"That is really a hefty price but I guess it's reasonable. I'll prepare the designs for you by tomorrow. Margret wants to go around town with you tomorrow anyway. I will give her the designs and their amounts. You can inform her of the final price and date of delivery."
"Sure!" Celina was excited to meet Margret for the 4th time in a week. They had spent a lot of time trying all sorts of food around the city and Celina wondered where she would end up next.
It took around 25 minutes and they had arrived at the mansion. There they ate a delicious and hearty lunch while watching Celina chomp down like a monster.
Before they left, Celina handed Margret a white, tube made out of class the tube hand a metal cap that you had to carefully out. Inside was a white, thick substance.
This was a facial cream/moisturizer that Daren had conjured using the system. He wouldn't sell it in his shop yet but there was no problem giving Margret a sample.
Daren went back to his shop and opened for business. He had over 30,000 umbrellas he needed to sell. He was probably going to have another 30,000 in 3 days.
The next day, Celina went out with Margret to try a certain restaurant that was at the other end of town.
She showed Celina over 20 different designs that the marquess had wanted. Some had colorful letters while others had legendary animals coiled or in harmony with each other.
There were even some that had leaves or plants of kinds as their family crests. The most outstanding of them was the royal family's crest.
Magnificently large blue eyes, the white dragon stood in the middle. It was surrounded by two griffins that hovered at its side. The griffins had a white, eagle head and a golden lion's body. The one on the left had a pair of white wings while the one on the right had black wings.
"The Asmodeus Royal Family. Their symbol is truly domineering with two legendary beings representing the colossal power that the Gigantus Empire. An empire with a domineering military that was filled with cultivators and an economic powerhouse that swallows the human realm whole.
All the members of the royal family carried at least one item with their symbol on it. It was a form of pride that has lasted throughout the 70,000-year-old empire.
"This image of the dragon really reminds me of something I've seen before. Really can't remember it though." Daren was sure that he had seen the white dragon somewhere. "One thing for sure is that if the noble families and especially the royal family likes the umbrellas I make, that would make our entry into the capitol go smoothly."
If Daren wanted to be protected by this empire, he needed a noble title. He could only gain a title if he did a large service to the empire or the emperor. If he was going to reach the emperor, he needed to have connections in the capital.
"Margret said that the royal family really loves the color red. They really love to stand out. So I suggest you go for a bright red umbrella with silver or gold outlines and have the logo be repeated five times around. Margret said their lucky number is 5."
Celina used what Margret told her and came up with a design that not only made the royal family's umbrellas stand out but would also adhere to their customary number of 5.
"Why is it 5?" asked Daren. He did not even know that the family had a lucky number.
"I'm not sure either. Margret did somewhat explain it but I was too busy eating the chicken pie she had me try. I had completely zoned out when the juices of the chicken just dripped into my mouth. The meat was soooooooo soft....." Celina went on to describe what she ate for lunch.
'Guess I'll ask Andrew when I get the time.'
After she had finally stopped rambling, Daren asked her another question. "What price did you give her." Daren had told Celina to contact him when she had gone through and seen all the designs. That's when Daren would relay her a price to give.
Once Celina had sniffed the chicken pie, she had totally forgotten Daren's words. She was too eager to eat and he was too engrossed in selling umbrellas and handing out soap samples.
"Oh. I told her 7 silver per umbrella."
"That seems fair. all the logos are decently complicated and have lots of small details. It's not like we are making with our hands but charging prices like that make it really look like we make these things by hand."
"Hehe. You better have something in store for these 7,000 silver coins," said Celina mockingly. She wanted to buy some expensive accessories that she had seen with that money but she had to know if Daren had other plans.
"7,000 silver coins is 70 gold. That is probably the most I have so far. Hmm, let's see." Daren did not have a plan yet but he was scouring his mind for ideas. "Let's save up until we can buy an actual house. It should be around 700 gold for a medium-sized villa near the park. Is there something you want though?."
"Yeah. There was this one nice hairpin I saw at the jeweler's yesterday, It was made from thin, black metal and has this shiny sapphire just planted right at the end. The crystal blue would be nice for my hair." she said.
"How much is it?" asked Daren.
"55 gold." relied upon Celina. Her voice was quiet and heard to her as if she was mumbling the price.
"Go get the next time you go out. I have a million ways to make money with the system so don't worry. Your happiness is what matters." declared Daren. He might sound arrogant and boastful but he truly did have a million ways to make unlimited profits with the ability [ Internal Factory ].
It was time for Daren to get started. He had to pump up the amount of wealth he had stored in the system.
His strength also had to go up as much as it could get without lowering his production of umbrellas.
It was time to go on a grind because he had not much of an idea about how long it would take for Manupus's revenge to arrive.
...
Back at the marquess' grand estate, there was a gigantic crow with a wingspan of over 5 meters soaring vigorously through the heavy rain and startling thunder.
The crow had strong. lean muscle all over its silver feathered body. Tied to its sharp claws was a yellow scroll that was wrapped in a red ribbon.
Thud!
The crow landed in front of the mansion doors with the force that shattered the stone pavement.
Three seconds later, the doors opened, and out came Grandpa Kuro. He was giving off his usual intimidating aura. His aura was soon snuffed like a weak fire by the blazing flame that represented the fierceness of the crow.
As Grandpa Kuro reluctantly walked towards the great crow only stared deeply into his eyes. The crow was perfectly still. Just like a stone statue.
Grandpa Kuro took the letter attached to the crow's legs and started to calmly walk back to the doors. The crow had confirmed the delivery of the letter with a small shriek and then flew into the sky.
It was gone from sight within 5 seconds of fully ascending to the clouds.
"Master, the letter from the royal family has arrived," said Grandpa Kuro as he put the scroll on his master's office table.
Andrew picks up the letter and undoes the ribbon that sported the blue eyes, white dragon. He unfurls the scroll and reads the content with pure focus.
"Sigh. Things are only getting more convoluted. Grandpa Kuro, send Daren a message stating that there will be one hundred highly trained mercenaries arriving in 15 days. There will be lead by a Body Strengthening, Level 5 - Lower Grade leading them."
The marquess was distraught. He knew that Daren was only Level 3 - Mid Grade. A Level 5 - Mid Grade was not something he could beat.
"Yes, master. It shall be done." Grandpa Kuro left the study in a hurry. He could hear the desperation in Andrew's voice.
When Daren received the letter on the same night, he could not help but smirk. "It looks like I have to minimize my production. I have a huge fight coming up. Hehehehehe. Muhuahahaha."
As the crackling thunder made the city's inhabitants shiver in fear, a menacing laugh could be heard in the confines of Daren's shop. He was planning on becoming a wolf that would gladly devour the bountiful meal sent by his piggy friends.
.....
<0_0> POV SWITCH <0_0>
15 days later.
I woke up from my short nap as my cramped carriage came to the stop.
"Arya. We have arrived!" a muscular man that was seated in front of me said. This is Frank.
"Ahhhh." I yawned while stretching my hands only sightly upwards as the height of the carriage was not much. "Couldn't you tell them to drive a bit slower? It's the rainy season so being a couple of hours late is no big deal."
I am Arya Levy. I was a 10-year-old orphan when I first saw a Pig-man. They took me from my orphanage and fed me good food. They taught me how to read and write. They taught me how to fight. They taught me how easy it was to call my own kind.
It has been 9 years since then. The once frail and malnourished girl was now a tall and slender beauty that had muscles lining every inch of her body. You could see a rough outline of my curves through the black, skin-tight leather clothes that I wore.
My shiny black hair was flowing down my shoulders like silk.
Not to brag or anything but I will be a heavenly gift for whatever man could catch my attention in the future.
I take off the long cloak that was covering my face and head out of the shitty carriage.
In front of me were about a hundred men, all clad in light leather gear and 0.8 meter long swords at their waists.
I had a sword two but mine was a 1.2-meter long rapier. A sword with a thin, pointy blade and circular hilt. I have had this trusty sword for over 2 years now. I called her Dorthy.
It's after the old butcher that used to cut up the meat for the orphanage whenever he had some.
"Commander Arya," yells Frank. This is my second in command and someone who I have trained with since I was 13. He had curly orange hair and his long face was dotted with freckles. His orange beard and acne made his somewhat cute face into a total mess.
"It is your turn to get inspected by the guards. The rest have all finished and are now preparing to enter the city at your command," he says with his deep voice.
"Yeah, yeah. I want to get this done quickly too. I'm gonna sleep as soon as we are done with this easy shit." My usually sweet voice turns groggy due to the incompleteness of my short nap.
I go up to the very stern-looking guards and place my hand on a green stone even before they could utter a word.
They read my cultivation level and bow down while shouting " WELCOME TO OUR CITY< GREAT CULTIVATOR!!! WE HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR STAY."
I pay no heed to this ceremony that I have heard countless times that I had to stop by a town or city for rest. It felt quite good to be bowed down to (as they should in my magnificent presence) but I have seen it many many times in the last 2 weeks.
I have become totally numb to the rantings of these mindless and weak soldiers.
"ALRIGHT BOYS!!" I yell. "LET'S BRING OVER THE GOODS THAT THE YOUNG MASTERS WISHED FOR."
This was all for show. Our carriages were so cramped because of the magically preserved food that we had to use as an easy excuse to have so many guards.
This way, the city guards had no reason to bar us from entry. We were only delivering expensive food after all.
Even I can't just walk into the city while screaming out loud that I was here to kill a man. I know that you can see my arrogance plastered all over my face but I try to keep it inside as I know that I could die instantly because of one man.
A man wearing the full plate, iron gear, that was sitting on top of the grand walls exuded an aura that made my senses crawl with fear. He could probably kill me and my whole crew without even blinking.
No. Get it out of your head Arya. You have a mission to do. Your very first mission is to kill a cultivator. It is time you rise in the ranks of the family and show them your worth.
I steel my nerves and enter the city with my entourage behind me.
....
The Notes of A Lonely Author
Quick POV change. I wanted to freshen things up with a new character. Do you think Arya here will be devoured by the wolf she thinks is a sheep?