Chapter 119 Negotiations Between Men and Women
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The Kelna Merchant Guild¹ has no intention of taking Iris back.
That was something I hadn’t anticipated at all. It meant that using Iris as a bargaining chip wouldn’t work.
”More importantly, I’m interested in the talk regarding the King of the Magic Labyrinth². You’re using teleportation sorcery⁴ to get from the Demon Forest³ to this town, aren’t you? Are you growing other rare crops in that Demon Forest as well?” Lambdaine asked.
”Y-yes. The fruit we brought to town is only a portion of it. We cultivate a wide variety of other vegetables too,” I replied.
”Hoh… then what about white sugar? Is that also made in the Demon Forest?”
”…That’s right. Though even in the Demon Forest, it’s a luxury item. We can’t produce it very often,” I said.
It was within my expectations to be asked about the sugar. Lambdaine-san let out a deep, knowing grin.
”Then that’s enough. O King of the Magic Labyrinth, let’s do business with the Kelna Merchant Guild.”
”Eh…”
”That was your intention from the start, wasn’t it? That’s why you got that letter of introduction from Princess Liliarette. Am I wrong?” Lambdaine asked.
It wasn’t that he was wrong… but the situation had changed since then. The meaning behind forcedly earning money had disappeared.
I realized Lambdaine-san was even more interested in the Demon Forest produce than I thought. It seemed the town had no intention of souring relations with me either… at this rate, I felt like I could just head home.
Ami-chan seemed to have lost interest halfway through and was busy eating the food.
As I was thinking that, Eme-chan cut in again.
”It’s true that until a little while ago, we were thinking it would be nice if the fruit could be bought… but that’s different now,” Eme said.
”Hoh?”
”We’re making more than enough profit from what the townspeople have bought. We only wanted to buy some daily necessities in the first place,” Eme replied.
”But that letter of introduction…”
”Princess Liliarette gave it to us saying we could use it or not, whichever we preferred. But it seemed she wanted to thank you. That’s why we brought the sugar that day… wasn’t it?”
Eme-chan took back control of the conversation. I feel like… our position has become favorable again.
No, to be honest, I’m not really sure how the reality of the situation is playing out.
”So you’re saying you don’t need money?” Lambdaine asked.
”As long as we have enough for what we need,” Eme replied.
”Hmph… I see. If one wants to do business with the King of the Magic Labyrinth, they have to present a massive benefit that money can’t buy. Is that what you’re saying?”
Oh… I see. I didn’t even notice until he said it…
Apparently, Eme-chan was trying to draw out a major condition from Lambdaine-san.
If it were me, I probably would have just folded under the pressure and agreed to regularly deliver fruit.
Eme-chan had stepped in because we could do business from a much higher position, and she wasn’t about to let us sell ourselves short.
”Fine, I get it. The crops brought by the King of the Magic Labyrinth are certainly one-of-a-kind. And you’ve even got a hidden trump card like white sugar. Depending on the conditions, I can prepare a compensation that’s more than fair on my end, too.”
”What kind of compensation would that be?” Eme asked.
”How about… no matter which country you go to, you can use the name of the Kelna Merchant Guild and my own? It’s not a boast, but my name can easily make nobles of the Emmeld Kingdom⁵ class listen to reason,” Lambdaine said.
”……!”
Eh… that’s amazing… Or rather, from the perspective of a Councilor of the Republic, is the Emmeld Kingdom ranked that low…?
I wonder if Eme-chan’s feelings are complicated by how the Kingdom is viewed from the outside.
”Besides that, if you need manpower, I’ll arrange it for you anytime. I’ll even consult with you on things you want to get your hands on,” Lambdaine added.
”In other words, we would obtain the backing of you, a Councilor?” Eme asked.
”To put it simply, that’s it. Backing that is useful even in other countries… I don’t think that’s a power the current King of the Magic Labyrinth possesses, is it?”
In extreme terms, even if something happened in another country, Lambdaine-san’s name might protect me… I guess.
Well, I don’t really go to other countries much… Thinking about it that way, it might be something that doesn’t really matter one way or the other.
That’s what I thought, but Eme-chan was lost in thought with a serious expression. Apparently, it was a condition more valuable than I realized.
”It’s true that a name recognized everywhere is an influence the current King of the Magic Labyrinth lacks,” Eme said.
”Right? Well, in a few years, there’s a possibility the words ‘King of the Magic Labyrinth’ will carry weight on their own. For my part, I might be able to increase my own influence at that time. As the Councilor who has direct dealings with said King,” Lambdaine replied.
”Letting us use your name freely is an advance investment, then?” Eme asked.
”That’s about it. However, whether I actually invest depends on the wealth the King of the Magic Labyrinth can provide to the Kelna Merchant Guild,” Lambdaine said.
With that, Lambdaine-san turned his gaze toward me and grinned. As expected, that smile has some real pressure behind it…
”Let’s be blunt. With the amount of fruit you’re bringing to town now, it’s nowhere near enough to call it a business. And if we consider processing it into things like alcohol or juice, I’m going to want a considerable volume.”
”If we want to use your name freely, we must prepare a vast amount of produce?” Eme asked.
”You’re quick on the uptake. But to transport that kind of volume to this town, you’d be short on hands, wouldn’t you? From managing the plantations to transporting the supplies, I’d be willing to look after all of it on this end.”
”Are you planning to steal our cultivation know-how that way? Let me tell you, all our crops are grown on special land. They can’t be grown the same way on normal land overnight, you know?” Eme said.
Whoa… I feel like a conversation reading between the lines is unfolding between the two of them…
What should I do? I’ve been unable to keep up with the conversation for a while now. It’s obvious that if I joined in, he’d immediately see my weakness and buy our goods for a pittance.
”Hoh…? But if you can’t manage a bulk purchase of produce, then the talk is over. Surely you didn’t think you could use my name freely for just that piddling amount of crops?” Lambdaine asked.
”That is…”
Well… bluntly speaking, I don’t really care if I have Lambdaine-san’s backing or not. I don’t feel the merit in it.
But Eme-chan seems to want it. And if Eme-chan wants it, Liliarette will probably find value in it too.
In that case… I’ll try to think along those lines too.
”Lambdaine-san. There’s something I want to ask…” I said.
”Oh, King of the Magic Labyrinth. What is it?”
”Can you prepare a fairly large, empty warehouse or something?” I asked.
”An? Well, I can, but…?”
Then things are simple.
”I’ll send a vast amount of produce to that warehouse periodically. I can bring the cargo in via teleportation, after all.”
”……!?”
”We have our own harvest schedule, so I can’t promise exactly when the next delivery will be. But if the Kelna Merchant Guild checks the warehouse periodically and pays us an amount corresponding to the volume… how does that sound?” I asked.
If I use Ami-chan’s power, we should be able to transport enough produce to fill a warehouse. However, since teleportation uses Ego Points⁸, I can’t do it every day.
”That’s an attractive proposal. But on this end, I’d like a guarantee that we can procure a stable amount periodically…” Lambdaine said.
”It’s not limited to produce from the Demon Forest, but isn’t harvest volume something that fluctuates depending on the weather? You shouldn’t seek stability from things of nature,” I replied.
Well, as far as the Land of Blessing⁶ is concerned, it’s an exception… The harvest is always stable regardless of the weather.
”Hoh… interesting. Then how about this? I’ll send out instructions right now to empty one warehouse. Try stuffing that place with produce for real. I’d like to make a judgment after seeing that,” Lambdaine said.
”Understood,” I replied.
If the North Plantation gets on track in addition to the South Plantation, I think I could pack any warehouse tight, no matter the size. Plus, since I won’t be delivering every day, I can always secure the surplus to convert into Resource Points⁷.
In the unlikely event that we’re short, I just have to take the time to expand the plantation area again. After all, there’s plenty of land to spare. We’re the ones in a position to handle things however we want.
After that, in a relatively short amount of time, word came that one warehouse had been cleared.
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Summary:
The King of the Labyrinth and Eme negotiate a trade deal with the powerful guild leader Lambdaine. Eme pushes for political backing instead of just gold, realizing the high value of their unique crops. Lambdaine demands a high volume of goods in exchange for his influential name. The King proposes using teleportation to fill a massive warehouse periodically, bypasssing logistical hurdles and impressing Lambdaine.
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Character Insight:
In this chapter, the King shows a rare moment of initiative by leveraging Ami’s teleportation capabilities to solve a logistical deadlock. While he usually feels overwhelmed by political maneuvering, he identifies a practical solution that allows Eme to maintain their high-ground position. Lambdaine’s willingness to ‘invest’ his name shows he recognizes the King as a rising geopolitical power, not just a farmer.
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Behind the Scene:
The author highlights the power disparity between the Republic and the Emmeld Kingdom, using Lambdaine’s arrogance to set the scale of the world. The mention of ‘hidden trump cards’ like white sugar suggests that the Labyrinth’s economy is far more advanced than the surrounding medieval setting.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Lambdaine – A powerful Councilor of the Shital Republic and a successful merchant who built his fortune from nothing. He is the grandfather of Iris and Aris.
• Liliarette – The other Princess, who sacrificed her ability to walk and her sorcery talent to save her sister, Cleonora. She is imprisoned in the East Tower and is being used as a political and monetary pawn by Viorga. C-cup, true golden hair, waist-length hair, the fringe was a slightly blunt, hair on her left side was braided to the chest.
• Ami – A palm-sized fairy-like being from a world separate from both Earth and the isekai realm. She has light blue hair tied in a ponytail, mischievous blue eyes, and tiny wings that flutter behind her. Her outfit consists of a provocative high-cut leotard and a short jacket that looks like a miniskirt from the back, leaving her legs bare. Despite her playful appearance, she is actively searching for a contractor who can protect her from dangerous pursuers in exchange for the powers she offers.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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