Chapter 332: Michael, the businessman
After Michael left the library, the librarian was both irritated and curious. Somehow, the little human's questions and requests about Ancient Ruins and old languages had turned into a business deal and a proposal for future exchanges, and he didn't even know how that happened.
It was interesting but he also felt like he had been led around - by someone who wasn't even one-tenth his age at that. That was what irritated the librarian the most.
"Maybe, I've grown too old for this..." He murmured, glancing at the three Body Strengthening Pills, one Warrior Enlightenment Potion, and two Mythic Summoning Scrolls that were lying in his hands.
"...I should send the pills and potion to the laboratory."
**
Michael felt quite good with more than 1000 language-related books resting in his War Rune's storage space. He wasn't in a rush to read, and didn't plan to do so in the first place - not in the conventional way, at least.
Michael would extract Wisps of Knowledge from the 1000 language-related books to consume the knowledge and imprint it in his mind at once. That may burden his mind a little, but it would be a lot more efficient than reading through the books several times to study and understand the content properly.
Even as a Tier-2 Lord with Ceasurium Menta at the 2nd stage, Michael couldn't memorize and comprehend everything he read once. He wasn't even sure if Alice was capable of something like that. She would probably be able to memorize it. But comprehending complex languages after a single read through unfamiliar books wasn't something anyone could do easily - if not for the existence of Extraction.
Michael was satisfied with his encounter with the librarian in Piloq's library. Nonetheless, he was exhausted. The cogs in his brain had been moving on full power way too long. It was about time that he rested a little.
However, Kraft Viton didn't allow that. He stared at Michael for quite a while, numerous questions waiting to escape his lips.
"Why would you exchange Mythic Summoning Scrolls with the Berserker instead of using more Pills and Potions in exchange? The Mythic Summoning Scroll should be a lot more valuable than the Body Strengthening Pill, and the Warrior Enlightenment Potion," Kraft remarked as they walked through Piloq's streets.
Michael glanced to his right, but he didn't say anything. For him, Mythic Summoning Scrolls were actually not that rare. All they required was a lot of corpses that had to be extracted. 10,000 Summoning Scroll Fragments were enough to create a Mythic Summoning Scroll.
Meanwhile, the pills and potions in his possession were more valuable. Michael didn't have a surplus of ingredients yet. In fact, his territory lacked ingredients the most. That was also why he handed over only a handful of pills and only one potion.
But that was not something he wanted to tell Kraft Viton.
"Don't you think it's better to be on the librarian's good side? He is stronger than you, and he helped me even though I am - no, I was - a stranger to him," Michael said instead.
"Is that why you started prioritizing the Berserkers?" Kraft Viton asked, his voice exposing his inner feelings.
"Hmm?" Michael raised an eyebrow and stared straight at the old man, who returned his stare.
"You could have made a deal with the Bartholomew Corporation. Why didn't you do so?" He asked calmly, "Body Strengthening Pills, Mythic Summoning Scrolls, Energy Nourishing Pills, and Warrior Enlightenment Potions. Each of those goods is worth a fortune, and they're in high demand. Every Lord would run behind you and try their utmost to please you if you could provide them with as many resources as they demand."
Kraft Viton didn't seem to be jealous, or angered by Michael's action. It was the opposite. Michael felt that the old man's curiosity about him grew and that he began to consider Michael a full-fledged adult roughly after they arrived in Piloq.
"Well, it's actually pretty simple," Michael said with a shrug, "I think the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs can give me a lot more in exchange for revealing some of the most valuable goods my territory can procure and produce. The books are far more valuable than the vast majority of books that can be found in the Saphirelike Military Academy, and I was able to procure more than a thousand of those in exchange for a few pills, a potion, and two scrolls. But that is not everything I obtained, obviously."
The corner of Michael's lip curled up, and the gleam in his eyes grew brighter.
"I made a powerhouse of the Berserker race curious about me. I showed them some goods, which they probably need to ensure that their people grow strong enough to survive in the Origin Expanse, and potentially even retain their Lord Powers. Furthermore, I showed the librarian that I'm not taking advantage of his generosity. I know that he didn't have to sell me the books that I've purchased just now. In fact, it was against the law considering that he said only natives with the status of a Champion or higher are allowed to purchase these books."
Michael's thin smile grew wider the more he spoke, resulting in a vibrant smile as he reached the final conclusion.
"All in all, I landed a great deal, a deal that could become a long-term business venture with the Berserkers - maybe even the Warlock Centaurs once they find out about my goods. By then, I can reap all profits by leveraging my advantage to the max."
Michael had a lot more to say, but he kept a few obvious facts hidden. The Bartholomew Corporation couldn't provide him with the ingredients Michael's Alchemists required to mass produce the pills and potions. Almost no human was capable of doing so given that mankind's major territories were either barren lands, infertile, frozen, or deserts. Growing the rare plants and herbs Michael required to concoct the pills and potions was basically impossible.
He knew the market well enough to say for certain that the Berserkers would be a better partner in that regard. That was something Kraft Viton had to agree to as well.
But that didn't mean he liked it.
Kraft concluded that Michael researched enough about business and socializing. Otherwise, he couldn't explain how Michael made so many valuable connections less than 12 hours after they'd arrived in Piloq. Michael learned a lot in a short amount of time. It was a valuable experience for the young Lord, who seemed to have a much more mature mind than Kraft Viton first presumed.
Interestingly enough, Kraft Viton's analysis of Michael was not entirely correct. He predicted that Michael wanted to obtain cheaper resources such as rare plants and herbs from the Berserkers. However, Michael's plan was the complete opposite.
He didn't really have to pay too much attention to purchasing ingredients since Lilica promised to help him out. She would deal with the Forest Elven Elders to procure a large batch of ingredients from the Forest Elves who had the best environment and knowledge when it came to growing rare plants, and using nature to their advantage.
Lilica could procure a lot more alchemy materials than anyone else.
However, the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs could do something else for him. Their primary spawn locations were near the plains, mountains and savannah regions. They could provide Michael with all kinds of ores, forging recipes, and Named Summoning Scrolls - preferably Blacksmith related.
Michael researched a lot about the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs, and he had heard rumors that some Berserkers were able to procure 2-Star Weaponsmith Summoning Scrolls, and Named Summoning Scrolls of similar nature.
Michael wanted to obtain all of those to expand his Underground Forging Hall, which would increase his production of Armaments. That would result in more profits from exchanges with the Forest Elven Tribe. Once the Forest Elves' goods landed in his possession, Michael could mass produce various pills and potions, equip his people with all kinds of Armaments and resources to grow stronger, AND he could earn a fortune by selling Agriculture-type Blueprints to the Bartholomew Corporation.
Michael's plan was to create an endless cycle of growth with his territory towering in the center, and the thought of having taken a step closer to dealing with the Berserkers excited him a little.
He smiled foolishly at the possibility of striking a special deal with the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs. Potentially, he could even gain their trust in the next few months to have the Berserker race send some of their Awakened to his territory - working as his subordinates to continue dealing with him.
Once the Interdimensional Flag War was over, Michael would have to leave Meku once again. He would return to the Saphirelake Military Academy, which meant that someone had to follow him in the real world, or the Origin Expanse to keep trading goods with the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs.
Of course, that was something Michael didn't have to worry about...yet. Nonetheless, he was excited and in a good mood.
He may be a little bit tired, but he obtained new contacts and a vast amount of books in exchange for his effort. It had been an eventful day.
And only now did he allow himself to rest a little.
After they returned to the hotel, Michael entered his room for the first time, but he entered the Origin Expanse to sleep in the Wooden Manor rather than wasting his time sleeping in the hotel.
He yawned loudly after he fell on the soft mattress inside his room.
A smile crept up his face, and he fell into a deep slumber with a thought flashing through his mind.
'I wonder what'll happen in the next few days...no, weeks....'
Afterward, darkness embraced him like a long-lost friend, and he fell asleep.