260 I'm taking the merchant exams?
(POV: Lumiere)
Finally, we arrived at the Argentia Merchant's Guild.
The building stood tall and elegant, a symbol of commerce and opportunity.
As I stepped inside, I was greeted by a bustling crowd of merchants and staff.
"It's so noisy here," Anastasia said.
Ruri kept smiling. "I guess so, but it's way better than several other merchant guilds."
"Really?" Anastasia sighed, annoyed. "I can't imagine any where else being worse."
"Funny how I thought the same thing about you guys," I said.
"Don't even start," Anastasia frowned a bit.
Smiling, I raised both my hands a bit. "Don't bite my head off."
"I wish I could, but it smells like old farts here..."
"That's the same thing I said when my father took me to Nuvada?s merchant guild."
Come to think of it, I initially wanted to go to Nuvada, but Serena and I got sidetracked by our encounter in the Great Forest.
There was no use going to Nuvada again, mostly because I was already financially stable thanks to the Grygan dungeon?s resources.
Still, Nuvada was the best hub for commerce.
The number one business city in the Duchy of Elvindor.
At the reception desk, a woman named Mary welcomed me with a warm smile.
Her presence exuded confidence and professionalism.
Her short brown hair framed her face, and her black eyes, beautiful.
Her corner of the guild's main hall smelt like roses. Way different from the stale smell the old merchants here gave off.
I approached her.
"Good day, Mary the Receptionist, right?" I asked to confirm.
Still, it was written on her name tag.
"That's me," she calmly said.
"I came to ask about the Merchant Guild registration."
Mary's eyes widened slightly, surprised by my unexpected appearance.
"Ah, an unannounced visitor," she said, her voice polite yet cautious.
"Hah~ I guess so," I said.
"In order to be a licensed merchant of our guild, you need to take the exams. And for that, well you must first study and prepare yourself."
"Wait, so I can't take the exams now...?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Well, of course not, exam registrations are already closed... Winter's almost upon us you know... And besides registering for the exams rather than just writing it without doing so would be disadvantageous."
I turned to Ruri, who was standing by my side. "Is what she said true?"
At this point, my hope was hanging by a thread.
Ruri nodded solemnly.
That's never good, sigh.
"Indeed, my father also applied to take the exam and had his name put on the roster," she shared. "Having your name on the roster means you can still have a chance to take the exams again, even if you initially fail."
Phew, there was still hope
"So, what you're saying is he can still attempt the exams without needing to register again?" Anastasia asked.
Mary nodded. "That's correct, but I must advise you to consider registering we can make exceptions," she advised gently. "Late registration comes with an extra fee, but it ensures a smooth and orderly process."
Jeez, I guess there's nothing like closed or unaccessible if you have the money for it.
I smiled confidently. "No need to worry, Miss Mary," I reassured her. "I have no intentions of failing the exams."
Anastasia sighed heavily, then chimed in.
"With that kind of confidence, you might just end up surprising yourself and failing," she teased, however her expression was indifferent.
I furrowed my brows, playfully offended. "Hey, that's not nice," I replied, trying my best to hide a smug grin.
Ruri giggled, finding our banter humorous.
Then, Ruri turned to me.
"Oh yeah, Sensei?"
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Before attempting the exams, it would be wise to familiarize yourself with the guild manual and the merchant decency guidelines," she advised. "Those type of questions tend to come up frequently."
I guess she had a point.
It was only natural that that sort of question would come out.
One focused on the rules and regulations of the guild.
And on first try, no one would think to read these manuals and guidelines solely because they'd never consider it'd be asked in an exam.
I nodded in agreement.
"You're right, Ruri. I'll make sure to study them thoroughly."
Mary, intrigued by Ruri's knowledge, couldn't help but speak up.
"You seem quite knowledgeable about the exams. Have you taken them before?"
A small smile played on Ruri's lips as she spoke.
"While I am eighteen, I haven't thought about attempting the exams just yet," she admitted, her gaze drifting off for a moment before returning to Mary.
According to Ruri, you'd have to be at least 16 years of age to take the exams.
But the individuals who did write the exams were usually above 23 or so.
I turned my attention back to Mary, ready to secure the necessary materials for my preparations.
"Mary, could you please provide me with the guild manual, the merchant decency guidelines, and the explanatory set-up for the exams?"
Mary shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, but I don't have them readily available," she confessed.
Yeah right... We definitely believe you "don't" have it.
Anastasia raised an eyebrow, an expression of mild annoyance on her face. "Shouldn't it be your duty to have these things prepared?" she questioned, her tone laced with sarcasm.
I interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. "Don't worry, Anastasia. I have a solution," I said, a sly smile forming on my lips.
This was an easy fix.
Sure, it was the first time I was experiencing such a thing, but in a Merchant's Guild, it went without saying.
Reaching into my small pouch, I retrieved two gleaming gold coins and slid them across the counter towards Mary. "This should cover everything, right?" I asked confidently, my eyes fixed on her reaction.
Mary's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the two gold coins.
She cleared her throat and composed herself.
"Thank you," she stuttered, quickly regaining her composure. "I'll retrieve the manuals and the exam explanatory set-up for you."
Turning around, Mary checked the shelves behind her, searching for the items I requested.
After a moment, she returned with three items, placing them on the counter before us.
The guild manual and the merchant decency guidelines were thick, dusty books, their age evident from their worn covers.
The exam explanatory set-up, on the other hand, was a worn out scroll.
I raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback by Mary's nonchalant actions.
"But..."
"What's wrong," she genuinely asked.
Mary leaned back, maintaining her composure as she stared at the gleaming gold coins on the 10:47
"These books are clearly not in new condition," I countered, coughing lightly to emphasize my point.
Anastasia chimed in.
"And you expect us to pay two gold coins for something so old?"
Mary rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.
"Honestly, you're being ungrateful," she huffed, crossing her arms firmly across her moderate breasts. "These books are in perfect condition, and the price is fair."
My frustration began to bubble at her dismissive attitude.
"Ungrateful?" I repeated. "I paid two gold for this!"
Mary leaned back, maintaining her composure as she stared at the gleaming gold coins on the counter.
"Look, it's either you take the book and pay the two gold coins, or I return your money and you wait until after winter to take the exams."
That couldn't happen.
I needed connections to the guild for winter.
I frowned, feeling a bit cornered by her ultimatum.
I glanced at the gold coins, contemplating my options, before finally making up my mind.
"Fine," I grumbled, reaching out to grab one of the large, dusty books.
Ruri quickly snatched the scroll, while Anastasia took hold of the remaining hefty volume.
Mary gave me a pointed look, her gaze lingering on the gold coins before finally meeting my stare.
"Well, since you're so eager, you better start reading now. You might attempt the exam in a week's time," she suggested.
I blinked in surprise.
"A week's time?" I repeated. "I was planning to skim through it and attempt the exam right away."
Mary's eyes widened, her mouth hanging open. "You're serious?" she exclaimed.
I nodded firmly "Uh, Yeah, I am...?"
"Eh?"
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