Chapter 90: The Manager Tennar


    "You let some stranger wander around the ce unchecked?" The head clerk of the purchasing department, Vodren, was in a righteous dudgeon.


    Well, Vodren was the type to be high-strung about many things, but his tone today was more outraged than usual. The man''s voice was loud enough to be heard in the corridor.


    Tennar entered the room, with thedyzily sauntering after him, to see Vodren ring at two young people. His assistant Caria stood behind him, lips thinned in disapproval.


    There were two of thepany guards book-ending the seated youngsters.


    Vesia, a junior clerk if he remembered correctly, was cringing in her seat. Tennar narrowed his eyes. Why was it her and not Darred who was showing the creator of their newest vinegar products around?


    Tennar nced at the boy. Defi of the Lowpool was sitting calmly, an expression of intent listening on his face, a blue-green slime resting on his head. Too old for a pet, wasn''t he? Dark eyes briefly nced at them upon their entry. Despite Defi''s features not changing, Tennar got the impression of a smile from the unperturbed gaze.


    Bluzand''sdy definitely had an eye for talent and odd people.


    The vinegar products alone were set to be at the top of thepany''s product offerings. This was the first rmendation of thedy in five years. Considering how thest rmendation was still creating some of their top-selling products, Tennar had ced great consideration on the barrels sent for testing from the Lowpool.


    He had not expected the creator to be so young. Possibly thedy had given pointers, or it was a family craft. There was no way to make <em>that</em> vinegar in less than two decades. Full-vored, deep and rich  even now the taste lingered in the back of Tennar''s mind.


    To make such a taste, wouldn''t it take a hundred years to slowly coax the vor into the vinegar? It had to be a family recipe, and the youngd was the lucky sessor of the already prepared barrels. He imagined a basement full of barrel upon barrel of top quality vinegar and swallowed.


    No, enough with the fantasies. He didn''t even know if the imagined basement existed. Even asking thedy only got him an amused smile.


    Speaking of thedy, he could see her nce meaningfully at him.


    It seemed the situation was his to manage. Thedy did not meddle much inpany affairs these days, and by her nce just now she seemed to have no inclination to return to active management. Still, it was indeed more expedient to hide that their newest business partner had such proximity to the owner of Bluzand.


    It would distance the young man from their current problems.


    Tennar stepped forward.


    "What is happening?" he greeted in mild tones, making four faces turn to him. "Vodren, your voice is reaching the lower floor."


    Every merchant knew that even if the business was crumbling to dust, the customers must always see a smile on their faces. Any rumor may affect profit. Any deluge of gossip may turn a crack into a dam-breaking catastrophe.


    Vodren lowered his voice, but did not relent. "These two were in the rare section of the warehouse! You must agree, manager, it is suspicious!"


    If people did not know that it was thedy who recruited Defi, then yes it was suspicious. But thedy herself did not want Defi to be involved with internal matters, which the young man would be if it was known he was her rmendation.


    It was true that Defi would not be staying in Ecthys. But he lived in the same town as thedy, who did not want her whereabouts noised around. Yes, rifying the connection between the two would be detrimental for both thedy and the boy.


    He felt a re bore into the side of his head, felt a cold sweat on his neck.


    Should heugh or cry?


    Mydy, if you wanted to protect the child, shouldn''t you speak up yourself? Just a word would clear all of this up.


    He looked at the two seated young people. The young clerk was looking at them in despair and slight hope. Defi however, was still studiously calm. Tennar was a good judge of people, and thed did not appear to expect thedy to assist him. Did not expect anyone to assist him, in fact, and was waiting for a suitable time to speak.


    All thedy''s rmendations were interesting, weren''t they?


    "He was given permission," Tennar cleared his throat, face serene. "Young Defi is our newest business partner."


    "Manager! Mydy! Even if he is a new partner, do we let outsiders walk around our secrets like they owned the ce?"


    At Vodren''s incredulity, thedy smiled. "Your care ismendable."


    Tennar despaired inwardly. That''s all you say? Mydy! Are you condemning the child? What if he leaves? Think of the vinegar, top-notch secret vinegar!


    "Defi''s craft needs certain ingredients," Tennar continued, voice still mild. "It was my decision to let him have the run of the warehouse. Though, I assigned someone else as his guide."


    He lifted a brow at the two. It was Defi who answered the silent query. Vesia was too overwhelmed to speak. Tennar supposed it was not everyday that a junior clerk meets thepany manager, thepany owner, and a head clerk of one of the major departments at the same time.


    "Mestre Darred was called away by an emergency." Defi said, his voice clear and unrushed. "Someone lost a contract, if I heard correctly."


    Vodren nearly choked in fury at that ipetence. Tennar narrowed his eyes. Beside him, thedy gave a nearly inaudible sigh.


    Contracts were the lifeblood of the merchant world. Themerce ministry only moved to protect and uphold transactions that had an official contract. A contract that needed a senior clerk to manage, not just a senior clerk but one from thepany manager''s own offices, would not be an insignificant contract.


    Defi''s words changed their focus neatly away from the two young people in the room.


    Andpounded the dread Tennar had been feeling since he saw the anomalies in thepany ounts.


    *


    Defi and Vesia and Turq were unceremoniously kicked out of the discussion that urred next.


    Defi sighed. That was more peaceful a resolution than he expected. Still, it was likely not over yet.


    Vesia doubtfully looked at the pouch of coin that had been tossed to her by the manager, as if she and Defi were children to be cated.


    Defi let himselfugh. "It appears I''vee to Bluzand at an interesting time."


    "Are you really a new business partner?"


    "I suppose." Not quite. He had signed nothing yet.


    Vesia nced at him, sceptical. But she had been with thepany long enough to know not to talk too much about contracts. She lifted the pouch of coin. "Since we have been shooed off while the adults talk, are you hungry?"


    The door opened, and Sarel came out to hear the question. "How is the food in thepany refectory these days?"


    "My..mydy?" Vesia''s eyes widened. "The sameas always?"


    Sarel clicked her tongue. "That Tennar is as stingy as ever."


    She waved over a clerk that was younger than Defi. "Send five meals from the regr kitchens to this meeting room. See how they like it."


    "Yes, madam!" The boy scurried away.


    Sarel nced at the two of them, narrowed her eyes at Defi. "I left you alone for less than an hour."


    Defi looked wounded. "I didn''t do anything."


    "Well. At least Tennar''s not nagging at me anymore. Come. I''ll treat you two to a meal at Watersiders."


    "How good is it?" Defi followed in Sarel''s wake.


    "Good?" burst out Vesia, looking surprised at having been invited. "It''s excellent! One of the best foodhalls in the city!"


    "Oh?" On the scale of one to hidden master chef, what does ''best'' mean?


    "The tables and private rooms are always packed," Vesia murmured. "Not even nobles can easily eat there. Thedy is truly incredible, to be able to get a table."


    "I know the owner." Sarel nced back at them. "The food there is eptable."


    Vesia blushed at having been overheard. Defi nodded in anticipation  if Sarel said the food was eptable, then wouldn''t it be better than average?


    He said instead. "Aren''t you supposed to be working?"


    "It''s not so serious." Sarel led them down the stairs. "Tennar can handle it without me."


    On the first level of the Bluzandpany was a spacious shop whose shelves wereden with variousbelled bottles, boxes, jars, and pots.Somewhat like the warehouse, but in smaller quantities. The containers were also of better quality than the ones in the warehouse.


    Unlike the warehouse, the scent of spices lingered in the air.


    Perhaps like an advertisement?


    Defi looked around in interest. "These are all mixed condiments?"


    "This is Bluzand''s primary shop and headquarters. All the products that are made under our banner are showcased here. We mostly deal in condiments yes." Sarel exited the shop, trailed by the two. A youth wearing a vest with the Bluzand mark quickly led them to a light carriage. "You actually made Tennar seriously look into expansion into a market other than food."


    Defi took that to mean that the slime lotion had few uses in the food industry. Had Tennare up with a viable selling point, he wondered.


    He hadn''t pitched the savras extract yet, but he thought it could be used to make a solid entry into the beauty market, made into a skin-rejuvenating cream or something simr.


    He was well aware that to many who flitted under the banner of ''society'', the concept of dignity was almost synonymous to vanity, after all. The concept of beauty being alike to virtue was well-developed in Ontrea.


    It was not so prevalent in Ascharon, but the idea also existed. Otherwise the apothecary''s guild would not be so well-advertised.


    "Bluzand is expanding out of the condiment business?" Vesia looked shocked. "Imydy, that is why you returned?"


    Sarel smiled at her. "At the moment, it''s just spection."


    Vesia nodded. "Of course. I won''t talk about it."


    "How long have you been with thepany, might I ask?"


    "Three years as an apprentice and five as a junior clerk, mydy."


    "Just three as an apprentice?"


    "II started at sixteen. My mentor said it was too old, but took me anyway."


    "After graduating from a schrium."


    Vesia lifted her gaze to meet Sarel''s calcting eyes, surprised. "Yes?"


    "Hm."


    The junior clerk looked slightly intimidated by the shortly hummed syble.


    Defi nced at Sarel. A junior clerk who knew just a little too much for her own good. There were several ways to deal with the matter.


    He returned to watching the bustling streets of the city, so noisy and redolent with various smells. So different from the slower pace of the Lowpool. The carriage stopped by a four-storey high building. Therge decorated banner fluttering on one side proimed that it was the Watersiders'' Foodhall.


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