104 The Masters of the Firm

... \"What!?\" Shouted Shin with a startled expression on his face. \"Relax. I'm not done yet.\" Said by 'Black Hammer' almost instantly. Shin release a sigh of relief before saying. \"Then what was it?\" Then Black Hammer replied after some pause. \"What I'm saying is this 7-piece equipment set will reduce into a 4-piece equipment set when it advance to 'Blank Mithril' Rank. I'm going to dismantle all of their parts one by one after all, before reassembling them.\" \"But you don't have to worry about that, since this equipment is quite special so its set effect doesn't lose much to a 6-piece one of the same rank.\" \"And another thing, this equipment set of yours can only be upgraded to Platinum Rank at most. And it will become useless after it, because it will left behind when you reach the level higher than Level-100. But 'Black Mithril' Equipment Sets are different that those.\" \"So what do you think? It's a win-win situation for you, so you don't have to think much about it.\" Shin fell on a deep thought before saying. \"Then what if you failed to upgrade it into 'Black Mithril' Rank?\" The man raise one of his brows before laughing out loud and said. \"Hahaha.... You really are a younger brother of the Young Miss, both of you are too cautious.\" \"Alright then, I'm going to forge you a 7-piece Platinum Rank equipment set if I failed on it. And that will be better than this set of yours. And it is free of charge of course.\" Shin is still suspicious about the deal and asked. \"But what can you get from this trade? No matter what angle I look, you will not get anything, which make it too suspicious in my eyes.\" The man chuckles softly before replying. \"You are wrong about that, Young Master Shin. Because if I become successful on this, then I will advance into the next rank of my Profession Class.\" \"In short, I will become an 'Advance Master Blacksmith' if I succeed. So? Do we have deal?\" Now, Shin finally understand. \"So you are going to use my Equipment Set as a test subject for your so-called research.\" Black Hammer shrugged his shoulders while waiting for Shin to continue. After few moments of careful consideration, Shin agreed with the blacksmith's condition. He will not lose anything after all. Then they form a contract with a nondisclosure agreement. \"Alright! You can get your new Equipment Set before the end of this day, Young Master Shin.\" Said Black Hammer while collecting Shin's equipments. And while they are at it, Shin also asked the blacksmith to upgrade his weapon into Platinum rank and his Cloak into Black Mithril Rank. \"As for your cloak, you can asked our Trading Firm's Tailors for it. They are the best at handling these kind of things.\" After that, the blacksmith immediately took the [Yamato] from Shin's hands while asking for the materials. The corner of Shin's mouth twitch after hearing that. 'That was really costly. Well that was understandable, given that he is the current best Blacksmith on the gaming world.' Then he replied at the Blacksmith after some thought. \"You can take them from the counter. Just tell them that they the items that I'm asking from Big Sis.\" Black Hammer nodded his head before walking out the VIP Room excitedly, and planning to focus on forging a powerful equipment set. Shin smiled bitterly before choosing to stay in the Firm while waiting for his sword to be upgraded.And after some thought, he went on the second floor of the Firm to inquire about his Cloak. \"Good Day, Young Master Shin. What can I help you with?\" greeted by the beautiful woman behind the counter. Shin stared at her with a startled look on his face and asked while pointing to himself. \"You know about me?\" \"The Young Miss made sure that the whole Firm knew about you, Young Master Shin. Same goes to Young Master Arthur.\" replied by woman while smiling at Shin. Shin roll his eyes and muttered to himself. \"As expected to Big Sis.\" \"Eh!? Wait!\" Then he suddenly realized about something and look at the woman while asking. \"You know about Arthur too? Then you should know his IGN and Class, right? Can you tell it to me?\" \"That was not a part my job, Young Master Shin. So I'm sorry.\" said the clerk girl while maintaining her professional charming smile. Shin release a helpless sigh before asking. \"Then can I have a discount on my transactions with the Firm?\" The clerk girl smile at Shin even more brightly before saying. \"About that. Actually, the real reason why the Young Miss made sure to remember you and Young Master Arthur is to forbid us to give you any kind of discounts.\" The corner of Shin's mouth suddenly twitch after hearing that. Then he said to himself. \"Then I'm not going sell any kind of materials and items to her.\" The woman behind the counter giggles softly when she see Shin's reaction. Shin rolled his eyes at her and said. \"And you still have the nerve to laugh at me?\" Shin release a helpless sigh before asking. \"Then how about my transaction with Black Hammer earlier?\" The clerk girl replied almost instantly. \"That was a personal transaction between you and our Chief Blacksmith, so it is not covered by his contact with Firm.\" Shin release a sigh of relief before saying. \"Then can you help me arrange a meeting with the best tailor of the Firm? If he/she is not available, then anyone is fine as long as he/she can upgrade a Platinum Rank Cloak into Black Mithril Rank.\" \"Are you in a hurry, Young Master?\" asked the clerk girl while maintaining her smile. Shin look are her for a moment before replying. \"Not really. But the sooner it is made the better.\" Then the clerk girl said nonchalantly. \"Then you can discuss it with me, Young Master.\" Shin stared at her with startled eyes for few seconds before recovering himself. \"Yu-You are a Tailor?\" The clerk girl nodded her head while smiling at Shin. \"Yes.\" \"Are you sure that you upgrade my Cloak?\" asked Shin carefully. \"I'm the current best Tailor of this Trading Firm, Young Master.\" said the clerk girl proudly. \"Then why are you working as a counter's clerk?\" asked Shin. Then the clerk girl replied almost instantly. \"Because it is fun! And I'm doing this during my free time to relax my mind.\" 'What a strange hobby.' thought Shin in his mind while looking strangely at the clerk girl. \"So can we now discuss about your Cloak, Young Master?\" said by the clerk girl. Then Shin show her the details of his [Nightwalker's Cloak]. The clerk girl close the information window immediately after scanning it for few seconds, before looking at Shin and said. \"Can I check your cloak more closely?\" \"Ahm... Can we discuss it inside a place where no one can see me? My identity may got leaked if I took of my Cloak.\" said Shin. \"Ah! Yah, I almost forgot the you are quite famous too.\" teased by the Clerk girl before inviting Shin to a VIP Room. And inside the room, they directly gone back to business. \"Alright, let me introduce myself properly first. I'm 'Harmony', the Chief Tailor of the 'Hand of Midas' Trading Firm.\" said by the clerk girl smilingly while extending her right hand for a shake hand. \"I don't need to introduce myself, right?\" said Shin while taking Harmony's right hand with his, and shaking it slightly, making the later to laugh softly. Then each of their names are directly added on their respective friend list. \"And another Chief? don't tell me that 'Adept Hands', 'Tinker' and other famous ones are also in here.\" said Shin jokingly as he take a seat across Harmony. \"You are right about 'Adept Hands' and 'Tinker' being here. But the others are quite busy on their works on other Kingdoms and Empires.\" said Harmony in a nonchalant manner. Then she immediately said after that. \"So, can I now take a look at your Cloak, Young Master?\" Shin take off the [Nightwalker's Cloak] before giving it to her. Harmony observe the cloak for few minutes before saying to Shin. \"This cloak is quite good and is perfect for concealments, but the materials use on this are terrible.\" \"If I'm not mistaken, then you got this cloak when it is still in Silver Rank. Then you used a Basic Enchantment Stone upgrade it to Gold Rank. After that, you directly used an Intermediate Enchantment Stone to let it advance to Platinum Rank.\" \"Am I right, Young Master?\" asked Harmony while still having her smile. Shin immediately reply at her while nodding his head. \"You got it perfectly right, Miss Chief Tailor.\" \"Then upgrading this Cloak into a Black Mithril Rank is going to become a little more costly. After all, I still need to prepare some special materials to balance the upgrade, and make it perfect.\" said Harmony while gently tapping her right hand index finger at the right side of her chin. Shin swallowed a mouthful of saliva before carefully asking for the price. \"How much is it?\" And as if waiting for that question, Harmony immediately name her price. \"Two hundred gold coins and 200 pieces of Superior Mana Stones. And that was the final price.\" The corner of Shin's mouth twitch after hearing that. 'Isn't this a daylight robbery? Now I'm sure that Black Hammer's price is really a friendly one.' But before Shin managed to say his complaint, Harmony immediately added. \"You don't have to worry about it, Young Master. I can assure you that you will perfectly like the Cloak when it is done. I can even add some designs on it if you want.\" 'Fine, I already have some money after all.' Shin release a helpless sigh before nodding his head and said. \"Alright, we have a deal. And forget about the extra detail, just make it just it is. Same dark gray in color, same size, and with similar effects at most.\" Harmony knitted her brows and asked. \"But you are a Swordsman, right? Then why did you need some stealthing skills?\" Shin thought for a moment before saying. \"You know, Swordsmanship and Assassination are quite similar, because they are both branches of the Way of Killing. And sometimes they might complement each other.\" Shin didn't explain much further when he saw that Harmony is still confused. Then he just asked. \"When can I get the Cloak.\" Harmony immediately forgot about the Swordsmanship and Assassination thing, and replied at Shin with confident tone. \"I can finish it within two and a half hour at most.\" Then they formed a contract, before Harmony take the [Nightwalker's Cloak] and walked out the VIP Room, leaving Shin behind. Shin lean on the sofa while taking a deep breath, and planning to wait for his items to become ready. After some time, the door of the room suddenly swung open followed by the entrance of a beautiful woman. Shin turn his head at her and said while knitting his brows. \"Do still need something Miss Harmony?\" 'Harmony' look at Shin for a moment before nodding her head a little and introducing herself. \"Hello Young Master Shin. I'm 'Adept Hands', Harmony's twin sister and the Chief Alchemist of this Firm. May I know if your transaction with her is already done?\" \"Eh!? So your are twins. Are you looking for her? I guess she is already working on my Cloak. We are done discussing about it after all.\" said Shin. Adept Hands turn her head left and right making sure no other people are inside the room, before walking towards Shin. And when he arrived in front of the later, she extend her hand demanding for something.Shin knitted his brows and asked. \"Did you need something?\" \"Payment. I need a payment.\" replied by Adept Hands.\"Payment for what? I didn't even asked you to make me a potion or something.\" said Shin in a confused manner. Adept Hands nodded her head while saying. \"Yeah, you didn't asked me to, but my twin sister stole some potions on my lab to use for your Cloak.\" 'So those are the special materials that she is talking about.' Shin raise one of his brows before asking. \"Then why are you asking me for the payment? Just go get it to your sister. I'm not the one that steal your potions.\" \"You're right about that, but I can't disturb her now because I'm sure that she is already concentrating on upgrading your Cloak.\" reasoned by Adept Hands. \"Then just take it after she's done with it.\" rebutted by Shin. \"But she will not pay me after that.\" said Adept Hands. \"Then that was not my problem anymore.\" said Shin before laying on the sofa to take a nap. \"But if you don't pay for the potions, then I'm going to barge into her work room and disturb her, making for your equipment to fail its upgrade.\" said Adept Hands while crossing her arms in front of her. Shin's brows were locked into a frown while asking. \"Are you threatening me?\" \"No. But I'm warning you, because that was what I'm planning to do.\" said Adept Hands while shrugging her shoulders. Shin thought for a moment before asking for the price that she were asking. \"How much are the potions that she stole.\" Adept Hands thought for a moment before naming all the potions that Harmony had stolen. \"She take a dozen of bottles of Elemental Resistance Potions, some bottles of Concealment Enchantment Potions, ....\" Then Shin interrupted her. \"Wait, wait, wait. Just tell me how much do I need to pay.\" Adept Hands do some mental calculations before replying. \"That should be a total of a hundred thousand of coins.\" \"Then why can't you just rob a bank?\" said Shin almost instantly.\"Fifty! Fifty thousand.\" said Adept Hands. \"Then just go and interrupt your sister. I'll just get another cloak if she failed.\" said Shin while turning his body around on the sofa. \"Thirty! Thirty thousand\" said Adept Hands as Shin ignored her while closing his eyes. \"Twenty five thousand. That was the real price! Please pay for it, Young Master. My sister will not pay for it for sure.\" said Adept Hands with desperate tone. Shin get up from his laying position before asking. \"You are already a Chief Alchemist, then why did you still need to asked for that money? That was just a small amount for you.\"A dept Hands release a helpless sigh before replying at Shin. \"If you only know how our lives are. We earn a lot, yeah. But we also burn a lot of money everyday for our researches.\" \"But the Guild are supplying you the materials. So how can you still burn a lot of money.\" Asked Shin suspiciously. Adept Hands release a helpless sigh before replying. \"When you burn a lot of resouces then you are going to fall with a lot of debt. And unfortunately I'm on that category because I did a lot of strange potions before.\" Shin thought for a moment before deciding to give the money that she wants. But before handing the bag of gold coins, he said. \"Alright, I give the money that you want, No. I'll even make it 50,000 gold coins. BUT! You need to promise me something.\" Adept Hands nodded her head repeatedly without removing her sight the bag of gold coins. Shin formed an evil grin in his heart before saying. \"Promise me that you are going to help me with the potions that I will need in the future.\" \"I can give you 30% on all of my products. And this is a personal transaction.\" said Adept Hands without second thoughts. Then they formed a contract while adding each other as a friend.  Adept Hands jump with joy when she got the money. She give Shin a bow while thanking him, and before happily running out the room. Shin on the other hand went laying back on the sofa to take a nap. ...