Adventurer of Many Professions

Once inside the private room, Manik wasted no time. "Now, Mr. Rose, can you tell me what this is about?"

Raymond chuckled, his voice muffled slightly by the veil. "I imagine you already have an idea of who I am."

Manik nodded. The outfit, the pharmacist symbol, it all pointed to one thing. "You're an underground pharmacist, aren't you?"

Raymond's smile widened, satisfied with Manik's quick recognition. "Exactly. The thing is, I don't have a buyer yet," he said in a low voice.

Manik's eyebrows shot up. "So, you want me to help you find one?"

Raymond nodded, his tone serious. "Yes. I'm looking for someone reliable, someone who can help me buy herbs without the same... restrictions my current contacts have."

Manik, having seen this situation before, leaned back in his chair, thinking. Sometimes, acquirers ran into such problems, sometimes even the best buyers hit roadblocks.

"Alright, Mr. Rose," Manik said, folding his arms. "I'll see what I can do."

Finding a reliable buyer was no easy task for underground pharmacists, especially if they didn't have the right connections. Manik knew this all too well.

Raymond nodded thoughtfully, as Manik began to speak. "I know a few good adventurers, some of them used to be buyers themselves. There are assassins, thieves, and hunters. I'm curious, Mr. Rose, what type of profession do you prefer?"

Manik was already thinking ahead. If he could successfully introduce Raymond to a good buyer, the referral fee would be generous. Pharmacists, after all, were wealthy, and Manik had been in the business long enough to know how these things worked.

But Raymond surprised him by shaking his head. Manik was about to ask why when Raymond spoke in his usual low, hoarse voice.

"I want to hire you, Mr. Manik."

Manik froze for a moment, wide-eyed. He hadn't expected this at all. Was Raymond asking him to work for him directly? Could this really be his lucky break?

But despite his excitement, Manik kept his composure. Years of being an adventurer and buyer had taught him to stay calm. "Mr. Rose, could you tell me why you want me?"

Raymond chuckled softly. "It's simple. You've got the right experience and strength. You've been in the game for years, and you've managed to stay safe. That's exactly what I need."

Manik nodded slowly. It was clear that Raymond had done his homework. He'd investigated Manik's background before coming to him with this offer.

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But Manik wasn't so quick to jump on the opportunity. He took a deep breath and said, "If I suddenly stop working with my current pharmacist and switch to working with you, he'll probably hold a grudge. It won't be easy."@@novelbin@@

Raymond leaned back in his chair, his eyes cool and steady. "Of course I know that. Take your time, listen to my terms, and then decide."

Manik sat up straighter, eager to hear what Raymond had to offer.

Raymond's voice was calm and direct. "I don't care how much you pay for the herbs. I'll buy them from you at the same price the pharmacies pay privately. And as for the potion sales, I'll take 80% of the market price for each one."

Manik blinked, completely stunned by the offer. Buying herbs at private prices was unheard of! Not even the two "underground pharmacists" Manik had worked with before had been willing to offer such a high price.

In fact, in all his years working as a buyer, Manik had never heard of any underground pharmacist offering to buy at that price.

As for the profit from the potions, most underground pharmacists would settle for a percentage of the market price, usually around 85% to 90%. The one Manik was working with now was taking 90%, meaning he was making an extra 10% profit. Compared to the usual 50% profit he'd made before, this was a huge leap.

This offer was unprecedented. Manik's head spun as he processed the numbers.

Raymond wasn't done. "You won't have to worry about competition either. I'm not interested in small profits. I'm offering you more stability and higher returns. The choice is yours, of course."

Manik, still speechless, tried to digest what he had just heard. The deal was far better than anything he had ever been offered.

Raymond could hardly believe it, his potential income had tripled! No, it was more than that. Not only would he be paying less for the herbs, but he could actually make a profit!

Then, he remembered something and continued, "Of course, there's one thing I need to mention. I don't have time to make potions every day. There will be five or six days each month when I won't be able to make any potions... So if that's a problem..."

Before Raymond could finish, Manik interrupted him, eager and determined.

"I do!" he said quickly, his voice filled with certainty.

Manik knew that even with a few days off, the overall earnings would be far greater than what he was making now. Plus, he could use those off-days as vacation time, so it was a win-win situation for him.

"Great!" Raymond smiled. "Now, help me gather the herbs needed for the 'Primary Magic Recovery Potion.' I need eight doses, starting tomorrow."

Manik's eyes lit up. "Actually, Mr. Rose, I already have enough herbs to make five doses of the 'Primary Magic Recovery Potion.' If you need them, you can take them now."

Manik pulled out a backpack from the corner of the room and opened a leather bag. He walked over to Raymond's desk and placed it in front of him, gesturing for him to take a look.

Raymond blinked in surprise. He took a quick glance at the herbs inside, noting that they were all the ingredients for the 'Primary Magic Recovery Potion,' with five plants of the key ingredient, 'Blue Spirit Grass'.

"This... these were probably bought for your current pharmacist, right?" Raymond asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is it okay for me to take them now?"

Manik waved it off. "Of course, Mr. Rose! As your buyer now, I'm at your service. You get priority."

Raymond was surprised by how quickly Manik was adapting to the new role, considering his earlier concerns about angering his current pharmacist. Still, it was a sign of Manik's professionalism.

"Alright," Raymond said thoughtfully. "We'll meet tomorrow to finalize everything."

With the herbs in hand, Raymond left the tavern. He noticed that Manik carefully watched him leave and made sure no one was tailing him before returning to the tavern.

Raymond nodded to himself. It seemed like Manik knew exactly how to handle things, keeping a low profile while handling business.

With the leather bag now in his possession, Raymond smiled to himself. "Looks like I'll be making that potion tonight."