Chapter 191: Buying Land (7)

"May I ask the purpose of buying this land?" Demeter asked, her curiosity piqued.

Renata sensed a subtle shift in the goddess's demeanor. 

"We'll need some rare medicinal herbs for a potion we plan to release soon. These herbs are difficult to source, so we're thinking of growing them ourselves."

Knowing gods could see through lies, Renata had carefully prepared for this meeting. She mixed truth with misdirection—a blend of honesty and concealment. She did, indeed, intend to cultivate rare medicinal plants, though the land might serve other purposes as well.

"If it's just for medicinal herbs, my family could handle that for you. We have considerable expertise in cultivation," Demeter suggested, squinting slightly as she studied Renata's expression.

Renata's words carried no trace of deceit, but Demeter could sense there was more to her intentions.

"I understand, but unfortunately, this involves family secrets, so we must handle it ourselves," Renata said firmly, meeting Demeter's gaze without a flicker of doubt.

Such a shrewd one, Demeter thought. 

"If only you were a part of my familia," Demeter sighed wistfully.

From the first moment she met Renata, Demeter knew she possessed remarkable business acumen. Since then, the Janna family's rapid growth had only affirmed her judgment. Across Orario, few could rival Renata's savvy.

But good talent, unfortunately, belonged to another familia.

"Still, I have no intention of selling the farmland," Demeter replied with a polite smile. While selling would bring in a hefty sum, it paled next to the monopoly her family held over Orario's agricultural lands.

After all, monopolies were the most profitable ventures.

Besides, the Demeter family had no shortage of funds from its agricultural holdings.

"If your concern is that we'll compete with the Demeter family, we could include a clause in the agreement stating that any crops grown on the land would be strictly for internal use," Renata offered quickly, intuiting Demeter's hesitation.

This softened Demeter's stance somewhat. If the Janna familia's crops were for private use only, her monopoly would remain unthreatened.

"It's a fair condition, but what's in it for us?" Demeter crossed her arms, waiting for Renata to offer more.

Money alone wouldn't persuade her to part with land; their relationship wasn't that close, at least not enough to make her seriously consider it.

In any transaction, understanding what the other party truly valued was paramount.

The Demeter family, blessed with plenty of resources, had little need for extra income. Their produce sold easily, and even unsold crops were used in-house. Their warriors could always farm for income in a pinch, thanks to their formidable abilities.

An example was Lunoire Faust, the former Level 4 bounty hunter known as "Black Fist" and the only human waitress at the Hostess of Fertility, who hailed from the Demeter family. While she rarely involved herself directly with family matters, her strength was no secret. The Demeter familia was prepared to defend as well as farm.

But Renata was not looking to clash with them. She knew of the connection between this goddess and Sol, so there was no need to strain ties unnecessarily.

Renata laid two cards on the table. "Here's the balance from our last herb purchase—100 million Valis, which I've allocated as a budget to acquire farmland."

Demeter's expression shifted slightly at the mention of 100 million Valis. Money still made an impression, even on gods.

Sensing she was making headway, Renata decided to press further.

"In addition, if you agree to my request, the Janna familia will provide potions to your family each month, free of charge. You may choose the types, though, of course, materials would be supplied on your end."

The fact that Demeter hadn't outright declined meant there was room to negotiate; she only needed a more enticing offer.

"I didn't expect the Janna familia to grow this wealthy so quickly. A hundred million Valis is no small feat," Demeter mused, eyeing the card on the table.

Many gods wore their desires openly, making negotiations relatively straightforward.

"Our familia may not need many healing potions," Demeter said thoughtfully.

"Ah, but do you recall why we wanted farmland in the first place?" Renata asked with a knowing smile.

"Didn't you say you needed land to grow rare medicinal herbs?" Demeter responded, pausing as something dawned on her. "Wait… you mean… new potions?"

Until now, Demeter hadn't given much thought to the Janna familia's new potion endeavors. She knew how lengthy the development process for new potions could be, having collaborated with various pharmaceutical familias herself.

Their prior potions—healing and mana potions—had quickly gained popularity, but they had been slight optimizations of existing formulas. Most assumed the Janna familia's tweaks were minor, and few imagined they would achieve major breakthroughs so quickly.