Lord of Rot

Leech was in the carpenter’s workshop, sitting on a chair. In front of him were more than thirty boxes.

With the surge in apprentices of all kinds, Leech hadn’t yet managed to replicate a lathe that would let the carpenters experience the convenience of semi-mechanized production. Still, the ever-increasing workload provided plenty of jobs, and the number of apprentice carpenters grew and grew.

From farm tools and two-wheeled carts to cabinets, tables, beds, and even home construction, no part of it could be done without carpenters.

As the work increased, they had no choice but to recruit apprentices. Naturally, this led to the creation of a large-scale carpenter’s workshop. In terms of manpower, it was only slightly smaller than the blacksmith’s factory and the masons’ construction teams, but its numbers were still on the rise.

The carpenters stood in a row, quietly waiting for their Lord to speak.

Leech picked up a box.

It was an exquisite wooden box with impeccable workmanship.

Each box was subtly different. After all, people weren’t machines and couldn’t produce completely identical items. This slight variation, in turn, satisfied the nobles’ vanity.

”Hmm,” he pondered for a moment before saying, ”This compartment inside, make it with a grated bottom that allows water to drain. This will ensure that after a bath, the water on the soap bar drips away instead of letting the soap sit in a puddle.”

The carpenters had never seen soap before, of course. They only knew it was a luxury item that only nobles could use, so they nodded repeatedly and took note.

Success hinged on the small details; he had to capture the customers’ hearts.

”Also, make another small box,” Leech said. ”It should have plenty of latticed holes to let the fragrance out. It can be placed in restrooms, shoe cabinets, and other places to eliminate odors.”

”So, it’s one large wooden box containing two smaller ones,” Leech said, pointing at the box. ”One for deodorizing and adding fragrance, and one for keeping the soap dry.”

The carpenters nodded.

They just had to follow the instructions.

”That’s all for now,” Leech said. ”I’ll add more requirements later if I have any. But don’t worry about the ones you’ve already made being wasted. We’ll just sell them as a normal product iteration.”

”Yes, sir!” the carpenters nodded immediately. As long as what they made could be sold for money, they were happy.

Every approved wooden box design would make money. A rejected one wouldn’t earn a single copper star.

Making soap boxes was meticulous work that strained the eyes, but it wasn’t physically demanding. It paid well, and even the junior apprentices could do it.

However, the requirements Leech had just mentioned couldn’t be applied to the first batch of gifts being sent out.

Leech thought to himself, ’I’m being so conscientious. Is a price of 30 Silver Moons too cheap?’

These little tricks were all things he’d learned and refined over time.

Do nobles pay for the intrinsic value of an object? No, they’re paying for status, for service, and for thoughtfulness.

Soldiers in training acted as ”messengers,” riding off on horseback. A pair of them headed for Roaring Castle in East Port, tasked with the sole purpose of delivering a box of soap to Miss Red Rose. Leech hoped this would help open up some new markets.

East Port had the largest harbor in the entire Eastern Gorge. It lacked nothing, with goods from all over the world. The daily turnover was probably in the thousands of Jinri. If he could use the soap to attract the attention of even a small group of nobles and, along the way, sell Porcupine Territory’s strong spirits, honey, and other products, the speed at which he’d make money would definitely outpace the speed at which he spent it.

Another group of Soldiers followed Leech and the merchant caravan, leaving Porcupine Territory together.

This time, Joel would be taking an abundance of goods, hoping to attract some people in his maternal grandfather’s Linta Bay. On the bright side, perhaps Porcupine Territory’s honey had already drawn the interest of merchants.

As for Leech himself... his party now included two armored soldiers who gave off a strange smell. Their faces were also covered, making them very mysterious.

Their figures suggested they were women, but no one asked who they were. Everyone remembered a rumor about their Lord: that he possessed a powerful private army.

Porcupine Territory’s caravans were traveling frequently, and the rest stops along the roads were starting to take shape.

After a day of travel, they finally reached a rest stop just as night fell.

The two Corpse Ghosts followed behind Leech.

’The maximum time they can resist decay is about ten days.’ Aina had lasted for the better part of a month in the Fishman caverns without the help of Magic Antiseptic, but she was an Extraordinary Corpse Ghost. An ordinary corpse was... well, a corpse. The cold weather helped, but as soon as it got warm, maggots would breed, and it would be covered in them within three to five days. He could soak them in the antiseptic in Iron Stone City before heading to Longship Castle. There would definitely be enough time.

Leech sat by the carriage. The Red-haired Earthling stood vacantly to the side, completely still. She didn’t need to sleep, but she also had no curiosity.

Aina didn’t speak either, because she and Leech had a more profound way of communicating: telepathy.

「The next morning, they ate breakfast and set out.」

After leaving Pig Spine Valley, they finally saw a massive town.

The group was to part ways here. Joel would lead the caravan and Soldiers to Green Forest Castle in Linta Bay.

The remaining few Soldiers, two retainers, and the two Corpse Ghosts would accompany Leech to Iron Stone City.

「At their lodging in Iron Stone City, the retainers stood guard outside the door.」

Inside the room were only Leech and the two Corpse Ghosts.

Leech quickly crushed the herbs to prepare the antiseptic.

He was already well-practiced in making it.

”Go ahead and take off your clothes. Soak for a while,” he said, glancing back.

Aina and the Red-haired Earthling were already completely naked. One large and one small, they were entirely unconcerned by Leech’s gaze.

Aina’s wounds, healed by gold stitching, had left behind pale golden lines that resembled a complex totem.

Leech’s gaze toward them was also completely normal.

’They’re literally two corpses. How could it be anything but normal? Though they haven’t started to rot and look quite fresh... they even jiggle when they walk.’

After instructing the two Corpse Ghosts to contact him if any problems arose, Leech got up and left.

Having arrived in Iron Stone City, he naturally had to go ”strengthen relations” with his business partner first. Besides, he had brought a specialty product from Porcupine Territory.

Having not seen her for over half a year, Becky Simon had grown even more beautiful and alluring.

She exuded a fatal charm.

Standing behind Leech, Little Joel subconsciously gulped.

Becky Simon let out a soft chuckle. No matter how much Leech disliked her, he couldn’t help but praise her inwardly, ’She’s a beautiful poppy.’

”Please excuse his behavior,” Leech said, shooting Little Joel a glare. He inwardly resolved never to bring this sheltered kid out with him again.

’Look at Ken beside him. Knowing he shouldn’t stare, he’d immediately turned his head to the side.’

’It’s just a dress that looks like it’s made of sheer fabric.’

’Gauze covering grapes.’

’Barely visible, yet tantalizing.’

’Is that all it is? Is it really such a big deal? So inexperienced!’

Leech picked up the wine glass from the table and took a sip to wet his slightly dry throat.

Becky Simon’s smile vanished. She looked at the box in front of him. ”And this is?”

”Soap,” Leech said, pushing the exquisite wooden box toward Becky. ”Porcupine Brand soap. It has a rich floral scent. After bathing, not only will your skin not feel dry, but your body will retain the fragrance.”

Becky’s eyes lit up. A new product.

She hadn’t been able to get her hands on the honey trade, and the supply of Little Pills from Porcupine Castle was dwindling. If she could get in on the soap collaboration...

She opened the box.

Lifting the lid of the exquisite wooden box revealed a meticulously carved, palm-sized bar of soap.

Opening a gift in front of the giver was a matter of etiquette.

With her right hand, Becky swept her long hair over her shoulder and leaned forward. The sheer fabric was no match for her heavy bust, and the plunging curve of her cleavage made Leech immediately look away. After his last trial against this ’weakness,’ Leech knew he really couldn’t overcome it.

She lowered her head and gently sniffed the soap on the table, a smile gracing her lips. ”It’s very fragrant.”

But to the three men, her posture was just like that of a seductive siren.

”My dear Leech,” she said, closing the lid of the wooden box with a smile. ”Do you plan to sell this soap in Iron Stone City?”

’Iron Stone City?’

’This is a man’s world. Who would I sell soap to here?’

’Those stinking men would only demand that the ladies in the brothels smell a little better. The women earn a pittance; even if I sold it for 1 Silver Moon, they’d probably be reluctant to buy it.’

’At most, some noble ladies and misses might buy a little. But my goal is to sell Porcupine Brand across the entire continent. First, I need to make a name for it, then make all the noblewomen fall in love with Porcupine Brand.’

”The process of making this soap is extremely difficult, and the cost is high,” Leech said, shaking his head with a sigh. ”Even if I wanted to sell it as a commercial product, the steep price would deter people. It’s only suitable for nobles of distinguished status who aren’t concerned with the cost.”

”How high is the cost?” Becky couldn’t help but ask.

Leech held up three fingers, his expression grave. ”30 Silver Moons! And that’s just the cost price!”