The Merchants’ Guild, to a certain extent similar to the Adventurers’ Guild, was a management-oriented existence established by merchants of a region jointly uniting.
Here they could mutually share information, resources, and buying and selling.
The only difference from the Adventurers’ Guild was probably that it didn’t have a management role like “guild master.”
And the resources and goods merchant Pan An possessed were unmatched by other merchants.
At the same time he also established intimate cooperation with the local lord’s family, so he was the existence with the greatest say in this region’s Merchants’ Guild.
Of course Jiade had also said merchant Pan An had an intimate relationship with Adventurers’ Guild Master Lamba, then secretly handled affairs for him.
In other words whether thugs or adventurers, he ate both black and white paths.
“I’m back, Siguote. What’s that thing?”
After returning to the residence, I walked into the workshop and saw Siguote seeming to have just finished work, so I incidentally curiously asked about the work placed on the table.
That thing looked like the head of a solemn-style knight armor, but much larger than normal size.
And I have to say if it weren’t stone statue material, I almost wouldn’t have recognized it as a stone carving.
“This is something the lord’s side wants.”
“The lord wants it? Come to think of it I still don’t seem to know what that lord wants you to sculpt.”
“Didn’t I say?”
Siguote tilted her head, then turned around and pulled out something that looked like a design drawing from the cabinet beside.
“This is…?”
“The design drawing of the knight statue.”
The knight statue, from the design drawing looked about 5 meters high.
The armor style leaned more toward heavy armament, but I hadn’t seen this armor style.
It was probably developed during the 500 years I was petrified.
It looked relatively thick and sturdy.
If it stood in front of me on the battlefield it would feel a bit troublesome to deal with.
Besides the design of the knight statue on the design drawing, there were also quite a few of Siguote’s own evaluations and notes on various aspects of this statue, like “this angle is very troublesome to work,” “this shoulder armor design doesn’t conform to normal proportions,” “this part needs reinforced stone material” and such records.
In the corner of the design drawing there were also notes about this work’s cost calculation and precautions and such.
Then there were evaluation words that didn’t look like Siguote’s own handwriting.
Rather compared to Siguote’s crooked font, this side was much neater and better looking.
It should be notes from the person responsible for review on the lord’s side.
“The lord said he wants to make a huge knight statue, about two to three times the size of an ordinary knight? Though if it’s really made it would indeed be very spectacular, but the required materials and costs would naturally rise as well, so before receiving the payment my side’s expenses also became larger because of this…”
Siguote a bit shyly hid her head behind that armor head stone carving, her body also shrinking into a ball following it.
“…Also, this is a trial-made head. If the lord’s side thinks there’s no problem the head will be designed according to this specification, and other parts the same. After all it’s too big.”
“I see. This is the direct reason you went to borrow money? But even if it’s bait, the idea of a huge knight statue is still quite attractive. I have to say even I was a bit moved by it. I really want to see to what degree Siguote can achieve.”
“Hehe, it’s nothing. I’m still far from it.”
Though saying that, Siguote still looked very happy.
As expected, if one’s own work can get others’ recognition it still makes one feel happy.
“By the way, Siguote, prepare to go out.”
“…Eh?”
“Merchant Pan An’s side invited us to eat dinner.”
“Eh…?”
“Even I know wearing work clothes full of limestone chips isn’t acceptable, so hurry and change clothes.”
“Eh…?!”
It took quite some effort to throw this stranger-phobic patient tightly gripping the chair into the bathroom.
Then by the time she changed clothes it was already dark.
Now even I was hungry.
“Alright, time to go, Siguote. So don’t hide in that corner.”
Now this person was hiding in the corner like a pet cat whose home suddenly had a stranger.
“But such an obvious trap, is it really okay to go directly?”
“Since the other party actively came to contact, then let’s see what big movement he can make. If it goes smoothly he maybe won’t send people to harass you anymore. If it doesn’t go smoothly it doesn’t matter. Anyway it’s just to probe whether his relationship with the lord is as we thought.”
Using high-value work as bait and the lord’s reputation to lure over, then having the merchant come to loan at just the right time, then using this opportunity to bind her here because of the debt problem.
Though this was still only speculation, the current situation Siguote encountered could only be explained this way.
Of course, even if not, if we can figure out and solve merchant Pan An’s harassment reason it would also be a good harvest.
Otherwise if they continue looking for trouble, even I would be a bit angry.
“The tactic of passive defense and waiting can only be chosen based on one’s side having large resources and time.
Now with only us two alone, we can only take the initiative to probe the other party’s intentions.”
“L-Lady Shihua, I’m not a warrior…”
“So leave this aspect’s matters to me. You just go fill your stomach.”
“Wuwu… I know… so please don’t lift my whole person up…”
After finally persuading (in the physical sense) Siguote, I put down Siguote who I had lifted to my head level, then like urging a new recruit to quickly follow the team kicked her butt forward out the door, heading to the place where merchant Pan An was.
Because they didn’t say where, the other party probably assumed we knew where.
In other words it was the shop location where he himself was.
Though at this time it had probably already passed normal dinner time, better late than never.
So under Siguote’s leading we finally arrived, and showed an apologetic smile to the waiter standing at the door with a distressed look.
This was a commercial street several blocks away from Siguote’s residence.
Though it had long passed dinner time now, here it still used glowing lighting magic tools to keep almost the entire street in a bright state, and there were also quite a few residents strolling again.
It looked like compared to the living habit of “eat dinner then sleep and rest!” because there were no entertainment methods 500 years ago, nowadays everyone was more enthusiastic about the living entertainment habit of everyone going out to stroll after dinner.
And among this street the almost most conspicuous and eye-catching shop was merchant Pan An’s shop now in front of our eyes.
The huge main door guaranteed that even looking from afar it was enough to imprint in pedestrians’ memories.
And the exquisite decoration at the main door, and the goods selected and placed according to some pattern behind the glass windows were attracting the attention of passing people, luring them to enter and patronize.
But of course, compared to the attractiveness of inanimate goods and store decoration, the gazes of passing people were immediately attracted by the girl standing beside me.
The tall and voluptuous girl wore refreshing and light yet not lacking cute style clothing.
And the practical-style shoulder bag she carried also followed gravity’s influence pressing the undulations of the clothes, highlighting the curves of her figure.
Paired with her delicate features and black waist-length long hair, as charming as an angel descending to earth.
And the only fly in the ointment was that the personality of this beautiful body currently displayed an expression not very suitable to show in front of others.
“Wuwu, Lady Shihua… so nervous… I feel like I’m about to throw up…”
“Hold it in. Or is it better to let you throw up so the stomach can stuff a bit more food?”
“Please don’t do that…”
“By the way you actually have clothes like this? I thought there were only work clothes.”
“Mom stuffed them in… she said if you meet the lord don’t be rude…”
“Ah, I can imagine it.”
Looking at this person’s current appearance, I couldn’t help being curious what this person’s personality was like to become this way.
Clearly the same appearance, yet completely opposite to that ancestor person’s personality.
But thinking about it, I had only known her for less than two days.
No matter how you think it’s impossible to understand everything about this person.
What drove me to take care of this girl was only my one-sided sympathy, and responsibility compensation toward that person.
“Lady Shihua…?”
Probably my gaze was discovered by her.
She also turned her head to look at me.
In that instant I saw a phantom of the past on her.
I hurriedly shook my head and subconsciously said that sentence I was scolded for in the past, that when seeing a girl wear new clothes I should praise.
“Nothing. By the way, you look very good wearing that.”
“…”
After hearing my praise, Siguote’s expression underwent a drastic change for a moment, as if unsure what expression to put on at this time.
But the only thing that could be confirmed was that she was now so shy her whole head was about to evaporate.
Forget it.
Temporarily ignore this somewhat regrettable person and get back to the topic.
A merchant of Pan An’s level of course couldn’t grow big relying on only one shop.
This shop was only symbolizing the combination of the huge interest chain behind it and other commercial directions.
But these things also had nothing to do with me.
So I almost let the introduction of the person who came to deliver the message today and now came to lead the way go in one ear and out the other, only silently observing the goods and items I saw after entering the shop that were very novel to me.
Now it was the situation of an old grandpa entering the city with bursting curiosity.
As for Siguote she was only lowering her head using bangs trying to block her face, and silently hunching her body following me… no, sticking behind me was correct.
What’s with this?
Just how afraid of strangers is this person?!
Clearly today she still went to the guild with me and Jiade…
…What?
Before I entered you never looked at the other party, then after I entered you immediately ran home?
Then how did you originally come here alone to accept work, and borrow from merchant Pan An?
Ah?
Dizzy from the work content so you even forgot how you came?
You…!
Just as I was about to be angered bad by this person whose brain was missing at least half a brain’s worth of tendons, this person probably even started walking a bit unsteadily.
I could only hold her hand and lead her.
“Lady Shihua…”
“Alright alright, calm down. Just follow me closely. And don’t lose the bag.”
“Yes…”
Siguote who tidied the shoulder bag she carried tightly gripped my hand like a drowning person desperately grabbing the last straw.
Though I had the advantage in strength, I had just suddenly remembered this person did stone statue sculpting alone, and was almost pinched to the point of hurting and crying out.
As a senior, my face absolutely wouldn’t allow me to cry out because of this kind of thing!
Endure it!
After passing the front desk and a place that seemed to be a warehouse, the guide finally stopped in front of a door that was a bit different from those passed earlier.
After knocking and waiting several seconds he pushed open the door, then stood aside outside the door signaling us to enter.
Trap… it wasn’t.
I didn’t feel hostility behind the door.
But I also didn’t ignore the possibility of magic attack.
However after pulling Siguote and walking into the room I felt a bit regretful about not being attacked.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation, Miss Shihua, Miss Siguote. Though Miss Siguote has already met me, I’ll still introduce myself first. I am Pan An, and welcome your arrival. Please sit.”
After walking into the room, looking around there was only one relatively luxurious round table.
And behind it sat a man who looked tall and thin welcoming us.
And behind him stood a person who looked like his bodyguard, scrutinizing and observing us.
The room’s decoration was very simple compared to outside, as if it was just an ordinary private meeting room.
I observed the surrounding environment, confirming there were no traps.
The only thing that counted as needing attention was that bodyguard.
So I looked at Siguote, confirming that man was merchant Pan An and not lying.
“Hello, Mr. Pan An. I am Shihua. It’s an honor to receive the invitation, but please forgive that I am only an ordinary person. If possible let’s skip the courtesies first.”
After accepting the other party’s invitation and sitting opposite him I said this.
Occasions of elaborate formalities didn’t suit me.
After all compared to the mouth, I was better at swinging fists and weapons.
“That’s true. Saying too many courtesies is useless. Then I’ll also speak directly.”
At this time waiters came in from outside and placed snacks and water in front of us.
After they left, merchant Pan An continued speaking.
“Miss Shihua, Miss Siguote, the purpose of inviting you this time is only one, which is wanting to clarify the mutual misunderstandings between us.”
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