Aarya and Inse were seated on simple wooden chairs around a wooden table, where tea and snacks had been neatly arranged. This room served as Hali, the innkeeper's office, and it was offered as a meeting place when Inse mentioned meeting the merchant.
While they waited, Aarya picked up a cracker from the table and took a bite. He savoured the combination of buttery sweetness and saltiness from the snack. 'These are just like packaged salty crackers, but they taste better. I'm not a food critic, but they're definitely more enjoyable than the packaged stuff,' Aarya thought as he took another bite and continued snacking.
He then reached for the porcelain teacup with cracks and took a sip. His face scrunched up as he tasted the bitter liquid. 'This is nothing but dirty, bitter water,' Aarya thought, reminiscing about the sweet milk tea he was used to back in his world.
Inse noticed his expression and commented, "Don't like the tea, I guess. Some things are the same."
"It's in need of sugar and milk. It's too bitter," Aarya responded, setting the cup down and picking up another cracker. "But these are nice. You should try some, Mother."
Inse decided to try the snacks and found them quite enjoyable. Both mother and son continued to snack while occasionally taking sips of tea.
Their wait came to an end when a middle-aged man with blond hair entered the room. He was dressed in a dark brown coat and trousers with a white shirt, presenting a refined appearance. Although he had a bit of extra weight on his face and body, he carried it well and appeared handsome. His height was on the shorter side, and his blond hair was starting to recede.
"Greetings, Baroness Ditew and Young Lord Ditew. My apologies for making you wait; I am Chulond Balhite, a merchant, and this is my assistant, Jarg Tesh," Chulond introduced himself and his curly-haired companion, both bowing respectfully.
"No need to apologise, Mr. Balhite. I understand that you've been busy dealing with ogres, and I am very thankful for your protection of Dunsany," Inse replied.
"I heard an ogre escaped and attacked your house. I hope nobody was hurt," Cholund inquired with concern.
"You don't have to worry, Mr. Balhite. Nobody was hurt, and our guards took care of the ogre," Inse reassured him.
Cholund and Jarg showed a slight shock in their eyes upon hearing this. It seemed improbable to them that untrained guards could handle an ogre, especially considering that it had taken one B-rank and three C and D-rank mercenaries, along with 15 of their soldiers, to handle seven ogres, even if one of them was an ogre warrior. Cholund cast a glance toward the Guards stationed outside. 'Well, it's not impossible,' Chulond thought.
Inse and Cholund engaged in casual conversation, during which Inse expressed her regret for not meeting him when she visited the caravan earlier. Cholund's assistant, Jarg, a middle-aged man with curly hair, stood beside him, exuding an air of superiority.
Their idle chatter came to an end as Cholund's demeanour turned serious. "Baroness Ditmew, may we discuss the reason for your visit?" he inquired politely.
Inse's demeanour also turned serious as she replied, "Certainly, Mr. Balhite. The reason we visited you today is to discuss a potential trade. I understand that your caravan suffered some losses due to a monster attack, and we are here to offer our assistance."
Hearing this, Cholund smiled and responded, "That is true. We did suffer some losses, but I still have enough products to sell. So, Baroness Ditew, if you wish to purchase our products at a premium price, I'm afraid we may not be able to make a deal."
'Look at this guy, he isn't even scared of nobles, he is looking down on us.' Aarya thought.
Inse on the other hand, wasn't offended and returned a smile and said, "You have misunderstood my intentions, Mr. Balhite. I would never take advantage of someone who has protected my people. I was simply offering a helping hand in return for your assistance."
Cholund remained sceptical of Inse's words, as he, too, had dealt with other nobles in the past and knew that nobility rarely extended such offers of assistance.
'I lost only the surplus products, and if I can acquire them again at standard prices, it won't be a significant setback.' He considered this for a moment and then replied, "Baroness Ditew, if you are genuinely willing to trade at market prices, then I am also willing to engage in trade."
Both Inse and Aarya were pleased to hear Cholund's willingness to trade, though they didn't reveal their happiness on their faces. Inse maintained her smile and continued, "Now that we're both willing to trade, could you please let me know the quantity and specifics of what you need?"
Cholund responded promptly, "We lost approximately 200 kilograms of wheat, 160 kilograms of barley, and some farming tools. If you have these items available, we can discuss prices further." He beckoned his assistant, Jarg, who quickly noted down the list of required farming tools.
Inse read the list and after contemplating for a moment, Inse responded, "We have enough wheat and barley to meet your needs, and we can sell them to you for 5 gold coins and 2 silver coins. As for the farming tools, we can provide half of what you require at a price of 12 gold coins."
Cholund and Jarg were both taken aback by Inse's offer. Jarg had expected them to provide only half the grain, considering the state of their territory. However, Cholund, though surprised, didn't dwell on it and agreed to the deal. After some negotiation, they settled on a price of 10 gold coins and 8 silver coins for the farming tools, bringing the total to 16 gold coins.
They finalised the arrangement that Cholund would retrieve the goods from Aarya's residence the following morning, with payments to be completed upon the receipt of the goods. After sealing the deal, Inse and Aarya departed from the Pig Fry Inn and returned home in their carriage.