Chapter 140. Engagement – The Seven Merchants
“I’m sorry. I’ve thought about it a lot, but… that matter is a bit…”
The merchant, who had just reached adulthood, bowed his head. He was in such a submissive posture that both of his hands could almost touch his crotch, but the nobleman with a protruding belly in front of him did not hide his displeasure.
The nobleman’s proposal had been rejected.
“Did you not understand even after I explained it to you? How disappointing.”
The merchant said nothing. The nobleman frowned at his stubborn silence.
“It’s not dangerous at all. I’ve already settled things with Baron Zaeur and Count Oscar. All you have to do is bring and exchange the goods…how foolish. Fine. Do as you please.”
“I’m sorry. Is there anything else I can do for you? I will be returning to Bernoulli now, but if there is any mail you need to send…”
“It’s fine. I thought you would be of help since you were sent by your father, but tsk.”
The young nobleman waved his hand dismissively, shooing the merchant away as if swatting a fly. The merchant took a few steps back and then ran. After exiting the castle, he hurriedly gathered his colleagues.
The six merchants who had set up shops and were busy with their business paused when called by their merchant leader. An elderly merchant asked,
“Did you refuse? What did he say?”
“He didn’t like it. I think we should get out of here quickly rather than doing this.”
“Do we really need to escape…? Maybe if we pay some money as a tax, we’ll be fine?”
The merchant, wearing a grease-stained apron, muttered while wiping his greasy hands with a towel, as if he had just come from work.
“There are many people who take goods on credit… I think you’re worrying too much.”
When doing business, it was common to provide goods on credit. Most people did not have currency, so bartering was standard, but even then, many promised to ‘bring’ money tomorrow or asked you to charge it to someone else’s account.
“I wish that were the case, but I’m not sure they’ll leave us alone. We shouldn’t have taken the support from the beginning, but now that we’ve listened to what they want us to do… I’m sorry for dragging you into this. It’s all my fault.”
The seven merchants sighed simultaneously. None of them were originally large enough merchants to form a trading group. They used to run small shops in Bernoulli, the capital of the Kingdom of Astin, but then they received an enticing proposal.
Vernon, the relatively young leader compared to the other six merchants, suggested forming a trading group and going on a trade expedition.
At first, it was puzzling. Vernon, known to them, did not have the resources to ‘recreate’ a trading group.
It turned out he had received support for seven wagons in exchange for fulfilling a request from Baron Bryna. They did not know what kind of request it was back then. They were told they would find out when they arrived at Baron Bryna’s territory and expected to make a fortune, so they bought extra horses and hired drivers to embark on the trade expedition.
After all, forming and traveling as a trading group was highly profitable. But it was not just about money.
It was also because of memories of old good times.
The oldest merchant spoke up.
“It is not your fault. Yes, better run away now just in case. Money might make even a baby in the womb crawl out, but life is more precious.”
They sighed, but no one blamed Vernon. The six merchants all considered him as either a son or a nephew figure.
The seven merchants hurriedly packed up their stalls, instructed the drivers to hitch the horses to the wagons, and left Baron Bryna’s territory, abandoning all goods provided on credit.
“This way is wrong. Let’s go that way.”
“Huh? That way is a mountain path. It’s a long way around, and the snow… the wagons might stop midway.”
The older merchant lied to the driver.
“I am curious if there is a village there where we can sell goods. Remember last time? When you followed my directions, we reached Castle Avril.”
“…Alright. But if the wagons stop, it’s not our fault.”
Despite his declaration to disclaim responsibility, the driver did his job. After consulting other drivers, they harnessed three weaker horses to some wagons and two stronger horses to others.
– Clunk.
The seven wagons, with every extra horse hitched, laboriously ascended the mountain path. The driver complained about the snow, but the merchants hoped for more snow to cover their tracks. However, cruelly, pursuers caught up. They had been at ease for over a week with no one following them.
“…Thank you, everyone. Meeting people like you has been the luck of my life.”
The merchants resigned themselves immediately. Only two horsemen had caught up, but they exchanged confessions of respect they’d never dared to voice.
A quasi-knight and a knight bearing the Bryna family crest approached rapidly. The merchants apologized to the confused drivers and disembarked from their wagons.
Shortly after, the two horsemen arrived.
A squire in leather armor hurriedly dismounted from his horse. He interlocked his fingers to form a step, and the knight in light armor stepped onto his hand to dismount from his horse.
“You’ll regret your wits. None of you will die peacefully.”
“W-What is it? Do you need something from us?”
Vernon pleaded desperately, grasping at straws. But his voice was shaking, and the six merchants standing behind him also shrank back like criminals.
The merchants outnumbered them. Including the two mercenaries they had hired, there were sixteen people in total. They might be able to overcome a single squire if they all attacked together like a pack of wild dogs. But something more, like the enemy letting down his guard or a stroke of luck, would still be needed, for no one is without weaknesses. However, the knight was different.
Expert. They were superhumans whose bodies had amassed mana. Although there were differences among knights, they could easily break a person’s neck with just their grip, and they leapt off buildings three stories high without a second thought. Moreover, they possessed combat skills that were out of reach for ordinary civilians. Unless everyone here was a trained soldier, there was no way to deal with that single knight.
“Shut up. How dare you lie in front of me? The young master ordered all of you to be executed.”
As the knight pointed his finger with a cold expression, Vernon spoke urgently.
“Why is that? We are all free citizens. We have documents to prove it. If we’ve done something wrong, allow us a trial. That is the law of the land.”
“Ha! You only know half of it. It’s the law to execute anyone who insults a noble on the spot, and that decision lies with the noble and the knight. I’ll add the crime of talking back to a knight to your charge.”
“Th-that’s…”
Despair showed in Vernon’s eyes. Realizing that no excuses would work on this knight, he knelt down. Prostrating himself on the snowy path marked by wagon wheels, he begged.
“We did not insult the young master. Truly. If anyone did… please only kill me. The others haven’t even met him.”
“How insolent. Who do you think you are to decide who dies? I’m going to kill all of you…”
“Hey! Over there! It’s over there! Leo, you were right. This really was a shortcut.”
At that moment, a small cart approached from far off on the opposite side. The cart’s horses neighed loudly, and the horses pulling the cart neighed back cheerfully in response.
“Gentlemen~! We did it! Remember that monster we saw back then? We caught it! Look at this!”
Lan Avviker stood up in the cart and waved his hands, but Vernon did not acknowledge her.
“…Are they your friends?”
“No, we don’t know them.”
“How touching.”
The knight’s mouth twitched. Scoffing, he scrutinized the situation.
“Uncle Vernon~! Grandpa Ron~! Why aren’t you answering? What are you doing over there?”
“Sister. Stay still.”
Soon, the cart reached them. Lan and Ann dismounted and were about to greet the merchants when the trembling driver shouted out.
“Please spare me! I don’t know anything!”
He wasn’t addressing the sisters; the driver had thrown himself at the knight’s feet. Consequently, the other drivers and the two hired mercenaries also clamored.
“We are mercenaries. You may not know, but we belong to the ‘Dexter Mercenary Group’ in Bernoulli. We were merely contracted to escort the caravan. Please spare us.”
“What is this? What is going on?”
Lena sitting in the cart asked. Leo, who was guiding the cart, shrugged, indicating he didn’t know either and unhitched the horse from the cart.
The knight of the Bryna Barony nodded with satisfaction. With a slight tilt of his head indicating for the drivers and mercenaries to step aside, they sighed in relief and moved…
“I will question you separately, so stay put.”
At the knight’s words, their faces turned pale. Interrogation in this world was not a genteel practice.
“…What’s going on? Why is a knight here?”
Lan’s expression hardened. Unable to approach Vernon who was prostrating, she posed the question to ‘Ron,’ the elderly merchant.
Without answering her question, he opened his mouth.
“Sir knight. These children know nothing. We parted ways at Avril Castle and have just reunited. Please show mercy. If you wish, you can take my life. Just do not hold the others responsible…”
“Stop. This isn’t even funny anymore.”
The knight interrupted the old man’s words.
“Do you think your lives are worth anything? Berun, strike.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Wait! What are you doing? What did they do wrong for this?”
The squire named Berun unsheathed his sword. As he was about to slash at Vernon’s back, Lan spread her arms and blocked him.
When Berun looked back, asking with his eyes what to do, the knight tilted his chin.
“Sister!”
– Clang!
Ann barely managed to deflect the sword aimed at Lan’s neck. However, the squire quickly recovered his raised two-handed sword and slashed down again.
“Ann!”
Lan pushed her sister aside. Ann, wielding an axe, fell, and the sword aimed at her cleaved through the air.
Berun glanced at the knight’s countenance. Seeing the contemptuous expression, he gritted his teeth and swung his sword once more.
A brief exchange of swordplay ensued.
Lan and Ann’s skills were considerable, so even though the knight was of high rank, he couldn’t easily take their lives, and Lena, unable to bear it any longer, rushed in and intervened. Blocking Berun’s sword, she cried out,
“Stop! I don’t know what they did wrong, but this is too much!”
“…Berun, stand back.”
The knight, recognizing Lena’s level of swordsmanship, stepped forward. Although Berun could probably not defeat him, the knight decided it would save time if he handled it himself.
What on earth is this situation ─ Leo Dexter, who had been watching passively, found that he could no longer remain idle.
Frankly, there was no reason or justification for him to intervene. Aside from a slight acquaintance with Lan and Anne, that was all.
‘Is this supposed to be an {event}? But why? There’s nothing to gain from fighting with a noble’s knight…’
He wondered what Minseo would have thought of this situation. Shaking his head, he brushed off the question.
It wasn’t hard to predict what this ridiculous game was trying to do.
It’s trying to drag us into another pitfall.
‘That won’t happen.’
With this resolve, Leo stepped forward. The snow, slightly melted by the sunlight, clung sloppily to his feet but fell away instantly due to his determined stride.
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