Chapter 122:

Chapter 122: Chapter 122:

Chapter 122:

Osborne didn’t rush to fill the silence, choosing instead to wait patiently for the young man to respond. He had already decided what he wanted from this arrangement, and there was little reason to change his mind simply because Albert possessed enough wealth to purchase every herb he had collected.

After all, the Moonlight Grass field wasn’t going anywhere, and as long as he could return to the forest safely, he would have plenty of opportunities to gather more herbs in the future.

Selling everything to a single buyer might provide him with a large amount of money at once, but it would also mean giving up the chance to earn from future batches, especially if the buyer decided to control the supply or raise the price after securing the location.

Osborne had no intention of allowing someone else to take control of a resource that he had discovered himself.

"Why aren’t you a generous fellow?" Albert chuckled.

Despite his words, he didn’t appear offended by the rejection, and the smile on his face suggested that he found Osborne’s proposal rather amusing.

"Might I ask why you chose to diminish the price I offered?"

Osborne tilted his helmet slightly, as though he were considering whether the question deserved an answer, before speaking in a calm voice.

"Even if I were to sell the herbs on my own, it won’t be long before another eager party comes knocking on my door."

He had already experienced the consequences of selling rare herbs without considering who might be watching the market, and he had no intention of repeating the same mistake by ignoring the attention his goods could attract.

The fact that Albert had managed to locate him so quickly was proof enough that the market was not as simple as he had assumed, and if other wealthy individuals became interested in the Moonlight Grass, he might find himself dealing with even more troublesome visitors.

He could continue selling the herbs at different shops, but doing so would require him to spend more time in town, repeatedly visiting merchants and answering questions about where the goods came from.

Considering that he wanted to remain relatively unknown, such a routine would quickly become a problem.

"But by dealing with you, Sir Albert, I can avoid such hassles. After all, you look like a man who greatly values his business."

Albert was silent for a moment before suddenly letting out a series of laughs.

"Hahaha! Indeed, I do tend to get attached to my work."

The young man leaned forward slightly, his fox-like eyes fixed on Osborne as though he had just discovered something interesting about the armored adventurer standing before him.

Unlike many people who might have taken offense at being refused, Albert seemed to appreciate the reasoning behind the proposal, and his earlier amusement gradually turned into a more thoughtful expression.

He was a businessman, after all, and he understood the value of maintaining a steady supply of rare goods far better than most people.

The Moonlight Grass was valuable enough that he could make a respectable profit by purchasing it in large quantities, especially if the quality was as good as the samples he had heard about.

However, the herbs were difficult to obtain, and there was no guarantee that another merchant would be able to provide the same quantity or quality whenever he needed them.

If Osborne could supply him with new batches regularly, then establishing a business relationship with the adventurer would be far more useful than simply buying everything he currently possessed.

Of course, that depended on whether Osborne could actually deliver on his promise.

Albert had no intention of investing too much in an arrangement that might fall apart after a single transaction, but the proposed price was reasonable enough that he could afford to test the waters.

Besides, the armored man seemed to understand that rare goods could attract unwanted attention, and his willingness to negotiate suggested that he wasn’t merely some foolish adventurer who had stumbled upon a valuable herb by chance.

There was something more to him, although Albert couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

’Interesting.’

He studied Osborne for another moment before finally nodding.

"Fine, let’s make it official."

Osborne gave a small nod in return, pleased that the young man had accepted his proposal without dragging the discussion out any further.

However, before Albert could say anything else, Osborne raised a hand to stop him.

"Wait, there’s still one more condition."

Albert’s smile gradually faded as he looked at the armored figure before him.

"What is it..." Albert frowned.

Osborne didn’t answer immediately, instead turning his helmet toward the dark-clothed man who had brought him to the mansion in the first place.

The man had been standing quietly to the side throughout their conversation, clearly hoping that the meeting would end without any further trouble. After everything that had happened in the forest, he seemed more than eager to put some distance between himself and the armored adventurer who had nearly cut his throat.

Unfortunately, Osborne wasn’t quite finished with him yet.

"I’d like to be affiliated with his organisation," Osborne said.

’W-What?’

The dark-clothed man stiffened, his eyes widening beneath the hood covering his face as he stared at Osborne in disbelief.

’What exactly is he after....’

The dark-clothed man couldn’t help but feel troubled by the situation.

He had already been hoping to be rid of this scary armored man, and now this?

He wasn’t even sure whether the organisation would accept someone like Osborne, especially when the man had made such a terrible first impression by threatening one of its members with a sword.

Of course, he understood that the circumstances had been partly his fault, since following someone into the forest without permission was hardly the best way to make a good impression, but that didn’t make the situation any less troublesome.

If Osborne was accepted, he might end up having to work with the very person who had nearly choked him to death, and the thought alone made him want to find an excuse to leave the mansion as quickly as possible.