First Light of a New Age

Chapter 60: Business Dealings

Free Trade City of Aquarius, ExRump Corporation Headquarters

1st Year of God, Wednesday, 4th Week, Month Of Noah.

Elon Tusk was a broker for the ExRump Corporation, one of the leading and foremost commercial establishment powerhouses in Aquarius. 

As a sharp man in his early thirties, Elon had supervised and personally handled countless deals that went down in ExRump’s businesses. As a result, he had a good feel for sales, contracts, and the subtle art of extracting maximum value for his employers.

That was precisely why he was surprised when he stepped into the reception area to meet the seller he was informed of.

'Who are these people…?'

From what he could see, they were not very impressive. Those two who were supposed to be guards had poor stances which seemed to be unfitting for a guard. If an enemy struck surprisingly, none of them wouldn't be able to protect their employer properly.

But even their employer, who is seated between them, was no better.

'He's dressed pretty cheaply. His sitting posture is also very crude…'

As Elon Tusk approached them, he kept up his cautious gaze while his instincts were on high alert.

'From what I can see, they're not special at all. But…' He narrowed his eyes as he took his seat. '… Sometimes, what is on the surface could be deceiving.'

Elon was curious.

'Are they frauds, or are they the real deal? Let's find out.'

"Greetings, customers. Or should I call you sellers? My name is Elon Tusk, though Elon will do," he said with a broad smile, “And before you ask, yes, a half-Orc working for one of the largest merchant groups in the city, I can acknowledge that it is very unusual to see.”

As a professional, he had to be polite to the ones he addressed, even when addressing such unremarkable guests.

"Call us whatever you like, Mr. Tusk. And we don't care if you have the blood of those walking mushroom barbarians."

Upon hearing that, Elon shook a little on his seat.

'This guy…' He tried his best not to stare hard at the man who sat opposite him, but it was difficult not to do so.

Not only had he refused to be placed under a stereotype such as a mere 'customer' or 'seller', but he had also refused Elon’s attempt at friendliness.

'He's choosing to remain formal. He also disregards my suggestions while maintaining his ideals…'

These weren't the signs of a fraud.

'At least he isn't outright racist against half-breeds or demihumans. But I can't be certain, not yet,' Elon thought, smiling internally.

The biggest and most important telling as to the validity of a person's true nature was their worth. A person could fake their demeanors and personality, but they could never fake the value they possessed.

"So, dear seller… what do you have to offer?" Elon asked, getting straight to the point, as business in Aquarius should be..

'Let's see. This is wholesale, so there should be at least a thousand pieces of Monster Core. Judging by the quality of his Spatial Ring he wore, I shouldn't expect anything more than two thousand.'

Spatial Rings were used by the rich to carry money or property. As one would expect, they were separated into many categories.

The one the seller had in hand was among the cheaper variants, with a carry limit being very small, merely 10 cubic meters. Despite its limitations, it was still considerably expensive, considering how highly valued Spatial Magic was.