Chương 77: Corporate Offer

"Justin Burnstock?" A young male dwarf with a thin, well-groomed beard approached me in the lobby of the training hall as Healer Melon and I left for the day.

"My apologies for the sudden appearance, but my letters requesting a meeting have gone unanswered. I am Rumbar Oakshield, Senior Director of Strategic Planning at Oakshield Corporation."

"There have been requests for meetings, but they have all been declined as per your instructions," Healer Melon said, and I nodded.

"I am not interested in getting involved in local politics or anything similar." I didn't want to get caught up in any drama. Driving was okay, but Dwarven politics were completely different. It was difficult enough to understand human politics, and it was simpler with nobility. The dwarves had councils and corporations, which made their political structure a twisted web.

"Then perhaps dinner? The Chef's Pinnacle is the best restaurant in the city, and I have an open reservation tonight. You don't have to accept my request; I just ask you to hear me out." We were just planning to go back to the inn tonight.

"I am not suitably attired," I replied, since I was wearing training clothes. Not official business clothes for a meal in a fancy restaurant.

"I am happy to take you back to your inn if you wish. You can decide if you want to hear my proposal over dinner," he said, not giving up. I had to give this Rumbar Oakshield credit for being persistent.

"You have to drive back to my inn to talk with me." Since he made this much effort, I would accept him.

"Thank you for your valuable time, but I am sure you will be interested in what I offer you," he said with a smile. We left the training hall and got into a magical carriage that had a driver already inside. We took a seat in the back, which was completely separated from the front. It was the carriage type I had seen human nobility use and used myself in the past.

"Oakshield Corporation specializes in high-volume, low-tier adventurer equipment. We are looking to launch several new products in the coming year, targeting various markets in various human kingdoms. We want you to become our new model for advertising this product launch."

"Why me?" I asked while trying to understand precisely what he wanted from me.

"I can see you value honesty. Your mother is quite famous, but her equipment is all custom-made. But our merchandise at Oakshield is for new adventurers, targeting the Tier 1 and Tier 2 equipment market. Specifically, we also handle headwear, armor, boots, and combat gloves for adventuring. Adventurers could fully gear themselves with our equipment at that tier in terms of armor. I nodded along as the magical carriage drove Healer Melon and me back to our inn.

"You would use our equipment for the next twenty years for one thousand gold. We would create a drawing of your image and use your name and appearance in our marketing."

"And that would make a difference for you?" I asked, skeptical of his claims. This seemed like a scam to tarnish my name and reputation.

"Marketing and Advertising are skills. They are about selling goods. And you are quite famous among adventurers, the only child of Supreme Warlady Elena and a starting adventurer yourself. Our marketing line would be 'If the Oakshield gear is good enough for Justin Burnstock, it is good enough for you'. We already have a contract in place with the Adventurer's Guild."

"And you want to give me a thousand gold for this?" I said with skepticism, since it felt low for twenty years. I had nothing to compare this offer to besides the amount of money itself.

"Yes," he replied with a solid nod of his head.

"You know my mother wouldn't endorse your corporation at all." Trying to get to my mother through me would only end in tears and death. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

"Of course. The deal is for you. Your mother's gear is not our market segment. Anything Tier 3 and higher is custom-made. We don't compete in that market segment. Only lower-tier equipment."

"Not weapons?"

"We do that as well, but adventurers are quite picky about such equipment. And you clearly have a well-crafted blade of your own."

"What do you think?" I asked Healer Melon.

"It's a lot of money, but also not that much to commit to this," he replied.

"The thing is, no one has done something like this before. While we call adventurers over level 100 legends, translating that fame into money isn't simple. Your mother is very famous, but she could make a lot of money by endorsing a product."

"She would say it is a waste of time, and she can make far more money fighting in the dungeon."

"Of course. Of course. Ah, but you would get all the Tier 1 and Tier 2 equipment you need from us as part of the deal." That made it more tempting, but I did not know how valuable my image or endorsement would be. The entire deal seemed like some scam. People made goods, and others purchased them. Advertising? Marketing? The magical carriage came to a stop at the inn.

"I am going to have to-""Before you decide, perhaps dinner would be a good idea? My treat," he said. I was about to decline, since I understood nothing about this at all. Getting caught up with a Dwarven Corporation seemed like a bad idea.

"You really are persistent," I replied as I opened the door.

"My apologies if I am rude, but I see the opportunity to make lots of money together."

"I will get changed, then I will have some very pointed questions over dinner," I replied with a sigh.

"Of course. I am happy to answer any questions you might have to put your mind at ease." I went into the inn and to my room. Sharing a room meant Healer Melon and I took turns changing after each other. I didn't arrange anything formal, as Dwarven and human styles diverged. They chose to display wealth with gemstones over colorful, close-fitting clothes. I selected an adventurer's outfit for occasions like this.

It wasn't Tier 1, compared to my usual equipment, yet I could wear it while socializing as a beginner adventurer. The new gear was something I purchased in Undercraft. It was martial for a dinner, but that was the purpose of the meeting. I was going as an adventurer, not as a noble. I also took more pride in my combat skills than in my noble background. Healer Melon wore fancy white robes with gold stitching instead of his usual gray ones. We returned to the magical carriage and departed with Rumbar Oakshield.

The restaurant was close to the city center and the training hall. After we ordered, I spoke up because Rumbar had been quiet.

"My reputation is important to me. Once it is ruined, it is challenging to get back. I am also concerned that you are trying to use my name to capitalize on my mother's fame."

"Those are very valid concerns. We are looking to associate you with our gear. Instead of wearing what you are wearing right now, you would wear Oakshield products unless you had Tier 3 gear to replace them with. As for your mother, I won't lie, that is why you are famous in adventurer circles. Most only know you by name when discussing your mother."

"The problem is that you want to involve me in something I don't understand or the political ramifications. Dwarven politics are exceedingly complicated because of your various councils. If I support Oakshield, then another corporation could become upset with me. I prefer not to make enemies."

"We compete in business, not fighting. That is the dwarven policy for corporations. While we aren't helpless, everyone plays within the rules. We are about making money."

"And if I sign up, you can use my mother's name when discussing certain things. I am not ignorant or naïve. Just by associating with me, you are looking to use my mother's fame."

"That is a major part of why we are offering you this deal. There are no other young adventurers as famous as you. You are also a long-term investment by us to build up our brand awareness." They paused the conversation for a moment while the server brought out hearty steaks.

"I feel like I am in the dungeon, and I don't understand the environment before me. While learning about the unknown and braving it are important, it's equally important not to put myself in a disadvantageous position unnecessarily. I don't see how I can endorse a dwarven corporation without understanding the risks involved." I was ignorant about quite a bit, but I knew when to step back. A thousand gold might sound like a lot. But I had seen Oakshield tier 1 equipment.

It was high quality, and each tier 1 piece sold for 1 to 2 gold. There were millions of adventurers. Offering me a thousand gold for twenty years was a complete scam. Sure, there were manufacturing and transportation costs, but I knew that Oakshield would make a lot of money. They had their gear even in Burnstock's Adventurer's Guild, marketed as dwarven craftsmanship. Although I was uncertain of my fame, everyone knew my mother's name.

Rumbar Oakshield should have offered a percentage of sales, a shorter time frame, or better terms if he was being serious instead of trying to scam me. I would enjoy the well-cooked dinner from a professional, but I would not agree with anything. He was probably a low-ranked employee trying to make a big splash in the corporation where he worked. While his last name was Oakshield, that meant nothing.

I knew enough about dwarven culture to know they would change their last names to match the corporation they worked for to show loyalty. It wasn't like human nobility. Looking at the clothing Rumbar was wearing, it was decent but not overly impressive. The number of gemstones wasn't that great, and they were of lower quality. I might not be a gem appraiser, but I wasn't ignorant. I would enjoy the meal, but I planned to politely decline the insultingly low offer, which had hidden strings attached.