第１４７１堀：売り手と買い手の視点 (Part2)
There is a mutual benefit for the merchant guild as well, as they can count on a steady volume of inventory and sales. The same holds true for Super Ratz. Because they receive goods directly from Weed—or rather, from Yuki—they can sell them at a lower price, and the quality is consistently top-tier by Japanese standards. That is precisely why the products fly off the shelves. Of course, for Yuki, there is the added security of knowing his supply routes won't be exposed, and it is only natural for Ratz to pull strings on his behalf. It is this symbiotic relationship that gives rise to the concept of "exclusivity."
"...There was talk of unwitting collaborators and accomplices."
Indeed, even if a party doesn't know they are dealing with a dark guild, their actions can inadvertently serve the guild's interests. The individuals who caused the system failure at the International Exchange School, the general from Kinauf who attacked Suurus, the people in Irinau who promised to help the dark guild members escape—all of them simply did as they were told. Well, the last group did stand to profit from it.
Furthermore, during the discussions on how to corner the dark guild, it was revealed that one of the guild's executives had owned a merchant guild. In other words, while it may not be a direct link to the headquarters, they still possess a certain network of connections. It is only natural to funnel goods to one's own people rather than to outsiders, and this serves as a form of counter-intelligence as well. That said, surely that isn't the case for everyone.
Once my thoughts had coalesced, I immediately set out to find Ratz. I had seen her talking to an older woman earlier, but... I returned to the spot where we had parted ways, but she was nowhere to be seen. I suppose it was naive to expect her to be standing there talking forever.
"Oh my, you've got a basket full of snacks again."
"Ah, Ratz."
Just as I was wondering where she had gone, a voice came from behind me. I turned to find Ratz, her gaze fixed on the basket I was carrying.
"I found a new flavor."
"Ah, curry, is it? It’s a classic flavor, but surprisingly rare. You see it in other snacks, but not this one."
"Maybe because it’s a bit too powdery?"
"Ah, that’s true. It might be difficult to use as a flavoring. So? Is this for dinner?"
"No. More importantly, I had a thought while I was shopping, and I want you to hear it."
"Yes? Is it a new product request? If it’s something that will sell, that’s fine, but if not, it would be better to request it through your brother..."
Ah, the conversation is veering off in a completely different direction.
"No, that’s not it. It’s about the meeting earlier. Or perhaps you’ve already realized it yourself, Ratz."
As I said this, Ratz’s smiling expression turned serious in an instant.
"Can we talk here?"
"I’ll make sure it’s phrased in a way that anyone listening won't understand. For now, let’s talk while you pick out what you need."
"Understood."
And so, to any onlooker, we appeared to be nothing more than two people chatting while they shopped.
"To put it simply, when a large store or merchant guild goes under, the sales routes they previously handled are dispersed. Are you with me so far?"
"Yes. That’s only natural. Though, sometimes one party will swoop in and take the lion's share, but that’s a good way to invite resentment."
"Let’s set those exceptions aside. In this case, taking too much would definitely draw unwanted attention."
"You’re quite right. A merchant who does that is finished."
"But to someone who knows nothing, it just looks like an increase in large-scale transactions. What do you think a merchant would do in that situation?"
"They would naturally want to continue the trade... I see. Is that what you mean? It’s true that the people who were selling to both countries mentioned they had obtained information."
"Could it be that they have no idea they are involved because they lack the self-awareness of the situation?"
"That’s entirely possible. I had been looking at it only from the perspective of the other side. If that’s the case, it might be worth contacting various countries to find out who has seen a sudden spike in sales."
"...I hate to say it, but trying to track them down just by looking for increased sales seems like a monumental task."
"Haha, there are ways to go about it. But let’s leave the work talk for now. Is there anything you’d like to request today, Nina?"
Before I knew it, we had arrived at the meat counter.
"In that case... let’s have some expensive meat grilled."
"That sounds wonderful. How about this one?"
And just like that, we finished our shopping and headed home for dinner.
Up until now, I had been tracking them from the perspective of the buyer. But as a seller, if you have a client who can make you a profit, you want to monopolize them. Well, provided that the client doesn't know the reason why.