Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Foxes and Sour Grapes
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When Sion first arrived in this world, the thing that shocked him most was the monsters.
Of course, since AWS was a game set in a medieval fantasy world, he had known monsters existed.
But there was a world of difference between knowing that and actually seeing and experiencing them.
Take this example.
Everyone knows orcas exist. They know what they look like, and most know they're like organized crime bosses of the sea—hence the English name "Killer Whale."
And anyone with even a passing interest in orcas knows that, excluding cases like those in SeaWorld under extreme stress, there are no reported instances of wild orcas deliberately attacking humans. (There's even a case where one mistook a person for a seal, swallowed them whole, realized its mistake, and spat them out.)
That's why most people like orcas.
They're brutal gangsters to other sea creatures—earning the nickname "Tyrants of the Ocean"—but oddly sweet to humans.
But what if you suddenly encountered one of those orcas in the middle of the ocean, without any warning?
Any normal person would freeze up and tense.
Even knowing full well that orcas don't attack humans and are actually friendly, you can't help but be scared.
That was how it felt for Sion the first time he encountered a monster.
Except these bastards weren't orcas—they were extremely hostile to humans and just ate you if they bit down.
Among those monsters, about a dozen bipedal, hunchbacked wild dog-like kobolds in a snowy woodland meadow surrounded Sion, armed with rusty spears and clubs studded with bits of iron.
Even a pack of wild dogs growling in a rural area with houses within a few hundred meters would be terrifying, but this was an open field with no sign of human life whatsoever, and these two-legged dogs were glaring with red eyes, drooling and foaming at the mouth as they closed in.
At the time, Sion had already killed dozens of bandits and criminals and prided himself on being somewhat adapted to this world, but his hair stood on end.
Of course, he won that fight. His shoulder, nape, and calf were torn by teeth, and he was covered in cuts and gashes, but he killed eight kobolds and chased off the rest.
But there was no thrill of victory.
Bleeding heavily, leaning against a rock and panting, Sion trembled in fear of the monsters and had to rethink everything he thought about them.
If it had been the same number of bandits or brigands, it would've been better.
Bandits and brigands were bigger, heavier, and better fighters than kobolds, but they were still human, after all.
Monsters were different.
Even "knowing" about them, facing an unfamiliar hostile existence created far bigger psychological hurdles and unpredictable variables than he'd imagined.
And that was true for most humans in this world too.
Aside from mercenaries with tons of experience fighting monsters, ordinary folk—and even soldiers stationed in castles or manors—feared them.
Even among knights, highborn nobles found monsters harder to face than humans, since they'd hardly ever seen any.
But during the Demon Dragon War, when the whole world became overrun with monsters, anyone who wielded a sword got over that fear.
They saw them, fought them until they were sick of it, became numb to it, and surpassed mere "intellectual knowledge."
Yes. About seventy years ago, the people of this world overcame the primal terror of monsters through brutal experience.
That's how they drove the monsters back, to the point where monsters started fearing and avoiding humans—especially those who wielded swords.
And so decades passed.
In that time, monsters multiplied back to their old numbers.
Of course, their fear of "sword-wielders" kept most confined to deep mountains or forests, so ordinary people rarely encountered them unless they lived near those remote areas or traveled far in small, poorly armed groups.
And that meant the primal fear of monsters—overcome through the harrowing Demon Dragon War—had slowly but surely been reimprinted on humans over those seventy long years, without anyone noticing.
It was in that exact state that monsters suddenly multiplied several times over across the entire world.
"Aren't goblins, trolls, kobolds—these small types—the only ones increasing?"
"If it's just double, we could hire masses of our knights, soldiers, and mercenaries to handle it."
The initial shock from the reports had faded, and the Yazan merchant lords and Sauden's old guard conversed with some leisure.
Since Sion had anticipated this flow, he watched them calmly.
Everyone gathered here was born and raised wielding wealth and power in the cities of Yazan and Sauden.
To them, monsters were just corpses from subjugations or byproducts for sale.
They'd never seen one charging at humans with hatred and murderous intent.
That's why they could spout such comfortable nonsense.
"Then."
At the low, husky voice of Sion (possessor of hexagonal aptitude and Demon King), they fell silent and focused on him.
"There's nothing more to discuss with you all. Just take the negotiation results with Yonas Hander and Smirnov the Mine Foreman and head home."
"......"
The merchant lords and old guard exchanged glances but didn't rise.
They were people of wealth and power.
But if asked if that wealth and power was absolute, they'd say no.
The Yazan merchant lords, who grew rich through trade, knew of kings, sultans, and great nobles with even vaster fortunes, and Sauden's old guard ultimately served under Count Garren's house.
So they couldn't ignore the words of a member of the Obla royal family—one whom Hander of the Sion Dukedom treated with utmost respect—especially since he held their weaknesses: hexagonal aptitude and Jaiz Garren.
Then, the one person who had sat quietly without joining the chatter, focusing solely on Sion, spoke up.
"Sir Seilun, I have a proposal."
Bellin Spio, the only one here who'd faced Sion directly, continued carefully, tense with awe and fear.
"Our Spio Merchant Group wants unlimited supply of mid-grade or higher general arms produced in the Sion Dukedom, regardless of type. Of course, excluding whatever quantities the Sion Dukedom needs."
"......!?"
The Yazan merchant lords' eyes bulged.
Unlimited supply request.
This wasn't just buying whatever the producer made.
It included "duration" as well. If the producer committed to ten years, you'd have to buy no matter what for a decade.
One misstep, and the merchant group could go bankrupt.
"The price?"
The nightmare of another upfront offer made Bellin's shoulders twitch for a moment, but as they say, those who've eaten rice eat it best—she overcame her trauma and replied.
"We can pay up to twenty percent above the negotiated price with the Iron Mountain Mine Foreman. No—when I return to headquarters, I'll make sure it's approved."
The people gathered here—especially the Yazan merchant lords—were even more shocked.
Bellin had just declared she'd shatter her own merchant group's upper limit.
The merchant lords, sharper than anyone on money matters, judged at lightspeed.
That vixen-like girl going this far meant there was definitely "something."
"We too...."
"Our merchant group as well, under the same conditions...."
"Short swords, short spears, battle axes, northern helmets, and mid-grade 32-layer gambesons will be supplied to the Spio Merchant Group without limit for one year. For long swords and shield sets, longbows, chain mail, and brigandine or higher heavy armor, we'll supply up to one hundred each per month as desired."
"Th-thank you!"
With the unexpected bonus piled on, Bellin couldn't hide her joy and bowed deeply.
Unlike the merchant lords here, she knew.
The "mid-grade" items just mentioned were what the Sion Dukedom's guards used.
They lacked monster byproducts, but since they were made by Iron Mountain dwarves, they counted as top-grade elsewhere—used by elite mercenary bands.
In short.
'These will be the first and best-selling items once this monster crisis hits full swing!'
No matter the monster panic, minor fiefdoms and second- or third-rate mercenaries couldn't afford expensive arms processed from monster parts right away.
Monster byproduct arms would first go to wealthy royals' and nobles' troops or current top mercenaries and knights.
The former meant selling hundred-dien items by the tens of thousands; the latter, thousand-dien items by the hundreds.
Anyone not an idiot knew which yielded more profit.
Bellin had struck gold.
But the Yazan merchant lords, fixated only on high-end monster byproduct arms, didn't grasp why she was so thrilled.
They just felt a bit regretful that their vague "stab in the dark" had fallen through.
Then the old monster decided to confirm for the merchant lords that what they hadn't even tasted wasn't new grapes but deliciously ripe green grapes.
"The mid-grade general arms that Spio's agent Bellin just requested unlimited supply of? That's what our dukedom's guards use. And though you might not know...."
"......?"
"Right now, go anywhere in the Obla Kingdom, and you won't easily find mercenary bands better equipped than our dukedom's guards. Especially not in Yazan or the Guslander Kingdom."
"Gasp!"
"Eek!?"
The foxes who learned of the green grapes groaned in unison, while the lone kumiho who'd sniffed them out and snatched them grinned.
'Still, it can't be that great.'
'High-end arms from monster byproducts are the best. We can squeeze that smooth-talking dwarf for some, so no loss.'
"Haha! Congratulations, Bellin. This should cover your losses in Rozin."
"Indeed. The Spio Merchant Group has to eat too."
Hahaha...
The foxes forcibly hid their bloody-tear feelings and feigned calm.
"Well then."
Sion scanned the Yazan merchant lords and Sauden old guard inwardly chanting "new grapes, those are new grapes..." and spoke.
"Anyone want the surplus long swords and shield sets, longbows, chain mail, brigandine or higher heavy armor? These...."
Sion narrowed his eyes at the sour-grape foxes who seemed to catch on, flashing a meaningful smile.
"Are the same specs as what our monster-slaying-famous dukedom knights, elf rangers, and the unit from Fland that did that thing used."
Whoosh!
Hands laden with bangles and rings shot up from both sides of the table at light speed.
One side to snag proven-performance gear to sell, the other to secure the "magical" arms that had massacred their forces.
The foxes finally abandoned their mental victories and rolled belly-up before the green grapes.
And three days later, they realized they'd made one of the best decisions of their lives.
"Monsters raided Fortna—hundreds of residents dead, most farmland burned!"
"Three counties in the barony hit by monster attacks—the count has called up the full army! Casualties unknown!"
The news came via fast ship from Yazan and Sauden.