After a few moments.
Mikhail nodded toward Gorak and Jaigar before slowly walking back toward āBeggar Jee,ā who was now standing and patting his huge orange monster bird. The bird tilted its head, letting out a soft, dumb-sounding squawk as it nuzzled against Javierās hand, acting like a playful, childlike creature despite its massive size.
"Good Sir Jee," Mikhail said with a friendly smile, stopping in front of him. "My partners have agreed to pay you handsomely for your services."
"Oho~ You hear that, Buddy!? Weāre going to eat good food today!"
"Cuquawked!" Buddy let out an excited, high-pitched squawk, hopping slightly on his feet, his tongue lolling out to the side in a goofy, happy expression.
"So..." Javier turned with a cheeky grin, rubbing his hands together. "How much?"
"My partners agreed on five silver coins."
"Oho~" Javier rubbed his palms together eagerly. "So my job is just to bring you inside, right? Nothing more, right?"
"Ah... actually..." Mikhail hesitated, his expression turning slightly sheepish. "We were planning to head to Armand to do some business. The goods we brought are... well, not exactly what the elves prefer, so we thought we might have better luck in Armand. Since weāre new merchants and donāt know the roads well from here, we were hoping you could guide us all the way there."
"A... Armand!?" Javierās eyes widened, his expression shifting to one of surprise and clear dislike. "No way! Why the hell would I have to go to that rundown region? No, no, no..." He wiggled his finger dismissively. "Iām not doing it."
"R... rundown region?" Mikhailās eyes widened in genuine surprise.
"Yeah! Well... not really rundown, just like any other human region. Theyāre all the same." Javier crossed his arms, his expression turning sour. "But they donāt allow people like me inside. I hate those places. Too strict, too many rules. I prefer it here, where I can beg in peace."
He narrowed his eyes at Mikhail before continuing.
"Besides, five silver coins for that kind of job? Thatās way too low for something thatās a pain in the ass. If I step out of this gate, thereās no guarantee Iāll be allowed back in. The risk isnāt worth it."
Mikhail opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Gorak, who had been watching from a distance, finally lost his patience. His expression tightened, and he began walking toward them, his steps heavy and deliberate.
The elven guard who was nearby noticed Gorakās approach and instinctively moved to stop him, but paused when he saw their captain signal from a distance. He nodded subtly and remained in place, watching carefully.
Gorak stopped beside Mikhail and crossed his arms, his expression twisted with barely concealed disgust as he looked down at āBeggar Jee.ā
"Oi, peasant. That was already a good offer. A piece of trash like you should just accept it and be grateful. Five silver coins is more than enough for someone of your standing."
Javier glanced up at the man beside Mikhail, then lifted his left lip in a sneer, his eyes narrowing with annoyance.
"Who are you? I might be a beggar, but I know what somethingās worth and what isnāt. For a low payment like five silver coins, I could get that much from begging in a few days. Leaving a paradise like the Elven Nation for that? No way. Not worth it."
Javier kept eating his bread in front of Gorak, taking slow, deliberate bites while maintaining eye contact, making sure to chew loudly and with exaggerated satisfaction. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before glancing at Gorakās weapon and armor.
"You look like someone who eats good food every day and carries a fine weapon. And yet, all you can offer is a lousy five silver coins? You should be ashamed of yourself. A man of your standing, haggling with a beggar over pocket change?"
He wiped his nose with his sleeve, maintaining his gaze on Gorak with a mocking glint.
"Iām not taking this job. Just go back and use another route. Iām sure it will be āeasyā for mighty people like you. You can reach Armand through the Human Nation, right? Well..." Javier smirked, his voice dripping with mockery. "You wonāt be able to get in anyway. Armandās northern border is closed~"
Gorak gritted his jaw, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists.
Mikhailās face went pale. He quickly stepped forward, giving āBeggar Jeeā a friendly, placating smile.
"Ah! Good Sir Jee! Please forgive my companionās rudeness. Heās not used to negotiating. Letās talk properly, shall we? If the price isnāt right, just name your terms. Weāre willing to negotiate."
Javierās face lit up with a happy grin as he looked at Mikhail, then deliberately turned to Gorak.
"See? This is how you should talk. You should learn from your merchant leader here about negotiation and manners." He gave Gorak a pointed look before turning back to Mikhail.
"Hmm..." Javier rubbed his chin, glancing up at the sky before his eyes fell on the horse-drawn carriages. He looked back at Mikhail and shook his head.
"If weāre going to use those, itāll take too much time. And I donāt have the patience for a slow ride. Besides, weāll need to change carriages to Armand pekko-drawn carriages. Those are much faster."
"P... pekko?" Mikhail asked, his expression curious.
"Ah... pekko is like this one." Javier patted Buddyās side affectionately. "Theyāre big, strong, and fast. Iāll ride this one. Those horse-drawn carriages of yours will be too slow for me, and I donāt like being stuck in them."
"Oh..." Mikhail nodded in understanding.
"So... hmm..." Javier glanced up, finishing the last piece of his bread and deliberately holding it up, showing it to Gorak before popping it into his mouth. He chewed slowly, savoring it, while pretending to think about a fair price.
Just as he was about to speak, Jaigar stepped closer, crossing his arms with an arrogant, smug smirk.
"How does ten gold coins sound?"
Javierās eyes lit up with excitement, a wide grin spreading across his face. He clapped his hands together, rubbing them eagerly.
"Now thatās what I call a proper offer! See? This is how a real rich person talks. Not like some people who offer pocket change and expect a miracle." He shot a pointed glance at Gorak before turning back to Jaigar with a cheerful smile. "Now weāre talking business!"
Jaigar gave a smirk and glanced at Gorak, whose face was now twisted with annoyance, before turning back to āBeggar Jee.ā
"So, I believe the deal is done? Can we proceed now?"
Javier extended his palm toward Jaigar while digging his nose with his pinky finger and flicking it toward Gorak. "Deposit of five gold coins first, then we talk."
"Alright." Jaigar smirked, taking out a pouch of coins and handing it to Javier.
"Oho! Leave it up to me, Big Boss!" Javier grinned, giving a mock salute before turning and heading toward the guard post.
Gorak gritted his teeth, glaring at Jaigar. "Why did you casually use half of our expense for a trashy person like this?"
Jaigar chuckled, tapping his temple with a smug grin. "Who said Iām going to waste my money? Use your brain properly for once, idiot. I wonder why the hell youāre on Juliusās team when youāre this dumb."
He turned and began to walk away, then paused and glanced over his shoulder. "You know the proverb? A greedy dog loses its bone when it sees its reflection in the water and thinks thereās another bone to steal."
He smirked, his eyes cold.
"I gave him the gold he asked for, and Iāll take it back... by killing him before we reach Armand. Thereās fun in taking back what you give. And if youāre this dumb, Gorak, you should just throw away your title and divine weapon and live as a beggar."
( End Of Chapter )