Be Careful When Agreeing to Terms and Conditions

2. Rite of Parting (4)

There are gods on the continent of Teyvat.

They are not like the gods in the real world, whose existence is uncertain. They have physical forms and exert influence on the human world, absolute beings.

On the continent of Teyvat, there are seven gods who govern each element, and they each rule their own nations.

However, the city called Mondstadt is an exception. It doesn’t have a god. To be precise, there is one, but they do not interfere with Mondstadt. This is because Venti, the god of freedom, is also the god of Mondstadt. So, in Mondstadt, people often fail to realize the existence of gods on the continent of Teyvat.

But if you just come to Liyue, you can understand how much influence the existence of “gods” has on the continent of Teyvat. For example, the one who produces “Mora” in Liyue is Morax, the god of contracts. And he has also conveyed the will of the gods to humans through the “Rite of Descension” every year.

That’s why the people of Liyue fear and respect Morax, calling him the “Archon of Contracts.” They even created a separate title to address him, thinking it would be disrespectful to call him by his name.

The influence of the god who rules that nation was not limited to Liyue alone. It was the same for Snezhnaya.

Snezhnaya is a nation inspired by Russia. It is a country built on snow and ice, and in order to survive in its extreme environment, the people of Snezhnaya had to become pragmatic and cruel.

And the one who ruled over Sneznaya, the sovereign of the authoritarian rule, was none other than Sneznaya’s ‘Queen,’ the deity who presided over the ice element.

The Queen of Sneznaya led a militant organization known as ‘Fatui.’ They spread across various regions of the Tibet continent, exercising force according to the will of the Sneznaya Queen. Among them, the 11 individuals known as the strongest within the Fatui earned the privilege of receiving a new name and power directly from the Sneznaya Queen.

They were the ‘Harbingers.’ If one axis of Sneznaya’s power represented by the ‘Northland Bank’ was financial strength, the ‘Harbingers’ could be considered the pinnacle of Sneznaya’s remaining force, coercion.

Sneznaya’s ‘Harbingers’ were renowned for their formidable strength beyond the borders. They were individuals who directly received power from a deity. It was a natural and expected story, and their military strength acted as a powerful coercion that no nation dared to easily oppose the actions of the Fatui.

The ‘Harbingers’ were not simply strong; they were creatures that entire nations feared and guarded against.

Moreover, as they received power directly from Sneznaya’s Queen, they operated as her representatives in various countries. The Harbingers held full authority over the influence of Sneznaya in each country, encompassing not only the military organization Fatui but also the mighty Northland Bank with vast wealth.

And one of these remarkable Harbingers, Tartaglia, who managed the Fatui and Northland Bank in Liyue, what was he doing?

“…Oh, is it finally over?”

He said so while stretching with a yawn.

He was sitting on a chair in a corner of the kitchen. Originally, he was dozing off, leaning back in that state, but it was a spectacle to cover the book he was reading on his face to alleviate boredom.

I looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression.

‘A giant,’ right? Why does he seem a bit naive, like a gullible person?

The reason Tartaglia was sleeping in the corner of the kitchen was precisely because of the restaurant’s peak hours.

Tartaglia came suddenly without making an appointment. However, since I was the only one who could cook in the restaurant, and the restaurant was still open, there was naturally no time for me to have an important conversation with Tartaglia.

So, I suggested that we discuss and meet again later, but Tartaglia insisted on waiting and found a comfortable spot in the corner of the kitchen to enjoy his leisure.

Tartaglia stretched and yawned a few times, as if shaking off drowsiness, and then smiled slyly.

It looked like a quite friendly smile on the surface, but thinking that a monster wearing a human shell was smiling, it felt a bit eerie.

However, what choice did I have? To make a deal, I had to listen to the story.

I sighed deeply and said,

“Let’s start with a meal.”

As I said that, I gestured with my eyes towards the empty side of the hall.

Tarthalia stared at me intently, as if somewhat surprised, and finally burst into laughter.

“Now I finally feel like I’m being treated as a guest, don’t I?”

As I watched Tarthalia walk briskly, I pondered silently.

Inviting Tarthalia to a meal was not just a simple act of kindness.

If Tarthalia set her mind to it, she could handle all the goods I had. She was a giant who could handle that much. I needed to treat her accordingly.

At the very least, wouldn’t she want to know the quality of the goods she was going to buy?

So the menu I prepared had to be a side dish that goes well with Mondstadt’s specialty, ‘Dandelion Wine’.

The decision didn’t take long. Since it was night, heavy food wouldn’t be good. But meat was an exception. It had to retain the unique taste of Mondstadt and give a greasy feel without being burdensome.

In that case, ‘Mushroom Pizza’ was perfect. ‘Mushroom Pizza’ was a dish similar to Italian-style oven pizza, where cheese was thinly topped on thin dough.

It wasn’t too heavy, and the subtle smell of alcohol that inevitably remained after drinking would be erased by the aroma of mushrooms and the richness of cheese.

After deciding on the menu, I immediately prepared the dough with the ready-made dough. It was important to spread the pizza dough evenly, which required quite a skilled technique, but it didn’t apply to me.

My hands skillfully kneaded the dough, creating a thin and even crust. I spread tomato sauce on top and topped it with fresh mozzarella cheese. On top of that, I sprinkled mushrooms with their unique fragrance and fresh vegetables, and then put it in the oven.

The next step was to wait. Pizza was a dish where making the dough and sauce took up more than half of the cooking process. Tarthalia would probably be annoyed to wait until the pizza was baked, but since I had said I would make the dish, it was a reasonable amount of time to wait.

[Perfect]

[Tasty Mushroom Pizza] x1

I walked towards Tarthalia, who was waiting alone, with the freshly made mushroom pizza and dandelion wine in hand.

Tartalia, who was leaning back lazily in his chair, immediately straightened up when he saw me coming.

“So, shall we see your famous cooking skills?”

I shrugged as if to say, “Do as you please.”

Because Tartalia was wearing gloves, it seemed inconvenient for him to eat the pizza with his hands, so I prepared a fork and knife for him. Of course, I also prepared a pizza server.

Tartalia first picked up a piece of mushroom pizza with the prepared pizza server and transferred it to a plate. Then, with a swoosh, he proudly showed off the stretchy cheese that melted when the pizza came out of the oven just now.

And without hesitation, Tartalia sliced the pizza with the knife. The juicy meat from the mushrooms burst with flavor, while the crispy thin crust was neatly cut as the knife passed through.

That’s how the first piece disappeared into Tartalia’s mouth. After a moment of silence, Tartalia’s eyes widened slightly, as if surprised.

The aroma of savory cheese and mushrooms blended together, and the crispy crust provided a satisfying texture. The well-cooked mushrooms released their juices with each bite, adding a crunchy freshness and a distinct vegetable aroma to the palate.

Delicious. Pizza is generally tasty, but there are not many pizzas that adhere to the basics while delighting the taste buds like this. Shall we say it’s a pleasant enjoyment without feeling burdensome?

As I recalled the memory of my first time eating mushroom pizza, I took out a bottle of dandelion wine. From now on, it was important.

I had to somehow appeal to the allure of the items I had. Of course, I couldn’t know how much the terms of the deal would change, but Tartalia was still a “big shot.”

There was no harm in leaving a good impression.

Inside the bottle that rose up on the table, a faint teal liquid was swirling around.

Mondstadt’s specialty, “dandelion wine.” It was a liquor made from dandelions imbued with the power of the Anemo element.

The detailed recipe varied from brewery to brewery, but the refreshing and invigorating taste was praised by people of all ages and genders.

And it had a unique taste that you couldn’t experience without dandelion wine.

“This is ‘dandelion wine.’ It’s the most famous among the various liquors that come out of Mondstadt.”

“…And it has the most distinctive flavor. They say it’s a taste you can’t experience without ‘dandelion wine.'”

Tartalia seemed to have already heard of the reputation of ‘dandelion wine.’ I nodded in agreement.

“Would you like to try it?”

At my suggestion, Taltalia laughed heartily. She seemed quite pleased.

“Well, it’s true. Lately, the tasks I’ve taken on have been rather mundane…”

As she said that, Taltalia tilted an empty glass towards me. It was a request for more drinks.

“…but today’s work is somewhat to my liking.”

Dandelions followed, swirling in pursuit. A faint emerald glow danced in the glass, disappearing as if caught in a refreshing breeze. It carried the invigorating fragrance of fresh air.

It was the scent of verdant greenery. Taltalia savored the aroma for a moment before swiftly tilting the glass and downing the drink in one go.

Sneznya’s people had a hearty way of enjoying their drinks.

Taltalia closed her eyes briefly, as if savoring the taste, then opened her mouth.

“Hmm, excellent. Honestly, whether it’s food or drinks, I can’t confidently say Sneznya’s palace has the upper hand.”

Alright. I clenched my fist discreetly. Taltalia seemed quite satisfied.

“What’s the alcohol content?”

“Roughly around 20 degrees.”

“Weak.”

The only reason I could assert that was because Taltalia was a Snezhnayan.

In Snezhnaya, where the harsh cold demanded a robust drinking culture, consuming high-proof spirits provided a temporary increase in body temperature. It allowed for some level of activity even in the biting winter wind. However, after a certain period, body temperature would drop instead.

People from Snezhnaya, who endured the challenges of life in such extreme conditions, regularly consumed high-proof spirits. So, when they referred to “alcohol” in Snezhnaya, it typically boasted an alcohol content of at least 40 degrees. Occasionally, there were even spirits with absurdly high contents exceeding 70 degrees.

Coming from such Snezhnaya, a 20-degree spirit might indeed feel weak, especially to those unaccustomed to the Snezhnayan way of life.

After a moment, Taltalia added a new assessment.

“But for those not from Snezhnaya, this should be adequate… So?”

Saying that, Taltalia set the glass down with a thud. She then picked up the knife and fork again, starting to cut the pizza.

The meal continued, but the topic of conversation quickly changed.

Now we were getting to the point. I sensed it and my mind started racing.

“So, how much do you have? It can’t just be Dandelion Wine.”

“It’s as the rumors say.”

“When I first met Tartalia, she mentioned a rumor: ‘The Mondstadt merchant brought a whole barrel of wine from Dawn Winery.'”

There was some intention behind it. If I really had that much inventory, there was a risk of becoming prey in a foreign land where there was no one to trust, and yet I couldn’t hide the fact that I had inventory either.

So, I quietly spread the rumors from Dawn Winery. And if there was a group with the ability to determine the truth of the rumors, based on their knowledge of the wine sold in my restaurant and the recent influx of Mondstadt wine, they could probe the veracity of the rumors.

And the result of that plan was right in front of my eyes now.

Tartalia, the executor of Snezhnaya. Not only a member of the Fatui, but also a giant figure carrying the financial power of the Northland Bank.

Tartalia responded to my answer with a cheerful laugh.

“hahahahaha! So, the rumor was actually true. How interesting. I’m curious about your methods, but I don’t think you’ll tell me…”

Laughing like that, Tartalia looked at me again with her blue eyes.

They were deep-set eyes. I couldn’t read anything from them.

“How much is it?”

It was a fastball that suddenly came at me. While Tartalia casually put a slice of pizza in her mouth, my mind became instantly complicated.

Is she probing me? Or is she just emphasizing the significance?

I asked about the “price,” not the “quantity.” In other words, it meant that no matter how much I had, she would buy it all.

That was the only fact I could guess for now. I decided to keep this clue in mind.

“600 million Mora.”

At my response, Tartalia burst into laughter. She poured the wine into her glass.

“Hey, did you bring the entire Dawn Winery instead of just the wine barrel? Even if it’s 600 million, it’s not easy for the Northland Bank to pay in cash right away. We’re a bank too, and we need to maintain our cash reserve.”

His words held various meanings, especially the part that said, ‘It’s not easy to pay in cash right away.’

Originally, transactions were made through credit and agreements. So, large transactions involved sharing contracts in advance and preparing cash by setting a schedule. However, I was trying to handle a large inventory without having time to prepare cash.

So, there were almost no places where cash payment was possible. Bills could be an option, but finding a creditworthy upper party that could provide Morax’s bills, close to hundreds of millions, was rare.

But the Northland Bank was different. Being a bank, it had a relatively larger cash reserve than other upper parties.

In other words, interpreting that statement would mean, ‘Since there’s practically no one else who can afford it, why not settle with us?’

“What if not in mora?”

Huh? Tartaglia looked at me as if asking about his intentions.

“Goods of equivalent value would be acceptable, excluding only a part in mora, the rest in essential goods of equal value.”

After all, my business in Liyue wasn’t just about selling alcohol. Mondstadt was currently experiencing a shortage of essential goods due to the disruption in external trade caused by the Anemo Archon. It was a natural occurrence.

From the beginning, my goal was to sell alcohol, use the money to buy essential goods again, and supply them to Mondstadt. While forming an exclusive distribution network, my ultimate goal was that.

So, instead of bothering to acquire a large quantity of essential goods, it was more convenient to receive them from the start.

And it was better for Tartaglia too. Rather than preparing cash immediately, providing some of the materials prepared for trade was much less burdensome.

This was also possible because Tartaglia was the enforcer of Snezhnaya. He managed the trade goods traveling between Liyue and Snezhnaya. He had the authority to handle such trades.

“It’s a tempting proposal, but… I can’t pay up to 600 million mora. I’ll give you 300 million mora, and the rest will be in essential goods.”

“How about 500 million mora? I’ll only accept 100 million in mora.”

“Alright, 400 million mora. But 200 million must be in mora. Hey, no matter how much essential goods have a stable demand, cash is still preferable, don’t you think?”

I swallowed dry saliva at this point.

It was about time to decide. Whether to compromise and accept Tartaglia’s proposal or continue bargaining.

4 billion mora, honestly, this level of achievement was more than satisfactory.

If I had sold the current inventory at the previous market price, I would have received slightly less. It was realistically impossible for a traveling merchant who came with a large amount of stock and didn’t say a word to come back with another deal of the same amount.

In any case, the payment I had to make to Down Winery was 2 billion mora, which means I would have 2 billion mora left. The distribution margin in the dangerous and underdeveloped Teyvat continent was beyond imagination, but I managed to secure a good position.

However, it was regrettable. The supply of Mondstadt wine had been cut off for a while now. Its scarcity value had skyrocketed, and the interest in Mondstadt wine at my restaurant had even increased compared to before.

5 billion mora, to be honest, it was greedy. But isn’t it human nature to not easily give up on greed?

I thought hard. It was a dilemma worth 1 billion mora. I had to do something about it.

Then, something came to mind. ‘Monopoly’.

“…Excuse me, but may I ask why you’re specifically looking for ‘Mondstadt wine’?”

At my sudden question, Tartaglia glanced at my complexion for a moment. Then, he burst into laughter as if he found it amusing.

“Huh? hahahaha. Isn’t it obvious why I’m asking? Isn’t it because I want to sell it?”

It was such a straightforward answer. Finally, I was certain. The nature of Snezhnaya and the reason why Tartaglia was trying to buy all the Mondstadt wine without asking any questions.

Having reached that conclusion, I spoke in a decisive tone.

“Well, I would indeed like 5 billion mora.”

At my words, Tartaglia’s hand, which was tilting the glass, abruptly stopped.

His gaze narrowed. It was a very displeased expression.

“Hey… Even I have limits to my patience. I think offering 4 billion mora to a merchant who has no credibility is more than generous.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the air trembled.

Thump thump thump thump, the table shook and an unknown gust of cold wind began to blow fiercely.

My breath caught in my throat. The sound of plates rattling, swaying lanterns, and the aura emanating from Tartaglia, like a sharp blade.

My heart started beating rapidly. It was a reaction akin to the instinct of a living being. The fear of prey in front of a predator.

Cold sweat trickled down. I wanted to run away immediately. The thought of pleading for him to stop, saying I’ll do as he wishes, unexpectedly surged. Is this the momentum emitted by the powerhouse of the Tibat Continent?

Nevertheless, I had to speak. I tightly gripped my trembling hands, trying to calm the shivers, and barely opened my mouth.

“… ‘Monopoly,’ isn’t it.”

At those words, the oppressive atmosphere subsided again. The surroundings regained calm at a speed as fast as a lie.

I exhaled, panting heavily a few times, to calm the rough breath I had been holding.

Damn it, it wasn’t a false statement when they said the Fatui is no different from thugs. I grumbled inwardly, but I didn’t let that foolishness escape my lips.

“…Snezhnaya is using the Northland Bank to aggressively dominate the markets of various nations. Isn’t that what you need?”

As I said that, Taratalia looked at me with a scrutinizing gaze, then sighed and closed his eyes. He downed his drink in one go.

“In Liyue, many people want Mondstadt’s wine, and I’m the only one who has it. Snezhnaya takes all of it. If a store in Liyue that deals with liquor wants to sell Mondstadt’s wine, where should it establish its trade relations?”

With that statement, Taratalia put his glass down with a thud. It felt like some kind of declaration of defeat; it probably wasn’t just a misconception.

“Well, as an outsider, I don’t really know Snezhnaya’s circumstances, but there must be a reason for aggressively encroaching on the markets. It’s not just a matter of profit. If it helps achieve their goal… wouldn’t an additional 100 million mora be worth paying?”

In the end, Taratalia sighed and said, “Fine,” as if admitting defeat. He awkwardly scratched his reddish-brown hair with his index finger.

“I guess this kind of thing doesn’t suit me. It’s more suited to someone like Signora….”

He poured himself another glass of dandelion wine. Whether it was out of frustration or because he genuinely liked the drink, I couldn’t tell.

Taratalia raised both hands in surrender as if to say there was no choice.

“Alright, surrender it is. Let’s go with 500 million mora. But for the necessities, let’s make it 300 million mora instead of 400 million mora. Snezhnaya also has shortages in necessities, so filling some of it with mora is beneficial for us too.”

…No wonder he kept increasing the mora ratio in the deal; it was a tactic.

Still, this was a satisfactory outcome. Honestly, if Taratalia didn’t have a bit of a sucker mentality, this kind of deal wouldn’t have been possible.

I’m just a simple merchant. If pressured with power and wealth, whether it’s 300 million or 400 million, I could only nod my head. Though I threatened at the end, Taratalia, within the boundaries of respecting me, dealt with it.

Well, it’s over now. I thought that way and, instead of responding to Taratalia, brought out a new glass.

And with little time left, Tarthalia poured dandelion wine directly into the glass. The sound of gurgling accompanied the rapid decrease of the liquor inside the bottle.

I silently watched Tarthalia, who was doing that, and as she extended the dandelion wine-filled glass, she asked,

“Would you like a glass?”

Tarthalia looked at me blankly for a moment. Then, with a hearty laugh, she burst out, a truly amusing laughter.

“All right! Do you like it?”

Clang! The sound of glasses colliding in mid-air.

It was the sound announcing the completion of the deal.

***

That’s how Tarthalia left.

Of course, it didn’t mean that I immediately received 500 million Mora. Naturally, I hadn’t shown the actual item yet, so Snezhnaya needed to confirm my belongings, and I also had to go through the process of verifying the necessities prepared by Snezhnaya.

Until then, I decided to run the restaurant. After all, it was a restaurant that would only last for a few more days. It was suitable as a hobby, and Tarthalia’s payment of 500 million Mora also considered the demand for “Mondstadt Wine” in Liyue, generated by this restaurant.

According to the principles of sincerity towards the gods, continuing to operate the restaurant was the right thing to do.

However, Tarthalia left a strange remark as she left. “Be careful with hygiene inspections,” she said.

What could it mean? It seemed like a warning about an upcoming hygiene inspection, but even though the restaurant was about to close, there was no sign of anyone coming today.

As Paimon and Oz left for the lodging first, I remained alone, tidying up the restaurant.

Clang, and the door of the restaurant opened.

“Um… Are you here?”

It was a slightly weak voice. Soft yet subdued. I turned my gaze.

And there, a breathtaking beauty stood. With blue hair and wearing the traditional attire of Liyue, where blue and white colors harmonized perfectly, revealing the curves gracefully.

Slightly slanted eyes, with mysterious crimson irises, carried a faint sense of blood. Nevertheless, her beauty showed no signs of fading. If anything, it seemed to stimulate a protective instinct.

What stood out was the horn on her head. A horn, a blend of red and black, curved backward from the back of her head.

Did Tibetans have horned beings? I wondered, but since she seemed to be a guest for now, I decided to respond kindly.

No matter how late it was past business hours, a guest was a guest, and it wouldn’t hurt to treat them well.

“Hello, what brings you here?”

In response to my words, she silently stared at me, as if confirming who I was.

Then, she soon seemed to decide that I was the person she was looking for. With a gentle gesture, she placed her hand on her chest and spoke.

“I am Gu Yue, the overall secretary of Wolhae Castle. I came out for a hygiene inspection today.”

…Huh? A secretary coming out for a hygiene inspection, and that too, at this late hour.

That was the first meeting between Gu Yue and me.