Chapter 37

Chapter 37: How Much Is Tom Worth?

The next morning, Adrian still got his milk because Artoria had won it and gave it to him. However, seeing Tom looking sad, Adrian pushed the milk back to him. Tom resisted for a while but eventually accepted half of it.

After a morning workout, Adrian drew prizes from the lottery. This time he got a [Tom's Engagement Diamond x1] and [Tom's Heartbreak Wine x111]. Not wanting to hurt Tom's feelings, Adrian didn't pay much attention to the items.

The inventory was still solid. It seemed there was no limit to how many items he could store.

In the morning, Adrian visited a few grocery stores and bars to check the prices of other items. Following Guraagas' advice, he came back and re-priced the bottles on the shelf.

"Hey, young man, you actually raised the prices!" someone exclaimed in exaggerated surprise upon seeing the new prices. To them, the prices weren't unreasonable.

Adrian replied earnestly, "Yeah, if I keep selling at the old prices, I won't be able to afford my meals."

"Haha, isn't it a bit exaggerated to say you can't afford meals? We'll buy it anyway!"

Others chimed in, not believing that the tavern's residents—two kids and a cat—would cost much to feed. They figured the young boss was just afraid they'd all leave once prices went up.

"Thanks for your support, everyone!" Adrian responded with a smile, finding their rowdy behavior annoying but cute when they paid up.

As usual, Tom received a bunch of small gifts from the guests and performed a song in his tuxedo, earning applause from the crowd.

Adrian couldn't help but suspect that Tom's various outfits had some sort of unique effect. For example, he changed into a cowboy outfit when fighting the thugs yesterday, switched to a swordsman outfit during their sword duel, and donned a tuxedo for playing the piano. Each outfit seemed to bring out a different side of Tom.

But more likely, it was just Tom being playful or using psychological cues to focus better on his tasks.

As the song ended, a handsome man in a black suit and a small round hat approached the bar. "Are you Adrian?"

Adrian gave him a quick once-over. If not for the slightly curled mustache, he might have mistaken the man for Charlie Chaplin: "Yes, what can I get you?"

"A STAR-WINE." The man ordered the most expensive wine on the menu.

"Sure." Adrian turned to pour the wine, asking casually, "You look unfamiliar."

"Haha, Old Bob won't think I'm unfamiliar." The man chuckled and introduced himself, "Call me Bizzness. I'm a merchant, traveling between various islands in the first half of the Grand Line. I don't visit Sabaody too often, so it's normal for you not to recognize me."

"I see." It was another repeat customer. Adrian was curious, "Doing business on the Grand Line is dangerous, isn't it? Pirates are so rampant now."

"Dangerous, of course, but not as dire as you might imagine." Bizzness took a sip of his wine and explained, "In comparison to pirates, our biggest enemy on the Grand Line is the sea itself."

"Oh? How so?" Adrian followed his lead, trying to engage in conversation. Dealing with so many customers daily required some chitchatting skills. He was still adapting to his role after starting a business without graduating from college. It felt quite strange.

Artoria also joined the conversation, showing some interest in the topic. Tom, however, remained engrossed in counting his takings, oblivious to the world around him.

Bizzness didn't mind sharing his insights, "The weather on the Grand Line is unpredictable. Even if we find a relatively safe route, good weather is never guaranteed. Facing a natural disaster means total devastation for us."

Adrian nodded, "I understand that. That's why having skilled navigators is crucial. But what about encounters with pirates?"

Bizzness waved his hand, "Oh no, when it comes to natural disasters, there's nothing we can do. But against pirates, we have a lot of options. For instance, while escaping, we can send a distress signal to nearby Marine bases. My merchant ship was specially designed in Mary Geoise. Even when fully loaded with cargo, it's not much slower than a regular pirate ship."

"And if we can't escape, we can choose to fight. I have a group of capable sailors and guards on board. We don't need to worry about smaller pirate crews."

This guy seems quite powerful, Adrian thought. He asked further, "What do you do when facing formidable opponents?"

Bizzness shrugged, "Surrender, of course. Hand over all valuable cargo and as long as your luck isn't terribly bad, you'll survive."

"But aren't pirates known for their ruthless behavior, taking lives and ships?" Adrian doubted pirates had any sense of professional ethics.

Bizzness chuckled, "This is the Grand Line we're talking about. Pirate crews that have made a name for themselves here usually have smart captains. Remember, for every merchant they kill, that's one fewer potential target in the future. As for those less reputable pirates, we're confident in dealing with them."

Adrian was taken aback. The idea of sustainable fleecing was quite advanced. Did pirates really understand that concept? He fell into contemplation.

"That's why I said, as long as your luck isn't too terrible, you won't lose your life. Even if you lose your cargo, I'm confident in making the money back quickly." Bizzness exuded confidence. If not for the high profits, he wouldn't be taking such risks.

Adrian was now inspired to consider entering the merchant trade. Although it was risky, the potential profits were much greater than those from the tavern. Once he saved up enough from running the tavern, he could think about hiring reliable people to run it while he ventured into the sea.

But as for when... Adrian contemplated. Maybe when he was brave enough to face Crocodile and Gecko Moria head-on? By then, would he still worry about money?

On second thought, whether he could save up enough to buy a ship was another question entirely. Could he really let Tom build a ship with his bare hands?

"Amazing." Adrian praised Bizzness. The man seemed more daring than him—either that or he was greedier. But Bizzness had the courage to take risks, and it served him well in gaining wealth.

"Many merchants are like me. There's no need for flattery." Bizzness grinned, then changed the topic, "Speaking of which, I'd like to discuss a business opportunity with you, Adrian."

"What kind of opportunity?" Adrian asked, hoping it wasn't a proposal to buy his wine.

"It's about the Cat Pianist." Bizzness glanced at Tom and continued, "I'm wondering if you have any intentions to sell him. I can offer you a high price."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a tomato splattered against his face, its red juice streaming down and staining his white shirt collar.

Tom had stood up, glaring at Bizzness in anger.

"Alright, Tom, calm down. I won't sell you." Adrian patted Tom's head, trying to soothe him

. He was worried that Tom might get so agitated that he'd blow up the tavern with fireworks.

Tom shot Bizzness a fierce look before turning and heading upstairs, not even caring about the snacks he was in the middle of counting.