Friendly Reincarnator Chapter 48: I Made Various Products

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　After my meal, I went back to my room and shook the yeast bottle.

　It should be ready in a week.

　The next morning, I went to the Sinker Trading Company and started meeting with Robert-san.

“I’ve finished the soap we talked about yesterday, and I’ve brought a sample.” (Louis)

“I didn’t expect it to be done so quickly.” (Robert)

　I gave him nine pieces of soap that I had unmolded and cut yesterday.

　I can make 10 pieces of soap from one mold, but I used one so nine are left.

　There are still 29 blocks of soap in my Infinite Storage that I have just removed from the mold, so if I cut each block, there will be 290 bars.

“Please ask your employees to use these 9 pieces. Then you can decide if you want to sign the contract. Right now, you may try it with your hands.” (Louis)

“What? Are you sure? I mean, the smell of orange is very strong, but won’t the smell stick?” (Robert)

“Yes, it’s fine. I have already tried it myself. I think that the fragrance, lather, and cleansing properties are different from those of ordinary bars of soap sold until now, so why don’t you raise the price and focus your sales on aristocrats? I think you should also market it as a luxury product, not a daily necessity.” (Louis)

“Ah! I never thought of that! That would definitely sell!” (Robert)

　Robert asked one of his employees to bring a tub of water and try it out.

　The lather, the aroma, the cleanse, and the supple feeling after use were all different from the conventional soap.

“Louis-kun, this soap is amazing! Let’s sign a contract!” (Robert)

　It was decided that the soap would be sold wholesale in the bulk of 50 blocks without dividing the soap into pieces, or 500 individual pieces per transaction.

　The wholesale price was 2 gold coins per block, and the retail price was 1 gold coin per piece or 10 gold coins per bar, so the sales price was actually 5 times the wholesale price.

　The 29 bars I brought today will be sold for 50 gold coins, with 100 gold coins to celebrate the contract.

　We smiled at each other, exchanging wicked smiles, as we both knew that as soon as the current 290 were sold, they would order more.

　Robert-san got an even wicked look on his face when I told him of my idea that we could sell them twice as fast if we split one piece into much smaller pieces, lowering the price, and selling them to commoners as well since they are quite large pieces.

　And that’s where the 150 pieces I made yesterday come in.

　I asked Robert to prepare a slightly larger piece of paper or parchment for me.

　I began my explanation by drawing precise 8 x 8 squares on the prepared parchment paper and placing the cut black and white wood on the four squares in the center.

“It is played by placing the black and white pieces in the squares first, both alternating on placing pieces near the current pieces, then you flip them over when they are between two similar colored pieces. Repeat this until you fill all the squares, and the player with the highest number of pieces at the end wins. It is called reversi.” (Louis)

“Doesn’t the player playing first have the advantage?” (Robert)

“No, that’s not true. Let’s play one game first.” (Louis)

　Then we played one game, and of course, I won.

“Please play one more game.” (Robert)

　Robert-san begged.

“Fine, but wouldn’t it be better to discuss its value as a product?” (Louis)

“No, it’s already very interesting, and I’d like to make a decision to sign a contract.” (Robert)

“Then, let’s talk while playing only one more game.” (Louis)

　We worked out the details over the course of the game.

　First, we decided to make the board itself out of a wooden board and to dig lines and color the squares with black ink.

　The frames could be made of wood or stone, but we decided to use black and white colors and make them uniform in size.

　The board would probably sell well to the aristocrats who love new things, so it was decided that it should be well made and have a luxurious feel.

　We also added a plan to sell a more decorated board as a premium model.

　Reversi was to follow the E-Sugoroku contract, for which I agreed to take 10% of the sales.

　The soap is under contract until I leave town, but the E-Sugoroku and Reversi are under contract to be paid via the guild for any sales even after I am gone from town.

　Reversi and E-Sugoroku are not wholesale products that need me to be physically available.

　When I asked Robert-san to look for rice, he said he had information that it was being grown on the Green Continent and he would procure it for me.

　I told him that I really wanted it and would buy even a wagon-load of it, and he said he was serious about stocking up.

　I was very grateful.

　With the business deal settled, I left the Sinker Trading Company and went to the guild to get information on someone who could teach me Blacksmithing or Alchemy.

　The first thing I did was check the quest board.

　If there is a quest that needs an apprentice, I will accept the request.

　Thanks to the E-Sugoroku and soap, I can now look at the quest board with a little more leeway.

　I am happy to have a choice, but if I don’t take the quests, my rank remains at F, which is not good for my future.

　I would like to at least get up to rank C and present myself as a full-fledged adventurer.

　However, the quests posted on the quest board were for gathering medicinal herbs, exterminating pests and vermin, cleaning, and other so-called “permanent” quests.

　The only time when non-permanent quests are posted is first thing in the morning or in the evening, so I guess it is inevitable that only permanent quests are posted at this time of the day. From tomorrow, I will watch the time of the day and come back to see the board.

　I went to the reception desk and asked to be introduced to a workshop that would teach or let me experience Alchemy and Blacksmithing.

　I presented my guild card and asked.

“Hello, my name is Louis. I would like to learn Blacksmithing and Alchemy, so please introduce me to someone who can teach me.” (Louis)

“Nice to meet you, my name is Rosa. I can introduce you to both blacksmithing and alchemy, but please confirm the conditions with the other party. It costs a lot of money, so it may be difficult for a novice adventurer.” (Robert)

“That’s okay. I would like to discuss this with the person I am being introduced to before deciding.” (Louis)

　I was introduced to blacksmith Hector and alchemist Rita for blacksmithing and alchemy, respectively.

　I decided to visit “Rita Apothecary” first because I had some Hirupo grass in my storage.

　The store was about a 20-minute walk from the guild, with a sign hanging on a small wooden board that read “Rita Apothecary”.