The peddlers followed Michael over to his house, with the Dragonborns and the elderly locals of Neo Orcus following closely behind.
And the whole time, the peddlers couldn't help but stare at the small stature of Michael, their minds still undecided if what they were seeing was an illusion or not.
Once they were inside, Michael invited them to lay down their rucksacks and sit on his couch.
"Forgive my rudeness, but are you really the owner of the Reborn company? How old are you? Did you perchance find a rejuvenating potion that turned you back into a child? Because I simply cannot understand!"
The veteran peddler let out all of his questions at once. He had been holding onto his curiosity for far too long.
Michael chuckled. "Please, I'm only turning twelve years old. But, yes. I am the owner of the Reborn company."
The peddlers would have questioned the authenticity of his words, but the mere fact that five dragon-like demi-humans were standing at his sides was much better than any authenticity paper that he could present to them. Earning the respect and loyalty of the draconic race was not something a normal human could do, even if they had the money.
"Let's get to business, shall we?"
Michael signaled over for Sheina to bring over the batch of cookies and chocolate they had prepared earlier that day.
Upon receiving the basket, the peddlers' business-minded eye immediately noticed the unique and eye-catching packaging of these products.
Just the visual presentation of it alone was enough to entice any would-be customers who looked at the product. The violet and gold paper-like wrapping also showed a sense of both luxury and necessity.
It looked like the kind of product that was expensive but was worth the price.
"This is what you're selling?" the veteran peddler asked Michael.
His eyes no longer showed any confusion. This little demonstration of the Reborn products already told the veteran peddler that he was dealing with someone extremely skilled and knowledgeable in the area of business.
After all, his nose was itching. His body was telling him that he might be holding onto a piece of product that could bring him tons of profits.
Michael probably knew that, and that was why he asked to meet with the peddlers.
"This is just a mock-up of our eventual 'chocolate' line of products, so the design is not finished yet. We weren't planning on selling the chocolate yet, but as fate would have it, you guys appeared here at the perfect time."
The veteran peddler took one of the chocolate bars and took it off its paper wrapping.
A sweet smell wafted to his nose.
He took a single bite, and the rush of sugar exploded in his mouth, surprising him.
"Senior!" The other peddlers were alarmed.
"I'm okay," the veteran said, waving off their concern. "This…chocolate…is it made out of sugar?"
"Sugar?!"
The rest of the peddlers rummaged through their baskets and took out their chocolate bars, unwrapping them and taking a bite in a single move.
Upon feeling the chocolate melt in their mouths, their eyes widened, and a moment later, they dove in and ate the whole thing in a couple of bites.
Michael watched on with a satisfied smile. "Try the other one. We call that the chocolate chip cookie."
They began to unwrap the cylindrical wrapper, showing a few stacks of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
They tasted it too, and liked it even better than just pure chocolate! These cookies could be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner without the taste getting bland.
"I'm sure that as peddlers, you know the proper market to sell this kind of snack, right?"
The veteran peddler nodded. "These will be popular in the big cities, where the population is on the younger side. It will probably do great in the capital cities."
Michael thought so as well. If he played the marketing of his products right, then he could replicate the culture of chocolate-giving during times of anniversaries or birthdays. Back in his old world, Valentine's Day was celebrated globally, with the selling of flowers and chocolates spiking up.
"What do you think? Do you want to become chocolate merchants?"
Michael's question made the peddlers look at their veteran leader. Whatever he decided, they would decide too.
The veteran looked at the golden 'R' stamped onto the very chocolate itself, clearly showing the name of the Reborn company and letting it imprint onto anyone's mind every time they bit into the chocolate.
It was brilliant. That was how the veteran peddler described the Reborn company's ideas. And it wasn't just their chocolates. It was everything else in this town as well. The free-flowing water, the flat roads, and the monstrous horseless carriages as well.
The Reborn company was ahead of the game, and it would only be a matter of time until their waves washed over to the Queens region.
And by that point, it would already be too late for a small-time peddler like him to join.
This was the only time he could join. He could still ride the wave and it will take them to the top!
This was a life-changing decision.
"Yes, please! We would like to sell these chocolates!" the veteran proudly accepted.
Michael stood up and faced the peddlers, shaking their hands one by one.
"Now, here's my proposal: I want you to sell these products everywhere in the Queens region, with a certain percentage of the sales going to you as commission…"
Michael began to elaborate on their arrangement for this business. He told them how much the chocolates were going to be sold for, which was just above the average price of a normal pastry. It was on the expensive end, but still affordable.
A fraction of that price would be their earnings, which surprised the peddlers as it was a much better deal than they were even hoping for.
After all, they didn't even have to buy the chocolates. They would just have to sell them.
"Oh, and if you have any more merchant friends, make sure to tell them about this opportunity. Maybe they want to become chocolate merchants too."