces. Even for a few days of work, this is quite the sum. Well then, let’s quickly go and sign that request completion form and handle the money…. By the way everyone, how about being exclusively for my company? You will have no problems with work and have a stable income, you will be able to live with no worries.” (Owner)

His aim was obviously Mile’s storage magic, or so one would have though. He repeatedly glanced at the four with eyes that were looking down on them, his goals lies elsewhere.

“… May I ask the reason why the price of the second and third dropped?” (Pauline)

Ignoring the owner’s proposal, Pauline remained expressionless as she inquired.

“Ahh, that is,  the first one was a congratulatory gift to a newcomer for overcoming a deficit. The ones after however, I have no obligatory reason to…”

A big liar.

He took light of the fact that Mile and the others were young and novices, and tried to strike a cheap deal. He thought that If he were to buy it for too cheap, taken to account the effort and days spent hunting, he feared the possibility of the next request may be rejected. Thus, he would have kept the transaction at a reasonable level. But if it’s three lizards, even if he bought them at a relatively low price, their earnings will still be enough and they would take on another request, leading him to the current price.

“…Understood” (Pauline)

The Owner’s smile reached his whole face in response to Pauline’s response.

“Mile, please store everything” (Pauline)

“Roger!” (Mile)

With Pauline’s instruction, Mile store all the Rock Lizards in a faction of a moment.

“Eh……” (Owner)

Pauline told the Owner who was taken by the situation not understanding anything.

“The prey was not in the condition as you hoped, in other word the request this time was a failure. Well then, please excuses us.” (Pauline)

The Owner impatiently called out to Pauline as she prompted everyone to return.

“W-Wait! That was the item I requested! Don’t think that you can just leisurely take it back!” (Owner)

“Eh? But according to the request forum, it’s not even worth 60 percent of that. It must be defective material. If it were to be known we delivered TRASH goods it will only shame our party. Fortunately, since it has yet to be recorded and we have yet to receive the sign nor gold, an agreement was not established. Therefore this means that the request has resulted in a failure… Oh, as for the penalty fee, we will properly deposit the two small gold pieces in the guild, rest assured. Well, let’s go back” (Pauline)

“W-Wait! Please wait! Let us discussed this a little more!” (Owner)

The four left the firm ignoring the wails of the Owner from behind.

“Sorry, I did something selfish there… Though we finally finished the job, in one moment I turned our almost complete into a failure…” (Pauline)

“What are you saying? I feel so much better now! If Pauline hadn’t cut off the deal, I would have myself, in a more radical way” (Rena)

“She’s right! As if I could could do a transaction with a person who openly looks down on you!

If we took that deal, we would have been treated like that forever. A hunter can not just shut up and obey” (Mevis)

Rena and Mavis laughed away to Pauline’s apology.

As for Mile…

“So, You have a plan right, Pauline?” (Mile)

Even in the spur of the moment, there’s no way that she would break off a deal without thinking. Rena and Mevis too thought of the same.

To Mile’s question, slightly smiled.

“About that, regarding our strategy from now on….” (Pauline)

“””Thought so….”””

Though supposedly kept to their hearts, the three let out a sigh.

“Please handle the procedure please”

After returning to the hunter guild, the four went to the receptionist to tidy up the request.

“Yes, thank you for the hard work. Now then, I will handle the completion processing… eh..?.”

Taken aback, the receptionist stared at the completion forum with neither confirmation sign nor rewards.

“Ah, since we did not complete it, the request was a failure. As for the penalty fee, please take these two small gold coins.” (I assume this is Pauline?)

“Eh? But the request was supposed to be complete… just now…”

It seems that the attention gathered to the rookie party was caught in some sort of trouble. The surrounding hunters gathered and on the other side of the counter the guild staff members did so as well.

“Actually, the requestor gave an assessment of no more than nine small gold pieces you see? Even though the request forum it was no less than fifteen small gold pieces… Such bad quality materials there’s no way we could deliver it, so we took it back and returned” Said Mile while looking sorrow. Mile was dumped the role of explaining of for moments like this. Of course, it was not due to her acting prowess, but a rather simple reason. Being the youngest, it was easy to pull out sympathy.

“Eh! Only sixty percent? Did something like Rena’s fire magic fired it good?”

“No, it was something like this…” (Mile)

While saying so, Mile asked the surrounding hunters to give some room as she pulled a single Rock Lizard and placed it along the reception counter.

“Wh-What is this!”

“Such perfect state, I can’t see this Rock Lizard as a corpse!”

“Just how on earth, what kind of hunting method… It has to be the sword of the two girlies…”

[TL Note: Any idea for ‘Jyou-chan’? I was thinking lass]

“Eh? Aren’t Rock Lizards supposedly hunt-able with two or three C-Rank hunters?” (Mile)

Everyone was taken aback from the foolish remark made from Mile.

“Idiot, that’s only [Hunting]. Firing magic from a long distance or utilizing a bow or spear from mid range to make it weak, and finishing it up close. If it’s still has energy, an injury from it’s tail is nothing to laugh at. The standard market Rock lizard are much more ravaged. With this quality, you can obtain much more gold. Heck, the average market right now is twenty small gold pieces, for such preserved state you can sell it for four or five times… Maybe seven to eight times if you find the right merchant.”

“”””Eh……..””””

Mile and the others were in complete shock, it was nothing based on their previous information. They felt a little naive not know using magic to attack was acceptable.

“To access something like this for a mere nine small gold pieces, who was this requester!?”

“Ah. it was Abott firm…”

“Unbelievable! To underestimate these lassies just because they’re new!”

“To underestimate hunters…. You did a good job rejecting him!”

Mile and the others received pats and friendly beatings from their senior hunters. The hunters and the staff members across the counter voice their dissatisfaction with the Abott firm as words of condemnation rose within the walls of the guild.

((((All according to plan… ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)))))

“If that’s the case, we the guild will buy those from you. Normally, we wouldn’t we wouldn’t buy materials if there is a request for them. Also, in the case where you sell materials not commissioned by the guild, you will not receive any contribution points, and will not be able to rank up, so keep that in mind.”

Such was the obvious. Medicinal herbs or horn rabbits and the such the guild will buy with a commission charge. However, the risk factor after transactions are non-existent as they would take all the burden. It wasn’t for a reason like charity, rather it was to increase profits.

Of course, the receptionist was not incompetent enough to let such a profitable item just slide under their noses. This was without a doubt, quality goods that will sell.

Mile and the others looked at each other and nodded at the same time, and turned towards the receptionist lady and replied.

“Thank-you. On the side note, is it okay for all of them?” (Mile)

“Eh? ‘All of them’ you say?” (Receptionist)

To the speechless receptionist, Mile replied,

“For the time being, let’s start with five….”

“”””EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH””””

That’s way too loud of a shout, Mile thought as she covered her ears.

Maybe this was a little too much?