The team returned to the inn by the night.
They didn't get too much extra information. The situation is a bit bitter for the sect than the merchant described.
From what the team observed by the end of the day, there are no sales for the shops of the Sect. The pill shop has some pills sold and they are all recovery pills which didn't matter much as they are all the same in any shop.
No shop is turning any profit. Everything is in a loss.
While Sam and the team are discussing any possible additional details they noticed in the city, the saleswomen from all the shops gathered at the city gate and walked through the forest path towards their sect.
They are sharing their sales. The herb shop seemed to have had a few sales, but that is it.
The group ladies looked at the two women from the weapon shop and their lost and dazed expressions.
"Don't worry. We will soon make enough to not to make a loss. We don't have many sales either anyway."
When one of their companions was trying to better their moods, both of them came to their senses and said.
"It is not that actually. We have sales today."
When the group heard that, they were shocked.
"What did you say just now?"
"We have sales. We sold seventy swords. Thirty rapiers and forty shortswords."
One of the two explained and showed the spatial ring full of spirit stones.
"Oh my god. Oh my god. We have sales today. We have sales." As one of the ladies from the group started cheering loudly, another one was perceptive enough to notice their blank expressions and asked what happened.
"The person who bought the weapons actually wanted to me deliver a message and an advice to the Sect leader and the artisan who made the weapons. He said something about a deal." Then the two of them explained what happened with Sam and his exact words.
The rest of the ladies were surprised and they also became thoughtful.
"I don't know whether I should say something about this to the Sect leader or not."
"Of course, you have to tell her. What if it was a big deal?"
"If it is a big deal, why would he come to someone of our status. No offence, but we know our current situation. We are not exactly the best producers in the realm."
"Maybe, he thought that he could get a good discount. After all, we are in our starting stages and are struggling to get out of this situation. If he gives us a big deal, then he could ask for some discount and we would also get our break."
Everyone started making speculations.
"We are not going to say anything to the Sect leader."
One of the women who was silent all this while, spoke for the first time.
Everyone was stunned, but the woman went of explaining.
"I have a plan which can help us make some more sales and then the big deal. Do you guys want to hear?"
Everyone answered with silence but the eargerness in their eyes said it all.
The ladies went to the sect and rested for the night and no one ever mentioned the deal Sam talked to them about and the discussion they had about the deal. They are as silent as a still lake and the next day they went back to their work as usual.
Sam didn't expect an immediate response from the other side, so he didn't disturb them for the next three days.
And the women participated in their routine as normal without breathing a word out about Sam or his offer.
On fourth day, he went back to the weapon shop and sent the rest of the team to other shops and asked them to buy some things and leave the same message while he discussed the situation with the two saleswomen in the weapon shop.
"It seems like the advice didn't reach the artisan." Sam said as he looked at the new rapiers that are placed on the display.
The saleswomen were silent and Sam continued.
"Of course, I take it that the message didn't reach your sect leader too."
They shook their heads.
"May I ask why?"
"We are not granted audience to higher-ups until we achieve the targeted sales goal."
Sam raised an eyebrow at their words, he doesn't know if the women are trying to fleece him or if she was telling the truth.
"Okay then, I will see you later."
That evening Sam talked with the team and asked them what they got from the remaining shops.
"They said, it is impossible to meet the higher-ups without reaching the sales target and one of them even said that it is impossible to meet the sect leader if they don't make an exceptional number of sales that would impress the whole sect."
Sam was surprised.
"The saleswomen all seemed to be on the same page. There is a high possibility that they are all saying the truth. But a woman who opened a sect with no experience and only as a service for the other women is unlikely to set such a serious goals just for the audience.
That is what's bugging me." Sam explained his concerns. After some more discussion he got an idea and they came to a decision.
The next day, he went to the weapon shop and bought everything in it. He placed a spatial ring without asking for any change.
He took all the weapons and emptied the shop and before leaving he only had one thing to say.
"I want this deal to happen faster. So, go and talk to your higher-ups."
The two women were ecstatic as they looked at the spirit stones in the spatial ring one after the other and they went to meet with their counterparts in other shops.
"What did you just say? Did he empty the whole shop? Are you for real?"
The woman who gave this idea, to begin with, asked in a shocked tone.
"Yes. He also told us to talk with our higher-ups as soon as we can. He seemed desperate. I think we should talk to our supervisor today." One of the two saleswomen from the weapon shop said and while the rest of the ladies agreed, the one lady with the plan didn't.
"No, we cannot. You guys got a great haul. But it is not the same for the rest of us. We need to make the most of this opportunity."
"What do you have in mind?"
"Tomorrow when he comes to find you and asks about the situation, tells him that the sect leader only wants to meet the sales staff after all of us reached our targets. Since he is desperate, he would definitely buy everything from our shops. Even if he is not that desperate, he would at least buy something."
The women hesitated. But that lady tried her best to convince them and succeeded.
The small hesitation was gone and was replaced with joy at the possible haul they would have the next day.
If only they could see that one mouse hiding in the corner with a recorder on him and understood what that meant, they would have thought completely differently.
When the shadow mouse returned with the recording, the whole team looked at it and they became angry.
"Boss, we are really fleeced. They took us for the fools. No, not really, they made you the fool." Saber Monarch said as he looked at Sam with pity.
Sam really wanted to punch that handsome face, but knew his limits and didn't dare to.
But there are some things he is allowed to do to get that sweet revenge and he did that.
"One month Salary cut." And that one sentence with that cold gaze hurt Saber Monarch more than a stab to his gut.
Without heeding his pleas, Sam looked at the recording with a cold smile.
The next day he went to the weapon shop and didn't speak at all.
He placed the crystal tablet on the table and played the video.
The two saleswomen who were ready to put up an ultimate performance lost all the color in their face and looked at Sam in trepidation and their next reaction is to smash the crystal tablet only for Sam to pull out two more from his storage.
"I have a thousand copies of these and I would distribute all of these to the three demon families. I am sure they would be happy to do you some good publicity."
He threw one crystal tablet on the table and said.
"Take this with you and show it to your higher-ups if you have to. But I am expecting a call for me by tomorrow afternoon. Otherwise, I would show this to the three families and let's see if your sect will ever be able to sell anything.
All the integrity would be lost when the word of the saleswomen from the sect is trying to fleece the only proper customer they got in months."
