July 7, 1193, Era of Light.
Although it was not yet six o'clock, the merchants of Shining Gold Town had already risen, put on their finest clothes, and gathered at the entrance on the eastern end of town.
Because today was the day Baron Raven would officially take back Shining Gold Town.
As the first ray of sunlight spilled across the earth, a disciplined march rang out, and an army appeared on the main road east of Shining Gold Town.
Everyone held their breath at that moment.
Two magnificent Blood-Eyed Warhorses walked at the head of the procession. They stood two meters tall at the shoulder and wore thick, sturdy chainmail, with only their blood-red eyes visible through it. Their bowl-sized hooves struck the paving stones, kicking up tiny fragments of stone like smoke. No one doubted that once they charged at full speed, there was absolutely no one who could stop them!
The rider on the lead warhorse was undoubtedly Raven.
Beneath the baron's coronet fell thick, jet-black hair reaching his shoulders. His forehead was high, his features sharply defined, and his skin was pale with a hint of coldness. His deep-set eyes held an inscrutable, icy air.
Though he wore the gorgeous yet impractical formal attire currently favored by nobles, his upright posture radiated an innate arrogance and majesty, as though a king had arrived on his own land!
Eric rode behind him in a suit of heavy plate armor. He was even taller than Raven, yet he could not diminish Raven's presence in the slightest.
Led by a red-bearded man, the merchants bowed in unison. "We welcome Lord Raven!"
"Rise." Raven reined in his horse slightly, his calm gaze sweeping over them. "Come see me at the administrative center later."
He gently squeezed the horse's belly, and amid the crisp clopping of hooves, he gradually disappeared into the distance.
The merchants straightened up, but before they could catch their breath, they all held it again!
Were these Lord Raven's personal guards!?
The formation of more than twenty men split into two columns as they marched along the streets of Shining Gold Town.
They wore heavy chainmail, their heads held high. Their faces were hidden in the shadows of their iron helmets, but their eyes, each a different color, radiated a terrifying light!
It was not the greed the merchants often saw in the eyes of Snow Maple Territory's soldiers, nor the deliberately feigned viciousness they displayed when extorting money. It was a killing intent that pierced straight into the heart, an indifference forged from lingering on the edge of life and death.
Those eyes made the merchants tremble. At that moment, they clearly realized something.
These soldiers truly dared to kill! And they would kill!
As their clockwork-precise footsteps drew closer, the longspears in their hands reflected a cold gleam, making it seem as though they were about to charge into the crowd and begin a massacre!
That brief minute felt like a lifetime to the merchants. Only after the private soldiers' footsteps vanished at the end of the street did their scattered gasps finally ring out.
"My heavens, that was terrifying... I actually didn't believe before that they could deal with bandits!"
"From Monen City to Snow Maple Territory, this is the first time I've seen such a... such a vicious army. Are they really not bandits in disguise?"
"Stop being ridiculous. How could bandits have such excellent discipline?!"
"It's over, it's over... Seeing how young Baron Raven is, I was still thinking of getting our debts repaid. But now, it looks like there's no hope..."
These words reached the ears of a red-bearded middle-aged man. He folded his arms and snorted. "If you're that timid, you might as well go home and farm!"
The man who had spoken earlier was about to retort, but when he saw who it was, he immediately put on a fawning smile. "Mr. Karl, it's just that those soldiers scared me senseless. Of course we'll listen to you about what to do later."
The man named Karl was the leader of Shining Gold Town's merchant guild. Backed by the Fox Family, he dealt in the highly lucrative weapons trade.
Relying on the Fox Family's name and his considerable business acumen, he had remained the head of the merchant guild for more than twenty years. Regardless of who Shining Gold Town nominally belonged to, he had always controlled the town's commercial lifeline.
Now that the merchants' loyalties were wavering, he naturally had to bring everything back under his control.
"It's good that you know to listen to me." Karl raised his voice and swept his gaze over the crowd. "Look at yourselves. This boss and that sir, all acting as though you're important figures, yet more than twenty private soldiers have scared you into looking like startled rabbits!"
"So what if he's Raven? Don't be fooled by the fact that he has taken back Shining Gold Town. This place is still up to us to decide! Without us merchants, this place is nothing but a worthless dead land!"
Karl stroked his beard and said proudly, "There's no war going on, so why did he bring all his troops here? To give us a show of force!"
"As the old proverb says, one-sided courtesy never lasts.
"Since he dares to act this way, we must answer in kind. No matter what demands he makes, we must first make him repay the debt Donald owes!"
"Anyone who covets temporary benefits and commits the shameless act of betrayal can forget about doing business in Shining Gold Town from now on. Understood!?"
The merchants looked at one another, then lowered their heads in unison. "Yes, Mr. Karl!"
"Let's go!" Karl waved his sleeve and strode proudly at the front of the group.
Although Shining Gold Town had more than four times Eagle Town's population, the town itself was not very large. The merchants soon arrived at the entrance to the administrative hall.
After the tax collectors from Snow Maple Territory withdrew, the place had become completely empty. Now that Raven had taken it over, more than twenty private soldiers stood guard on either side of the entrance, their silver scale armor glittering beneath the sunlight.
Karl led the merchants into the meeting room of the administrative hall.
An ancient long table stood in the meeting room, with black-painted oak chairs arranged along both sides. Raven was seated at the far end of the table. He spread his hands with a smile and said, "We've already exchanged greetings, so there's no need to trouble yourselves again. Everyone, please sit."
This was not the first time the merchants had met here. They took their seats with practiced ease. Karl sat to Raven's left, while the vice president, Fili, sat opposite him.
Raven clapped lightly, and maids streamed in through the door carrying trays. They placed a glass of red wine before each merchant.
"You rose early to welcome me. You've worked hard. Come, have a taste of Angel's Tear."
Angel's Tear!
At those words, the merchants' eyes lit up.
They had certainly heard of this fine wine, but almost none of them had ever tasted it.
The first batch of more than three hundred bottles of Angel's Tear had all been bought by nobles. They had not even had the opportunity to try it.
"Then we thank Lord Raven for his generosity." Karl was the first to lift his glass. Only after seeing him move did the merchants raise theirs as well.
After clinking glasses from across the table and tasting the fine wine, praise naturally began to flow.
"Angel's Tear truly is a gift from the Lord of Light! It's simply the most wonderful red wine in the world!"
"I always bragged about being a wine connoisseur and thought my collection of White Mountain Cream was some priceless treasure. Compared with Angel's Tear, it belongs in a slop bucket!"
"It's wonderful, absolutely wonderful! Even the Fountain of Youth sung of by bards probably isn't any better!"
A genial smile appeared on Raven's face. "I know that you're all somewhat uneasy about my taking back Shining Gold Town. You're worried that I'm greedy and will impose harsh taxes; worried that I don't understand economics and will interfere recklessly; and some of you may even worry that I'll support Denise and suppress the local merchant guild."
"This cup of Angel's Tear is to tell everyone that I, Raven, am not someone who likes to keep all the benefits for myself, nor am I a greedy lord."
"As long as you pay your taxes and conduct your businesses honestly as before, you have nothing to worry about. In fact, I can even release some Angel's Tear for sale in Shining Gold Town and let you share in the profits."
Low murmurs rose through the room, and anticipation appeared in many of the merchants' eyes. The profit from Angel's Tear itself was secondary, but if its reputation took off, it would surely greatly increase the flow of people into Shining Gold Town.
The more people there were, the better business would be!
"Lord Raven certainly has a way with words!" Karl stroked his beard. "But I imagine you won't let us take advantage of you for nothing, will you?"
Raven had been prepared for this question. He immediately launched into an explanation. "Of course. I have my own needs as well. To expand Angel's Tear's production capacity and enrich its product variety, I'll be building a brand-new workshop west of Eagle Town."
"Therefore, I hope everyone in the Shining Gold Town Merchant Guild can give me your full support—construction materials, workers, and the equipment and raw materials needed in the future."
"As long as the quality is up to standard, I guarantee that your interests will be fully protected."
Raven looked at the merchants expectantly, but the enthusiasm they had shown earlier vanished. One after another, they turned their heads away, afraid to meet his eyes. The meeting room fell into an eerie silence.
"Lord Baron is truly generous." Karl's voice broke the quiet. "But have you forgotten something?"
"Your uncle, Baron Donald, borrowed 937 Gold Coin from the Shining Gold Town Merchant Guild ten years ago!"
Raven maintained his polite smile. "Of course I haven't forgotten. Nine hundred and thirty-seven Gold Coin, calculated at an annual interest rate of thirty percent, brings the current total to 3,748 Gold Coin."
"My proposal is to extend the loan term by another two years. That would bring the total to 4,310.2 Gold Coin, with Eagle Territory paying in installments over the next two years—179.6 Gold Coin per month."
This was the figure Raven and Old Gordon had carefully discussed. It would not place too much pressure on Eagle Territory's economy, while still sufficiently demonstrating Raven's sincerity.
"Lord Baron is certainly shrewd, but that's not how profits are calculated." Karl stroked his fiery-red beard, as though he were about to grasp Raven in the palm of his hand. "Baron Donald's loan term was five years, but it has now exceeded five years."
A dark cloud flashed across Raven's face.
Karl continued smoothly, "The principal plus interest for five years comes to 2,342.5 Gold Coin. After that, compound interest is added at thirty percent per year. The total comes to 8,697.7 Gold Coin. I'll round it down for you—8,697 Gold Coin. How about it?"
At those words, the air grew even quieter. One could hear a pin drop.
Many of the merchants present lent money to others to some extent, and the profit amount was not particularly outrageous—but that was when dealing with commoners and other merchants!
They would never have dared even imagine applying such a ruinous, exploitative calculation to a true noble.
Eric, who had stood silently behind Raven all this time, roared, "You're extorting us!"
Karl glared back righteously. "This is commercial conduct in accordance with imperial law, and my legitimate right as a merchant!"
"If Lord Raven insists on violating the rules, then starting today, the Shining Gold Town Merchant Guild will refuse all orders from Eagle Territory, refuse to pay taxes, and refuse to cooperate!"
"Seeking death!" With a metallic clang, Eric abruptly drew the curved saber at his waist. A thick scent of blood began to spread through the meeting hall.
But in the next moment, Raven pressed down on his hand and said with a beaming smile, "Well said! As the ancient imperial proverb goes, without rules and standards, nothing can be accomplished. Mr. Karl is indeed a model merchant."
There was no doubt that Raven was backing down. For a moment, contempt appeared in the merchants' eyes as they looked at Raven, while their gazes toward Karl filled with considerably more admiration.
Karl revealed a smug smile. This was exactly the result he wanted.
By forcing Raven to acknowledge the exorbitant interest, all Karl had to do was make him lower his head. From then on, Shining Gold Town would still belong to him!
He, Karl, would remain the uncrowned duke of Shining Gold Town.
"I'm glad to know that Lord Raven is also someone who respects the rules." Karl spoke condescendingly, as though bestowing charity. "I know you can't produce that much cash, so I have an even better proposal."
Raven rested both hands beneath his chin and said with a beaming smile, "Please, go on."
"You mentioned Angel's Tear earlier. It truly is a treasure bestowed by the Lord of Light." Karl waved both hands, gesturing grandly as he laid out his plan. "To repay this debt, why don't you share its recipe?"
"The Shining Gold Town Merchant Guild can produce Angel's Tear, while you can avoid all the trouble and happily count the Gold Coin we pay you. The merchants get what belongs to the merchants, and the baron gets what belongs to the baron. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Raven clapped his hands and laughed. "That really is the best idea!"
He raised his glass. "Then shall we have another drink to this proposal?"
Karl deliberately paused, pleased to see that none of the merchants dared move. Only then did he raise his glass. After clinking it against Raven's, he drained it in one gulp.
Angel's Tear was as rich and sweet as the legends claimed, and from now on, this fine wine would be held in his hands!
The fragrance of grapes, the scent of citrus, a faint hint of char—and another flavor, fishy and salty... the smell of blood!?
The air grew as still as if it had solidified. The merchants watched as Raven, who had been drinking, smilingly drove a dagger into Karl's throat. The unexpected development left them too stunned even to scream!
Clatter...
The wineglass in Karl's hand rolled across the table, spilling bright-red wine everywhere.
When he saw the viscous blood gushing from his nostrils, he finally realized what had happened. He raised both hands, trying to seize Raven's wrist, but Raven had already pulled his hand back.
*Raven... is trying to kill me!?
*How dare he!?
*He's breaking the rules and openly killing a merchant. Isn't he afraid of turning Shining Gold Town into a wasteland!?
The cold sensation vanished in an instant, replaced by indescribable pain and suffocation. He clutched his throat with both hands, but could not stop the air from being squeezed out of his lungs bit by bit. The strength drained from his body, and with a bang, he collapsed face-first onto the table.
"Murder! Murder!! He's killed someone—!"
Amid the shattering of wineglasses, the meeting hall descended into chaos. The bolder merchants surged toward the door, while the more timid ones trembled in their seats. Some had already lost all strength in their legs and slid to the floor!
But when the merchants reached the door, they saw the fully armored Eagle Army. Those who tried to force their way out were kicked back inside by heavy boots!
"Silence!" Raven's voice rang out through the meeting room. The merchants finally recognized the situation and returned to their seats in terror.
"The president of the Shining Gold Town Merchant Guild, Mr. Karl, attempted to assassinate Baron Raven in public because he coveted the recipe for Angel's Tear. He was killed on the spot." He took a silk handkerchief and wiped the dagger, then gently wiped the blood splashed across his face. A fierce, chilling aura swept through the room. "I'm not mistaken, am I?"
At that moment, in the eyes of the merchants, Raven's handsome face spattered with blood looked as terrifying as a demon!
Then they looked at Karl on the table, still struggling like a dead fish with his eyes rolled back. How could they dare say no? They could only nod one after another.
The merchant seated to Raven's right nodded frantically. "That's right... Karl went mad and attacked Baron Raven! He deserved to die!"
"Your name is Fili, right?" Raven asked with a smile.
Fili nodded blankly.
"Good." Raven nodded and swept his gaze across the room. "Then starting today, Fili is the president of the Shining Gold Town Merchant Guild. Does anyone have any other opinions?"
A short merchant with obvious gnome blood jumped to his feet. "But that doesn't comply with the traditions of the Shining Gold Town Merchant Guild..."
Whoosh.
A crossbow bolt flew from Raven's sleeve, pierced the man's throat, and pinned his corpse to the chair.
Raven smiled and took a sip of the red wine in his glass. Then he asked with a smile, "What about now?"
A thick smell of blood began to spread through the air, mixed with a faint stench of urine. Some of the merchants had been so frightened that they had wet themselves!
"I-I agree to Fili becoming president!"
"I agree too, I agree too!!"
"And me! I agree too!"
Raven smiled in satisfaction. "Then, about the debt..."
Fili's face twisted into a smile more painful than tears, his large gold tooth glittering brightly. "It's all forgiven, all of it!"
Raven shook his head. "That won't do."
Fili was completely dumbfounded. "Huh? But, but this..."
"I, Raven, am not someone who refuses to repay a debt," Raven said flatly. "We'll do as I said earlier. The total is 4,310.2 Gold Coin, to be paid off over twenty-four months in monthly installments."
"Huh?" Fili froze.
It was not only him. Every merchant present was stunned!
Raven had turned hostile and killed someone, and now he wanted to repay the debt on schedule. What was he trying to do?
Raven's voice echoed through the silent meeting room. "I'm someone who values rules—but not your merchants' rules. My rules!"
"The shops owned by Karl and his accomplices, who conspired to assassinate me, will be handed over to the Shining Gold Town Merchant Guild for collective management. The profits will belong to all of you."
"And as long as you complete the tasks I assign, my earlier promise still stands. Some Angel's Tear can be sold in Shining Gold Town, and you'll have the right to purchase the products subsequently produced by Eagle Territory at a discount."
As he spoke, Raven clapped his hands. Eric lifted the chest behind Raven's chair and slammed it onto the table!
Golden Gold Coin spilled across the tabletop. Even stained with Karl's blood, they looked even more dazzling!
Raven's clear voice rang out. "I have many needs—daily necessities, construction materials, weapons, armor, food. Every one of you can profit from them."
"This is payment for the first batch of goods, a total of eight hundred Gold Coin. If anyone no longer wishes to do business with me, you may leave now. That will count as voluntarily withdrawing from the Shining Gold Town Merchant Guild, and I will not pursue the matter. Those who remain will be my own people from this day forward!"
The merchants' eyes were no longer filled with simple fear. Greed and longing began to fill them instead, and their breathing grew heavier.
As seasoned operators, they had already seen through Raven's strategy—strike them down, then offer them something sweet!
He had just struck someone else to death, yet the sweet reward was so enticing. How could they not be tempted?
"Lord Raven, what do you need!? If it's construction materials, I, Hank, will take care of everything!"
"And me! Daily necessities, from coal to salt—whatever you need, I can supply as much as you want!"
"I have the finest Leather Armor in all of Nord Province, even Enchanted Armor made from magical-beast leather! I'm willing to offer it to you at twenty percent off!"
Amid the clamorous pledges, Karl's body convulsed and spasmed. He exhaled his final breath, then toppled beneath the table with a thud.
But no one cared whether he lived or died.
"Excellent!" Raven said with a smile. "Then, what I need next is as follows—"
Before you continue