Chapter 48 – Branding (End)
It was during the time when he was lost in his thoughts, that a few people hehe laughingly entered from the outside. Once they entered, one of them then loudly said: “Rumont, the new medicine from last time is really useful, ah do you still have any left? I want 10 bottles!”
The one that just spoke was the first Adventurer that received the free medicine. He had walked to the front of Rumont as he spoke, before pulling up his sleeve and exposing a faint scar on his arm.
“That cure was rather useful, it was better by no small amount than the other medicines that I had bought from your place last time. It was all thanks to it, that my wound could heal up even faster.”
“Really? Then that’s really good.” Rumont said with a faint smile.
Seemingly as if it was preordained, on this same day, half a dozen of those people that had gotten ahold of the new medicine, had all come over to purchase more after having used it. As for those that never used it, also under their companion’s recommendations, they had quite quickly knew about the excellent efficacy of this type of new medicine.
“It sure enough is more useful than those other medicines ay.” All the Adventurers similarly commented in this manner after having used it. In a while, the Adventurers all continuously came forth and purchased this medicine.
As for Rumont’s store that was unfrequented for a long time, it was similarly like the new type of medicine, it had suddenly become more popular; once more a display of vitality.
Rumont’s new medicine had received the welcoming of numerous Adventurers. In this month, along with Rumont’s unending sales of the new medicine, his drugstore had already reached a plight of struggling with lots of money daily.
The constantly amassing gold coins, within his spatial region was uninterruptedly multiplying. Making it so that every time he went to check on the spatial region, he couldn’t help but glance at it.
However, he never let the money get to him and make him muddle-headed. Rather, he still continued on with his initial idea.
During the time the drugstore wasn’t open, he had already considered well the topic of the allocation of future profits. In accordance with his idea, every month of the net profits in his drugstore, twenty percent would be given to Nick, twenty to Fafnir, and the remainder was his take in.
All in all, serving as the manager for the drugstore, Nick had constantly tried his very best. He was also exceptionally responsible for his work, taking twenty percent was an absolute must.
As for Fafnir, even though he didn’t come frequently, he and Rumont were comrades that had experienced through life and death battles. Now was just the time that Fafnir needed money the most, therefore, giving twenty percent to him was also a must.
As for Nick, this fellow, when he initially heard that he himself had surprisingly obtained a share of twenty percent in profits, he was more than shocked, and justly exulted.
After all in, the town of Ricca, apart from those few aristocrats, there really was no one else as wealthy. A sum of money could perhaps alter a person’s fate. Therefore at times, money really was important.
Nick also wasn’t someone that was contentious. Knowing that Rumont had surprisingly given himself such a high treatment, he did not at all shirk it, instead he threw himself into his work with an hundredfold more enthusiasm.
Ever since he assumed the duty of the drugstore manager, he would be able to take no small amount of silver coins back home every month. He still had a twenty percent share in profits. Therefore, Nick’s family situation had by now, already greatly improved; the house was repaired and they now had more savings.
Nick had still further spent money for himself, on no small amount of arithmetic works; reading it his in leisure time. Speaking to this point, still worth mentioning was that this world was different to Earth, all kinds of books were all extremely costly.
Knowledge represented wealth. A poor family’s child wanting to learn to read, needed to pay through hardships and considerations; not something a child from an aristocrat’s family could imagine.
As for the price of one work of books, it was nearly equivalent to the price of a sheep. And as for a sheep, within the eyes of a common farming family, it would be a really large sum of wealth to them.
Nobody would, when they were so poor as to needing to worry unduly over minor details of every meal, have that much money on purchasing books. Therefore, a large majority of poor family kids wouldn’t know how to read. Even if they followed others and learnt a little, it was still pitifully little.
As for the severe bounty that Rumont took from the Thieves Guild, not only did he obtain a lot of money, he still collected a few books that the Thieves had gathered.
As for those books, there were all kinds of it; it had any kind possible. So much that even the most expensive of magic books, a few books were found amidst the Thieves Guild. Although it was only the most preliminary of the introductory kinds, but they were still difficult to purchase books that common people could only wish of buying.
And it must be added, Rumont recently did truly earn sums of money. Therefore, he had also purchased a few simple works of books related to law and financial mathematics; placing them within the store.
All the people within the store could all free of charge peruse the books leisurely.
Previously, although Nick already knew a few words and was also barely able to read the few law books, under the circumstances of having insufficient knowledge, there was a lot of things that he knew of but understood half of.1
This had also lead to his several confrontations with the Tax Officer, resulting all in failures. For the purpose of letting Rumont’s drugstore operate even better, acting as the store manager, Nick felt the need for knowledge. Therefore, ever since he started reading the books within the store, he began to hunger and thirst for knowledge. As for the books related to financial affairs, the store was but in a shortage of it. Thus, in the spite of everything, he spent no small amount of his own money in buying a few for studying.
And because the plunder obtain from the Thieves’ place was shared, therefore Fafnir’s recent livelihood had also gotten a great improvement. He had already wealthily began to go study martial skills. As for him that had always dreamt of becoming a big mighty Warrior, even the extremely frigid winter days, could neither break off his conduct of training.
Rumont would in his frequently idle times, practice with him at an empty clearing in the forest. Only, what even Rumont couldn’t help but concede was that in the practicing of martial skills, Fafnir whose ancestors were once hired mercenaries, was indeed more hardworking than him.
It was already now the end of the second month. The weather was warmer. Winter was on the verge of passing. Spring was also on the verge of arriving.
Time could not defeat determination. Passing through 5 extended months of unceasing practice, Rumont’s martial skills were even more well-trained. The figures within the Shennong Horn had begun to display Level 3 Swordsmanship and Level 3 Footwork.
Of course, simply having Level 3 Swordsmanship and Level 3 Footwork did not all equal a Rank 3 Warrior. Yet along with each of his trainings, he also began to gradually generate a type of Warrior’s rhythmic sense, this evidently reflected on having achieved some kind of level as a Warrior.
However, needing to officially obtain a power equivalent to an official Warrior, it was still necessary to wait for his condition to have finished stabilizing. As for Fafnir’s achievements from training, because he was even more hard working at practice, he was even more outstanding than Rumont.
Rumont even had a type of misconception. That the youth, that in the past who had never had the opportunity to come into contact with orthodox martial skills, or since the the time of spring, would be able to leap to Rank 2 as a Warrior, it would not be an impossible scenario.
“Rumont you rascal, I suddenly discovered that you’re getting surprising more handsome. You’re still fair skinned after all the blowing winds and burning sunlight. There’s really no sense of it hey. Don’t tell me, that all Druids are like this?” on this day, after practicing their martial skills, the two good friends were both bathing in a small lake inside the forest. Seeing the other’s increasingly more sturdy physique, Fafnir unexpectedly showed a rather envious expression.
At first, it was still okay if the tall physique was getting more sturdy, but unexpectedly it was still retaining a gentle and delicate appearance. The temperament also appeared increasingly more easy going, natural and unrestrained. This type of change gave him, the friend, a taste of defeat.
Rumont haha laughed: “no it’s not, aren’t you always maintaining an out of the ordinary bravery and fierceness, how come you’re now envying another person?” as he spoke, he headed towards the shore, changing into his clothes.
“It’s not because of Miss Eleni right, I’ve heard that even Miss Eleni is fond of you eh, it really is enviable ah. At what time, would I also have a maiden liking me?” Fafnir deliberately put on an exaggerated expression, laughing haha as he spoke.
“You’ve heard?” Rumont faintly wrinkled his forehead: “who’d you hear from?”
At this time, Fafnir also climbed over out of the lake, and hehe smilingly said: “lots of people are saying this, I had heard it from a Warrior that teaches me. He said, because Miss Eleni likes you, therefore, it was quite likely that you would become the Baron Lord’s son-in-law eh. Currently, they’re all struggling to get closer with me, trying to get a bond out of a friend of a future, soon to be the Lord’s son-in-law.”
Rumonts wrinkles were even deeper, this non-existent affair, how did it manage to spread so everyone knows?
“Why, don’t tell me you don’t like Miss Eleni?” Fafnir having changed his clothes, saw the other was still startled at his former place, and laughingly hehe slapped him.
“They’re casually saying that and you also believe them?” Rumont seem to spoke with his own intention.
“Oi! The sky’s still bright, and you’re going back?” seeing Rumont turn his body and head towards the outside of the forest, Fafnir promptly followed. They journeyed without speaking, at the entrance of the town when a townsfolk ran into Rumont, they suddenly exposed an understanding expression.
“Rumont, someone’s looking for you, quickly go back.” he said this with a hehe laugh and started to show a face with a mysterious expression.
“What’s this about?” Rumont looked strangely at the other as he left. Afterwards, he increased his steps.
Eventually, returning to the drugstore, he saw a few townsfolk inquisitively sticking their heads in from the outside of the store. Rumont couldn’t refrain from having a type ominous feeling.
Something happened to the drugstore?
He entered the store quickly, and saw a young maiden talking softly about something with Nick. Hearing the sounds of footsteps, the young maiden gracefully turned her body.
“Miss Eleni?” not only Rumont, even Fafnir who had similarly followed behind Rumont was startled. The beautiful young maiden that was standing at the front, was exactly the second daughter of the Lord of Ricca town, the Rank 2 Priest Miss Eleni.
Know that a Priest of the Earth Goddess was an occupation that mainly safeguarded the Shrine. As a Rank 2 Priest, Miss Eleni’s tranquil type of aura was felt ever more in front of people. Unless it was some big matter, otherwise as a Priest, Miss Eleni would rarely appear within the town.
“Rumont, looks like you’re still denying it.” Fafnir inwardly cursed, before giving Rumont an obscure look from his eyes. He first greeted Eleni, before adopting a manner full of interest and pulled Nick to the side.
On this side, there only remained Rumont and Eleni, who stood there face to face.
“Rumont, who could have thought your business was this good, neither did you invite me over to have a look.” Eleni took the initiative to break the impasse, seeing the many people within the store. “How come you still haven’t invited me walk around?”
“Hehe.” Rumont laughed foolishly, his mind was thinking, where would he have a place for official business?
However, Rumont also thought thought that standing around like this and chatting wasn’t too suitable. He took Eleni within the store to a remote area, with a small sectioned room that was used as the reading room.
There was a table and a few chairs inside, the two sat well face to face.
Eleni hummingly smiled while glancing at the surrounds, while also flipping over a book on magic that was currently placed atop of the table. She curiously asked: “you guys surprisingly also have magic books? Who’s looking at them?”
Rumont looked at the book, and also had touch of curiosity, only, he thought about how recently Rolak was frequently studying in that direction, thinking that it must be him.
Hearing his explanation, Eleni shook her head and said: “if one does not have the gift of magic, then looking at however many books still wouldn’t have much of a use. I never expected that you would be willing to spend money to buy such expensive introductory magic books, this has really surprised me.”
Rumont hehe laughed. All these books were obtained free of charge, which naturally meant he was willing to part with. It’s a pity, that these words couldn’t be explained to Eleni.
The pair again idly chatted. Eventually, Eleni spoke out the objective for visiting this time.
At first, she was actually attracted over by Rumont’s new medicine. As a Priest, synthesizing medicines was similarly a study she needed, she was also quite interested in it as well. Once she heard of Rumont’s new medicine, that it surprisingly had an even better efficacy than the old medicines, she was at once attracted over.
Rumont naturally couldn’t give away the secret of the new medicine, and explained it to Eleni. However, the pair actually connected on the topic of synthesizing medicines, undertaking a exchanging discussion.
Not only did Rumont, a half-baked Druid profit by no small amount, Rumont’s knowledge gotten through other means had also broadened Eleni’s scope.
The two people spoke really joyously.
Opposite of Rumont’s drugstore, an intense atmosphere was currently filled within the store manager’s room.
“How is it? I didn’t lie to you right?” the Tax Officer sneered.
Opposite of him, a young maiden in her teens, was currently attentively watching the window opposite of her; at that place, a youth full of smiles was escorting Eleni out.
“I never really thought that Rumont was surprisingly such a despicable person!” the young maiden withdrew her sight and fiercely spoke.
The Tax Officer again fanned the flames: “that’s right, an innocent young lady such as Miss Eleni, how would she be able to see through his mask. It’s such a pity ah. She’s now being exploited, and still doesn’t know of it.”
“I’ll go tell her then!” He was a Rank 2 Druid, how could he have somehow developed a new medicine. It was originally swindled out of Eleni’s hands, this……this was simply too despicable! Treating a predecessor’s medical recipe, as his own achievement! It’s too despicable!”
“That’s right, even with Master Jeff’s talent, he was unable to develop a new medicine. As anyone saw it, Rumont being able to develop it would make them believe that Master Jeff wasn’t as good as him……however, Miss Willow. In honest, Rumont’s gift is indeed really high ah. Leaving the guidance of Master Jeff, he was still able to quickly promote to a Rank 2 Druid. Tsk tsk. He really is a genius. Miss Willow, you’re just but a Rank 1 right, miss?” the Tax Officer hehe laughed and reasoned.
Willow angrily harrumphed and said: “he’s just a swindler, what’s so amazing about it!”
“Only, you know, I know, but others don’t ah.” the Tax Officer said with a tsk tsk: “I think, not long in the future, Rumont’s store will definitely become the town of Ricca’s biggest drugstore, Miss Willow……”
Seeing the young maiden turn her body angrily with a huff to strikingly grind medicine, the Tax Officer’s face showed a smile.
1. [一知半解]↩
Bo~ 