@weyrI I wouldn't say this is a leap in logic since it's not just some random store, this is a trading company, meaning a lot of the miscellaneous trading in that area goes through that particular location. The bandits kidnapping the daughter was a retaliation caused by the trading company president refusing to buy the seeds (which is fair when you consider that these are thieves skilled and crazy enough to go after the Treant's seeds.) I'm not sure why they requested the Flower Queen's Oak though, maybe a task to force the trading company president to anger the Flower Queen directly? As for the refusing to buy out of fear, considering that the seeds are essentially Treant children, it makes sense for someone who doesn't do much adventuring to fear that an intelligent and powerful creature such as the Flower Queen and Treants would seek out retribution, and given you would need to advertise having the seeds to sell them for profit whoever is selling them legally is in a dangerous position to be the first ones under attack. Also, it's not too farfetched for the MC to know the daughter of a trading company president, given the prestige of the school they go to.