Chapter 73

Just as Ted and the "Morning Star of the White Night" left the Jambiru Chamber of Commerce, Ardis was seated on a sofa in the reception room of the Ritt Chamber of Commerce, facing the chamber's president, Marida.

"Well, well, Ardis. Did you bring the item we discussed?"

After taking a sip of the tea offered to him, Ardis placed the cup quietly on the table and replied succinctly, looking straight into the woman's eyes.

"Yeah."

"That's great. Can I see it right away?"

Marida, with a merchant's charming smile, extended both her hands.

Her gesture was as adorable as a child begging for candy, but she was a shrewd merchant who managed the chamber. It would be unwise to be deceived by her appearance.

"Before that—"

Ardis, with a piercing gaze, opened his mouth.

"I want to set some conditions."

"Conditions?"

The woman's smile did not waver at his sudden words.

"Yes, conditions. I did bring what you wanted. But whether I hand it over or not is up to you."

"…What are the specific conditions?"

"First, I want you to tell me everything you know. Once I'm satisfied with your explanation, I'll hand over the item."

First, show me the cards you have. I'll show mine afterward.

That's what Ardis meant.

"That's a bit too much, isn't it?"

"I've already made concessions by bringing what you wanted on the date you specified. Now it's your turn to make a concession."

"Oh, oh, Ardis. Are you trying to negotiate with a professional merchant?"

"Sorry, but I'm not that naive to accept your terms without question."

A glint of calculation appeared in Marida's eyes, which had been filled with a confident smile.

"Hmm."

Marida crossed her arms and leaned back on the sofa.

"Anything else?"

"You said the item I brought is necessary to 'calm the sword.'"

"Yes, I did."

"I want to be present when you use it. If you intend to use it for anything else, I can't hand it over. If you can't accept these two conditions, the deal is off."

The conditions Ardis set would not affect the final outcome.

Regardless of the order, Ardis would still obtain the information, and Nere's hair would end up in Marida's hands.

However, if Marida provided the information first, it would increase the risk of the transaction for her.

If Ardis broke his promise after receiving the information, she would suffer a loss.

Unlike tangible items, once information is provided, it cannot be taken back.

By demanding information first, Ardis was showing that he did not trust Marida.

For Marida to accept these conditions, she would have to trust Ardis.

Ardis could not accept information from someone he did not trust.

If the information came from someone he did not trust, Ardis would have to doubt its credibility.

He did not need unreliable information in the first place, and canceling the deal would not affect him.

"Hmm... Well, I guess it can't be helped. Trust is the foundation of any deal, after all."

With a light sigh, Marida shook her head slightly, her gray hair swaying.

"Understood. I'll accept your conditions. I'll consider the first condition as my concession. The second condition was my intention from the start, so it doesn't matter either way."

Marida raised her hands lightly, as if surrendering.

"I hope you're sincere about this deal, Ardis."

She narrowed her large eyes and deepened her smile, instantly changing her attitude.

"So, does that mean we have a deal? I'll provide the information first, as per your conditions. I'll tell you everything I know. What do you want to know?"

Straightening her posture, Marida asked, and Ardis immediately presented his first question.

"First, I need to ask this to move forward..."

After a brief pause, he continued.

"Who are you, exactly?"

To Ardis's simple question, Marida looked up at the ceiling with her large chestnut eyes.

"Hmm... That's a rather vague question. You're not asking for my name, age, family background, or measurements, are you?"

"Of course not."

What Ardis wanted to know was not such superficial information.

Marida seemed to understand this and was thinking about how to explain.

"Well, do you dream, Ardis?"

"...Sometimes. What about it?"

"I dream too... but mine are a bit different from others'."

"Different?"

"Yes. While most people's dreams replay past events or show absurd scenarios, my dreams show 'possible future events.'"

"Are you saying they're premonitions?"

"Sort of, but not exactly. The events in my dreams don't necessarily come true as seen. Instead, the reality follows the choices I make in the dream."

"How is that different?"

Ardis furrowed his brow, puzzled by Marida's explanation.

"Think of it as a rehearsal. In my dreams, I take actions in response to future events. If I take the same actions in reality, the same results occur."

"...Isn't that just a premonition, then?"

"In my case, I often have the same dream multiple times. The outcome changes based on my actions in the dream. For example, if I dream about walking down a path and seeing a pebble, and I kick it, it hits a stray dog, which chases me. If I have the same dream again and walk past the pebble, a child behind me kicks it, and it hits my foot, causing an injury. Eventually, I encounter a similar situation in reality."

Marida took a sip of tea, pausing.

"When I take the same action in reality, the same result occurs. If I kick the pebble, the dog chases me; if I walk past it, I get injured. Just as in the dream."

It was a hard story to believe.

But Ardis was in the same boat.

How many people would truly believe his own story if he told it?

That's why Ardis neither affirmed nor denied Marida's story, just listened intently.

"So, you're saying you can control the future as you wish?"

"Not exactly. I don't always see the scenes I want. They can be everyday events or unfamiliar places. And I don't know if they will happen tomorrow or years from now. Of course, some dreams are more predictable."

"Your ability to manage such a large chamber at your age is due to this power, then?"

"Yes, it is. It's both a blessing and a curse."

Marida closed her chestnut eyes and spoke in a tone that sounded like a confession.

"The way you spoke as if you knew everything about me is because of this power, right?"

"That's right."

"I understand your ability. Now, what is your purpose? Finding the sword can't be your only goal, given how you used Kiril to search for it."

Marida's true intentions were still unclear to Ardis.

But her reaction when Kiril handed over the sword and her interest in Ardis made it hard to take her words at face value.

"My purpose? Well, in this matter, I have three goals. One is to obtain the sword. The second is to meet you, Ardis. The third is to bring you and Kiril together."

Marida counted off her goals on her fingers.

"Me and Kiril?"

Two of the three goals made sense, but the third one, bringing him and Kiril together, was unclear.

"What do you mean? What's the point of me and Kiril meeting?"

"Hmm, I'm sorry, but I don't really know myself. However, I believe it's the right choice. I often see you and Kiril together in my dreams, and this choice finally ended the dream."

"Ended?"

"As I said, I don't just have one dream. If I make the same choice, the same result occurs, but if I make a different choice, a different result happens. This cycle repeats. Meeting you, for example, took many trials and errors. This is the second time I've met you in reality, but in my dreams, we've met and talked hundreds of times. That's why it didn't feel like our first meeting."

Marida laughed.

"To get back to the point, my recurring dreams have two endings. One is a time limit, and the other is the best possible outcome for me."

Marida raised her index fingers one by one as she spoke.

"I stopped having this dream about half a year ago. That means I found the best possible choice."

"Does that 'best choice' include sending a child like Kiril alone into the Kossus Forest?"

"It was the only way. I tried sending others to make contact with you, but they either clashed with you or failed to connect. If I went myself, the chamber would be taken over in my absence. After trying over a dozen scenarios, Kiril was the only one who successfully made contact with you."

"Even so, you could have at least told Kiril what was going on."

"Of course, I tried. But they didn't believe me. They became suspicious and wouldn't listen. From my experience, most people don't believe the dream story, and even if they do, the results are unpredictable."

"Then, isn't it a problem that I'm listening to you now?"

"Hmm... In this case, it seems that telling you about the dreams won't lead to a bad outcome. I find it strange too..."

Marida seemed genuinely puzzled.

Her mask-like smile softened, revealing a glimpse of her true self.

"Anyway, I sent Kiril alone because it was the only way to achieve a good outcome. If I sent him with guards, they would be attacked by monsters and die. If I increased the number of guards, they would reach the Nagras Kingdom but die in the Kossus Forest. The same with travel funds. If I gave him too much, he would be robbed in Gran. If I gave him less, he would hire guards and miss you, arriving at the ruins without finding the hidden stairs. If I gave him no funds, he would be stranded in Gran."

Marida sighed deeply and continued.

"Do you know how many times I retried? Maybe not a hundred, but close. After countless trials, the conclusion was to send Kiril without telling him the true purpose, with minimal funds, and alone. Only then did he return safely with the sword and you."