In a small shop nestled within the South District of the Kingdom of Sinfonia, a sign hung on the door announcing it was closed for the day. Inside, despite the holiday, two individuals sat facing each other across a desk, their respective attendants standing watch behind them.
"……And so, our company would like to purchase a significant bulk order."
"I see. That sounds like a fair proposal."
Akane Mikumo, the chairman of the Mikumo Trading Company, wore a pleasant smile as she spoke. She was an eccentric figure, sporting purple hair and a striking leopard-print outfit.
Her objective was to negotiate the procurement of a few peculiar items sold at this establishment. They had recently gained traction in the Hydra Kingdom, and with signs of a price surge on the horizon, she had moved quickly to secure the stock before anyone else.
The Mikumo Trading Company prided itself on its mobility and rapid procurement, made possible by Teleportation Magic. To Akane, this looked like a prime business opportunity. While the prices showed every sign of skyrocketing soon, they hadn't peaked yet, leading her to believe she could secure a large quantity at a bargain.
(My gut tells me this is almost certain to take off. I was lucky to catch wind of this so early... If I can, I'd like to land a deal on the best terms possible. But I wonder just how sharp this 'proxy' is?)
The person facing Akane was not the store manager, but an investor who had provided the shop with its capital. She had stepped in today to handle the negotiations on behalf of the owner, who was out of his depth in such matters.
"Of course, since this is quite sudden, I intend to offer a premium over the current market price."
"Oh, that is a very generous offer... By the way, are we talking about the 'Sinfonia market price'? Or perhaps the 'Hydra Kingdom market price'?"
Akane maintained her smile, but inwardly, she winced.
(Damn it... That was a polite way of telling me she knows exactly what's up. Mentioning the Hydra Kingdom means she's already tracked the same price surge I have... She's a pro. This is going to be a headache.)
The moment the investor mentioned the Hydra Kingdom, Akane realized her opponent held the same information she did. She immediately revised her assessment: the woman sitting across from her was a heavy hitter.
Akane had hoped to steamroll the negotiations in favor of the Mikumo Trading Company, but as they continued to probe one another, she decided to shift her strategy.
(No good. She's incredibly sharp. If I try to squeeze out a lopsided deal, she'll probably make me pay for it later. Worse, if I let my guard down, I might end up on the losing side of this contract. Fine. I'll stop being greedy and aim for a fifty-fifty split instead.)
Concluding that she couldn't win a battle of wits against this investor, Akane lowered her target and aimed for a fair, even contract. Just then, Frau, her maid, leaned in and whispered softly into her ear.
"……It appears there are shops in the Arclesia Empire that carry similar products as well."
Akane listened to the whisper—meant for her ears alone—and processed the information.
(I see why Frau brought that up. I could definitely get better terms over there. High-level negotiators like this woman don't just grow on trees, after all... and with our magic, travel time is a non-issue. So, what’s the play...?)
After a moment of silence, Akane let out a small sigh. She pulled out her Calculator Magic Tool and tapped in a few numbers.
"……How does this look to you?"
"That is quite a bit higher than the market average. Are you certain?"
"Yes. I’ve bet on this product surging to a price where even this amount leaves us plenty of room for profit."
Akane was confident this offer would be accepted. For her, the number wasn't ideal; the profit would be significantly lower than her initial projections. However, the shop across the table didn't have a strong international distribution network. They couldn't sell to the Hydra Kingdom on their own, and given the favorable terms Akane was now offering, there was no reason for them to refuse.
Just as Akane predicted, they reached an agreement on the proposed figure, and the contract was signed.
As they left the shop and walked toward their merchant carriage, Frau spoke up.
"Was that really wise, Chairman? I’m certain we would have seen higher profits if we had gone to Arclesia instead."
"Yeah, I know. You're right."
"Then why?"
"Hmm... I just felt like it was better to build a bridge, even if it cost us a little bit. I don't have a concrete reason. You can just call it a merchant's intuition."
Akane truly believed that going to Arclesia would have been more profitable. Even if they had stayed, she probably could have negotiated a slightly lower price than the one she offered. Yet, her gut told her that making a good impression on this opponent was more important than the immediate margins.
"That investor is a real pro, and she’s got a lot of confidence... I'd bet her financial backing is massive. I have a feeling that being on her good side will pay off down the road."
"I see."
"Still, it was a total miscalculation to find someone that hefty handling business for a tiny little shop..."
"Indeed... Also, she was likely Count-class. As was the attendant accompanying her."
"No way..."
"I am certain of it."
"She might be someone famous, then... I’ll have to use my contacts to look into her. I believe her name was 'Anima'."
Fate moves in mysterious ways. Akane’s merchant intuition—and the actions she took because of it—had unexpectedly formed a new link to Kaito.
Serious-senpai: "This is definitely a surprise. I didn't see a connection coming from that direction..."