Mixed Blessing System

After a few moments, Lothur's group left the former estate in a Herrmann family carriage.

"Miss Herrmann, what is your name?" Elke smiled at the young woman in front of her.

Realizing that she had not introduced herself earlier, the black-haired girl blushed and replied. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier. My name is Natascha Herrmann, and you?"

"That one next to me is Lothur, and I am Elke." She said, without specifying which family she or her lover came from, to avoid problems related to their pasts.

As the two chatted about ordinary things, Jacob then said to Lothur. "Why don't you and Elke stop by my estate today or tomorrow?"

"After I returned from my last stint in Peters City, my father was pleased with my results. When I mentioned you, he told me I should invite you to dinner if the opportunity arose."

"Is that so?" Lothur looked at him interestedly. "You said your father has a store in this place, right?"

"Yes, we sell all kinds of resources. From food to basic materials used in common activities." Jacob said proudly.

His family was not much compared to the high-level powers of Peters City, but in Lewerenz, they were considered wealthy. In this way, this young man was proud of his position.

"Interesting..."

"What would be the chance for your father to do business with me, Jacob? I believe I have some products that have the potential to be sold in places like your father's."

Hearing this and remembering Lothur's abilities, Jacob did not doubt that the fellow in front of him might have some exciting things.

"I can't speak for my father, but if these products are good for mortals, the main audience of my father's store, then it's not impossible. But you would have to talk to him since I don't get involved in family affairs yet." He was sincere.

Listening to the conversation next to her, Natascha then asked in interest. "What kind of product do you want to do business with?"

Lothur looked at the black-haired young woman and said. "For the moment, I only have the designs of my products, so I am just prospecting potential allies and future clients."

​ "But these products are about tools for mortals, which have the potential to increase the efficiency of certain activities. For example, I have a glove that can increase the strength of the one who uses it."

"I also have plans for a vehicle that can turn over the soil of dozens of acres using just one farmer."

"Oh? That's really interesting!" She and Jacob simultaneously said while Elke looked at Lothur, trying to understand his strategy.

'Isn't he trying to do business with my family? What is the need to involve other people in this?' She wondered.

Natascha then commented. "Lothur, my family is also involved in agriculture. So, we will definitely be interested if your product becomes real!"

"Really?" He laughed. "Do you have a contact in Peters City?"

"I do. My family sends food there three times a month."

Lothur thought of something and looked at Jacob. "I already know where this fellow's father's carriage passes in Peters City. So, when I'm ready to present my product, I'll send a message through him. Then, you can send your people in Peters City to talk to me."

Jacob smiled upon hearing this, once again grateful that Lothur involved him in this. "Don't worry, Miss Herrmann. I will pass Lothur's message to you when he makes contact."

"Hmmm." She nodded in agreement with those arrangements. "What about your other products? Is there anything you can introduce to us right away?"

"For now, I only have the glove I spoke of. Unfortunately, I can't sell it right now due to a contract, but I can show it to you." Lothur picked up such a thing from his spatial ring.

After seeing that, the three people inside that carriage with Lothur and Elke looked at it curiously, each of them trying on this glove.

"That's unlike any other glove I've ever seen," Jacob commented, looking at the item in his hands. "Normally, gloves are only used as thermal protection or against unwanted substances."

"I've never seen one that has such unusual features before..."

Jacob was the son of a merchant. So, besides having the experience of having already come into contact with many types of products, he also had a higher analytical ability than the two at his side.

"Lothur, I think you should talk about this with my father! Maybe he will be interested."

Lothur then pondered what he should do. 'Well, if these people like this glove, I will already have gotten my target audience. After that, I'll just have to find a group willing to produce it for me...'

After this brief conversation, it was agreed that Lothur would go to Jacob's house on Sunday evening.

So, they arrived at one of the Herrmann family's properties that had been suffering the most from the strange phenomenon that had recently appeared in this area.

That place was a large warehouse for agricultural materials, where the family's workers passed before heading to the fields.

As they walked through the interior of this property, Lothur and Elke soon noticed the many cracked walls, the result of such a phenomenon.

Natascha began to explain. "The phenomenon that has been hitting us started a week ago. At first, we only felt slight earthquakes every 12 hours."

"But this was accelerating, and on the third day of the phenomenon, in addition to the earthquakes every 3 hours, we began to feel an energy pulse once a day."

"This energy pulse affects the minds of mortals, making them feel sick and get tired. But on the other hand, these pulses coupled with the tremors create stress points in the structure of the buildings, generating this problem that you can see."

"Hmm..." Elke nodded as she looked at a crack that could easily fit a grown man's hand.

Natascha continued. "The main problem is that the pulses interfere with the formations of our properties, preventing them from protecting the buildings from both tremors, criminals, etc."

"Since these effects have been appearing at every hour of the day, we are left unprotected many times of the day..."

"So, that's it..." Lothur understood why such a phenomenon was so damaging.

Formations could protect the integrity of structures from earthquakes. But without these items working, this family was bound to pay dearly for such a phenomenon.

He then said. "Well, we will stay in this place until this phenomenon appears again. Then, when it does, we will begin our investigation."

"Then I'll leave you here. But if you have any questions, just ask someone to call me. I'll come right away." Natascha told before saying goodbye to Lothur and Elke.

Jacob also said goodbye soon after, following the girl he was in love with.

"Why did you offer your products to them?" Elke asked right after she and Lothur were alone, "Aren't you already engaged to my family?"

Lothur laughed upon hearing Elke. "I need consumers, potential partners, potential workers who will produce my items for me. Do you think your family will do all this on their own?"

"That..."

"I don't know who your family will be regarding that, nor what position the families of these two can take me. So, I can't miss opportunities that come along."

"In any case, I may eventually have many partners. But no rule says my business will go wrong because I've made deals with two, three, in short, 'n' families, Elke." He took one of her hands.

"I see... I thought you were disregarding the conversation with my parents." She sighed in relief.

A light shone in Lothur's eyes, and he took advantage of the subject to learn more about House Becker. "Speaking of business, what exactly does your family do? I have some basic information, but nothing that can help me understand how we will make our partnership work better."

"Oh? Are you curious?" She smiled.

"Sure, in the future, won't I lead your family?" He spoke into one of her ears, making her blush at the thought of marrying him.

'You probably won't, but maybe our children...' She thought silently.

She then answered his question. "Well, my family is involved in mining. So, we also get involved with producing items that use metals."

"For example, we have a partnership with the Peters City Blacksmith Guild. Besides, there are several people in that profession in my family. We also have some businesses related to the production of small ships and everyday items."

"So your family does that, huh? Does the Frost family also engage in those same markets as your house?" He asked in doubt.

Even though he was the son-in-law of the Frost family, he knew less about his family than Elke, the daughter of a competing power.

"As far as I know, other than precious metal mining, the Frost family does not engage in any other industries that are competitors to ours."

"For example, your wife's family is involved in producing large ships and metal bars for building construction, among other things. But this family of yours engages in several other things besides mining. That is why it is one of the largest families in the province."

'That's another reason for so many enemies target them...' Lothur pondered this in silence, storing that information in his heart.

As he was doing that, suddenly, the place began to shake.

"The phenomenon is starting!" As a result, several workers in that warehouse began to run.

...