Chapter 47: The Stone Merchant

Brunilda noticed the silent question. She sounded noncommittal as she gave her assessment of Jack Vengulls. "He has ulterior motives. Both brothers do. But they're benign."

In other words, it was up to his discretion on what to do.

A businessman without ulterior motives was like a fish out of water—a state that was bound to shortly die a miserable death. In that way, Mattheus would have been more wary if Jack did not have an ulterior reason for asking such a question.

As for Mark, the older brother, Mattheus had his suspicions as to what ulterior motive the naval captain could harbor.

A beep.

Mattheus reached for his tea to further postpone replying, mentally pulling up a window for the System to see [The Stone Merchant] quest had updated.

The reward section still contained question marks but there was text now.

[Reward: Friendship with Jack Vengulls(Merchant), ?, ?, ?]

Hm. Well, that was the System's input on the matter of the merchant, he supposed.

"I also can infuse distilled water with healing magic since I am currently limited to only being only able to heal through direct contact with a patient. Patients can have a low dose of healing without my presence being needed," Mattheus replied truthfully.

"Fascinating," Jack looked intrigued.

Even Mark looked amazed. "If accidents at sea…"

"How long a shelf-life does this… healing water possess? Is there a specific requirement for storage?" The merchant asked his questions while seeming to absentmindedly take out a coin to walk across the back of his left hand. The movement itself was deft, as if he was long used to doing such an action.

"Hmm. Well, I haven't possessed this healing ability long, though I know it is here to stay, so all the experiments and trial samples I've done have not lost efficacy just yet. But it has only been little more than two months. And there is a requirement for storage if you want to keep the potency or from it outright turning to plain water again…"

"What would that be?"

"Ah, excuse me. As long as there is a biological contaminant of any type, it starts healing or sterilizing whatever it may be. Using up some of its power, so to say."

"So glass containers? And a dispenser to minimize contamination, I suppose?"

Mattheus smirked a little. "Why, Mister Vengulls, aren't you getting ahead of yourself? You haven't asked how much I could make yet. Or how effective it is compared to other medication."

Jack paused. Seemingly considering the young nobleman, he obligingly asked, "How much of it could you make and how effective is it?"

Mattheus didn't reply right away. Instead, he leaned forward, a secretive smile on his face. He gestured with a finger for Jack to lean closer and, when the merchant obliged with a bit of wariness, Mattheus stated, "Enough for trade and it can cure a common cold with a cup."

That was with it diluted, of course. Mattheus didn't think it would be smart to distribute what were essentially potions that can revive the near-dead without controlling it somehow. Too easy for abuse.

(Thanks to Brunilda, he would never be able to get the idea of his magic being used to aid in torture out of his mind, when they realized the infused water with the highest potency of healing magic could essentially regrow organs and limbs.)

Jack's eyes widened and he stared at Mattheus for a moment before straightening up and guffawing. "I thought you were an Associate Professor in Occultism but I guess you studied estate management in university too, my lord."

Mattheus himself sat back. He tugged at his jacket by the lapels to make sure it laid smoothly from how he had leaned forward. "Maths, actually."

Mark Vengulls groaned a little. "I wanted you to see my brother since I was not able to repay you back when you healed my lungs but I didn't expect things to go in this particular direction…"

"Oh, come on, Mark! I know how to repay a debt. This is simply small talk, small talk!" Jack turned to look back at Mattheus after addressing his brother. "My lord, we brothers both owe you our good health if not lives. All jokes aside, I felt like I was dying before you came and healed me."

"You probably wouldn't have died," Mattheus said contemplatively. Jack would have been miserable for months, though, and very likely disfigured from the end of it because of the almost certainty the merchant caught an unfamiliar strain of fungus from Leonois.

"Nevertheless, is there anything you would want?" Jack asked as he spread his arms out, palms up in classic open body language to get other people comfortable.

Considering psychology was still pretty archaic right now, Mattheus was pretty impressed by Jack Vengulls. Was it a type of natural skill or family tricks learned from a long line of merchants?

"Forgive me for sounding ignorant but what kind of trade does your company do?"

"My company dabbles in a bit of everything but I must admit I'm most well-known for trading in jewels and stones. I'm mostly called the stone merchant outside of New Albion considering how I deal in fulminis crystals, ignis stones, and cloud quartz now that it's become a bit of a novelty. Most of the aqueous diamonds that come into this country go through my company."

"Aha…" Brunilda had an epiphany.

Mattheus did too.

The System had an ulterior motive too, for creating [The Stone Merchant] quest.

Nonetheless, the twenty-year-old was delighted. The System's upgrade requirements had been increasing when it came to local materials. It was to the point Mattheus was starting to wonder how he could procure such amounts without his father wondering what he was doing with all those stones and gems.

"I would admit to having an interest in sourcing some stones and gems for research." Mattheus managed to hide enough of his eagerness so he just sounded and looked politely intrigued.

Jack smiled brightly before looking at Mark. "See?"

The young baron quirked his lips. Were Edgar and him this entertaining to outsiders?

"If you want, we can bring you a selection if you give us a list. Or your valet can go to the company and pick things up if you know exactly what you want?"

"I have another patient house call to make but I can come to your company or even warehouse in the afternoon—about three?—we can also discuss a possible business agreement then."

Mattheus started fishing through his briefcase for pen and paper.

"Warehouse?" Jack sounded a bit surprised. "Exactly how many stones do you need?"

The nobleman handed the list to the merchant, unsurprised when the older man's eyes widened upon reading the list.

"Don't worry, Mister Vengulls. I know better than to take more than what is owed when it comes to debts. A lifetime discount with your company is good enough," Mattheus stated and laughed as he walked out of the merchant's parlor.

…

"Sir, are you sure about this?" Vincent sounded a bit uneasy as he opened the door to the carriage slightly.

Mattheus, who had just come from one of the dumb requests for the Court Healer (the viscount's wife had a fake sore throat), was eager to talk to non-nobility at this point. He stood and made to leave the carriage since they had arrived.

"Don't worry, Vincent," Mattheus grinned while twirling his walking stick. "Brue will protect us, though I doubt there is a need."

The brunet valet blinked before sighing in relief. "Of course, sir."

Honestly, did Mattheus seem that oblivious to the servant? Of course, he knew to be careful, even if the warehouse Jack Vengulls had directed them to was not on the docks itself.

"I'm sure he trusts in my ruthlessness in mauling people more than your walking stick, Mattheus," Brunilda blandly pointed out from the top of Vincent's hat.

Mattheus glanced at the cat and frowned. Come on, he knew how to use a staff-like weapon better than the average Joe.

Brunilda seemed able to guess what he did not say aloud. "You and I know that you can use the walking stick well enough you'd only be in trouble if they were professionals or brought out guns. But remember what Vincent knows of Mattheus Crown."

What did that mean…

Oh.

"You're essentially a recluse that locks himself within his labs when not out working as Court Healer. Essentially, you are a younger version of Albert IV."

Ouch. Way to call him out. It's not like Mattheus wanted to stay inside but considering the circumstances when he first woke up in this world…

"Lord Crown!"

Mattheus focused back on his surroundings, walking up to the staff member that had initially directed them to the Vengulls residence. They followed the worker through a door and around several stacks of boxes before finally spotting Jack amongst items still being counted and filed.

"This is a bigger scope than I thought," Mattheus couldn't help but comment.

Jack looked a bit surprised at the comment that was more Theo than Mattheus but readily grinned. "The innovation of freight trains and ships have expanded the scope we merchants can deal in when it comes to quantity. Consequently, quality becomes even more ludicrous."

"Great for business?" Mattheus smiled.

"Absolutely splendid. I am glad to live in these times, where such quality of life and technology exists. My grandfather talked about the days when he was a child and…" Jack made a face and spread his hands in a 'what can you do?' gesture.

"Haha… Yes. Out of curiosity, what do the merchants feel about the reforms being talked about?"

"There are complaints but the merchant class is pretty used to unexpected change and unforeseen obstacles, my lord. That is, ones that haven't bought a noble title and had gotten complacent. Generally, I would say we don't care as long as the airships and seafaring ships keep running. That's also what most commoners think."

"Hmm…"

"Personally, I can see the benefits. It's cleaner, isn't it? That would mean less sickness. Mark, you know, he got pneumonia in his late twenties. For over a decade, it's never been quite the same for him. With weaker lungs and having to spend any time in the boiler room. A more beautiful capital also means more tourists to buy from my company." Jack laughed as he finished with a lighthearted remark that was also a hundred percent true.

"Yes."

Jack became a bit more serious. "Right. We should get to the items on that list of yours. I got the high-quality fulminis crystals for you but the issue is the large one. I have a few uncut ones but I do not know if it'd work for whatever you want with it."

"But the diamonds and ignis stones are fine?"

"A large portion of mined ignis stones are bought up by me through contracts. I don't own a monopoly but it is nearly one. But… do you want me to deliver them to the Crown Manor?"

Mattheus looked at the crystals they were walking up to before easily picking the one the size of a beachball and of a very high-quality. "That one. And just put everything in a room. Let's discuss payment."

"A room? Are you going to pull off a magic trick?" Jack joked. The merchant faltered when he did not get the expected response from Mattheus. "Wait. Are you actually going to somehow disappear the order, Lord Crown?"

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