Green Business 4 - (Original Fantasy, GoblinShopkeeper!SI)
If you wish to Donate and Support: ptreon DOT com / socialistbukharin
It's been two days since I took in Sakura, and two interesting days as I had been on the move to expand my business to something entirely different than a convenience store.
One can easily inquire on why I would want to shift my focus elsewhere and so suddenly, but the truth was that the very next day after Sakura woke up we received an announcement that several werewolves had started to migrate a bit too close to town and that a detachment of Royal Guards would move to protect us... within the next month.
This was bad as I knew how luck tended to work in those scenarios, and thus I decided to do something to avoid 'surprises' of any sort. I had looked into any blacksmith willing to sell their business to me, and I found one that I actually knew and-
"Oh-Oh I remember you, Gobby. I... I didn't- ugh!"
"Erin, just chill. I am not putting you through the chopping block or something."
Erin was an old classmate of mine. A fellow Gobbo, the girl was someone that many had tried to push onto me when we were little kids. Mom loves her even now and she doesn't miss the chance to bemoan my unwillingness to entertain a relationship with this clumsy, shy, and clearly distraught kid. Well, once a kid and now a full-grown lady (in terms of Goblin's size at least). Fat tits, huge ass, and quite the awkward personality as she had a mental breakdown just remembering who I was.
"I-I know, it's just... you know- those people used to tease that we were together or something."
I nodded in agreement. "Well, they aren't here so we can discuss business without any embarrassment."
"A-Ah yes, business-" She paused. "What business?"
"Well, I am now a bit of a rich guy, and I wished to know if the workshop was up for sale."
Erin opened her mouth, her eyes widening astronomically. "Workshop? This workshop? The family's workshop? The one trusted unto me by mom as dad would have wanted? The one that I am struggling to keep up since I am a clumsy mess and-"
"Erin, you can say no-"
"The- The workshop that I promised I would bring to great success and- and I am a mess, and I am an idiot-"
"Stop it!" I growled, having her stopped by squeezing at her arms and causing her to bring her attention back to me. "Look, you clearly have a lot of situations going on. I am not trying to give you the boot, but I really need to get my business started in weapon-making so I can get the town ready for the upcoming trouble."
"Trouble? What trouble?"
I explained her the situation, which brought out a rather perplexed look out of her.
"S-So that's why there's bad wolves approaching? That girl- is she, you know... well?"
"Yup. Can't even speak to her, but she likes to spend time with mom when she is tending the garden," I admitted truthfully. "But I think I can stave it off if I get a workshop, and pump out enough weapons for the local militia."
"Oh..." The female goblin looked away for a moment. "I-I see. I guess that makes sense but..."
She sighed, then turned back to me.
"Look, Gobby. I get it, but this is the family workshop. I can't give it up for money even though I am struggling with it but... we can do something a little more feasible for the two of us."
I frowned. "That is?"
"Do you... trust me to be an associate for your business if you become one for mine?"
I think I see what she was asking for. I get half of the workshop's 'stocks' and she get half of those of the convenience shop. It was like reverse-marriage, without the whole intimacy and a business-splitting on equal terms.
"...I would."
"And- And I can assure you the money would... wait, really?"
I sighed. "Erin, I know about your family's struggle. Mom and I were lucky to make it work since it was just the two of us, but you have now to sustain your mother and your three sisters with the workshop. Which is why I thought about giving you something substantial enough to buy it so your older siblings can go study in the capital and you could have bought yourself a farm to work with."
The girl was... stunned by this discovery, her eyes wide open at what I just said. "You- you would have paid us away from trouble?"
"That's one way to put it yes. But I think your counter-offer is smart on your side. You would definitely get more in betting on me."
"...Really? You're not lying because you want to save money or-"
"I am making tons of coins through my convenience shop- in fact, how about getting the deal started with a handshake and a first exchange for the day? How much did you do?"
Her mouth opened again, then she looked outright ashamed of what she said next. "N-Nothing."
...
"I make twenty-seven Silvers and forty-eight Bronzes. Which means that you would get thirteen Silvers and seventy-four Bronzes."
Her jaw hit the floor as she saw the bag containing the coins materialize in my palms through the help of the Game system. She took a moment to [Observe] the bag, stunned to the core it was indeed the numbers I just brought up.
"N-No way. All mine- that's mine, right?"
"First exchange. We can do a monthly one."
"B-But I can't give you anything in return-"
"That's not the point of the deal. If you have nothing, then I get nothing."
Erin's lips quivered, her eyes watered as she tried to fight back on this 'inequal' situation. "But- but you are getting nothing!"
"I am getting that I can help this town and I get to help you and your family. Also, how's Auntie Gia?"
Instead of answering, Erin walked up to get a hug. "T-This is not fair for y-you."
I sighed, patting her head through her little hat and... thinking of anything that could make her at ease with this sort of deal. She really wanted me to have something so...
...
"How about I show you what tools I wanted to bring in the workshop? And you tell me which one you want to see sold the most?"
Erin pulled slightly back with a puzzled look. "L-Like swords or axes?"
My smile was telling of something more as we went through what would be known as our first together as associates (and maybe more in the future).
And a few hours later, as we were sitting as far as possible from the town to test out some guns, I learned that my associate was incredibly into bolt-action rifles.
Three 'High Wolves' moved rapidly through the forest's path, nature guiding them as they marched upon the foolish town that was housing their Alpha's destined Mate.
Their 'Highness' was defined by their loyalty as they didn't question their Alpha's decision to have such an unusual pink-white-furred bitch as his beta and mate. Some of the fools in the lesser packs were weirded out by having a foreign fox being selected compared to 'better females from their packs'. Fools and fools. The snarling insult repeated over and over as their Alpha deserved more than just someone from this land - he was going to rise above all previous Alphas!
Today, however, it wasn't a matter of handling dissent - it was to reclaim what was of the Alpha: the female fox. She had found refuge in a human town, finding shelters among its locals. They would pay for becoming enemies of their Alpha!
The Main Pack's pride was at stake, which is why they had been sent to do the deed. None of the lesser warriors could do it- none warranted the trust of the Alpha more than them. And they weren't planning to disappoint him either. Soon they arrived at the gates, a few human guards spotting them and shouting to have the gates closed.
Fools! The High Wolves bolted with their impressive speed through the distance, zeroing across the descending gate of iron, and then rushing to where the scent of the fox one was the strongest. They ignored the screeches of terrors of humans and other 'civilized' fools alike, their minds set for the duty behind their visit.
They got closer and closer, turning corners all the while avoiding the few guards trying to intercept them. Then they saw her. She looked terrified and covering her ears as she hid behind a short green-skinned female. They didn't see a threat as they attacked, but their relentless pursuit was shattered nonetheless.
It wasn't magic or a blunt attack that struck them to pause, rather a loud noise that suddenly ruptured into their ears, forcing them to yelp and slow down, dropping on the ground as their minds were wrecked by the noise. They heard footsteps coming from the house during the loud intense 'whistling', and then a strange Bang broke the painful situation.
One of them fell as something slammed through his skull. Then another Bang followed, another of the High Wolves died. The third one was perhaps truly broken by the mixture of confusing noises that pained his mind and the sight of his comrades' dying in front of him. And, in a desperate bid of survival that went beyond the tightest form of loyalty he may have once held for the Alpha, the last High Wolf turned on the ground, his belly up and a raspy word crudily leaving his snout.
"S-Surrender- Surrender!"
The shame of such situation hit him briefly as the noise dampened and vanished, and... then something pleasant came through. The holder of the scary stick approached him, he crouched down and retrieved a strange-looking brooch. Then, he started to use it on the fur by the werewolf's belly, causing the humanoid beast to tense up and then react to the blissful jolts hitting his mind.
His left leg kicked around, his tall wagged nervously and his tongue drooled intensely as he felt like the nightmare was now cursing him with the form of delight he had never experienced.
"Good boy. You stay put here and the guards shall not hurt you."
The wolf barely understood what he was told, but 'good boy' felt like a good thing to be given as something buzzed in his chest at hearing that. A sense of innermost accomplishment and happiness.
Sadly, the guards came and put him in chains before carrying him away. The wolf couldn't help but whine at such development. He had lived yes, but he couldn't help but fail to grasp the true reason for his sadness.
Was it because he failed his alpha, or because he wasn't getting more bellyrubs and praises from the strange murderous green humanoid?
AN
Had been planning to introduce werewolves or wolf packs in a while. Why? The few sketches in Ted Nivison's video about that trashy Werewolf series. All I am saying is... it's absurd and amusing at the same time. Still, the 'legendary Alpha' is soon to be reminded that a pack is like a prison, and when you are trying to fuck around with someone with naive intentions, you are going to find out the true nature of theirs.
Also, using this chance to hand out two reminders: 1) I have a Ptreon Page for Donations and 2) I have a book out 'We Merrily Lost' by Salvatore Monreale. While I am not putting any content behind paywall, all support is appreciated in that regard.