Exactly two weeks have passed and it’s already the month of July. Ernest and Hollen, dressed in their formal attire, entered Laurent’s office.

As expected, he was alone, and he looked composed despite about what they are going to talk about.

"Good day," Ernest began. "It’s been two weeks, and you mailed us a letter saying you have a reply for our proposal?"

"We are looking forward to a good news," Hollen added.

Laurent chuckled a bit, realizing that the two men in front of him were hasty to know his answers.

"Very well, why don’t you take a seat. You two want refreshments? I can have my assistant bring you tea. I just imported it from the East. They have the best Darjeeling."

Ernest and Hollen exchanged a glance.

"Well, since you’re offering," Hollen said with a grin, "it would be rude to refuse."

Ernest nodded.

"I’ve never tried eastern tea before, so I’m curious."

Laurent smiled lightly and rang a small brass bell sitting on the corner of his desk.

Moments later, the office door opened and a young assistant entered.

"Yes, Guildmaster?"

"Three cups of Darjeeling tea."

"At once, sir."

The assistant bowed before quietly leaving the room.

For a few minutes, none of them spoke about business.

Instead, Laurent casually asked about the latest developments at the Helmarte Soap Works.

Production numbers.

Distribution progress.

Nothing confidential.

Just enough to pass the time while waiting for the refreshments.

Soon, the assistant returned carrying a polished silver tray.

Three porcelain cups rested atop it alongside a small kettle releasing thin streams of steam.

The aroma immediately spread through the room.

Even Ernest noticed the difference instantly.

This was nothing like the herbal drinks commonly found around Helmarte.

The assistant carefully poured the tea before placing a cup before each man.

"Thank you," Laurent said.

The assistant bowed again and quietly exited the office.

For a moment, the three simply observed the tea.

The liquid carried a deep amber color that caught the sunlight streaming through the tall office windows.

Laurent lifted his cup first.

"To successful negotiations."

Hollen chuckled.

"To profitable negotiations."

Ernest raised his cup as well.

"To both."

The three lightly tapped their cups together before taking their first sip.

The moment the tea touched his tongue, Ernest’s eyebrows rose slightly.

It was surprisingly good.

Smooth and warm.

There was almost no bitterness.

Instead, subtle floral notes lingered afterward while a gentle sweetness remained on the palate.

Honestly, if someone served this in a modern café back on Earth, it would probably sell for an absurd price.

Beside him, Hollen looked equally impressed.

"Gods above," the forge owner muttered. "Now I understand why merchants pay fortunes for this."

Laurent laughed.

"I told you. The eastern traders know what they’re doing."

Hollen took another sip immediately.

"I’m starting to think you invited us here just to show off your tea."

"That is merely a bonus."

Even Ernest found himself reaching for another sip. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

The drink was genuinely excellent.

Far better than he expected from a medieval world.

For several moments, the room became surprisingly relaxed.

Three men sat quietly while enjoying imported tea worth more than some workers earned in a week.

Then Laurent finally placed his cup down onto the desk.

The faint smile remained on his face.

"Well then."

His tone became noticeably more serious.

"I suppose we should discuss the reason why you’re here."

"Yes, the answer," Ernest pointed.

"Right, I have discussed with my associates, and I must say, they have agreed to your proposal. 20 percent representing the consortium with me as their representative. We are going to invest 30 million riels and with that money, we want you to work as much as possible for us to be happy. And the only way we can be happy is when we are seeing profits. If you need help with connections, you can reach out to me."

Ernest and Hollen looked at one another with a wide eye. They wanted to scream but they had to maintain a professional facade.

"That sounds great," Ernest sounded awfully calm hearing his answer. "Thank you for trusting us. Your investment would not be wasted."

Actually, that was the understatement of the century.

Thirty million riels.

Even now, Ernest still struggled to fully comprehend the scale of that number.

The Helmarte Soap Works had grown rapidly.

It generated millions in revenue.

It generated millions in profit.

But thirty million riels in fresh capital?

That was enough to completely change the future of the company.

Laurent opened one of the leather folders resting on his desk.

Several thick parchment documents sat neatly organized inside.

"The contracts have already been drafted."

He slid the documents across the table.

"Subject to your review, of course."

Hollen immediately grabbed the first stack.

Meanwhile, Ernest carefully began reading through the agreement.

Actually, Laurent’s legal team had done impressive work.

The contract clearly outlined every major point discussed during the previous meeting.

Investment Amount:

30,000,000 Riels

Ownership Structure After Capital Injection:

Hollen - 50%

Ernest - 30%

Merchant Guild Consortium - 20%

Board Representation:

One representative appointed by the Merchant Guild Consortium.

That representative would be Laurent.

Operational Control:

Remains under Helmarte Soap Works management.

Specifically under Ernest Teucher as Chief Operating Officer.

Profit Distribution:

Based on ownership percentage.

Expansion Clause:

The consortium agreed to support future factory construction and distribution expansion where commercially viable.

Confidentiality Clause:

Certain manufacturing procedures, formulations, and operational methods would remain proprietary information of Helmarte Soap Works.

That section alone made Ernest smile slightly.

It was not a patent.

But it was something.

A contractual protection.

After nearly thirty minutes of reviewing every section, Ernest finally looked up.

"No hidden surprises."

Laurent nodded.

"I prefer profitable partners over angry partners."

Hollen chuckled.

"A refreshing philosophy."

Then the forge owner picked up the signing quill.

Actually, this was probably the largest business agreement he would ever sign in his entire life.

Several years ago he spent his days worrying about coal prices and forge orders.

Now?

He was about to become part-owner of one of the largest industrial ventures in the kingdom.

The thought almost felt ridiculous.

Yet here he was.

Without hesitation, Hollen signed first

The ink settled cleanly across the parchment.

Then Laurent signed.

Finally, both men looked toward Ernest.

For a brief moment, he simply stared at the document.

This felt different.

When he signed his employment contract at the forge, it had changed his family’s life.

When he signed the Helmarte Soap Works registration papers, it had created a company.

But this?

This would create an industrial empire.

Ernest slowly dipped the quill into the ink.

Then signed.

The moment the final signature dried, Laurent closed the folder.

"Congratulations."

He extended his hand.

"You are now officially partnered with the Merchant Guild Consortium."

The three men shook hands.

A genuine business alliance had been formed.

Then Laurent opened another folder.

Unlike the contract folder, this one contained several banking documents.

"Now for the pleasant part."

That immediately got Hollen’s attention.

Laurent slid the papers across the desk.

"The first transfer authorization."

Ernest looked down.

The amount written on the parchment almost made him pause.

30,000,000 Riels.

"Now, you guys start."