TFA2 1.7 - The Power of Amethyst Merchant
Mini-cottage 01, Complex of QRF Element
16:30, 28 Sept 2025
When he arrived at Mini-cottage 01, Vex found that Seira, Keira, Erlin, and Big Brown were watching anime with their security detail. Meanwhile, Lan Yan'er was in his room.
Last night, he had said to Lan Yan'er that he would go back to earth tonight, but he didn't ask her to help him packed his clothes. So, Vex was a bit taken back when Lan Yan'er went home earlier than usual and helped him pack his clothes.
After living together with him, somehow Lan Yan'er took care of his daily chores very naturally, as if it was part of her daily life for a long time. In a matter of days, she also managed to understand Vex's habitual behavior, work schedule, and food preference. Then, she adjusted herself accordingly.
At first, Vex did not know how to give a proper response to Lan Yan'er's treatment, but after he was sure it had nothing to do with romantic feeling or such, he chose to go with the flow.
"Thank you," Vex said as he approached Lan Yan'er.
"No problem," Lan Yan'er replied casually. "Have you packed the documents you have to bring?"
"Everything is already in my laptop."
Lan Yan'er nodded and then asked, "Can you bring the girls to have dinner outside before leaving?"
"I can. Do you want to come along?"
"No, I haven’t taken a bath yet. But you can bring me spicy tofu kimchi, fried chicken, and orange juice from Green Bamboo Stall."
"Okay."
Without delay Vex leaved Lan Yan'er and went to living room.
"Girls, let's have dinner outside
"""Okay."""
Seira, Keira, and Erlin replied in unison. It was clearly visible they already knew Vex would take them to have dinner outside. The three cheerfully got up and followed Vex to the garage. Of course, Big Brown followed them closely.
A moment later, Vex was already driving his SUV. In the back seat, three little girls happily sat, while next to him Big Brown poked his head out of the window.
At the same time, from one of windows in Mini-cottage 01, Lan Yan'er looked at the moving SUV until it was out of her sight.
'Maybe I should go with them,' Lan Yan'er softly muttered.
What Lan Yan'er felt was not a romantic feeling. She only thought that it would be fun to eat together with Vex and the girls. However, whenever she was around, Vex became very passive and let the girls interact with her as much as possible. It was as if she became a wall between Vex and the girls.
'No… I need to give Vex and the girls time to spend time together,' Lan Yan'er muttered before going back to pack Vex's clothes.
---
VVIP Room 23, Maple Palace Hotel
16:40, 28 Sept 2025
Lady Yuuri decided that it was already more than enough for Yuuna to study from the three Maester, Pavel, and public schools in Magwurt City. Therefore, Yuuna didn't need to go to Makai Royal Academy.
Five days a week, in the morning Yuuna would go to public school in Magwurt City, and then she would receive a lecture from one of the Maester in the noon, while before dinner she would receive a lecture from Pavel.
After she took afternoon bath, Yuuna came to Pavel while carrying her new and high quality notepad and pencil. Both the notepad and pencil were gifts from Pavel, and Yuuna almost couldn't believe it when Pavel told her that students in Magwurt Public School used it as if it were common commodities.
Finally, she understood why her mother wanted her to study in Magwurt Public School. It was because she could see that the standard education used by Amethyst Merchant was a whole different level than the standard education in Amstell Continent.
Then, once Yuuna sat in front of Pavel, the lecture began.
"Could we imitate the techniques and production facilities used by Amethyst Merchant?"
It seemed like Pavel wanted to check how well Yuuna absorbed today lecture from Maester Kallep, and Yuuna smiled before firmly replied, "No."
"Why?"
"Based on Maester Kallep’s investigation, we can only imitate the processing of raw material to semi-processed material because the techniques are still utilizing human labor in mass.
While from semi-processed material to finished product everything is done using a machine. Our people would be able to operate the machine, but it is impossible to build it. Moreover, we can't provide the catalyst material needed in the final process."
"Can you tell me an example of a mechanism that we can't imitate?"
Yuuna nodded and replied, "The mechanism for measuring viscosity in beers, vegetable oil, and sauce so that the finished product follows certain standard. This mechanism does not only work automatically but also in large volume."
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Pavel nodded in satisfaction before saying, "Therefore, for now we shouldn't be too greedy. We will not follow in the footsteps of bar owners at Walluo City, who rushed to try reproducing Amur Beer without proper knowledge. In the end, they failed after spending a huge sum of money.
But we must also open minded to every possibility that might appear later. Slowly and surely, we will learn and adopt the technology and knowledge we need.
In the meantime, we would try to gain some profit while making sure Amethyst Merchant need our assistant. Just like how Mom makes Makai Royal Family need Merry Gold Union."
"Okay."
Yuuna nodded firmly and Pavel immediately asked another question.
"Do you know why Amethyst Merchant built a factory to produce some of their commodities locally?"
"To eliminate shipping costs, so the price will go down and the volume of sales will increase," Yuuna calmly replied.
"Then, what is our response?"
"Make a list of raw materials that we can provide, offer it to Amethyst Merchant, and put investment in the factory they built."
"Good." Pavel smiled widely and then continued, "I will give you five days to choose three raw materials that Merry Gold Union can provide, along with the basic proposal we can offer to Amethyst Merchant.
If we could get another factory from Amethyst Merchant, it would be great success for Merry Gold Union."
"Mhm.” Yuuna nodded firmly. "Can I use the proposal from Amethyst Merchant as a model?"
"You can."
"Okay." Yuuna immediately noted down her first task from Pavel.
"Well, you already got your task, so ask any question to me or to the Three Maester if there is something that you don't understand."
"Okay."
Pavel then showed the new order of food staples from Amethyst Merchant which had arrived a few hours ago.
"Do you know why Amethyst Merchant order a massive number of food staples?"
"They know that a conflict with Kingdom of Makai will come."
"Do you have suggestions on how we will respond it?"
"Before the conflict broke out, lower the price slightly as a gesture of good intentions and fulfill the order openly. After the conflict occurs, fulfill the order secretly and increase the price accordingly."
"Good, we will use your suggestion then."
"Okay."
"Well, that's for today. Let's have dinner outside."
"Mhm."
In an instant, Yuuna nodded while her face brimmed with excitement, and Pavel smiled broadly when he saw it.
---
South Food Avenue, Magwurt City.
17:35, 28 Sept 2025
There were only a few hotels and restaurants in Magwurt City. Therefore, it couldn’t accommodate all delicious menus from earth. Therefore, Amethyst Merchant built several food avenues in Magwurt City. One of them was South Food Avenue.
As the name suggested it, South Food Avenue was located on south of Magwurt City, or to be precise was the living area for commoner. Its layout was similar to Food Avenue for high-class people in Makai Royal City, but it was being combined with culture, technology, and architecture from earth.
In short, it had elegant but comfortable atmosphere, delicious but easy on wallet menu, as well as good level of cleanliness and healthy environment. Therefore, no wonder if South Food Avenue’s visitors were not only commoners who just returned from work, but also nobles and high-class people who came to relax. Of course, those nobles and the high-class people came with casual and low profile clothes.
As soon as she entered South Food Avenue, Yuuna immediately looked in all directions with sparkling eyes. Red lanterns hanging freely above her head, a row of nearly full tables on both sides of the road, food stall workers who were busy working, or visitors who came like an unending flood.
However, one thing that attracted Yuuna's attention the most was that she didn’t saw food stalls workers did promotions by shouting:
'Please come please come to our shop! The vegetable oil is replaced every seven days!'
or
'We just received a new batch of spices, sauce, herbs, and salt! Please come and try our menu in its best condition!'
As far as Yuuna saw, every food stall worker was busy working in the kitchen or serving the visitors.
"Do you capture the difference between food stalls in this place and in Makai Royal City?" Pavel casually asked.
Yuuna looked at a food stall worker who poured fresh vegetable oil into a large frying pan, and then she turned her eyes to some visitors who happily used sauce and sprinkle spices on tables before replying, "Exclusive commodity in Makai Royal City is a common commodity here."
"Yeah, and that's only the tip of Amethyst Merchant's power." Pavel then looked at Yuuna before asking, "Do you want to eat something specifically? I know this food avenue very well. I'll become your guide."
"Fried chicken," Yuuna spontaneously replied.
"Then let's go to Green Bamboo Stall. They have super yummy fried chicken."
"Okay."
Pavel and Yuuna then went to Green Bamboo Stall while holding hands.
---
Green Bamboo Stall, South Food Avenue.
By using a big wooden tray, Markei swiftly brought two glasses of orange juices and a jumbo portion of fried chicken to a table. He already knew that the young man and the little girl that just came in were important people.
The young man was Viscount Pavel, highest leader of Horak Region. He had come several times. While the little girl, even if it was her first time visiting Green Bamboo Stall, Markei could guess that she must be Little Lady Yuuna.
Therefore, as the head of waiter at Green Bamboo Stall, Markei took the initiative to serve them directly. Moreover, coincidently, Viscount Pavel and Little Lady Yuuna sat in front of Ser Vex, who came a few minutes earlier with his adopted daughters and their dog.
"Ser Pavel, Little Lady Yuuna, this is your drink, please enjoy," Markei said using a tone as if the two guests he served were his savior.
"Thanks Markei," Pavel happily replied.
"Thank you, Uncle Markei," Yuuna added.
"No problem, it's my pleasure to serve both of you." While maintaining his sunny smile, Markei turned to Vex, "Ser Vex, do you have another order?"
"No, for now everything is good."
"I'm glad to hear that, please call me if you need anything."
"I will."
After glancing at Big Brown which somehow always looked at him as if he was his archenemy, Markei then went back inside.
At the same time Vex and Pavel went back to chatting, and even if the two only talked about light and general topics, it was visible that they knew each other's position and status.
Meanwhile, the four little girls and Big Brown cheerfully enjoy the fried chicken.
Somehow, the fried chicken easily glued them.
*****