Send Me Your Sister

Chapter 33: Send Me Your Sister

Lynn offered no comment on Leon's flattery.

He stood with his hands behind his back before the assembled Demon Bear skeleton and asked,

"My friend, as the fairest merchant in Three Rivers City, how many gold coins would you offer for this bearskin and this skeleton?"

After pretending to ponder, Leon replied, "If I were to name a price, I could offer at most eighty Northern Gold Shields for the bearskin. As for the skeleton, that is harder to price. I would tentatively value it at five Northern Gold Shields.

"Of course, if we found a collector interested in curiosities, the final price could certainly be higher. But as you know, such collectors are rare across the entire continent."

"That is a fairly fair price." Lynn chuckled. "Then if I gave you both of these collectibles as gifts in return, would that satisfy you?"

"My lord, this gift is far too precious. If I accepted it, I would surely feel uneasy, so please allow me to buy peace of mind with gold."

Rather than feeling delighted by Lynn's generosity, Leon became wary.

As a successful Black Market Merchant, he never believed that pies fell from the sky. Beneath any tempting piece of fat, there had to be a trap.

Nor did he believe Lynn would kindly give away a bearskin worth over a hundred gold coins for nothing.

A Horse Bandit leader who killed without blinking could never be associated with generosity.

"There is no need. You risked a shipwreck by sailing to White Bear Territory, brought me the iron ingots and tools I urgently needed, and even provided Roman's whereabouts. You deserve all of this."

Lynn's reasoning was not without merit.

At the end of March, the White River had only just thawed and was still in its low-water season. The river was very shallow.

Leon had certainly taken a risk sailing upstream.

Moreover, Leon had dared to come to White Bear Territory with only a few attendants on the strength of a single letter. Such courage in pursuit of profit deserved a reward as well.

Even so, Leon remained firm in his refusal.

"My lord, what risk did I take? The boatmen aboard have sailed the White River their entire lives. Even with their eyes closed, they could safely deliver me to White Bear Territory.

"Besides, this is the slow season for trade. Sitting in Three Rivers City would not make gold coins come knocking. I merely made the choice any merchant would make."

Seeing that Leon would not take the bait, Lynn could not be bothered to keep pretending. "Since you insist, fine. But I do not need gold. I only need one item from your collection."

Although they had returned to business, Leon remained wary. "Please, name it."

"Your younger sister." Lynn stopped beating around the bush and drew his blade.

Leon's biological younger sister was a somewhat renowned beauty in Three Rivers City. It was said that she had received a fine education and remained unmarried to this day.

Hearing that Lynn intended to lay hands on the sister he treasured, Leon's fair face immediately darkened.

"My lord, my sister is not some collectible. She lost our parents when she was only five. I raised her with great care. I am not only her brother, but also her father. She and I—"

Lynn impatiently cut him off. "How much do you want? Name your price!"

"My lord, this is not a matter of money. She has only just turned sixteen, and she does not wish to marry far from home." Though he said that, Leon simply did not want his sister to marry Lynn.

A Horse Bandit thought he was worthy of marrying his precious sister? In his dreams!

"Marry?"

Lynn snorted. "Does a merchant's daughter deserve to be a baron's wife? I mean for her to come serve as my mistress. That would already be the best fate she could hope for."

"My lord, I do not think there is any need for us to continue this discussion. Please allow me to take my leave." Leon's face had completely darkened, and his tone quickly turned stiff. He was on the verge of walking out.

"What are you in such a hurry for? You are merely a Black Market Merchant, yet you were willing to spend a fortune hiring teachers to instruct your sister in court etiquette. Was that not so you could use her to curry favor with nobles? Now that a perfect opportunity lies before you, why would you retreat?"

Lynn had long seen through Leon's little scheme.

A Black Market Merchant could spend his whole life unable to step into the light. One careless misstep

would send him plunging into an abyss of eternal damnation.

Leon had painstakingly cultivated his beautiful younger sister for no other reason than to send her to some noble as a mistress, cling to the noble's coattails, and gain the noble's protection.

Blood ties were the strongest bonds, and the union of bloodlines was a natural alliance. The courts of the great northern nobles never lacked mistresses born into merchant families.

Money and power were like the two poles of a magnet. They would always find each other, then bind tightly together.

Lynn could not only see through Leon's little scheme, but also see through Leon's true nature through the panel.

[Leon ★★]

[Command E][Strength E-][Constitution E][Intelligence C][Administration D-][Charm E+]

[Loyalty: 1 (Cannot be recruited as a follower)]

[Trait One: Commerce—Has an advantage in commercial activities]

[Trait Two: Greed—Craves wealth and is prone to corruption]

After Lynn exposed him, Leon's darting eyes could no longer move.

And he truly had no good way to refute him. Was he supposed to bluntly say that Lynn was merely a Horse Bandit?

He was not stupid enough to taste the sword at Lynn's waist with his neck.

"Leon, do not underestimate my intelligence network. Do you want me to name your sister's teacher? Why do you think I invited you to White Bear Territory? Have you considered that? Why you?"

Lynn strode directly in front of Leon and looked down at the greedy Black Market Merchant.

Leon raised his head, somewhat puzzled. "Why?"

Before coming to White Bear Territory, he had naturally considered that question.

He had believed that Lynn was unfamiliar with the area and could only rely on his trade channels.

But now he was confused. That was clearly not the right answer.

"Because I want to give you an opportunity—an opportunity to take control of your own fate."

As he spoke, Lynn walked toward the warehouse's northwest corner.

An inconspicuous wooden box lay there, one Lynn had prepared in advance.

He opened it and took out a translucent white stone—the very one he had dug up on Salt Mountain.

Then Lynn shoved the stone into Leon's arms and ordered, "Taste it."

"Taste it?"

Leon was now completely led around by the nose by Lynn. Confused, he stuck out his tongue and licked the white grains on the stone.

His brows immediately furrowed, and he nearly spat it out.

"Salt? This is salt! No, this is salt ore!"

A brilliant gleam gradually bloomed in Leon's eyes. He lovingly caressed the seemingly unremarkable stone as though it were a bar of gold, then impatiently asked,

"Where did you get this stone? You discovered a Salt Mine in White Bear Territory, didn't you?"

"Give me the right to sell salt! I will send my sister over at once! Forget being your mistress—even if you make her feed your horses, that would be fine!"

Leon was beside himself with excitement, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he quickly denied them. "No, no, no. I cannot sell salt. That would get me hanged!"