Chapter 1907 – 1907. The Dark Moon
What power does this cherry tree have? How can I use it
I was curious as I saw the softly shining cherry blossom petals.
Even now, seeing it with my own eyes, I don’t know exactly what kind of power it has. One thing is for sure, this cherry tree is by no means ordinary.
Pajik, Pajik.
The softly shining cherry blossoms suddenly lose their light. The cherry blossom petals that bloomed from that bony body fell down without a sound.
‘… Are you dead?’
It was hard to figure out because it was a plant, not a living thing.
‘If I die just this much, that’s it.’
I picked up the fallen cherry blossom petals. The petals were bright pastel pink, unique to cherry blossoms.
‘The petals themselves seem ordinary.’
Even after looking around and injecting mana or even using thunderbolts, the cherry blossom petals did not react. It is an ordinary cherry blossom petal.
‘I don’t know. There is too little information.’
The corner of the mouth went up. Rather than feeling frustrated because of the lack of information, I was excited. Although the exact identity of these saplings was not known, it was certain that they were phantom trees. It would be worthwhile to dig into the unknown by researching with my own hands. You might be able to get magical achievements in the process.
I took the cherry blossom petals and put them in my pocket.
• • •
The next day, I contacted and met Marik, the manager of a real estate brokerage company.
Seeing that he was making a strange expression, he seemed to have roughly grasped the situation. This is his defeat. Marik tried to raise the price of the factory by having Gillian and I compete, but neither of us were willing to settle for money alone.
“I will buy the factory for 400 million credits.”
“Uhm. In the end, I couldn’t even sell it at full price.”
Marik presented the contract. It wasn’t me who accepted the contract first, it was Yuria. She quickly flipped through her contract.
Marik seemed less motivated than when I first saw him. He said, leaning back in his chair.
“Gillian-nim was quite capable. Regardless of who you are as a person.”
“… Well, he seems to be a good smuggler.”
There were not a few things he gained from killing Gillian and the workshop. Right now, the cash alone was several billion. It made me think that finding and killing guys like Gillian might be more profitable than running a business.
‘If you carelessly kill and steal, this side will be targeted. Above all, there aren’t many guys like Gillian.’
For the time being, there was no need to worry about money.
“Master. There is nothing wrong with the contract. I think you can sign a contract like this.”
“Haha. We, Herground, are a company that is at the forefront of this industry. We value the trust of our customers above all else. It’s not third-rate fooling around with contracts.”
It was dog noise.
Why is it widely said that neo-London giants have no conscience? It meant that even a customer would give up without hesitation if it would benefit him. But there was no reason to pursue it here. I roughly nodded.
“Okay.”
First, I took a look at the contract. It’s not that I don’t believe YuRia’s words, it’s because it was clear that Marik would ignore me if I just listened to YuRia and signed it.
Signed the contract We took a picture of the contract and gave each one a copy.
I finished my business, so I got up. Yuria opens the door to her office. It was the moment she was about to turn around and leave.
“This splendid city is like a den of beasts.”
Marik said. He only turned his head to look at him. Marik was smiling bitterly.
“It’s a place where the beast that wins today may become your daily bread tomorrow.”
“Is this a warning?”
“This is my advice to you. I look younger, but I’m not younger. Of course, how you take my words is up to you.”
“I am different from you.”
“All right. Take a look.”
• • •
Took possession of the factory. It’s not over. This is the start. I had to get magic engineering machines to put into the factory, and I had to find blueprints for things to produce and sell.
‘Should I imitate an existing product?’
Release novelty items and seize the Neo London market! It sounded like a dream. Novelty stuff? Given Neo London’s long history, few things are novel.
It is difficult to make something novel. Big corporations can’t stand still. If they knew that I was a powerless businessman, they would try to take it away somehow.
‘Imitate a trivial magic tool. Of course, I’ll have to remodel it to avoid being sued.’
Product thinking can be done slowly. I can afford it thanks to the things I got while robbing Gillian’s studio.
“Master. Tea is ready.”
I brought a teapot and a teacup. I immediately noticed that it was not the black tea I usually drank. It didn’t smell like black tea, but the sweet smell of cherry blossoms.
Cherry blossom petals were brewed inside the transparent teapot. The brewed tea is a pretty pink color.
“I brewed tea with the cherry blossom leaves the owner gave me. I am very satisfied with the quality.”
Yesterday, YuRia handed out some cherry blossom petals. She didn’t know that she would brew tea.
I looked at the teacup. The cherry blossom tea did not fall out from the fragrance to the color. Even if you don’t taste it, you feel that it will be delicious.
“This must be commercially viable.”
“Yes. If it’s a phantom cherry blossom tea, you can sell it at a high price. Check out the taste first.”
The hot tea entered my mouth. The fragrant smell of cherry blossoms made me think it was spring.
“Do you like it.”
There was nothing more to say.
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rings. YuRia and I crossed our gazes.
“Have you had any guests to come today?”
“No, there is not. You are an uninvited guest.”
Uninvited guests are not welcome. I’d like to just tell it to go away, but doing so will damage my reputation.
[Detection]
Use detection magic. This is to find out how many guests are outside the door.
“… !”
I opened my eyes wide and straightened my posture. Detection did not work. It was released in the middle. It means that there is someone skilled enough to dispel my magic at once.
‘You rang the doorbell, so you came as a guest. I don’t know what they came for, but they’re not enemies.’
He sighed and said to YuRia.
“Take me. Prepare new cherry blossom tea.”
“Yes. Master.”
A guest soon arrived. It was a middle-aged man accompanied by a butler and a maid. I took a quick look at them as I got up. Maid and butler. Both are not normal. I can’t figure out how good it is.
“Eugene Meyer. Am I right?”
I knew he was a nobleman thanks to his arrogant tone. The problem is I don’t know his name. An aristocrat with a high self-respect might even take that as an insult.
Fortunately, the savior’s voice was heard.
– This is Baron Arphon. We operate large hospitals in Districts D and F.
“… Meet Baron Arphon. How did you come to such a shabby place?”
“Are you a mercenary that’s going well these days?”
“I run a restaurant business.”
“All right. Sit down and talk.”
He sat down first. It didn’t like me. It wasn’t even hostile. I sat across from him. Seeing his harsh attitude, I didn’t come here to sound sad.
“Did you come to ask me? Requests are requested through an intermediary. Because that is the procedure.”
“Request? Where can I use a mage like you?”
“…”
Couldn’t resist He runs a large hospital in D and F, which can be called upper class districts. If it’s money, it will rot and overflow, and since I have the title of baron, it won’t be difficult to find a mercenary better than me.
Yuria brought out a freshly brewed cherry blossom tea and poured her tea. As usual, she poured tea into my cup first. Baron Arpon’s eyebrows twitched at that, but she soon relaxed her expression as she smelled the scent of cherry blossoms that filled her.
“Is it cherry blossom tea? The scent is not ordinary.”
Tea time can be said to be the representative culture of Neo London. There is nothing better than serving someone a nice cup of tea to win their favor.
“It’s not just a car. It is a tea brewed from the cherry blossom leaves of cherry trees that grow in the Hwansui system.”
“I guess so.”
‘… Is that right?’
You say as if you already knew. He took a sip of the cherry blossom tea and smiled contentedly.
“Even if you get precious tea leaves, if you get into the hands of a rainbow worm, it’s not as good as cheap coffee. However, this tea is perfectly brewed from tea leaves. It’s been a long time since I tasted such delicious tea. Lady, that’s great.”
“It’s an overstatement.”
After answering briefly, Yuria stepped back from me.
“Gillian was my trading partner. Gillian agreed to sell me a sapling of a phantom tree, and I agreed to pay the price.”
“… Gillian is no more.”
“But you are there. I went to Gillian’s studio, but it’s a mess. There were hardly any traces. I wouldn’t have come here if it wasn’t for the information that you and Gillian had a conflict over a factory.”
“Gillian…”
“I know you killed him. What a big deal that is Gillian wasn’t cheap. I was expecting it to be like this. I didn’t know that you would run away while making a deal with me.”
I relaxed slightly. It wasn’t good to be too nervous because it made my thoughts hard. Baron Arpon came to trade with me in place of the dead Gillian.
I don’t even want all three seedlings. If it was one of them, there was no reason not to trade.
“What seedling is it? Is it a cherry tree? Or a maple tree?”
“Neither. Lilac tree. I want that.”
“I will sell it.”
“On the same terms as Gillian?”
“I will listen to it and decide. What did Gillian ask of the baron? I don’t think he was simply asking for money.”
In Neo London, there were more important things than money.
“I have decided to give him the title of baronet.”
Qualification to enter aristocratic society while being a commoner.
A title that could be called honorary nobility.
“… Even if you are a baronet, a title is a title. Do you have the authority to grant the title to the baron?”
