Chapter 39: Surging Undercurrent
Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Surging Undercurrent
The atmosphere instantly grew tense.
Having greeted and seen off guests for many years, the two attendants had encountered their fair share of unreasonable customers. They had their own methods for dealing with them.
First, they would try persuasion with kind words. If that failed, they would summon the head of security, Sir Evans Dean, whose strength was at the Knight Level, to handle the situation. This combination of soft and hard tactics would calm down anyone who wasn’t completely out of their mind.
But the timing of this man’s outburst was far too coincidental. It was hard not to overthink it.
The association head’s daughter had been attacked and gone missing, causing everyone in the Birch Town branch to be as busy as ants on a hot pan from last night until today.
The manager of the Birch Town branch and the Guard Captain had each taken men to search for Miss Rhea’s whereabouts. As a result, the massive "Golden Maple Leaf" commerce hall was currently staffed by only the minimum number of personnel required to maintain daily operations.
’If this Adventurer, who’s clearly quite powerful, really starts to cause trouble... how are we supposed to stop him?’
’Is this a probe from a competitor? Or some kind of demonstration of force?’
’The people in charge are gone. There’s no way the two of us can make this decision!’
Seeing that the two still hadn’t responded, an expression of "impatience" clearly showed on Jon’s face.
"What, are you deaf? Didn’t you hear what I said?"
His features were already stern and resolute, giving him a serious air. Now that he was deliberately posturing, his condescending, domineering attitude became even more pronounced. The two attendants, being ordinary people, couldn’t withstand it and were forced to back down.
The male attendant stepped forward and, like his female counterpart, placed a hand on his chest in an apologetic bow.
"Sir, I apologize for wasting your time. I will arrange for the temporary warehouse rental service for you right away."
"As for your request to see Lady Bennett, we will send someone to inform her immediately. Please, come inside the commerce hall and rest."
He then gestured to his colleague. The female attendant understood at once, lowered her head, and departed with quick, short steps.
Jon, for his part, maintained his impatient facade. As if not noticing their subtle exchange, he snorted coldly and strode into the commerce hall.
"Hmph, you’d better hurry. My time is limited."
"If I miss out on this deal, you’ll be the ones to regret it."
He played the part of the "unreasonable customer" to perfection.
A bitter expression filled the male attendant’s face, but he didn’t dare leave. He could only follow Jon into the commerce hall.
Naturally, this little episode in front of the Noble United Commerce Association’s main entrance did not go unnoticed by interested parties.
Across the street, on the top floor of a three-story building, several figures dressed as merchants sat by a window, having taken in everything that had just occurred under the Golden Maple Leaf sign.
After Jon and the attendant’s figures disappeared through the main doors, a middle-aged man with shoulder-length blond hair was the first to look away. He played a card from his hand with a faint, unreadable smile.
"I didn’t expect someone to be even more anxious than us, sending people to stir up trouble already. I wonder which faction they belong to..."
Sitting to the blond man’s left, a tall, bald, and burly man played the next card in sequence, snorting coldly.
"Hmph, the Noble United Commerce Association has been on the radar of many big shots for a while now. It’s not surprising that someone’s making a move."
"Maybe they’re men sent by that restless young Count, or perhaps attack dogs for the nobles in the Imperial Capital. Who knows..."
Across from the middle-aged blond man sat a very young-looking black-haired woman, whose graceful figure was still eye-catching despite her winter clothes.
"That’s right. Compared to them, what we’re doing is just child’s play... Oh, is it my turn? I’ll play a pair of Irises!"
She chimed in with a smile, played her cards, then rested her chin in her hand and looked at her three companions at the table.
"On another note, did you notice the monster materials that man was carrying on his back?"
"Does anyone know what kind of monster it is?"
"It looked like some kind of scorpion... but that golden carapace is extremely rare. I can’t identify it..."
The last person at the card table, an old man with white hair and a white beard, mumbled a few words indistinctly. He glanced at the cards on the table, and then his small eyes, hidden beneath his white eyebrows, flashed with a sharp light as he shouted excitedly.
"A pair of crowns! I win, pay up!"
The other three were stunned, but seeing the two glittering crown cards the old man had played, they could only discard their hands in resignation. They took a few Gold Coins from their pouches and tossed them onto the center of the table.
On those Gold Coins was the likeness of the founding emperor of the Harvia Empire, Kinoares Benest, wearing a crown.
It glittered with golden light, eternally brilliant. It complemented the crown cards on the table, radiating a dazzling splendor.
The crown. A symbol of power, the supreme object.
It fascinates, it maddens, it obsesses.
And yet, such is its Magic Power.
Because in the end, no one can defy the will of the one who wears the crown.
However, the four people sitting around the card table showed no such reverence. They reached for the table, shuffling everything into chaos, all while unabashedly discussing matters that would sound utterly treasonous to an outsider.
"Carina, what’s the status of our arrangements in Heta County?"
"Don’t worry. My ’daughters’ have already gained the young Count’s trust and have complete control over everyone in Red Crying Castle. Now, his every move is within our grasp..."
"Excellent. When the time is right, we’ll get rid of that irreverent fool and replace him with one of our puppets."
After receiving the woman’s answer, the blond middle-aged man nodded in approval. He then gathered all the cards on the table and began to shuffle and cut them with practiced ease, while looking at the bald, burly man to his left.
"Damien, what’s the word from our ’rich and generous’ Viscount Paris?"
"Rest assured, when the time comes, he won’t have the leisure to pay any attention to this town. He won’t affect our plans."
"Go all out. Don’t hold back. This country is about to descend into chaos; a few out-of-line methods are permissible."
Hearing this, a cruel smile touched the bald man’s face—a face that would otherwise give an impression of simple honesty.
"If that’s the case, I understand..."
"Good. I trust you to handle it."
Finally, the blond man drew a card from the deck and tossed it in front of the old man to his right.
"Old Larry, who did the Association head assign to go ’negotiate business’ with our merciful Viscount Yed?"
The old man snatched the card. Seemingly dissatisfied with its value, his long, white eyebrows twitched abruptly.
But this didn’t stop him from answering.
"It’s ’Blood Finger.’ He’ll take Yed’s daughter to see him. If that ’good old man’ who worships the Blazing Sun refuses to comply, then there’s no need for him to keep living."
"The Noble United Commerce Association must be in our hands."
Old Larry’s tone was nonchalant, as if the life and death of a proper Viscount were not even worth mentioning.
Hearing this, the other three nodded in agreement.
’Yes, to achieve their goals, sufficient financial resources were an essential component.’
’Why else would the four of them have gathered here in Birch Town, waiting for the right moment?’
’Without money, you can’t get anywhere.’
Finally, the blond middle-aged man dealt out all the cards in his hand, looked around at his companions, and chanted in a low voice.
"For the Blood Eye Association, and for our lifelong ambition!"
"In the name of the former king, Archer, our kingdom shall rise again!"
The other three responded in unison!
"Our kingdom shall rise again!"