As it turned out, the clothing shops were very close by. It made sense actually if I thought about it. Patrons wealthy enough to use the bathhouse regularly, rather than wash up in the cold waters of the Avonne River, would surely have a few coins to spare on a new set of attire or two. Thus, having clothing shops near the bathhouse showed good business acumen.

Maisen took me to visit a few merchant shops and made me try on a few different styles of clothing—from frivolous clothes with lacy trimmings worn by noblemen, to more practical clothing that were still a cut above those normally worn by the common folk. Maisen had a sharp eye for style and strongly suggested that I purchase a set of fancy clothes for "official functions" and two sets of normal wear. She also recommended a set of evening wear for bed.

Following her recommendation I purchased a navy blue colored silk jacket with coattails, matching tights, and a white shirt. For my normal wear, I purchased a green tunic with brown tights and a yellow tunic with black tights. For my evening wear, it was simple white cotton shirt and pants. The fancy wear set me back an astonishing five gold pieces! The day and evening clothes, however, cost a combined half a gold piece. I chose to wear the green and brown set and arranged for the merchant, named Siune, to deliver the rest, including my old clothes, to my room at The Noble Lady.

When we left the merchant, I turned to Maisen. "Can you take me to the sign maker?" I asked.

"Sure," she replied as her eyebrows were raised. She shrugged and took me two blocks south and one block west.

When we stopped in front of "Roen's Outstanding Signs" shop, I received a pop-up which read, "Location ADDED: sign maker. +50XP." Huh? I was perplexed as to why I received no credit for going the clothing shops but received experience for the sign maker shop. I dismissed the thought and entered the shop. I saw a young looking man sitting in front of a wooden work table. He was hunched over a sign and writing on it. I looked up at the caption above the man's head and it read: "Name: Roen, Level: ?, Disposition: Serious.”

"I'll be with you in just a moment," a light sounding but definitely male voice said.

Maisen and I waited patiently until the shopkeeper was done with his work.

As Roen worked I studied his appearance more closely. He had long blond hair that cascaded over his back. He was pale, fragile-looking, but beautiful. I looked at his right ear and saw that it was slightly pointy. Oh, he was a half-elf! I was elated to meet a half-elf for the first time. I saw that the sign maker was very serious about his work. He held his thin brush with confidence and delivered strong, steady strokes with his right hand and wrist. We waited a good ten minutes before he was finished making his sign.

When Roen was finally done with his work, he wiped the sweat from his brows and got off his seat. He turned around and was surprised to see us still waiting for him. The shopkeeper bowed deeply in apology. "I'm sorry, milord and milady. I didn't expect to see you still waiting. Most people would simply leave and return another time," he explained apologetically.

I waved my hand in dismissal. "It's okay. I was admiring your dedication to your work," I replied.

"I thank you for your compliment. Now, what can I do for you?" he asked.

"Do you make signs on a wholesale basis?" I asked.

The half-elf's thin, golden eyebrows were raised at my query. "What do you mean by 'wholesale?'" he asked.

"The term 'wholesale' means purchasing from a supplier of goods in mass quantity for resale by the purchaser," I explained.

"And why would I agree to sell you on a 'wholesale basis?'" Roen snorted in derision at the outrageous notion of permitting another to profit from his hard work!

I raised my hand to calm him down. "Wholesaling allows you to make more money without the need to chase buyers for your goods and services. The purchaser buys in mass quantity and takes on the risk that the products in his possession will not sell. The wholesale supplier is guaranteed to sell a set number of products that was agreed to in the wholesale agreement. In exchange for the mass quantity, the supplier offers the goods at a discount from his regular price," I explained.

Roen sat back down on his chair and pondered my explanation. It was true that selling in bulk meant more profit up front rather than the drip by drip of selling piecemeal. The half-elf became very intrigued by the idea of wholesaling. "Let's say for now that I might be interested. What are you looking to make?" he asked.

I grinned at the half-elf's curiosity. "For starters, I would like to make a bunch of small signs that can be hung on the door knob. On one side, it would read, 'Do not disturb.' This would be used by guests staying at inns and taverns. The second type of sign I want is for shops. The sign would hang on a string over a window and read, 'Open' on one side and 'Closed' on the other. I would like to start by ordering two dozen of each sign. I would also ask that you agree to make these signs on an exclusive basis, meaning that you will not agree to make these signs for any other patrons. I understand that the exclusivity would result in a premium being charged for your services," I explained.

Roen crossed his thin arms and leaned back against the edge of his bench. "The exclusivity isn't a problem because I am the only sign maker in this town and no one will compete with me because there won't be enough business to support another sign maker. However, I don't think it'll be worth my while to offer this wholesale discount for only two dozen of each sign. I will need a bigger commitment from you, say five dozen each?" he grinned.

"Five dozen? Are you out of your mind?" Maisen blurted out.

I turned to face my angry bodyguard and put a finger to my lips. "Shhhh!" I winked at her and then turned back to my adversary. "My companion took the words right out of my mouth," I smiled. "Sixty signs each is a lot. And the risk that I won't sell them all will be quite high. If you insist on such a large order, then I must, in turn, ask for a larger discount, say half off?" I grinned back.

The half-elf's face immediately turned pale. "I can't do that, milord," Roen shook his head. "The cost of wood and paint, plus the time spent to make these signs would cost me more than half retail. As much as I'm intrigued by your wholesaling idea, if you insist on half-off then I would be foolish to enter into a money-losing deal," he concluded.

I nodded solemnly. "I appreciate your honesty, my good sir. I certainly understand your plight and would not wish for you to lose money in this proposed business transaction. Let's offer each other give-and-take instead. Would you be amenable to a wholesale order of forty signs each at twenty-five percent discount?" I offered.

"Please allow me a moment to calculate the numbers. I'm afraid math isn't my strong point," Roen grinned again.

"Of course," I agreed readily. "Please take as much time as you need to make your calculations."

Roen opened his draw and pulled out a parchment and quill. He started writing furiously. A few minutes later, the shopkeeper raised his head and turned toward me. "Your offer is acceptable—on the condition that you prepay your entire order."

"What!" Maisen exclaimed in shock at the outrageous demand.

I immediately raised my right hand. Keeping my eyes on the wily half-elf, I asked, "What assurance do I have that you will fully perform the agreement if I pay for everything upfront?" I asked.

"You have two assurances. First, my reputation is at stake. If I fail to provide you with the signs that you ordered, my Reputation will suffer tremendously. Second, you can take me to the Town Judge for recompense," Roen replied.

I looked deeply into Roen's eyes as he spoke. I saw no hint of deception on his part. "If we can have all the terms of this wholesale agreement in writing and signed by both of us, then we have a deal," I replied calmly.

Roen inhaled sharply at my suggestion. If the agreement was in writing and he tried to deny its authenticity before a truth stone, then Roen will die from the interrogation.

I took great pleasure in watching my adversary squirm as he began to process out the implication of my insistence on a written contract for all to see.

Finally, the sign maker exhaled a deep breath. He got off his chair and walked across the shop to stand in front of me. He held out his right hand and said, "We have a deal."

When I shook Roen's hand, I received a pop-up. The message read, "General Skill ACQUIRED: Negotiation, Level 1. +100XP."

Suddenly the town bell tolled, marking the change in the hour.

"I will return tomorrow with further details of how I want the signs made. Please give me an estimate of the cost of the entire order. I will secure the funding needed for the order before you initiate your work," I said.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Roen nodded.

So dismissed, I left the shop with Maisen.