Ch.208Episode 11 – All Quiet on the Northern Front

The voice belonged to a man.

“Hmm.”

An expensive suit made of high-quality fabric. A dark brown cane with a red gemstone embedded in it. Flawless brown skin with golden eyes. And finally, a silk hat befitting a gentleman.

He was a man who seemed to bring the image of a typical British gentleman to life.

However, the golden eyes, brown skin, and pointed ears clearly indicated that this man was not human, but an elf.

“…A dark elf.”

At Ferretti’s voice from beside me, the dark elf’s golden eyes gleamed as he made a nasal sound.

“…What exactly is going on here?”

“……”

“Would someone care to explain?”

As his gaze fell upon them, the goblins who had been on edge, ready to pounce, flinched in surprise. Eyes full of bewilderment darted between one another.

As the silence continued, the sound of a tongue clicking softly could be heard. The gentleman, looking at the goblins as if they were pathetic, beckoned to a goblin standing nearby.

“Vice Guild Master.”

“Yes, Guild Master.”

Though no specific order was given, the vice guild master bowed deeply in submission. The goblin addressed as vice guild master strode down the stairs, gathered the papers on the desk, and presented them to the gentleman. They were the very papers that the goblin in charge of appraisal had been scribbling on moments ago.

The gentleman’s golden eyes moved left and right as he took the papers. Despite the tense scene before him that could erupt into violence at any moment, he calmly read through the writing.

After silently examining the papers for a while, the gentleman suddenly let out a deep sigh.

“…Vice Guild Master.”

“I await your command.”

The goblin who had been guiding us bowed deeply. The gentleman handed the papers back to the goblin and bluntly stated:

“The amount is incorrect.”

The goblin’s eyebrows twitched. The goblin who had been so respectful until now raised his head with a face like that of a demon, as if his polite demeanor had been merely a mask.

When that monstrous expression, like a creature crawling up from hell, covered his skin, the goblins holding tools began to tremble like epileptics. But the vice guild master ignored his employees and roughly pulled up the goblin who had collapsed on the floor.

The goblin, forcibly lifted, was thrown before the gentleman in the blink of an eye.

“Hee, heek…!”

The thrown goblin, who had been clutching his broken nose, now placed his hands on his knees. Seemingly unconcerned about wiping away his nosebleed or dirtying the floor, he knelt at the gentleman’s feet.

The gentleman looked down impassively at the goblin who had bowed his head like a great criminal.

“You deceived the appraiser. And you set the commission fee as you pleased.”

“……”

The gentleman looked at the goblin with the gaze of someone regarding a person in a pitiful situation. Then, as if expressing that his feelings were hurt, he placed his hand on his chest.

“I don’t care what schemes you concoct. Whether you raise commission fees or accept bribes. This applies not just to you, but to all employees of the guild.”

“……”

“But I cannot tolerate deceiving an appraiser. What should we do about this?”

Suddenly, the gentleman’s expression changed.

His golden eyes hardened coldly as they turned toward the kneeling goblin.

“A merchant who cannot recognize the value of goods has no right to live as a merchant.”

“G-Guild Master.”

There were no further words.

-SPLAT!

The goblin’s head exploded.

Red fragments sprayed in all directions, and the body, having lost its mind, collapsed like a crumbling shell. Pieces of brain matter flowed onto the floor along with cerebral fluid.

As everyone held their breath…

The gentleman who had burst the goblin’s head casually wiped the blood that had splattered on his face with his finger. A streak of paint was applied to his brown skin.

“I apologize for the inconvenience to our esteemed guests. Please forgive my failure to manage my employee properly.”

“……”

The gentleman, holding his silk hat in his hand, bowed deeply with a bright smile. It was an exceptionally courteous greeting.

“I am Hormoz, Guild Master of the Palm Tree Guild.”

Episode 11 – All Quiet on the Northern Front

Just as the incident had occurred in the blink of an eye, the situation was cleaned up just as quickly.

The goblin called vice guild master mobilized the employees to clean the interior of the shop. The goblins who had been holding tools removed the body of their former colleague and neatly tidied up the messy desk and floor.

With the goblins bustling about and dust flying everywhere, it was impossible to have a proper conversation or conduct business there.

While the employees were cleaning the interior, we temporarily moved to another room.

To the guild master’s office.

“……”

Marble floors and furniture made of hardwood. A desk covered in lapis lazuli. The guild master’s office was filled with luxurious items that couldn’t be found even in the mansions of the wealthy.

“Please, have a seat.”

The dark elf who had introduced himself as the guild master of the Palm Tree Guild guided us with a smile.

“I wanted to personally apologize for the unpleasant incident that caused you concern. As this was an issue that occurred within the guild, it is only right that I, as the owner, take responsibility.”

“It’s quite alright.”

“I appreciate your understanding, Magician. Please, make yourselves comfortable.”

Hormoz, the dark elf owner of the Palm Tree Guild, gestured politely like a true gentleman, indicating the chairs and requesting that we please take a seat.

Francesca and Ferretti seemed accustomed to such settings and acted naturally, while I took care of the bewildered Camilla before finding my own seat. Fortunately, there were five guest chairs, so everyone could have their own place without any issues.

So far, so good.

However,

“Meow.”

“……”

There was a cat with glossy white fur in the guild master’s office.

I could have overlooked this as a pet, but the fact that the cat was sitting on the most luxurious chair in the office, and on a cushion no less, seemed somehow wrong. Moreover, there was a half-cooled teacup placed in front of the cat.

Finding some creature occupying the seat next to mine made me feel a bit strange. Is this because it’s a fantasy world? A cat being treated like a person.

“…Um.”

“Ah.”

Hormoz gently closed his golden eyes, characteristic of dark elves, and smiled.

“You needn’t worry about the cat.”

“I have a fur allergy, so…”

“I see.”

At the mention of a fur allergy, the dark elf smiled as if amused.

I was about to ask for the cat to be moved away, but the white-furred cat stared at my face with its blue eyes before jumping down and climbing onto the windowsill. The way it acted as if it understood human speech despite being an animal left me momentarily speechless.

What is this? Some kind of spiritual beast?

While I was looking at the yawning cat with disbelief, the vice guild master brought in tea and refreshments.

Following the guild master’s instructions, the goblin placed teacups and cookies in front of us and stepped back.

“Please, help yourselves. This is a small token of appreciation for our esteemed guests who have taken the time to visit our guild.”

I picked up the teacup and smelled it, recognizing the familiar aroma. It was jasmine tea.

After Hormoz took the first sip, Francesca and Ferretti followed suit. I was about to bring the tea to my lips to taste it when—

“Wait.”

Camilla, who had been sitting in a daze, stopped me with an urgent voice. After blocking my hand that was reaching for the teacup, she lowered her voice to a whisper.

“Is it safe to drink this?”

“You can drink it with peace of mind, my lady.”

That wasn’t my answer.

At Hormoz’s voice, which seemed to pierce her ears, Camilla jumped as if burned.

Seeing her reaction, Hormoz added an explanation in an infinitely kind tone.

“At our Palm Tree Guild, we always serve our guests tea brewed from the same teapot as the guild master’s. Also, though I am a merchant, I am a dark elf, and I have not the slightest intention of causing harm or trouble to guests I welcome. That is the custom of us dark elves.”

“Ah, um, yes…”

Facing the brightly smiling dark elf, Camilla gave an awkward smile and rolled her eyes to look at me. It was a silent request for help.

I savored the jasmine tea and spoke.

“Dark elves are nomadic people. Like most peoples of the Mauritani continent, but none have as deep a history as the dark elves. That’s why dark elves treat guests lavishly under any circumstances. It’s the culture of nomadic peoples.”

In short, it’s a custom of hospitality.

“Hooh…”

Hormoz’s eyes softened. A gaze full of interest flew toward me.

“That’s correct. Our race is an ancient nomadic people. Serving drinks and refreshments is also in accordance with our racial customs.”

“The aroma is excellent.”

“Thank you.”

The dark elf bowed his head in gratitude, still smiling. Meanwhile, I poked Camilla in the side, urging her to drink the tea quickly.

When a nomadic people offer a drink during hospitality and the guest refuses, it’s equivalent to the guest insulting the host. And I once had a rough experience when I refused tea offered to me while working in the Middle East.

I don’t particularly want to explain what happened afterward. Just thinking about how that incident ruined the operation still makes me bolt upright in bed.

Under pressure to take at least a sip to avoid trouble, Camilla reluctantly took a sip of tea and stuffed cookies into her mouth. Why is she eating so many cookies when she won’t drink the tea…

“Is the tea to your liking?”

“It’s excellent. The aroma is profound.”

Hormoz smiled broadly at Francesca’s compliment. A guest’s praise for good hospitality was pleasing to the host.

When Francesca asked, the vice guild master goblin holding the teapot refilled her cup.

As the newly filled cup was about half empty, Hormoz, the owner of the Palm Tree Guild, began in a friendly tone.

“I’m glad the hospitality isn’t lacking. If I had treated our guests poorly, the elders of my tribe would have scolded me. If it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask what brings you to our guild?”

Since there was nothing particularly significant or objectionable about that, Francesca answered Hormoz’s question in a light tone.

“I came for currency exchange. Also to buy some things and inquire about others.”

“Currency exchange? Currency exchange, you say.”

Hormoz received her words and quietly closed his eyes. Then he repeated her answer aloud.

“I was trying to sell some gems for alchemy, but I wasn’t satisfied with the price. And then that unexpected commotion happened.”

“I apologize again for that, as it was largely the guild’s responsibility. But as a merchant, there’s one thing that puzzles me.”

“What might that be, Guild Master?”

Hormoz, the master of the Palm Tree Guild, made his golden eyes shine.

“It seems strange that someone who isn’t short on money would suddenly come to a guild to dispose of gems.”

A peculiar gleam appeared in his golden eyes.

“It’s been almost 5 years since the conflict began, and over 3 years since entry and exit were completely controlled due to the martial law. It’s been quite some time since the Imperials in the north ran out of cash.”

“……”

“Most people have already disposed of anything that could be turned into money. So it’s strange that you’re suddenly selling gems for alchemy. And not just any gems, but ones used for alchemy, which require special management.”

“……”

Hormoz’s head tilted slightly. His face was full of curiosity, but his eyes were filled with certainty.

“Are you perhaps visitors from outside?”

Francesca raised both hands. It looked like surrender, but judging by her eyes, she had anticipated this situation.

Covering herself in filth was merely to avoid becoming a target for looting. But if she pays with gems for a transaction, anyone who isn’t a fool would realize that Francesca is not an ordinary refugee.

So this was a perfectly predictable situation, and we came to the black market prepared to fight if necessary.

But Francesca’s nationality or the value of the gems didn’t seem to matter much to Hormoz.

“I see. I thought something seemed odd. I didn’t ask with any particular intention. It was just that this was the only way to satisfy my curiosity, so I took the liberty.”

“Curiosity without resolution is like thirst.”

“How true.”

Watching Francesca engage in dialogue with the guild master using such scholarly expressions made me sigh involuntarily.

The person who once kidnapped me in a vehicle now speaks like some enlightened sage—I wonder if this is really the same person.

Back then, she was like a carbon copy of a drug cartel boss from a Netflix drama, regardless of being an alchemist. Good grief.

Whether I was internally criticizing Francesca or not, the two people—or rather, one human and one dark elf—conversed in a friendly atmosphere.

“Currency exchange is possible right away. May I ask how much you were expecting, Magician?”

“Well, I think this amount would be appropriate.”

Francesca handed over a paper with an amount written on it, accompanied by a clear smile. The amount she proposed was at least three times higher than the initial appraisal offered by the goblin.

Camilla, who saw the amount with her own eyes, gasped in surprise.

“Is that the correct amount?”

“Yes. It’s the amount based on the standard market price of alchemical gems at the Magic Tower.”

That’s actually the true value of the gems. The goblin had slashed the price considering the black market and the isolated northern situation.

An ordinary black market merchant would have torn up the paper Francesca handed over, but—

“Hooh.”

Hormoz looked at the paper with great interest.

Just as goblins have a characteristic of being obsessed with wealth, dark elves share a characteristic: they can discern the exact value of things.

Whether it’s people or gems, dark elves always put a price on everything. They always trade based on accurately priced items and judge races that don’t know the value of things as uncivilized tribes lacking discernment.

That’s why most dark elves engage in money lending or commerce. It’s partly due to the influence of their unique religion, but considering the race’s sensitivity to financial sense, there’s no profession more suitable for dark elves than money lending and commerce.

Of course, due to issues like usurious interest rates and smuggling, dark elves are designated as persons of interest by various governments. I know this well because my brother Jerry, who works at the Treasury Department, often complains about them.

But that’s none of my business. What’s a little usury or smuggling compared to espionage?

“Very well. Let’s trade at this price.”

Hormoz stamped the contract as if he had just had an interesting experience. The smile on his face was similar to the innocent smile of a child.

Francesca, sitting across from the dark elf, collected the money handed over by the vice guild master with a cunning smile.

“I’m looking for certain items. Is it possible to trade for them now?”

“Of course. What would you like?”

“Alcohol and tobacco.”

Francesca went on to trade for the supplies that Ferretti had been looking for for the knights.

As soon as Hormoz gave the order, goblin employees waiting outside entered the office carrying boxes in their arms.

“We have various products from Kiyen Empire tobacco to those from the Kingdom of Abas, the Federal Kingdom of Lushan, and the Republic of Fatalia.”

“What about alcohol?”

“We have local specialties as well as items from the Mauritani continent and the East.”

The Palm Tree Guild owned a diverse range of products. Ferretti personally selected alcohol and tobacco to give to the knights.

Due to the nature of the black market, the prices were quite high compared to market value, but the funds of the St. Andrea Knights were sufficient to cover the cost.

By this point, I was curious enough to wonder what kind of person this Hormoz really was. In the north, where not even an ant could enter or leave due to martial law…

Unable to contain my curiosity, I casually asked Hormoz.

“How did you bring these items in?”

“Ah, that’s a trade secret, so I can’t tell you in detail, but…”

The dark elf’s gaze turned toward the window.

There, a cat was stretching as if bored.

“I’ll just say that the guild has a benefactor who has been of great help.”

“A benefactor.”

“A remarkable person. Even the Emperor of the Empire wouldn’t dare treat them carelessly. Of that, I’m certain.”

What ridiculous nonsense. If he had uttered such words in the heart of the Empire, he could have been taken away without a trace.

If this had reached the ears of the Imperial Guard, they would have captured and executed him even if it meant going to war with the dark elf nation. In fact, just engaging in smuggling in the north was already grounds for execution.

As if echoing my thoughts, the cat sitting by the window meowed threateningly.

“MEOW!”

“……”

I wish it would just shut up and sit still since it’s shedding fur.

Even as items continued to pour in endlessly, Hormoz maintained his composure. Francesca and Ferretti persistently questioned him about what items were available and how much they cost.

And finally, it seemed that even the great dark elf had reached his limit.

For the first time, something negative came from Hormoz’s mouth.

“Cigars? We don’t have cigars.”

“No cigars, you say?”

“That’s right, adventurer.”

Ferretti couldn’t hide his dismay at Hormoz’s answer. Similarly, Hormoz facing Ferretti also expressed reluctance.

“No cigars in this guild? How can that be?”

“Of course, the Palm Tree Guild does trade in cigars. But this is the north, isn’t it?”

The implication was: what use are luxury items like cigars in a place where people can barely afford canned food?

Thinking about it, it wasn’t an entirely unreasonable explanation. Cigars are already difficult to store, and if you can’t control the humidity, you have to throw them all away. By what means would one sell them in such a barren place? It was questionable whether anyone existed who could afford them in the first place.

As Hormoz expressed reluctance for the first time, Ferretti looked at the dark elf with dismay. His gaze seemed to ask why he was running a guild if he couldn’t bring in such a simple item.

“If you need cigars, I can procure them. However, it might take a long time.”

“……”

Looking at Ferretti’s dejected expression, I briefly recalled an old memory.

When I visited a container owned by the Magic Tower Secretariat’s Economic Management Department (or rather, its paper company) on Veronica’s introduction. There was definitely an enormous quantity of cigars stored there, preserved with conservation magic.

If my memory serves me right, there were not only cigars but also various tobaccos, alcohols, clothes, and food. Could we possibly retrieve them with Francesca’s authority?

With that thought, I naturally looked for Francesca.

“Camilla, where is Francesca?”

“I’m not sure? She went out saying she needed to look at something…”

Camilla tilted her head.

I was considering going out to look for her, but there was no need for such trouble. Francesca walked into the office on her own.

Upon arriving at the guild master’s office, Francesca pulled out a few bills as a tip, handed them to the goblins, and sent them all away, saying she had something to discuss with the guild master.

“Then I’ll take my leave. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call.”

“Yes.”

The fierce-looking goblin kept bowing as he left the office.

As the door closed, only Hormoz and the four of us remained in the office. Six if you included the cat.

“Hmm…”

After briefly looking around the office, Francesca approached Guild Master Hormoz.

“Guild Master.”

“Yes, Magician.”

“I’ve heard that the Palm Tree Guild also serves as an information broker. Is that correct?”

The owner of the Palm Tree Guild smiled at the alchemist’s question. It was the smile of a merchant looking at a valuable customer.

“What would you like to know?”

Francesca’s answer came without hesitation.

“Black magic.”

“……”

“Have you ever seen items related to black magic being traded in the north, Guild Master?”

At that moment, the dark elf’s eyes narrowed.

His golden eyes, which had grown cold, turned toward Francesca.

“Why do you ask about such things?”