Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 124: A Tour of the Workshops
“Were we not a little too forceful, considering that we may do business with them again?”
　Leada asked Tauro quietly once they were alone after the meeting.
“The products perform well enough to sell even at a higher price. Reaching an agreement without granting a discount was reasonable for both sides.”
　Tauro reassured her.
“I’m sorry. I’ve never sold so many products to a major trading company before, so I became nervous.”
　To Leada, it still felt unreal that a small rural company had negotiated with a powerful city firm on equal terms.
　Their existing relationship with the Garfish Company in the royal capital had also discouraged other companies from treating them carelessly.
　Garfish was expanding rapidly. If such a prominent company had gone out of its way to work with a small merchant firm, the commercially minded traders of O’Circus were naturally interested in discovering why.
　Once Kishiwanda heard the rumors surrounding the refrigerators, it inferred that Garfish was already involved and decided that establishing its own relationship would be worthwhile.
　Kishiwanda also wanted to limit Garfish’s influence before the royal-capital company opened an O’Circus branch.
　The transaction therefore allowed both major companies to acknowledge one another’s commercial territory while the smaller Marches Trading Company gained access to the port-city market.
　Leada and Tauro next visited several workshops introduced by the Kishiwanda Trading Company.
　Their objective was to establish a manufacturing base in O’Circus.
　As expected of the kingdom’s second-largest city, many local workshops possessed both extensive facilities and excellent technical ability.
　Nevertheless, Leada and Tauro chose to contract several skilled workshops of comparatively modest size.
　Large workshops usually maintained relationships with equally large companies and gave those clients priority.
　Even with Kishiwanda’s introduction, a newly arrived small company lacked the achievements, reputation, and history required to command serious attention from such establishments.
　Smaller workshops, by contrast, welcomed orders from a growing company. Learning that Kishiwanda would purchase the completed products made them even more eager to build a lasting relationship.
　The contracts benefited both sides.
　At one newly contracted workshop, Tauro presented a refrigerator as a sample.
“I must admit, this is remarkably well made for something produced by a rural workshop.”
　The craftsmen examined every corner of the appliance with admiration.
“The core unit will be manufactured by a workshop under an exclusive contract with us and shipped here. Your workshop will install it and complete the outer structure.”
“That arrangement suits us. Now, about this joint…”
　The craftsmen immediately began asking technical questions. Tauro answered each one and explained the construction in detail.
“That’s incredible, kid! I didn’t realize you were a craftsman too!”
　They became even more astonished when the young Tauro not only explained the techniques but demonstrated them personally.
“We have a child prodigy on our hands!”
　The craftsmen bombarded him with questions.
　Tauro told them they were free to apply the techniques to their own work, but asked them not to disclose the methods outside the contracted workshops.
“Naturally. A craftsman’s techniques are his livelihood. Anyone who gives them away for nothing will soon have no work left. Ha ha ha!”
　The craftsmen immediately began imitating Tauro’s demonstration and worked diligently to master the methods.
　On the day after the contract was concluded, Tauro once again visited the workshops to provide basic instruction in refrigerator production.
　Meanwhile, Leada wanted to explore the city for ideas that might lead to new business opportunities. As a precaution, Shin and Rumeya accompanied her as guards.
　Aeris chose not to join them. Instead, she remained beside Tauro and watched him work.
　The craftsmen found the sight amusing.
“We can’t keep the kid’s girlfriend waiting. Let us learn this quickly and finish the work!”
　Their teasing gave them a peculiar burst of motivation, and under Tauro’s guidance they soon mastered the skills required to assemble a refrigerator.
“All right, you two. We’ll finish as quickly as possible, so you can spend lunchtime on your date.”
“It isn’t like that! Why are men always so quick to make such assumptions?”
　Aeris reacted far more strongly than the craftsmen had expected, and they hurried to placate her.
“Enough already!”
　Please stop, Tauro thought. I’m the one who will have to restore her good mood afterward.
　He wisely kept the thought to himself, knowing that saying anything aloud would only make Aeris angrier.