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Chapter 286: The Merchant's Philosophy
Chapter 286: The Merchant's Philosophy
Lindsey was not someone who couldn't read the atmosphere.
So when he saw Elaine under the moonlight, his first thought was his injured left hand, which made using a bow unsuitable. His gaze naturally turned to the weapons in his pack, selecting among the vine whip, ice badger dagger, and meteorite dagger...
"Huh?"
Lindsey's pause left Elaine at the door feeling somewhat at a loss.
The young merchant didn't want to let the opportunity slip away in hesitation, so she approached Lindsey directly:
"Lindsey, why aren't you responding? Is there something on me?"
"......"
Lindsey's expression became quite peculiar.
This attitude was enough to make the shrewd merchant react.
Elaine quickly realized the situation and immediately spread her hands, indicating she posed no threat:
"Wait! You can't have misunderstood something, can you?"
"Lindsey, I'm just a fourth-stage merchant. I absolutely can't pose any threat to you!"
Elaine reacted with incredible speed, accurately predicting Lindsey's mental shift and showing that she had no ill intentions.
Faced with such a merchant girl, Lindsey could only shake his head and sigh:
"Elaine, are you always this quick to react?"
Elaine smiled and replied:
"A lone merchant traveling outside can't afford to be slow."
"Although Knight Quete has given me a lot of money, I don't plan on risking my life on this mission."
At this point, Elaine's tone became somewhat helpless.
She looked at Lindsey seriously, half as a reminder and half as a test:
"This involves the interests of an entire world. If anything goes wrong, I'll be in deep trouble."
"......"
Is she planning to be completely honest?
If it weren't for the conversation with the wizard earlier,
Lindsey might not have realized that the Black Mountain World, which he considered a huge danger, was actually of unparalleled value to others.
Elaine's probing at this moment might actually be a warning to him.
This is a sign of goodwill.
Lindsey's gaze sharpened. At this moment, night patrol soldiers appeared on the distant street.
He didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble or make too much noise.
So he led the way back home and casually asked:
"The Black Mountain World is indeed valuable, but you coming to me so late must mean there's something else, right?"
Elaine sighed in relief:
"My original intention was to check if you had any business opportunities we could collaborate on."
Lindsey countered:
"Was that the original plan, and what about now?"
Elaine followed Lindsey into the house.
She found a chair she had used to whittle wood during the day and sat down confidently:
"Now, I want to have a proper talk with you."
"Lindsey, you know that I've been entrusted by Knight Quete to communicate with you and will inevitably be observing. This can easily lead to misunderstandings."
Lindsey raised an eyebrow, his tone subtle:
"Is it really okay to say that outright?"
Elaine smiled:
"Honesty and lies are both important tactics in negotiations. I think you're more suited to the former, so I came this way."
Elaine winked cutely with her left eye:
"I haven't guessed wrong, have I?"
Lindsey shrugged without a clear response, and the young merchant continued:
"To put it simply, I don't want this mission to damage our relationship."
"A trading partner like you, who can provide excellent goods, is something I desperately need."
Lindsey countered:
"But by laying everything out for me, you might run into trouble with Quete."
"Merchants aren't in a subordinate relationship but are competitors," Elaine smiled, "and Knight Quete follows the path of 'money is everything,' while I believe in 'value exchange.'"
Even from the perspective of an Awakener, we aren't exactly on the same path."
'Money is everything'?
'Value exchange'?
This topic touched upon Lindsey's knowledge blind spot.
His understanding of merchants as Awakeners came solely from some simple written records and the hidden frontier's Somjin.
Elaine sensed Lindsey's hesitation and took the initiative to explain:
"Merchants in Platinum City all have trading as their core skill, but there are differences among them."
"One group adheres to the idea that money is the essence of everything, and all their abilities revolve around this aspect.
As for people like me, we pay more attention to the trading process itself, or the value that is presented during this process."
Lindsey immediately understood the professional divergence among merchants.
It was like the three branches of the warfare school, all skilled warriors, but with distinct differences in their techniques.
Lindsey's quick comprehension impressed Elaine.
For those not involved in commerce, these concepts weren't easy to grasp immediately, but Lindsey, from the hidden frontier, seemed to have a decent encyclopedic knowledge.
As Elaine pondered this, her gaze shifted to the wooden rack in the room. The white plant shelves were already taking shape, and their function was discernible.
"Lindsey, do you plan to sell goods here?"
Lindsey nodded:
"I have a teacher who is a plant scholar. He taught me a lot in this regard, and I need to review it from time to time."
"Then Forest Courtyard is the most suitable place." Elaine agreed, nodding, and then offered a suggestion, "But if you want to do business, I still suggest you go to the South City. The Northeast District has less foot traffic, and it might be challenging to get your shop going."
Lindsey casually shook his head:
"It's fine. I'm just doing an experiment here. After all, I can't stay here forever."
Elaine tentatively asked:
"After your injury heals, you'll leave right away. Mind telling me when that will be?"
Lindsey estimated about 20 days.
But this time, he slightly exaggerated the timeframe, hinting to the merchant girl:
"Twenty-something days, about a month."
"Hmm..."
Elaine lowered her head in thought.
This answer prompted a change in her perception of Lindsey's identity.
"In that case, we can't really have a long-term collaboration."
"But Lindsey, since you're new to Forest Courtyard, you should also plan to collect some seeds and plant samples."
At this point, Elaine straightened her chest:
"Not to boast, but I'm quite confident in this regard."
Lindsey teased with a smile:
"Are you planning to earn back all the coins you make from me?"
Elaine stood up from her chair:
"Hey, this is normal capital flow."
The girl approached and whispered in Lindsey's ear:
"Moreover, the prices I gave you are all fair. You must have inquired about them in the market, right?"
Lindsey shrugged:
"You're certainly well-informed."
"..."
The two chatted at Lindsey's home for half the night.
Their relationship evolved from initial estrangement to a friendly feeling.
When the night grew late and all was quiet.
Lindsey escorted Elaine to the neighboring house and then returned home to rest, reflecting on the night's developments.
Despite his initial reservations.
The merchant girl not only quickly identified the root of the problem.
But with a few words, she turned their relationship around and even struck a business deal.
"No wonder that Riverbank Guild's Kuete hired Elaine, with her different philosophy, to deal with me."
"Exceptional merchants are indeed formidable."
(End of Chapter)
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