Chapter 20.1: ๐๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐ (๐)
Chapter 20.1: ๐๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐ (๐)
Thanks to Eldans, Goran was convinced. It was a situation that might have aroused suspicion had it not been for his usual behavior.
ใ ค
โWhere did the information leak from? Did you buy something expensive?โ
ใ ค
โNo. . . not really. Just common items. Though they could be sold for a good price if taken to the market. . .โ
ใ ค
Barley and wheat bought from a town in the northern part. These were goods to be sold or traded in the town of Rutzbeck. It was here that he had learned that barley and wheat were currently fetching high prices in Rutzbeck.
ใ ค
Additionally, animal hides acquired from a town in the south. Fortunately, he managed to obtain well-tanned bear hides from a hunter. Though costly, they were a gift worthy of the nobles who favored his trading house.
ใ ค
โIs that all?โ
ใ ค
โYes. . .โ
ใ ค
โDoesnโt seem worth attacking over. Anything else? Another reason for coming here?โ
ใ ค
โWell, there were a few letters to be delivered to a trading house branch in the southern city. . .โ
ใ ค
โWhatโs in the letters?โ
ใ ค
โI donโt know the contents.โ
ใ ค
Tampering with sealed letters was an act that could dishonor the trading house.
ใ ค
โAnd they werenโt even important letters. If they were, they wouldnโt have been entrusted to me.โ
ใ ค
As Count Jarpenโs realm grew uneasy and signs of fiefdom wars loomed, Eldans planned to rest after this trading trip.
ใ ค
An experienced merchant didnโt abruptly cease visits even when war seemed imminent. He informed the towns he owed favors to in advance and conducted his final trades. A merchant who left without a word couldnโt be trusted. Relationships forged with each town were sometimes more important than life itself.
ใ ค
โ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ญ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐บ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ, ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ. ๐๐ฐ ๐ธ๐ข๐บ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ง๐ช๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต.โ
ใ ค
Johan looked at Eldans, who seemed very anxious about an unknown grudge.
ใ ค
โCanโt help it now. Iโll assist you.โ
ใ ค
โReally?!โ
ใ ค
โHelping someone in danger is what a knight should do.โ
ใ ค
โ. . .Thank you! Johan-nim!โ
ใ ค
Eldans was both surprised and pleased by Johanโs words. Goran and the mercenaries were shocked. The idea of helping without monetary gain was incomprehensible to them.
ใ ค
โ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ต ๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ช๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ต ๐ข๐ค๐ฒ๐ถ๐ข๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ณ๐ข๐ฅ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ.โ
ใ ค
By helping Eldans and entering the city, the Katana Merchant Guild would vouch for Johanโs identity and assist him. The trading house wouldnโt just let go of someone who helped a guild member. Especially if that someone was a skilled knight.
ใ ค
The trading house would be even more eager to get closer.
ใ ค
Regardless of Johanโs endeavors, it was beneficial to be friendly with influential powers. After all, there were limits to what one could do alone in this place.
ใ ค
๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ
ใ ค
โI will take these fellows with me.โ
ใ ค
โHis leg is broken, can we really take him?โ
ใ ค
โAh. . .โ
ใ ค
Goran looked slightly embarrassed. He had declared in front of Johan that he would definitely take them, but then realized it was too much.
ใ ค
โBut arenโt they your spoils of war, Sir Knight?โ
ใ ค
โThey are my spoils, so I must take responsibility. Letโs not just abandon them.โ
ใ ค
โN-No!โ
ใ ค
The two mercenaries screamed. With a broken leg, what were they supposed to do here? Though it was a plain, there was a forest nearby.
ใ ค
โPlease show mercy, sir! We wonโt do such things again!โ
ใ ค
โMercy? You want me to kill you?โ
ใ ค
Johan gripped his mace. Being torn apart alive by beasts might be better than a clean death.
ใ ค
โNo. . . thatโs not what I mean. . .โ
ใ ค
โShut up! If you donโt want to die here.โ
ใ ค
Goranโs mercenaries roughed up the attackers. Without Johan, they would have been executed immediately. No mercenary would let go of someone who attacked first.
ใ ค
โThe rest of the spoils will be turned into money and shared upon reaching the city.โ
ใ ค
โReally?โ
ใ ค
โIt wasnโt a solo fight.โ
ใ ค
What would have been obvious from a high-ranking person became generous and merciful. The mercenaries brightened up at Johanโs words. It was an unexpected bonus.
ใ ค
โ๐๐ฆโ๐ด ๐ฏ๐ช๐ค๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ๐ต, ๐ช๐ด๐ฏโ๐ต ๐ฉ๐ฆ?โ
ใ ค
โ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ฅ๐ข๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ข๐ธ ๐ญ๐ข๐ด๐ต ๐ต๐ช๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ณ๐ช๐ฃ๐ญ๐บ ๐จ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐บ. . .โ