At Zihao's house…
"Here are the 20 bars of soap you ordered. And here are the five aloe vera plants you requested," Zihao hands me a heavy leather bag and five small aloe vera pots. "All of this comes to 20 silver coins," he says.
"Yes, do all of these 20 soap bars contain activated charcoal or peppermint?" I open the leather bag to confirm, and indeed, there are 10 black soap bars and 10 dark green ones, all rectangular in shape. Zihao has even separated them into two compartments. I nod, hand him 20 silver coins, but he refuses, which surprises me. Before I can understand, he interrupts.
"By the way, Aldo, since you're here, may I pay you for the intellectual property rights to the formula for the stable natural ink? You know, the kind that resists natural fading on paper, far superior to any common ink currently sold. I want to own it. And also, the ink extracted from octopus ink, but I mean the one you've added 'a little' ingredient to increase its resistance to fading," his eyes meet mine with a deadly calm and steady voice.
"Now, I am quite concerned about how you found out about me!" I am surprised, my eyes widen slightly, I bite my lip, trying to stay calm before responding.
"You know well, we both come from Earth, possessing extensive knowledge across many fields, not too deep but not too shallow either. This is how we make money, from products better than current ones for merchants. Besides, I have my ways of finding out. I have connections with three nobles from the west, and one of them told me you're buying a large number of slaves in their territory through a third party. That small hint was enough for me to deduce my next actions, the rest I prefer to keep secret," Zihao calmly explains.
"Alright, I will offer 5 gold coins. Also, if you have good business relations with western merchants, why only befriend three nobles instead of ten?" I question him.
"That's a long story about power struggles leading to the current situation. Now, there are only two Islamic principalities and one autonomous Noir region left. I think 5 gold coins is a bit high for just two types of ink. I'll accept 2 gold coins. I have enough pots, filters, containers, measuring spoons, stirrers, and other necessary tools, so I don't need the equipment part of the formula. Moreover, the source of octopus ink in the Samel swamp is abundant and supplied almost year-round. Additionally, I can provide some herbal oils, alcohol, and distilled water. So, 2 gold coins is reasonable," he counters.
"I can provide you with additional information on how to add some colors to the ink," I say.
"Then 2 gold coins and 500 silver coins," Zihao replies.
"But there are seven colors in total," I say.
"Then 3 gold coins," he answers.
"Deal!" I respond, feeling an indescribable joy, quickly writing down the crucial information on a piece of paper and handing it to Zihao.
"The condition is that I will be the only one allowed to produce them," he adds, taking the paper and skimming through it to confirm. He gives me three gold coins. I take them from his hand.
"Tzu Hao, may I plant these on the land where you live?" I ask.
"Then 20% of the money you earn from them will be mine, okay?" he responds bluntly.
I nod in agreement. Then I plant the young aloe vera plants in a corner of Zihao's house. When I'm done, Zihao stands at the door, still in that red Hanfu, staring at me with that same calm look.
"The one who killed a giant Alligator and a giant Hag in the Samel swamp near Heilop territory was your group, right?" Zihao inquires.
"Yes. What are you planning now, Zihao?" I cautiously reply, our eyes meeting once more.
"Nothing, just curious," he closes his eyes, looking away, intentionally avoiding the topic.
Seeing this, I let it go. After washing my hands, I leave. Zihao watches my departing figure, glances at the paper I gave him, and murmurs to himself.
"I can trust this guy a bit more now..."
After a while, I arrive at Helzard's house, located next to those of the other members. It is a simple wooden house, not too far away, in a relatively isolated village in the Samel swamp region of the southern territory of the Samel family. Hearing my knock, Helzard opens the door, his face wrinkling with annoyance when he sees me.
"I won't accept becoming a mercenary for someone with unknown faces and fellow mates with unclear intentions," Helzard says angrily, his voice louder than usual.
He tries to close the door, but I stop him. "Calm down, Helzard. I'll introduce you to someone responsible and will invest in weapons and health insurance for you and the 30 slaves I'm assigning to work with you," I say.
We struggle with the door for a moment until Helzard calms down. "So, I have to join as a mercenary anyway. Who is this person?" he asks, looking at me.
"It's me. And the share of the money earned from commissions and selling items to me is only 10%," I say.
Hearing this, Helzard is displeased, frowning and rolling his eyes, showing disinterest. He tries to close the door again, and we struggle with it once more.
"Only 10%. Other Patrons take 30% to 50%. The remaining money is yours to keep and use as you wish," I say.
It doesn't work; he still tries to slam the door shut.
"I'll hire two Priests to use spells to remove curses and heal you and the others. And they will be young, beautiful, gentle, and well-endowed. Okay?" I say.
Still not working, he continues to try to slam the door shut, not listening to me.
"There will also be money for entertainment, healthcare, extra meals, and non-magical combat skills development!" I continue.
Still not working, he continues to try to slam the door shut, not listening to me.
"And even art, the subject, talent, and passion of yours. In December, you'll have a whole month to paint, wherever you want..." I continue.
This time, he no longer gets angry. Helzard stops trying to slam the door, looks at me again, and says, "Alright, so what's your plan to deal with the lizard people and the Witches, the Hags?" he asks, with excitement in his eyes and voice.
"In fact, we also have to face the Giant Crocodiles, as they cause a lot of damage to property and lives and are also blacklisted like the lizard people. Guerrilla tactics, hit-and-run, Phalanx formation, circular or square formation, a strategy of steady and thorough progress, clearing and removing obstacles. Weapons and armor will still use iron, but we'll be flexible between chainmail, plate armor, and leather armor, or a combination of them. More details will be explained later," I reply.
"But how will the personnel be divided? What will Auburn, Veritas, and Fermos do?" Helzard pouts.
"Fermos will participate in extracting enzymes for sale and guide their use for the shops in need. This kind of thing is not your specialty, right?" I calmly reply.
"So, what about Fermos and Veritas?" Helzard still frowns and pouts.
"Veritas will expand our business relationships, like marketing. Auburn will go with you but will lead a team of 20 others to mine Sulfur ore for producing skin treatment medicine, gunpowder for guns and fireworks, leather processing, sulfuric acid, and phosphate for fertilizer, and peat for soil conditioning, and help repair the damages to the houses of the villagers caused by the lizard people, creating a good image and spreading green light with the surrounding nobles, avoiding being watched and questioned annoyingly. More importantly, don't attack a group of three or more Witches or Hags or a lizard people squad and above on your own," I say.
"Why?" Helzard asks in surprise, raising his eyebrows and looking at me with a confused expression.
"Firstly, the high risk. Secondly, even if defeated, we could still suffer significant losses in both people and lives, and it will attract the surrounding nobles, which is not beneficial for our team, especially when we cannot deeply integrate with the local community. If necessary, I will personally assist directly on the front lines," I calmly explain.
"Oh, I see," Helzard responds. "So, how did you convince the southern territory of the Samel family to grant resource exploitation rights?" he asks.
"Thanks to Zihao. So, half of that 10% goes to him. As for his part, Zihao persuaded the southern territory with the argument of exchanging security for economic and trade development opportunities, but how he did it, he didn't say. As for training, don't worry, among the 30 newly purchased slaves, there are 12 experienced mercenaries who are eager to return to the battlefield and willing to train the new warriors," I reply.
Helzard nods, and that's the end of my business with Helzard.
At noon that same day, I arrive at the place where Fermos had arranged to meet. It is a patch of land next to the swamp, just over a meter away from another island. The weather is clear, with many clouds and no wind. I breathe in the fresh air; it have been many months since I lived in an environment cleaner than Earth – one of the few things I like about this world. In the distance, I can see yellow sulfur ores visible just below the slightly bluish murky water, and bright blue or light gray phosphate ores. To me, it looks like money everywhere, beneath the waters inhabited by many species of fish, birds, frogs, crocodiles, turtles, water snakes, and swamp plants with roots deep beneath the water's surface. Suddenly, a sharp stone spearhead pressed against my neck.
I calmly turn my head; it is a human woman with light skin, emerald green eyes with narrow pupils, and long black hair left natural. She has a reptilian tail covered in scales at the back of her hip, and some patches of bright green scales on her body. The woman has a youthful face and smooth-looking skin (if not for the scales that give me a sense of unfamiliarity). She has a full bust and hips, with a slender waist. She wears a simple dress covering her body, without a collar, short sleeves, and it reaches mid-thigh, colored like tree bark. She wears leather sandals and stands about 1.65 meters tall. Her body has relatively well-defined muscles that are not too difficult to see. She also wears some jewelry, including a jade bracelet that appears to be intricately carved.
Seeing the jade bracelet, I immediately recognize it as common jewelry among the reptilian people, based on the documents about different races I read in Jejimon.
"A reptilian with a near-human form!? This is a rare case among the hybrids of humans and reptilian people!" I think to myself.
The woman continues to hold her position, and I don't dare move much after realizing that she has over 100 reptilian people in her tribe not far away, like human-shaped lizards hidden in the water. The woman and I communicate with our eyes for 30 minutes; I keep staring into those eyes with pupils narrow like needles, a truly reptilian gaze. I remember the knowledge I learned that reptilian people, regardless of gender, have the habit of violently being intimate with their mates like reptiles, usually reproducing in spring and late summer-early rainy season. Reptilian people, regardless of gender, like to capture humans to forcibly mate with them, which is terrifying for anyone. And worse, it is currently July, meaning late summer-early rainy season. Even becoming a Fleshmorph, which is like having a cheat but not significantly, doesn't seem helpful. I also can't communicate with them due to the language barrier, and the Universal Language spell only works with human languages used within the Mikhland Empire.
But at least, as one of the few remaining non-born Fleshmorphs on Terre, I know my advantages. One, being often mistaken for a purebred human (by all other human-like races), and two, being fast enough...to run away from them.
The moment the woman takes a step forward, I sprint back to the village as fast as I can, grabbing Fermos's hand along the way. Only when we return to the village do I feel safe.
"What happened? Did you go into reptilian people's territory?" Fermos asks.
I nod.
"It's safe now. Let's discuss the issue of extracting the enzymes. You know that protease enzymes are used in producing fish sauce, wine, jam, and fruit juice; amylase enzymes are used in bread, confectionery, wine, and beer; and pectinase enzymes are used in fruit juice production and making jams. Basically, I have reviewed the design for mass production suitable for the technology and needs of this world, but there's an issue that the people seem unaware of the usefulness of these enzymes," Fermos says seriously.
"I know. Veritas and I will take responsibility for addressing that issue. Meanwhile, you should train 20 slaves to work effectively. Remember, don't act like a slave owner; make them happy and satisfied," I reply.
Fermos nods in agreement, "I will do my best to complete that job excellently. So, we are only producing those three enzymes, right?"
"According to the plan, yes," I respond.
"Aldo, Helzard told me you also plan to assign Auburn to extract sulfur, phosphate, and peat. I can take on processing them!" Fermos suggests with enthusiasm and determination, his voice filled with inspiration.
"Okay, that's even better," I reply.
"Trust me. I won't mess up the extraction equipment that's more advanced than Earth's technology, which you spent over a thousand silver coins to buy!" Fermos smiles, his words making me doubt the first part of his statement.
"Let's end our conversation here," I wave and leave.
"See you later!" He smiles brightly and waves back.
In the afternoon of the same day, I am squatting in front of the village gate, which is merely called that because it borders the territory of the Rahman Al-khouri family, now a duchy. Before me is just a desert with no oasis in sight. At this moment, Veritas, riding a camel, returns with a smile on his face.
"Aldo, we can now trade across the entire west, including two duchies—the Rahman Al-khouri and Assam Al-amiri families—and a self-governing region of the Noir people," Veritas happily announces to me, still smiling from his achievement.
"Also the merchant certification, right?" I ask.
"Yes, basically, we only need to pay about 5% of our total earnings every three months as tax, and the tax on the goods we will produce has reduced from 40% to 15-20%!" Veritas responds, still cheerful and satisfied.
"Great!" I say.
At least, after that, things don't turn out too badly.