Chapter 15

In the night at the Handaner County forest, the sky was filled with stars.

The mountain breeze blew away the heat of the day, and the distant woods occasionally echoed with the mournful cries of a leopard cat.

The merchants on the temporary street market had packed up their stalls, leaving only a few untidy tents along the road. Only the open-air tavern at the end of the market was still open, with magic pillars lit by moonstone wicks surrounding it. This open-air tavern was set up on a grassy slope, consisting of three tents, where the owner mainly sold homemade ale and some simple food.

The tables in the open-air tavern were tree stumps that the owner had brought back from the forest. The rings of the trees were clearly visible on the tabletops, and the rough bark around the stumps had been stripped off and coated with a layer of clear varnish by the owner. The benches were even simpler, made from logs from the forest, sawn in half and nailed with four wooden legs, turning them into long benches.

However, at this late hour, the customers still drinking here were mostly merchants who had closed their stalls, not soldiers from the camp.

The camp still had a curfew, and the soldiers dared not risk punishment by drinking here.

A lamb leg was skewered on the iron fork of the barbecue grill. The roasted lamb leg had been cut into several pieces, and the edges were already exposing the bone. The charcoal below the grill was almost burned out, with only a few pieces buried in the silver ash, occasionally sparking when the wind blew.

The table was littered with empty beer glasses. He Boqiang was spreading a crispy wheat pancake on the table, placing a few pieces of roasted lamb leg on it, and carefully folding the pancake. The crispy wheat pancake made a 'crackling' sound as it split, and the crumbs and the grease from the lamb leg splattered onto the table. He took a big bite, which was probably the first decent meal he had since arriving in this world.

A sharp Roman sword was also on the table. According to Lakin, this Roman sword was personally forged by the most famous blacksmith in Tarapa, with a fine and uniform texture on the blade. The silver-plated hilt was claimed by Lakin to be made of pure silver, and the handle was wrapped with fine ropes made from Uru grass, which not only absorbed sweat but also prevented slipping even if blood was on the handle.

Although the bloodstains on the Roman sword had been wiped clean, there was still a faint smell of blood, though He Boqiang thought it might be his imagination.

Lakin held a large wooden cup full of ale, his face flushed. He drunkenly said to a bearded merchant with enthusiasm, "Look, this is the sword that cut off the head of the native chief. This heavy sword, forged by the stacking method, turns from bronze to dark red when it is soaked in the enemy's blood. Can you see the hint of red in the blade's texture?"

The bearded merchant, also with bloodshot eyes, stared at the Roman sword on the table and asked in surprise, "Is it really this sword that cut off the native chief's head?"

Lakin quickly picked up the Roman sword and said proudly, "How could it be false? We merchants value honesty."

With that, Lakin swung the heavy Roman sword and chopped it into the edge of the table, embedding the blade deeply into the wood stump. The drunk Lakin couldn't pull it out, and it was finally Ulysses who helped the owner solve the problem.

Lakin finished the last sip of ale in his cup and waved to the owner sitting at the tent entrance, signaling that he wanted to pay the bill.

At this moment, the bearded merchant stood up, grabbed Lakin's hand, and said to the owner, "Bring us two more... no, four more beers. I'll treat you. It's still early, and there's no battle recently. We can sit and drink slowly."

The owner silently poured four large cups of beer from the barrel and had a young waiter bring them to He Boqiang's table.

After drinking for a while, when both of their faces were flushed, the bearded merchant finally asked Lakin, "Will you sell this sword?"

Lakin, drunk, shook his head like a rattle and said decisively to the bearded merchant, "Such a good sword, I want to keep it and hang it on the wall at home to decorate the living room. Only a fool would sell it!"

The bearded merchant grabbed Lakin's hand, his face full of expressions, "Lakin, listen! We are friends, all merchants away from home. We are from Osorno County, and we should help each other. This time, I didn't make much profit from the grain I brought from Osorno, but if I could bring home a Roman sword symbolizing victory, my friends at home would surely envy me..."

Lakin hesitated but said, "Otto Tada, I have a few new Roman swords in my tent, of the same quality and at a good price..."

The bearded merchant, Otto Tada, seemed unwilling to reason with Lakin and slapped the table, saying, "I like this one, I like the texture of this sword."

Lakin looked troubled, rubbing his forehead, and said to Otto Tada, "Well, I think maybe you'll change your mind when you sober up tomorrow. You should calm down."

"I am calm."

Otto Tada belched loudly, his beer belly making him look like a stout dwarf, though he was much taller.

Lakin, drunk, said to the bearded merchant Otto Tada, "Oh, well, if you insist..."

...

It had to be said that Lakin was a very competent businessman. He could maximize the value of all the items around him, which was also what He Boqiang admired most.

In the days following the battle against the natives, Lakin first sold the ceremonial staff of the native chief, which He Boqiang had confiscated, to a magic material merchant on the street. Then he sold the tattered animal skins stripped from the natives to a leatherworker on the street. Now, even the Roman sword that had killed the native chief was about to be sold.

He Boqiang felt a bit regretful about the Roman sword and wanted to keep it.

Since killing those natives, He Boqiang had a restless feeling, as if the blood of battle had fully awakened in his body. Only when holding the Roman sword did he feel truly alive.

However, Lakin had promised He Boqiang before coming here that if he could sell the Roman sword, he would give him a new Roman sword and a small round shield covered with iron. So He Boqiang thought this deal was still worth it.