All Business

"Your nephew, young master, is a renowned and outstanding figure in our Northern Legion. He is a knight himself and, needless to say, the second heir to a barony.

"Someone as talented and distinguished as you naturally possesses a kind and benevolent heart, right?"

Sir Ramai started by showering Ergons with praise, leaving him somewhat baffled, but he still listened to what came next.

"Speaking of it, this ransom broker also suffered a loss. The Private War between those two nobles had gone a little too far, leaving no room for reconciliation between them.

"However, as a noble, the victorious party still possessed basic honor. He wanted to return the four female relatives to his opponent, but he feared the other party would misunderstand and take it as an insult.

"So he entrusted them to this universally acknowledged intermediary of noble character and excellent reputation. Of course, for a fee.

"He simply hadn't expected that two of the four young women were engaged. Because they had fallen into enemy hands, their fiancés had already begun the process of breaking off the engagements.

"Thus, in a fit of rage, the defeated party's master declared that he didn't want them anymore. He would simply regard the four daughters as having died in battle."

Only then did Ergons begin to understand what was really going on.

Sir Ramai did his utmost to conceal the lecherousness in his smile, but he could never quite manage to appear as upright and noble as his own words suggested.

"So this intermediary, who doesn't want to suffer a loss, finds himself in a difficult position.

"As a ransom broker of noble character and excellent reputation, he cannot bring himself to send these four sheltered young ladies to a brothel.

"But due to cash-flow problems, his own household is already on the verge of starvation. Therefore, he urgently needs to find an outstanding gentleman who is generous, upright, and respected by all, someone willing to advance the ransom money.

"Of course, he also hopes that the noble who advances the ransom will set the four of them free. That way, he would create a beautiful story and save an excellent merchant on the verge of bankruptcy.

"The person who helps would at least earn the admiration and friendship of people from afar."

Ergons didn't believe a single word he said, though there were some things he couldn't voice aloud.

Since Sir Ramai had taken the initiative to bring up the matter, Ergons naturally didn't need to trouble himself.

"As for this desolate wilderness, these four people naturally require the highest standard of accommodation. But the best quarters here are yours. Thus, it is only natural that you take the initiative to give up your tent, proving yourself a gentleman by lodging elsewhere.

"Moved by your righteous rescue, one of these young and inexperienced girls, swept up in youthful longing, may take the initiative. That would hardly be an objectionable little anecdote.

"Even if the story truly spread, it would merely become a beautiful tale for the balladeers to recount."

This was truly the first time Ergons had heard someone describe buying sex in such an elegant and refined manner. His mouth was full of morality and benevolence, while his belly was full of lascivious schemes.

Still, from the perspective of helping the needy and doing a good deed, this really was something he had to assist with. For no other reason than to resolve the crisis facing this ransom broker, who enjoyed an excellent reputation throughout all four provinces of Newman Region, he had to lend a hand.

As the second heir to a barony who did good deeds without seeking recognition, he could not appear in person. Thus, Sir Ramai left with a broad smile.

He also took three thousand Denars, along with Adamson, who carried the money bag.

Late that night, Sir Ergons stood beside his tent, gazing at the cold crescent moon in the sky, neither full enough to be round nor curved enough to be a proper hook. Beneath its bleak light, four figures wrapped in black hooded cloaks appeared in his line of sight, following Adamson's enormous form.

Compared with Adamson, who stood over two meters ten, the four thin, shivering figures looked like little quails, so pitifully endearing.

"Young master, I'm back. The money's all gone. Sir Ramai advanced one hundred and seventy gold coins and forty-seven silver coins."

"Why didn't he come over?"

"He said he had something else to do and didn't want to disturb you. He told me to take these girls back to him. He still has something to discuss with me. Young master, do you think I should go?"

Hearing this, Ergons narrowed his eyes and looked the simple-minded giant up and down. Suppressing a laugh, he said, "Go. You won't be the one taking the loss."

When the simpleton was about to leave, he remembered to add, "Come over with Young Ramai first thing tomorrow morning. Spend the night at Sir Ramai's headquarters."

"Huh? If I don't come back, you'll have no one by your side."

"Go. Be obedient!"

Adamson thought about all the strange things his young master could do and decided there was nothing to worry about. Thus, still completely unaware of the truth, he left.

By then, all twenty-two people Ergons had brought with him had been taken away by relatives and old acquaintances. There was no need to think too hard about their motives.

On one hand, they wanted to curry favor with him. On the other, they wanted to fish for information through indirect questions.

But whatever their plans, it didn't matter. He had something important to do now.

He looked at the four young girls, who were still trembling and did not even dare remove their hoods.

Ergons already understood the basics of their lives, because the interface for those he knew had revealed their personal and family circumstances at a glance.

They were indeed relatives of Viscount Sebastian René Predal, who had been defeated in South Newman Province a few days earlier. However, there was one point that differed from the rumors.

None of them had fiancés, and not one of them bore the surname Predal. They were the children of the viscount's sisters-in-law, from the families of his wife's younger and elder sisters. Furthermore, the castle that had been breached did not belong to the viscount.

Thus, the information differed somewhat from the rumors.

But this was enough.

The four trembling girls had no idea that, despite not having spoken a single word, a mysterious power had already exposed every detail of their identities.

Ergons also didn't care what the girls were thinking. His very first question caught them off guard.

"Where is your uncle-in-law?"

After several days of being dragged from place to place, these girls had been constantly terrified of where their fates would lead them. The question left them completely stunned.

They might not be able to obtain the truth by questioning them directly. He might as well use the system.

Bana Brimer, who entered the system's question-and-answer mode, had not wanted to respond at first. But some mysterious force compelled her to answer, "What do you want to ask?"

"I want to ask you where someone is."

"Whose whereabouts do you want to know?"

"I want to know where Viscount Predal is."

Bana answered without hesitation, "He was just defeated in the lord's Private War. He must be hiding in Erdonseck City, South Newman Province, by now."

After obtaining the answer he wanted, Ergons opened the system map and found Erdonseck City, more than a thousand miles away in a straight line.

"If I told you I could take you to your uncle-in-law, would you be willing to join my party and travel with us?"