Chapter 64

The city-state of Reiting is located at the eastern end of the Union of City-States.

Due to its location, it has flourished through trade with the Naglas Kingdom, and every day, merchants and caravans travel back and forth between the east and west of the city.

Many merchant guilds have their headquarters in this city, and the competition is fierce.

If you let your guard down, you might be outmaneuvered, and if you relax, you could lose all your assets.

Along the main street that runs east to west through the city, various merchant guilds of all sizes line up, dealing in a wide range of goods.

Among them is one building.

A sign with the name "Litter Merchant Guild" is hung at the main entrance.

Like the surrounding buildings, the ground floor of this building serves as a shop and reception area, while the second floor houses the reception area, staff rooms, and the president's office.

The door facing the corridor is not a new one.

It has probably watched over the building through many changes of ownership and presidents.

Though old, the well-maintained door lends a sense of calm to the surroundings, giving a feeling of the building's long history.

"Why does that kid have to go all the way to Naglas!?"

A voice that shattered the solemn atmosphere echoed through the room.

Two women were in the president's office.

The one who had shouted was Ely, the heiress of the Lovel Merchant Guild.

She was a young woman in her late teens with long, bright blonde hair, her blue eyes filled with anger as she trembled.

On the other hand, the target of her anger was Marida, the president of the Litter Merchant Guild.

With short gray hair and large, round brown eyes, she was also in her late twenties, like Ely.

Neither of them was a world-class beauty, but they both had well-defined features.

If they were having a calm conversation, they would likely receive favorable glances from men.

However, at this moment, the atmosphere in the room was far from peaceful.

While Marida sat calmly on the sofa, Ely stood up and glared at the person in front of her.

"Ely, it's not proper for a young lady to shout like that before her wedding."

Marida tried to calm Ely, who looked ready to pounce.

"You're the one who did something to make me shout."

Ely's voice had calmed down a bit, but she still sat down on the sofa roughly, her face still showing anger.

"I'm a merchant too, you know. Even to save a childhood friend, I can't just give a loan for free in front of my subordinates. In exchange for the loan, I need them to do something important for the guild. It's like a business transaction."

"But that has nothing to do with Kiril."

"That's not true. Even though Kiril is an apprentice, he is still a member of the Lovel Merchant Guild. The guild's future will greatly affect his future, so it's only natural to do everything possible to avoid problems."

Though, in Kiril's case, it's more for Ely's sake than for the guild, Marida thought to herself.

"I've already resolved the loan issue. Jurius from the Jinbarril Merchant Guild said he would take care of our debt..."

"So? Are you going to tell Kiril to stand by and watch as Ely becomes Jurius's concubine?"

"I can't help it. I never thought I could have a proper marriage anyway, and as a 'cull,' it's better for the guild to pass the leadership to someone more capable."

"Ely."

Marida's expression suddenly became serious.

"Sure, there are people who call you a 'cull.' You'll face difficulties if you take over the guild, but—"

Marida's large eyes pierced through Ely.

Her usual playful tone was gone, and she spoke sincerely.

"If you give up on life because of that, what about the people who are trying to support you? How can you deny what your father and Kiril are doing for you?"

"...I'm sorry."

Ely seemed to be moved by Marida's words and apologized meekly.

In response, Marida's demeanor returned to its usual brightness.

"There's no need to apologize. I'm not in a position to lecture you, either."

Marida well understood that she was the worst of them all.

For her goals, she would use even her childhood friend's misfortune, lie effortlessly, and treat young children like pawns.

She would definitely go to hell when she died, she thought with a detached amusement.

"Hey, Marida. Can you send someone to bring Kiril back now?"

"That would be meaningless. If everything goes according to plan, he should be on his way back from Naglas by now."

As Marida said, Kiril had left Reiting over ten days ago. It would be impossible to recall someone who was already on their way back.

"That's if he's safe, right? He's just a twelve-year-old child, after all. And for my father to know and stay silent..."

Ely's father, the president of the Lovel Merchant Guild, had been prepared for this.

He had given a plausible reason to keep Ely from realizing Kiril's absence.

If Ely had found out earlier, she might have immediately gathered guards and chased after Kiril. She was that kind of person.

In the end, it was discovered, but if Kiril was expected to return today, Ely wouldn't leave the city to search for him, to avoid a missed connection.

"Don't worry, don't worry. Kiril is more mature than his age. I've given him enough money for the journey, and he's traveling with a friendly caravan to the capital of Naglas. On the way back, he can ride with a caravan, and he'll be back in Reiting before you know it."

"Really?"

Ely asked with a pitiful look.

Honestly, as a merchant, showing such emotions on her face was not a good sign.

Despite this, Ely was usually fine.

Moreover, her abilities as a merchant were far superior to Marida's.

Her knowledge of goods, calculation skills, discernment, ability to read market trends, and planning skills were all on par with or even better than Marida's.

The problem was one thing.

She was too emotional for a merchant.

Especially when it came to family or close friends, this tendency was more pronounced.

A merchant who couldn't control their emotions was easy prey for experienced veterans.

Even if the issue with the concubine was resolved, it might be better for Ely to not take over the guild in the future.

In business, one must maintain a calm mind and make tough decisions when necessary, even if it means using a childhood friend.

Marida herself was like that now.

Of course, using allies as stepping stones is not commendable, but using them to a degree that doesn't harm them is normal.

The difficult part is where to draw the line. Marida thought this while smiling at Ely.

"Really, really."

Though she didn't say it, the money probably wouldn't be enough.

"You're right... With a caravan, there will be mercenary guards. He should be safe, right?"

"He'll definitely come back safely. Don't worry."

If everything went well, a monstrous guard would accompany him, ensuring his safety along the way.

"By the way... What was Kiril's business in Naglas?"

"It's not a big deal. He just needs to bring one person back."

As Marida answered, there was a light knock on the door of the president's office.

A young man entered and announced a visitor.

"Mr. Kiril of the Lovel Merchant Guild and his guest have arrived. There was no prior appointment. What would you like to do?"

2016/12/31 Chapter correction: Chapter 63 → Chapter 62

*Thank you for pointing out the mistake in the comments. It was a careless error.

2019/07/30 Typo correction: "Even if" → "Even though"