Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 246

I let out a sigh as I gaze at the pile of replies from the workshops.

“I guess I’ll have to visit the workshops directly and negotiate in person.”

But Sara stops me. “That’s true, but isn’t it dangerous?”

“Yeah.”

If it’s a typical ambush, I can rely on the Sword Fangs Legion, and by now, I’m not particularly afraid of that.

The problem is that there’s no guarantee that someone at the workshop hasn’t been affected by magic.

I believe we drive away the magician behind the recent incident, but I can’t be sure there aren’t lingering traps waiting to be sprung.

From my own experience, mental magic is especially tricky because the person under its influence shows no symptoms, making their actions seem natural. It’s hard to read, even for bodyguards.

I don’t know how long the effects of such magic last, but at least until the Cardinal’s unveiling ceremony is over, I want to avoid unnecessary risks.

Besides, the danger of magic isn’t the only problem.

A bigger problem is that our bargaining power in negotiations is weak.

Right now, the other side likely knows that we don’t have any strong connections to sell our luxury goods.

So from our company’s perspective, we want to negotiate with each workshop individually and let them compete to get better terms.

This strategy works well for the inter-city merchants, as they are former adventurers with a strong sense of independence.

As a result, our profits tripled.

But the long-established workshops that have been doing business in this town for years band together, blocking my moves.

They’re trying to push us into accepting their terms instead of letting us negotiate for better ones.

At this point in the negotiation game, my company is in a position where we have no choice but to accept whatever terms they present.

When I explain this, Sara scolds me. “Terms, huh? But isn’t that fine? The Pioneers’ Shoes are making a profit, right?”

“If it were just about money, there’d still be room to negotiate. But I doubt that’ll be the only thing on the table.”

“Other than money? What other thing is there?”

“If I were in their shoes, I’d demand that we disclose the technology behind Pioneers’ Shoes, allow them to produce similar products, and exempt them from the sales audit required for using the church’s seal.”

It’s a standard tactic in negotiations when you’re in a strong position: demand the technology, the manufacturing rights, the trademark—all of it.

After all, the other side has no alternative.

I might need to explain the last condition a bit more.

Pioneers’ Shoes use the church’s seal, meaning a portion of the sales must be submitted to the church. That money is then used to support rural villages.

If you participate in this system, your sales reporting must be accurate, and you are required to undergo periodic audits.

This is non-negotiable when it comes to maintaining the church’s seal management system.

But given the current power dynamics, there’s a risk that this condition won’t be accepted, or that the audits will be disregarded, turning sales reporting into a mere formality.

“That’s like asking us to hand over our entire business!”

“That’s exactly what they’re asking for. If I were in their position, I’d think that if I wanted to crush the luxury goods business, now is the only chance—before the Cardinal’s unveiling ceremony. They want to eliminate a troublesome competitor in the bud before it grows any further.”

“There’s no way they’d go that far…”

“Can you really say that for sure?”

Seeing the pile of firm replies on the desk, Sara must be reminded of the recent magician’s attack and other incidents where I’m targeted. She remains silent.