Butnashso is made up of three major islands: Bares, Kenli, and Asoya. The place where we entered the country was Bares, though strictly speaking it isn't really an island—it's part of the mainland. They just call it an island because it sounds better.
The capital of Butnashso is on Asoya, so we'll eventually need to take a ship there. But we're not heading to Asoya right away. Our first destination is Kenli.
Each of the three islands has a central district—the most prosperous city on that island. Jacob, who wants to build connections, naturally aims for those central districts, even if he hasn't said it out loud.
That was the reason Jacob joined us in the first place, so of course I'm going to support him. Besides, I also want to scout travel spots so I can bring Lina and Lani here later.
Today marks our third day since entering the country. We finally arrived at the central district of Bares. And it's true—women here really don't wear outfits that show their thighs. Good thing I asked Jacob in advance.
Back to the point. Over the past three days we passed through a lot of cities, but Jacob didn't do any business.
When I asked why, he said, ""Capture the leader first." If the merchant guild in the central district starts selling our soap and it becomes a hit, word will spread. Then guilds from other cities will come to the Zereil Guild to place orders themselves.
After that, I handed Grace a pouch of money and told her to go shopping with Ethefelis and Alice. Meanwhile, Jacob and I went to find the biggest merchant guild in the area.
Jacob had already done his homework. The largest guild in Bares was the Eze Guild. Too lazy to wander around searching, we asked a passerby for directions. Unfortunately, Jacob asked a woman, and she thought he was hitting on her.
The worst part? She was thrilled—and started flirting back aggressively. We wasted a chunk of time trying to shake her off before asking another passerby, this time a guy.
Following his directions, we finally found the Eze Guild. The building was tall and luxurious, about four or five stories high, with a huge, eye-catching sign. Even from outside, you could see people constantly coming and going. It wasn't as packed as the Zereil Guild, but business was clearly booming.
We stepped inside and headed to the reception counter. The receptionist stood up the moment she saw us and greeted us with a smile.
"Hello, how may I help you?"
"I'm a merchant from Aimebisalon, affiliated with the Zereil Guild. I have a product I'd like to present to your guild master. May I request an opportunity to pitch it to him?"
After hearing Jacob's introduction, the receptionist's mouth fell slightly open. She stared at him in shock, then suddenly got excited.
"The Zereil Guild? The one that only accepts elites?! May I ask your name?"
"I'm Jacob Zereil."
"Jacob Zereil… Zereil?! Are you the guild master of the Zereil Guild?!"
Jacob didn't react to her excitement at all. Calm as still water, he simply corrected her.
"No, I'm not. The guild master is my father."
"Your father?! Then you're the heir?! Ah—please wait! I'll notify our guildmaster immediately!"
Even though Jacob denied being the guild master, the fact that he was the successor still stunned her. After freezing for a second, she finally snapped back to work mode.
She handed her duties to another receptionist and sprinted upstairs. A short while later, she returned with a middle-aged man who walked straight toward Jacob.
"You must be Mr. Zereil. Hello. I'm Philit Eze, guild master of the Eze Merchant Guild."
After introducing himself, Guild master Eze extended his hand. Jacob shook it and gave a polite bow of his head.
"Guild master Eze, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Jacob Zereil, a merchant of the Zereil Merchant Guild."
Jacob used formal speech—probably because the man was older. Meanwhile, Guild master Eze slipped his other hand into his pocket, striking a senior, authoritative pose.
After they released hands, Eze spoke first.
"I've already heard your purpose. Let's sit and talk."
"Gladly."
"And who's the one behind you?"
Guild master Eze glanced at me and asked about my identity.
"He's my bodyguard."
After Jacob explained, I smiled and nodded in greeting.
"Ah~I see. You must have encountered plenty of dangerous monsters on your journey. But judging by how well you look, your guard must be quite capable."
This guild master didn't strike me as particularly sharp. Did he really need to say all that? A simple "I see" would've been enough. It felt like wasted time.
But guild master Eze said that, Jacob couldn't just brush him off. We were here to make a sale, after all — we had to stay polite.
"Yes. He's the most capable guard I've ever seen."
"Hahaha, that's high praise. But you're still young. There's a lot in this world that will surprise you."
Jacob wasn't wrong—he knows exactly who I am, and I'll admit I'm strong. But Guild master Aze didn't know that. To him, Jacob just sounded like a kid who hadn't seen enough of the world yet.
"Hahaha, I'll keep that in mind."
Jacob ended the topic with a polite smile and let it go.
"Guildmaster, the room is ready."
A woman approached and quietly informed Eze—probably his secretary.
We followed her to a private room. While walking, I checked the surrounding life signs. No threats nearby.
Jacob and guild master Eze sat on the sofa.
As the bodyguard, I stood behind Jacob. The moment he sat down, he moved straight to business and pulled out a bar of soap from storage hole.
"Guildmaster Eze, I'd like to introduce a soap developed by our guild. Its fragrance—"
"Wait. Where did you just pull that from?!"
He interrupted mid-sentence. Of course—storage magic again.
After Jacob explained, Eze's eyes lit up.
"This magic is incredible! Who discovered it?!"
"I'm sorry, I don't know. It spread naturally. No one knows its origin."
Jacob obviously knew, but there was no reason to overshare. Eze looked disappointed.
"I see… sorry for interrupting. Please continue."
Jacob resumed his pitch, explaining the soap just like he had to me before. When he finished, Aze stroked his chin and thought.
"A fragrance soap priced for commoners… this will sell, especially to female customers. Mr. Zereil, I've decided to place an order."
His decision speed honestly shocked me. He barely asked any questions. Merchant instinct?
Jacob immediately praised him.
"As expected of guild master Aze—bold and decisive. No wonder your guild is so successful. We noticed the crowd growing nonstop, and every customer looked satisfied."
I really admire Jacob's social skills in moments like this. Regular conversation is best left to him.
Aze laughed loudly, clearly pleased.
"Hahaha, you flatter me. And you—earning your father's trust at such a young age and traveling abroad to promote products. Your future is bright."
"I still have much to learn from you, guild master Eze."
They both laughed and moved on to negotiating prices. Outwardly friendly, but who knows what strategies were running through their heads.
…Just kidding. They were probably thinking about lunch. Or dinner.
(That's the least likely thing possible?!)
I hadn't self-commented in a while. Guess I was bored.
They finally reached an agreement, with Jacob's negotiating skills winning out in the end. They signed the contract, and Eze handed it to his secretary, whispering something to her before she left.
Jacob then pulled out six hundred bars of soap—two hundred of each scent—as a trial batch. Payment was made on the spot.
After Jacob took the bag of money, the guild master Eze suddenly said something completely illogical.
"Mr. Zereil, my guard says he'd like to spar with your guard. What do you think?"
I hadn't even seen his guard this whole time. When did he say that?!