Chapter 96. I Apologize, Father (3)

Matthew wouldn't know, but….

Patrick was born into a noble family and formally received lessons in etiquette and culture.

And though it might be unexpected.

No, it was truly unexpected, but Patrick had surprisingly taken those classes ‘diligently.’

Patrick would skip out when Brian told him to learn swordsmanship, but he diligently attended and properly practiced his culture and etiquette lessons.

Seeing this, Butler Lawrence, who was teaching Patrick etiquette at the time, was surprised and asked.

[Young Master. You are working very hard in your culture classes. Is there a reason?]

[When I was young, I would have just snorted at this kind of thing. I thought, ‘What kind of nonsense is this?’]

[Ah…. Yesss….]

[But you know. After living a little, I realized. There are times when you need things like this too. Haa…. Why didn't I know that when I was young?]

[Ah…. Yes. I see.]

The butler tried to be sparing with his words.

This was when Patrick was six years old.

In any case, thanks to that, Patrick was able to drink tea according to etiquette without any rudeness.

And after drinking the tea, Patrick said with a smile.

“The aroma of the tea is excellent. There is no harshness in the taste either.”

“Hoh, you can tell?”

“Yes. Your skill is not merely at a hobbyist's level.”

“Hahaha. The young friend knows how to speak flattery as well.”

Aron laughed it off, but Patrick inwardly nodded.

‘Throughout history, there has never been a man absorbed in his hobby who wasn't pleased when his skills were praised.’

Even if a man with terrible fishing skills caught a single minnow, one had to know how to say, ‘Wow. That’s amazing. As expected of you, sir,’ from the side.

That was the kind of hospitality needed when having a consultation.

However, his opponent was the kingdom's top merchant.

He was not the type to melt and let his guard down at such obvious flattery.

“So, what is the reason you came to see me today? Patrick Schneider.”

Aron brought up the main topic in a soft tone.

While still brewing another cup of tea using his tea set, he spoke to Patrick.

“If you went out of your way to request a meeting through my son, there must be a reason befitting it, right?”

“Of course.”

“I am curious about that reason. Will you tell me?”

Of course, he had an inkling of the reason.

‘It must be money.’

What other reason would a noble have for requesting a meeting with a merchant?

In fact, considering he was his son's friend and the recent performance this genius had shown, he could have readily agreed to a certain amount of investment.

But Patrick's following words were something Aron had not expected at all.

“I have come to ask you to handle the distribution of a specialty product produced in our fiefdom.”

“…Hmm.”

Instead of answering, Aron lifted the teacup in front of him and slowly drank his tea.

It was a habitual action when he needed time to think during a conversation.

‘I didn't expect this.’

He never imagined they would talk about business.

Patrick Schneider was the genius of the sword who had recently started making a name for himself in White Town.

He naturally thought Patrick would try to use his own value to forge a relationship with the Elbador Merchant Guild.

But now, Patrick was talking about business.

After putting down his teacup, Aron spoke.

“As far as I know, I heard there are no particular specialty products in the Schneider fiefdom.”

“You know of our fiefdom?”

“Isn't it the fiefdom in the far east of the kingdom? A place where most of the territory borders the Great Forest.”

“Ooh, do you have any more information?”

“It's a place with many difficulties in agriculture. The land is barren, and monster interference is too frequent. But I've heard that things have gotten a bit better recently by selling monster byproducts.”

“You know more than I thought.”

“A merchant who is ignorant of information should close up shop.”

Still, he hadn't expected him to know information even about the Schneider fiefdom, a backwater in the East.

Patrick, having confirmed the abilities of the Elbador Merchant Guild Master, said with a smile.

“As you said, our fiefdom has had nothing that could be called a specialty product until now. Until now, that is.”

“Hoh, does that mean you have one now?”

“Yes. It will take some time for full-scale mass production, but a sample has been produced.”

“Hoh, so you mean you've brought the product with you right now.”

“Yes. That is correct.”

Patrick snapped his fingers at April, who was behind him. She then brought a bag and placed it on the table.

Patrick gestured with his palm and said leisurely.

“Please, open it.”

“You are quite confident.”

“You will not be disappointed when you see it.”

Aron opened the bag with a bit of curiosity.

What could be the product presented by this confident genius? What was inside the bag he opened was….

“Fabric?”

Inside was a roll of white fabric.

He lifted it up to appraise the item in more detail. At that moment….

“Ooooh.”

He was surprised.

The texture that met his hand was fantastic.

This feeling, close to pleasure, as if softness and smoothness coexisted.

A texture like caressing a maiden's cheek.

And its light weight, despite filling the bag.

“Hooooo….”

The moment he unrolled and spread the fabric, the white cloth unfurled ethereally, riding the air.

There was no need for any further appraisal.

He knew what this item was.

“This is silk.”

“……”

“It's a specialty of the elves, but are you saying you're producing this in your fiefdom? How?”

“That's a secret.”

Patrick answered with a calm smile.

But that was only his outward appearance.

Inwardly, he was quite flustered.

‘What? Was silk already a thing?’

This was a fact he had not known.

But there was nothing to be gained by revealing that fact here.

Patrick quickly racked his brain.

If it was an existing product, there was no need to explain its value at length.

In that case, let's change the approach.

Patrick said with a relaxed smile.

“I cannot tell you the route through which we obtained the manufacturing method.”

“Hmm, I suppose that would be the case.”

“However, it is certain that the silk is a product produced in our fiefdom.”

“Ooh…. You've figured out the production method for silk?”

“I swear on my honor.”

“Hmm, then I will believe you.”

Seeing Aron nod, Matthew, who was beside them, thought.

‘Patrick's honor. Patrick's honor…. Does that even exist?’

Patrick Schneider and honor?

It was truly an awkward combination of words to be in the same sentence.

Regardless of that.

‘Ooh…. Silk. The quality doesn't look bad either.’

A look of unconcealable surprise appeared on Aron's face. They had figured out the manufacturing method of silk and even succeeded in producing the actual product.

That meant a goose that lays golden eggs had just been born in that backwater fiefdom in the East.

He immediately acted as a merchant.

“Can you sell the production method?”

“Hahaha, it was a method we obtained with great difficulty, so….”

“I will pay 100,000 gold.”

“Ahem…hem hem.”

It was Patrick, desperately composing himself after almost saying ‘Call!’ in that moment.

‘Look at how generous this old man is.’

100,000 gold?

The amount was so absurd that Patrick had to do his best to bring his wandering mind back to its place.

“The production method is not for sale.”

“100,000 gold is a huge sum. Even if you succeed in successful production, it would take you more than 20 years to earn such an amount.”

“That may be so, but it may not be so.”

“I don't understand. Don't you see that I am making an offer at a loss?”

“Hahahahaha….”

Patrick first laughed heartily.

While doing so, he thought to himself.

‘Who are you trying to fool?’

One of the things Patrick believed in the least was when merchants said they were taking a loss.

If you're going to trade at a loss, why be a merchant?

Just do charity work.

In the end, the losses that merchants endure are mostly lies told to make the other party feel good. If not that, it's only when it's an investment to gain greater value in the future.

Otherwise, a merchant would never do something that results in a loss.

‘A merchant taking a loss? It's more plausible that a shaman's horse-tools would chant Namu Amitabha.’

Patrick continued in a relaxed voice.

“Guild Master. What I want is a merchant guild that will handle the distribution of the silk produced in our fiefdom.”

“So the production method is absolutely off the table?”

“Yes. That is correct.”

“…200,000 gold.”

“It's not about the money.”

“The young friend is quite detached from money.”

“I tend to hear that often.”

Matthew's jaw dropped.

‘My god, justice and conscience are dead in this world.’

How could he say such a thing without batting an eye?

At least wet your lips with saliva before….

Ah, he was doing it right now.

That wicked man.

In any case, Aron thought with a serious expression.

The abacus in his head was furiously calculating.

Silk.

A specialty product made by the elves of the north, an item that was released to the world in very small quantities.

Light, durable, and above all, its texture and color were so fantastic that this item had no set price.

It was truly a case of 'name your price,' and high nobles of the Empire, in particular, were willing to pay enormous sums of money for a single dress made of this silk.

The production method for such silk?

If one wasn't greedy for this, one wasn't a merchant.

‘Even by force…. No, no. That's impossible.’

Patrick Schneider was not just the heir to a backwater fiefdom in the East.

He was a rising star with a talent that was not just distinguishing itself at the Academy, but might, with a little time, make a name for itself across the entire continent.

Forming a bad relationship with such a figure was a crazy act….

“Ah!”

As his thoughts reached this point, Aron realized something.

He looked back at the date when Matthew had recently asked him to meet his friend, the date he had given his answer, and the date Patrick Schneider had shown his unbelievable performance in the mid-term assessment.

‘The mid-term assessment was after our meeting was confirmed. And before that, I didn't even know the name Patrick Schneider. If so….’

Having finished his thought, Aron looked at Patrick and said.

“You are no ordinary person.”

“Ahem!”

Patrick, puffing out his chest with a smug look.

Normally, people would scold Patrick for such behavior, but Aron looked at him as if he were looking at a monster.

‘Everything was for today's meeting.’

If Patrick had shown up with only the background of being Matthew's friend and proposed the same deal, Aron would have tried to find out the silk manufacturing method one way or another.

Whether by offering a huge sum to buy it, planting people to dig up information, or if necessary, mobilizing high nobles with money to use the power of authority….

If he set his mind to it, there were many ways.

But the story was different if the trading partner was the current Patrick Schneider.

A young genius of talent who overwhelmed seasoned professors at a young age, before even having his coming-of-age ceremony.

No, a monster beyond a genius.

What would the future of such a monster be?

The state of 7-star, said to be the ultimate state, would not be far for him.

Perhaps he might even set foot in a state beyond that, like the few monsters on the continent who reigned above the law.

He could not seize the silk manufacturing method while forming a bad relationship with the young man who would become such a monster.

That would be an act of accepting future ruin for immediate gain.

In other words, Patrick had foreseen all of this and revealed his presence in such a way during the mid-term assessment.

To clearly show who he was.

What kind of person he was.

“That was a close call.”

“Eh, what could have happened?”

“Those words mean….”

“He's my friend's father, so I know my limits. I would have gone easy on you. Easy.”

As if to say, ‘I’m the one doing you a favor.’

At Patrick's attitude, Aron made a dumbfounded expression.

‘What nerve….’

Even the great nobles of the Kingdom of Atronia could not easily say such things to Aron.

But this young man was calmly saying such things to him.

What's more, this condescending tone of 'going easy' sounded quite plausible to Aron's ears.

‘He's not a man to be made an enemy of.’

The conclusion was reached.

A person who should not be made an enemy.

And a person with whom one could gain enormous benefits by working together.

Aron trusted his insight.

Therefore, he quickly changed his stance.

“What is the production volume?”

“Hoh, by that you mean?”

“Let's coordinate the detailed terms of the deal.”

“That is welcome news to my ears.”

It was the moment the consultation was established.

‘No way. He really convinced my father.’

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