klisemfg Chapter 307: Making excuses
Chapter 307: Making excuses
There is an army in the mayor's courtyard. Any bandits who don't know anything about it would never dare to mess with the mayor's hall.
The guards were layered on top of each other, armed to the teeth.
Mayor Bourne seemed terrified of dying a violent death.
Following Mayor Bourne into the inner hall, Roland noticed that the familiar building structure was not much different from that of the town of Brill. Both had previously belonged to the Kingdom of Lordaeron, and this was a unified human architectural style.
There are some areas that can't be seen, and there are extra rooms inside, plus another layer above.
Rowling was ushered into the reception room.
Two guards stopped outside the door, leaving only the mayor, the clerk, and our Barbaras & Footman in the reception room... Rowling was like a born businessman; as soon as he entered the room, he already had several samples in his hands.
Silk, jewels, magic wands.
The mayor, feigning casual glance, clicked his tongue in amazement, his gaze fixed on the treasure in Rolin's hand. His clerk, Horace, however, stood calmly to the side.
The lamplighter who had come in with them went through another door, and Rowling didn't see him. He disappeared silently behind him like a ghost.
I could vaguely sense that there were still many people in the next room.
Rowling didn't know if the mayor would turn on him, using the smashing of a cup as a signal to ambush him with knives and axes...
He's now posing as a businessman, needing to strike a balance—making money while protecting himself...and more importantly, negotiating...playing hard to get, making both sides feel like they've gained something.
"Watch well and study hard."
The teacher reminded his apprentice, but the apprentice remained silent.
......
"Twenty rolls of silk, only one gold coin per roll. How about it?"
The mayor had intended to be polite and invite Rowling to try some apples from Hillsbrad Farm, but Rowling magically produced a large stack of silk from his sleeve and immediately quoted a price of one gold coin per roll.
An average farmer might only have a few silver coins at most, and an apple might cost about two copper coins...
One gold coin is roughly equivalent to 5000 apples... Honestly, it would take a whole tract of land to produce that many apples.
A roll of silk could be exchanged for the output of an entire estate?
That's way too expensive...
The mayor happily accepted the roll of silk, repeatedly measuring and touching it, comparing it to the silk robe he was wearing... Mayor Bonn laughed: "Good, this is really too cheap."
He noticed that Rowling took out a shipment that was as tall as a person from his sleeve, which meant that Rowling was covered in magic.
The fact that it could hold 20 rolls of silk at once suggests that it was no ordinary item.
The mayor of Bonn was quite knowledgeable; he concluded that the other party was a magician.
Mages are high-ranking figures everywhere; their talents far surpass those of ordinary people. Apprentices from Dalaran are respected even outside, let alone bards who can travel across mountains and seas to come here.
The mayor was very polite; twenty gold coins could buy 20 rolls of high-quality silk, which he thought was worthwhile, as he only needed to resell them.
The price can be several times higher in the Dalaran market.
Silk was once in short supply in Lordaeron... and only nobles could afford it.
Compared to ordinary fabrics, although magic cloth contains unique energy, silk, being soft, comfortable, and breathable, is the most beloved hard currency among nobles as a symbol of status.
Mayor Bourne is currently struggling to find something to send to the Kirin Tor mages, and Prince Galin of Stromgarde and his ruthless cavalry are also lurking on the shore of the lake. Meanwhile, Bourne has been hurling insults at the Human Alliance and Stormwind representatives in front of several town councilors.
He'll show a completely different face when he actually encounters a Kirin Tor mage or a general from Stormwind.
"Mr. Barbaras, besides these 20 rolls of silk, it seems you have some other good things? Bring them out so I can see them."
......
"No, no. To be honest, if we weren't about to reach the legendary mage holy city of Dalaran, I wouldn't be willing to sell these stockpiles so easily. You know, it's been incredibly difficult to get here."
The town mayor's eyes darted around, and he understood.
He immediately reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of gold coins.
He poured the glittering gold coins onto the table, piling them into a small mountain. Luo Lin glanced at them briefly and estimated there were more than a hundred.
The big landowners were indeed rich...
“Mr. Barbaras, I will purchase your silk at a price of two gold coins per roll. In addition, if you think I am capable enough, you see, the remaining gold coins here should be enough for you to verify my qualifications.”
Mayor Bonn, feigning expertise in the market, proposed verification of funds. He threw out over a hundred gold coins, hoping that Rowling would also contribute rare items of equivalent value.
Based on Bonn's experience, a bard who comes from across the sea and is shrouded in magic must have something good on him.
The silk they just received was of superior quality, and each roll was much larger than what they usually handled. Although it seemed to cost twice as much—two gold coins per roll—the town mayor still made a considerable profit.
In business, the key lies in specifications and scarcity.
There's a give and take...
He was wary of falling out with magicians, because their strength was unpredictable; some magicians could single-handedly destroy a nation, while others were merely performing magic tricks...
The mayor's personal guards were in the next room. He only needed to press a small bell, and Rowling could be hacked to death by Wilkes and his servants at any moment.
The town mayor has done this before.
He was certain that Lorraine still had something valuable on her...
"Hmph, they've taken the bait..."
Luo Lin said to his apprentice, who was inside him, "What kind of bait did they take? It's just selling a few rolls of rags! 40 gold a set is indeed an exorbitant price! Are they stupid?"
The apprentice dared not disturb his teacher's performance... he could only watch silently, wondering where these fabrics came from.
Lorraine had collected a lot of miscellaneous items during her previous trip to Shadowfang Keep and the subsequent series of battles. She had amassed quite a few items in Shadowfang Keep, Ambermill, and the Syndicate's stronghold. If there hadn't been so many that she couldn't carry them all, Lorraine could have packed even more.
For the first time, he felt that his backpack was not big enough, so the teacher helped him empty it.
"Not at all, Mayor. I've already witnessed your strength. Your manor is so magnificent, and you've been quite safe here all this way. It's truly remarkable... You don't know that I traveled all the way north from the pirate-infested Booty Bay... through Stranglethorn Vale, across the Swamp of Sorrows, and all the way to Duskwood and other places, enduring countless hardships to finally reach the Wetlands... I even ventured through dwarven territory... by boat, on horseback, and on foot, I made it all the way here. Mayor, please forgive me, I really don't have any treasures left."
Rowling stood up from his seat. "My only hope is to go to Dalaran."
When Mayor Bonn heard Rolin mention Stranglethorn Vale and Booty Bay... indeed, they were located at the southernmost tip of the Eastern Kingdoms, and also a sea route that could be taken from the distant continent of Kalimdor...
However, the distance between north and south is over a thousand kilometers...
The bard Barbaras was able to travel alone to Hillsbrad Foothills; he was no ordinary man!
"Sir, you're too late!"
......