Chapter 94
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 94
A vassal watched her with a polite, expectant expression. Daren Dru Sieorkan, if she recalled correctly—a distant relative of Barkas. The man spoke with careful consideration.
“Should anything catch your eye, Your Highness, I would be honored to purchase it for you.”
“No, I don’t need—”
Thalia opened her mouth to reflexively decline, then paused. She was already growing weary of sitting still like a decorative ornament.
She glanced at Barkas, who was currently surrounded by administrators and council members. Pulling her hood low over her head, she stood up.
“Fine. Lead the way.”
As they stepped through the back door of the meeting room, a vast, sprawling space bustling with hundreds of merchants was revealed.
Thalia stood by the railing and looked down. Vibrant stacks of wool and felt rose high from the crowded stalls, while behind them, long lines of carts and crates laden with cargo stretched into the distance.
“This way, please.”
The man guided her toward the stairs. Thalia gripped the railing with one hand, stepping down carefully. As she reached the final step, the vibrant, chaotic spectacle of the auction house filled her vision.
She moved through the crowded aisles, watching merchants compete in fierce bidding wars. Men dressed as finely as any noble haggled with spit-flying intensity, while brokers used scales and abacuses to calculate commissions. Nearby, transporters hauled neatly stacked fabrics onto waiting carts.
It felt as if she had been dropped into the heart of a frantic banquet.
She browsed the spices offered by foreign merchants before turning toward a relatively quiet corner of the market.
On a somewhat shabby display stand, ornaments of crude workmanship were laid out. As she scanned them with a disinterested gaze, the man following behind her like a silent sentry spoke up.
“The jewelers are located in the transept. Shall I guide you there?”
“No. I don’t wear jewelry unless it was crafted by dwarves anyway.”
“Ah… I see.”
The man scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed. Ignoring him, Thalia stepped into an alley lined with smaller stalls. Just then, a single tapestry hanging on a wall caught her eye.
Thalia approached it, staring up at the decorative cloth and its unique pattern. Woven with intricate threads of gold, crimson, and deep russet, the fabric depicted a young woman with porcelain skin standing beside a black, three-headed beast.
She frowned, examining the eerie image closely, when an unfamiliar voice spoke from nearby.
“Does the tapestry please you?”
Thalia turned her head to find an Eastern woman inside the stall. She adopted a wary expression.
The woman set down the ledger she was holding and offered a deal in a polite tone.
“It is listed for thirty soldem, but if a noble lady such as yourself were to buy it, I shall let it go for twenty-six.”
“Who would buy such a strange thing?”
At Thalia’s blunt retort, a faint spark of curiosity appeared on the woman’s face. She tilted her head, peering intently at Thalia’s features.
“It seems the lady is from another region.”
Thalia glared at her suspiciously. “How do you know that?”
“This tapestry depicts the most famous folk legend in the East. Since you did not recognize it, I assumed you came from elsewhere.”
“A folk legend?”
Thalia looked back at the fabric on the wall. Pleased by her interest, the merchant immediately began the tale.
“Long ago, a primordial beast lived in this land—one that sought to swallow even the stars in the sky. Consumed by greed, the creature intended to devour every living thing on this earth.”
The woman, having set the stage convincingly, paused for a moment to gauge Thalia’s reaction.
Thalia gestured with her chin for her to continue. A clear voice with a strange resonance followed.
“Then one day, the Earth Spirit awoke to soothe the beast that threatened the world. She sang without rest for a hundred days and nights to tame the monster, and eventually, a great warrior was born of their union. The ancient Easterners believed themselves to be the descendants of this warrior.”
Thalia knitted her brows, recalling a similar story she had heard from the maids at Raedgo Castle.
The merchant rummaged through a pile of neatly folded fabrics, pulled out a handkerchief, and spread it on the counter.
“Even now, many Easterners believe that bearing the mark of the black beast wards off misfortune. Why not purchase one as a memento, My Lady?”
Embroidered on the red cloth was the three-headed monster. It was a strangely familiar pattern.
Narrowing her eyes, Thalia soon remembered where she had seen it. It was a crest she had encountered in books while studying the history of the Era of Nations—the symbol used by the Sieorkan clan before they were incorporated into the Roem Empire.
As if drawn by an invisible force, she picked it up.
It was an item far from her usual taste, but she felt awkward ignoring the merchant’s enthusiasm. She signaled over her shoulder.
“What are you doing? Pay for it.”
At that moment, a slender hand with prominent knuckles reached out from beside her.
“Will this suffice?”
Along with the cool voice, several glittering gold coins were placed on the counter.
Thalia flinched and looked back. Barkas, draped in a deep navy cloak, was looking down at her with an indifferent expression. Pressing his body close to her back, he let his low, melodic voice drift near her temple.
“Is there anything else you desire?”
Thalia stared up at him blankly for a moment before slowly shaking her head. Barkas, who had been watching her face intently, turned his gaze to the merchant.
“Is the payment sufficient?”
“It—it is plenty! More than enough!”
As the merchant hurriedly gathered the gold coins, Barkas turned away without delay.
Led by his hand, they emerged from the narrow passage, and the now relatively sparse landscape of the auction house came into view. He spoke quietly as they entered a central corridor.
“The jewelry shops are over there. I heard that great merchants from the Southern Continent have set up stalls, so you should be able to find something to Your Highness’s liking.”
Thalia looked up at his face in a daze. Then, the man who had been following them silently cut in tactlessly.
“Your Excellency, Her Highness says she does not wear jewelry unless it is made by dwarves. Would such common items truly satisfy the Imperial Princess?”
Thalia glared at the man through the folds of her robe. She couldn’t let a fool like him ruin her chance to receive a gift from Barkas.
She spoke up hastily. “Now that I think about it, it might be fine to have at least one piece that is… different.”
Barkas looked down at her over his shoulder for a moment before turning his gaze forward again.
They passed dozens of stalls and moved toward the transept of the building. Before long, the entrance to the precious metals exchange appeared, guarded by grim-faced sentries. Barkas led her inside.
“Welcome.”
The merchant standing before the display cases offered a clumsy greeting without even lifting his head. Despite the rude attitude, Barkas showed no reaction and brought her to the counter.
“Tell me if anything catches your eye.”
Thalia scanned the red velvet carefully. Gems of various sizes and exceptional quality were arranged neatly.
Among them were items that looked extraordinary even to her eyes, accustomed as she was to the finest treasures of the empire. As she reflexively reached out to pick one up, the merchant, who had been checking a raw stone with a magnifying glass, barked sharply.
“Customer! Do not touch them carelessly—!”
Belatedly recognizing Barkas, the merchant gasped and scrambled to his feet.
Barkas said in a dry tone, “I shall purchase everything Her Highness has touched.”
“A-ah, no, Grand Duke! Please, do not mind me and look as much as you like! I failed to recognize you and committed a grave discourtesy…”
Thalia didn’t spare a glance for the babbling merchant. Her gaze shifted across the gems.
Then, she stopped. She had discovered a softly glowing blue mineral. When she picked it up and held it to the light, a mysterious silver sheen shimmered over its smooth surface. It was a beautiful moonstone that reminded her of Barkas’s eyes.
“Do you like that one?”
As she stared at the gem as if possessed, Barkas spoke.
Thalia flinched and set the stone down. Her neck grew hot under his gaze, which felt as though it were peering straight into her heart.
“I-it’s not that great.”
Thalia snatched up a red ruby lying next to it.
“I’ll take this one.”