Attendant and Carriage

Attendant and Carriage

The Red Raven Tavern was bustling that night.

Marlin had drunk too much. With an arm around Fatty Shi, he was laying out his grand plan to make a fortune. Fatty Shi's eyes lit up. Before Marlin could ramble any further, he poured him another mug of ale, then pulled Yuri, Telman, and the others aside to whisper among themselves.

Lorist pushed through the door, greeted Garilando behind the counter, and sat down beside Marlin. After taking a steam bath with Chairman Peterson that afternoon, he had felt tired and gone home for a nap. By the time he woke, it was dark, so he had hurried over.

Marlin opened his bleary eyes. "Locke, you're late. Have a drink first..."

"Marlin, how many have you had? How did you get this drunk?"

Great. When I take Marlin home tonight, his wife will give me another earful. Lorist decided to worry about that later. He was hungry, and dinner came first. He called a few times, and Molly, the tavern's new waitress, came over. She was delighted to see him. As she asked what he wanted, she complained that he hadn't come to see her in ages and asked whether he would stay the night.

Lorist's heart stirred at the sight of Molly's increasingly alluring figure. It had been a month since last time, hadn't it? He had been so busy at the academy that if he hadn't been paid today, he might not have thought to come to the tavern at all. That also meant Louise and old Garilando's wedding was only about a month away, and he still hadn't decided on a gift.

But he glanced at Marlin, slumped over the table, and shook his head. "Sorry, Molly. I've been run off my feet lately. I invited Marlin out for drinks today, and I'll have to take him home later. I can't stay. Maybe in a few days."

Molly gave an unhappy "Hmph," said coldly, "Just wait," and walked away.

Still, Molly hadn't forgotten her duties as a waitress. Lorist's hearty meal arrived soon enough. He had barely taken a few bites of fried rice when Fatty Shi plopped down across from him, grabbed the roast goose from the table, tore off a leg, and started chewing.

"Damn it, did you wash your hands? How am I supposed to eat that after you grabbed it with your filthy paws?" Lorist snapped.

"If you won't eat it, I will." Yuri came over too. He went one better and carried off the entire platter of roast goose.

"You lot are here to mooch off me again, aren't you? I'm telling you now: apart from Marlin, you're all paying your own tabs tonight."

"Easy enough." Fatty Shi spat out the goose-leg bone and waved over a waitress. Pointing at Marlin, who was sprawled across the table, he said, "Marlin wants more. One, two, three... five, six bottles of Blackberry Mead for the six of us. Two barrels of Blackberry Mead too, and ask Chef Mai to bring a few more good dishes to these two tables for him to enjoy with his drinks."

Hearing his name, Marlin lifted his head and raised his cup. "Sure. Cheers..." Then he collapsed onto the table again.

"Damn, that works? You win, Fatty Shi." Lorist stared in disbelief, rice falling from his mouth.

"Yes!" Fatty Shi, Yuri, and the others slapped palms in celebration. They had managed to stick Lorist with the bill yet again.

In the middle of the commotion, someone rushed straight up to Lorist and dropped to his knees. Lorist sprang to his feet in shock. "What are you doing?"

The newcomer declared loudly, "I want you to be my master! I want to learn swordsmanship from you!"

Fatty Shi, Yuri, and the others froze too. What was going on?

"I want to learn swordsmanship from you. I've watched your duels for a whole month. I was wrong before. I shouldn't have said you were only Black Iron rank and weren't fit to teach me. I was wrong, and I apologize!"

"Locke, this is the little bastard I told you about. Now he regrets it." El had appeared beside Lorist at some point. He casually took a bottle of Blackberry Mead from the tray Sarah was carrying. "Another bottle."

"You're paying for that one yourself," Lorist said at once. The six bottles Fatty Shi had ordered in Marlin's name were already making his wallet ache. Each bottle cost a large silver coin.

"It's fine. Put it all on the same tab. Locke's just talking." El waved Sarah away, then patted Lorist on the shoulder. "Sit down, Locke. Think about whether you'll take him in."

He pointed at the boy kneeling on the floor.

So there's no getting out of this. Lorist sighed inwardly and studied the boy. El was right. Though the lad was only sixteen, he was tall, broad, and powerfully built. Anyone who didn't know better could easily take him for twenty. He had blond hair, a straight nose, a firm mouth, and clear, honest eyes. He was handsome, too. Kneeling before Lorist now, he pressed his lips together with a stubborn look, but his eyes were full of hope and unease.

"What's your name?" Lorist asked gently.

"I... I'm Ready Ksexidov," the boy said nervously.

"All right, Ready. You've seen my duels, so you should know I teach swordsmanship and Battle Qi at Dawnlight Academy. Once you enroll there, I'll teach you swordsmanship. You don't need to kneel here and beg me. Besides, I'm only eight years older than you. I'm not looking to take an apprentice right now. Get up. Study hard at the elementary academy for one term, and you can enter Dawnlight Academy next year."

Ready looked disappointed, but he stayed on his knees. "No. I don't want to go to school. They all call me a country bumpkin and look down on me. I just want to learn swordsmanship from you..."

Twenty years of peace and economic growth had turned Molent City into the largest commercial city on Galintea Continent. Without quite realizing it, its residents had developed a strange sense of superiority and pride. Like the white-collar workers in the great cities of Lorist's previous life who looked down on migrant laborers, they called people from other countries bumpkins. Some had even begun to resent foreign mercenaries and commoners coming to Molent City, convinced they were thieves and robbers after the city's wealth. The Commercial Alliance had lost the open-minded spirit it possessed at its founding. As its influence expanded, it had grown greedier and more calculating.

The same prejudice existed among the students of Dawnlight Academy. Many disputes began because local students looked down on those from other countries. Lorist hadn't expected Ready to face the same thing at an elementary academy. No wonder El had said the boy had beaten up an entire class.

"Locke, just take him in," El urged between swigs from the bottle. "This little bastard is stubborn as a mule. He won't get up unless you agree. Forget about taking an apprentice. Let him follow you as an attendant, and give him a few pointers when you've got the time and feel like it. You're a noble by birth, after all. No one will bat an eye if you have an attendant."

"Well..." Lorist sometimes forgot his noble status. His family had exiled him, but he had still been born into the nobility. Even without formal investiture, he had the right to use the Norton Family crest to mark his standing and receive noble treatment at upper-class establishments. He simply had never paid much attention to any of it.

"Oh, right." El remembered something else. "You've moved into a new place, haven't you? I've been trying to think of a housewarming gift. As luck would have it, a wealthy merchant who owed us money went bankrupt and started selling off his belongings. Ledos took his carriage and horses to settle the debt. It's a fine carriage, and I remembered you had no transport, so I decided to give it to you. We have no use for it anyway. So take the boy in, Locke. At the very least, you'll need someone to look after the carriage and the two Zino horses that pull it."

Lorist smiled wryly. What could he do after El had put it that way? He looked at the boy. "Ready, you heard El. Are you willing to serve as my attendant for now? If not, you can get up anyway. I won't take an apprentice."

Ready sprang to his feet. "Of course I am! I'll take good care of the carriage and horses. I'll go get my things right now."

Watching Ready hurry off, El nodded. "He'll make a good attendant. He's hardworking, strong, and a fine driver... He's in your hands now, Locke."

Fatty Shi looked consumed by envy. "El, why are you giving Little Locke a carriage when you haven't given me a thing? We were in the same class back then! We've known each other for years."

"Locke gave us a business idea worth a fortune. Ledos said we'd feel terrible if we didn't thank him with a proper gift. When have you ever done us a favor, you fat bastard, instead of taking advantage of me? And you want a gift? Dream on," El said.

Fatty Shi refused to accept it. "I don't believe Little Locke could come up with an idea worth a fortune..."

There was no need to keep it secret, so El told them about slicing Terence Donkey Whip, bottling it, and selling it at a high price as a luxury gift. Everyone had to admit it was a good idea.

Yuri nodded. "There's definitely money in that."

Knowing about it didn't mean they could copy it. More than a month ago, El had chartered a ship to sail to the Ruins Archipelago specifically to buy Terence Donkey Whip at a premium. The ship would return in another month or so. They already had the bottles and medicinal liquor ready; all that remained was to slice it and bottle it. Besides, anyone without the backing of El's organization would face some risks in that business.

Fatty Shi said grudgingly, "That kid's brain really does work faster than anyone else's."

Seeing Lorist had nearly finished eating, El set his bottle on the table. "Come on, Locke. Let's look at the carriage. I parked it out back."

The whole group crowded out to see it.

It was nothing like the light rental carriages that ran along Molent City's streets. This was a four-wheeled carriage with a full cabin, built for long journeys. Four square panes of green glass, each half a meter across, were set high in its dark-brown body, letting plenty of daylight into the cabin. Brass luggage racks sat on the roof and at the rear, while the front had a driver's bench for two.

El kicked one of the large rear wheels, looking pleased with himself. "The wheels, axles, and bearings were custom-made in the Dwarf Kingdom. All forged from refined steel—sturdy and durable. There's a broad leaf spring underneath supporting the entire cabin, too. Even on a rough mountain road, the ride stays smooth. With this carriage, you won't have to suffer through sun and rain the next time you go on a mercenary mission."

"Damn, who takes a carriage like this on a mercenary mission? You'd look like a noble lord, not a mercenary," Fatty Shi said.

El ignored him. "Come on, Locke. Let's see the inside."

Two gray leather sofas faced each other inside the cabin. The backrest of the rear sofa could fold down to make a small bed, and four little drawers beneath the sofas provided space for odds and ends. Pale purple velvet covered the cabin walls, with two wall lamps fitted with glass shades mounted above it.

El rapped on the wall panel. "There's a thin steel plate inside it. And here..."

El pointed to the cabin ceiling. "These are six thin steel plates covered in velvet. Undo this fastening and lower them to cover all six windows around the cabin. That temporarily turns it into a sturdy enclosed compartment, protecting the passengers from outside threats. There's also a hidden hatch in the floor. Lift the carpet and you'll see it. You can escape beneath the carriage in an emergency."

Telman was full of admiration. "This carriage accounts for everything you might encounter on a long journey. With furnishings and fittings like these, it must have cost a fortune."

Fatty Shi looked beside himself with envy. "At least a hundred gold coins, surely. More with those two Zino horses pulling it..."

The Zino horse was one of Galintea's famous riding breeds, known for its endurance and ability to cover long distances. Its sprinting speed was its only weak point.

Yuri asked quietly, "El, how much did that bankrupt merchant owe you?"

El scratched his head and thought for a moment. "Thirty-something gold coins, I think. Less than forty."

"Uh..." No one knew what to say.

Lorist didn't care whether El had seized the carriage by force. El's group operated outside the law; this was the sort of thing they did. Lorist patted the cabin, thoroughly satisfied. "Thanks, El. I'll gladly take it."

When he saw Ready approaching with a bundle on his back, Lorist called out, "Ready, put your things in the carriage, then bring the horses over and hitch them up. Fatty, help me get Marlin out here. I need to take him home first."

"Are you coming back afterward?" Fatty Shi asked.

Lorist shook his head. "No. I've got another duel tomorrow, so I can't stay out too late. Why don't you all come along?"

"We'll stay a bit longer," Fatty Shi said. "The rest of the food hasn't arrived yet."

Lorist caught on. "Right. I'd better settle the bill first, or you'll charge all sorts of other things to my tab."

"Damn, you're stingy, Locke," Fatty Shi said. "El just gave you a luxury carriage worth a hundred gold coins! The least you can do is spend a few gold coins celebrating."

"Not a chance," Lorist replied.