The Cornflower Witch

Chapter 67: Contract Reached

Sign, or not sign.

Sylutia hesitated briefly, then nodded in agreement. She picked up the special quill pen and wrote the characters for 'Anluo'er'.

Following that, Albayo took out the guild's seal. He signed his own name first, then stamped the seal onto the document.

Soon after, a faint flicker of flame spread across the entire page. The contract paper then changed color, fresh patterns covering the written characters, and everything on it became fixed and immutable.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Anluo'er." Albayo stood up, carefully storing away the contract document.

Now that the cooperation was finalized, there was little point in second-guessing. The three of them began discussing other matters.

"Mister Albayo, have you ever heard of 'cornflowers'?" Sylutia suddenly remembered something.

"Cornflowers? This is the first time I've heard that term." It seemed he had never encountered them.

Actually, not long after arriving in Scorchstone City, Sylutia had also inquired about the name of this type of flower. Neither the Horticulture Guild nor Lady Franne had ever heard of it.

Could it be that the name differs from place to place? Perhaps it has another name locally, Sylutia thought to herself."However, I can help Miss Anluo'er gather information about it. Windcliff City is close to the border, and news is quite plentiful there."

"Thank you." The young girl set the question aside for now.

A short while later, Carrie asked Albayo about the situation regarding border preparations for war.

"I remember that two years ago, Regas had just signed a treaty with the northern Kingdom of Ante, declaring a ceasefire. Are they going to war again now?"

"Correct. After the 'Windmill Battle' ended two years ago, we and the Kingdom of Ante declared a ceasefire, ceded some territory, and paid substantial reparations. This incident greatly angered His Majesty, and even Viscount Caren was imprisoned because of it," Albayo answered.

"Originally, we all thought the conflict would come to a halt, with no major clashes for at least ten years."

"But now the situation has changed. According to reports from our informants within Ante at the border, there are undercurrents stirring within the Kingdom of Ante now. Many nobles desire to start the war again. In such circumstances, even if the royal family of Ante doesn't want war, it's difficult for them to suppress the voices from those below."

"Why are those nobles so eager for war?" The girl tilted her head, puzzled.

"Because last time, their victory came too easily, and only some nobles reaped the benefits. The rapid ceasefire ended before many of Ante's major nobles could even react."

"Those who didn't get a share of the spoils, yet consider themselves powerful, are jealous. They think we can be easily manipulated and are unwilling to let it end there. Coincidentally, during this period, several main heirs of the Ante royal family are each vying for power. They all hope to become the next king, and the factions surrounding them won't easily stop creating momentum."

The struggle for the throne spreading its influence... Sylutia roughly understood the reasons.

In this world, the throne holds genuine, substantial power. That is to say, at the very least, one can use the high-tier Aspect power brought by the throne to achieve physical enhancement, a healthier body, and longer lifespan. Therefore, those eligible to inherit would inevitably seize every possible opportunity to snatch it.

"Put that way, you all must be making quite a profit," Carrie prodded him at this point. Given this situation, the military wouldn't press prices down too much, meaning the Copper Halberd Guild's profits wouldn't be low.

"Yes, thank you for your goodwill, Miss Anluo'er. If you have any special needs, we can also keep an eye out for you. During our next procurement, we can deliver them to you." His attitude was frank. Now that the contract was signed anyway, there was no need to hide it.

"This..." Sylutia thought about what else she might need.

"If you have any extraordinary accessories that can conceal one's identity, please keep an eye out for me. I occasionally need something to hide my overly conspicuous identity for convenience in moving about." She stated it directly.

"That's easy. I will contact the local cooperative guilds and ask their experts to craft one for you. May I ask what style of accessory you prefer?" Since they were now decent partners, this merchant was also quite generous, intending to build a good relationship with the young lady.

"A ring. Also, I need a specific pattern shape." She planned to have the image of a cornflower from her memory engraved on the ring. That way, it would be easier to ask others about it.

After saying this, she had Lining bring some paper and hand-drew the pattern of a cornflower.

"So 'cornflowers' look like this? No problem. I will specifically instruct the craftsman later to meticulously create it for you." Albayo accepted the drawn design.

Afterwards, the three of them sat together for a little while longer until Albayo took his leave.

"Tomorrow I will bring my entourage to collect the goods. Please be prepared, Miss Anluo'er." Having said that, he bowed and bid farewell to the young lady.

After the guild representative left, Carrie stood beside Sylutia, gently placing a hand on her shoulder in reassurance.

"It's been a while, and Anluo'er has become much more decisive." She was quite surprised that this young lady could make her own decisions and agree to this transaction.

According to her original estimation, Anluo'er might have kept putting it off, waiting until Lady Franne returned to make a decision. After all, no one expected Lady Franne to grant Sylutia such extensive authority. Additionally, it was unclear exactly how much 'Sunflower Seed Oil' Lady Franne had stored. So, with various information asymmetries, misunderstandings arose.

"Actually, I was a bit nervous just now too, afraid I might mishandle it and sell it too cheaply." Sylutia didn't hide her feelings.

"But after you arrived and didn't have major objections to the price, I roughly felt more confident." She answered honestly.

"Hehe, that's a clever approach too." Carrie responded with a laugh.

"Looking at it normally, this price is indeed on the higher side. However, since hostilities might restart, the profit margin is also larger. It's just earning a bit less."

"Sometimes in cooperation, there's no need to be too rigid. Leaving some flexibility for each other can also make the relationship more pleasant. Just like earlier, since the other party already got a good deal, you could also make some additional requests. Considering the long-term cooperation, they would likely agree."

"Especially in certain situations, maintaining a relationship can be even more important than making money." Carrie raised a finger.

"You'll slowly understand this saying in the future."

"Alright, since the matter is settled, I won't disturb you further."

"Aren't you staying for dinner? Also, I've prepared a gift for you." Sylutia felt that since she had invited Madam Carrie over this time, she should at least express her gratitude.

"Don't go to the expense, Anluo'er, giggle, you're still too young to worry about this."

"Next time Lady Franne returns, she will prepare a gift for me, as a thank-you for helping you with the negotiation this time." Treating Sylutia once more, Carrie patted her head, then said goodbye and left.

The next day, Madam Carrie and Albayo visited again. Under Madam Carrie's supervision and assistance, the delivery of three hundred and six bottles of 'Sunflower Seed Oil' proceeded smoothly. Albayo also signed a confirmation receipt, leaving it for Anluo'er, and handed over 1200 gold coins for Sylutia to confirm.

These gold coins were neatly arranged in three iron chests, reflecting a brilliant, golden luster under the sunlight.