My Anime Shopping Tree & My Cold Prodigy Wife!
Episode-164

Chapter : 327

The old Washerman’s Guild Master, Theron, looked up, his face etched with a new kind of worry. “My lord,” he began, his voice hesitant, “these terms… they are strict, but they are just. We… we will abide by them. But… the initial investment. The first shipment of dispensers for the bathhouses, the first sacks of… of Radiance for us, when it is ready. It is a significant outlay of capital. Many of us… after the… the recent fines…” he trailed off, a flush of shame on his face, “…our coffers are not what they once were.” He swallowed hard, then asked the question that was clearly on every man’s mind. “Is it possible, my lord… could we receive the first shipment… on credit? To be paid for from our initial profits? It is… it is an unorthodox request, I know. The standard is always payment up front…”

The room fell silent. It was indeed an audacious request. In the hard-nosed world of Riverian commerce, credit was a privilege extended only to the most trusted, long-standing partners. To ask for it at the very inception of a new, high-risk partnership, especially from a group who had so recently proven themselves untrustworthy… it was almost unthinkable.

Mei Jing’s expression tightened fractionally. Her merchant’s instincts screamed against the risk. Elmsworth began to frown, already calculating the potential impact on their cash flow.

But Lloyd didn’t hesitate. He looked at the eight anxious, hopeful, terrified faces. He saw not the conspirators of yesterday, but the partners of tomorrow. He remembered his own pitch to them, the promise of a new future. And he remembered his father’s words: trust. Assurance. A shield.

“Yes,” Lloyd said, the single word cutting through the tense silence with the force of a royal decree.

The eight men stared at him, stunned.

“Yes,” Lloyd repeated, a slow, confident smile spreading across his face. “Trust, gentlemen, is the foundation of this partnership. You have placed your trust in my vision. And I,” he declared, his gaze sweeping over them, “will place my trust in you.” He looked at Mei Jing, whose eyes were wide with a flicker of surprised, almost reluctant, admiration at his bold, unorthodox move. “The first shipment, for all founding partners, will be extended on a thirty-day line of credit. No payment up front.”

He let the implications sink in. He wasn't just offering them a deal; he was offering them faith. A clean slate. A true partnership.

He had cemented their loyalty not with threats, not with contracts, but with a simple, powerful, and in their world, almost unheard-of, act of trust. The foundation of his empire was no longer just soap and gold. It was now forged in the even stronger, more resilient, alloy of mutual, vested interest. The AURA distribution network was born.

The signing of the partnership deeds was less a legal formality and more a sacred, almost tearful, ritual. The eight merchants, their faces a mixture of profound relief and fervent, almost worshipful, gratitude, affixed their signatures to the vellum with hands that trembled slightly. They were no longer disgraced conspirators awaiting ruin; they were the founding distributors of the most exciting commercial enterprise in a generation. Their loyalty to Lloyd Ferrum, bought not just with the promise of profit but with an unprecedented act of trust, was now absolute, unshakeable.

In the days that followed, the transformation at the factory gate was nothing short of miraculous. The chaotic, angry mob was gone. In its place was an orderly, three-tiered system managed with the cheerful, indomitable efficiency of Tisha. A discreet side entrance was established for the "Patron’s List" appointments, where liveried servants from noble houses could collect their orders in quiet, dignified privacy. The main gate was now the domain of the "Merchant’s Guild List," a long but remarkably polite queue of traders and artisans, their patience bolstered by the regular appearance of Tisha with trays of honey-cakes and warm, friendly reassurances.

Chapter : 328

But it was the "Citizen’s Lottery" that became a true stroke of genius. Each midday, Tisha would stand on a small platform, a large wooden lottery drum beside her, and the crowd of commoners gathered outside the gate would fall into a hushed, expectant silence. The drawing of the ten lucky names was a daily spectacle, filled with gasps of disappointment and shrieks of pure, unadulterated joy. The winners were treated like royalty for an hour, escorted into a special reception area, their hands cleansed with the fabled elixir, and then presented with the opportunity to purchase their single, precious dispenser. They would emerge, clutching their prize, often weeping with joy, their success a tangible, powerful symbol to the waiting crowd: it could be you next. The AURA brand wasn’t just a luxury; it was a dream, a lottery ticket to a better, cleaner, more fragrant life.

The gold poured in. The ledgers filled. The manufactory hummed. And Lloyd’s System Coin balance, the true, secret engine of his ambition, climbed steadily.

It was in the midst of this whirlwind of success, as he stood alone in his quiet study late one night, reviewing the latest, almost unbelievable, sales projections from Mei Jing, that the System chose to reward his efforts.

A familiar, satisfying chime echoed in his mind.

[System Notification: Business Initiative - 'AURA Distribution Partnership' - Assessed.]

[Analysis: User successfully transformed a hostile commercial threat into a loyal, multi-tiered distribution network. User demonstrated advanced understanding of economic leverage, psychological marketing, and strategic trust-building. The 'Citizen’s Lottery' initiative is noted as a particularly effective tool for public sentiment management.]

[Conclusion: A masterful display of turning crisis into opportunity. The foundation of the commercial empire is now secure and expanding rapidly.]

[Bonus Reward Issued: 100 System Coins (SC)]

[Current System Coins: 1410 (Previous) + 100 (Reward) = 1510 SC]

Fifteen hundred and ten. The number was a beautiful, solid, reassuring fortress. He had done it. He had built his engine, fueled it, and now it was running under its own, powerful steam, generating the very resources he needed to face the other, darker, challenges that awaited him.

He felt a profound sense of peace settle over him, a quiet satisfaction that was deeper than any adrenaline rush from the tournament or the shock of his power awakenings. This was real. This was his. He had built it.

He leaned back in his chair, the weight of the world feeling, for the first time in a long while, manageable. He had resources. He had a loyal team. He had a powerful, Ascended spirit partner in Fang Fairy. And he had a growing arsenal of his own unique, potent abilities.

He now faced a choice. A wonderful, powerful, almost overwhelming choice.

What to do with the coins?

He focused on the System interface, the options glowing before him in the quiet darkness of his study.

Option 1: Spirit Ascension (Fang Fairy). Cost: 1000 SC (To Transcend Stage). This was the most direct path to a massive power boost. A Transcended spirit was an order of magnitude more powerful than an Ascended one. It would grant Fang Fairy the ability to speak, to think with even greater complexity, and would likely unlock even more devastating lightning abilities. It would also, in turn, significantly enhance his own energy reserves and his ability to channel her power. It was a safe, powerful, logical choice.

Option 2: Unlock Bloodline Skill Tree. Cost: 50 SC (Initial Access). This was the path of mystery, of potential. His Black Ring Eyes were a potent, terrifying weapon, but he knew he had barely scratched the surface of their true capabilities. The System had hinted at spatial manipulation, at energy redirection. What other secrets did the Austin lineage hold? Unlocking the skill tree would give him a roadmap, a path to true mastery of this strange, new power. It was cheaper, but the rewards were unknown, the path longer.

Option 3: Purchase a New Spirit. Cost: 100 SC (Base Spirit) + Customization Fees. This was the path of diversification. Fang Fairy was a powerhouse of lightning and speed. But what about other elements? A fire spirit for raw destructive power? An earth spirit for defense? A water spirit for healing and control? A second spirit would make him more versatile, less predictable. But it would be another mouth to feed, another power to train and Ascend, dividing his resources and his focus.

He sat there for a long time, the three options shimmering in his mind, each one a branching path leading to a different kind of future, a different kind of power. He weighed the pros and cons, the strategist, the engineer, the soldier, all debating within him.