Chapter 1996: Buying Half A Street
Rodu was a magnificent city and the largest on the Norland Continent.
After the racial war, the Roth Empire built this huge city between the ruins and the wasteland. Crisscrossing straight boulevards cut the city into dozens of city squares equal in size, and the palace was situated right in the center of the city. Its layout was similar to Chang’an during the Tang Dynasty.
However, there were no walls between these squares, and their functions weren’t drawn out reasonably. Apart from the few areas where the rich and powerful lived, the other places looked a little messy.
Romo Street was a food street near the palace and all government agencies’ offices. However, it was also rather miserable to describe it as a food street when it had just a few scattered restaurants and taverns.
A rotund boss stood in front of the restaurant’s door with his back leaning against the door’s pillar, yawning, and said, “The lords didn’t come and eat recently. Our business is bad.”
“Don’t talk about that. I heard something huge happened at the court recently, and all the lords are terrified. How can they be in the mood to come and eat? They don’t even come to drink.” The seductive lady boss of the tavern next door took a puff of white smoke from a silver tobacco pipe, and then blew the white smoke out with a glazed gaze.
“Isn’t it so? This year’s business is bad. The tavern next door has switched hands again. Is that already the fifth owner?”
“It’s all because of those newly opened restaurants, taverns, and brothels on Lambay Street that lured all the lords away. If this goes on, our Romo Street will be over.”
The bosses of the other shops came out to vent their frustrations too. Business was bad, and the bosses were worried, but they couldn’t do anything about it.
Not too far away, two people walked over slowly.
“Mr. Hades, Lambay Street is the most popular in this area. Its location and business atmosphere are the best too. Especially in these two years, Lambay Street has become the first choice for the lords in the court for entertainment. Are you really not going to consider those several shops that you saw earlier?” An agent with a beard strongly encouraged Mag, who had disguised himself.
“The location is good, but the layout and size are not what I require,” Mag rejected calmly.
Mag began to look for the shop to establish the tavern in as soon as they arrived in Rodu.
They didn’t really come to set up a shop here. Their most important objective was to look for Josh and gather information, so Mag chose the area where the court officials gathered.
If Josh returned to Rodu, he wouldn’t continue to stir trouble after his first plan failed.
Compared to the ordinary citizens, it would be easier to create bigger trouble when he targeted the court officials.
Moreover, judging from the methods he used to control the military and start the war, he might have more hidden methods.
Let the professionals do what they are good at. Mag immediately went to an agency, and began looking at shops.
Lambay Street was indeed very boisterous, but it was also eliminated by Mag because it was too boisterous. In contrast, Romo Street behind Lambay Street was much quieter, and there were more shop choices. Mag was satisfied with it.
Seeing that Mag was indeed not interested, that agent stopped promoting the shops on Lambay Street. He switched his focus, and smilingly said, “This is Romo Street, which is also a very famous food street in this vicinity. There are a lot of restaurants and taverns on this street…”
Mag listened to his introduction, and nodded every now and then to indicate that he was indeed listening while his gaze was sweeping the shops on the street.
He could see that it had indeed been prosperous before. Yes, in the past.
There were many shops on both sides of the streets that were closed or being let out, and it was obvious that there was no one to take over them for a long time.
Meanwhile, the bosses and employees were chatting and sunning themselves at the doors of those shops that were still open.
Judging from the employees’ relaxed attitude and the bosses’ ill-concealed worried looks, the business atmosphere here had deteriorated to the point where it was already very difficult to continue their operation.
“See, Big Head is bringing another idiot here to look at the shops. I wonder if he will be swindled.” The tavern’s lady boss looked at Mag with a glazed gaze and a mocking smile.
“Look at his silly look, and you know he is a noob. He will definitely pay in a hurry as long as you say some flattering words to him, and he will get himself in deep trouble from that point onwards.”
“Hehe. We’ll have another buddy-in-trouble soon.”
All the bosses were also looking at Mag laughingly. Although there was a hint of schadenfreude, they didn’t have too much malice.
“Mr. Mag, there is a tavern looking for a new owner in front. Let’s go over there to check it out. The furnishing and layout fit your requirements perfectly.” Fitch, the agent, brought Mag to a nearby shop that was named “Linxe Tavern.”
Mag stood at the door and looked in. It was a two-story building; it was tall enough, and it had some space between it and the shops at its side.
Its signboard and the rest were all very ordinary. Of course, all this was not important to Mag.
“Business was excellent for this tavern, but something happened to the boss at home, and he couldn’t carry on with the business, so he had to give up the tavern. If you want, you can simply buy it right away and do a simple renovation. Your business will definitely thrive.” As Fitch spoke, he took out the key, and opened the door. It had been a long time since a shop had been rented or sold on Romo Street. More and more businesses had moved out from here, and Romo Street became more and more quiet. He was simply trying to promote it to Mag.
As long as he wasn’t a noob, he wouldn’t come to rent or buy a shop at a place like this.
Of course, Mr. Hades looked rather noobish, so Fitch decided to try and see if he could make his first business deal this month.
“Mm-hmm.” Mag let him boast, and only gave him a courtesy reply. One couldn’t even trust the punctuation marks in a property agent’s words.
Pushing the doors open, they saw an ordinary tavern. The tables and chairs were casually laid around. There were a few empty liquor bottles on the shelves. It had nothing special, but it had nothing particularly bad, either.
Of course, being ordinary was a restaurant’s original sin.
Mag scanned around before turning to Fitch, who was about to continue his recommendation, and said, “This one will do. Get the owner here to discuss the price.”
“Huh?”
Fitch was stunned, but he quickly regained his wits, and said with uncertainty, “Mr. Hades, do you mean you want to buy this shop?”
“Yes, I think it’s very appropriate.” Mag nodded.
“A-alright. Please give me a moment, I will go get this shop’s owner right now. We can get the contract done today.” Fitch tried his best to control his expression, and quickly used his sleeve to wipe clean a stool. He invited Mag to have a seat, and then swiftly strode out of the door.
I didn’t expect to really meet a fool! Fitch was ecstatic. As an agent trainee who had been practicing for two and half years, he still hadn’t gotten the grasp of the golden lying skills in the agents’ world. His deals were all closed based on luck.
This customer didn’t seem to know the trade very well, yet he was extremely picky. He belonged to the difficult to handle type.
Even though the shops on Romo Street weren’t as expensive as the shops on Lambay Street, they weren’t cheap, either. The commission could last him half a year..