The Illicitous Dungeon

Irie re-entered the city alongside Therina and a wagon carrying an enormous amount of pure manasteel. It wasn't an excessively valuable metal, but it was still a fundamental resource that was used in countless products and applications. This was a large shipment by company's standard,

"Does Styx always produce this much?" Irie asked while walking beside the elf, a hood over her head to hide her identity in case anyone recognized the elf.

"The amount is increasing, but the main issue is a lack of mana to produce it. An attributeless gem can only store enough mana for a small amount and we are already lacking in stock, so it all has to be produced manually by Styx himself."

Therina held a distaste towards humans altogether, but she held more tolerance toward Irie, whom she identified as one of Styx's women.

The elf split off from the woman after she was shown to her apartment and secured a spare key. She then took the cart and led it to the blacksmith whom she met last time. The cart was a tight fit in the rear alley, but it managed to squeeze through nonetheless with minimal bumps against the back wall of buildings.

She banged on the rear door but was met with not response. She banged several more times in succession until she heard a grumpy shout.

"Aye, wait a minute will ye!"

Therina calmly waited until the rear door opened to reveal a cliché dwarf with a soot-stained face and large, knotted beard on his chin.

"Well, if it aint the elf lass from last time. It has been a while."

"You have a good memory."

"It aint that hard. So, I take it ye have something to sell? Come on, she it to me, lass."

The dwarf hopped and hoddled over to the back of the cart with Therina, who pulled back the sheet covering the cargo and revealed an enormous amount of pure manasteel.

"I take it you can give me an even better deal than last time?" Therina inclined in the most professional business-like manner that she could muster.

"Pfft," The dwarf burst out in a hearty laughter and patted his barrel-shaped stomach in mirth. "That aint happenin', lass. For a bulk amount, I should instead be paying you less per capita."

"What? But I brought you so much? Shouldn't I get a better rate on it?"

"Not at all. The value of bulk goods is lower than that of individual products."

"Then. I would like to sell a large number of individual products."

This brought another round of chuckling from the dwarf who led Therina in and they sat at a table to negotiate.

"I tell ye what. The purity of ye manasteel is good, although ye refining is a bit sloppy. I will offer ye 6 percent less on the total value."

"Take it," Styx, who had a much better idea of supply and demand than Therina, commanded her to accept the deal.

This was partially because it was a very reasonable offer by the dwarf, while also to curry favor. Rather than arguing over the single percents, Styx chose to increase Therina's favorability with the blacksmith.

The original price was 8 silver per ingot, but those ingots were only finger sized and approximately 100g each. Therina currently had an entire 3m3 of manasteel. Going by that standard value per weight, the would be a total of 643,200 silver, or rounded up into higher coins for a total of 64 platinum and 32 gold.

Because of the 6 percent less though, she would only receive 60 platinum, 46 gold and 8 silver. While the dwarf blacksmith can pocket an extra four platinum coins, a small fortune for a single family, it was negligible to Styx. The dungeon had zero overhead costs in producing the manasteel, so this was 100 percent profit for him.

"Why do you have so much coin on you?" Therina asked as she was handed a large pile of glistening coins.

"Lass, ye have no idea how much coin flows in the business world. Although, ye are taking a big portion of me coin."

"I see…"

Therina pocketed the coin and brought the new empty wagon back to Irie's apartment, tying it up in a secure location behind the tudor style apartment building.

⠀⠀

~~~~~

Irie was before yet another company liaison. Not one of her own company, but a guest who was visiting her in the company to purchase the confidential information on the dungeon.

"30 gold! That is the highest I will go! There are plenty of others who are willing to sell the information and recoup their expense!" A particularly weaselly looking person put on an arrogant expression as he glared across the discussion table.

"Mr. Averic, please show us a little more sympathy. If we lower the price for you down from 40 gold, the next person will demand it for 20 gold, and then 10, and before you know it, they will be demanding it for free. We simply can't allow that."

The conversation between the two continued for another half and hour and devolved into pure insults and childish arguments, in which the information was finally sold to Mr. Averic and his company for 37 gold.

She was very happy with this conclusion given that the market price for the information was actually 35 gold, not 40.

She had negotiated thirteen of these deals so far, bringing in an income of nearly 5 platinum. Considering the company investment in trying to acquire the dungeon was 2 platinum, this was an enormous profit.

A letter had even come from the head office congratulating her and cementing her position as a branch manager, placing her at the upper echelons of the Silver Wheel Investment Company.

"Miss Naekle," The racoon beastkin whom had leveraged a full time position in the company with benefits approached the new branch manager and spoke nervously, "there's been someone asking around about the dungeon and the information on it…"

"Hmm? That isn't anything unusual, why are you bringing it to me?"

"Well, the thing is, it's the person who has been asking around."

"Well? Don't keep me in suspense, who is it?"

"It's… it's the city lord's son, Gabralter. He's been asking around about specific information about the dungeon as well as the elf who attacked us inside."

"Okay, I understand. There is no need to panic. If he approaches anyone who has purchased the information, they will most likely share it with him given his position. If he approaches us, just play dumb and ensure that he is requested to see me. The rest is of no big deal."

"Eh, if you say so. I will do that, then."

"Is there anything else?"

"No, that was it."

"Then hurry up and get back to training. Don't forget that continued investment is determined by results, and not even I can turn around poor results."

"Yes, of course!"

The racoon beastman hurriedly left the office and Irie also left, returning to her apartment where she found a certain elf lounging on her bed while looking through the pile of magic books she had bought for Styx. It was unclear whether she was reading them for her own interest or so Styx could start reading them through her eyes.

She was inclined to believe it was the latter.

While one hand flipped through pages, the other free hand held a tantle, a red juicy fruit that was considered a delicacy this far out from the central regions of the empire.

Seeing one of her prized fruits being eaten by the beautiful elf without a care, she felt a deep frustration.

"Why are you eating my food?"

"Hmm? You are to provide it for me, no?"

"Not that food."

"Oh well."

Therina's nonchalant answers irritated her even further, but that rapidly vanished as she continued.

"Hus-Styx has commanded us to procure some child slaves, ones which need to be in the age range of 11 – 14 years old."

"I know, I take it it's not for… that?"

"That?"

"To impregnate underage children…"

"Huh? Of course not. There is a dark elf child in the dungeon, but she lacks other children her own age to act as playmates. Why would you even think of that?"

Therina looked at Irie in abject disgust, even stating "you humans" vehemently under her breath.

"Well, he is a dungeon after all," Irie began but abruptly cut off as Therina shot her a glare filled with killing intent. "There are illegal places like those all over the empire, so I had thought it may be something like that. Sorry."

"A child cannot bear a monster. There is no way husband would ever be interested in one in such a way."

"Of cour- Hey! Stop! Don't take any more of my tantles!"

Irie tried to stop her, but Therina was stronger, faster, and far mor dextrous than her. She was instantly subdued while the elf helped herself to the delicious red fruit.

"Styx has also requested you."

"I know. He wants to… that, right?"

"Correct, you need to go soon, too."

"I still have business to take care of."

"No."

"That… I can go after-"

"Stop being rude to Styx, you were told to go."

Therina glared at Irie, be eyes predatory and ready to kill.

"I… I understand, I will go along with the slaves."

"Excellent!" Therina's face instantly shifted into a warm smile, as if her glare and icy attitude from before was simply a lie.