Arc 1 (Conception): (20) The Merata Company
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(20) The Merata Company

Since my marriage with Qunia, Tuner and my friendship-cum-tutor relationship have a closer meaning like son-in-law type, maybe in an approximate sense. But this has more profound meaning to me than father-in-law. I could be bolder with my discussions, as we have more trust in between. I know that he wants me and Quina to flourish as a family and helps as much as he can. 

While many can say, it is a small favor only. But before this, you have to be aware of the fact that Tuner is the only link joining villages and Gazina city through his regular trip. Until now, he was playing many roles like a merchant, adventure guild officer, messenger, carrier all in one. When you talk about influence, he is second to none in these villages. If not for our relationship, strengthen further due to ties to a relative in some sense. He would not so quickly let anyone take a big chunk of his customers and extra income. Still, happily talk to you. 

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"Good Morning Tuner, How are you doing? How was the deer curry of last night?"

"Oh! Kola, come sit here. Deer curry was wonderful. So, you are really planning for the meat business. Do you have confidence in entering the higher class market in Guzina city? If you managed to do so, I could also help you get more meat from other village's hunters. I assume you are here for a space ring."

"You are right. Qunia and I are very positive that with Zuya's help, there is a higher chance of that happening. Further, we are not investing in something useless by buying a space ring."

"Ok, for the time being, you can use this spare space ring of mine. The market price is 100 gold coins for 10-meter cubic volume."

I know that this thing would be expansive, but this much costly. It was beyond my expectation. Well, I also understand that the Tuner of all people would never cheat me. So, I paid for the space ring and left with it plus a deflated purse, reminding me that I need to start earning soon. Now that I have a wife, I need to consider extra factors in future plans.

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Qunia and I moved to the fields and worked with the harvesting of herb green-mist grass. We moved a few pots for simple cooking in the forest, which will be our second home. According to the 'One-leaf' cultivation method, we have planned our meals and will be dominated by plants, fruit, and leaf. 

We plan to fill our space ring by hunted animals in the vicinity of the village forest. As we need meat for our visit to Gazina city to showcase to potential buyers, our sample meat and avoid surprise level-up due to this hunting in the forest. Therefore, we have Pata, Rena, Manoj, and many in our relatives and friends deliver the final killing blow to the hunt.

Things were also going well for Qunia. Her relationship with Manoj's family, Haku, Tuner, and Meena, improved. Also, many villagers wanted to join us for a chance to level up, as these people do not dare to hunt in the forest due to the fear of attack from wolves and other predators unless someone power-level them. And finding anyone free and powerful enough to help these villagers is very, very rare in this village. Where any decent person soon leaves for the Gazina city.

While we were happy to get meat without the risk of getting an unwanted level up prompt. But to these people, to was like giving them some extra life to live, as human life increases with the level of humans. While farming is the most straightforward profession to level-up at first from level-0 to 1, it requires more time than a lifetime for the next level-up. Similar was the situation with other life-skill professions, so I could clearly see a business opportunity here. Helping these farmers or different life-professions level up with these slightly stronger wild animals for money and meat in the city for rich people to eat. A win-win business opportunity.

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So, I need to make sure that my wild meat business starts as soon as possible. Therefore, I even hi-jacked the Manoj's and Haku's space rings in exchange for the help I gave them in leveling up as a leader of our future Hunter teams. We filled all these space rings with wild animals meat, like deer meat, rabbit meat, hare meat, etc..

My business plan now has three steps. The first step, provide paid level-up for these middle-class life-skill professions from the city by letting them kill with safety guaranty caged wild animals at the facility; the second step, to open restaurants of meat-related dishes as the central theme; finally, the third step is to supply wild meat to noble and wealthy houses through meat shop. With this, the future direction for progress was decided. 

What I needed now was a more presentable front to get investment from other people? I did not have much money on me apart from what Zuya left for me. We needed to explore the world, get more power under me, and cultivate 'one-leaf.' What could give us better excuses to travel more and recruit more people, train guards, etc. but noble will still not feel offended? It is a business company that makes their city better and earns income then gives them more taxes and gifts as bribes. So, I plan to name all these ideas under Merata company's name as this village will be our base of operations and villagers investors.

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While everything looked slick, but the truth was far from it. We still forgot something, how do you make a company? You register to Merchant Guild and pay their regular taxes and taxes to city lord you do business in, tada...you is a company with the necessary certification. No, you are still far from a business company in reality. You also need a place to open your office or shop front to do business deals with others, need product procurement and product demand channels, need staff, and so on.

If you ask me what we have? Yes, we have product procurement channels, but no demand, no place to open office, no staff for customer service...and tiny funds. So, I am in dire need of money. Looks like you can never do anything significant if you do not become shameless. My initial effort to get villagers to invest in my plans was not successful. So, I did something new nobody will expect me to do. I took loans from every person in the village that I could visit. 

Taking a loan from a person not willing part of their money is an art. You need to first win the person's confidence, for that you need to know all about the person. This takes a lot of works, observation, and effort. Then I have to make sure to create a picture of him being more wealthy and having fun in the future of their liking—all while mellowing him enough to milk each and every penny borrowable from the guy. Finally, and most important part of the act is to leave the place before the person could even realize any flow or problem with your picture and do something to stop you. And when I say to run, believe me, you actually need to run as no matter how realistic your vision or idea is, it will always have some flow. Even reality is not spared from this and has much better appearing alternate possibilities.

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You can not imagine how much money was in this village. I got 1,232 gold coins, 120 silver coins, and 300 copper coins. Don't look down on these copper coins. In darker times, these copper coins can be a lifesaver. 

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This was the conclusion on what people came when they woke up about all the money they gave me last night in the heat of discussion while talking about future prosperity with me, and it was not hard for them to realize that I borrowed from nearly every village household. 

The next day, people talked with pride about how far-sighted they are and have invested in Kola's Merata company. They were stunned to realize one thing that unknown to each other they all have invested in the company. They are not being scammed by Kola, right? Finally, everyone moved to Manoj, Haku, and Tuner for opinion and were again surprised to know that these three also have given more than 200 gold coins to Kola and hence were like the major funders of the Merata company. They could not help but feel angry in their mind on Kola. But still have to keep smiling to cover for Kola, knowing that all things were just speculations and truth can be anything. Therefore, These three old-timers choose to defend Kola for the time being.

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