Chapter 28: Meeting the Merchant Guildmaster

The receptionist returned.

She approached the counter calmly before speaking toward Hollen.

"Guildmaster Laurent has agreed to meet with you."

Even Hollen raised one brow slightly.

Ernest noticed that reaction immediately.

Meaning?

The approval came faster than expected.

The receptionist continued.

"However, he requested that only the two of you attend the meeting."

"That won’t be a problem," Hollen replied calmly.

The receptionist nodded afterward before stepping away from the counter.

"Please follow me."

And just like that, Ernest suddenly felt his heartbeat increase slightly.

This was happening.

They were actually meeting the Guildmaster directly.

As Ernest and Hollen followed the receptionist through the massive headquarters, the atmosphere gradually changed the deeper inside they went.

The noisy reception hall slowly disappeared behind them.

Instead, the corridors became quieter and more luxurious.

Polished stone floors stretched beneath expensive carpets while brass lanterns lined the walls.

Several paintings hung between doorways depicting merchant fleets, trade caravans, and apparently former guild leaders.

Guards stood at certain intersections wearing far better equipment compared to those outside.

Chainmail beneath blue uniforms.

Polished swords.

Professional posture.

Actually, the deeper they walked, the more the place resembled a government palace instead of a merchant office.

That word kept repeating inside Ernest’s mind.

Money created influence.

And influence built places like this.

The receptionist eventually guided them toward a large staircase leading upward.

Second floor.

Then third.

The higher levels looked even more exclusive.

Far fewer people walked here.

Most doors remained closed.

Some carried brass nameplates.

Trade Arbitration Office.

Maritime Contracts Division.

Northern Grain Commission.

Iron and Steel Oversight Bureau.

Ernest’s eyes sharpened slightly after reading the last one.

Oversight Bureau.

Interesting.

That meant the Merchant Guild monitored industries directly.

Probably taxes.

Production quotas.

Trade regulations.

Maybe even anti-monopoly controls.

The more Ernest learned about Helmarte, the more economically sophisticated the kingdom appeared.

Finally, the receptionist stopped before two massive wooden doors reinforced with dark iron.

Two guards stood nearby immediately.

Unlike the others downstairs, these men looked genuinely dangerous.

Veterans probably.

The receptionist bowed her head slightly toward them.

"Master Hollen and his associate are here for their scheduled audience."

One guard nodded before knocking firmly against the doors.

Several seconds later, a voice came from inside.

"Enter."

The guards opened the doors slowly afterward.

And the moment Ernest stepped inside...

He immediately understood just how powerful the Merchant Guild truly was.

The office was enormous.

Bigger than some houses in the outer districts.

Tall windows overlooked the business district below while sunlight illuminated expensive carpets, polished furniture, and shelves filled entirely with books and ledgers.

Actual books.

Dozens of them.

Maps hung across the walls showing trade routes, ports, rivers, and neighboring kingdoms.

A massive desk stood near the center of the room.

And behind it sat an older man calmly reviewing documents.

Guildmaster Laurent.

The man looked to be in his late fifties perhaps.

Gray hair.

Sharp eyes.

Dark formal attire lined with silver embroidery.

Unlike nobles Ernest imagined from fantasy stories, Laurent did not radiate arrogance.

The Guildmaster slowly looked upward from the document he was reading.

His gaze first landed on Hollen.

Then shifted toward Ernest.

And paused there for several seconds.

"...So."

Laurent slowly leaned back in his chair afterward.

"Tell me why you are here."

"Well we have a proposal," Hollen began. "You see, this child has invented a new kind of soap that is beyond comparison to what’s available in the market. We have sample products inside the bag," Hollen continued calmly as he placed a leather satchel atop the Guildmaster’s desk.

Laurent remained quiet while observing the two carefully.

Actually, the Guildmaster’s eyes lingered on Ernest longer than expected.

Probably because the entire situation sounded ridiculous from the outside.

A child inventing industrial soap.

A forge owner requesting direct guild attention.

A manufacturing proposal involving projected factory expansion.

Nothing about this felt ordinary.

Still, Laurent eventually gestured once.

"Show me."

Hollen nodded slightly toward Ernest.

Ernest immediately stepped forward afterward before carefully opening the satchel.

Inside were several soap bars wrapped in clean cloth.

Different variants.

Common soap.

Mint soap.

Lavender soap.

Even now, seeing them neatly arranged together still felt surreal to Ernest.

A month ago, these were crude experiments inside his kitchen.

Now they sat atop the desk of one of the most powerful commercial figures in Helmarte.

Ernest carefully unwrapped one of the lavender bars first.

The faint scent immediately spread lightly through the office.

Laurent raised one brow slightly.

Interesting.

The Guildmaster slowly reached forward afterward and picked up the soap carefully between his fingers.

Then finally, Laurent brought the soap closer and took a light sniff.

Several seconds passed.

Then unexpectedly...

"...It smells pleasant."

The Guildmaster continued examining the soap afterward.

"This is the product?"

"Yes sir," Ernest answered respectfully.

Laurent’s eyes shifted toward him again.

"And what exactly does it do?"

Honestly, Ernest almost found the question amusing internally.

Back on Earth, nobody needed soap explained.

But here?

Actual quality soap remained uncommon enough that the concept itself needed demonstration.

"It’s used for cleaning the body and washing hands," Ernest explained calmly.

Then he continued.

"It removes grease, sweat, soot, and odor more effectively than plain water."

Laurent remained silent while listening.

Ernest pointed lightly toward the soap.

"The scented variants also help people smell cleaner afterward."

Actually, when viewed objectively, the product appeal became obvious immediately.

Especially in a city like Helmarte.

Blacksmiths.

Laborers.

Dock workers.

Butchers.

Tanners.

Thousands of people worked physically every day while covered in grime, smoke, and sweat.

And most simply accepted dirtiness as normal because proper cleaning products barely existed affordably.

Then Laurent suddenly asked another question.

"You tested this?"

"Yes sir."

"On who?"

"Workers at Master Hollen’s forge."

That immediately interested Laurent more.

"How many?"

"Initially around twenty."

Then Ernest continued.

"Now almost every worker inside the forge requests additional bars."

Actually, that part mattered heavily.

Because Ernest understood something important from modern business principles.

Real market validation mattered more than theoretical assumptions.

And the forge workers already unknowingly became early product testers.

Laurent slowly placed the soap back onto the desk afterward.

"...And the workers liked it?"

"Yes sir."

Hollen finally spoke again afterward.

"My own workers started requesting more bars within days."

Then the forge owner crossed his arms slightly.

"Some even brought requests from their wives afterward."

Laurent suddenly looked directly toward Ernest again.

"You made this yourself?"

"Yes sir."

"With whose guidance?"

"No one."

That answer finally caused a visible reaction.

Because inventing improved soap formulations independently in this era sounded unusual enough already.

Hearing a child did it alone sounded even stranger.

Laurent narrowed his eyes slightly afterward.

"...And you also wrote the industrial proposal?"

"Yes sir."

The Guildmaster slowly tapped his fingers against the desk afterward while observing Ernest silently.

"Well, I will test the product for myself and then decide in a few days on whether I shall grant you the necessary permits and registrations."