abcnovels
Volume 4 - Ch 4.15
Volume 4 - Ch 4.15
Since that was it for todays exploration of the Labyrinths, the day was not even halfway through when we arrived back in the building of the Quratar Adventurers Guild through the Warp portal. While we were there we asked for the directions that would point us to the exact location of the Quratars branch of the Merchants Guild, which, as it turned out, was located on the other side of the Quratars Labyrinth and the Adventurers Guild and the ward where our house was located. We are lucky that the center of Quratar is so big and houses pretty much all of the facilities necessary for proper adventuring and everything else related to it, because that way we have access to pretty much all that we need within just a short walk from the Adventurers Guild.
So this is the place, huh?
I remarked when we have arrived in front of the Merchants Guilds building.
Yes, this is the headquaters of the Merchants Guilds Quratar branch.
Sherry confirmed that for me in a matter-of-factly fashion. I have to say, I expected the Merchants Guilds building to be a big one and it certainly was, but in an altogether different sense than the one that belonged to Quratars Explorers Guild.
I is quite big. . . . horizontally, I mean.
That is because building it in such a way was more efficient while keeping the place representative at the same time, as is expected of one of the two biggest guilds in Quratar.
Two biggest guilds?
Yes: the Explorers Guild and the Merchants Guild. While the Explorers Guild can be said to be the source of Quratars strength, the Merchants Guild can definitely be called the source of Quratars wealth.
The source of Quratars wealth, huh? Certainly, if the Merchants Guild had enough money to own such an impressive building, then the amount of money they must have at their disposal has to be even more amazing.
Master, since you decide to go in there, then may I give you a word of advice?
Sure, go right ahead.
Okay then. Please, do be careful while doing business in that place. I heard that it is practically impossible to haggle or outwit the brokers and the middleman of the Guild because they are all cooperating with one another. One of the Dwarves I knew tried it and failed spectacularly, and after that he complained about it to pretty much everyone at every opportunity he could find.
Something like that actually happened to one of Sherrys aquaintances? That is sad to hear, but that is just how it is while dealing with merchants and other people who know their way around working with money. They will always look for a chance at maximizing their own profits while cutting their potential losses as much as possible.
Really now, do you not just hate it when brokers try to take so much money out of you, even though we are the ones coming to their Guild with the intention of buying their items and selling them the ones that we possess? Because to me, it almost feels like a robbery or extortion in broad daylight!
There, there Sherry, there is no need to be getting all emotional about it here. . . . . . .
I told Sherry to keep her cool, but essentially I agree with what she said, for the reasons stated above, and from her words, it would seem that participating in an auction is not as simple as I thought it would be. In that regard, this world has much more in common with my old one than one might have expected. After all, earth has auction houses as well, and from the rumors that I heard about them, the competition for even the smallest or cheapest of the items they offer can be incredibly cutthroat, and in order to outwit and outmanuever all the people who might want to get their hands on the same item that you want, you need to not only have absurdly large amounts of money, but you also have to know how to play them in the right way. There is only one constant, unchangeable thing that you can be pretty sure of, regardless of the world that you live in: as long as money moves around, people are going to be moving along with it as well, and since broker is also a type of occupation, then there is nothing strange about them doing everything in their power to maximize their gains from every transaction, because every businessman in the world is going to care first and foremost about their own self-interests, everyone elses be damned. You have to be a special kind of shrewd to be a broker, but it is the kind of shrewd that I can most definitely respect, to a certain degree at least, or until they will try to use their cunning tricks and honeyed words on me.
All right, shall we get inside then?
Y-Yes, let us do that.
Of course, master.
When we entered the main building after our arrival, there were several men and women in the lobby. Now, is it just my imagination, or did they really started eyeing us all over as soon as they saw us? Even for someone like me, who got used to being looked down upon throughout my life, this feeling of being sized up and labeled based on my appearance alone was pretty unpleasant. When we stopped to have a proper look around, a man soon walked up to us.
Oho, now there is a face that I have never seen around here before. Is it your first time visiting Quratars Merchants Guild by any chance, sir?
It is, actually.
I replied to his inquiry. Since this was really my first time here there is no point in lying, but nothing is stopping me from using Identifyon him at the same time. Let us see who this guy is and what are his Stats.
Laurel
Male, fourty seven years old
Job: Sex Maniac Lv.35
Equipment:
Iron Sword of Landslide, Sacrificial Misanga
Oh, would you look at that, a human who has Sex Maniac set as his main Job and is not even trying to hide it. I think this is actually the first time I saw someone like that. Now that I think about it, if this man is a one of the brokers working for the Merchants Guild, then should he really have Sex Maniac as his main Job? What if somebody were to see it on his Intelligence Card and thought that this is awfully unprofessional of him? Then again, I guess there are not that many occasions when you have to present your Intelligence Cards to others in the first place, so he either found a way to hide it from others or he really just does not care about it at all. Anyway, if those information were all that I had to go by to make myself an opinion about this man, it would have to such that someone who has Sex Maniac set as his main Job does not fit to be an employee of the Merchants Guild at all. But I cannot make hasty judgements just yet. First, let me wait and see what thus man actually has to say to me, because there is no way someone like him would just chat someone like me up without some kind of reason behind it.
My name is Laurel, and I work here as a broker. If it is all right with you, sir, then could I ask for a moment of your time so we could talk?
I am not going to have anything against it as long as it is just going to be talking.
Of course. I will not hold it against you if you decline anything that I might offer you, sir. Now, if it is not too much trouble, then I would like you to accompany me to the upper floor.
The broker pointed to the stairs leading to the Guilds first floor and I started following after him, but then. . . . . . . . . . .
Wait a minute, please.
I looked back at Roxanne and Sherry, who stayed behind on the ground floor without a single word of complain. As much as I do not like the idea of leaving them alone here, I think that taking them with me to the room where this Laurel guy is heading might be just as bad, because if he sees Roxannes big boobs and Sherrys cute, small figure, then who knows what he might try to do to them.