Chapter 30

"Why does that lead to the qualities of a great merchant?"

Out of pure curiosity, I asked Chris in return. If someone had asked me about the qualities of a dragon knight, I could have answered five or so right away, but the qualities of a merchant were completely outside my expertise.

So, I decided to ask out of interest.

"Hehehehe, good question, my dear friend. That curiosity is an even rarer quality," Chris replied, becoming even more cheerful.

"There are two main reasons. First, at every stage—raw materials, processing, and sales—there are people who 'make money,' right?"

"Of course... Oh, I see, if you do everything yourself, you can keep all the profits for yourself."

"Exactly."

"...But that's not all, is it?"

I pinched my chin, imagined, and thought.

"You won't be forced to buy at a high price due to price hikes at any stage."

"Hehehehe, hahaha!"

Chris's mood reached its limit, and he threw his head back in laughter, making the house shake and the floor tremble slightly.

"Hey, stop laughing like an idiot."

"Hehehe, sorry, sorry."

Chris apologized sincerely to Colette's protest and then looked at me.

"Understanding one thing and knowing ten, that's excellent, my dear friend."

"Hmm."

"The second reason is precisely that. More specifically, when things are going well, sharing profits by buying from others is fine, but if something happens, you might end up at the mercy of others."

"That's scary."

It's like a tavern being cut off from its alcohol supply. It's not just scary; it's fatal.

"Indeed. That's why the idea of handling everything yourself is good."

"I see."

I thought for a moment.

"But, Mr. Cyril,"

Emma, who had been listening silently, spoke up.

"It's okay to occasionally buy Galguy, but wouldn't it be bad if people saw a dragon knight making Galguy themselves?"

"Definitely not good."

I nodded and patted Emma.

"Mr. Cyril?"

"Thanks for pointing that out. I appreciate it."

"Y-Yes."

Right, making Galguy openly isn't good.

There must be a way to hide it.

...Then.

☆

The next day, I went to the dragon market in Manno-War alone.

I asked a townsperson for directions and arrived smoothly.

It wasn't as desolate as Gigu's guild, but it was still a much quieter area compared to the bustling streets.

Due to the need to house dragons, the shops were inevitably larger, and there were fewer other buildings around.

As a result, fewer people came to visit, making it a naturally calm area.

At first glance, there were four shops.

I entered the one that looked good based on the building and atmosphere.

"Welcome. What kind of dragon are you looking for?"

The middle-aged man who greeted me had a slight belly but a gentle demeanor.

"I'm looking for a Galguy. Do you have any?"

"Of course. Please, this way."

The man led me to the back of the shop. When he opened the door, it revealed an open courtyard.

The shop in Manno-War was almost the same as the one in Boalcel.

"Here it is."

The man led me to a certain cage. Inside, a dragon about my size was lying down.

It was one of the smallest species, not much larger than a human.

The man unlocked the cage and opened it.

"Please take your time to check it out."

He turned and stood about ten meters away.

I faced the dragon—the Galguy.

"Hello. My name is Cyril Laroux."

"..."

There was no response. The Galguy just raised its head slightly and then lay back down.

Well, that's a typical reaction.

I decided to push further.

"You might be surprised, but I can understand dragon language. I'd like to talk to you first."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Can we talk?"

"What should I say?"

"Well, you know, there's a back-and-forth in conversation."

"..."

The Galguy tilted its head slightly, as if to say, "I don't understand what humans are saying."

"Are you not fond of talking?"

"...I don't like it."

"I see."

So, it's a quiet one.

Well, that makes sense.

Dragons, like humans, have various personalities. Even if they can't talk, it's generally known, and I, who can understand them, know it even better.

Even if it's quiet, as long as we can communicate like this, there's no problem.

So, I did a final check.

"I want to take you with me. What do you think?"

"Do as you please."

"Alright, I will."

I laughed and turned to wave the man over.

The man approached.

"How was it?"

"I like this one. Can I take it home?"

"Of course."

"What's the price?"

"It's 10,000 reals."

"Hmm."

I nodded and handed over the banknotes I had exchanged at the church before coming here.

Gold and silver coins aren't very suitable for large transactions because they are bulky and heavy.

So, you first convert gold and silver coins into something valuable, make it easier to carry, and then use it for transactions.

The most convenient of these is the "church note" issued by the church.

The church has branches all over the country, is wealthy from donations from believers, and has credibility.

The notes issued by the church can be exchanged for the stated amount at any church, making them suitable for large transactions.

By the way, there are no fees for depositing or withdrawing money through church notes, but there is an unspoken pressure to make a donation, which is essentially a fee.

The church claims to serve the gods, not to make money, which is an interesting pretense.

I took out the church notes that amounted to 10,000 reals and handed them over.

The man's smile grew even wider when he saw the church notes. He was happy because church notes are guaranteed to be cashed, and it saves the trouble of counting silver coins on the spot.

For merchants, counting a large number of silver coins is a cost in itself.

"Indeed. Paying 10,000 reals in church notes right away, you must be a famous dragon knight."

The man beamed with a business smile.

"If I may, what is your name?"

"I'm Cyril."

"Mr. Cyril... Could you be the Cyril from 'Dragon First'?"

"You know me?"

I was surprised. I didn't expect my guild name to come up just by giving my name.

"Of course. It's a great honor to have the famous Cyril from the popular Dragon First shop here."

The situation took an unexpected turn.

For a while after that, I was subjected to the man's excessive flattery.

He was a merchant, so his flattery was quite effective, but even so.

The fact that my name was known made me feel quite pleased.