A Minor Conflict

Mace could swear to the heavens that he had never eaten such a delicious breakfast in his entire life.

Although the shabby wooden table before him held only very ordinary white bread, beef, and vegetable soup, compared to the days of eating dried meat slices and drinking cold spring water, this was a delicacy comparable to royal palace fare.

"Praise the great Holy Soul, thank you for bestowing this food upon us..."

This was likely the most pious pre-meal prayer Mace had ever offered, but before he could finish expressing his gratitude, a voice drifted over.

"I truly didn't expect you to be a believer, Mr. Mace."

Hearing this, Mace hurriedly opened his eyes. He saw Rhode and Lize walking down the stairs, coming over to sit before him. The young man still wore a calm expression, making it impossible to tell if he was being sarcastic or sincere, so the fat merchant could only offer an awkward smile.

"This... one always feels gratitude for food, it has nothing to do with being a believer or not..."

Having said that, the fat merchant clearly didn't intend to dwell on such a boring topic, so he quickly changed the subject.

"What are your plans next, you two?"

Facing the fat merchant's inquiry, Rhode did not answer immediately. He first beckoned for two servings of breakfast before speaking.

"And you, Mr. Mace?"

"Me?"

Hearing Rhode's question, Mace froze, then slumped his shoulders in dejection.

"As for me, I have to go to Deepstone City first to apologize to the consignee and compensate them for their losses. Sigh, I'm truly unlucky this time; not only did I lose the cargo, but I also have to pay a huge sum of money. My luck really isn't very good..."

"I, I'm sorry..."

Hearing this, Lize's face showed regret. It was understandable, after all, it was her mercenary group that was responsible for protecting the merchant and his goods. Now that the cargo was lost, it could be said that they hadn't completed their mission well. Although many would see this as just an accident, as a person with a strong sense of responsibility, Lize couldn't just let it go.

"No, no, no, this isn't just your problem, Miss Lize. I am at fault as well."

Perhaps because he had returned to a peaceful environment, Mace's demeanor was no longer as timid as before, and he revealed his shrewd, capable side as a merchant once more.

"If I had known that such a thing would happen in that godforsaken place, I wouldn't have taken the job even if it killed me. Sigh, but it's a bit late to say that now. The fact that I can sit here alive instead of becoming dinner for those terrifying beasts in the forest is all thanks to you two."

At this point, the fat merchant paused, a rare, sincere smile appearing on his face. He then reached into his robes and took out two money bags.

"This is your reward. Miss Lize, thank you for saving my life several times. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have survived until now."

"No, no, this, this is what I should do. After all, we took your money..."

Looking at the money bag the fat merchant pushed toward her, Lize jumped up in a hurry, waving her hands uneasily. But Mace was clearly an old fox; he didn't even wait for Lize to finish before turning his gaze to Rhode, who was sitting to the side.

"Mr. Rhode, especially you... to be honest, if it weren't for you, the two of us probably wouldn't have been able to walk out of that Dusk Forest. I know this money isn't much for a noble, so please just take it as a token of my appreciation."

"No need to be so polite, Mr. Mace."

Rhode glanced at the money bag but didn't reach for it.

"You saved my life as well. If you hadn't ordered the boat to stop, I would have long since become a beast's meal, so I think you can keep this money."

"This..."

Hearing Rhode's words, Mace looked troubled. He could be firm with Lize, but he dared not do so with this young man. In fact, this money wasn't just about repayment; it was also an attempt to build a relationship with Rhode. Although the fat merchant wanted Rhode to accept it, he didn't dare to force it too much for fear of causing offense. As a merchant, he had dealt with many nobles and knew that many of them valued face, dignity, and status highly. Especially young men with such talent—most had high self-esteem and some eccentricities. So, instead of insisting like he did with Lize, he offered an awkward smile and pulled a small silver badge from his robes.

"Since you say so, Mr. Rhode, I won't insist. Please accept this badge. It is a token of our Silver Hand Merchant Guild. Although our guild isn't considered a major power on the Dragon Soul Continent, we still have a bit of standing. If you ever have need of us in the future, please don't hesitate to ask; we will certainly do our best."

This time, Rhode did not refuse the offer, and in fact, this was exactly what he had been waiting for.

Rhode understood the thinking of these merchants very well. In their eyes, money was often above all else, even their own lives could be bought and sold with it. The reason he had offered the money was simply to repay the debt of saving his life, but that matter would have been considered closed once the transaction was finished.

But that wasn't what Rhode wanted. He had his own goals, and to achieve them, he needed helpers. The merchant guild Mace belonged to was indeed not a massive organization, but it was a guild nonetheless, possessing connections and trade networks that Rhode couldn't match. Considering this, making them owe him a long-term favor was a very cost-effective deal.

Mace, of course, would never have guessed that Rhode was targeting him. He remained convinced of his own judgment: the young man sitting before him was definitely a high-ranking noble with a powerful family background. Someone like that was someone he should be currying favor with, so why would he have any interest in selling a favor?

It was a beautiful misunderstanding.

Rhode, of course, didn't mind letting this misunderstanding continue.

Afterward, the three discussed some trivial topics before moving on to their current plans. To Mace's delight, Rhode and Lize also intended to go to Deepstone City. It wasn't surprising that Lize was going to Deepstone City, as the base for her mercenary group was located there, and part of the reason Carter had accepted Mace's escort mission was that it was on the way home. However, Rhode's choice surprised Mace somewhat. He was especially stunned, eyes widening in disbelief, when he heard that Rhode had actually joined Lize's mercenary group.

Mace wasn't unaware of Lize's situation; after all, he was the one who had selected the mercenary group, so he understood their circumstances. He knew that with things turning out this way, the group was likely finished. But that wasn't his concern; he had already paid enough, and with Lize's status as a Spirit Master, she would have no trouble finding work anywhere. If she really had nowhere to go, Mace wouldn't mind taking her into the guild's ranks. After all, Spirit Masters were very important and highly sought after; that wouldn't be a bad thing for Mace.

But even he hadn't expected that this seemingly soft and indecisive girl would actually decide to grit her teeth and carry on!

That was a very difficult and dangerous thing to do.

Mace wanted to offer a few words of dissuasion, but seeing Rhode nearby, he didn't dare say too much. In his view, this young noble joining the mercenary group was probably just for fun. He wasn't lacking in strength, nor was he lacking in money or status, making him completely different from ordinary mercenaries. And... perhaps it had something to do with Lize? Looking closely, the girl was quite cute and pretty...

Mace certainly didn't dare to say that to their faces, and as an outsider, he had no standing to interfere in such private matters. So, he simply promised Lize that she could come to him if she encountered any difficulties, and he would do his best to assist if it was within his power—originally he hadn't wanted to do this, but after discovering there might be some unspoken relationship between the two, Mace felt that building a good relationship with the girl was a decent choice.

After finishing breakfast and confirming their next objectives, Mace and Lize parted ways. Mace went to find a carriage to Deepstone City, while Lize, as always, began preparing supplies for the three of them—unlike in the Dusk Forest, she could finally prepare properly now.

Both were busy with their own affairs, leaving only Rhode temporarily at leisure. Although Lize had urged him to get some rest, Rhode clearly had no such intention and went out for a walk after eating.

Walking through the quiet town and looking at the scenery on both sides, Rhode couldn't help but feel a bit emotional. In the game, this was a gathering place for novice players, where one could see adventurers everywhere, either shouting to form parties for quests or hawking rare equipment they had looted. In Rhode's memory, this had always been a noisy and bustling place. But now, without players, the town revealed a sense of peace and tranquility.

But soon, this tranquility was broken.

A commotion came from the corner of the street. Rhode looked up curiously to see four people arguing fiercely beside a carriage on the side of the road. Among them was a young man in fine clothes and two swordsmen who looked like guards. Standing in front of them, arguing until his face was red, was none other than Mace, who had just left the inn not long ago.

What happened?

Rhode frowned, then walked toward the four of them.

"Don't think you're something special just because you have a little money; our master is giving you face!"

"That's right, you're just a mere merchant. We gave you face, but you don't want it!"

"Pah, what kind of 'lord'? Just a third-rate noble. Do you really think our merchant guild is easy to bully?"

"Heh, you fat pig, I think you're tired of living!"

The shouting grew louder and louder. Rhode remained calm and composed. He scanned his surroundings before walking up to the fat merchant, who was spitting with rage, and lightly patted him on the shoulder.

"What is going on here, Mace?"

"Who is—even if you're looking for help... Ah! Lord Rhode!"

Mace, who had been cursing up a storm, turned around. The moment he saw Rhode, his expression shifted instantly from a Siberian blizzard to the warm sunshine of a tropical rainforest.

"You've come at just the right time..."

As expected of a merchant, Mace's attitude did a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn the moment he saw Rhode. Seeing him acting so servile now, it was hard to associate him with the arrogant, overbearing fat man from a moment ago. However, Mace clearly understood the crux of the situation, so without waiting for Rhode to ask, he began to pour out the sequence of events.

The matter itself was not complex. Full of enthusiasm, Mace had quickly found a carriage, negotiated a price, and set a departure time. Just as he was about to leave, these three men suddenly appeared, demanding to rent the same carriage. Their arrogant attitude had ignited Mace's temper. Ordinarily, a merchant should prioritize harmony to make money, but Mace had been having a streak of bad luck lately, including the loss of an entire shipment of goods. He was already in a foul mood, so when someone provoked him, he couldn't help but lash out, leading to the argument.

Riverwood Town was only a small town with only one carriage service. Mace wanted to leave a good impression on Rhode, so he naturally couldn't give up the carriage. The other party seemed to be in a hurry as well and refused to budge, with the two hot-headed guards even reaching for their weapons. They had assumed that Mace, being a merchant, would immediately fold at the sight of blades. Unexpectedly, this only made the fat merchant even more furious. I've seen wild wolves and ghosts these past few days; do you think I'm afraid of two measly attendants like you?

As a result, the two sides reached a stalemate, with neither willing to back down.

I see.

After learning the ins and outs of the situation from the fat merchant, Rhode nodded slightly to show he understood.

However, before Rhode could say anything, the lead guard "shinged" his longsword out of its scabbard and pointed it at him.

"Who are you! How dare you meddle in our business!"