Chapter 42

"Shall we get straight to it... May I show you the matches we handle here?"

"Of course. The matches we currently stock are right here."

I took out four types of matches from the back shelf and lined them up on the counter: small matches, large matches, pre-made survival matches, and homemade survival matches.

"This small match is the same as the one Mr. Jecos had earlier. It contains 40 matches and costs 4 copper coins. The larger box next to it contains 800 matches and costs 55 copper coins. These two are more popular among the town's residents."

"Hmm, hmm."

Mr. Jecos listened to my explanation with a serious expression.

"However, these matches have one weakness."

"Are they weak against water and wind?"

Mr. Jecos answered without hesitation. Given that he came to buy them, he must have thoroughly researched the characteristics of matches.

"That's right. These matches are weak against moisture and water, and the flame goes out quickly in windy conditions."

After finishing the explanation of regular matches, I moved on to the survival matches.

"That's where these matches come in. These are called 'survival matches' and are highly praised by adventurers."

"Hmm, for adventurers?"

"Yes, watch this."

I took out a pre-made survival match and poured water into a glass, then submerged the match in it. Seeing this, Mr. Jecos hurriedly tried to stop me.

"What!? Sir Shiro, what are you doing?"

"Just watch. I'll strike this wet match... here we go."

I rubbed the wet survival match against the side of the box. While a regular match wouldn't light, the survival match did. Mr. Jecos opened his mouth wide in surprise.

"It lit even though it was wet..."

"Surprised? As you can see, this survival match lights even when wet. But the really amazing part is what comes next."

I submerged the lit match in water. It made a sizzling sound and the flame went out. When I took it out of the water—

Sizzle... Flame.

The flame lit again, this time without rubbing.

"Wha!? The flame lit again after it went out!"

"That's right. The flame from a survival match doesn't go out easily. Even if it goes out, it lights again."

"Amazing... Sir Shiro! This is a wonderful item!"

"Yes. That's why adventurers often buy them. One adventurer who bought them recently said they were useful in repelling insect-type monsters."

"Really? Could you tell me more about that?"

"Sure."

I recalled the conversation with the adventurer who came as a customer a few days ago. The adventurer said that they were suddenly attacked by insect-type monsters while camping. These monsters are weak against fire, so the adventurer tried to spread oil and set it on fire. However, it was raining that day.

Regular matches wouldn't light in the rain, and flint and steel would take too much time. In this critical situation, the pre-made survival matches came in handy. They lit in the rain, ignited the oil, and helped the adventurer escape the predicament.

When I told this to Mr. Jecos,

"Hmm, I see, I see."

He nodded repeatedly, seemingly impressed.

"Indeed, I can understand why adventurers would want them."

"Yes. However, because of their high performance, they are quite expensive..."

"How much do they cost?"

"This product costs 50 copper coins for 25 matches."

"25 matches for 50 copper coins. I see. So they are expensive because of their quality."

"Yes. While they are popular among adventurers, some people hesitate to buy them."

"Understandable."

"That's why I've prepared this new product."

I took out the homemade survival matches, seeing this as a good opportunity.

"What is this match?"

"It's a cheaper version of the survival match I showed you earlier. It costs 1 silver coin for 80 matches. It's weak against wind, but the match is coated with wax from the tip to halfway down, and the tip is coated with a special chemical, making it resistant to water and moisture."

"1 silver coin... Can I try it?"

"Sure."

Mr. Jecos took the homemade survival match and repeated the experiments, submerging it in water and lighting it, to understand its properties.

"What do you think?"

"Wow, I'm impressed. This match is worth more than its price."

"Thank you. The advantage of this product is that it doesn't degrade easily even if it gets wet during transportation. Considering the weather, I strongly recommend this match."

"You're right. If it doesn't light when you try to sell it, it's no good for business."

"Not only that, it could lead to a loss."

"Indeed! However, I understand. Considering transportation, the match you recommend seems to be the best choice."

Mr. Jecos pointed to the homemade survival match.

"Then, I'd like to sell you these survival matches... but I have a request."

"Is it about the price?"

"Yes, exactly. If you buy a large quantity of this product, can you give me a discount?"

Mr. Jecos asked, rubbing his hands together. In other words, he wanted to buy them at a wholesale price.

"A discount, huh. What price are you hoping for, Mr. Jecos?"

First, I wanted to gauge Mr. Jecos's intentions.

"Before that, do you have enough stock?"

"More than enough. I can supply 100,000 matches immediately if needed."

I nodded confidently in response to Mr. Jecos's question.

"That's reassuring. Then... how about 80 silver coins for 10,000 matches?"

The regular price is 1 silver coin for 80 matches, so he was offering 80 silver coins for 10,000 matches.

10,000 ÷ 80 = 125

Mr. Jecos was proposing a 45 silver coin discount, which is a 36% discount. Despite his friendly demeanor, he was a shrewd businessman. As a novice merchant, I was both impressed and learning from him.

"Hmm... A 45 silver coin discount. That's a bit tough."

I folded my arms and put on a difficult expression. The negotiation had just begun. Using a boxing analogy, we were just testing each other with jabs.

"I see... Then how about 85 silver coins? Considering the transportation risks, taxes at checkpoints, and the cost of hiring adventurers as guards, this is the best I can do..."

Mr. Jecos made a pained expression, even wiping his forehead with a handkerchief, though he wasn't sweating. I understood. This was the 'negotiation' that Karen had mentioned before. I decided to play along, pretending to be troubled.

"The people who make these matches depend on this. Please, just one more request!"

I bowed. This would accelerate the negotiation.

"Alright... 90 silver coins!"

"Actually, Mr. Jecos, you're the first merchant to come here to buy matches. If you take these matches to other cities, you can set the price as you wish!"

"95 silver coins!!"

"I want to build a long-term relationship with you, Mr. Jecos! If we reach an agreement, I'll give you the tea leaves you had earlier for free! This is a special offer just for you, Mr. Jecos!"

"Alright! I'll give you 1 gold coin for 10,000 matches! This is really the best I can do! The limit! What do you say?"

1 gold coin for 10,000 matches is a 20% discount. It's a good wholesale price.

"Alright. Then let's agree on a wholesale price of 1 gold coin for 10,000 matches of the cheaper survival matches."

"Thank you, Sir Shiro!"

Mr. Jecos bowed deeply in gratitude. He bowed so deeply that he hit his head on the counter, but that's just part of the charm.

But he was indeed a businessman.

"By the way, Sir Shiro, how much will you give me for the tea leaves?"

Later, the tea leaves I gave to Mr. Jecos would become the starting point for a big deal, but that's another story.

This is how I sold 50,000 matches to Mr. Jecos and received 5 gold coins.