NOVEL WEB Chapter 29: Would You Consider Being My Sponsor?
Inside the village head’s house, Victor took a seat at the dining table as the honored guest of the village. Following the previous successful deal, the villagers had come to regard him in a new light — no longer the feared tax collector, but a mysterious Magus who had earned their respect through a mutually beneficial trade agreement.
“Sir, what brings you to our humble village today?” inquired the old village head, showing a mix of surprise and reverence.
It had only been a short three days since Victor’s last visit, and his sudden return seemed to catch the village head off guard, leading to a notable tension in the air.
“Worry not. I’m here for another business proposition,” Victor responded calmly, taking slow sips of the tea offered by the village head’s wife. “Due to certain circumstances, I find myself in need of more tools. Specifically, twenty iron axes, twenty shovels, and ten hoes. Additionally, I’m interested in obtaining cooking utensils such as iron kettles, wooden plates, spoons, forks, and other necessary items. Can you accommodate these requests?”
At present, the players were resorting to eating with their hands like barbarians, lacking even basic plates.
“Uh…” The village head hesitated, his complexion turning to one of concern.
“What seems to be the issue? If it’s about money, rest assured, I will compensate you fairly.”
“I humbly apologize, sir. Finance isn’t the issue…” he explained with a tone of reluctance. “Our current dilemma lies in the scarcity of iron… We can readily supply ten axes, ten shovels, five hoes, and the cooking utensils you’ve mentioned, but beyond that, we may struggle.”
Iron, huh… There were no iron mines around the village. So, the only place that came to Victor’s mind would be the ravine at the edge of the river. It was more than likely to hide iron and other mineral veins, possibly even rare metals. However, this option would not furnish a speedy resolution to the existing quandary.
Thornwood Village, despite its remote location, harbored a substantial population of approximately five hundred residents and more than a hundred families — nearly the size of a small town. It meant that their need for iron tools was likewise proportionally large.
Victor had prioritized axes and shovels instead of other tools because he planned on constructing an earthen wall around the academy. First, the forest around the academy had to be cleared out, and the clay had to be gathered, and only then would he be able to start with the project.
“Of course, once peddlers make their way to the village by the start of the next month, which is to say in less than three weeks, we can acquire the required quantity of iron ore for tools,” the village head supplemented.
“No need,” Victor interjected. “The allocation of ten axes, ten shovels, five hoes, and the cooking utensils should be sufficient for now. Additionally, I require grain seeds to accommodate three hectares of land. Supply me with wheat, potato, and earthnug seeds. So, one hectare worth of seed for each, I suppose.”
Previous acquisitions of seeds had been rife with variety but scant in quantity, a decision stemming from Victor’s lack of precise goals at the time. The assortment included carrot, turnip, onion, and garlic seeds, among others, yet the yield was sufficient for only a diminutive field of about one hundred square meters in scale. While he intended to cultivate these seeds, his primary focus rested on grains, which would serve as the academy’s staple sustenance.
Earthnug was a type of root vegetable known for its high yield and rapid growth — ready for harvest in just a month. What was more, it displayed a remarkable ability to thrive even within the most barren of environments, easily becoming one of the main standard feeds in this world. However, with pros came its own cons: Not only did it look terrible, but it tasted awful too. Victor had once tried it when staying at a random inn and almost puked. It was essentially a good-for-nothing vegetable.
Nevertheless, players wouldn’t complain too much about what they ate inside the game. Its huge harvest yield and resilience to harsh conditions rendered it a perfect match for the academy’s grounds. Hence, he opted to procure a wholesale quantity.
“Sir, are you intending to cultivate these crops? Forgive me for my impertinence, but considering the current season, which is nearing autumn… With the exception of earthnug, initiating the cultivation of these crops with extended growth periods may be ill-timed.”
“That’s not something for you to be concerned about. As a Magus, I possess methods of my own. Your role lies in the provision of the seeds.”
“Understood!”
Although it was well past the planting season, the academy’s magic barriers seemed adept at shielding crops from the chill of winter. Consequently, the possibility of cultivating crops throughout the year within the academy’s confines remained viable.
The quantity of seeds needed for three hectares was quite substantial, and the combined weight would likely exceed two or four tons. There was no way that Victor’s one cubic meter interspatial ring would be able to hold all of it in a single go — at least two to three trips might be required.
Moving on, Victor engaged in discussions about the pricing for the entire list of requested items in this deal. While he had previously been generous with the village, he now aimed for a more balanced trade deal that would benefit both parties without causing any losses for himself. After all, he hadn’t had any income so far, and until then, he needed to calculate his expenses in earnest.
In summary, the cost for the twenty-five tools came to five gold coins or one platinum coin, while the cooking utensils amounted to two gold coins. As for the seeds, their combined worth was six gold coins. For context, the value of one gold coin was what an average commoner earned in almost a month or approximately equivalent to two hundred dollars, though due to factors like inflation, the exact value might differ.
Victor had borrowed the wooden cart previously, but he saw its potential use for the players and decided to include it in this exchange as well. The village head initially offered it for free, but Victor insisted on paying for it. All told, the expenditure for this trade amounted to three platinum coins.
“Oh, right. One more thing, are there seasonings in this village aside from salt?” He almost forgot about the most essential element of delicious cuisine — seasonings.
“We do indeed possess a few seasonings. However, the past few years have been challenging for us, so our supply is quite limited…” The village head went on to explain the assortment of seasonings they had on hand.
Surprisingly, the village had an array of seasonings in stock, including vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic, onions, and various herbs sourced from the surrounding forest. Unfortunately, they didn’t grow tomato plants, so things like ketchup and other tomato-based sauces were absent. To this, Victor made sure to purchase enough condiments to last two weeks for one hundred people.
In the end, Victor settled the payment with the village head, providing him with four platinum coins that covered not only the cost of the items but also any handling fees. Despite their small quantity, seasonings sure were expensive.
***
As with previous trades, the transaction took place just outside the village. Given the unexpectedly large volume of items, Victor decided to transport the earthnug seeds, iron tools, cooking utensils, and seasonings on his first trip, leaving the rest in the village. The potato seeds — or just potatoes, as they were their own seeds — alone occupied slightly more than two cubic meters, followed by the wheat seeds, which required only one cubic meter of space.
The earthnug seeds truly lived up to their reputation as a creation of a Magus, as they were astonishingly tiny despite being a root vegetable. A single seed could yield a dozen ping-pong-sized vegetables, and each vegetable could be cut into quarters to produce more seeds.
Now that it comes to mind, once the academy reaches level two, it will open the Magic Botanical Garden… I wonder, will there be magical crops available…? Victor contemplated deeply; such crops would undoubtedly prove invaluable, not only due to their potential worth but also their usefulness.
His train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a loud voice calling him.
“Sir Magus! Can I talk with you for a sec?” The speaker was a girl about Victor’s age, with long, dark brown hair cascading down her back, brown quartz eyes, and a fair complexion. She sported a unique outfit that exuded a sense of rugged elegance: deep brown leather shorts, paired with a reddish-brown suit that dropped into a mantle-like long sleeve. White stockings and thigh-high boots adorned with delicate gold accents completed her ensemble.
Interestingly enough, Victor detected a faint but discernible mana fluctuation emanating from the girl. It was subtle, weaker even than the fluctuation given off by first-stage Initiate Attunement acolytes — but it was unmistakably there.
“I humbly apologize for her rudeness.” The old village head followed closely, reaching out to restrain the girl by the arm. He bowed towards Victor, explaining, “She’s the sole daughter of our village’s only blacksmith, and her head has always been filled with wild delusions.”
The blacksmith’s daughter, huh? Now, that’s interesting…
“Wait.” Victor raised his hand to halt the village head from restraining the girl.
“Yes?” The old village head responded cautiously, looking worried that his actions might have somehow offended him — a Magus.
“Let her speak. I want to hear what she has to say.”
Upon hearing his words, the girl herself seemed taken aback, standing there in a mixture of surprise and uncertainty before managing to utter, “Sir…”
“Call me Astralium.”
“Then, Sir Astralium… Are you, by any chance, interested in hearing my proposal?” Her smile took on a mysterious quality.
“Oh?” Victor raised an intrigued eyebrow.
To stand before an extraordinary being such as Victor without a hint of fear was a commendable feat. The girl must have possessed either courage beyond the ordinary or a touch of recklessness. Victor, however, was not one to judge hastily, so he let it slide.
Finding that Victor had taken the bait, the girl continued slowly, “Would you consider being my sponsor?”