The First Pot of Gold

Chapter 15 The First Pot of Gold (Please Read On)

After making a few inquiries, I learned that there were two merchant guilds in Ryan City.

The Sanders Chamber of Commerce and the Falkland Chamber of Commerce.

In addition, I learned that the Falkrod Merchant Guild is not in a good position. Their merchant fleet capsized on the way back due to a sea monster, and they are now in a difficult situation with cash flow problems. Moreover, the guild president has fallen ill as a result.

Needless to say, the Sanders Chamber of Commerce would be the first choice.

As Alphonse left the Sanders Chamber of Commerce, he held the small earthenware jar of cream and let out a soft sigh of relief.

The negotiations did not go smoothly.

Although the president of the Sanders Chamber of Commerce was respectful, he also gave high praise after tasting the new cream.

However, when it comes to price, things get complicated.

He was only willing to pay two thousand gold coins to buy out the cream recipe.

What annoyed Alphonse even more was that the man, as if he had Alphonse completely under his thumb, declared that no one in Ryan City, except for his Sanders Trading Company, could offer a better price.

That old geezer is wicked!

Don't believe him!

"I think this price is acceptable, why not sell it?" Mia couldn't help but ask. With this money, the financial pressure on Coldwind Territory could be greatly alleviated.

Before entering the Sanders Chamber of Commerce, Alphonse had already instructed her to let him handle the negotiations and not to interfere.

Mia also adhered to the knightly code, standing behind and, though she had objections, she waited until they left the Sanders Merchant Guild before raising them.

Alphonse glanced at her. Mia might have exceptional talent as a swordswoman, but when it came to business, she was really no good.

The only reason she was allowed to manage the money temporarily was because she was trustworthy.

Her vision was too short-sighted. Cream, a dessert that had never appeared in this other world, should not be sold at such a low price.

It was still quite low compared to Alphonse's expectations.

It should sell for at least 5,000 gold coins.

If cream could become popular among the nobility, as long as the recipe wasn't leaked in a short time, it would definitely be a source of immense wealth.

"Let's go check out the Falklow House of Commerce first."

As the information I had gathered indicated, the Falklow Chamber of Commerce was in dire straits.

A somber atmosphere hung in the air, and everyone's face was etched with worry.

As nobles, Alphonse and his companion were naturally not treated with disrespect.

The person in charge of reception was a red-haired girl with a braided hairstyle. She was petite and not particularly pretty, with average looks and a few freckles on her fair face.

The young woman placed one hand on her chest and bowed slightly. "Good day. Welcome to the Falkrod Merchant Guild. I am Chloe Falkrod. I am temporarily in charge of the guild. Please have a seat."

Alphonse sat down on the sofa, thinking that this Miss Chloe must be the daughter of the Chamber of Commerce president.

She seems to be in good spirits and doesn't appear to be worried about what happened at home.

Mia remained standing behind him like a javelin.

A maid has already served tea.

"How can I help you?" Chloe asked.

Alphonse, too lazy to mince words, simply cut to the chase, "I have a dessert recipe I want to sell. See how much you're willing to pay."

With that, he placed the small earthenware pot on the coffee table. "You can try it."

Chloe untied the ribbon, lifted the handkerchief covering it, looked at the pale yellow paste in the small earthenware jar, hesitated for a moment, then picked up the small spoon and scooped up a little.

It was surprisingly viscous.

I carefully put it in my mouth and tasted it.

In an instant, Chloe couldn't help but raise her hand to cover her mouth.

The silky smooth taste, overflowing with sweetness, almost made her lose her composure.

She was certain that even in the capital, there was no dessert as delicious as this.

It melts in your mouth like ice and snow, with the sweetness of honey and a refreshing taste that surpasses even honey.

She pursed her lips again and again, the delicate sweetness lingering in her mouth.

Fantastic!

"What's this dessert called?"

"Cream." Alphonse could tell from Chloe's expression that she had a very high opinion of cream. "It would taste even better with white bread."

Chloe nodded in agreement and began to think quickly.

Such a wonderful dessert, if only it could be promoted throughout the entire Kingdom of Bastian!

If the Falklows Merchant Guild could acquire this formula, it would be a tremendous boost to the guild, which is currently in dire straits, and might even be able to reverse its current situation.

The young nobleman in front of me must have been to the Sanders Trading Company, but the prices offered there were not satisfactory to him, which is why he came to the Falkrod Trading Company.

You absolutely must keep this recipe!

"This cream is indeed a good thing, but I'd like to ask, is it difficult to make?" Chloe said with a smile.

"This is quite troublesome." Alphonse wouldn't easily reveal his trump card. If the other party knew that the materials for producing cream were easy to obtain, it would affect the selling price.

Chloe had already made up her mind: "This recipe is very valuable, but I can only offer 1000 gold coins right now."

"Then there's no need to talk about it." Alphonse interrupted Chloe, reaching for the small jar to collect the cream.

This price is too low!

Chloe quickly said, "My lord, please let me finish. In addition to the initial payment of 1000 gold coins, our guild is willing to purchase your formula on a profit-sharing basis. You should have heard about our current situation; we don't have many gold coins available at the moment. But you can rest assured that our guild's reputation is still trustworthy. I also have connections in the capital, and I'm sure I can help you gain more benefits."

In her haste, her words came out without thinking.

She did have connections in the capital. Her parents paid a high price to get her into St. Norl Academy in the capital, where she met many noble classmates.

The Falklows Company was built by Chloe's father from a small caravan to a large company. He was very good at dealing with people, which is why his business grew bigger and bigger. She inherited this trait very well, and even among the noble children who valued family background and tradition, she was able to fit in as well as a fish in water.

Of course, this was also because her abilities were outstanding enough to impress the noble children.

"Profit sharing?" Alphonse liked Chloe's suggestion; the benefits of profit sharing were definitely better than a one-time buyout. "How will it be split?"

"As long as you can guarantee that this recipe will only be given to our Falkrod Merchant Guild and will not be leaked, our guild will take 60% of the profits from selling the butter, and you will take 40%. How about that?" Chloe said solemnly.

"Although your chamber of commerce needs to provide manpower for production and be responsible for sales, it's useless without the formula. I think the profit sharing should be changed. We should each take half of the profits, a 50/50 split." Alphonse was still not satisfied. Of course, it would be better to get more benefits, but he was not aggressive. Everyone should make a profit so that there would be more opportunities for cooperation in the future.

I'm sure some incredibly foolish people will question why Alphonse dares to ask for 50%. You have to understand, in the medieval Western world, sweets were extremely precious luxuries, and some nobles even took sugar jars with them to their graves. It's the same in this other world.

I'm currently testing the waters on Twitter, but the results aren't ideal. I'm begging you readers to be kind and not leave the book unread; please give it a follow-up reading. This is very important to me; without follow-up reading, the book will be doomed. Thank you so much!

(End of this chapter)