Chapter 18: First Negotiation with the Natives
“It seems that negotiating trade is indeed possible. With the language data we’ve gathered, we can manage basic communication,” she reported while sitting side by side on the sofa with Ringo. The sofa had been created by Ringo without her noticing, likely inspired by some form of entertainment. When Ringo shyly asked if it was alright to place the sofa, she readily agreed. Such adorable requests were always welcome.
“Why didn’t you prioritize language analysis?”
“It’s a precaution, but I determined it would be better to clearly identify them as foreigners. We will correct the language as we converse and adapt accordingly.”
Learning words through broken communication would make them seem more like outsiders. It was thought that they would be more forgiving of any actions that deviated from their norms.
“From here on, we will present samples of our trade goods and negotiate. To be honest, I have no idea how well our business practices will hold up against an unknown civilization.”
“Well, that’s true… I mean, I have no idea about their trading customs, and I’ve never negotiated anything in my life…”
Ringo had, of course, never spoken to anyone other than her. In the real world, all basic chores were handled by her Auxiliary Avatar, Eida, and she had never engaged in work or games that required negotiation. She had no experience negotiating with others. Fortunately, Ringo had absorbed enough knowledge from various subcultural works and guides that it seemed they might manage somehow.
“Well, whatever will be, will be. I’m counting on you, Ringo.”
“Yes, leave it to me.”
Thus, she decided to leave external dealings to Ringo for the time being. Staring at the monitor while endless exchanges in an incomprehensible foreign language took place was neither interesting nor engaging.
“So… what should I do now?”
In truth, she had no specific tasks at hand. If anything, her job was to maintain some degree of physical contact with Ringo and keep him (or her) in good spirits.
“Ma’am. The extraction of various seaweeds has been completed, so we can proceed with tasting.”
“Oh, that sounds lovely. Will you join us, Ringo?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I will accompany you.”
That said, Ringo seemed content as long as he could take care of her, and recently, there was less need for her to be overly considerate. Especially since she had started using the Communicator Android. While she had initially thought it was a bit much for Ringo to follow her everywhere, she had grown accustomed to it. She had requested that he refrain from accompanying her to the restroom, however.
After several days of negotiations in the Port Town of Terek, they had finalized several trade goods and their exchange rates. They also established a simple rule that the rates for the next trade could be decided during the current one. While they could negotiate every time a ship arrived, it was better to have some preparation time in advance, considering the nature of bartering.
The trade goods included weapons like cutlasses, decorative metal items such as barrettes and buttons, thread, and fabric. Salt was also welcomed due to its high purity, and they could exchange dried fish that were not caught in the waters around Terek. The natives had offered essential goods like fresh food and water, along with various crafts. While the crafts were not particularly appealing, it would seem unnatural to refuse them outright, so she planned to select a few. Additionally, she aimed to convey the limited iron mining capacity and request iron ingots. Even scrap iron would suffice, but she refrained from bringing that up for now, as it might seem odd to ask for such things.
She decided to request a certain amount of gold, silver, and gemstones, as they could provide insights into the geological distribution of the area. The quantity and purity of precious metals could also indicate the level of refining technology available.
The Port Town of Terek appeared to be a typical trading city, with few production facilities but a high volume of trade. They prided themselves on the variety of goods available from various cities, and the products brought in by the trading ship Paraiso were particularly enticing. Information gathered by the insect-type bot she had sent in confirmed the port town’s eagerness to initiate trade at all costs.
Weapons and metal items could be mass-produced to a certain extent for trading. Additionally, thread and fabric could be extracted from cellulose derived from seaweed, which was steadily expanding. They would prepare enough dried fish to enhance her diet in exchange for food, even if the exchange rate seemed slightly unfavorable. However, it wasn’t so bad that they were being taken advantage of. The likely reason was that the demand was low, making it difficult to sell. While the Port Town of Terek was thriving, the surrounding city-states were rather suspicious. They might be heavily militarized, leading to a decline in the consumption of luxury goods. On the other hand, weapons seemed to be traded at high prices.
And then, on the fourth day of their stay.
An incident occurred.
“Emergency, Ma’am!”
She was jolted awake by Ringo’s terminal and sprang up.
“What is it?”
“Hostile natives are approaching the Paraiso.”
“What?!”
Startled, she rushed to leave her bedroom, but Ringo held her back from behind.
“There is still time, Ma’am. Please change your clothes first.”
“Change? …No, you’re right. I need to calm down.”
It seemed inappropriate to enter the command room in her nightwear (which Ringo had made). Trusting Ringo’s words that there was still time, she quickly changed her clothes. The outfit she donned was also formal wear sewn from cellulose by Ringo. Recently, he had begun producing clothing in addition to meals.
“Four small boats are approaching the Paraiso. The enemy consists of twenty individuals. They were debating whether to proceed until just before the attack, but it seems they have decided to strike.”
“Were you monitoring them from the start?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I apologize; I couldn’t determine whether it was mere drunken chatter or a serious threat. Honestly, I thought it was just the ramblings of intoxicated individuals.”
“Hmm… Well, it can’t be helped… I mean, I don’t have enough eyes and ears to make that judgment myself… But please inform me sooner next time, even if it’s just a little earlier, alright?”
She pointedly remarked about not being informed, causing Ringo’s terminal to visibly wilt. She felt a pang of guilt, but such reminders were necessary. If left unchecked, Ringo would likely begin to act freely without her. At least for now, she believed it was essential to maintain some control.
“I apologize…”
“Honestly… It’s alright. If it hasn’t started yet, that means we still have time.”
She pulled Ringo’s terminal closer and gently patted its head. She knew it was important not to stress him too much, so she indulged him moderately. She genuinely praised her past self for having played nurturing simulation games.
◇◇◇◇
Ringo awakened six Communicator Androids that had been put into a dormant state. The remaining three were staying at the port’s guesthouse and could not be mobilized.
However, against natives armed only with primitive weapons, even a single android would be more than sufficient to subdue them. The solar-powered reconnaissance aircraft, Swift, hovering above, was able to capture clear night vision footage. Given the circumstances, even if they brought in magical technology, they would be able to handle it. If one were to refer to magical technology as magic, Ringo had made considerable observations based on what could be seen from the outside. Various types of magic were employed on battlefields, each differing in power and ease of use, but none exceeded the capabilities of existing infantry weapons, as Ringo had concluded. On the battlefield, two types of individuals could be observed: those who used magic and those who fought with weapons. This suggested that magic was not a universally accessible power; at the very least, it required a degree of talent that necessitated separating military branches.
In any case.
The moment they intruded upon the Paraiso without permission, they became enemies. There was no need to adhere to the port town’s laws. Ringo decided to capture a few of them alive and positioned the Communicator Androids accordingly.