Alexis Merchant Guild.
As one of the founders of Green City, the history of the Alexis Merchant Guild had become so long that all the nobles in Green City held it in high esteem.
This guild, controlled by the kingdom's Marquis Alex family, was one of the three largest merchant guilds in Green City, handling half of the city's grain, fabric, salt, and weapons market.
It could be said that the lives of the people of Green City depended on the goods of the Alexis Merchant Guild.
"A small guild called Golden Wheat Commerce wants to purchase a large amount of grain?
Enough to feed one hundred thousand people for a month?
Who is he? Why is he buying grain at this time?"
Winnie Alex wore a solemn expression, her beautiful violet eyes sparkling with doubt.
For the Alex family's eldest daughter, who had just taken over the guild and become the chairwoman of the Alexis Merchant Guild, any unusual business activities warranted caution.
Especially in October, with the orcs invading ahead of schedule and the long winter approaching, she couldn't help but think more about this sensitive timing.
Rom Bernard gazed at this girl, reputed to be the most beautiful tulip of Green City, with deep admiration in his eyes.
"Chairman Winnie, it's understood that Golden Wheat Commerce gathered all its funds from a mining deal on the frontier and also borrowed 200 Gold Pucks from the Green City Guild.
Due to the orc invasion, Golden Wheat Commerce was robbed of all its earnings on the way back to Green City.
Golden Wheat Commerce was thus plunged into a bankruptcy crisis.
An advanced mage from the Crimson Mage Tower bought out the near-bankrupt Golden Wheat Commerce three days ago.
And someone like Laurent surely wouldn't have the means to make such a large transaction; it must be at the command of that advanced mage."
Rom knew Winnie never liked vague reports, so he had gathered all the information before coming.
With Lide as his backing, Laurent had been walking with great confidence recently, frequently boasting in taverns about being under the Crimson Mage Tower's protection.
Such information was easily gathered, of course.
This was also under Lide's instruction, for in Green City, making a silent fortune without sufficient strength could lead to the guild's downfall by any underground force.
Having an advanced mage to back them, even those who eyed Golden Wheat Commerce would think twice.
Winnie's frown deepened. She had heard of Lide Karchar, and she had attended the mage tower inauguration ceremony held by the Mage Association when the Crimson Mage Tower was built.
This mage, who had come to Green City three years ago, had quite a reputation among the city's nobles.
"Rom, do you know this mage named Lide Karchar?"
Hearing this name, Rom nodded with a bit of envy, speaking with some sentiment.
"Lide Karchar was the eldest son of a small noble family in a border town. Due to the orc invasion, his entire family perished in the war.
The family estate was destroyed, and all the people were slaughtered by the orcs. Lide Karchar was forced to come to Green City.
Three years ago, at the age of just 22, Lide Karchar had become a level 9 intermediate mage, just a step away from advancing to an advanced mage.
Three months after joining the Green City Mage Association, during a spell discussion at the association,
Lide successfully advanced to an advanced mage under the watchful eyes of hundreds after listening to the lesson on magic by Archmage Spark Russell.
Master Spark was delighted and accepted Lide as a disciple in front of everyone."
Born a small noble, with excellent magic talent, his family destroyed, advancing to an advanced mage in a foreign land, and being recognized by an archmage.
These legendary elements made Lide Karchar a prominent figure in Green City.
Although several years had passed, Winnie's understanding of Rom's deep envy told her that Lide was no ordinary mage.
But because of this, she found it strange.
This advanced mage, who supposedly only left home once a month and was entirely engrossed in magic,
why did he suddenly buy a near-bankrupt guild, and why did he need grain enough to feed one hundred thousand people for a month?
Is there something unusual in this?
The Alexis Merchant Guild was ostensibly just a guild, but Winnie knew it secretly supplied food for the border troops.
This year's orc invasion had already significantly reduced the grain yield at the border,
and if Green City, the greatest support to the border, also fell into a grain shortage,
she, as the guild head responsible for military provisions, would surely be held accountable.
Therefore, she carefully checked every large grain transaction.
"Chairman Winnie, I don't think it's a big deal. These mages, who don't understand commerce, probably heard about the border war and want to stock up on grain to make a profit during the winter."
Rom shook his head dismissively.
"Grain prices under our control have already reached their peak. If they are willing to buy, we can raise the price even more and release the stock from the past two years when winter comes.
Trust me, this mage will taste the bitter fruit."
For the Alexis Merchant Guild, which monopolized half of Green City's grain and was responsible for military provisions, raising grain prices was just a matter of a word.
Winnie shook her head.
"No, it's unnecessary. No matter what the intentions of this mage may be, it's not our concern.
You need to understand, he is not only an advanced mage, but he's also Master Spark's disciple."
Rom nodded, showing some hesitation on his handsome face.
"Chairman Winnie, then should we agree to Golden Wheat Commerce's purchase request now?"
"No, I didn't say that."
Rom felt somewhat exasperated. This tulip, admired by many, was truly hard to understand.
"Chairman Winnie, I don't understand what you mean. Can you be more clear?"
Winnie looked at the slightly distressed Rom and shook her head silently.
This eldest son of the Marquis Bernard family had as much talent for business as he did for magic.
If not for his good family, she wouldn't have even looked at him.
"Rom, you need to know that the most important thing in business is resource exchange.
Although Mr. Lide is an advanced mage, if this transaction goes smoothly, then he would only have an ordinary cooperative relationship with Alexis Merchant Guild."
"If significant problems arise during the process, and we happen to help him resolve them, could the Alexis Merchant Guild win his friendship?"
Rom's eyes suddenly lit up, but then he scoffed arrogantly, his words dripping with pride.
"Chairman Winnie, it's just an advanced mage from the countryside. Is it worth our effort?"
Winnie frowned slightly. She knew Rom's intentions for her. The eldest son who would likely inherit the marquis title was a good candidate.
If she had previously considered evaluating Rom, now she had lost all interest in this son of the marquis.
"Mr. Rom, an advanced mage alone might not be worth it.
But if that advanced mage became one at twenty-five, and his teacher was an over level 15 archmage,
then he would indeed be worth it."