Chapter 97

In the inland of Longhua Kingdom, there was a large stone building directly connected to the town near the White Mist Mountain Ruins.

From the center of the town, it was located in a back alley, and despite its poor location, its bright vermilion gate and intricately patterned green windows and doors stood out. Wealthy people would casually enter it.

This was the famous tea house in northern Longhua Kingdom, the "Huzhou Tea House." It served as a waiting area for the entertainers, but business negotiations could also be conducted here.

The spacious first floor was bustling with merchants and entertainers, but the second floor was quiet except for the noise from below. In one of the rooms on the second floor, expensive landscape paintings, antiques, and imported goods from the Mid Continent were displayed.

There, two men were present.

One was Lin Qing, the owner of the tea house. Although he seemed to be a humble middle-aged man, Lin Qing did not directly manage the entertainers. The direct management of the entertainers was handled by a former entertainer called "Dou Po," who scolded and pushed the entertainers to work more fiercely than dried beans exploding in a pot. The tea house owner often dealt with socially prominent people who called for entertainers, and such owners were generally more humble.

The other was Wang Bo, the backer of Lin Qing. His stout figure contrasted with his sharp eyes, which did not hide his glaring ambition and greed.

Wang Bo had quickly risen to become a wealthy merchant by purchasing the then-legal "Zuixian Drug" for pain relief and anesthesia right after the start of trade with the Mid Continent and selling it. He now wielded significant influence, from officials to small and medium-sized merchants.

"---What about that entertainer?"

Wang Bo's intimidating voice made Lin Qing feel as if his heart was being gripped. He replied,

"Thanks to your support, Wang Bo-sama, many of the moneylenders and merchants have withdrawn. The recent excavation went smoothly. I believe it will be impossible to repay within the deadline."

"The troublesome old man Yan is powerless when it comes to money."

"…There is one rumor. Yelv, through Yan, seems to have given a young disciple named Daxing some kind of request. …This Daxing is a traveling merchant in the border region, but he seems to be helping Mei'er despite your warning."

"…Yelv and an insolent young man, huh?"

Wang Bo muttered as if spitting it out.

Yelv Wuxian. A famous merchant known for his eccentricity and stubbornness, he seemed to have a powerful backer who did not yield to Wang Bo, making him one of the few people Wang Bo could not control. However, he was not a short-sighted person who would easily start a fight. He was a troublesome and, in a sense, harmless person whose motives were unclear.

"…Let Yelv be. ---But get rid of the young man."

Wang Bo did not like the idea of a man being close to Mei'er.

For Wang Bo, who had built his fortune in a single generation, courtesans and entertainers who could be bought with money had lost their appeal.

The moment of plucking a noble lily that bloomed in the mountains, which would never sell its body no matter how much it was praised or given gifts, was the true pleasure.

Lin Qing, who had lowered his head, glanced at Wang Bo's face, which was tinged with jealousy.

I hope he doesn't destroy her. But in his mind, he was only thinking about money.

Handing over Mei'er, who had been obtained as collateral for a debt, to Wang Bo. Once Wang Bo had plucked her, he would lose interest and hand her over to the tea house.

Then, not only the famous entertainer Mei'er in northern Longhua Kingdom, but also her disciple Xiaoe, could be obtained.

If Mei'er and Xiaoe were sold as attractions with the Black Heavenly Thousand-Tailed Fox, the tea house's reputation and profits would be unprecedented.

"…And, one more thing."

"…What is it?"

"It seems that a foreign man with a beast of the same level as the Black Heavenly Thousand-Tailed Fox is often around, and he frequently calls for Mei'er."

"Ridiculous. Do you believe such stories?"

"However, he has called for her many times, along with Xiaoe. It can only be that he is controlling the difficult Black Heavenly Thousand-Tailed Fox."

While finding Lin Qing's excessive worry annoying, Wang Bo also pondered his words. There was a possibility, after all.

"…Even if such a beast exists, is there a problem? He is just a customer, after all. Since he hasn't repaid the debt, he doesn't have the means to do so."

The reason Wang Bo had not taken direct action against Mei'er and the others, such as using violence, was partly due to the presence of Daxing and Master Yan, but more so because of the unpredictable nature of the Black Heavenly Thousand-Tailed Fox.

If the Black Heavenly Thousand-Tailed Fox went on a rampage and attacked Wang Bo and his men, there was a risk.

Of course, it could only happen once. For now, it was tacitly allowed by the city administration, but if it did happen, a hunting order would certainly be issued for the Black Heavenly Thousand-Tailed Fox.

To prevent any such event, Wang Bo had deliberately burdened Mei'er's father with a debt. Of course, he had hired skilled guards. Once they survived the initial attack, the rest would be easy. He had prepared for either outcome but had no intention of taking unnecessary risks.

"…That is true."

"An unpleasant foreigner is just looking at the entertainers' behinds."

He is satisfied with the idea that enjoying the arts is noble because he can never touch them.

But Wang Bo had the power to touch and pluck. He had the strength to break the pride of a courtesan and the stubbornness of a young woman.

"If they are a hindrance, lure them with money. They will do anything for money. If they don't listen, threaten them a bit."

"…Understood. And, the foreign settlement has requested that Mei'er's disciple attend a consolation party. Can we do something about it?"

The foreign settlement was generally idle unless a merchant ship arrived. It was so boring that it was called a graveyard. To alleviate this, regular consolation parties were held, where consuls and staff from various countries gathered.

Being invited to such an event was a status symbol for entertainers, and indeed for the tea house.

Usually, major tea houses were called upon, and they would consult with each other to send skilled entertainers.

For a tea house with a reputation, it was a matter of honor that an entertainer not affiliated with any tea house was invited to a consolation party.

"…There's nothing we can do. He has requested an entertainer with the Black Heavenly Thousand-Tailed Fox. If she knows her place, she will decline as usual."

Even if an entertainer is not affiliated with a tea house, if she makes all the famous tea houses her enemies, it will become difficult to live in the city. Most entertainers not affiliated with a tea house would decline even if invited to a consolation party.

"But, Xiaoe is a disciple of the famous Mei'er. I am quite worried."

"…Spread some rumors. You should know her background."

"Ah, I see. I will do that."

Wang Bo answered with annoyance, stood up, and left the room.

---

"---I will do it."

Xiaoe had always declined to perform at the consolation parties held in the foreign settlement.

But from now on, Xiaoe had to live independently. If something happened to Mei'er, she would have to live on her own.

She had learned a bit about how to entertain guests. The clientele in the foreign settlement was not that bad.

The main concern was being noticed by a large tea house, but Mei'er was already under their scrutiny. In a sense, it was a good opportunity to gain a reputation amidst the chaos.

Before Mei'er could explain the situation, Xiaoe had immediately agreed.

Xiaoe thought that the foreigners would not accept her, but she was surprised by the unexpected answer.

"---Let me do it."

Xiaoe repeated, as if convincing herself.

She was aware of her dependence on Mei'er. There had been opportunities to change, but she had clung to the trivial past and never tried to change. She had thought that she would always be with Mei'er.

But Mei'er's debt had been discovered.

She was frustrated with her own powerlessness, her inability to even entertain guests.

If she could have made the Black Yang attack the group, everything might have ended.

But she couldn't.

She had a long relationship with Black Yang.

After her parents died, she had wandered from place to place, but she would have died if not for Black Yang. Even though Black Yang was small, she would have frozen to death in the cold snow without its warmth. They wouldn't have been able to even roast a small mouse they had caught.

She also owed a debt to Mei'er.

If Mei'er hadn't picked her up, she would have been forced into prostitution or lived like a beast in the mountains, eventually dying in the wild when a hunting order was placed on Black Yang. Mei'er's warmth reminded her of how to live in the human world after the death of her parents.

Black Yang and Mei'er.

She couldn't abandon either of them.

What annoyed her most was the group that had caused this.

Yes, more than anything, she hated them.

They had forced Mei'er's estranged father to take on a debt and demanded Mei'er as collateral if he couldn't pay. It had happened this year, and the deadline for the document was approaching.

It was like a bolt from the blue, but since the document was genuine, there was no way to resist the debt, and she couldn't pay a thousand gold coins.

Those who had called for her in the past were now afraid of being noticed by the group and stayed away, and while some still called for her, her main business was starting to suffer.

Agreeing to perform at the consolation party was a form of revenge against the group.

And, she wanted to show Mei'er that she could stand on her own.

But if something happened to Mei'er, she would have Black Yang kill them and escape with her.

Xiaoe accepted the invitation to the consolation party with this resolve in her heart.

---

Before starting her job as an unpleasant customer, Zangren was talking with Daxing at a regular night market stall.

Recently, when Zangren came, or rather when Azurona came, the old stall owner would open the stall even before opening hours. In fact, the truth was that they were dragged in when they passed by.

While watching Azurona play with the old man from a distance, Zangren and Daxing sat across from each other at a rough long table.

"---I will be leaving here for a while, but please take care of the job."

Daxing was about to leave Rock Odd Street immediately and head to the inland of Longhua Kingdom for work.

"It's a promise. Well, I can't guarantee that Xiaoe and Black Yang will learn how to entertain guests."

"That's Mei'er's job. …I might not be back by the time you leave this country. I'll give you the reward in advance."

Daxing placed a small package on the long table and handed it to Zangren.

Inside were three sturdy paper-wrapped solid ink sticks and several brushes.

This was the proper reward for working as an unpleasant customer. Daxing would cover the food and drink during the job, and Zangren thought it was a fair deal considering the effort.

But there was also a palm-sized pocket watch.

The calendar differs by continent, but the form of the watch is the same in Longhua Kingdom due to its production from ruins. It had no numbers, only a long hand, a short hand, a second hand, and simple markings.

"What's this watch for?"

"I've caused you a lot of trouble, so it's an apology. Well, I don't know much about ink, paper, and brushes, so I asked my master to teach me and got it from him. The pocket watch was fixed by a friend who knows good finds. I'm proud of the quality, but it didn't cost much, I'm sorry."

Daxing remembered that the pocket watch had been a candidate for the reward when they discussed it.

"…No, it's a good item."

It was probably a masterpiece that Zangren had never used even when he was in Japan. The pocket watch was also necessary while exploring ruins.

Zangren took the reward with lively eyes and started to examine it closely.

"---Hey, it's been a while."

Yuying came to pick up Daxing.

Without waiting for a response from Zangren, who was absorbed in the brushes and ink, Yuying headed straight for Azurona, who was playing with the old shop owner, and dragged in Snow White, who looked somewhat annoyed.

While hugging Azurona, who was delighted, and Snow White, who looked somewhat annoyed, Yuying glanced at Daxing and Zangren.

In fact, just before coming to pick them up, Yuying had secretly watched them from the shadows.

Daxing and Zangren were talking across the long table. When the reward was presented, Zangren was captivated by the brushes and ink, and Daxing was smiling wryly at the sight.

It was an ordinary scene, but to Yuying, who had known Daxing for a long time, it was a completely unfamiliar sight. She couldn't quite figure out why.

Even as a poor traveling merchant in the border regions, Daxing had a wide network of acquaintances and a few close friends.

When they met, they would laugh and drink together. It was noisy but very enjoyable. That's how it always was with Daxing. It was always filled with various smiling faces.

But the relationship between Daxing and Zangren was different.

It was like floating a small boat on a calm lake and fishing side by side. It was not at all uncomfortable. Rather, it felt as if they had been friends for a long time and continued to be so even in old age.

Thinking about it, it had only been about twenty days since Daxing met Zangren, and Zangren was a foreigner. Yuying couldn't help but tilt her head.

She had met Daxing, a fellow refugee, in a town near the White Mist Mountain Ruins when she was a child, and had known him ever since, but this was the first time she had seen such a Daxing.

It seemed like an ordinary relationship, but there was something that connected them somewhere.

"…Well, it's fine. You brought Azurona and Snow White."

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't understand, so Yuying decided to accept it as it was.

After hugging Azurona and Snow White again, who was annoyingly hitting her face with her tail, Yuying stood up.

Seeing this, Daxing also stood up.

"---I'm off. If anything happens, rely on Master. I'll be in Rock Odd Street to make sure nothing happens to Mei'er and the others."

"See you again."

"Y-Yeah."

Zangren, who had been looking at the reward, hurriedly stood up.

Daxing, who was not an adventurer, smiled wryly at the unusual Zangren, but he didn't dislike this peculiar adventurer. In the short time they had known each other, he even felt that they got along well.

That's why he didn't hint at the dangerous job he was about to undertake and turned his back.

He didn't want to tell Zangren about the debt.

It would only cause trouble if Zangren were told that Mei'er had a debt of a thousand gold coins. As a mere adventurer, he couldn't possibly have that much gold, and even if he did, he wouldn't lend it to a Longhua person. If Mei'er defaulted on the debt and fled to the inland of Longhua, Zangren wouldn't have the means to pursue her.

Zangren would eventually go to Saurlan.

He couldn't get involved in their affairs.

With Zangren's gaze on his back, Daxing headed for the gate.

---

While Daxing was heading for the gate to leave Rock Odd Street,

"---Hey, you look down. I don't have money, but I can offer my body."

Gao Zhen was waiting near the gate.

A drinker and short-tempered, he was not good at thinking, as he himself admitted, but he never forgot a favor and was very emotional.

Wielding a snake spear, he fought like a boar, following the blood of the boar-like beastmen. His innate strength was formidable, and his bare-fisted blow was so powerful that it made Master Yan, who was as hard as a rock, kneel