Suzuki and Gazel.
When the two of them met, the dynamics of the room should have heavily favored the King. As the third ruler of the Armed Nation of Dwargon, a master swordsman, and the direct disciple of the Sword Saint Hakuro, Gazel's sheer presence acted like the center of gravity in the throne room. Everyone inside, from the elite royal guards to the high ministers, instinctively revolved around him.
Yet, Suzuki's presence did not diminish. Despite his [Semantic Camouflage] broadcasting his status as a "Normal Human Merchant," he acted like a true singularity—a point where the standard rules of gravity and pressure completely broke down.
When facing Gazel, a normal person would either bow in deep reverence or tremble in profound fear. Suzuki did neither. He stood perfectly straight, unbothered, as if it was perfectly natural for him to stand on equal footing with a legendary king. This paradox—a supposedly weak human possessing the unshakeable composure of an apex predator—immediately grabbed Gazel's curiosity.
Just a normal human? Gazel mused, his sharp eyes narrowing.
Despite his imposing physical strength, Gazel was no brute. He possessed a terrifying Unique Skill known as [Dictator]—an ability that allowed him to see through deceptions and read a person's true mind and intentions. In other words, it was conceptually impossible to lie to Gazel Dwargo.
[Notice. Detected. King Gazel is actively using Unique Skill [Dictator] on the host.]
[Assessing the skill.]
[Analyzing countermeasures.]
[Report. The host's deepest secrets (Enlightened evolution, multiverse connections) remain perfectly hidden by Semantic Camouflage. However, the host's surface-level thoughts regarding massive trade profits and 'Elven Hostesses' have been deliberately exposed to King Gazel to maintain the Merchant persona.]
"..." Suzuki maintained his perfectly neutral expression, though he cursed internally.
He had wanted to say something to prevent the mind-read, but it was too late. Still, the [Manager's] strategy was optimal. If he completely blocked King Gazel's [Dictator] skill, it would instantly expose him as a powerhouse with abilities rivaling a Demon Lord. By allowing Gazel to see exactly what he expected to see—a greedy, slightly degenerate merchant—his true identity remained safe.
He absolutely could not let anyone know that he had achieved his Enlightened evolution by endlessly doing snu-snu with Treyni. If that leaked, how could he ever look another human in the eye again?!
Pushing his internal panic aside, Suzuki decided not to waste any more time. He needed to resolve this business negotiation as efficiently as possible so he could hit the town.
"It is a profound honor to meet you, King Gazel," Suzuki said smoothly, offering a crisp, practiced bow. "My name is Suzuki Tanaka. I am a merchant from the Blumund Kingdom. I am deeply grateful for this audience, but knowing your time is precious, I will skip the pleasantries and immediately outline my business proposal."
"...Go ahead," Gazel replied, his lips twitching slightly. Having read the boy's surface thoughts about the Elven Hostess Club, Gazel wasn't entirely sure what to make of this overly serious introduction.
Without missing a beat, Suzuki launched into his pitch: the creation of the Hub-and-Spoke Warehouse System.
The concept was simple but revolutionary. Instead of relying on slow, physical trade caravans that were highly vulnerable to Orc raids, bad weather, and highway robbery, Suzuki proposed using his unique magic to create a "Conceptual Pocket" that directly connected his corporate office in Blumund with a newly established branch office in Dwargon.
This conceptual pocket would serve as a singular gateway to a massive, shared sub-dimensional storage space.
In practice, a massive shipment of legendary Dwarven mythril swords "deposited" into his branch office in Dwargon could be instantly "withdrawn" from his main office in Blumund. Conversely, he could instantly ship thousands of tons of fresh agricultural and livestock goods from Blumund directly into the heart of Dwargon.
No travel time. No tolls. No monsters. No rotting food. Absolute, instantaneous logistical perfection.
"...Are you saying you can actually do that?" Gazel asked, genuinely blinking in shock.
"I can. If you grant me the operational permit. And... if you aren't afraid," Suzuki answered, his tone turning sharp.
After all, if Gazel granted him this permit, he was handing Suzuki a terrifying amount of power. Dwargon had remained safe from centuries of global conflict purely because of its unique geography: an impenetrable fortress located deep underground.
But if Suzuki built a warehouse that perfectly bypassed those physical walls, the threats were astronomical.
What were those threats? If Suzuki wished, he could instantly bypass Dwargon's legendary defenses, directly shipping thousands of armed soldiers, lethal monsters, or catastrophic magical explosives directly into the city center. Because Dwargon was an underground cavern, a surprise attack from within would turn the city into an inescapable tomb.
Yet, the potential profits were equally staggering. Dwargon was in a perpetual food crisis. Suzuki's system would provide the nation with a flawless, instantaneous, and infinitely scalable food supply line. Furthermore, because Blumund acted as a central hub for the Western Nations, Dwargon could instantly import any rare resource they desired through Suzuki's network.
While Suzuki only cared about the profit margins, Gazel's royal guards and ministers grasped the terrifying military implications instantly.
Clang! Schwing!
Dozens of heavy weapons were drawn simultaneously. The elite Dwarven guards surged forward, completely surrounding Suzuki, their eyes burning with lethal intent.
They couldn't let this man leave alive!
A merchant possessing the ability to instantly bypass their impregnable walls was a walking national security disaster!
Yet—
"LOWER YOUR WEAPONS!"
Gazel's voice boomed like thunder, echoing off the high cavern walls. "STOP THIS NONSENSE! STAND DOWN AND LET THE MAN SPEAK!"
The elite guards hesitated for a fraction of a second, but their absolute loyalty to the Hero King won out. They reluctantly sheathed their weapons and took two steps back, glaring daggers at the unbothered merchant.
"I apologize for my men," Gazel said, bowing his head very slightly. "They are merely protective of this nation."
"It's perfectly fine," Suzuki replied, adjusting his cuffs. "It simply means you are a good king, and your men are deeply devoted to protecting their home."
"I am glad you see it that way." Gazel offered a faint, genuine smile of pride. "Still, regarding your proposal... I admit, I am highly tempted."
"Thank you," Suzuki nodded. "I traveled a very long way from Blumund to ensure this cooperation could happen. Please, ask me whatever you need to ensure absolute confidence in my proposal."
"Good." Gazel nodded, appreciating Suzuki's unapologetic pragmatism. "I like your straightforwardness. So let me ask the most important question: how can you guarantee that you won't weaponize this Hub-and-Spoke Warehouse System against us?"
It was the ultimate question. Human feelings were fickle. While Gazel could use his [Dictator] skill to monitor Suzuki while the merchant was in Dwargon, he couldn't read his mind when Suzuki was hundreds of miles away in Blumund.
While Suzuki officially registered as a "Normal Human," Gazel's sharp instincts told him this boy was likely an Otherworlder. Gazel didn't harbor any prejudice against Otherworlders—his thriving, multi-species nation was proof of his tolerance—but Otherworlders were notoriously unpredictable and dangerously powerful.
"I can guarantee it using this," Suzuki said, snapping his fingers.
He activated the [Absolute Contract] skill. "Anyone who signs this magical contract, regardless of their status or power, is absolutely bound to its terms. If any party attempts to break the agreement, the contract will execute a predetermined consequence immediately."
"Oh?" Gazel raised an eyebrow. His [Dictator] skill told him Suzuki wasn't lying, but as a king, he needed empirical proof. "May I see a demonstration first?"
"Of course," Suzuki nodded agreeable. "Lend me two of your guards. We'll have them sign a minor contract. Let's say... they agree not to prank one another. If one breaks the promise and pranks the other, the violator will be cursed: their pants will immediately fall to their ankles, and they will be physically unable to pull them back up until the victim verbally forgives them."
"..."
The entire throne room stared at him.
"...Can you actually enforce something so ridiculous?" Gazel asked, utterly speechless.
"That's why we're doing a demonstration, Your Majesty."
Gazel sighed, waving a hand. "You two. Step forward and sign."
"..."
"..."
Two random, highly decorated royal guards stepped forward hesitantly. They couldn't exactly defy a direct order from the King, so they nervously signed the glowing magical parchment Suzuki produced.
"Now," Suzuki instructed. "Prank him. Pull his pants down."
The guard ordered to commit the prank, and the guard about to be pranked, both froze in sheer horror.
"Do it," Gazel ordered firmly, crossing his arms.
"Forgive me, brother," the first guard whispered, gritting his teeth.
Under the watchful gaze of the entire royal court, the guard reached out and forcefully yanked his comrade's heavy armored pants down to his ankles!
"..."
The victim squeezed his eyes shut, his face burning bright red as his dignity evaporated in front of his King.
The prankster let out a heavy sigh of relief, immensely glad he wasn't the one standing in his underwear. Only—
"W-WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?! WHY ARE MY PANTS FALLING DOWN ON THEIR OWN?!"
Shhhk!
The prankster's pants violently plummeted to the floor, as if yanked by an invisible ghost. He scrambled frantically to pull them back up, but an invisible force locked the fabric to his ankles! He couldn't lift them an inch!
"..."
The entire throne room stared in stunned, horrified silence.
Gazel swallowed hard. He looked at the two pantless guards, then slowly turned his intense gaze back to Suzuki.
"This is the absolute power of the contract," Suzuki said, his voice cold and professional, completely ignoring the comedic tragedy happening next to him. "As long as two parties agree to the terms, the laws of the world will enforce them. If you break it, you face the exact consequences outlined.
"Do you dare to sign this contract with me, King Gazel? If I break the terms and weaponize my warehouse against your nation, the contract will strip me of everything—my skills, my magic, my mind, and my wealth."
Gulp.
Despite the utterly bizarre, pantless demonstration unfolding before them, and despite how physically weak the merchant appeared, every single dwarf in the room felt a profound chill run down their spine. They were completely overwhelmed by his terrifying, absolute merchant spirit.
He might not have looked like a warrior, but his ruthless, unshakable desire for profit made him far more frightening than any monster.
"Excellent."
In the face of such absolute, mutually assured destruction, Gazel didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and firmly signed the contract.
"Then let's do business, Your Majesty," Suzuki smiled sharply.
The two men shook hands, sealing a terrifyingly lucrative alliance while metaphorically dancing on the razor's edge of national security!
(Meanwhile, the prankster guard, who was still furiously struggling to pull up his pants, deeply hoped they would finish their epic handshake so his comrade could finally forgive him!)