Grow Bigger and Stronger

"Afraid! Why should I be afraid?" Derek retorted, then burst into laughter. "I can see you're someone of consequence, but these mountains have limited your vision.

"There's more to this world than the Rat and Leopard you've seen. If you have any other ideas, I can draw my sword and kill my way out."

Loyd said nothing, but one of the Mountain Folk could not help stepping forward.

"Outsider, don't get too arrogant. Believe it or not, I'll slaughter you right now."

Derek did not respond. Instead, Simon threw the chest to the ground and drew his longsword with his right hand like lightning.

The next second, a flash of light streaked past.

Buzz!

The longsword plunged into the ground before the man's Hide Boots, scraping the very front edge before sinking an inch into the earth.

That strength, that speed, that precision.

All the Mountain Folk sucked in a breath, unable to believe what they had seen.

The most formidable people they had seen could wrestle tigers and leopards with sheer strength, or run faster than deer.

But they had never seen such skill.

"Don't mistake me for the scum among the nobility. Heroes rise everywhere in this world. Why was Louis crowned king? Why has the Perez name endured throughout the Northern Province?

"Some nobles are worthless trash, but there are true heroes among them as well. I... Von Derek, am not like those wastes you've met before."

Derek sat there, steady as a mountain as he played along with Simon's display.

"I came to make friends. I hope there won't be any more tests like this."

Loyd's face darkened. Having his face slapped like that made him deeply uncomfortable.

But just as Derek had said, he was no fool.

Even the hidden contempt he had harbored vanished without a trace.

In this world, some feared power and influence, some worshipped wealth, and some feared death.

But everyone looked up to the strong.

Here, Derek was the strong one.

Loyd lowered his head. Even he did not notice that his bearing had weakened by more than a little.

"My apologies. Outsiders have never been friendly toward us, so... forgive me.

"My name is Loyd. I am willing to be your friend."

Derek did not press his advantage. Seeing this, he gestured to Simon. "Open my gifts and let Chief Loyd have a look."

Simon first walked over to the Mountain Folk man who had provoked them. The man had been stunned by that strike and still did not dare move.

Simon rudely pulled out the sword, turned back with a proud air, and pried open the chest.

Layers of wood shavings wrapped the items inside. Simon peeled them away layer by layer, revealing objects wrapped in oil paper.

He took them out one by one. Seeing no reaction from Derek, he opened them directly.

A deep black longsword reflected the firelight with a metallic gleam.

Clang!

He gently pushed aside the scabbard, revealing a metallic blade with a faint pattern winding across its surface.

"Fine sword!"

To the Mountain Folk, any weapon was precious.

Not to mention that this sword looked exceptionally beautiful.

This was naturally Derek's handiwork as well. Little Tru and the others had indeed improved their craftsmanship greatly, and the swords had also been specially polished.

With this workmanship, this quality, and this packaging, did they think it cost five Silver Coins each?

No, ten Silver Coins was the starting price. If relations were poor, he would not even sell them.

Though Loyd was more capable than ordinary Mountain Folk, his horizons were still somewhat limited.

Once Simon arranged all five swords in a row, their heavy breathing could be clearly heard.

Loyd's eyes seemed nailed to the swords. He could not look away.

He even knew that Derek wanted something else, yet he could not refuse.

After a long while, he finally suppressed the urge to seize them by force.

"Knight Derek, what do you mean by this?"

See? The Carrot and Stick. Even heroes had to bow their heads.

"Making friends. I, Derek, cannot claim much else, but I am absolutely generous to my friends."

Loyd could not help nodding. He had certainly seen that generosity.

"Yes, making friends. From now on, you are my friend, Derek. If you run into trouble, give them my name. It still carries some weight in the mountains."

Loyd had just wanted to boast a little, but then he remembered the other side's terrifying combat strength. Uh... better not say too much.

What did Derek want?

The Furs trade?

No. Without someone powerful backing him, that business would never last.

Even if he wanted to do it, it would have to come later in his priorities, perhaps even with Baron Ferrera brought in.

Derek wanted only two things.

Land and people.

Could a Mountain Folk man—or rather, a Bandit—provide those?

Not legally, of course. But Derek did not need legality.

To survive in this age, where all resources were controlled by great nobles and the royal family, one either had to join them or open up a new path.

Derek had no opportunity for the former.

The latter, however, might not be impossible.

He did not rush to reveal his true intentions. With these gifts exchanged, their subsequent dealings became much more harmonious.

They set up rabbit meat to roast, and the Mountain Folk brought out their own stored provisions.

Over food and drink, Loyd probed a few times, thinking Derek wanted to enter the Furs trade.

But Derek refused.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, leaving the others behind to keep bragging and chatting nonsense,

Derek invited Loyd to take a walk. Loyd instantly understood.

The two walked for a while, moving away from the camp.

Loyd's expression gradually turned solemn. He knew his new friend's request was coming; he just did not know whether he could afford it.

"Loyd, how's business when you rob people?"

He had long been prepared for his identity to be exposed, so his expression did not change.

"Barely enough to survive. This isn't an important trade route. We only rob small merchants. Supplies are expensive in the mountains, so we barely have enough to eat and drink."

"Heh! I believe you when you say you barely have enough to eat and drink, and it's normal for supplies to be expensive in the mountains. But there should be more than just small merchants passing through here, shouldn't there?"

Derek was all too familiar with the ways of nobles and kingdom officials.

Every Caravan was doing business through connections.

Without backing, they could not move an inch.

Nobles and officials did not need to threaten anyone. They only needed one move... setting up checkpoints and collecting taxes.

Kingdom law required a tax of one in ten.

But taxes were collected at every pass and fees paid at every checkpoint.

Nobles and officials often set up private checkpoints. After goods traveled one stretch of road, the cost doubled; after another stretch, it doubled again.

How could anyone still make money like that?

But while they had their tricks, merchants had their own ways around them.

Merchants large and small crossed mountains and ridges, taking only remote trails.

Some hidden trade routes were even the core capital of certain trading houses.

There were plenty of fat sheep in these mountains.

The Bandits simply could not swallow them.

With just a few words from Derek, Loyd fell silent.

"Here's a suggestion. Why not try growing bigger and stronger? Those Caravans can't possibly venture deep into the wilderness just to trouble you.

"If you want to sell off goods, plenty of merchants will be willing to buy at lower prices.

"I can supply you with weapons.

"I can even help with proper soldier training.

"What do you think?"

Loyd looked up in shock and blurted out, "You want to recruit me?"

"No. This is merely friends helping each other. If you're willing to leave the mountains and seize some people, I'd be happy to pay for them.

"You make money buying weapons, and I make money selling them.

"As for training, that will be proof of our friendship.

"Though we've only just met, I believe profits will make our friendship even stronger. Don't you?"