Matthew was genuinely surprised. He was well aware that his friend was absurdly strong, ridiculously eccentric, and unbelievably dirty, cheap, and petty. But he never thought his friend would have the skill to confidently establish a business deal with his own father.
That was Aaron. The Merchant Guildmaster of the Elbador Merchant Guild. The man who had transformed a mediocre, mid-sized merchant guild into the kingdom's finest.
That was Matthew's father. Such a father was now talking business with Patrick, a young man younger than himself, on equal footing.
“So, you’re saying we can’t set a unit price when we don’t even know the exact production volume? One must be able to gauge the level of supply and demand to set a price.”
“In that case, let’s set the price later and finalize the profit-sharing first. I will absolutely not compromise on anything less than nine-to-one.”
“Hahaha. Do you think I run my business by digging up gold from the ground? Even if I concede a lot, six-to-four is more appropriate.”
“Wow, you're trying to take four parts for doing nothing? Really? By any chance, is your profession merchant, or thief?”
“And you, a young master from a noble family, why are you so obsessed with money? Shouldn’t you have some dignity?”
“Does dignity put food on the table?”
Listening to their conversation, the two were almost on equal terms. No, if anything, Patrick held a slightly superior position. In truth, while the production of silk was a skill Patrick held a monopoly on, distribution was possible even without the Elbador Merchant Guild.
It was just that the best company for the job in the country was the Elbador Merchant Guild, so he was entrusting it to them; it wasn't a necessity. This was actually a stroke of luck for Patrick.
Initially, he had been looking for a merchant guild that could handle distribution, promotion, and sales, thinking that silk didn't exist in this world. In the Atronia Kingdom, only the Elbador Merchant Guild was capable of that. But now that he knew silk already existed and was valued very highly, the situation was different.
It was still true that the Elbador Merchant Guild was the best business partner. But the desperation of needing them and only them had vanished. As a result…
“Well, I guess it can’t be helped. I was willing to trust you because you’re my friend’s father. If you’re not interested, I don’t mind contacting a foreign merchant gui…”
“Ahem, ahem, what nonsense is this? A noble of the great Atronia Kingdom dealing with a foreign merchant guild? That simply won’t do.”
“Well, I’m a noble from the rustic countryside who doesn’t care about such things.”
“Still, that’s not the way to do things.”
“Well, what am I supposed to do when you won't acknowledge the value of my product? I can’t afford to take a loss, can I?”
“” He’s so detestable.
I want to hit him. Faced with a Patrick who naturally evoked such thoughts, Aaron spoke with practiced skill.
“Alright, I understand. I’ll agree to the profit share you want. In exchange, give us the exclusive rights to all your products.”
“Hmm.... They say you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket...”
As Patrick seemed to hesitate, Aaron spoke with a flare of temper.
“It's nine-to-one. Nine-to-one. I’d be scared of the rumors if word got out that I accepted a deal like this.”
“Ugh… I suppose it can’t be helped. I’ll make a special exception and accept this loss.”
As Patrick gave his permission as if making a concession, a smile appeared on Aaron’s face.
“Hahaha. You certainly are magnanimous.”
“Hahaha. I tend to be that way.”
“Hahahaha.”
“Mwahahaha.”
Finally, the two men shook hands. Laughing heartily as they looked at each other, the two were…
‘You damned robber. What’s this nine-to-one split? Huh?’
‘Are you trying to take me for a fool? You think I haven’t dealt with one or two people like you?’
The atmosphere was exceedingly warm. At least, on the surface.
The business was concluded. Aaron then shed his persona as the Merchant Guildmaster and welcomed Patrick as the friend his son had brought home. He treated them to a meal, and a rather grand banquet was prepared for his son, who had returned home after a long time, and his friend.
“Ooh, this is delicious. Where did you get it?”
“It’s seafood from the Harbor Kingdom. It’s dried first, then rehydrated for use.”
“Ahh… that would make it delicious. It’s been a while since I’ve had this.”
“You’ve had it before?”
“Well, a long time ago.”
Drying seafood for preservation and then rehydrating it for use was a common method in the Central Plains. Patrick was content with the taste of his past life, which he hadn't experienced in a long time. Besides that, a plethora of rare ingredients from all over the continent were served, and Patrick enjoyed his meal with great satisfaction.
After the meal.
“Brother Ace, would you like to take a stroll in the garden with me? The tulips I planted myself in our garden have bloomed beautifully.”
“I must stay by the young master’s side.”
April flatly rejected Jayla’s proposal, but…
“It’s fine, go on.”
At Patrick's single comment, Jayla beamed with a bright smile, while April wore an expression that said, ‘How could the young master do this to me…’ After April was dragged away by Jayla. Only Patrick and the father-son pair of Aaron and Matthew remained seated in the drawing room.
Aaron brought out some suitable alcohol and poured it for his son and his guest himself.
“This is Sabruna, aged thirty years.”
“Ooooh…”
“Do you know what kind of drink it is?”
“No. It just sounds expensive from the name alone.”
At that, Aaron laughed heartily and said.
“Hahaha. It’s one of the fine spirits that is well worth the money.”
It was the highest praise a merchant could give. Patrick gladly accepted the drink and drank it.
Then…
“It’s amazing.”
“Hahaha. Isn’t your impression a bit too simple? Don’t nobles usually say things like they can feel the scent of fallen leaves or the grace of the earth?”
“The scent of fallen leaves? The grace of the earth? If you want to feel that, you should chew on some dirt. Why drink alcohol for that?”
“Hahahahaha.”
Aaron laughed boisterously at Patrick’s words. He felt he had more reasons to laugh today than usual. After a few more drinks, Aaron spoke with a slightly bitter smile.
“I hear that my son’s good result on the midterm evaluation was thanks to you.”
“Well, it just turned out that way.”
“I suppose it’s right for me to thank you first.”
Though his words were of thanks, his face was full of concern. Patrick said to such an Aaron.
“You don’t seem too happy about it.”
“Of course I’m not.”
Aaron fiddled with his glass, then looked at his son beside him and said with a slight smirk.
“There’s no parent anywhere who likes to see their child push themselves too hard.”
At that, Matthew flared up and interjected.
“Father, I am not pushing myself.”
Aaron smiled bitterly and said.
“You’re not pushing yourself?”
“Yes. Deciding to become a knight is our family’s long-cherished wish, and at the same time, it is my choice.”
“The family’s long-cherished wish…”
Generations ago, Matthew's family had been a family of knights holding the title of Count. However, they were swept up in the political tides and lost their title in the process of a factional purge.
After that, Matthew's ancestor spent the rest of his life in despair, and it was only in his grandfather's generation that the family ventured into commerce to rebuild their house.
And now.
Though they had not returned as knights, Matthew's father had achieved great success as a merchant. Though his status was that of a commoner, he was a great merchant whom even nobles could not treat lightly. But Matthew had grown up hearing of the family's aspirations from his grandfather.
He grew up listening to the tales of his ancestors' achievements on the battlefield as knights while sitting on his grandfather's knee. That was why Matthew, unlike his father, chose the path of a knight instead of a merchant. However, that was Matthew's choice.
His father, Aaron, was by no means pleased with his son's choice. Aaron spoke to his son in a calm tone.
“My son. This father of yours is confident in one thing, and that is his eye for people.”
“I know.”
How could the judgment of the man who created the kingdom's greatest merchant guild be poor? When it came to appraising the value of people and goods, no one could match Aaron. And that very Aaron spoke to his son in a cold voice.
“I allowed you to enter the academy because you wanted it, but I saw no aptitude for a knight in you.”
“Then why did you allow it?”
“You strongly desired it, but I also thought that experiencing failure at a young age would be a great asset.”
“” In other words, he never thought his son would succeed as a knight in the first place.
At his father's words, Matthew bit his lower lip hard and fell silent. And Aaron's words continued.
“I made a large donation to the academy to get you admitted into the knight faculty. In truth, as you know, I am not a person who uses money that way.”
“... I know.”
Matthew answered in a gloomy voice. How could he not know? Aaron had touched upon the part his son felt most sorry about.
Using the power of money to enroll a son who lacked skill. As far as Matthew knew, his father, Aaron, was never one to use money in such a way. It was probably the first time.
The first time he had ever used the power of money to bend the rules.
“You can challenge yourself once, fail, and still start over. Because you are young.”
“” “But I never imagined you would actually pass the midterm evaluation. To be honest, it was unexpected.”
“Father, I…”
“But how long do you think that will last?”
Matthew's mouth, which had been forced open, closed again at his father's sharp interjection. And Aaron said.
“Gold plating is bound to peel off eventually. As time passes, the talented will distinguish themselves. On the other hand, you, who lack talent, will hit a wall.”
“” “What’s worse than failure is a half-baked success. You have the qualities to become a great merchant or an official. So why do you insist on wasting your life in a field that doesn't match your talents?”
“Isn’t it the family’s aspiration? To reclaim our family name and return to being a family of knights was grandfather’s dying wish.”
At the words ‘family’s aspiration,’ Aaron also paused for a moment. But he smiled bitterly and said.
“That is something that can be done even if it’s not you.”
“... What?”
“Erase your impatience and look at the bigger picture. You and I have no talent as knights. But what about your son, or your grandson’s generation?”
“” “You and I can build a solid foundation, and then we can entrust the future to a child who has talent. It doesn’t have to be you.”
“That’s…”
“It is right for people to do what they are capable of. That is the most natural and happiest way to live.”
“” “I have no intention of pushing my son's life into hardship and adversity for the sake of the family’s wish. I can never allow that.”
“” Matthew couldn't say a word.
Theoretically, everything his father said was right. And since he knew the reason he spoke this way was out of love for him, he couldn't argue back. As his son fell silent, Aaron said.
“If you wish, it is possible to change your major right now. This time, you can do it proudly with your own abilities…”
“You know, I’ve been listening and listening.”
It was Patrick, who had been filling and emptying his glass by himself on the side, who cut off Aaron’s words. Patrick slammed his glass onto the table with a thud, an unpleasant expression on his face. Then he looked at Aaron and said.
“I was trying not to meddle in someone else’s family affairs, but isn’t this nonsense a bit much?”
“As you said, this is another person’s family affair.”
“So what? I’m going to meddle.”
“” It was Aaron who was flustered by Patrick’s bold declaration that he would meddle.
Patrick said to Aaron.
“So, the gist of your words, Merchant Guildmaster, is that since Matthew has no talent, he should give up being a knight and live with a pen, whether as a merchant or an official. Isn't that it?”
“That's right.”
“There is a critical flaw in that very statement.”
“What flaw might that be?”
“Matthew has the talent to succeed as a knight.”
“He has talent? My son?”
“Yes. So why should he quit his knight training, which he is good at, to pick up a pen?”
Aaron looked incredulous. As far as he knew, Patrick was a swordsman who had reached a level surpassing even the academy's professors. When the words that Matthew had talent came from such a Patrick’s mouth, he was momentarily dumbfounded, yet a flicker of hope arose in a corner of his heart.
Could it be that his son possessed a talent that a merchant's eye couldn't see?
“When he was young, he said he wanted to learn swordsmanship, so I hired a teacher to instruct him. But that man, though a master who had reached the five-star level, did not say my son had talent.”
“Tsk, tsk, how can you judge your son with the insight of some five-star nobody?”
A five-star level was by no means something to be dismissed anywhere, but to Patrick, it was treated as ‘nobody.’ And Patrick filled his glass again, drained it, and then said.
“Even when you say talent, there are various kinds. Well, it's not just things like being sensitive to aura or being born with a strong body. That’s not the only kind of talent.”
“Then what is my son’s talent?”
At Aaron's words, Matthew, who was listening from the side, also awaited Patrick's following words with a pounding heart. And Patrick said…
“Matthew’s talent is the ‘talent for hard work.’”
“Is that so?”
Hearing Patrick's words, Aaron let out a hollow laugh. And Matthew, listening beside him, also had a look on his face that said, ‘I knew it.’ At their reactions, it was Patrick who got angry.
“Hey, you two… I went out of my way to say something nice, so why are you making those faces?”
“The talent for hard work. It sounds nice. But can you really call that a talent?”
“Why can’t you?”
“It’s the same in any field, but working hard is a given. A guy who doesn’t do his best at his job has a rotten mindset to begin with.”
“Well, that’s true.”
His words were absolutely correct. Patrick meekly agreed. And Aaron’s words continued.
“The world isn't so easy that everyone who works hard can succeed. Those with far more talent than Matthew will work just as hard. In the end, as time passes, it's only the real ones, the ones born with talent, who will stand out. That is the way of the world, and that is reality.”
Aaron’s words were correct. He had spoken the plain truth of reality. But Patrick smirked and said.
“The way of the world, and reality....”