Mikumo Trading Company Headquarters. This time, since it was Anima who approached Akane, it was Anima who went to visit them.
Akane and Anima faced each other in a simple but beautifully furnished reception room. At first, they began with light chit-chat, before they eventually got down to the main topic…… the business dealings.
[……And such was the item we wanted you to sell.]
[……Ah, errr…… I’m sorry, I need some time to sort this out.]
[I don’t mind.]Akane, looking a little pale, asked Anima’s permission before getting up from the sofa and discussing the matter with Frau, who is also her secretary, a short distance away.
[……Frau, what do you think? Do you know what that is?]
[M- My apologies. As expected, being able to tell the authenticity of Dragon King-sama’s scales is just……]
[You’re right, I can’t tell at all either. This is bad…… Before we even talk about the terms of the deal, we wouldn’t even know if the thing is genuine or not.]
[I’m sure that they’re a top-quality accessory. If they are indeed made from authentic scales, then the way they have been beautifully shaped and arranged to look like jewels is nothing short of spectacular, and even the design is superb.]
Frau is an excellent appraiser, and Akane relies on her on various occasions…… but this time, as expected, she was also at a loss, with an unusually clearly puzzled look on her face.
Akane was in a similar state of mind, and she was having a hard time coming to terms with her thoughts.[There is a risk that they’re just fakes. However, if they’re the real deal, this would be quite the outrageous case…… No matter how we sell them, they will sell like hotcakes. Of course, it would still depend on the conditions, but in most cases, it would be a tremendous profit.]
[However, Dragon King-sama’s scales aren’t something that can be obtained easily. Moreover, being able to process them into accessories is just beyond common sense.]
[……Don’t bother, I’ll just probe her a bit.]
Even though her thoughts aren’t quite ready yet, deciding that it would be bad to make Anima wait any longer, Akane left Frau and sat back down on the sofa.
[I’m sorry to have kept you waiting…… Back to the topic, the item Anima-san brought, yes? I can understand at a glance that they’re wonderful products…… but unfortunately, we don’t have the capability to determine whether or not the item really is made from Dragon King-sama’s scales. I’m sorry to sound skeptical but…… Do you have anything that can prove its value?]
[……Do you know that there’s an institution that does and publishes quality checks and appraisals?]
[Y- Yes, of course, we know that…… However, as expected, I don’t think even they can issue a certificate of authenticity for Dragon King-sama’s scales……]
The institution mentioned by Anima was created by Phantasmal King’s subordinates…… The agency investigates the quality of the requested item and issues a certificate of authenticity with a number of stars indicating the quality of an item. Their services are reasonably expensive, but they have a solid reputation and track record, and are often referred to by the merchants.
Naturally, Akane also knows about this institution and has used their services many times to check the quality of goods during transactions…… but she thought that even if it’s that institution, it would be impossible for them to appraise an item as rare as Dragon King’s scales.
However, as if to mock Akane’s thoughts, Anima took out an envelope from her magic box and pulled out a paper from within it, she placed it on the table.
[ ! ? ! ? ]
[Here is the certificate.]
[……You…… Who in the world…… are you……]
Unintentionally forgetting her honorifics, Akane muttered with fear visible on her face.
[……P- Please excuse me once again.]
Then, quickly notifying her, she left her seat and went to Frau. Just like Akane, fear is also visible on Frau’s face.
[……This is bad, this is really dangerous.]
[……T- They were judged as 10-star items…… A- An item being judged as 10-item really exists…… A- Any chance that document is forged?]
[That’s absolutely impossible! 10-star Certifications can only be handled by “Phantasmal King-sama themself”. If someone forges a document like that, it would be something that would turn all of Phantasmal King-sama’s subordinates against them. If she really forged that…… She would have been killed before she could bring it here.]
[In other words, that’s the real deal…… Seriously, who in the world is she? Is she perhaps an intermediary for Phantasmal King-sama?]
[I don’t know. Could the Master I’ve heard about be Phantasmal King-sama? Or perhaps, one of the other members of the Six Kings? No, but if that were the case, there would be no reason for them to bring this deal with us. They would just try to sell them in their own camp…… What the heck is this, this is scary.]
The situation was so far from what she had imagined that Akane was struggling to get her head around it…… The deal itself is excellent, and the terms and conditions aren’t bad.
No, the conditions are so good for Mikumo Trading Company that they are feeling slightly skeptical, and there’s no reason not to accept them.
[……I- I understand. However, I think this could be an important matter for us as well, so I would like it if you give us a few days to reply……]
[Yes, that’s alright. When you have reached an agreement, please contact us.]
When Akane asked for time to think about it, Anima readily agreed and gave her a piece of paper to which their letter should be addressed. Then, after confirming that Akane had received it, she spoke again.
[……Now then, now that we’ve talked about our business dealings, may I speak with you on a somewhat personal note?]
[Eh? Yes, of course. What is it?]
[……My master would very much like to meet with you. If it’s possible, I would like to invite you to Master’s home…… How about it?]
[ [ ! ? ] ]
Akane and Frau couldn’t help but gasp at these words.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [In Akane and Frau’s mind, it’s like they received an invitation from a seriously mysterious wire puller, isn’t it……]
? ? ? : [Yes, well, the person himself was quite nonchalant about it, saying “Ahh, that trading company is that one Alice mentioned that is owned by an otherworlder who used to play the role of Hero. If it’s possible, I kinda wanna meet them”, but in Anima-san’s mind, it sounded like he requested her to do this.]
