Demon Hunter: I have a red gourd

Chapter 24 Business Acumen
Ivan and the halfling sat there staring at each other for a long moment, neither of them speaking. Silence fell upon the room. Finally, they received news from the merchant's men.

"Boss, the witcher was right. He really took care of those beasts." A young human wearing a turban ran in breathlessly. He glanced at Ivan with a look of undisguised fear in his eyes. "That demon's lair looks like it was blown apart. There are traces of fire everywhere."

"What about our goods? Are they still there?" The half-orc stood on a chair and patted his subordinate's back, signaling him to speak slower.

"We've brought them all back intact, Boss." A hint of joy appeared on the subordinate's face, but it soon faded. "However, I didn't find the bodies of our brothers."

"Maybe it's in the demon's lair." Ivan said, "The demons have this habit. They will bring their favorite food back to their lair and savor it slowly."

He paused. "Although I blew up their nest, if you want to bury your companions, you should be able to find their remains if you dig."

"What about me, the boss?" The subordinate raised his head and looked into the merchant's eyes.

"Go quickly." The halfling's tone was heavy. "They stayed here forever for me. I will make sure to give their families adequate compensation when I return to Novigrad."

"Master, what is your name?" Strength is indeed the best way to gain recognition. After confirming that what Ivan said was true, the halfling's attitude towards him began to change obviously, and the address changed from the original "demon hunter" to "master".

The halfling walked quickly to Ivan and extended his hand.

"Not Master, just call me Ivan." Ivan smiled slightly and also extended his hand to shake hands with him, but then he felt a little awkward.

Is it not a bit impolite to sit on a chair and shake hands with a standing halfling?
However, if he stood up, the halfling would have to look up at his face, which seemed even more impolite.

Fortunately, the halfling didn't dwell on this matter. He nimbly jumped back into his chair and said, "Well, Ivan, I'll call you that."

"My name is Trico Biberwit, from Novigrad."

"To be honest, I did have my doubts about you before. After all, it's unbelievable that one person could so easily take care of such a large group of demons, and without even breathing a sigh of relief. Even if you're a demon hunter, it's still too incredible to believe."

"Now, I must apologize to you for my shortsightedness. If it weren't for your help in recovering my goods, I would have definitely suffered a huge loss on this trip."

He paused and smiled bitterly: "You know, I have never done a business that lost money. If this gets out, it will definitely be a lifelong shame for me."

Trico's voice is quite sincere, which makes people feel good when listening to it.

"It's okay." Ivan waved his hand. "This kind of thing is perfectly normal for a demon hunter. I accepted your commission, and the relationship between us is one of employment. Completing the work is my duty, and there's nothing special to thank me for."

"I also met a witcher in Novigrad, and he also helped me a lot. I have to say, you are completely different from the image in the rumors, and it has greatly changed my view of witchers."

The halfling snapped his fingers, and a waiter immediately pushed the door open and walked in respectfully.

"Bring us all the best you have," the halfling said with a smile, a hint of pride in his tone. "I'll treat this friend well." The waiter bowed slightly and quickly withdrew. A moment later, two exquisite-looking dishes were served on delicate ceramic plates.

"These are our signature dishes—roasted elk ribs with a secret mushroom sauce, and roasted pigeon with blackberry sauce." The waiter said respectfully, "Gentlemen, please enjoy your meal."

Looking at the professionally presented dishes before him, Ivan sat up straight in amazement. How could such exquisite dishes exist in this world? If it weren't for the inhuman being sitting across from him, he would have thought he had returned to the modern world.

My goodness, is this how rich people live on a daily basis?

Trico took the plate of roast pigeon, and Ivan moved the plate of elk ribs in front of him.

The surface of the ribs is roasted until golden and crispy, while the meat remains just the right tenderness. The mushroom sauce exudes a rich aroma that complements the taste of the ribs.

Ivan had never eaten elk before. He picked up his knife and fork, cut off a piece, and gently put it into his mouth. He was instantly conquered by the wonderful taste. The tenderness of the meat and the fragrance of the mushroom sauce intertwined, and the tempting aroma filled his lips and teeth.

Trico, standing opposite, was a bit different from Ivan's idea of ​​a wealthy man. He tore off a pigeon leg with his bare hands without restraint, then put it into his mouth and chewed it roughly, completely disregarding his own image.

Well, typical halfling behavior.

The two chatted while eating. Trico curiously asked Ivan if he had any special experiences since he became a witcher. After all, Ivan was just an apprentice who had just graduated, so naturally he didn't have any interesting stories.

Trico then boasted about his extraordinary business acumen, such as how he once stockpiled a large amount of slightly spoiled fish oil, beeswax, and rose essence at a very low price and sold them to the Church of Eternal Flame at a very high price. Even better, because the transaction was with the church, he was able to avoid a large amount of taxes.

When Ivan asked why the church paid such a high price for these items, the halfling's tone became even more proud.

"Mix fish oil, beeswax, and rose essence in the right proportions, add a little dye, and pour it into a ceramic bowl."

"Last of all, you put a roll of cotton yarn in there and light the yarn, and a beautiful red flame will appear in the bowl."

"It has no odor and burns for a long time, which is exactly what the priests of the Eternal Flame need."

Trico beamed with joy. "You know, the church's altar needs an eternal flame, and what I offer perfectly meets their requirements."

"You are such a genius." Ivan clapped his hands and applauded him.

"No, no." The halfling's face changed into a humble expression. "It's all inherited from my family."

"We in the Biberwit family are born with a talent for business. If you have the opportunity to go to Novigrad, you can go to my cousin Dandy Biberwit. He is the president of our Biberwit Chamber of Commerce and will definitely give you a warm welcome."

(End of this chapter)