Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Suspicious Merchants
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***
“Mm...”
Millerph’s face was grim as he stood atop the hill.
He had been thrilled to reunite with old friends from the Magic Tower after so long, but he had gained nothing on the information he truly sought.
All he heard about Marquis Valtre were the favorable details anyone could know.
And as for the emperor, no one knew a thing.
Of course, with that idol of the Magic Tower at the emperor’s side, what was there to worry about? But if they knew what kind of man he really was, their thinking would change.
No one would believe him, though.
They would probably just get furious and accuse him of slandering the man.
He had considered visiting an information guild to dig deeper, but Arthur had only permitted him until today.
Regretfully, he had no choice but to head back.
Far in the distance, the faint silhouette of the Julius family castle came into view.
They were currently reorganizing the territory’s defenses, and he had promised to inspect the area on his way back and inform Ban of any shortcomings.
He slowly urged his white horse forward, surveying his surroundings.
Barriers and watchtowers were being erected here and there.
There wasn’t a trace of anxiety among the territory folk at work.
It must have been the result of their great victory over Count Yarve.
Most worked with a mix of resolve and bright energy.
“Looks good.”
A faint smile crossed Millerph’s lips.
That was when he heard the sound of people and wagons approaching from behind.
‘What’s this?’
Millerph pulled on the reins and turned his horse around.
In the distance, he spotted a long procession of people and wagons.
He activated Hawk Eye and examined them closely.
Around a hundred people carried bundles that looked like luggage on their backs or in their hands. The wagons stretched out in a line, loaded with crates or covered in cloth.
They resembled refugees at first glance, but the expensive-looking crates on the wagons created a sense of incongruity.
‘A suspicious bunch.’
Millerph rode toward them.
“We’re almost there! Everyone, hang in there!”
The man leading the procession turned and shouted loudly.
That was when someone pointed ahead.
“John, someone’s coming.”
“What?”
John quickly looked forward.
An elderly man in a white robe with white hair was riding toward them on a white horse.
He didn’t look ordinary.
‘This’ll be the final hurdle.’
John halted the procession.
Millerph arrived before him, reined in his horse, and asked calmly,
“Where are you coming from with this procession?”
“We’re from the Ventarr Merchant Group.”
“Ventarr... aren’t you based in Nibon territory?”
“That’s right. We’ve come to trade with Grada territory. If I may ask, who might you be...?”
Normally, John would have demanded the man’s identity first, but the stranger’s aura was too imposing for that.
Judging him connected to the Julius family, he answered obediently.
Millerph listened to John, then scanned the long line.
There were too many oddities for a proper merchant caravan.
No sign of hired mercenaries, and they had just fought a territorial war with the group’s home territory.
It made no sense for them to risk entering enemy land for trade.
‘I wonder what their deal is...’
His suspicions deepened.
Just then, the lid of a crate on the nearest wagon popped open, and a child poked their head out.
“Mom... are we there yet?”
“Oh!”
A young woman beside the wagon jumped in surprise and hurriedly closed the crate.
The child pounded on it and cried out.
“Mom! I wanna go outside!”
“Damn it!”
John’s face twisted as he and Millerph witnessed the scene.
At the same time, the men beside him drew hidden swords and surrounded Millerph.
Yet there was no killing intent from them—only confusion.
‘What do we do?’
‘Do we really have to kill him?’
‘This is insane.’
They glanced nervously at John.
At a loss himself, John decided to try talking it out first.
“We don’t mean you harm. First, tell us your connection to the Julius count’s family.”
“The fact you’re asking suggests you don’t want the count to know you’re here.”
A cold aura emanated from Millerph.
“Shit!”
John swiftly drew his sword from his waist and assumed an attack stance.
Tension hung thick in the air.
“Wait.”
A low woman’s voice came from behind, and an elderly woman with white hair emerged from the crowd, leaning on a staff.
She bowed politely to Millerph.
“I’m the one leading them.”
“You’re the head of the Ventarr Merchant Group?”
“Yes.”
“Unexpected. I didn’t think a commoner would lead a trading company.”
“Fortune smiled, and I seized an opportunity beyond my station.”
The old woman answered deferentially, then continued.
“We’re merchants. For the company’s profit, no place is off-limits. Why hesitate if we can get a higher price for our goods?”
“I’m curious what that is.”
“See for yourself.”
The old woman smiled kindly and walked toward a cloth-covered wagon.
John followed, climbed onto the wagon, and pulled back the covering.
“This is...!”
Iron ore.
The old woman spoke to the astonished Millerph.
“Our informants said iron ore is what Grada territory needs most right now. We can get at least three times its usual value.”
“Impressive intelligence network.”
“We do our best to survive.”
“Do your best...”
Millerph eyed the wagons sharply.
“Then what about the children hiding in the crates?”
“...!”
The old woman’s eyes shook violently for a moment.
“Th-that’s...”
“You might fool others, but not me. Ura Karama...”
As Millerph murmured in runic tongue, the staff strapped to his saddle flew into his hand like a magnet.
Click.
Everyone gasped at the sight of him gripping the staff, now glowing with bright light.
“A m-mage...”
Millerph aimed the staff at the old woman.
“If you don’t want trouble, stay put.”
“We’re not enemies.”
“That’s for my lord to decide.”
Millerph shifted the staff toward the nearest watchtower.
He was about to cast a spell to alert the guards of an emergency when—
He sensed sudden killing intent.
“Who’s there!”
He swung the staff swiftly.
Flash!
It sliced through empty air.
Millerph scanned the surroundings quickly.
Beside the old woman stood a man radiating dark menace.
“You...”
Yarve’s bodyguard knight.
Jackal spoke politely.
“They’re not enemies.”
Millerph, feeling all eyes on him, asked,
“Did you bring them?”
“Yes.”
“Not something your lord permitted, I assume.”
“There were unavoidable circumstances.”
“I can’t allow people brought by Yarve Count’s bodyguard knight to enter the territory.”
“Then let us camp here until I obtain the count’s permission.”
“Hm.”
Millerph pondered.
After a moment, as silence fell, children began peeking out from the crates one by one.
Seeing their innocent faces, Millerph couldn’t bring himself to drive them away harshly.
“Very well. But you must obey the count’s decision without question.”
“Understood.”
“And bring the merchant leader with you.”
“Is that all right?”
Jackal glanced at the old woman, who nodded with a smile.
Just then—
Thud thud thud thud—
A group appeared from beyond the border, kicking up clouds of dust.
“What?”
“Those are...!”
Blue armor, white banner with a golden dragon!
It was the Phoenix Knight Order.
Millerph spotted Skevin charging fiercely at the head of the knights and smiled.
“Perfect timing.”
The old woman murmured with a meaningful glint in her eye.
“The Empire’s Spear...”
Moments later.
Skevin reined in before Millerph. He frowned slightly at Jackal beside the old woman.
“Why are you here?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Jackal replied coldly to Skevin, then turned to Millerph.
“Shall we head out?”
Jackal mounted with the old woman.
Millerph said to Skevin,
“Are you on your way back now?”
“Yes, but who are all these people?”
“I don’t know for sure myself. Ask the lord for details, but watch them for now.”
“Watch them?”
Jackal furrowed his brow.
“I can’t trust you—or them—until the lord decides.”
“Are all who follow the count this cold and heartless by nature? Or did he order you to?”
“Your words are out of line...!”
Before Millerph could finish, Skevin’s sword was at Jackal’s throat.
Lightning fast.
‘No way...’
Jackal was shocked he hadn’t even reacted.
This was nothing like their prison encounter.
Now he saw it—this man was a powerhouse rivaling the count.
Sword in hand, this was his true form.
Skevin glared coldly at Jackal.
“Next time, I won’t stop. Remember that.”
Jackal grinned wickedly.
“Full of yourself, considering I beat you.”
“Say the word if you want to die. I’ll oblige.”
“That’s my line.”
Killing intent poured from both.
Heavy silence fell, thick tension building.
“Enough.”
Millerph, who had been watching, stopped Skevin.
Skevin had meant to crush Jackal’s spirit, but the man was no pushover.
He sheathed his sword, deciding to crush him publicly soon.
“Wait just a bit.”
“Anytime. One of us dies next time.”
Poisonous venom filled Jackal’s murderous gaze.
The Phoenix Knights shivered at the sight.
Skevin, meanwhile, smirked at finding another who could make him tense besides Arthur.
“I look forward to it.”
***
‘This time for sure!’
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Mm...”
Arthur frowned.
The target 50 meters away had holes dead center.
All hits.
Yet dissatisfaction filled him.
“What am I doing wrong?”
Arthur stared piercingly at the Sig Sauer in his hand.
He was trying to attach additional gear to the weapon.
Since he could materialize imagined forms, he figured this was possible too.
But contrary to his thoughts, it wasn’t easy.
He’d tried all morning, failing each time. Now he wondered if his assumption was wrong.
“Am I thinking about it the wrong way?”
Arthur tilted his head, lost in thought for a moment.
He could currently summon three weapons.
Sig Sauer, K1 Rifle, and the shotgun Benelli M1.
For heavy firepower, he could switch to dual machine gun mode.
Undeniably powerful enough to fluster even a Sword Master.
But there was a flaw.
No weapon for silently eliminating enemies.
Every gun revealed his position with its report the moment he pulled the trigger.
Hence, the silencer idea—and attaching it to the Sig Sauer.
“One more try.”
As Arthur gathered mana, he sensed a dark aura approaching rapidly from behind.
‘This!’
He spun, aiming the muzzle.
Someone appeared out of nowhere where no one had been.
Jackal.
“I’m back.”
Arthur lowered the gun and asked,
“You’re earlier than expected.”
“There were circumstances.”
“What about my request?”
“I brought someone to fulfill it.”
“What do you mean?”
Arthur tilted his head when—
Shreeeeeeek!
An ominous cry echoed from the sky.
As Arthur and Jackal’s eyes flashed, Drakan raced in on Ron and shouted,
“Look at the sky!”
Arthur whipped his head up.
A massive monster bird appeared.
Lion’s body, head and wings like an eagle.
Jackal, staring at it alongside Arthur, hardened his face.
“A griffon...”
Seeing the beasts that had tormented his allies to the teeth, Arthur spat a curse.
“You mongrel bastard...”
The Sig Sauer in his hand morphed into the K1 Rifle.
“Do you know where this is?”
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat—!