Roswaal Manor.
Roswaal entered the forbidden library after a long time. He greeted Beatrice and began flipping through a large number of documents. These records contained not only magic but also the history of this world.
Beatrice quietly read her book, not disturbing Roswaal.
"No, not this one either," Roswaal muttered, frustrated as he searched through the documents without finding the information he wanted. At this moment, he didn't play the clown or wear any makeup.
"Roswaal, you're very noisy. Can you be a little quieter while reading?" Beatrice finally lost her patience.
"Beatrice, I have a question for you. Do you know about the Witch of Vainglory?" Roswaal sighed. He had only found that the Witch of Vainglory had been exiled. As for any historical traces she left behind? There was nothing.
"The Witch of Vainglory? Unfortunately, that witch didn't leave any trace in history," Beatrice shook her head.
"Is that so." Roswaal flipped through a few more books but still found no record of the Witch of Vainglory. He then left the forbidden library.
His reason for coming here was simple. According to the guidance of the Book of Wisdom, he needed to lure the Sin Archbishop of Vainglory to the Sanctuary. But since then, he hadn't seen any trace of him, not even the twin Oni.
He searched the library to learn more about the Witch of Vainglory and her Archbishop, hoping to find him. But the records showed that, in history, this witch and the Sin Archbishop had left no traces.
Other Sin Archbishops could mostly be found in records, but the Sin Archbishop of Vainglory was completely absent.
In the end, Roswaal placed his hope on the upcoming royal selection. He was certain the Witch Cult wouldn't miss this opportunity.
...
Kararagi.
Four hundred years ago, a traveler from Japan had arrived here and established his own country. This influenced some of the local customs, making them similar to those of Japan.
Because the country was created by a traveler, its social hierarchy wasn't as strict as that of native nations. This also created favorable conditions for merchants. Merchants could trade freely here, while in other countries, it was much harder to develop commerce.
Merchants brought wealth and economic growth, which became one of Kararagi's strengths. But because of this, the gap between the rich and poor was extreme. The wealthy were very wealthy, and the poor were exceptionally poor.
This was Ram's first impression of Kararagi. Compared to the developed city of Priestella, there was a noticeable difference.
"Lord Ren, many people are staring at Ram." Ram could feel the gaze of those around them.
"This is a land where merchants are active. We are outsiders. They first check what they can get from us before taking advantage." Ren had been to this country before. Some areas were genuinely simple and honest, but others… not so much.
"Lord Ren, Rem… she…" Ram hesitated, recalling the look in Rem's eyes before leaving, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
"She's not good at these things. She's better at housekeeping." Over these past days, Ren had learned exactly what the sisters were good at.
"But Rem seems so disappointed…" Ram wanted to say more but stopped.
"I am your employer. I hired you. Comforting your sister is your responsibility, not mine. Do you want Rem to stop admiring you and start admiring me instead?" Ren looked down at Ram, his tone teasing.
"Hmph, comforting my sister is my job," Ram turned her head away, letting out a soft huff.
"Enough. This time, Hoshin Company wants to cooperate and trade in Priestella. We're here to negotiate." Ren placed his hand on Ram's head, ruffling her hair.
Normally, the other party would come to Priestella to see him, but they didn't seem to have that option. Considering their status, Ren decided to make the trip.
"Lord Ren, even if Ram is cute, you can't just touch me. We only have an employment relationship." Ram pushed his hand away from her head.
"Yes, my cute little enforcer," Ren teased, still trying to ruffle her soft hair.
Ram frowned, clearly angry, but helpless. She could only let him continue.
"We're here, Ram." Ren looked at the building not far ahead. A wooden house with neon-like lights and a large door.
"Finally, you're here," a wolfman said loudly as he opened the door, carefree.
Ren and Ram wore long robes, masking their witch aura. Ram slightly bowed, while Ren remained expressionless.
"Sorry. We should have come ourselves. This is a small token of our goodwill." Anastasia stepped forward, her expression apologetic.
Looking at the few high-purity demon crystals, Ren knew this was the best hospitality gift the other party could offer right now.
He accepted them and said directly, "Time is money. Let's get straight to business."
"Let's talk in the living room."
Anastasia led the two of them to the living room. There was no one else around, and tea and snacks were laid out on the table.
Once seated, Ren took a sip of tea. "Since we're talking cooperation, here's what I can offer. First, trade channels across four countries. The current strength of the trade sector in Priestella is obvious to anyone. Second, the opportunity to establish your own commercial circle in Priestella. Tourism makes up half of the city's economy—what that represents, I don't need to explain, right?"
Anastasia listened intently, not replying immediately. The man in front of her had built platforms for merchants to trade, controlling almost all resources in the business world.
"So, what can you bring me, or rather, how much can you give me?"
Ren leaned back on the sofa, while Ram quietly stood behind him.
"Hello, Mr. Shuke. To answer that, please give me five minutes for a self-introduction."
The young girl's eyes were confident, fearless. She briefly explained her background and her experience in business, from her origins to her achievements.
After listening, Ren looked up at the ceiling, glanced at Ram, and then closed his eyes. He understood her meaning. She had started from nothing, fought her way through numerous merchant guilds, and her skills and tactics could make him money.
Ram nodded knowingly and said, "Anastasia wants to cooperate with us personally, not your Hoshin Company."
"Although it's not Mr. Shuke speaking, I can't help but feel a bit disappointed."
Anastasia understood. To convince this giant, she first had to persuade the little steward.
"Ram reminds you, the guest has already wasted valuable time."
"It's alright. It's a bit unpleasant, of course. All expenses during your stay in Kararagi these past two days will be covered by the Hoshin Company."
Anastasia stood up. Her business was just starting and she was looking at foreign markets, hoping to secure cooperation in advance.
But for now, her bargaining chips weren't enough. No matter how impressive her words sounded, they wouldn't carry weight.
"Anastasia, Ram reminds you that you've wasted the Lord's time. He feels you lack sincerity. Now, Ram is notifying you that the Priestella will officially decide to sanction you." Ram's tone was calm, neither humble nor arrogant.
"Mr. Ren, Miss Ram, if I survive this, and even advance further, I will need all the information on merchants from other countries."
Seeing Ren and Ram remain silent, Anastasia continued, "If I develop my company further, I shouldn't sell at the original price anymore, right?"
"Ram has approved of you. If, under this offensive, your company not only survives but surpasses expectations, we will do our best to fulfill your requests." Ram spoke everything at an extremely fast pace.
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**********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 20 early chapters.
patreon.com/PirateKing24