I’ve Been Reincarnated as a Tentacle Slime~ I Want to Live a Comfortable, Secure Life and Do Whatever I Want~ - Chapter 120

[Alfred POV]

“Phew, I finally made it.”

I spent a few days returning from that fortress back to the city of Spada.

The city looks the same as always, but something feels slightly off. I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Passing through the familiar streets, I arrived at the Spada branch of the Royal Merchant Guild.

“Hey, Al! You’re back, huh?”

“Yeah. Just got back a little while ago.”

At the guild, it’s mandatory to check cargo in the warehouse area to track goods brought from outside the city.

The guild uses this data, along with supplies from the Adventurer’s Guild, to understand their hold on the city’s trade.

It was well past noon, and the warehouse area was crowded with returning merchants waiting their turn.

The fellow merchant I’m chatting with is queued as well.

“In that case, you might not have heard. There’s a dangerous adventurer who showed up in town.”

“What do you mean ‘dangerous’? That’s way too vague.”

“Let me finish. An official order came down from the Earl to the upper brass, banning all contact with that adventurer. If anyone breaks it, the guild’s dungeon material trade gets cut in half. It was co-signed by the Adventurer’s Guild, too. And the individual who violates it? Charged with treason. Other guilds apparently got similar warnings.”

“That’s definitely serious. But there’s no way they can actually enforce that, right?”

There’s more than one guild out there. If they do something like that, other branches will report it to lords in other territories and the count will catch some heat. He’s the one who’d suffer from trade disruptions.

“You’d think so, right? But the higher-ups seriously banned us from even talking to him. They said they’ll expel anyone who breaks the rule.”

“What? If they’re going that far, then there’s some serious info they’re keeping from us, isn’t there?”

“I knew you’d think so too. Well? Smell any money in this?”

“Hell no. If you get near him, it’s off to be a mine slave or worse a meat shield. Only a total moron would go near him…”

If you’re charged with treason, it’s an even heavier crime than murder. There’s no going back to a normal life.

“Yeah, I thought so… Oh, it’s my turn. I’m heading in.”

“Yeah, thanks for the info.”

“You owe me a drink next time, yeah?”

So that’s what that strange feeling earlier was. Come to think of it, there were an unusual number of guards.

While I was thinking it over, my turn finally came.

–

“Alfred, the Silver Hunter, back again? Did you manage to profit this time, as well?”

“Yeah, especially this time. Maybe soon they’ll start calling me Gold.”

The warehouse guys call me a Silver Hunter. Hunter is a jab at having a keen nose for money, and Silver means one who mainly deals in silver coins. Gold—well, you get the idea, right?

“Hah! A rookie acting all high and mighty. If becoming Gold was that easy, no one would struggle.”

“Not really. Just look inside this wooden crate.”

I pointed with my thumb at the crate of Treant Fruits. The warehouse keeper opened it and froze.

“Alfred… this can’t be…?”

“Yeah, Treant Fruits. The whole crate. The barrels contain Wind Honey Mead.”

The warehouse keeper seemed frozen in time from further shock.

(I understand. I felt just like that…)

“Regarding this matter—”

“You mean the chairman. Wait here a moment; I’ll arrange a meeting right away.”

The warehouse keeper quickly recovered and, sensing my intention, went upstairs.

(How much could he have thought through in that brief moment…?)

Since the warehouse keeper manages distribution, only experienced veterans can hold the position.

It was frustrating to realize just how much more skilled he was than me.

–

Within ten minutes, the warehouse keeper returned.

“You can meet the chairman now. You know the room, right? Also, what will you do with the cargo? Handle it yourself?”

Handling it myself would yield more profit. But it would be troublesome if someone sneaks along to share the gains later.

The guild wouldn’t want to give up this transaction, so it’s best to distribute it through the guild.

“No, I’ll sell through the guild. Also, withdraw half of the deposited money for me.”

“Understood.”

The warehouse keeper gave a brief reply and returned to his work.

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

“Chairman, this is Alfred.”

“Come in.”

When I knocked on the chairman’s office door, a reply came immediately.

When I entered, the chairman and the head of the dungeon materials department were there.

The chairman’s eyes were narrow, giving an unsettling feeling as if he could see through everything.

“Well done. I’m aware of the details.”

“Yes, thank you very much.”

“I’d like to know where you sourced it, but you’ve come to discuss that, haven’t you?”

“Yes. The truth is――――”

I didn’t reveal the source and said the client would only trade with me, as I don’t investigate clients.

I also told them I didn’t know the other party’s identity and suspected it was better not to know.

“I see… very well. We’ll pretend you’re operating under my instructions. That should prevent unwanted inquiries, except from my enemies.”

The chairman smiled warmly, but his words were so ominous that I could only break out in a cold sweat.

–

“Incidentally, are you aware of our guild’s market share for the two products, Treant Fruit and Wind Honey?”

“Yes. Treant Fruit was at 19%, and Wind Honey was about 17%, if I recall correctly.”

For both, the Royal Merchant Guild and Kingdom Commercial Guild hold around 20%, the lord has 20%, and the rest scattered elsewhere.

In other words, the Kingdom Merchant Guild is falling behind on both products.

“Exactly. Thanks to you, Alfred, we seem to be able to regain 1% share each. Truly excellent.

Do you think the trade volume can be increased?”

“Yes. This deal seemed like a trial run, so I believe it can be further increased.”

“Is that so? Then make sure our guild regains its market share. We will provide support for that.”

In other words, increase the trade volume threefold.

Doubling it seemed doable, but… will tripling really be alright?

“Understood. Then, could you arrange various kinds of vegetable seeds, some alcohol, and livestock?”

“That’s fine. You can pick up the livestock in the city of Padia.”

One carriage isn’t enough, so I’ll have to buy a new one. Also, I need to purchase a slave driver… Strong Ox-tribe men are expensive though…

Will the money be enough…?

“The guild will cover the cost of these goods this time. However, you must sell the goods through the guild and remit 20% of the profits. Understood?

Also, instead of Ox-tribe slaves, agile dog-eared slaves with a keen sense of smell would be better. What’s needed isn’t strength, but the ability to avoid being tracked.”

As if seeing through my thoughts, the chairman spoke.

“Understood. I’ll proceed accordingly.”

I had no words to reply with, so all I could do was agree.

–

“Now, let’s move on to the next topic. You’ve heard about the adventurer everyone’s talking about, right?”

“Yes, I heard about it just a little while ago.”

I thought the conversation was over, but another topic started instead.

“Our guild, no, other merchant guilds are also closely watching him. Keep that in mind as you listen. You know our guild has been taking a watchful, cautious stance, right?”

“Yes.”

Why would the chairman bring up such a topic?

I didn’t understand the chairman’s intentions, so all I could do was listen.

“Apparently, he reached beyond floor 20 in less than seven days. That means he likely came from another city. A few days back, he came to our guild to cash a certificate. Whose do you think it might be?”

“Is it mine…?”

“You’re sharp; that’s a relief. This is the certificate. It’s the seal you use when operating in the East, isn’t it?”

The seal is definitely used when operating in the East. I use different seals for East, West, South, and North to determine if there’s any change in situation when cashed elsewhere.

But how do they even know such a peculiar habit of a mere merchant?

“Apparently, the one who cashed it goes by the name Cruz.”

(Wha――!!! That name!!!)

There was no way I wouldn’t know it. It was the name of the general commanding that fortress.

(I see! If he acts flamboyantly here, all eyes will naturally turn to the center, to Spada city. They’re doing this to hide the existence of the fortress!)

I felt the gravity of the situation and my body trembled with excitement and fear.

“Are you familiar with that name?”

This was probably a subtle way of asking if I’m connected to that client.

“No, I’m not aware.”

I do know, but my answer conveyed that I couldn’t talk about it.

“I see, you don’t know. Very well. If there’s anything that client can sell you, buy as much as possible. But do not trade any wind wolf materials. That’s all, you may go.”

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

Inside the chairman’s office――――

“Start selling the Treant Fruit in a few days. By then, he should have cleared the Earth zone. He really is lucky.”

“Yes. If he hadn’t unloaded his goods to the guild, and if this event hadn’t occurred, he would surely have been tracked by another guild.”

If Alfred handled the cargo himself, other guilds would surely notice. It’s only because the guild manages it that his individual attention is concealed.

Even if Cruz hadn’t delivered a large quantity of fine Wind Wolf pelts, they would have investigated who brought the shipment that changed the market share. Other commercial guilds should be able to identify Alfred as the source.

Since these two factors aligned, other guilds infer there’s a connection between the Royal Merchant Guild and Cruz.

After all, only the Royal Merchant Guild is releasing an unusually large amount of Wind zone materials compared to normal times.

Furthermore, due to the lord’s orders, thorough investigations aren’t possible. As a result, they fall behind, unaware it’s a decoy.

Then, when he conquers the Earth zone, putting Treant Fruit on sale will further mislead them with false information.

Earl Spada will likely investigate, but there’s no problem since there’s no proof of contact with the adventurer named Cruz.

“To think a second Slime Tamer has appeared in this city. It’s no surprise the Earl is acting so cautious.”

“If all goes smoothly, it won’t be long before this city becomes the capital of the kingdom’s eastern region.”

Slime Tamers are valuable assets in any city.

It’s obvious how powerful they are. Except when still developing, Slime Tamers are always in the top five in any town. Naturally, this city’s strongest is also a Slime Tamer.

Moreover, they deliver goods of far higher quality than ordinary adventurers.

Judging by the quality and quantity of these Wind Wolf pelts, it’s clear that the adventurer Cruz is a Slime Tamer. Naturally, the other guilds have figured it out as well.

The moment he shot up into the high-intermediate ranks, it was clear he had transferred from another city.

In other words, if we don’t make him settle here, we’ll hand a huge opportunity to another city. That’s why the Earl is so nervous.

That’s likely why he issued such an unprecedented directive to all the guilds.

All the guilds followed the order because they shared the same desire: to keep him from leaving this city.

That said, any merchant who doesn’t aim for profit isn’t worthy of the title.

This time, misleading the other trade guilds was meant to plant false assumptions.

Assumptions have a way of shrinking one’s field of vision more than expected.

Let’s watch as they stray even farther from the truth.

“Alfred, I have high hopes for him―――― unless, of course, he messes up.”

In a trade guild, direct deliveries are split three ways. So, guilds and nobles offer rewards in the form of requests posted at the guild.

To get adventurers to prioritize their requests, guilds and nobles try to secure their loyalty.

When the requests and rewards are the same, it’s only human nature to choose the one from someone you know.

Chapter length 4999 characters.