The following week, I made my way to Igor's shop, feeling both excited and a little nervous. Now that Lord Roland had officially placed an order, I knew I needed to start scaling up my business. That meant better storage, transportation, and more organisation.
Igor was in the middle of sharpening a sword when I walked in. The rhythmic sound of metal scraping against the whetstone filled the air.
He glanced up and smirked. "What brought you here this early, Dirk? Need another sword?"
I shook my head. "Not this time. I actually need some help finding a good craftsman. I need a dozen wooden boxes – something with a secure lid."
Igor wiped his hands on a cloth and nodded. "I know just the guy. Old man Garret. He's been making storage crates and furniture for years. If anyone can make sturdy wooden boxes, it's him."
I pulled out a rough sketch I had drawn last night and laid it on his counter. "This is what I have in mind. The size should be large enough to store my stock, and I need the lid to be secure but easy to open."
Igor studied the sketch, rubbing his chin. "This looks simple enough. Garret will have no problem making these. I'll take you to his workshop after we stop by the Merchant Guild."
Next, we headed to the town's Merchant Guild to handle the next part of my plan. I needed my own horse and carriage for easier transportation of goods. Miss Agnes greeted us at the front desk, looking as poised as ever. "Dirk, Igor. Good timing. I heard you're expanding."
I grinned. "You could say that."
Igor chimed in. "He needs a horse and a carriage. Something reliable."
Agnes didn't waste time. She turned to her receptionist and said, "Call Marlon via the magic ball."
The magic ball was an enchanted crystal that acted as a long-distance communication device. I watched in fascination as the receptionist channelled mana into the ball, which began to glow softly. A moment later, a deep voice came through.
"Marlon here. Who's calling?"
Agnes took over. "It's Agnes from the Merchant Guild. We have a customer looking for a well-built carriage and a strong horse. What's your best offer?"
Marlon let out a hearty chuckle. "Ah, the infamous Dirk, I assume? I've been hearing a lot about your products. If you're looking for a sturdy carriage, I have just the thing. I can have it delivered by tomorrow."
I exchanged a glance with Igor, then nodded. "Sounds good. How much?"
"For a first-time customer, I'll give you a deal: 380 small gold coins for the carriage, and the horse will be 200 gold."
I hesitated. That was a decent chunk of my earnings, but considering how much I was making daily, it was a necessary investment. "Deal. I'll pay when it arrives."
Agnes smiled approvingly. "You're making smart moves, Dirk."
With the transaction settled, we left the Merchant Guild and headed straight for Garret's workshop.
Garret's place was exactly what I expected—a humble wooden workshop filled with the scent of freshly cut wood. The old craftsman himself was a burly, bearded man with strong arms and sharp eyes. He looked up from his workbench as we entered.
"Igor, what brings you here?" he asked, setting aside a half-finished chair.
Igor gestured toward me. "This is Dirk. He needs a dozen wooden boxes, like the ones you make for merchants, but with a secure lid."
I stepped forward and handed him my design. "It needs to be sturdy but easy to open. I'll be storing valuable goods inside."
Garret studied the sketch, nodding slowly. "This is simple enough. When do you need them?"
"As soon as possible."
He let out a low hum. "I can have them ready in four days. Does that work for you?"
I nodded. "That's perfect. How much?"
"15 silver per box, so 180 silver total."
A fair price. I agreed, paid a deposit, and thanked him before heading back to the shop.
By the time we returned to my shop, Ella was already busy organising the stock. There were old small crates filled with bottled water, mamon, corned beef, and hotdogs. She looked up as we walked in, her hands on her hips.
"Finally! You took your time."
Elvie smirked from behind the counter. "Business expansion, Ella. Can't rush greatness."
I rolled my eyes and got to work, helping her sort the goods. Lord Roland had placed an order for dozens of items for his estate's consumption.
As we worked, Ella suddenly asked, "So what's next, boss?"
I paused, thinking about my next steps. "First, we deliver Lord Roland's order. Then, we prepare for more demand. I have a feeling once word spreads, we'll be busier than ever."
Elvie raised an eyebrow. "And how do you plan on keeping up with demand?"
I grinned. "By making sure Dirk's brand becomes something no one in this kingdom can ignore."
Ella chuckled. "Bold words. But knowing you, I believe it."
Igor folded his arms. "You're going to need a bigger shop at this rate."
Miss Agnes, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke. "You might be onto something, Igor. If things keep going this well, you'll need to consider hiring more workers and even opening another location."
I exhaled slowly, letting that sink in. My small venture was growing faster than I ever imagined.
"One step at a time," I said with a confident smile. "Let's get through Lord Roland's order first."
The next morning, Igor, Elvie, Ella, and I loaded up the crates of water bottles, mamon, corned beef, and hotdogs onto a rented waggon. Lord Roland's order was massive—he had requested dozens of each item, and it took us almost an hour to properly secure everything.
Ella wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Man, the lord sure knows how to eat."
Elvie chuckled. "It's not just for him, you know. A noble's estate houses a lot of people—knights, servants, and advisors. It's basically a small village in itself."
Igor double-checked the knots securing the crates to the waggon. "Alright, everything's tight. Let's move."
The ride to Lord Roland's mansion took a little over an hour. Unlike last time, there were no bandits—thankfully. As we approached the gate, the guards immediately recognised us and opened the way without question.
A steward came out to greet us as we pulled the waggon into the courtyard. "Ah, Mr. Dirk! Lord Roland is expecting you. He's quite excited about the order."
I hopped off the waggon, dusting off my clothes. "That's good to hear. Where do you want us to unload?"
"Follow me. We've prepared a storage area for your goods."
We got to work unloading the crates while several servants assisted us. As I stacked a box of bottled water, Lord Roland himself appeared at the top of the stairs, watching with an eager expression.
"Dirk, my boy! You've arrived!" he called out, descending the steps. "I must say, I've been looking forward to this delivery."
I grinned. "I hope the products meet your expectations, Lord Roland."
"Oh, I have no doubt they will. That mamon and the instant noodles of yours were truly divine. And that coffee? A miracle in a cup."
I laughed at his enthusiasm as he examined one of the crates of hotdogs. "And this... this is the 'hotdog'?"
I nodded. "Yes, it's a processed meat product. You can grill it, fry it, or even boil it."
He turned to one of his kitchen staff. "Prepare some immediately. I want to taste this hotdog again!"
The servants quickly carried the food inside while Lord Roland continued chatting with us. As we finished unloading, he handed me a bag of gold coins.
"Your payment, as promised. I also added a little extra. Consider it my way of supporting your fine business."
I accepted it with gratitude. "Thank you, my lord. I appreciate it."
Before we left, he gestured to one of his knights. "Prepare a standing order for Dirk. I want regular deliveries of his products."
That made my day. A standing order from a noble? My business was officially taking off.
By the time we returned to our shop, the merchant, Marlon, was already waiting for us. Parked near the shop was a sturdy, well-built wooden carriage, painted in dark brown, with reinforced iron wheels. Besides it stood a strong, black stallion, its coat shining in the sunlight.
Marlon, a tall man with a thick beard, grinned as we approached. "Dirk, my friend! Your new carriage and horse have arrived."
I walked up to the stallion, running a hand along its smooth coat. It snorted softly but didn't shy away.
"He's a fine horse," I said, genuinely impressed.
"Strong, obedient, and trained for merchant work. He won't spook easily," Marlon assured me. "The carriage is reinforced too—stronger than the average merchant cart. Perfect for carrying large loads."
Elvie whistled. "You're really moving up in the world, Dirk."
Igor patted my back. "Told you, you'd need a bigger setup."