"An auction with an armor of that caliber? Interesting…"
The striking blue eyes of the man narrowed. This was indeed a tricky situation.
As the Official of Terra, such matters had to be handled delicately, or they would reveal precious information. He spent a few minutes pondering before finally turning his gaze back to the soldier, who was still on one knee with his head down.
"What's the situation in the City? How far has the information spread?"
"My Lord, it's already spread everywhere. We couldn't silence these nobles without arising suspicions, so we didn't want to act without your say-so"
"Good… We can't expose ourselves. Do you have any information on the seller?"
"So far, we have no information, and it appears that the Auction House's owner is keeping it under wraps"
"Oh, who is it?"
"Brigand Lancaster. He is a very influential merchant who has built himself quite the reputation. He has never committed crimes and operates according to our strict regulations"
"I understand the gist of it. Revealing the identity of such a fantastic source of revenue would set him back a lot. Hmm..."
He pondered for a few more minutes before coming up with a plan.
"Invite this merchant here. We have much to discuss…"
***
After a night of festivities, Derrick groggily woke up.
Even if his body didn't necessarily need to rest, it was a habit he didn't want to forgo. He was a firm believer in the fact that being well-rested allowed one's body to perform better.
The necromancer looked at the window and sighed.
Dawn had begun rearing its head, meaning that the shops were now opening their doors. This would be his last day in Terra, making it extremely busy.
During their celebration, he had asked Brigand to leave in a good word for him at the Slave Market. He didn't have much time, so he had to make the most of it.
He had also arranged transportation this time to avoid unwanted looks.
On top of this, Brigand had already prepared his weapons' order and earnings, which Derrick promptly placed in his pouch. The man worked amazingly fast.
Derrick got out of the bed and dressed quickly.
He then started listing everything he needed. He wouldn't come back for a while, so forgetting anything would be a major set-back.
First, the materials.
While he was building a road to mine ore, it wouldn't immediately translate to sufficient supply. He would have to provide a buffer period to allow the production to catch up to the demand that would rapidly become astronomical.
After all, they were starting from scratch, thus requiring insane amounts of resources. He also needed to honor the promise he had made to Fomamli, which required top-notch materials.
Second was machinery.
Akata didn't have the expertise to manufacture their equipment, and until they did, they would have to rely on foreign aid. The domains he wanted to prioritize were forging, construction, farming and mining. To Derrick's knowledge, these were the four vital points of a new emerging town.
Thirdly, transportation.
With roads being built and materials being excavated, coaches and carriages would be needed. They only had a few shabby ones, and they'd be quickly unsuitable going forward. He was unsure on how to bring the expertise back to Akata, but he had to try.
This brought him to his last point, which was Specialists.
His last trip of the day would be to the Slave Market, where he hoped to find high potential seedlings. He would also look at the lower levels now that he could evaluate the potential of everyone he came in contact with.
With his planning over, Derrick grimaced. He had made a fortune, but he also needed a ton of things… Did he really have enough?!
He sighed once again and braced himself for disappointment.
***
He arrived in Brigand's study and found that the man appeared agitated. Derrick could only assume that last night's repercussions had already made their way to the merchant.
"What happened?"
"The Official summoned me. I must report in two days… But I was prepared. Still, it doesn't feel good!"
The burly man awkwardly laughed while straightening his chic clothes.
"Anyway, are you ready to leave? Alma's been monitoring since last night and the place is still crawling with spies"
Derrick was a bit sad he hadn't seen the elf. He had wanted to tease her, but it seemed it would have to wait until his next visit.
"Yeah. I have some shopping to do before leaving tonight"
Derrick briefly paused before continuing.
"We won't see ourselves for a while, so don't forget to take care of yourself. I'd hate for you to die because you were under too much stress, haha"
The necromancer lightly laughed, trying to defuse the tense atmosphere. The burly man smiled in response, understanding the attempt.
Even if their relation was mostly professional, it still felt good to be looked after.
"Don't worry about me! I've been through much worse"
Brigand reached out in his pocket and took out a small item, which he then gave to Derrick. It was a blue ball that had three silver rings revolving around it.
"It's a low-range teleportation device. Crush it, and you'll be teleported to a dark alley in the outskirts of the city. There shouldn't be anyone near you, so you won't be bothered. It's a one-time use trinket, so you can dispose of it afterward"
The description stunned Derrick. Teleportation was actually a thing? He really underestimated the uses of magic!
Wait… Did this also mean that there were more advanced types of teleportation devices?
Before his mind went crazy with the possibilities, Brigand coughed, waiting for his guest to leave. He had a lot of work to do.
"I'm sorry… I lost myself for a second. Farewell, Brigand"
"Can't wait for your next items"
Brigand's last words drifted in Derrick's ears as he crushed the sphere.
***
Everything happened quickly and ultimately culminated in him appearing in a dark, filthy alley.
The merchant had really understated the dirtiness of this place! No wonder it was deserted...
He then hurriedly left, scared that the awful smell would stick to his black cloak.
After figuring out his position, he was happy to find out he had ended up near his first stop, the Resources Factory.
It took him a few minutes to arrive and when he did, his expression changed.
The decrepit establishment looked even worse than before, with the sign now barely holding on. It appeared that his last purchase hadn't managed to stave off the owner's problems.
He entered and was met with an even poorer sight. The previously clean floor was now a mess, with materials littering the ground.
He took in a breath of air before calling out Kuro.
"Elder Kuro, are you here?"
It took a minute before the short old man appeared, and what he saw pained him.
He looked defeated, with his former dignity shattered and his already deep wrinkles even deeper. Stress had clearly taken a massive toll on his remaining lifespan.
The old man recognized Derrick, and a brief glint of joy appeared in his eyes. However, it was instantly replaced by regret.
"I'm sorry, Young Man, but I won't be able to help you today… I will be closing soon, and I do not want you to be associated with my problems"
Derrick could hear the sorrow in his voice. Kuro clearly wasn't resigned to his fate, but he had to accept it.
After a few seconds, Derrick's eyes narrowed and a smile appeared on his face.
This new idea might just work...