Ross returned to the Crimson Caravan Alliance's gathering point.
News of his return arrived before he did.
Many merchants and representatives of nobles had already gathered here in advance, all hoping to receive good news.
The merchants had prepared a welcoming banquet for Ross.
Having returned from outside, Ross looked at the many merchants in the lavish banquet hall raising their glasses to him in greeting.
Watching this scene, Ross felt no joy in his heart:
"What they respect is not me as a person, but the profits I can bring them."
"If I cannot bring them profits, quite a few of these people would call me lowborn."
Ross looked to one side. This was where the human merchants had gathered. Judging solely by the arrangement within the banquet hall,
the highest-ranking were the half-elf merchants, followed by the orc merchants, with the human merchants last.
"Why is that?"
"Half-elf merchants are too proud, and orc merchants are stupid as pigs. If they stripped away the trappings of their races and lost the support of the lords behind them..."
"Many of them would not even have the chance to enter this hall, much less carry shoes for human merchants."
Ross looked at the human merchants again and thought, These are also a pack of people who fancy themselves clever, acting as dogs for half-elf nobles and orc clans in exchange for profit.
"They trample their own dignity beneath their feet just to earn meager profits. How pitiful."
Ross then examined himself. "And how am I any different from them?"
"I move among elves, half-elves, giants, orcs, and humans, earning profits from every one of them."
"But does this money truly belong to me?"
*"I never even dare to hold too much money. Even in profitable ventures, I divide much of