29-Episode 28 Buy a Ship



'He's enough of a customer for Garcia Trading Company's husband to write a letter of introduction. That's something like half a billion dollars.

Yeah, that's fine.

What about the specifics?

I'll take care of it. Your master is a professional sailor, isn't he? I think there are a lot of long-distance trips, so I'd like to emphasize robustness and ease of maintenance.

I got it. And that catamaran you guys tied up as a hack job, I'll buy it as magic power and wood money. I'll buy it for the magic power and the cost of the wood. I'll give you an estimate later.

Okay. It's a slap in the face...

Well done for an amateur, but for us professionals, it's a job well done.

Yes, sir.

I'm sorry, but we make our living on these. But that's some pretty good boards and nails you got going on here in a foreign country, isn't it?

Yes, sir.



 The master of the shipyard, introduced to me by the head of the Garcia Chamber of Commerce, was a very stubborn old man, but he seemed to be very skilled.
 Otherwise, there was no way the biggest merchant in Shipland would recommend him, so we'll leave the ship to him.
 He appreciated our carpentry as a job well done, and complimented us on the goodness of the wood and nails we bought from 'net shopping,' so I think his skills are genuine.

'So this is a small ship that can hold three to five people and has a lot of living space. I envision it operating with multiple magic boxes on board.

 Even though it was a new build, it would take too much time to have it built from scratch.
 It was a good idea to choose a ship that was already completed to some extent and deliver it to the customer after final outfitting.
 They don't build large ships at the drop of a hat, so this one is completely made-to-order.

'Wow, a new ship is nice,'

Yeah.

 The ship that Lalabelle and Miu was on was a gift from my brother, so it was quite old.
 The ship I used to escape was also old as well, as it was for a large scheduled escape, and it looked like it was time for a new one.
 I can't complain because it was originally free, but when you see the ship in person, you think that a new ship is a good thing.

'Well, I'll take it then, please.'

Five days.

Okay. Here's the money.

I'm sorry.

 I took the money for the ship out of the magic box, handed it to the old man, and we left the shipyard.

'I don't know much about these things, but you don't offer a discount?

 As soon as I left the shipyard, Lalabelle asked me a question.
 I thought it was normal for a merchant to bargain in such a situation.

There are good discounts and bad discounts. That shipyard is a good shipyard, as the head of the Garcia Trading Company knows. I'm guessing that the letter of introduction helped us get in on the deadlines when we were otherwise occupied.

Can't we negotiate a discount for those places?

"I wrote the letter of introduction, which would have embarrassed the head of the Garcia Trading Company.

 Besides, if the boat is not built or performed well, it can be deadly.
 I can understand if you are a ship owner hopeful who wants to get a ship somehow cheap even if you don't have money, but we're not without money and it would be dangerous to be stingy here.

'Even in your dealings with the head of the Garcia Trading Company, Lord Tullow didn't ask you to raise the price of sugar, did he?

In this case, the less said the better.

 It's a big deal for expensive white sugar, so I don't think it would be wrong to ask for more money, but if a deal couldn't be struck with the Garcia Chamber of Commerce here, I don't think another chamber of commerce would be willing to pay more than the Garcia Chamber of Commerce.
 It would be impossible for them to buy everything.
 Selling that much white sugar to more than one chamber of commerce would naturally make us stand out.

 Criminals might come after us for our money, and if we stand out, we might attract the attention of the Kingdom of Burt.

''So you only dealt with the biggest merchants in Shipland.

''He's a great merchant who has risen to that level, and due to the nature of this oasis called Shipland, he shouldn't be a good fit for the Baat Kingdom. Even though this is the territory of the Baat Kingdom, it's practically an independent territory.

 As long as we are good customers, he won't pry into our identity, and he won't make a bad move that will cause us to drift off to rival merchants.
 Because we don't want to lose a tasty commercial route because of the other merchants.
 And the shipyard's referral to the shipyard would be to come back with that ship.

'I was just doing business, and you're reading that much. You're an adult, Mr. Taro.

'Maybe it's just my own beliefs,'

 But we shouldn't be too far from the real answer.

'By the way, what do we do about the place we're staying? The ship will be taken back to the shipyard, you know.

 I'm getting a new ship, so I'm going to trade in that catamaran for a new one.
 I've heard that only magic power and some wood are worth the money.
 We want to save money on the mooring, so we're already going to haul it out, and it's supposed to be a stay here in Shipland until the outfitting of the new ship is completed.

'Shall we take lodging?'

 I've got money anyway.
 Even though I'm saving money, I didn't need so much Druk, because if it's gold, I have a lot of Eidolk that Larabell and Mew defeated the sand beast.
 When we leave this town, let's convert them into Eidolcs.

''Since we're going to be here, why don't we stay at a fancy inn?

I guess it's okay sometimes.

Yes.

 Since we were on our way to stay at the most exclusive inn in town, someone approached us.

Excuse me. I am from the Garcia Trading Company. I'm glad to hear that your ship order has been successfully completed. The Lord says that you may stay in the mansion until the ship is ready.

'I'm honoured that the Garcia Chamber of Commerce under the sun would pay so much attention to a new sailor like us. I'm honored.

No, no, the Lord wants to form a good relationship with a promising business partner. He would love for you to accept his invitation.

'Of course. I thankfully accept the invitation.

(Mr. Taro, that's bold.)

Maybe we'll have to jump into that nest of sand beasts.

"I'll be fine. What kind of treats will be served?

 If the master of the Garcia Chamber of Commerce was such an idiot, the Garcia Chamber of Commerce would have fallen from the best merchant in Shipland long ago.
 A luxury inn would be nice, but this is an invitation from the biggest merchant in town.
 I'm going to enjoy it at best.
 It's been a long time since I've slept in a building.