MTLNOVEL Volume 1 Chapter 47 - Negotiations
The day I drank with Kaede-chan, we parted ways before 9 o’clock and I went home.
The next day, I woke up just before noon, ate a rice ball for breakfast, and began preparations to go out.
Today, I’m heading to the guild headquarters to negotiate recovery potions, naturally with Elenoa-san.
I take off my clothes, drink a TS potion, put on a black robe, and attach colored contacts.
After confirming that there are 100 level 2 recovery potions in my bag, I leave the house.
As usual, I disable my invisibility at a convenient place, get in a taxi, and head for the guild headquarters.
After riding in the taxi for a while, it stops in front of a certain building.
A stone sign next to the entrance reads “Guild Headquarters,” so this must be the place.
I pay the driver and step out of the taxi and into the building.
The building is different from other branches; there’s only one reception desk.
It actually looks like a regular office.
Confused, I approach the only available receptionist.
“Hello. I’ve been told to see the head of the headquarters.”
“Welcome. May I have your name, please?”
It’s probably just a formality; this receptionist likely knows who the famous Elenoa-san is.
“Elenoa Ocean.”
“Yes. Please wait a moment.”
The receptionist starts typing on her computer to confirm.
“You, come over here.”
While I’m watching the receptionist work on her computer, I hear a voice coming from the left.
Looking in that direction, I see a middle-aged man with glasses staring at me.
“Who are you?”
I’ve never seen this person before, so I ask.
“You’re the Elenoa Ocean who came to sell recovery potions, right? I’m the one in charge of handling it.”
Really?
“Is this man the head of the headquarters?”
I ask the receptionist.
“N-no.”
Apparently not.
“I was told to meet the head, though?”
“That doesn’t matter. I’m here on orders from higher-ups. I don’t have time to waste.”
Well, I don’t care.
And hey, I’m the customer here.
Why are you acting so high and mighty?
“Fine, whatever.”
For me, as long as the potions sell, nothing else matters.
The guild’s internal affairs are none of my concern.
“Follow me.”
The middle-aged man said just that and went into a nearby room.
“Seems like I’ll go along with it. Cancel the meeting with the head, will you? And for the record, it’s not my fault.”
I tell the receptionist, who doesn’t seem to understand the situation, and then head toward the room.
As soon as I enter, the room contains the bespectacled middle-aged man and an elderly man sitting side by side on a sofa.
Who are they?
This can’t be the head of the headquarters.
“Sit.”
The middle-aged man tells me to sit, so I take a seat on the sofa across from them.
“Show us the recovery potions right away.”
As soon as I sit down, the elderly man extends his hand.
“How sudden.”
No introductions, huh?
Who are you guys, anyway?
“Just show it.”
“Why?”
“It might be fake.”
How rude.
“Do you have someone who can appraise it?”
“We can tell by drinking it.”
What?
Drinking it?
“How much are you buying?”
“How much? That comes later.”
Are you an idiot?
“I can’t hand it over without discussing the price first. Also, who are you guys? Part of the guild?”
“You, how dare you disrespect Mr. Shindo!”
The bespectacled man shouts out in a panic.
“Who? I don’t know any guild people.”
Are you an idiot?
“I’m Shindo, a member of the House of Representatives.”
Ah, I’m the idiot.
He was addressed as ‘teacher,’ so he must be a politician.
But I didn’t know that.
“I see… I apologize for my ignorance. But why are you here, Mr. Shindo? I came to sell recovery potions to the guild headquarters.”
“You’re not selling to the guild. Sell to a company I’m acquainted with.”
Hmm…
This is getting fishy.
It’s definitely shady.
“Whether it’s with you or someone else, I don’t mind as long as I can sell them. How much are you offering?”
“1 million yen.”
The guy with glasses confidently stated the amount.
“For a Level 1 healing potion, is it?”
“Don’t play dumb. You came here to sell Level 2 healing potions, didn’t you? Of course, it’s for those.”
He can’t be serious.
“The going rate for Level 2 healing potions is 3 million yen, you know? Yours is quite a bit cheaper.”
“Well, we’re buying from a suspicious witch like you. It’s only natural we would have concerns. Hence, the lower price.”
Talk about rude.
“Sorry, but I can’t sell them for 1 million yen. I can’t go below market value.”
I’d be willing to undercut the price a little, but 1 million yen is just out of the question. I might as well sell Level 1 potions to Satsuki for 500,000 yen.
“You probably have an endless supply. Just hurry up and hand them over.”
This guy is really getting on my nerves.
“Nonaka, calm down.”
Mr. Shindo, who seems to be the elder statesman here, calmed down Nonaka, the man in glasses.
“But still…”
“Never mind, never mind. Elenoa, you’re not a citizen of this country, are you? You’re staying illegally. However, I’ve pulled some strings with the police and the guild, so you’re not in trouble. In other words, I could ruin you with a snap of my fingers.”
I see.
“Thank you for that, but I still can’t sell them to you.”
“Why not? You can make these potions, right? Or perhaps you get them from the Frontier people? Even at 1 million yen, you would still make a profit.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I simply got them as drops from slimes.”
The idea of making potions through alchemy is ridiculous. What is he even saying?
“I see. Just so you know, you won’t be able to sell Level 2 healing potions to the guild. I’ll make sure of it.”
Is this guy some high-ranking politician? Well, I don’t care.
“Is that so? Then there’s nothing I can do. I don’t have much stock to begin with, so I’ll give up.”
I don’t need Level 2 healing potions anyway. I’ll make money from Level 1 healing potions and item bags.
“How much stock do you have?”
“About 5, I guess.”
Lies!
I only brought 100 today, but I actually have 500! Making them is really fun.
“Prepare about 50. I’ll buy them for 1.5 million yen.”
Idiots!
“No, I can’t possibly prepare that many. It seems we can’t come to an agreement, so I’ll take my leave.”
Feeling that I was wasting my time, I stood up.
“Are you sure about that? You realize you’ll be detained.”
That’s a pathetic threat.
“Detain me? You will? Hmm…”
I looked at Mr. Shindo, chuckling.
“You think I’m joking?”
“Heh. Go ahead. Try it. I’ll annihilate everyone here.”
I’m a witch, after all. I’ll eat you up.
“Do you want to make an enemy of our country?”
“Your fault, not mine. Shall I close this country’s gates with my magic?”
Of course, I can’t really do that. I can’t even use basic fire magic that Nana can use.
“Are you… from the Frontier?”
“No, I’m not. Just a regular witch.”
“Heh heh. It doesn’t matter to me either way. Goodbye.”
I quickly left the room and headed to the receptionist I met earlier.
“Ah…”
The receptionist noticed me approaching and let out a small sound.
“Hi. The man earlier said I shouldn’t sell to him, so I’ve decided not to sell Level 2 healing potions. Can you relay that to your boss?”
I don’t feel like selling at a lowball price. Besides, it pisses me off.
“Eh? Eh?”
“Your answer?”
“Ah, yes, understood.”
“Very well. Goodbye.”
I quickly left the building and looked for a taxi. Right on cue, a taxi pulled up in front of the building.
I promptly got in.
“The taxis these days are really something. They come even when you haven’t called, and they even include a girl sitting next to you.”
Though she’s not really a girl by age.
“Our service is good, huh? So, where to?”
“You know your way around, right? Harry.”
“Of course.”
The taxi driver seems to be an A-rank adventurer from another country.