Chapter 173
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Chapter 173: Not Skilled in Bargaining
"What? W-wait! This can’t be!"
Manfel grew visibly flustered.
"As the client, I could leave you a negative review for this!"
"Are you threatening me?"
"N-no, I didn’t mean…"
The girl’s frosty tone brought the man to his senses.
He gulped nervously.
"What price did you have in mind for selling them?"
…
What price should I set?
Truthfully, I haven’t researched the current market value of red fruits…
Only one thing’s certain – selling at three small silver coins per piece would mean taking a loss.
"What price are you willing to pay?"
Best to turn the question back on him.
"Well, about that…"
"You get only one chance."
Observing Manfel’s shifty eyes, Lin Yu added after a moment’s consideration.
"I could always take my business to the other five Apothecaries. I’m certain Ryder and Lit’s establishment would make me a more satisfactory offer."
Ryder and Lit’s Apothecary happened to be the most prominent in town.
At this mention, Manfel’s agitation returned.
These materials could potentially yield high-grade Life Recovery Potions! I mustn’t let this opportunity slip away!
If I succeed in brewing high-grade potions, I’ll surpass those two and become the town’s foremost Pharmacist!
"I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse – certainly better than anything they’d propose!"
"Very well, name your price."
"Er…"
Manfel hesitated briefly.
"Ten small silver coins… no, fifteen per piece! How does that sound?"
The words came through clenched teeth.
A single low-grade Life Recovery Potion sells for one silver coin – equivalent to ten small silver coins.
He’s actually offering fifteen small silver coins? That’s quintuple the rate listed on the Commission Order…
Apparently I’d underestimated these red fruits’ worth. One must consider the failure rate in potion-making – premium ingredients not only significantly reduce failures but also enhance the likelihood of producing superior-quality potions.
Manfel couldn’t possibly be a fool. His willingness to offer such a high purchase price clearly indicated his confidence in using these red fruits to produce Life Recovery Potions of superior quality rather than inferior ones.
If I continued negotiating, I might have squeezed out a slightly better price.
But… oh well, bargaining really isn’t my strong suit. Last time I haggled with that dress shop owner, it took forever.
Moreover, I’ll need his assistance later, so it’s best not to be too ruthless.
"Fine."
Lin Yu gave a slight nod.
"Excellent! Phew…"
Manfel finally exhaled in relief, his racing heartbeat gradually calming.
"Miss Army Lady certainly drives a hard bargain… Well then, without wasting time, I’ll begin counting the red fruits immediately."
"Mhm."
Manfel then spent considerable time meticulously counting every single red fruit.
The final transaction amounted to sixteen gold coins.
Sixteen gold coins could sustain an ordinary person’s comfortable livelihood in this town for a full decade.
Even for Manfel, parting with such a substantial sum was painfully difficult.
While Lin Yu maintained her usual composed demeanor externally, internally she was absolutely delighted.
「Had we gone by the Commission Order’s pricing, we might have only gotten three or four gold coins… But now with sixteen gold coins, this should be more than enough to purchase numerous potions.」
Lin Yu communicated to Army Lady, her tone carrying unspoken expectations.
「Congratulations, Mother.」
「…」
Though Army Lady’s voice sounded genuinely pleased… Would it really hurt to praise Mother a bit more right now…
「Truly worthy of Mother – accomplishing what we daughters couldn’t with just a few well-chosen words.」
Stealth One, who had been silently observing from the shadows, finally spoke up in her characteristically measured tone.
「Had it been us, we would have unquestionably overlooked this opportunity and simply sold at the Commission Order’s price.」
「Indeed.」
That’s it! Ah~ such satisfaction~
Stealth One really understands me perfectly.
…
*Ahem* "So then, was there anything else you required?"
Manfel’s inquiry drew Lin Yu’s attention back to their transaction.
"Now, let’s honor our prior arrangement."
"Arrangement? Ah, you’re referring to…"
"Precisely. I’ll be taking all the Magic Recovery Potions currently in your shop."
"Sigh… must we really do this?"
Manfel’s face, which had been bright with joy over acquiring such fine red fruits, instantly clouded with distress.
"Though we could claim it was accidental – the shelves being knocked over carelessly – regardless, this action will surely draw censure from both the Adventurer’s Guild and the military. The herbal supplies to my shop might even be reduced afterwards…"
"That’s not my concern."
"…Right. A promise is a promise, after all."
At least this bountiful harvest of red fruits would last him quite some time.
Manfel heaved a resigned sigh, as if accepting his fate.
"However, should I come across other potion-making ingredients in the future, I’ll prioritize supplying them to you."
"R-really?"
Hope flashed in Manfel’s eyes before dimming again.
"No… this red fruit windfall was surely just luck. Alas, Red Fruit Trees can’t be cultivated – adventurers must venture deep into the forest to find them, and even there, such trees are exceedingly rare."
"I meant materials besides red fruit. Like ingredients for Magic Recovery Potions."
"Magic Recovery Potion ingredients? My, why would you need so many?"
"That’s none of your business."
"My apologies, haha…"
Manfel’s dry chuckle trailed off as he hurried back to the counter, struck by sudden inspiration.
Moments later, he presented Lin Yu with a slip of paper.
"Here are the primary and relatively scarce ingredients for Magic Recovery Potions – names and descriptions as noted."
Lin Yu examined the list.
Only three ingredients appeared: Lan’er Fruit and two herbs. One herb looked familiar – she’d seen it in the forest before. Her Identification skill had revealed its name, but when the Weak Ants sampled it with no observable effects, she’d dismissed its importance.
So this was actually a key component for Magic Recovery Potions?
She’d have her daughters search for it again.
The final herb was unfamiliar, but unsurprisingly so – the vast Granville Monster Forest made complete cataloguing impossible.
Perhaps it didn’t even grow in Granville Forest.
After all, beyond these woods lay other smaller forests, hills, and lakes near town.
…
Lin Yu pocketed the paper.
"Show me all your Magic Recovery Potions."
"One moment…"
Soon the counter nearly overflowed with fifty Inferior Magic Recovery Potions, thirty Lower Magic Recovery Potions, and ten Medium Magic Recovery Potions.
"My entire stock."
"Name your price."
After calculating, Manfel announced:
"…Eight hundred twelve silver coins total. Let’s call it eight hundred flat."
"Agreed."
Eight hundred silver… a mere eight gold coins.
Lin Yu counted out half her red fruit earnings and handed them over.
With barely contained eagerness, she gathered the blue potions – each in its transparent vial – into her extradimensional storage.
