"May the gods bless you as well, Todd!" Jason Liu greeted the businessman warmly, taking a sip of water. He smiled as he watched the man, who looked troubled, yet relieved to see him. It was clear Todd had come from quite a distance, all the way from White Harbor.
"Thank you for the magical paper and pens from the far East," Todd began gratefully. "I was one of the first people to buy them, and when I returned to White Harbor, I sold them to the Earl's castle on the same day! The profit was more than I expected!"
His eyes sparkled with excitement as he continued, "That's why I've come back. I'm here to purchase more—200 gel pens, 1,000 refills, and 1,000 sheets of A4 paper!"
Jason was a little surprised to see Todd again. He hadn't expected one of his very first customers to return so quickly, and certainly not with such a large order. Clearly, Todd had made a tidy profit from reselling the goods. Smiling, Jason said, "Not a problem at all. In fact, I've got even better news for you—the price of the paper has dropped from 10 bronze stars per sheet to just 5!"
Todd's face brightened instantly. "That's fantastic! Thank you, Master Jason!"
He bowed gratefully, and Jason signaled for Susan to help Todd count out the pens, refills, and paper he had requested.
As Todd was preparing to leave, his eyes fell on something new displayed on the counter—bars of soap. Curious, he asked Susan what they were. She proudly explained that the soap was a new product, very popular with the Stark family and other wealthy merchants. Intrigued by the potential, Todd immediately saw an opportunity. He decided to exchange 100 of the gel pens and 500 refills for the same number of bars of soap, eager to test their market back in White Harbor.
With McCann and a new bodyguard, Gal, helping load his purchases into the wagon, Todd thanked everyone again. After buying food and water for the journey at a nearby tavern, he left, feeling confident that the soap would sell just as well as the paper and pens had.
Soon after Todd left, another familiar merchant entered—Odover. He looked tired from his journey but had an air of excitement about him. Ignoring the newly constructed building next to Jason's shop, he rushed inside, calling out, "Master Jason! It's Odover! Do you remember me?"
Jason looked up and recognized the man immediately. Odover was a merchant from the Western region, someone he had been hoping to see again. "Of course, I remember you, Odover!" Jason replied, stepping out from behind the counter. He had been eager to discuss some business concerning gold with Odover.
Jason invited him to sit, asking Bella to bring him some water. "You must be exhausted from your travels. Did the paper and pens you purchased make you a fortune?" Jason asked with a smile, already knowing the answer.
Odover took the glass of water and drank it in one gulp. Wiping his mouth, he grinned widely. "Yes, thanks to your incredible goods, I made a very good profit! The pens, especially, sold quickly. As soon as I finished selling them, I hurried back to restock! I'd like to order 400 gel pens, 2,000 refills, and 3,000 sheets of white paper."
Jason nodded, pleased with Odover's success. Then, much like Todd before him, Odover noticed the bars of soap. After a brief explanation from Jason about how popular the soap was becoming, Odover decided to swap 100 of the gel pens for 100 bars of soap, and added an extra 500 bars to his order. Altogether, the transaction cost him 18 golden dragons, which he paid promptly.
With the goods packed by Martha and Susan, Odover was ready to leave, but Jason wasn't done with him just yet. He invited Odover to sit again, wanting to discuss a new venture. Jason explained his desire to buy natural gold nuggets, offering a high price for them. He explained that in his homeland, natural gold nuggets were considered a gift from the gods and were far more valuable than pure gold.
At first, Odover was confused, just like Lena and the others had been when Jason first told them the same story. Why would anyone want impure gold over pure gold of the same weight? But as Jason elaborated, Odover began to see an opportunity. There were gold mines in the Western regions, and while natural gold nuggets were rare, they did exist. If he could strike a deal with the gold mine managers, he could make a significant profit.
Odover promised to inquire about the natural gold nuggets when he returned to the West, and if he found any, he would bring them back north to Jason. Jason, pleased with Odover's enthusiasm, rewarded him with 100 free refills as a gesture of goodwill.
Odover left the store with a smile, his wagon loaded with goods. He was heading west, intending to sell his stock in Casterly Rock, where he believed he could fetch even higher prices. Afterward, he planned to seek out the gold nuggets and return to Jason with more business opportunities.
As Odover departed Winterfell, he spotted a convoy from Golden Tooth City, led by the merchant Bert. His expression shifted as he realized that Bert might be following him, keeping an eye on his dealings. Without slowing down, Odover pushed his wagon onward, determined to stay ahead.
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