After about an hour of talking about various curiosities concerning ice magic with Albion, a servant came to inform me that queen Eleanor was ready to meet me. I had to inwardly praise her efficiency, barely four hours had passed and she had already completed the negotiations for the former merchant guild building.
I excused myself and left Albion to digest the things we had just discussed. I'd tried my best not to give him the answers he was looking for but instead point him in the right direction to find them himself. Answers that were just given often held less significance and faith than an answer that was found by oneself.
I followed the servant through the palace halls until we reached Eleanor's room. As I entered she wore a somewhat awkward smile that made me predict that the negotiations hadn't gone quite as planned.
I sat down on the sofa across her and waited for the servant to excuse himself and close the door. Once I was sure he had left I met into Eleanor's eyes and began to inquire about the situation.
"Your face is telling me that I can't expect to get away with just 35'000 gold coins. So, how much more does he want or did the deal fall apart entirely?"
"Thankfully it didn't come to that. Though I came quite close to breaking off negotiations a few times. The owner claimed he suddenly felt some sentimental value for the building and asked for 60'000 hold coins initially. I managed to knock him down to 41'000 but from that number he won't budge no matter what I say. I am at my wits' end on how to deal with this guy."
"Only 41'000? From the way you looked, I thought he'd asked for 70'000 as his final price or something. 41'000 is fine, we'll just get the money back from him later."
"You are not going to rob him, are you?"
"We are merchants, not bandits. We'll just up some prices for him if he wants to buy something from us until we have gained back the excess 6'000. Robbing him over 6'000 gold coins would be excessive."
"That sounds like you would rob someone if the amount they took from you was large enough."
"As a merchant, you need to know what's the appropriate response for any loss you might incur. Now, let's finalize the contract and get this branch guild going."
"I've prepared a contract for the former merchant guild building and upon payment, the transfer can be completed immediately."
I open my separate space and retrieve a large spatial coin pouch filled with 61'000 gold coins. The coin pouch landed on the ground and, despite its spacial properties, nearly cracked the floor with a resounding thump. Somehow the sound of money hitting the floor was just so satisfying.
"This is the money for both buildings. Can we finalize the contract for the mansion first? I'd like to set up some things and report the progress to the guild master."
Eleanor pulled out a pre-written contract from behind her and placed it on the table before me. I scanned over it briefly and found no loopholes or other problems.
"Of course, I've prepared the contract and we can both sign it immediately. After that, I'll contact the owner of the other building and seal that deal. The proceedings should take some time though so it won't be completed until the day after tomorrow."
Some delay was to be expected since there was a hefty sum of money involved. I had the contract of the mansion so that was enough for now. Once Aurelia was here, she would be able to take care of the rest herself.
"Before I forget it, Abel, if you want I can send any applicants for your merchant guild by your mansion tomorrow."
"Please do."
After that, I left the palace and returned to the mansion that now held no trace of the vengeful spirits that once plagued it. I set up a simple defensive array in the foyer of the mansion that could keep anything below the level of a rank one archmage out.
I chose a cozy-looking room in the basement, the dungeon wasn't fit for what I wanted to do, and began to set up a gate. From the wooden floor, a large door frame grew. A multitude of runes was on the door frame swimming and twisting like long snakes.
Patterns formed by the runes emerged and disappeared from time to time, each pattern unique yet connected to each other through a mysterious sense.
Upon its construction, the space inside the door frame crumbled and revealed a wooden room on the other side. Aurelia was standing on the other side since she had created a similar gate to connect to this one.
Seeing that the gate was fully established and stable, Aurelia stepped through with confidence. She eyed the room we were in and nodded in satisfaction.
"Excellent workmanship, probably a noble's mansion. If this is where the new branch guild will be we'll have to do some hardcore remodeling."
"There's another property which is currently being acquired for us. We'll have it in our possession the day after tomorrow so you can go look at both buildings and come to a decision yourself. Tomorrow the applicants for a job at the guild will come so we can make some interviews to find good ones. We should also do that back in Saitala, the orphans are a little young to take care of everything."
"How much did you pay for both buildings?"
"61'000 gold coins but we'll have to get back 6'000 from whoever was the owner of the other building."
"That's not bad, I would have thought a noble's mansion would be more expensive."
"It was haunted by a bunch of vengeful spirits that were produced by a black spider lily. In return for clearing the mansion, I received a massive discount."
"You destroyed the lily, right?"
"You know my stance on things tainted by negative feelings of such potency. They are too dangerous to be left intact."
"That's good then."