Chapter 13: The Merchant of Benetsa 3

-“Chirp! Chirp!”-

“Mmm…”

The sound of birds chirping outside slowly roused Cazeros from her slumber.

“!…Huh!…”

Immediately after, she rose somewhat hurriedly and began checking her attire.

Her clothes were as they had been before falling asleep last night, with no signs of being undressed or anything amiss.

Apart from that, there seemed to be no other concerning issues.

“Phew…”

Recognizing this, Cazeros let out a small, unconscious sigh of relief.

She then recalled the events of the previous night and gently cupped her somewhat meager chest.

‘Nothing out of the ordinary… though I was quite tense, just in case…’

The previous night, Cazeros had no choice but to remove her damp outer garments to let them dry, leaving her in her undergarments.

However… contrary to her outward composure at the time, she had felt rather complex emotions.

In that moment, she was alone in the room with a man.

Moreover, they were both young adults, and their attire was equally lightweight.

Objectively speaking, it was an ideal situation for intimate activities to occur.

And Cazeros was already somewhat knowledgeable about such matters.

‘As Father used to say… men are wolf-like creatures who cannot be trusted, no matter what…’

No matter how gentlemanly or courteous a man might seem, when alone with a woman, he could suddenly transform into a ravenous beast.

Cazeros had been warned about this since childhood, which made her feel rather tense about sharing a room in such a state with Santana.

However, to be frank…

The tension she felt at that moment was not solely born of fear.

‘It’s a bit frightening, but… would it really be alright? If it’s with Lord Santana…’

A man who had clearly stated he would take responsibility for her, no matter what.

She had decided to follow him and came all this way.

And… conventionally speaking, Cazeros was well aware of the implications behind a man’s declaration of taking responsibility for a woman.

Although the situation made her tense and somewhat afraid, she wondered if it might be alright to give her first time to this man.

However…

Separate from Cazeros’s own reservations, Santana had simply laid her down on the bed after she had dozed off, without any incident, and was still sound asleep in an uncomfortable position at the opposite corner of the bed.

‘Even so, Lord Santana is different. Well… no matter how much of a man he may be, I don’t think he would do anything to make me dislike or fear him…’

Seeing his oblivious, sleeping form, Cazeros felt a renewed sense of trust and relief.

Yet, at the same time, she also felt a tinge of bitterness and regret.

‘But… am I really that unattractive? If only I had a slightly better figure, perhaps…’

With those thoughts, Cazeros gently caressed her inadequate chest, having inherited her mother’s traits.

As she pondered this, at that moment…

“Mmm…”

The next instant, Santana slowly opened his eyes, his expression tinged with fatigue.

Instinctively, Cazeros’s face flushed slightly as she greeted him.

“Ah… did you sleep well, Lord Santana?”

“Mmm… yes. And you, Cazeros? I hope you weren’t too uncomfortable.”

“No… I slept quite comfortably, thanks to you, Lord Santana.”

It was no mere formality – even now, Cazeros was occupying nearly two-thirds of the bed at her leisure, while the larger-framed Santana had barely managed to fit into the remaining one-third, squeezed into the corner.

However, Santana simply smiled at her and spoke.

“I’m relieved to hear that. Well then, shall we start preparing to depart? The weather seems favorable, so we shouldn’t face any difficulties traveling.”

“Understood. Let us make the preparations, then.”

With those words, Santana rose from the bed and donned his attire, which had dried thoroughly overnight.

Seeing his actions, Cazeros’s face flushed slightly as she, too, began dressing herself.

Language and words…

These formed the foundation of all human social activities and could be considered the most fundamental elements of human advancement.

As such, the power wielded by speech and writing was immense, their importance undeniable.

And in this regard… commerce, which fundamentally began and concluded through communication, shared an intimate relationship with language.

For basic trade, the influence was relatively minor.

Barter transactions conducted on the spot did not require complex dialogue.

However…

As commercial techniques advanced, leading to various forms of trade and contract documentation that needed to be executed, language held the power to make or break fortunes with a single sentence or word.

Consequently, merchants had to exercise utmost care with the expressions and wording used in contracts and agreements.

In some cases, even a seemingly trivial turn of phrase could lead to grave injustice.

And in this regard, he was currently lamenting the careless approach he had taken with a particular contract.

‘It is said that a person’s life can plunge into ruin in an instant. Those words have proven all too true…’

For decades, he had established himself as a renowned merchant of Benetsa.

Yet now, he found himself imprisoned, awaiting trial for a crime he did not commit.

Objectively speaking, the reasons were utterly absurd, but it was precisely due to such negligence that this seasoned merchant had fallen into the trap they had set so ignominiously.

Thus, deeply regretting his minor yet fatal mistake, he quietly hung his head in the prison cell, having abandoned all hope.

A vast harbor filled with countless ships.

A city encompassed by canals, with magnificent buildings erected upon the waters.

The largest port city on the continent, known as the Queen of the Adriatic Sea – the mercantile city of Benetsa.

Although its influence had waned compared to the past, it still possessed undeniable power and wealth, naturally evoking awe and reverence from those who first laid eyes upon it.

“Magnificent. So this is Benetsa… I had heard tales, but this is my first time witnessing it in person.”

The breathtaking, vibrant cityscape before their eyes left Cazeros in pure wonderment.

Seeing her reaction, I was reminded once again of her rather endearing charm.

‘How should I put it… the more I look at her, the more I feel like offering her a piece of candy?’

Like a child visiting a metropolis for the first time, Cazeros’s mouth hung open, her eyes sparkling with delight.

Beneath her beautiful features, she exuded an innocent, girlish charm.

Involuntarily, a smile formed on my lips at the sight.

‘Indeed… considering this aspect, it seems my efforts until now haven’t been entirely in vain, after all.’

Although I failed to achieve my greater goal, being able to rescue such an adorable woman with my own hands was certainly an accomplishment worth pride, in my heart.

With that thought, feeling somewhat elated, I turned my gaze forward once more.

Our destination, Shaylok’s residence, was now within reach.

Eager to rest and recuperate after the long journey, I urged the carriage onward at a slightly brisker pace.