Become A Profiteer In Isekai

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Magic Dullard

Five minutes later, Lu Wei, forcing a smile, and the deeply grateful Furen came to an agreement.

The latter would hire him as a ”Wilderness Survival Instructor” at a price of 40 Copper Coins per day.

The term was tentatively set for ten days, and could be extended if Furen felt he needed further lessons.

Furen was very satisfied with this price.

And although Lu Wei was turning a profit, he felt incredibly wronged, as if he’d been completely ripped off.

But what was done was done. Trying to raise the price now would be too unreasonable, so he could only chalk up this loss as an ”investment in goodwill.”

”To survive in the wild, the most important things are to find food and to hide yourself.”

”However, considering your situation, I think we should start with basic knowledge like how to tell direction in a forest.”

”As for that, looking at the sun is the simplest solution. But if you’re in a place where you can’t see the sky, you’ll need a few other tricks...”

To his credit, Lu Wei did have a sense of professionalism.

Seeing Furen’s thirst for knowledge, he quickly got into his role. While eating the roasted pheasant, he began the first lesson: how to tell direction in the wild.

”So, what are these tricks?”

Beside him, Furen humbly asked for guidance, ”I’ve heard that you can apparently judge direction based on the density of a tree’s rings, or by an ant’s nest.”

”Those certainly work, but they’re far too much trouble.”

Lu Wei shook his head. ”We aren’t naturalists. We just need to know one or two of the simplest, most practical tricks.”

’He’s absolutely right!’

’Just what you’d expect from an experienced local!’

’He got to the heart of wilderness survival right away!’

Furen nodded repeatedly, his expression growing even more serious. It looked like he was about to take out a notebook and start taking notes.

As for Lu Wei, he unhurriedly swallowed the mouthful of chicken, then continued under Furen’s expectant gaze:

”So, my advice is...”

”Buy a compass.”

...

...

To be honest, if Lu Wei had pulled a Compass out of his bag to sell to Furen right then, it would have been checkmate.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a Compass among the goods Old Yor had sold him on credit.

There was, however, a Monocular Telescope.

Lu Wei was very confident he could sell it to Furen during the next lesson on ”Reconnaissance and Counter-Reconnaissance.”

”Alright, let’s head back to town.”

Half an hour later, the roasted chicken was gone, and the first lesson came to a successful conclusion.

Still eager to get back and sell the Silk Gland, Lu Wei glanced at the setting sun and decided to head back.

Furen, of course, had no objections. He even took the initiative to bury the leftover bones from their meal.

The reason, without a doubt, wasn’t ”environmentalism.”

After all, such a topic was far too advanced for this world’s level of civilization.

So it was probably a habitual behavior.

Ahem, that’s ’habitual,’ behavior.

Not ’habit,’ sexual behavior.

The way the phrase is broken up isn’t important. In any case, unlike ordinary farming families, great families with crests tend to place great importance on their descendants’ upbringing, and thus have a great many rules.

For instance, strict dress codes, etiquette for forms of address, and curfews with set schedules.

Or, for another example, praying before meals.

Or covering it with plant ash after relieving oneself.

So it was probably an occupational hazard for him...

”By the way, are you a nobleman?”

Watching Furen finish burying the bones, Lu Wei suddenly asked with some curiosity, ”Since you have a family crest, you must be, right?”

”Well...”

Furen was taken aback for a moment, a hint of avoidance flashing in his eyes, and admitted in a small voice, ”Yes, my father... he’s a Viscount.”

’A Viscount.’

’Setting aside Knights, who are between nobles and commoners, that’s the second-lowest rank among the low-ranking nobility.’

’They’re usually a Count’s vassals and don’t have their own fiefdom. They can often only help the Count manage a small village or a particular industry.’

’And since they have no land, they have no fixed tax revenue.’

’So the power and wealth they hold can vary greatly.’

’If they do well, they can easily amass an immense fortune.’

’But if they don’t do well...’

’In my previous life, that Don Quixote guy who fought windmills was an impoverished Viscount or a Baron, I think.’

”May he live a long and healthy life.”

Glancing at the somewhat dejected Furen, Lu Wei didn’t press the topic further and instead asked, feigning casualness:

”Since you’re a nobleman, you must have seen Professionals before, right?”

”Of course!”

As soon as this was mentioned, Furen immediately perked up. ”My father’s Guard Captain is a Warrior, and he even taught me a Combat Skill!”

”Is that so? No wonder you could kill a Brown Bear all by yourself.”

Lu Wei deliberately acted very surprised. ”So what Combat Skill was it?”

”Jump Slash!”

Furen straightened his back quite proudly. ”It only took me three years of practice to master it!”

’Hm?’

’Only three years?’

Lu Wei was stunned. This time, he was genuinely surprised.

’Because from Furen’s proud expression, it wasn’t hard to tell that ”mastering a Combat Skill in three years” was at least an above-average level.’

’And Jump Slash is just a Universal Skill.’

’If it were a more difficult Professional Skill, it would surely take even longer—at least five years, I’d imagine.’

’Wait, then aren’t I screwed??’

’Five years for just one... when in the hell will I ever learn three Professional Skills??’

For a moment, Lu Wei felt as if he’d been struck by a heavy blow, and his future suddenly seemed bleak.

But then, he realized something.

”What about Skill Books? I’ve heard it’s much faster to learn through a Skill Book.”

”It is much faster, but Skill Books are too expensive.”

Furen shook his head. ”Anyway, in Kalin Port, the cheapest Skill Books cost five or six Gold Coins... and those are for non-combat types like Beast Taming, Lock Picking, and Disguise.”

”A combat-type Skill Book like Jump Slash costs about double that.”

’Double that... so ten Gold Coins.’

’Phew, that’s a relief...’

Hearing the price, Lu Wei breathed a small sigh of relief and continued to ask:

”What about Professional Skills?”

”Professional Skills?”

Furen looked over, a bit confused. ”Only a Professional of the corresponding Profession can learn a Professional Skill. Ordinary people can’t learn them, even with the Skill Book.”

’Who are you calling ordinary?’

’Standing before you is the owner of the one and only special Profession: ”Crafty Merchant”!’

Lu Wei gave a dry cough. ”Ahem, I was just a little curious. Just asking.”

”Oh, oh, but I really don’t know about that.”

Furen scratched his head. ”After all, Professionals just buy their Skill Books directly from the Professional Association, and ordinary people don’t have a need for them.”

”At least, I’ve never seen one on the market in Kalin Port.”

”Maybe the Black Market has them, but I’m not really sure.”

’Well, it looks like this is a dead end.’

’I’ll have to make a trip to Kalin Port myself.’

”Mm.”

Lu Wei nodded, not in too much of a hurry about the matter.

In any case, his current Attributes were far higher than an ordinary person’s. As long as he was cautious and didn’t go looking for trouble, he was equipped to avoid and handle most of the dangers he might currently face.

”So why don’t you just buy a Skill Book?”

Setting the Skill Book issue aside for the moment, Lu Wei was a bit puzzled by Furen’s ”taking the long way around.”

”Other people might not be able to afford it, but ten Gold Coins shouldn’t be too much for you, right?”

”Compared to spending three years learning one Combat Skill, wouldn’t it be a much better deal to just buy the Skill Book?”

”Er, well...”

The sun had lost its midday sharpness, slanting through the layered branches of oaks and firs to cast countless dancing spots of light on the forest path.

The wind stirred his blond hair. Furen lowered his head, subconsciously rubbing the calluses on his knuckles.

It was obviously not a difficult question to answer, but he remained silent for a long time.

Then, he silently clenched his fist, raised his head, and answered, his voice laced with a mix of resentment and bitterness:

”Because I’m a Magic Dullard.”

”...”

Ahead, the straight forest path widened slightly, and it seemed as if they could already see the outline of wheat fields at its end.

A small lizard scurried past their feet, then vanished into the grass.

The surroundings seemed to suddenly grow quiet, with only the rustling of the wind through the treetops echoing in their ears.

Looking at Furen’s dejected expression, Lu Wei also fell silent.

After a moment, he asked, ”So... what’s a Magic Dullard?”