Chrysalis

Chapter 1215

[I really don’t think this is appropriate, Anthony.]

[What do you mean? You used to be a merchant, didn’t you? You’ve negotiated for us a ton of times and been fantastic at it. What’s the problem now?]

[I was negotiating with towns and cities that you’d conquered! It’s not exactly hard to force a fair agreement down their throats when there’s a set of mandibles locked around them!]

[I’m fairly sure there weren’t ants standing around with their jaws poised to behead your negotiating partners….]

[Not literally, you oversized ant! I’m just saying I had the upper hand in those talks. And I was only talking to other merchants and petty city lords, not brathians!]

[What’s the difference?]

[Brathians are… different! They’re just different!]

[I mean, how have you even met brathians? I thought you’d never been this deep in the Dungeon?]

[I haven’t. There’s brathians at every level and also on the surface.]

The old woman sighed and pinched her brow. How could she explain this to this obstinate insect?

[The brathians are famous for being skilled negotiators, even in Liria. They cut hard deals and would sell the scales off their own back for the right price.]

[So they’re ruthless when it comes to money. So’s just about everyone who doesn’t have six or more legs. The bruan’chii excepted.]

[It’s pretty much a religion to them! They don’t even live in kingdoms or empires. They form trading blocs, caravans and conglomerates instead. Their leaders are usually the best and most successful traders. I got fleeced by the brathians I met on the surface, what do you think is going to happen to me down here?!]

felt a headache coming on. Then an enormous antenna attempted to rest comfortingly around

[Too heavy,] she grumbled.

just want to strike some sort of deal for our goods. If we can nab some cores in exchange for rugs and furniture, that’s great! If not, they can

frowned. [They want your

ant shifted

that interested in. We don’t wear clothes, don’t eat fine cuisine, are only interested in ant-themed artwork and besides that, we make all our own stuff

buy goods from you… and then onsell them to others at a

to level with you, Enid, the sum total of things I

lent people your legs? Can ants

with yes. My point is, nobody in the Colony has any idea what they’re doing with currency or trade. Alright? We depend on your wisdom and expertise once again. If you feel like you can’t succeed, then just

had done so much for her and her people, and asked so little in return. It was extremely difficult for her to ever say no to their requests, especially when they

are the brathian

already. They’ve been waiting for us to

[WHAT!?]

the meeting hall, her back

even keep them occupied while I was coming?] she demanded of the big ant sitting idly on one side of

we were waiting for

you DID just keep them sitting

them ants have their own pace of doing things and that seemed to mollify them. That and the

it wasn’t slow…. Rather the opposite, the ants worked at

managed to bake so well when they couldn’t possibly have high ranks in the Baking or Cooking Skills

at least some semblance of professionalism to her side of the negotiations, Enid approached the table and sat as gracefully

still slumped comfortably in the corner. Across the table sat an array of clearly high ranking

dressed so well!

are? I can’t

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