Liliruca absorbed all this slowly. "Using our reputation…" she murmured.
It finally made sense. Soma's name was legendary. And though supply was limited, over the years, they'd built a strong distribution system. Su Mo's wine, tied to that system, could launch with high prices and rapid acceptance. But there was still one issue.
"Su Mo-sama, I don't think I can give you the results you want. I mean… I'm the lowest-ranked member in the familia. No one would listen to me."
"If you really want to do this, you should speak with our captain, Zanis. He's a scumbag, yes, but he has the authority to make this happen fast." Liliruca had no illusions about her standing. She was bottom of the food chain—used, abused, ignored. She knew she wasn't essential to Su Mo's plan. Any middleman would do. Zanis, as a leader, would bring greater returns. She owed Su Mo her life and more. She couldn't betray him now. But Su Mo didn't change his stance.
"Why can't I choose you?"
"Maybe your status was low before. But that's the past. Right now, you are the only person I've chosen. Once the others see how much profit this wine brings, they'll grovel just to stay in your good graces."
"Not only will they stop bullying you, they'll be bowing and scraping in no time." Su Mo was certain. Where there's profit, people follow. If Liliruca used to be weak, now she held the golden ticket. That made her someone no one could afford to offend. Even without strength, she now wielded authority—control over supply. In the Soma Familia, where people would sell their souls for a sip of divine wine, this kind of power was absolute.
Liliruca still looked uncertain. Surely someone like Zanis would be a better fit, right? But Su Mo cut her off again.
"No more arguments. I've made my decision."
Then, with a smirk, he added, "I didn't wrap this dumpling just for the stuffing. I did it for the vinegar." She didn't quite understand what that meant. But she did understand Su Mo was going out of his way for her. Her eyes welled up again. The very person she'd once sworn to avoid had become her savior. He didn't just rescue her from death—he'd given her a new life. There was no way to repay him. Words of thanks seemed too shallow.
Seeing her expression, Su Mo spoke calmly, "No need for gratitude. Just handle what comes next properly."
"…Yes!" she replied, nodding firmly.
She had no intention of wasting this chance. After taking some time to calm down, Liliruca finally asked another important question.
"Su Mo-sama, how much of that liquor can you produce?"
If they were going to negotiate with the Soma Familia, she needed to be prepared. The more stock Su Mo had, the stronger her position. After all, if the supply was good enough, they could bypass the Soma Familia entirely—and the wine would still take Orario by storm. But if the supply was as limited as the amount Su Mo could brew, then her bargaining power would be significantly reduced.
In the end, pricing, quality, and control over distribution were all part of a delicate balancing act—and if negotiations fell through, the side with stronger leverage would prevail. As long as Su Mo could guarantee a large supply, she could drive down the channel fees to the bare minimum.
Aside from the business angle, Liliruca also considered another key issue. "We'll need to demonstrate a certain level of strength," she said with a calculating gleam in her eyes. "Fortunately, our familia's adventurers are generally weak—even the strongest, our captain, is only Level 2. As long as you, Su Mo-sama, show overwhelming power, they probably won't dare pull any stunts."
In Orario, commerce might be thriving, but in the end, strength was still the foundation of all power. You could only defend your business interests through force. Liliruca, knowing this reality well, wasn't particularly worried. Judging from what Su Mo had already displayed, intimidating those fools would be easy.
Su Mo had naturally already considered these two points. What surprised him was how sharp Liliruca's mind was. She had immediately pinpointed the two most crucial aspects—supply and deterrence. Looks like this girl might actually be a pretty competent operator, he mused, shaking his head with a chuckle.
"As for supply, don't worry," Su Mo assured her. "There's more than enough to go around." With Dionysus's divine authority, Su Mo could convert entire lakes into wine with ease. Supply would never be an issue.
"As for strength, you're still thinking too small," he added. "I have a different plan in mind."
Sure, with his own personal strength, he could easily cow the Soma Familia into compliance. But such fear would only last a short while. Desperate people didn't care about consequences. And the Soma Familia's degenerates were exactly that sort.
Even if they behaved at first, once Su Mo wasn't around, they'd start plotting. Secretly selling the stock, skimming profits, faking losses—there were far too many tricks to watch for in sales. Without someone stationed there long-term, it was impossible to guard against every angle.
And since Orario's laws prohibited killing between adventurers, there was no telling what these people might dare to do under that protection. That was why Su Mo said Liliruca's thinking was too narrow. Human greed couldn't be eliminated by a single show of strength. What he needed was a better way: checks and balances. Only when interests were mutually dependent could true oversight exist.
Su Mo obviously had no intention of playing watchdog over the Soma Familia. And though he could use divine contracts, those scumbags didn't deserve the privilege. Instead, his solution was simple.
"For supervision, I plan to involve someone from the Loki Familia," Su Mo said calmly.
"The Loki Familia?!" Liliruca exclaimed, shocked. It was one of the most famous and powerful familias in all of Orario. She hadn't imagined Su Mo had connections to such elite circles.
"If that's the case… then there's nothing to worry about at all," she said, nodding earnestly. With supply guaranteed, strength accounted for, and reliable oversight in place, the only thing left was negotiation. And in that, Liliruca had full confidence. She may have been weak in combat, but her mind was sharp—and she wasn't going to waste this chance.
"Please leave it to me, Su Mo-sama!" she said, patting her chest with determination. "I'll make sure this goes perfectly!" She was ready to give 200% effort to repay his kindness.
But just before she turned to leave, Su Mo called her back. "Wait. Hand me your weapon."
"Hmm?" she tilted her head, puzzled, but still obediently handed over her dagger. Due to her small frame—barely over a meter tall—she used a short blade rather than a full-length sword. Su Mo took the dagger and merely tapped it with his hand, then casually tossed it back.
"Earlier I broke your magic sword. Consider this a replacement," he said.
"You're still too weak to deal with your captain directly. If things get rough, draw this."
"Just like any normal magic sword, it has limited uses, but the power should be more than enough."