Chapter 27— Making a connection

TLN UPDATE: I'm going to spend some time on a project from work. (More like finishing it up. Will pick up the pace of translations in about 2 days.....). This isn't dropped. I'll be updating in batches of three chaps, as always. Thank you for understanding. 

"I brought an additional Familiar egg, but did all the ones I gave you before hatch?"

　After a while, when I started to spread my land in the forest, expanded the fields, and spent all my days training in riding, the peddler came back to the village.

　According to the contract I made before, he brought me a new egg.

　He was terribly surprised when I told him that all the eggs I had received last time had hatched.

　That's because the peddler predicted that only one or two would have hatched, yet.

　Apparently, the Familiar eggs I raise grow very quickly.

　It may be the effect of [Magic Injection].

　Normally, the eggs naturally absorb the magical power of the person who is the owner and grow, so it seems that it often takes more than a month to hatch one egg.

　Moreover, it takes even more time if you have to raise multiple eggs.

　Therefore, peddler-san was surprised to see the Familiars that have become adults.

"For now, are you going to buy them? What should I do? Is there any one who wants to buy them?" (Ars)

"Hmm? Oh. That's right. To tell the truth, I'm not going to sell the Familiars at first. Though, they will definitely sell." (Peddler)

"Well then, do you want to use them for peddling?" (Ars)

"There is that, but this time it's different. I am going to give a Familiar to someone for free." (Peddler)1

　Huh?

　Even though he said, "These Familiars will definitely sell," is he planning to give one as a gift for free?

　I couldn't understand what the peddler was going to do.

"Fufufu. Don't you know? Ars is still a child."

"What is it? If you say that you want to give one as a gift to a woman, I will consider cutting the contract."

"No, no. That's not true."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"I’m going to give one to the aristocrats who rule this land."

"Give it to the aristocrats?"

"Yes. Do you remember what I said before?"

"……about what?"

"It's said that a peddler who travels around a village like me doesn't have the connections to handle expensive things."

　Speaking of that, I think he said something like that before, but I can’t be too sure.

　What was it?

　In response to the words of the peddler, I dug up my memory.

　By the way, I used to ask the peddler to buy white porcelain and glass tableware at a higher price.

　However, although it cost several times as much as ordinary daily necessities tableware, it did not cost as much as an official luxury item.

　This is partly because the peddler did not have customers to sell tableware at high prices.

　It takes a certain amount of credit to get aristocrats to buy merchandise in this area where the aristocratic class exists.

　Usually, large stores are exclusively in charge of dealing with aristocrats.

　If the aristocrats place an order with a dedicated store, most of them will be available, and since they have a long-standing relationship of trust, the risk of being scammed by a bad business is reduced.

　The exclusive store can also monopolize the transaction with the aristocrat, but if there is something that was illegal and was caught, the store will be held responsible accordingly.

　You have to do business seriously.

　The current situation is that it is difficult for newcomers to enter because of the strong connection between sellers and buyers.

　Not surprisingly, there are no relationships with aristocrats that peddlers who come to our village have.

　No matter how much the peddler claimed that my tableware was going to sell, he didn't buy it for the amount I wanted.

　If it's so expensive, it can only be sold to aristocrats, and even if you try to sell it, you can't even meet the customer properly.

　However, this is not always the case.

　This time, the product was not the tableware I made, but a mountable Familiar that is recognized as valuable and useful in this world.

　There is definitely a high demand for such Familiars.

　There is no doubt that it will sell no matter where you put it.

　So why is it a story of giving it instead of selling it to an aristocrat?

　That is related to the social situation.

　Nowadays, battles are taking place at quite a frequency here.

　And the Familiars that can be mounted can be a very big factor in winning battles.

　The Familiars will be a strategic item, so to speak.

　What if we were to ignore the aristocrats who ruled this land and sell such strategic supplies to hostile aristocrats?

　First and foremost, everyone involved may be banished from the land and have no way of living their lives.

　If so, we cannot do business that ignores aristocrats.

　Therefore, it was the peddler's decision that it would be better to hand it over to aristocrats free of charge before making the first transaction.

　If they like it, it will lead to future purchases, and above all, it will be a strong connection with the aristocrats.

　Maybe that transaction will make a connection to other aristocrats.

　There seems to be such a calculation inside of the peddler’s mind.

"Well, that's why you are going to an aristocratic house next time with me. Tell you father that too."

　Apparently, this peddler also sees this deal as a big opportunity.

　It seems that he will not go to sell the item by himself, but will take the trouble to greet the aristocratic family with not only me, who raised the Familiars, but also my father who is my guardian.

　This was the first time I had to go out of the village.

TLN: Summary: Ars will go out of the village next time. That’s about it. The chapter explains itself, I think. 

Chapter 3/3 of today.