"Ryoma, you look exhausted. Are you alright?"
Reinhardt-san spoke to me as we made our way back from the mine.
"I was planning to stop by the shop of a man who can help us sell the iron, the slime thread, and that waterproof cloth you developed, but if you're too tired..."
"I'm fine, really. I just overextended my mana a bit."
It was just that familiar, sluggish weight of running low on mana after making so many bricks with Create Block. It had been a while since I'd pushed myself that far, but it wasn't as if I'd completely bottomed out. This level of fatigue wouldn't get in the way of business.
About an hour later, the carriage arrived in the city and pulled up in front of a shop. The exterior wasn't flashy, but the large wooden building and the area surrounding it were impeccably clean, giving off a dignified, settled atmosphere. Given that a Duke was visiting, I'd expected a high-end boutique, but the place didn't have that intimidating air of luxury. It felt welcoming.
Once inside, we were immediately ushered into a large reception room in the back. This room was a different story—paintings lined the walls, and decorative vases sat in the corners. It was far more opulent than the storefront. I sat on the sofa as invited, but it was so plush that I practically sank into the cushions.
It was more luxurious than any boardroom I remembered from my previous life. I started to feel a bit like a fish out of water, so I decided to sit quietly next to Sebas-san.
I did my best to look composed while we waited, and soon a stout man entered the room. He was clearly the man in charge.
"Well, well! To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from the whole Jamil family?"
"It’s been a while, Serge," Reinhardt said.
"Indeed it has. While my company is always in the Duke's debt, we rarely have the chance to meet in person. I am delighted to see you all in such good health. And I don't believe I've met this young man. I am Serge Morgan, the president of the Morgan Company."
Oh, he was greeting me too.
"My name is Ryoma Takebayashi. I've been under the care of the Jamil family lately. It’s a pleasure to meet you."
He offered me a warm smile in return. I’d heard he was trustworthy, and he seemed like a pleasant enough person.
"Now then, I'd like to dive right into business..." Reinhardt began.
"I take it you have something new for me today as well?" Serge asked.
"Today as well"? I wondered just how many times Reinhardt-san had brought him items like this.
"Before I show you anything, I need a promise of total confidentiality. I trust you, Serge, but I must be certain the information doesn't leak."
"Of course, my lord. A partner's information is a merchant's most precious asset. If you wish for silence, we shall ensure it remains so. But it is rare to see you so cautious, Lord Reinhardt."
"I have my reasons... but I am certain the profits here will be on an entirely different scale than anything we've done before."
Was it really that big of a deal? Things like raincoats were common in my old world, so my sense of perspective on what was "groundbreaking" was a bit skewed.
"Sebas."
At Reinhardt-san's signal, Sebas-san produced the waterproof cloth, the slime thread, and the iron ingots I’d made from his Item Box.
"This is a cloth processed through a specialized method," Reinhardt explained.
"May I?" Serge asked, reaching for the fabric.
"By all means."
Serge-san took the cloth and examined it with intense curiosity, running his fingers over the surface. "Hm, it has a wonderful hand-feel."
"It’s more than just the texture. This cloth repels water completely. It won't let a single drop through to the other side."
"Is that... truly possible?"
"Feel free to use Appraisal, or wrap your hand in it and dunk it in water. Consider this a sample."
"Then I shall take you up on that."
Serge-san called a servant to bring a basin of water. While he waited, he seemed to check the cloth with Appraisal. His eyes lit up. As soon as the water arrived, he wrapped his hand in the cloth and plunged it into the basin. When he pulled it out, he looked stunned.
"Lord Reinhardt, this is magnificent!"
"I thought you'd say that. Don't you think rain gear made from this would sell?"
"Sell? It will be a sensation! Absolutely!"
He was hooked.
"That’s not all. Look at this thread."
"Let me see." Serge took the spool, feeling it and giving it a sharp tug. Then he paused. "Wait... is this made from the same material as the cloth treatment?"
He noticed? I hadn't given him a single hint. He must have recognized the texture.
Reinhardt-san nodded, clearly pleased. "Spoken like a professional. You're exactly right. The process is slightly different, but the base material is the same. It’s high-quality thread, wouldn't you say?"
"Indeed. Tailors specializing in luxury garments would fight over this. It’s beautiful, but more importantly, it's incredibly durable."
"We also have clothing made from these materials."
Sebas-san produced the coveralls and the makeshift chest waders I had made. Wait, I had my own set—did he have copies made? When?
"These are work clothes for use in water or mud. The design is a bit unconventional, but the functionality is unmatched."
"I see. I suspect many laborers would covet these. If word of their utility spreads, they could become a staple overnight."
"We'll need a strategy to market them, but the potential is there. And finally, there is this."
Reinhardt pushed the coveralls aside and presented the iron ingot.
"May I appraise this as well?"
"Go ahead."
Serge-san looked at it, but his shoulders slumped slightly. "It’s a fine product, certainly... but to be blunt, it appears to be nothing more than ordinary, run-of-the-mill iron."
"Then look at this one."
Sebas-san produced the other ingot—the ultra-high purity iron—and handed it over.
"Is this light silver? No, the weight is wrong... let's see..."
The moment he used Appraisal, he froze. He tried to keep his composure, but he started sweating profusely.
"Lord Reinhardt... this ingot..."
"Impressive, isn't it? Can you imagine the chaos if we just put this on the open market?"
"It would be a disaster. The luster alone could be mistaken for silver; any smith would know immediately that this isn't normal iron. People would stop at nothing to uncover the manufacturing process."
"Exactly. That's why we have the first ingot. It’s a modified version of the high-purity one, altered to look like standard iron."
Serge-san nodded, understanding finally dawning on him. "I see. But if we do that, it will be treated as mere iron. It won't stand out at all. Are you certain that's what you want?"
"I am. We want to sell these quietly and legally. This iron comes from an abandoned mine; it’s not as if we've discovered a new vein."
"Understood. You want to sell the finished product while keeping the source and the method a total secret."
"Precisely. We want to export them. Domestic trade requires a specific origin, but for exports, we only need to list the country of origin. That should work, shouldn't it?"
"Yes, that shouldn't be a problem at all."
Wait, is it really that simple? That seems a bit loose.
"Furthermore," Reinhardt continued, "bringing the ingots here helps us keep the creator's identity hidden. I'm entrusting this to you because I trust your discretion."
"I am honored, my lord."
"As for the creator... all three of these developments come from the same person."
"One person created all of this?"
Reinhardt-san grinned. "That's right. And that person is Ryoma-kun here."
Serge-san’s face went blank. He looked back and forth between me and the Duke as if he hadn't heard correctly.
"I'm sorry, what...?"
"I said Ryoma-kun is the developer. I know it sounds impossible, but it is the truth."
"Takebayashi-sama... you truly made these?"
"I did," I replied simply.
"It’s true," Reinhardt added. "I'd appreciate it if you kept this between us, but despite his age, Ryoma-kun is a brilliant researcher. He is also an alchemist."
The moment he heard the word "alchemist," Serge-san’s expression clouded with doubt. I guess the reputation of alchemists really is in the gutter in this world.
"I understand your skepticism," Reinhardt said, "but he created that ingot right in front of my eyes. He is no fraud."
"I see... in front of the Duke himself. If you would be so kind, would you mind showing me your technique as well?"
Well, he was definitely suspicious, but at least he was willing to give me a chance rather than just kicking me out. Being with the Jamil family carried weight. I was a little low on mana, but I had to show him.
"I’ve used a lot of mana today, so would a small demonstration be alright?"
"In that case, I will provide some mana recovery potions from my stock. Since I'm the one asking for a favor, it’s the least I can do."
Oh, I get free potions? That changed everything.
"Then could I have two sheets of paper and a pen as well? I need to draw some magic circles."
Serge called the servant back to bring the supplies.
"Will these suffice?"
"Yes, thank you."
I sketched out two simple magic circles and pulled five red stone blocks from my Item Box.
"This is soil from the abandoned mine that I've compressed with Earth Magic. This is my raw material. Please check it."
Serge-san used Appraisal immediately. "Yes, I've confirmed it."
"Then please stay back from the circles. It can be dangerous. I’m starting."
I channeled mana into the circles, just as I had at the mine. They flared with light, and I quickly synthesized a flat plate of iron and handed it to him.
"Please, take a look."
Serge-san had been watching with wide eyes, and the moment he appraised the plate, he bolted upright from the sofa.
"Please accept my sincerest apologies!"
He bent forward in a deep, perfectly executed bow of the highest respect.
"No, no! Please, raise your head! There's no need for that. I know alchemists are usually treated with suspicion; I think your reaction was more than fair."
Regardless of my association with the Duke, I was still just a kid. Having an older man of his status apologize so formally made me feel awkward. I almost wished he had just been a jerk about it—then I could have just treated it like a cold business transaction, the way I would have with a difficult boss in my past life.
"You are too kind," Serge said, straightening up. "I never imagined I would meet a genuine alchemist... Could it be that your age is not what it seems?"
Wait... what? Did he actually just clock me?
"What do you mean by that?" I asked cautiously.
"I have heard that true alchemists can craft elixirs of immortality or potions of youth. I always assumed they were myths used by con artists, but if you are the real thing..."
"No, it's nothing like that."
Man, he gave me a heart attack. I opened my status board to show him my age.
"I can't make anything like that. Maybe someone out there can, but it’s beyond me. The best I can do is pull iron out of the dirt like I just did."
"I see. Forgive my wild speculation."
Reinhardt-san stepped back into the conversation. "Now that we've established Ryoma-kun’s credentials, let’s talk logistics. As you can see, he has incredible skill, but if word gets out that he's an alchemist, he'll be grouped in with the frauds. And even if people recognize his talent, they’ll try to take advantage of an eleven-year-old. I want you to buy his products at a fair price, Serge. And I want his identity kept strictly off the record."
"Consider it done. That is a small price to pay for such a partnership."
"Ryoma-kun, Serge is a merchant you can count on. If you have anything to sell, bring it here. It’s also the safest place for you to do your own shopping."
"Thank you. Serge-san, I look forward to doing business with you."
"The pleasure is all mine, Ryoma-sama. My doors are always open to you."
"And one more thing, Ryoma," Reinhardt added. "Feel free to take as much soil as you want from that mine. Use it for slime feed, turn it into iron for money—whatever you like."
"Are you sure? What about the profit for your house?"
"The mine was dead weight anyway; we weren't making a cent from it. If you sell iron to Serge, we get our cut from the trade taxes later, so it’s a win for us either way. Besides, we're going to make plenty from the waterproof cloth. Just make sure you supply this shop or another Morgan branch. Isn't that right, Serge?"
"Correct. If you let me know where you're staying, I’ll notify the nearest branches to handle your products with the utmost discretion."
These people were almost too kind. It made me wonder how I’d ever pay them back.
I ended up telling them about my life in the forest, which shocked them again. We discussed whether I’d go back or stay in the city, and I promised to update Serge-san once I had a permanent address. For now, I’d use this shop while I was in town. If I went back to the forest, I’d supply the branch in Gaunago.
I decided that while I was in the city, I’d spend a few days making as much thread and iron as possible. If I pushed my mana to the limit for a couple of days, I could produce a significant amount—especially since Serge-san had given me a mountain of mana potions as a peace offering.
Regardless, I was relieved to have a safe outlet for my goods. Serge-san told me to come to him for anything, so at the very least, I wouldn't have to worry about getting cheated.
We eventually left the shop, seen off by Serge-san and his servant, and headed back to the inn.