Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: The Merchants' Pledge
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As he emerged from the forest, the sun hung precariously at the edge of the western sky. The coachman, spotting Allen walking calmly out of the forest, quickly jumped out from behind a rock.
“Young Master!”
“We're returning to the city.”
“Does that mean…”
The coachman's eyes darted toward the forest from which Allen had emerged.
“The witch is dead.”
“Th-then the curse…”
Allen let out a small laugh. With the witch dead, there was no way the curse would remain.
“The curse will spread no further.”
“…Ohhh!”
All those afflicted would soon recover, provided they took care of themselves—with the help of the "goodwill" Allen had offered through the Dyke Merchant Guild.
*'That concludes my business here.'*
He would stay in Bergen for one more day and then leave.
Allen walked past the wide-eyed, gaping coachman and said,
“Let's depart at once. It's been too long since we were last in the city.”
* * *
It was three days later when the carriage returned to the city.
The indigo sky was clear and vast as if to celebrate his victory, and beneath the bright sunlight, countless people flocked to the city, creating a cacophony of noise.
As soon as he returned, Allen immediately met with Soned. Karic, who had greeted him initially, listened to their conversation in silence, seemingly lost in thought.
“First, allow me to congratulate you on safely subjugating the witch, Young Master.”
“I only did what needed to be done.”
As Allen humbly brushed it off as a simple duty, Soned laughed heartily and replied,
“How many people fail to do what must be done? Can you not hear the voices outside, praising you?”
Soned smiled and turned his head toward the window, from which voices praising Allen could be heard.
-All hail Young Master Allen!
-Hooray! The curse is gone!
-Thank you, thank you so much!
“I don't know where they heard it, but they seem to know that you are providing elixirs and herbs.”
Soned carefully studied Allen's expression as if he had a suspicion, but Allen just smiled faintly as if he knew nothing.
As if he was subtly pleased by their praise.
*'Inellia did a good job.'*
I hope things with Julius went well, too.
Seeing that Allen showed no opening, Soned quickly relaxed his expression and spoke as if the thought had just occurred to him.
“Young Master. I forgot to ask. Why did you wish to meet with our merchant guild?”
His change in expression was masterful. It was such a natural look of genuine curiosity that anyone would have been deceived.
Anyone, that is, except Allen.
*'Is he starting to suspect me now?'*
Yes, this must be the true nature of a merchant.
When they first met, he must have been distracted by his son's condition, but now, after a few days, he was clearly suspicious.
Thinking it was all too coincidental.
The suspicion that the timing of Allen's visit was too perfect.
He must have thought so because of the way Allen resolved his son's curse and proceeded with his plans as if everything had been prepared in advance.
“Ah, that?”
Allen replied as if it were nothing.
“My father uses tea leaves grown by elves, so I sought you out to procure some for myself.”
“Tea leaves… you say?”
Allen nodded lightly in affirmation.
“Yes, Soned. Your connection with the elves is quite well-known, is it not?”
“That is true, but…”
Soned trailed off, as if something was bothering him.
“As you know, my family… isn't exactly on good terms with the elves.”
Not just 'not on good terms.'
If they were to so much as accidentally set foot in elven territory, a war would break out immediately.
*'That's also why I couldn't visit the Forest of the Divine Beast beforehand.'*
They simply refrained from provoking them further for the sake of diplomatic relations with the human race, but their relationship was close to the worst it could be. The family's downfall was also significantly related to it.
“Yes, that's right.”
Soned seemed to have investigated that much beforehand, as he agreed with Allen's statement.
“That's why I wanted to meet with the guild master personally to obtain the tea leaves. Why? Did it seem like I had another purpose?”
Whether Allen's words were the truth or not didn't matter.
What mattered was that Soned had no choice but to believe this answer.
Soned erased any further suspicion and immediately put on a friendly smile.
“Haha, I would never suspect you, Young Master. I was simply curious as to why you sought me out. I will make sure to provide you with plenty of tea leaves when you depart.”
“I'll gratefully accept.”
Allen gave a rare, deep smile.
Claiming he came for tea leaves was little more than an excuse, but he hadn't forgotten the flavor he'd tasted during tea time with his father.
“So…”
Allen turned his gaze toward Karic, a faint smile on his face.
“Guild Master Karic, what troubles you so that you remain silent?”
“Pardon?”
Karic's eyes flickered toward Soned for a brief moment before returning. The glance was fleeting, but it did not escape Allen's notice.
*'A reason for the two of them to be here together… It would be good if my expectations are correct.'*
He had originally only wanted Soned, but seeing Karic, it seemed he could bring him in as well.
From Allen's perspective, accepting two merchants was safer than just one.
Soned's character was trustworthy, but entrusting all guild-related matters to him alone could inadvertently lead to economic dependency.
“Well…”
Karic recalled what Soned had told him after Allen left.
He also remembered the way Soned had lowered his voice and carefully brought up the topic.
*'…To think Lady Eliza was from the Lupinus family.'*
The family that produced one of the continent's Eight Strongest two generations ago.
Masters of the eastern canyon region, and an eccentric bunch known for cherishing their kin above all else.
Soned had told him it was something an elf he knew had mentioned in passing, something he'd kept in mind, and warned him never to speak of it carelessly.
*'I didn't think I'd be forced into a choice like this.'*
He had intended to align himself with Young Master Allen from the start.
But coming completely under his authority was another matter entirely.
*'…I should have just stayed away when things started to feel strange.'*
Karic regretted not leaving immediately when he had spoken.
In all his time conducting business in the county, he had never once heard about Lady Eliza's origins.
That meant she was hiding the fact that she was from the Lupinus family.
A secret too heavy to bear was not something that fostered bonds, but a shackle that bound him.
*'What on earth is he thinking?'*
From Soned's perspective, it would have been more advantageous to enter Allen's service alone.
He couldn't understand why Soned would go so far as to reveal an unnecessary secret to draw him in.
No matter how much gratitude and favor he held for Young Master Allen, it wasn't reason enough to act against his own identity as a merchant.
*'Would my late father have known?'*
Karic shook his head.
The time for a decision had come, and there was no turning back now. Karic composed himself and slowly began to speak.
“Young Master.”
“Yes.”
Allen replied leisurely.
“I have done a great deal of thinking since you left to subjugate the witch.”
A glint appeared deep in Soned's eyes as he watched Allen.
“I saw your character in the way you saved Lord Eric without hesitation, and I was moved by how you supported the cursed without delay.”
Unlike before, Allen did not interrupt his lengthy praise.
“And I commend your devout appearance at the harvest festival and the martial prowess with which you ultimately subjugated the witch. Therefore…”
Karic revealed the conclusion he had reached after days of constant deliberation.
“I wish to have a better relationship with you, Young Master.”
“A relationship?”
“Yes.”
Allen watched him with a thin smile.
“Our merchant guild is not large, but we handle a variety of goods and are gradually expanding our influence.”
“And?”
“So…”
Karic spoke with a look of resolve.
“Our merchant guild wishes to head toward the same future as you, Young Master.”
“The same goes for me, Young Master.”
Soned smoothly rode the coattails of Karic's declaration and bowed his head.
*'With this, I must have been of help to the Young Master.'*
While it couldn't be said he had no other motive for bringing Karic in, the foundation for Soned's actions was his gratitude and favor toward Allen.
If Allen had two merchants under him instead of one, they would inevitably have to compete, creating a more favorable situation for him.
*'It will prevent a monopoly.'*
That aspect of Soned's character was also the reason he was able to form connections and trade even with elves, who were not typically friendly toward humans.
“Thanks to you, Young Master, I was able to enhance my guild's reputation and reap great profits. Therefore, I too would like to face the future 'together' with you.”
Allen nodded with a satisfied smile.
He didn't believe he could receive true loyalty from a merchant.
So, those words meant.
“Indeed. To 'bet' the entire future of your guild on me must have been a difficult decision. I shall strive to meet your expectations.”
It was tantamount to a declaration of their virtual subordination under his command.
Although Allen had subtly altered their words, Soned made no further comment, as if willing to accept it. He simply smiled gently.
“Yes, we look forward to working with you.”
“It is an honor to be with you.”
Acandus, Soned, and now Karic.
*'Finally, I've gathered them all.'*
The foundational pieces needed to navigate the future were all in place.
* * *
Allen gave them the orders he had prepared in advance.
“Soned, I need you to continuously search for a certain grimoire.”
“A grimoire… you say?”
Allen nodded.
He had already learned through Inellia that the demon contract was not here.
“It is a tome of contract-type magic, and its cover is red.”
“Red cover, contract-type magic… Understood.”
Soned found Allen's relatively detailed conditions curious but didn't question them.
He simply surmised that the Young Master was testing his abilities.
“And from now on, if you see any merchant guilds or carriage processions in the territory that you don't recognize, report them to me.”
“Unfamiliar merchant guilds, you say?”
Allen replied firmly to Karic's puzzled expression.
“Yes.”
This was a question he had harbored since his tea time with his father.
*'Where is the family's money flowing?'*
He had only set it aside because he lacked both the manpower and the right circumstances to act.
Despite rumors of the family's decline, a closer look revealed no real shortage of funds.
They could afford luxuries, like the high-quality tea leaves his father procured, and the servants' wages were always paid on time.
Allen intended to trace the source of this abnormal flow of funds.
*'If I'm lucky, I might be able to find the connections of those around my father.'*
Since it was also related to Acandus's father, he would cooperate willingly.
“I've recently noticed signs of black-market trading through illegal routes in the territory. It's difficult for the soldiers to catch them, but it should be different for you.”
However, he had no intention of rushing this matter.
These were people who had never been caught even in his previous life; he didn't expect them to be easy to find.
“You have connections with various merchants, do you not? So, if you spot any unfamiliar guilds or large processions of cargo carriages in the territory, report them.”
At Allen's words, which showed his concern for the territory, they wore expressions of understanding.
“And finally…”
Allen glanced out the window for a moment.
As autumn came to a close, a cold wind swept through the bare branches of the trees.
*'There isn't much time left until the new year.'*
“Once your preparations are complete, come to El Rounde in January. There is someone I want you to meet.”
They would be seeing Acandus often, so it would be good for them to get acquainted. They would be meeting frequently from now on.
“We will arrive without delay.”
“I will also settle the remaining payment for the herbs then.”
Selling off the less effective elixirs he'd obtained from the mountain would be more than enough to cover the cost.
“We'll be counting on it.”
“Then, let's get up… Ah. Yes. Soned.”
As Allen paused while rising to his feet, Soned smiled and asked,
“Is something the matter? Ah. If it's about the reward we discussed before, you needn't worry…”
Allen shook his head.
“This is a separate matter.”
“Then?”
“Do not publicly announce the fact that you are working with me.”
Soned blinked, and Allen added another word.
“Elves.”
“Ah!”
Realizing his true meaning, Soned was once again impressed by his meticulous insight and nodded.
“I will publicly state that our relationship is for the purpose of procuring tea leaves.”
“Do as you see fit.”
Allen stood up completely and said in a jesting tone,
“Now then, I suppose I'll go have a look at that treasure you were boasting about.”
He didn't think he would find anything as useful as what he remembered, but…
*'There's always a chance.'*
Soned was the first to head for the reception room door, saying,
“I will have someone guide you.”