Chapter 36: A Competent Shopkeeper…?

“Custom orders…?”

Bree looked at me strangely. It isn’t every day a student from Eryndor commissions a tinkerer for a custom order.

Most nobles find the reliance on tools a sign of weakness, especially those who came from Eryndor, where magic reigned supreme.

I was an outlier.

“I can pay for it…”

I grin, flashing my wallet, enough money that I could probably buy the entire shop without any issue.

The novel wasn’t particularly astute when it came to its world’s economics, resulting in most nobles being absurdly wealthy, even when I was just the son of a baron.

But it also made sense in a way; if any random noble were to start flashing their money around the square, they would likely become a huge target for others.

So, balancing wealth between the different classes wasn’t as important when it came to the worldbuilding.

But luckily for me, nobody really expects anything from me.

I didn’t have to worry about becoming a huge target even if I spent recklessly.

“I want a miniature launcher, something that could fit a dagger.”

“A what…?”

“Something that shoots out daggers at high speed, basically.”

Bree tilted his head, lowering the revolver he was dismantling, and leaned into the counter, checking to see if I was joking.

A magic user from the academy, asking for a dagger projectile launcher.

A very, very inefficient and redundant device…

The reload time, the daggers needed for it to be useful, everything about it was nearly impossible to use in actual combat.

“D-Did you hit your head, kid?”

Bree looked genuinely concerned for once; he genuinely couldn’t fathom my request.

But… money should always fix problems like this.

I grab a few paper bills from my wallet, showing them off.

“…”

Bree stared in silence, weighing his options. While money was good, the repercussions would be absolutely destructive if he didn’t negotiate this.

Because if a student from Eryndor gets injured from using a very impractical device, and they see his signature craftsmanship on the device itself, his business would go down the drain immediately.

Even if it wasn’t directly his fault, indirectly injuring a noble was high treason.

Someone like him should have stopped the purchase if he knew it was irresponsible.

’He’s smarter than I thought.’

I narrowed my eyes, seeing his hesitation. I never expected someone to actually be smart enough not to throw themselves away for money.

Especially with the amount I was flashing.

But fortunately for me, this nation had its own laws that protect store owners.

I just needed to take advantage of that so he would agree.

How, you ask?

Another contract.

’Really is the solution to everything, huh?’

It beats having to persuade him with words or increase my payment.

I just needed to sign something that made sure he isn’t held accountable for any incidents involving me with the launcher.

“Here.”

Bree slid a paper on his desk before I even brought up my plan.

“Huh?”

To my surprise… it was a contract, with everything I had just explained laid out.

’Did he just read my mind?’

I chuckled, looking at his face, and… guess I’m not the only one who knows business.

Bree’s face was neutral on the outside, that much was obvious, but his subtle breathing, movements, and faint beating of his heart.

I could tell he was excited.

A simple dagger launcher? That wasn’t hard to create, and the fact that I’m willing to pay as much as needed?

I was nothing more than a simple cash cow.

“You said you want a custom order, right? Just sign here, and I’ll be right on it.”

Bree’s body language was tense, waiting for the moment I sign, but his face was completely blank; he had the poker face of a practiced entrepreneur.

“You don’t need to be so jumpy.”

I reply, laughing, signing the paper with a pen he also laid out on the counter.

“You actually caught up on that?” Bree widened his eyes, surprised that a student managed to determine his motive.

“I’m not an idiot,” I answered.

Bree snickered at my answer, rolling the contract and placing it inside a drawer just beside him.

“Pleasure doing business with you.”

Bree returned to working on the revolver, satisfied with such a lucrative deal.

“Return here tomorrow, I’ll have it done by then.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep