Selling Sugar in Southshore

The journey passed without incident.

After all, it was a convoy of over two hundred people, each capable of drawing a bow and slaying monsters, and they were traveling through the relatively safe Hillsbrad.

At noon on the third day after setting out from Severosa Territory, which was also the seventh day since Orendo had encountered that mysterious female mage,

the convoy arrived in Southshore.

Though it was only a small town, Southshore was the largest trading market in Hillsbrad.

One-third of the external material needs of the Alterac Kingdom, Dalaran, and the more than one million people throughout Hillsbrad came from this trading town, which had a resident population of only ten thousand but a floating population of nearly one hundred thousand.

This had created Southshore's prosperity.

A distorted prosperity.

In the "original plot," as the Alterac Kingdom vanished and Dalaran was destroyed and relocated, once-prosperous Southshore also became deserted.

Jobby and the coachman Dorn drove the Severosa family carriage into Southshore with practiced ease.

Since his teens, Jobby had been responsible for communications and trade between Severosa Territory and Southshore, so he knew this place well.

Just as his father Dobby had decades ago.

Southshore, Derо Trading Company.

Led by Jobby, who was more than a decade older than him, Orendo entered the hall, where a middle-aged man greeted them with a smile. "Welcome, Jobby. It is an honor to see you again. What goods does Sir Severosa need this time? The Dero Trading Company guarantees fair prices and value for money. And this gentleman is...?"

"This is my master, Orendo, the new Sir Severosa. Master, this is Passas, the person in charge of the Dero Trading Company in Southshore," Jobby introduced with a smile.

Upon hearing that Orendo was Sir Severosa, Passas bowed. Yet even though Passas wore a broad smile, Orendo could still sense the disdain hidden beneath it.

"Greetings, Sir Severosa." Passas bowed, then said to Jobby, "The sir and you probably have not eaten yet. I think we should first enjoy a delicious lunch!"

Orendo nodded and followed Jobby through a door. Inside was an enormous, long dining table, but there was no one around it, only several attendants waiting nearby.

"Come, please sit. I like to talk over meals." As he spoke, Passas ordered the food served. The attendants immediately got to work, and before long, the aroma of food drifted in.

The servants brought over aperitifs, and Orendo took a glass. The dishes were simple: roasted lamb chops drizzled with fresh, succulent gravy, their fragrance mouthwatering, along with some lettuce that did not interest him much.

"Come, let us raise a toast." Just as Orendo picked up his fork to begin eating, Passas said this. A faint trace of mockery flashed through his smile, only to vanish at once.

Orendo set down his fork and raised his glass in response. He had remained silent until now, but when he spoke, he startled Passas. "I think the cooperation between Severosa and the Dero Trading Company may need some changes."

Passas was greatly surprised, and Jobby also looked somewhat taken aback. However, Jobby said nothing as Passas quickly spoke up.

"Oh? What kind of changes? Sir, our cooperation has remained unchanged ever since your father inherited the title."

"Changes can be good, and changes can be bad." Orendo's young, handsome face remained expressionless as he spoke again. "It all depends on the Dero Trading Company."

This was an intelligent and perceptive young man. Passas put away the contempt he had felt due to Orendo's youth.

This time, the merchant became exceedingly polite.

"The Dero Trading Company and I will certainly make these changes good ones! I have every confidence." Passas responded loudly.

"Perhaps." Orendo looked indifferent. Then he said to Jobby, "Take it out. Let Passas have a look."

Jobby nodded respectfully, then carefully took a wooden box from his robes and gently opened it.

"What is this? Crystalline white granules? Better wheat flour?" Passas asked curiously.

Orendo's voice was calm.

"This is a type of sugar. Its name is Snow Sugar. Look, every grain is white as snow and free of impurities. Every grain possesses the purest, sweetest flavor."

"Only Snow Sugar with such an excellent appearance and perfect quality can be worthy of high society's banquets and desserts, and only it can highlight the noble identity and status of high society."

Passas hurried forward, pinched up a little, and placed it in his mouth. His expression immediately changed. As one of the trading company's senior executives, he had a sharp business instinct and instantly realized that this Snow Sugar had extraordinary potential.

Sugar itself was already a luxury good. There was even a saying that high-quality sugar was worth half its weight in gold.

Yet even then, it was all crude brown sugar. This Snow Sugar, white as snow and utterly free of impurities, would find it difficult not to be sought after by high society.

However, Passas was an experienced man. Though he had realized this was a highly valuable and promising commodity, he merely smiled calmly and said lightly, "Mm, it is quite good. I can offer twice the price of ordinary brown sugar."

"Hmm... how much of this Snow Sugar do you have?"

At last, he asked Orendo, appearing calm while his heart churned with waves.

Twice the price of brown sugar was roughly twenty Lordaeron New Gold Coins per pound, the price of the finest brown sugar.

That was approximately half the value of the same weight in gold.

Orendo said,

"I brought five pounds of Snow Sugar."

"Only five pounds? That is far too little! But I can give you one hundred Lordaeron New Gold Coins!" Passas hurriedly said.

Five pounds was indeed very little, but if the Dero Trading Company worked it properly, they could sell it for at least three hundred Lordaeron New Gold Coins.

If they were ruthless enough, it would not be impossible to sell such a scarce luxury item for five hundred Lordaeron New Gold Coins.

"These five pounds are not for sale. But I can give them to you." Orendo shook his head.

Passas immediately frowned.

A qualified merchant never believed there was such a thing as a free lunch. If Orendo was giving it away rather than selling it, there must be some demand behind it, and that demand would certainly be worth more than one hundred Lordaeron New Gold Coins.

"What I want to sell you is the secret formula for refining this Snow Sugar." Orendo spoke unhurriedly. "I wonder how much it is worth. I wonder whether you are interested."

"Very interested!" Passas said decisively.

"Then how much are you prepared to offer?"

"Two thousand—no, four thousand Lordaeron New Gold Coins!" Passas named a price.

Orendo smiled and shook his head. He said to Passas again,

"Before coming here, Jobby and I had already visited several other trading companies and shown them this Snow Sugar. Hmm... the lowest offer from the other trading companies was no less than five thousand Lordaeron New Gold Coins."

In truth, they had not.

But if he could bluff them, why not?