Formicea

 

Took quite a while to finish my preparations.
It had to be the right mix of not drawing too much attention and providing enough security.
The best solution was the simplest.
I hired adventurers as hidden guards to protect them should something happen.
I'm still anxious, but this much should suffice.
Now I just have to fetch those girls.

 

"Hey, you two! Are you there?" (O)

 

Before I can say much else the door is open and the two of them stand in front of me in greatest anticipation.
It's kinda uncanny.
As if they were waiting there all this time to sprint off the moment they get called.

 

"Okay... I've arranged something. Today you can follow me the whole day. The import ban for the ore delivery I received from your people is going to be lifted. So I have to get some deals done." (O)

 

Uh, I feel some kind of elation from their side, even if it's not too visible.
This pheromone sense is still hard to get used to.
Even more so now, since I'm back in my familiar environment.
Anyway, I need to get these girls ready.

 

"Before I'm going to take you anywhere we have to agree on some rules. First, you don't run off. If you leave my side I can't make sure that you are safe as your broodmother wants me to, and you don't want to go against her wishes, right?" (O)

 

Even without that sense, I could interpret this reaction.
It's almost scary how emotionally attached they are.
It might be better that it's Erys who has this kind of power over them and not someone more ruthless.

 

"Second, you don't interact with people unless asked to. The less of a reaction you cause the better. And third, you're going to wear this." (O)

 

I procure two sets of common clerk uniforms in beige as well as two, for them, oversized cloaks.
Those should cover enough that I might avoid attacks from lunatics who think they have to purge them.

 

"You'll always have to pull the hood deep over your faces and hide your claws within the sleeves. By the way, only use one set of them at a time." (O)

"But this is so inefficient!" (N)

"It's more efficient than dying, believe me. Just keep everything covered." (O)

 

While I watch how those two, obviously for the first time, get dressed, I can't help but think it's cute.
I mean, how they clumsily get stuck at the wrong places with their claws or are trying to figure out where to put the extra set of arms.
How would those nurses look in a real maid uniform?
My, there might be a market for this.
Not that Erys would ever let me use them like this.

As soon as they're done we move to the entrance hall of my guild building.
It’s something like a mix of administration and processing center for my newest acquisitions which are either shipped out or, in some cases, stored right here.
I might not be the wealthiest merchant right now but my operations are flexible and well-planned.

But considering my newest venture I maybe should think about expanding this place.
At least, I should prepare some storage halls.
I might even have to take out a loan to pay for this endeavor but it will pay off, I'm sure about that.

While I dream about my rosy future, I notice that the girls are walking a bit stiff.
I notice it's because they wrapped their own lower arms around their bellies to keep them hidden.
Well, as long it works.

The first thing I have to do is meet up with those adventurers.
Usually, I only deal with them when it's about a request for acquiring some rare goods I need for my business, but this interaction stays quite shallow.
 I walk up to the two figures with strong builds and lots of weapons.

 

"Hey, are you the adventurers I've hired?" (O)

"Yes. Are those the subjects?" (adventurer)

 

He points at the girls.

 

"You're right." (O)

 

I come a little closer.

 

"Just to be clear, nothing can happen to them. Those two are directly sent from a high-ranking entity of our "friends" from below and I don't want to be the one to tell her that they ended up killed by humans. We don't want this kind of conflict, right?" (O)

 

I don't think Erys would actually go that far and demand blood, but they don't need to know.
At least that should've got them motivated.

The moment I step over the border of the building the anxiety comes at me.
Now we're out and vulnerable.
I look around but none of the pedestrians seem to notice something wrong.
I even told the adventurers to keep their distance so we draw less attention.
Nonetheless, I make sure to keep these kiddos very close.

 

"We're now traversing the market. You can learn quite a lot here about trading. You may look at the prices for the wares but don't get too close or too far away from me while you're at it." (O)

 

Proving that my assessment of them was totally right, they're gone the moment I look away.
Naturally, I grow distressed.
The adventurers as well seem to be at a loss.
Useless imbeciles.

Great, what now?
Should I just wait till I hear a great commotion and follow the uproar?

No, I have to be proactive.

But how?
What can I do?
I...
Maybe I can find them.

I concentrate on this weird smell sense and draw as much air through my nose as possible.

There!
It's faint, but if there are no other insects in the market, which I'm sure there are not as my information network works very well, then this scent trail should lead me to them.
A moment later I find them at a stall for different kinds of food.
They're pestering the poor guy behind the counter.

 

"And this? How much is this?" (N)

"It's a koroka fruit. Twelve copper. Are you going to buy something now? Do you even have money?" (merchant)

"And what is thies?" (X)

"Urgh!" (merchant)

 

Okay, surprisingly, their cover hasn't been blown yet.
This might be because, while with a bit of an accent, they sound a great deal like completely normal humans.
Yet now I have to do something before this stall trader is attacking them for completely different reasons.

 

"There you are! I told you not to run off!" (O)

"But we need to learn!" (X)

 

The merchant meanwhile redirects his death glare towards me.

 

"Are these your kids?" (merchant)

 

I can't help but chuckle for a split second before I can gather my bearing.
Also, I thought I would, at least by the town's merchants, be known well enough.
But you can't know everyone personally, so it's possible that he doesn't know my face.

 

"Not directly. They belong to a friend of mine. I took it on me to educate them." (O)

"Then do it better! Those kids approached my stall and started touching my wares, asking how much everything costs! And I'm quite sure they never had the intention to buy something." (merchant)

"Which might be because your goods cost double what they should. A koroka goes on a good day for six copper. And this soleira fruit seems to be a bit soft. Which you can realize as soon as you touch it. And this for eight copper? Quite shocking honestly." (O)

"We have a food shortage! Many things you can only get by showing your ration card for the day. You can be happy if I sell you anything at all!" (merchant)

"Ah, no need to. I have my own supply. And it's rather vast." (O)

 

I give him my best business smile, which isn't helping very much to improve his mood.

 

"Then why are you even wasting my time here?!" (merchant)

"To do business, naturally. What else would a merchant do on the market?" (O)

 

I spoke intentionally now a bit louder, which drew some attention.

 

"Hey, isn't that Olira?"

"The copper demon!?"

"Here?"

"It's said if you get on her bad side she's ruining your business to the last copper."

"And it's said she has an agreement with those underground monsters so they kill all her competition."

"Oh my, the poor man."

 

Tsk, rumors.
I only destroyed two of my rivals until now.
After all, one cannot do business without the corresponding reputation.
They'll start thinking you're an easy target, especially as a woman.
The man in front of me seems to have realized his mistake.
At least that's what his pale face tells me.
I guess I should help him out here.

 

"I guess I'm a bit hungry at the moment. Why don't you sell me this soleira? For three copper!" (O)

"Th-three?" (merchant)

"Yes. Four to five is the usual price and this one is clearly lacking in quality. So I think this price is fair." (O)

 

There's now a bit of a commotion here, but I cannot show weakness.
The man has been put under pressure by the situation.
Begrudgingly he hands the fruit over and I pay, before leaving with the girls as quickly as possible.
It's almost a miracle that nobody looked below the hoods.

 

"Here, hold onto this for me. You should have a free arm." (O)

 

I hand the fruit towards the one to my left.
Was it Nabi?
I think so; at least the scent indicates it.
While I push them away from the people the two adventurers finally catch up to me.
Maybe I should have paid for better ones.

A moment later it seems like one of the girls wants to say something.

 

"How did you do thies?" (X)

"What do you mean?" (O)

"The human wanted eight copper and you gave him three. That's five less than he wanted." (X)

 

They can do math?!
Okay, if they wouldn't already be aligned to Erys, in a way I simply cannot beat, I would consider hiring them.

 

"First, how do you know about numbers?" (O)

"Knowing thee numbers of larvaee is essEntial for a nurse. And thEre are many." (X)

"Also, the scholar teaches us. They're saying it's deeply linked to trading." (N)

"Well, that isn't wrong." (O)

"Now your explanation." (X)

 

Fine, if I'm going to teach them I might as well start right here.

 

"Good. First lesson, listen carefully. There are three essential factors to trading. The first one is intel. You need to know the usual prices, and more importantly the price range of goods. What is the cheapest and what's the highest they could possibly be sold for on the market? If you do, you aren't at risk to get scammed and can assess what is a good deal and what is not. The second factor is demand. We merchants basically are the ones who balance the world. If there is a lack of something at some place we fill it, and if there is too much of something we can take it for less than usual, as long we have a way to sell it again, naturally. Our profit generates from this difference. So, naturally, the absolute best is to be able to anticipate where the balance might get shaken. When someone wants to build something they might need building materials. When there was a good harvest they have more food than they need. Keeping the demand in mind is important." (O)

 

I can literally feel the stares of the adventurers behind me while handing out knowledge I might rather get paid for to insects.

 

"But with the man just now you didn't rely on any of these." (N)

"Yes. Because the third factor is reputation. If two offers are the same they will always come to the merchant they trust or simply like better. How others see you influences their offers. Are your goods of quality? Do you pose a business connection they want to maintain for preferential treatment in the future?  And in this case, I might be someone he doesn't want to displease. Actually, this is the biggest problem with your swarm. People don't want to deal with you. They fear and worry about what it might cause. So it's going to be hard to get good deals when nobody wants to deal with you in the first place. But I'm working on this." (O)

 

These two are now totally in awe.
Well, hopefully, they'll tell Erys something positive about me later on.

After some time, we leave the market district and arrive at our destination.
The great hall of the craftsmen's guild.