"A deal, you say? All of a sudden...?"
"Itâs not sudden. You mustâve had some inklingâthatâs why you came all the way here, isnât it?"
Kishiarâs voice was leisurely as ever, but the expressions on the merchantsâ faces were not.
âJust as expected. Their expressions are shifting.â
Amid the confusion was the unmistakable flicker of being caught off guard. It was exactly as he and Kishiar had predicted before meeting them.
"We may be meeting for the first time today, but we actually have deeper ties than it seems. You remember those Imperial folks you helped in the southern desert while searching for information not long ago? They were members of my Cavalry, and the one leading them was none other than my adjutant."
"...We remember. Our caravan was in trouble during a transport run, and they helped us out."
Gohum replied in a calmer voice, having collected himself somewhat.
"Right. I heard you exchanged contact methods after that mutual assistance. My subordinates were deeply grateful. And it turns out, youâve also had longstanding ties with Mick of the Shuden Company. Could there be a more trustworthy partner? Iâm sure that after all those events, you came here having made your own judgment about me, about Peleta, and about the Cavalry."
At the time of the encounter in the desert, Nathan Zuckerman and Kanna hadnât disclosed their exact identities. But by offering contact info when parting, theyâd effectively allowed the Southern merchants to trace their affiliation.
âThey mustâve figured out the Cavalry connection, and even so, continued dealings with Mick and came here. That means they made a conscious choice, knowing everything.â
Gohum and Aym exchanged glances, then turned back toward Kishiar. The wariness in their eyes had faded, replaced by a kind of pure admiration.
"To speak frankly... yes. If we hadnât guessed that the people we met in the desert, and our ties to Mick, all connected back to Your Grace, the Duke of Peletaâwe wouldnât have come. It wouldâve been too dangerous."
"Of course."
"Then... what exactly does Your Grace want to trade with us?"
"Currently, Shuden Company holds exclusive rights to trade Peletaâs specialty products. But with new items on the horizon, theyâre a bit short-handed to handle them all."
A soft, conspiratorial smile tugged at Kishiarâs lips.
"So, what do you think I need?"
Gohum answered with a cautious glint in his eye.
"You intend to entrust us with those new items as additional trade agents."
"Correct. I want you to take charge of these goods and sell them in the South. Shuden Company has opened a branch down there, but it's not enoughânot yet. Youâre the perfect fit. The only ones who can move freely between the Empire and the Southern Nation."
"......"
"This deal will be very beneficial to you, I promise. The goods Iâm preparing will, within a few years, become indispensable across the continent. Mark my words: those who seize this opportunity will hold the future."
He wasnât being fully specificâbut instead of sounding like a con artist, Kishiarâs vague words somehow came across as incredibly convincing. Maybe it was the force in his voice that allowed no doubt, or the respectful tone that conveyed confidence... or perhaps it was his dazzling red eyes that gleamed with unwavering conviction and drew others in.
"So? Will you take the deal?"
The merchants, usually unfazed by any silver-tongued diplomat, stared blankly for a moment, then startled as if waking from a spell.
"Ah, um... may we ask what the goods are? Knowing that would help us consider the offer properly..."
"Theyâre currently being developed within the Cavalry. Once the production method is finalized, weâll begin large-scale manufacturing here in Peleta. Theyâre targeted at Awakeners. Only one prototype exists so far, but we plan to expand."
At the mention of the unexpected target group, the merchantsâ eyes widened.
"Items for Awakeners...?"
"What kind of items, exactly...?"
"Itâd spoil the fun if I told you."
Kishiar shook his head, crossing his legs with graceful ease. The slight upward curve of his lips was both infuriating and breathtakingly beautiful.
"Since the items are top secret, Iâm afraid I canât share more details until the deal is finalized. But if youâre clever, you can guess how competitive these products will be."
"......"
Items for Awakeners, developed by the Cavalryâthe first organized force of Awakeners in the world. Theyâd likely created them out of genuine need. And the number of Awakeners would only continue to grow. Whatever the items were, theyâd surely be in high demand.
The merchants glanced at Mick. He was smiling as if he already knew all of this.
"Haha. Itâs a real shame our Shuden Company is too small. If that werenât the case, weâd have swept up all the profits from the South too... But sometimes, overreaching does more harm than good, eh?"
â-Despite the act, they know full well Shuden Company isnât trying to force growth. The one who proposed this arrangement and recommended you... wasnât me. It was Mick."
"Ah..."
Gohum and Aym turned to look at Mick. Scratching his head, Mick gave a bashful grin.
"Aw, donât make me blush. I just thought it was a good fit. The Donavi Manaik folks helped us a lot when we were building our Southern branch."
The merchants couldnât help but chuckle quietly at his words. They quickly suppressed it, trying to act as if nothing had happenedâbut it was too late. The sound had already escaped.
âKishiar and Mick have them in the palm of their hands.â
What moved people more than anything else was sincerity. Even if this was staged, there was a clear truth at its core: they genuinely believed in these merchants, and were confident they wouldnât be harmed by this deal.
Sensing that truth, the expressions on the Donavi Manaik merchantsâ faces gradually grew more serious.
"Your Grace... may I ask one question?"
"Ask ten, if you wish."
"If we refuse, what will you do?"
"Then Iâll expand Shudenâs manpower over the next few years and handle it that way. Like Mick said, pushing too hard rarely ends well."
Gohum and Aym nodded slowly.
"So... youâre saying you wouldnât offer this deal to anyone else if we declined."
"This is a first-of-its-kind product. And in distribution, trust is everything. The safety of the Awakeners who will use it must be the top priority."
Of course money mattered. But above all, what mattered most was ensuring these items could be sold widely and safely.
Kishiarâs stance was unwavering. Gohum and Aym exchanged one last look.
"Then... may we have a moment to discuss privately?"
"Take your time."
They didnât speak aloud. Just blinking, shaking their heads, nodding slightly, and subtly moving their fingersâthey communicated silently.
Kishiar sat comfortably, waiting for them to reach a conclusion. After a short while, Gohum turned back.
"We accept Your Graceâs offer."
"A wise choice. From now on, weâre in the same boat. I wonât let you regret it."
Kishiar held out his hand. Gohum blinked in surprise, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly extended his hand to shake Kishiarâs.
Yuder watched their handshake quietly. Maybe it was because this was a scene heâd never witnessed /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ in his previous life, but despite expecting this outcome, something stirred strangely in his chest.
"Before we begin formal negotiations about the deal... thereâs something Iâd like to say."
After the handshake, the first thing Gohum said wasnât about the product theyâd be selling.
He unfastened the heavy cloak hiding his face and draped it over his shoulders. What emerged was a Southern woman with sharp, catlike eyes and a lively expression.
"When we came here, we honestly expected that Your Grace would demand information about the South from us. To be more precise... we thought you'd try to buy our intelligence. And if you had, we were ready to comply. Because the current situation in the Southern Nation is nothing like what we hoped for."
Now that the deal was made, what they truly wanted to say began flowing naturally.
Yuder, gazing into Gohumâs steeled eyes, could tellâthere wasnât a single lie in her words.