Chapter 118 — The First Official Trade Shipment
S.C. 1511 — Late January
Foosha Village — Back Alley Storage Shed
Ren knelt beside three crates stacked neatly in the shadow of an old fishing shed.
Zemo sat beside him, tail flicking with quiet excitement.
Today wasn't dangerous.
It wasn't scientific.
It wasn't even secretive.
Today was business.
Ren ran his hand along the wooden lid of the first crate.
Inside were:
salt pouches
carefully packed
in cloth bags
sealed with wax
and tied with string
Not too refined.
Not too fancy.
Just reliable, clean salt.
Perfect for a beginner's trade.
Ren whispered:
"Today… the merchant group makes its first move."
Zemo barked softly, as if cheering him on.
---
Step 1 — Choosing the Seller
Ren couldn't sell openly.
A child selling bulk salt would draw too much attention.
So he chose someone safe.
Makino had recommended a trustworthy middle-aged trader who visited Foosha periodically:
Evan "Old Net" Brinden
A small-scale merchant
Runs a supply route between three villages
Buys necessities in bulk
Speaks gently
Never cheats
Perfect.
Ren waited near the shed as Old Net's cart rolled into the village.
The man climbed down slowly, joints cracking, humming off-key.
Zemo sneezed.
Ren took that as their cue.
---
Step 2 — The Quiet Pitch
Ren stepped forward.
"Mr. Brinden?"
Old Net blinked, rubbing his beard.
"Oh! Ren, right? Makino said you'd be around."
Ren nodded shyly.
"I… have something to sell."
Old Net raised an eyebrow.
"A kid selling? Don't tell me it's rocks."
Ren shook his head and pointed at the crates.
"…Salt."
Old Net paused.
"Salt? From the village shore?"
Ren didn't answer with words.
He opened the crate.
Inside, neatly arranged cloth bags gleamed faintly with clean, white crystals.
Old Net whistled softly.
"Well now… this is good quality. Looks clean. No sand, no smell… surprising, really."
Zemo puffed out his chest proudly.
Ren kept his voice gentle.
"I can supply this… steadily."
Old Net scratched his head.
"A steady salt supply from a kid? You're an interesting one."
Ren stayed silent, letting the product speak for itself.
---
Step 3 — The Negotiation
Old Net picked up a bag and weighed it in his hand.
"How much for a batch like this?"
Ren answered softly:
"…Eighty berries per bag."
Old Net blinked.
"That's cheap. Too cheap. I pay ninety-five at Conomi."
Ren looked down.
"I want… a stable customer."
Old Net smiled warmly.
"A reliable supplier, too."
He examined the salt again, nodding.
"And you've packed them well."
He patted Ren's shoulder.
"Eighty is fair. I'll take all three crates."
Ren blinked.
"You… will?"
Old Net laughed.
"I'd be a fool not to. This is good salt."
Zemo barked in triumph.
---
Step 4 — Loading the Cart
Ren helped Old Net lift the crates onto the merchant cart.
Zemo supervised by walking in circles around them.
Old Net smiled.
"This little guy's your assistant, huh?"
Ren nodded proudly.
"He helps… sometimes."
Zemo pretended not to hear.
---
Step 5 — Payment
Old Net opened a small leather pouch and handed Ren a modest stack of berries.
Not much.
Not huge profit.
But the most important part?
It was clean money.
Earned through trade.
Through effort.
Through planning.
Ren whispered:
"…Thank you."
Old Net chuckled.
"If the next batch is the same quality, I'll buy even more. Let me know."
He patted the crates.
"My route passes through two villages this week. People will appreciate affordable salt."
Ren bowed slightly.
"I'll prepare more."
Old Net nodded and climbed onto his cart.
"See you in a few weeks, boy!"
The cart rolled away.
---
Step 6 — Quiet Celebration
As soon as Old Net was gone, Zemo leaped around Ren happily.
Ren knelt and hugged him.
"We did it, Zemo…
Our first real trade."
The wind carried the faint scent of the sea.
Ren looked toward the horizon, thinking of the future:
bigger shipments
crate designs
boat construction
three-village routes
workers from Gray Terminal
All of it would come later.
But today—
He sold salt.
Successfully.
Quietly.
Without attracting trouble.
A perfect first step.
---
End-of-Day Reflection
Ren returned to his underground lab with Zemo trailing close.
He wrote in his notebook:
First Official Trade Shipment (Success)
Quality accepted
Price stable
Merchant trustworthy
Profit modest
Reputation: beginning quietly
He underlined one line gently:
"The group has begun."
Zemo curled beside him.
Ren whispered:
"This is just the start, Zemo…
Someday we'll trade all over East Blue."
Zemo wagged his tail, believing every word.
---
End of Chapter 118