Chapter 304: Don't Come Near Me!
Chapter 304: Don't Come Near Me!
In the evening, warm sunlight filtered through the slats of the wooden shutters, illuminating the interior of the house.
This was a residence provided by the Riverbank Chamber of Commerce.
Merchants from Platinum City had their own affiliated chambers, while independent merchants like Aelina operated on their own. The latter had more freedom in their activities but naturally lacked the support that came with being part of a chamber.
Above all the various merchant groups was the Merchant Guild Alliance, the organization that controlled the minting of coins in Platinum City.
This organization was jointly managed by the top-tier merchants and was undoubtedly the pinnacle of the merchant world's hierarchy.
The branch of the Merchant Guild was located in Transcendent City, within the Forest Courtyard.
In reality, this place was controlled by the Riverbank Chamber of Commerce.
The Riverbank Chamber also managed Nine Bays City and Lookout City, but their influence was naturally not as strong as in Transcendent City.
The room Aelina was currently staying in was provided free of charge by the Riverbank Chamber of Commerce to the merchant community, and they also enjoyed some conveniences in their daily lives.
However, there was a price to pay for this treatment.
Merchants who enjoyed these benefits had to respect some basic conditions set by the chamber.
For example, when conducting business activities, they were expected to prioritize doing so within the chamber-controlled areas.
At this moment, Aelina sat confidently in the wooden cabin.
The interior of the room was clean and quiet, and Aelina sat at the desk with a straight posture. Her eyes were focused on the ledger in her hand, and occasionally, she would gently bite the end of her pen as she organized her upcoming plans, quickly jotting down key points on paper.
Occasionally, the merchant girl's movements would reveal a trace of a confident smile, as if she were full of anticipation and confidence in her plans.
Next to the table, there was a map and two cloth bags.
The map was detailed, marking the locations of various shops in the commercial district, with small annotations providing specific information.
The two cloth bags contained spices and medicinal ingredients, respectively.
These items were usually priced higher and were easy to carry, making them highly marketable goods.
Aelina had already exchanged her other goods for money during her journey.
This was her last remaining hard currency, and it was also her trump card in business activities. Even if she lost all her assets, she could quickly liquidate this money.
"Last time I was here, I remember that the Awakener families and nobles in the north were particularly interested in textiles," Aelina said, putting down her ledger and drawing circles on two places on the map. "This time, I can prepare some in advance and maybe even explore new clients. As for local textile sales... it's a bit shady."
"I'll have to ask around at the gathering."
Merchants occasionally gathered at night.
Naturally, Awakened and noble commoners were invited to these gatherings.
Thinking of this, Aelina walked to the mirror in the wooden cabin and adjusted her attire, ensuring her image was both professional and appropriate.
After months of trekking through the forest, she had become quite disheveled.
Not to mention the past month spent as Lindsey's laborer.
Only yesterday, Aelina had finally regained some of the dignity befitting a merchant.
Knock, knock, knock—
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
"Ms. Aelina, here's your dinner for today!"
Paul, an apprentice from the chamber, entered the room carrying a meal. He respectfully placed it on the table for Aelina and then politely bid farewell.
Paul's attitude was very respectful, and his gaze at Aelina even held a hint of longing.
Once these apprentices became Awakened, they would immediately be absorbed by the chamber.
They might also cultivate relationships with visiting merchants, joining the vast merchant community.
After sending off the apprentice, Aelina inspected the food.
In addition to the comfortable accommodations, the Riverbank Chamber of Commerce provided merchants with only the most basic food: bread and vegetable soup. If they wanted better meals, they had to pay an additional meal fee.
"..."
Aelina looked at the food in front of her and hesitated.
As a solo merchant, Aelina was already accustomed to various hardships. She had even eaten dinner while hiding in a swamp during a pursuit.
But now...
"How am I supposed to eat this?"
As the saying goes, it's easier to go from frugality to luxury than from luxury to frugality.
During her time with Lindsey, food had never been an issue, and Aelina had undoubtedly enjoyed a high standard of living in this regard.
Now, faced with this plain and somewhat unpalatable food, a merchant-like thought popped into Aelina's mind:
"If I invited Lindsey to cook and opened a restaurant, would business explode?"
Aelina thought about it and shook her head.
Although she hadn't delved deeper, she could sense that Lindsey was hiding some important secrets. Moreover, there was his unwavering desire to travel to the World of Laws.
It was probably unrealistic to keep this guy around to open a shop and make money together.
"What if I open a restaurant myself?"
Aelina did a quick calculation.
For an Awakener in the Forest Courtyard, acquiring a property wasn't difficult. But if she wanted to open a shop, that would be a different calculation.
At the same time, finding an Awakener chef wouldn't be easy.
Adding to that, various miscellaneous expenses would likely leave her with barely enough funds.
"If I continue as a Merchant, I'll endure hardships, but at least I'll be free."
"If I open a shop, it'll be more stable, but in the short term, I'll probably be confined here, and there's a high chance I'll have to join a Chamber of Commerce."
"..."
Aelina was tempted for a moment, then fell silent.
A Merchant's transactions weren't just about money; their skill improvement also came from these dealings.
A stable business environment meant a slow but steady improvement.
Her potential in this life would probably plateau at the fourth stage.
It also meant giving up on exploring the infinite world, searching for that opportunity called hope, which was as elusive as the horizon.
"As expected."
Aelina chuckled lightly, "I can't possibly stay in one place forever."
At that moment, the girl heard running footsteps in the corridor outside.
Her room was the last one on the second floor facing south, and from the sound of hurried footsteps, she knew they were headed straight for her.
Aelina opened the door.
Paul, the apprentice from the Riverbank Chamber of Commerce, was indeed panting as he rushed over, "Miss Aelina, someone's looking for you!"
After explaining the situation, Paul carefully continued his description, "He's holding two bouquets of flowers, they should be Dreamy Purple Carnations, and they'd cost four or five silver coins to stock up!"
"..."
"Alright, I understand."
Aelina had intended to go downstairs to meet the person at the Chamber.
But when she thought about the flowers and the effort to preserve them, she called out to Paul, "Paul, go and bring him up, I'll wait in my room."
"Okay, Miss Aelina," Paul's expression fell, and he nodded and left.
A few minutes later.
The flower-bearing man climbed the stairs.
Aelina was very confident in her appearance and knew she was a beauty.
Before meeting him, she had assumed it was the person she had traded with in Nine Bays City, or perhaps a Merchant expressing his interest in her.
But she never expected.
That it would be Lindsey, holding a bouquet, standing before her!
"Huh? Why are you here?"
Aelina's expression was complex, and she quickly pulled Lindsey into the room, locking the door behind them:
"Lindsey, what's the meaning of this?"
The man before her was a money sink, and Aelina was cautious.
Lindsey managed a smile, "These flowers are for you, no charge."
"And we're friends, after all. It's only natural to bring a gift when visiting."
Aelina's eyes remained filled with suspicion.
Her Merchant's intuition told her the man before her definitely had an ulterior motive!
Lindsey observed the girl's reaction.
He sighed, took out a bottle, arranged the flowers in it, and placed it on the table. Only then did he speak seriously about his intentions:
"Alright, let's get straight to the point."
"I have a lucrative business deal, and I want you to join me."
Aelina finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Hearing the words 'money' and 'deal', she quickly pulled Lindsey to sit with her in the room:
"That's perfect, we were thinking the same thing!"
Lindsey interpreted Aelina's actions as a Merchant's skill, sensing something.
They shared a smile, feeling the travel camaraderie returning. Lindsey then took out stockings from his bag and spoke to the girl before him:
"If we're on the same page, it'll be much simpler."
"Aelina, why don't you take off your pants first?"
Aelina's expression froze.
She immediately jumped back, her entire body almost pressed against the second-floor window, ready to escape at any moment.
The Merchant girl's attitude was completely different from when she had tempted Lindsey before. She shouted,
"Lindsey, what are you doing?!"
"Don't come any closer, or I'll have to take action!"
(End of Chapter)
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