"Elder, what if I had a solution for you? From what I can see, you're clearly not ready to give up on this business"
The bent old man instantly straightened himself, with his previously morose attitude changing to one of frustration.
Of course, he wasn't ready to let go! This was his entire life. He hadn't worked in pursuit of wealth, instead doing so because of his fervent passion.
It had been transferred through his family for generations, and he was no exception.
However, he had to calm himself before inquiring about the offer.
If that youth could really solve his problem, it meant that his identity was quite extraordinary. He couldn't risk offending another party, or it would really be his end.
Now that he had his attention, Derrick carefully thought of his next step. He couldn't seem desperate, but he had to be firm enough to not be seen as a pushover.
"Elder Kuro, what are your thoughts on relocation?"
Kuro nearly chocked.
"How could I ever think of moving?! My family has always done business in this city, even throughout the wars. Our blood and sweat are the foundations of this very establishment"
The old man appeared annoyed at Derrick's inquiry. Still, the necromancer now had to be a bit more forceful. He couldn't let such a chance go to waste.
"With all due respect, your shop has already been tarnished enough. Look at the state of this place… It's deplorable! I know you're not at fault, but you have to accept that your legacy will disappear at this rate. Everything you've ever worked for will be for naught. Can you accept that?!"
The heavy words hammered the old man, who nearly stumbled.
He had never been spoken to like this before, making him want to beat Derrick with his cane.
But his outraged expression slowly changed to one of sadness…
He was right.
He had tried mending the relationship with the person he had offended, only to be completely shut down. When looking back to it, it had been the greatest shame of his life.
When he saw that an opening had finally presented itself, Derrick continued.
"I want you to move to my town, and before you decline, here's what I'm offering : exclusivity to two mines, one of which is iron and the other, copper. We are currently building roads to the iron deposit and will begin its exploitation momentarily. You will also be the first Materials Shop, meaning you'll have a monopoly. Of course, I plan on introducing more competition, but not in the near future"
The old man was surprised by all the benefits.
The cost of acquiring mines was astronomical, with his shop currently relying on the scraps they left behind.
Since the incident, he had also constantly struggled to keep his business operating. If what Derrick said was true, he had the obligation to consider it.
Kuro replied in a nonchalant tone, trying to mask his interest.
"How many citizens does your town have? And how will the future mining sites be awarded?"
Derrick couldn't help but smile. This old man was quite shrewd.
"We presently count 2200 citizens, but I haven't started expanding just yet. I plan on increasing that number to 15 000 by the end of the year. As for the future mining sites, they will be awarded via an auction system, where each company will be capped to four sites to avoid creating monopolies"
Kuro was surprised the necromancer had thought so far.
It appeared he was serious in this endeavor, which made the offer all the more attractive.
The only downside was the population, but if his projections were to come true, he wouldn't have to worry about the survival of his shop anymore, instead focusing on doing what he loved!
It also favored Derrick, as he was wondering about whom to put in charge of the mining sites. He could kill two birds with one stone.
After fainting a deep reflection, the old man sighed before shaking his head.
"It appears I don't have a choice… If I continue on this path, I'll be forced to close in a month anyway"
He presented his wrinkled hand and Derrick firmly shook it, hiding his excitement.
He had never dreamt of bringing an entire sector to his town!
However, an issue of diversification arose, as the only materials that'd be replenished would be iron and copper. He would have to quickly find different ores to allow the creation of various alloys.
"Pack everything in your shop and meet me at the entrance. We're leaving at sundown tonight"
The old man nodded, visibly excited as well.
Derrick left the shop with a gigantic smile. He hadn't spent a single coin, and yet he had already made his biggest acquisition so far.
He then left the outskirts of the city and proceeded towards the center. It was finally time to buy machinery!
The luxurious shops came into view, and they honestly all looked amazing, making Derrick's heart tighten.
May the God of Wealth have pity on him...
He finally stopped in front of a sign that read 'General Tools & Co'. The shop was sleek and clean, with its white marble shining from the rays of the sun.
It wasn't specialized, but Derrick had to buy equipment for construction, farming, mining and forging, thus favoring bulk purchasing. He hoped that would allow him to bargain a little.
He entered and was then welcomed by a mature woman. She wore a tight black dress that exposed her voluptuous cleavage, clearly a tactic to boost her sales.
She eyed Derrick from top to bottom before smirking. The man only wore a black cloak that was made of poor materials, meaning he was clearly a country bumpkin who didn't know his place.
"Please leave the store. You do not have the means to afford our products"
The sheer arrogance in which she had said these words made Derrick fume. Still, he had to control himself, as causing a scene would only hamper him.
With a condescending tone, he answered back.
"Bring me your catalogs on Farming, Construction, Mining and Forging. If you do not, I will ask another salesperson"
The woman froze. Was this person actually important? No, there was no way! This was clearly a delusional moron.
"Please exit the store before I ask our guards to throw you out"
She had a vicious smile on her face, indicating she wouldn't back out.
The commotion had also attracted the gazes of a few passersby, making Derrick angrier by the second.
This bitch was courting death!
"Fine, I'll go see someone else in your store"
"Didn't you hear me? Get out this instant!"
"What are you afraid of? I'm not threatening anyone. If I'm truly as poor as you think, I will be thrown out either way"
The woman harrumphed and her ugly smile grew even larger.
It would indeed be entertaining to see, while giving her the opportunity to humiliate him even further.
As for Derrick, any idea of bargaining had already left his mind. He just wanted to spite her instead.
He hurriedly separated from her and scanned the floor before finding another woman. She was younger and seemed much more pleasant to discuss with.
He couldn't wait to see the look on that wench's face when he would pass his order.