A Fair Trade (Part 2)
Horses are valuable property. Siphoning imperial steeds away is tantamount to embezzling imperial assets.
I looked down coldly at Gale, who remained on his knees, utterly frantic.
Either way, it works out in my favor.
I should be glad Gale was reckless enough to have such bloated nerve. Thanks to that sheer audacity, I now had him firmly under my thumb.
"I happen to know you aren't the only one involved."
As the saying went, muddy water upstream leaves the river filthy below. The pages who had conspired with Gale to embezzle the horses were all lackeys serving the Second Prince.
"I wonder what will happen when the higher-ups catch wind of this?"
"N-No! You can't!"
At my words, Gale scrambled forward on his knees and clutched desperately at the hem of my skirt.
"Please, anything but that! Have mercy, I beg of you!"
"Mercy?"
"A-All right! I'll do whatever you want! Just one horse is all you need, right?!"
"Two."
Gale's eyes wavered at the mention of two.
Before long, his sweat-slicked fingers began drifting toward his trouser pocket.
Predictable.
He likely had a blade tucked away in his inner lining.
Running the numbers in his head even now, is he? He does know how to scheme.
Ever since he rigged that Monte game, I knew he had a knack for petty tricks. But back then, just as now, he was always one step short of real cunning. A faint sneer tugged at my lips at how transparent he was.
He's weighing whether it's better to grant my request and buy my silence, or simply butcher me right here and now.
I snorted as Gale frantically rolled his eyes, lost in thought.
Ridiculous. Does he honestly believe brandishing a little knife would give him a fighting chance against me?
A petty prickle of wounded pride rose inside me.
I suppose a single punch wasn't enough to demonstrate the sheer disparity between our capabilities.
It seemed I had struck him as far more pliable than I'd intended. Resolving to increase my daily training regimen, I opened my mouth again.
"Of course, I intend to pay."
"Huh?"
"Didn't I say this was a transaction?"
I tossed five gold coins onto the ground. Gale's gaze wavered the instant his eyes locked onto the glittering currency resting in the dirt.
"Five Noma."
The standard gold coin of the Ventrum Empire, the Noma. Each coin bore the embossed profile of the reigning sovereign, Carvelius III. Barely half the size of an adult palm, this singular currency was recognized and accepted across the entirety of the continent.
"I will pay five Noma per horse. Consider this the down payment."
The look in Gale's eyes shifted entirely at the sight of the gold. Noticing the raw avarice welling in his gaze, I smirked.
"You'll receive the remainder once the horses are delivered."
Ten Noma for two horses. Compared to market rates for imperial stock, it was practically a steal, but it was by no means small change. Ten Noma was roughly equal to a full year's starting salary for an imperial knight. For a mere page like Gale, it was an offer far too lucrative to justify refusing.
"Where... where on earth did you get this kind of money...?"
"Its origins are completely legitimate, so mind your own business."
Gale darted an uneasy glance in my direction before eagerly shoving the coins into his breast pocket.
"Hmph! Y-You're no better than a thief yourself! Expecting to buy imperial horses for mere pocket change!"
"I hardly think a thief like you has the right to lecture me."
"Shit... How the hell did I get saddled with such bad luck..."
Though he grumbled under his breath, he showed zero intention of letting go of the gold. It made sense; he was already reckless enough to embezzle imperial assets blinded by greed. Dangle actual gold right before his snout, and there was not a chance in hell he would turn it down.
"I have no use for mediocre nags. Bring me quality steeds, thoroughbred rank or higher."
"What?! Steeds of that caliber go for at least twenty Noma each!"
"Do you have something more to say?"
The moment my voice dropped into a chilling undertone, he immediately tucked his tail between his legs.
"N-No. Nothing. When do you need them by?"
"The day after tomorrow at the latest. Deliver the goods in person."
Gale scowled.
"That's way too tight of a deadline! And what the hell does a nursery nanny need horses for anyway?!"
"That is neither your concern nor your business to know."
"Hey...!"
"And just in case you harbor any foolish ideas: the fact that you and I made this deal remains strictly between us."
Baring my teeth in an icy, menacing smile, I drove the threat home.
"Bear in mind, if your loose tongue causes any trouble, I have no intention of going down quietly."
I stepped forward and gripped Gale's fleshy jaw in a vise-like hold.
"The second you took those gold coins, you became my accomplice."
"Wh-Wha..."
"If you utter a single word about me to anyone, I will gladly expose everything—how you embezzled imperial property and siphoned imperial horses to me for coin."
That was precisely why I had paid him in gold. A record of monetary exchange was, in and of itself, irrefutable evidence in countless circumstances.
"A truly fair trade, wouldn't you say?"
"Ugh... n-ngh..."
Releasing his terror-stricken jaw, I smirked.
"Then I'll see you on the agreed date, partner in crime."
As was typical of back alleys everywhere, the underbelly of the imperial capital was a breeding ground for every sort of wretched scum. Pickpockets, gamblers, pimps, opium addicts, smugglers, slavers, and contract killers—it was a domain ruled by the destitute, the starved, and those who reeked of spilled blood.
It's been a while.
Having grown accustomed to living alongside two soft, warm children, I had wondered if this place would feel foreign to me now. I pulled my worn hood low over my brow and strode deeper into the shadows of the alley.
Clack, clack.
The low heels of my boots clicked softly against the uneven cobblestones. The denizens of the slums—scavengers who pounced like hyenas upon any naive commoner foolish enough to wander into their territory—stared intently at me.
I suppose a solitary woman walking these streets is quite the novelty.
Yet, not a single one dared pick a fight with me.
Then again, had they been that foolish, they would have ended up corpses long ago.
None of these bottom-feeders were reckless enough to attack someone merely because they possessed a petite build or the silhouette of a woman. A considerable number of mercenaries and assassins were female, and there was never a shortage of monstrously powerful figures who masqueraded as frail elders or innocent children. Because of that brutal reality, an unwritten law had long governed the underworld: never provoke a stranger without knowing what they were capable of.
"You motherfucker!"
I pushed open the door to a dilapidated tavern devoid of any sign. The instant the wooden slab swung open, a barrage of drunken shouts and curses assaulted my ears.
"Who the fuck do you think you're dealing from the bottom of the deck with?!"
"Did you see me?! Did you?!"
"Hey! Bring more booze over here!"
Loud brawling voices and filthy banter swirled through the tavern's smoky air. Every patron gathered inside was either clutching a hand of cards or rolling dice. They acted as though they might drop dead on the spot if their fingers weren't constantly fidgeting with something to wager.
"Heeey, what's this...?"
A burly, drunken man lumbered over toward me.
"What's a pretty little lady doin' in a filthy dump like this, ehhh?"
Without the slightest hesitation, he slung a heavy arm over my shoulder. Well, even here, there were bound to be a few idiots who had survived purely on blind luck.
"Take your hand off me."
Without even glancing at the arm draped across my shoulder, I delivered a frosty warning.
"Unless you want it severed."
I pitched my voice intentionally low, adopting the timbre of a man. The last thing I needed was the headache of inviting unwanted trouble by speaking in my natural voice. Sensing the sudden surge of killing intent rolling off me, the man flinched violently and stumbled back.
"Hey."
Approaching the counter at the rear of the tavern, I called out to the bartender. An elderly man with a deceptively genial demeanor ambled over.
"Care to place an order?"
"The item kept on hold."
Hearing my answer, the barkeep smiled faintly.
"Name?"
"Angela."
"Wait here a moment."
The old man slipped through the back door and returned shortly after, carrying a bulky leather duffel in his left hand.
"Here you are. Is this the package you left in our care?"
Glancing down at the bag resting on the counter, I smirked.
"That's it. And I'd like to place another order."
"What might that be?"
Instead of answering verbally, I handed him a folded slip of paper. Unfolding the note, the barkeep's eyes widened with a slight start.
"You truly want this?"
"Naturally."
I reached into my pocket, producing five Noma, and slid them forward.
"Consider this the advance. Once I receive the merchandise, I'll pay the remainder in equal amount."
The barkeep hesitated for a fleeting second before grinning and sweeping the gold coins into his robes.
"Understood. Shall I have it delivered to the address written on the paper?"
"Yes."
Taking the duffel bag from the counter, I turned and walked straight out of the tavern.
Jingle!
The shrill clatter of the iron bell above the door rang out as if bidding me farewell. That sharp sound jogged a memory that had completely slipped my mind.
"Ah, right."
I hurried my steps toward the bustling city center. On the way back, I needed to stop by a bookstore to pick up the fairy tale book I had promised the princess.
"Th-This is...!"
Edwin and the entire retinue of the 3rd Prince's Palace stood dumbfounded the moment they laid eyes on the horses I had led in.
"What magnificent horses!"
"My goodness, look at how their coats glisten! They must have been fed only the finest feed."
The maids with an eye for livestock voiced their admiration one after another. Even Sage stroked his wispy beard, inspecting the beasts with genuine curiosity.
"Horses... real horses!"
Yet the one who reacted with the fiercest enthusiasm was none other than the Third Prince, Edwin.
"Do you like her, Your Highness?"
The mount I handed over to Edwin was a chestnut mare with white socks above her hooves. It gave her an endearing look, as though she were wearing delicate white booties.
"Is this really mine? Truly?"
Edwin couldn't suppress the wide grin tugging at the corners of his lips.
"I deliberately chose a gentle, obedient beast, so you should have no trouble breaking her in."
Gazing admiringly at the mare with sparkling eyes, the boy turned back toward me.
"Still... why did you bring two?"
"Ah, this one is for me to ride."
The other was a pitch-black stallion that looked as though it had been dipped head to toe in black ink, save for the tips of his ears and the bridge of his muzzle.
Snort—
Displeased that I held his reins, the stallion huffed and stamped impatiently.
"After all, someone needs to escort Your Highness during the Imperial Hunting Competition."