A few minutes passed as Linkin consoled Lovell and completed the new client-merchant contract.
Once everything was finalized, Linkin received details from Lovell regarding the location of his smithy along with some other useful information.
Afterward, Linkin, accompanied by Val'Niya, escorted Lovell to the first floor of the Merchant's Guild and saw him off properly.
Next, Linkin and Val'Niya paid a visit to Sini in the receptionist area in order to sign the one-month Assistant contract. Needless to say, Sini was overjoyed and went to work quickly to ensure that everything proceeded smoothly.
The paperwork itself took less than five minutes to complete. And after Linkin and Val'Niya placed their signatures on the contract, it became official.
"Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on contracting your first Assistant from the Assistant Association, Merchant Linkin. Do bear in mind that while they are there to assist you in nearly every way imaginable, there are certain lines that should not be crossed. If it is discovered that you are mistreating your Assistant, an official investigation will be launched. If your mistreatment is found to be true, not only will you be barred from using the services of the Assistant Association in the future, but there will also be heavy fines. Depending on the severity of the situation, your Merchant's Guild license may even be permanently revoked. Though I'm sure Merchant Linkin has nothing to worry about in that regard. You do not seem like the kind of person to conduct yourself in such a poor manner." Sini stated with a radiant smile.
"I'll be sure to keep your words close to my heart, Miss Sini," Linkin replied as he returned her smile with one of his own.
'Do you take me for a fool? Even without your warning, I have no intention of poking the lion with a stick and waking the entire den.'
The Assistant Association was tied to the Merchant's Guild, Adventurer's Guild, and even powerful noble families that he had no information about whatsoever. If he went against them, it was no different than going against all the forces by their side.
'There's still too much that I don't know about this world. Even undertaking this venture with the smithy is already a big risk on my part. I enjoy a good gamble, but I try not to make it a habit of playing a rigged game where I can't even influence the odds.'
After some brief small talk with Sini and exchanging farewells, with their plan set, Linkin and Val'Niya left the Merchant's Guild and went their separate ways.
'I wanted to test her a little more so I said we'd meet tomorrow morning, but... Is that really enough time for her to find anything useful?'
This was not like back on earth where you could simply go on the web and easily dig up a good deal of information about companies and how they typically did business.
'It looks like I'll have to do a bit of extra footwork. It'd be rather embarrassing if I let my dear Assistant show me up. I gotta say, it's been a while since I've been this excited about something.'
A grin appeared on Linkin's face.
As he walked through the bustling streets of the city, he could not help but feel a sense of excitement.
A new world vastly different from the one he was used to, the contract he made with William, the Merchant's Guild, the challenge of uncovering the truth behind why Richard and the Mystic Emporium had an interest in Lovell's smithy—it was all invigorating.
Linkin knew that he had to tread carefully as there was no telling what kind of dangers lay ahead. However, it was not as though he was not already used to doing that.
'I guess it's about time to get started.'
...
...
...
As Linkin made his way through the city, he visited various shops and taverns, asking discreet questions about the Flame Wreathed Serpent and Mystic Emporium Merchant Groups.
Of course, Linkin made sure to keep his identity well hidden. To ensure this, he purchased some plain clothes along with a nondescript hat at one of the shops he paid a visit to.
Additionally, he bought a small portion of semi-dark clay from a ceramics shop he passed by and used it to make a distinct "birthmark" on the back of his right hand.
When it came to gathering information, there was an important factor one had to be mindful of above nearly all else—appearance.
No matter if it was the slums or a fancy banquet hall, one had to match the environment in a way that did not stand out or draw attention to themselves. It also helped to create fake defining features such as scars, tattoos, or a birthmark. This made it so that even if someone did remember him, they would be subconsciously led to recall the features that stood out the most. And since he had such a bland and forgettable appearance, naturally, the first thing they would remember was the birthmark on his right hand that could be erased the moment it became necessary.