Chapter 589 - 513: "Viper" Grom’s Sincerity

Chapter 589: Chapter 513: "Viper" Grom’s Sincerity

After Grom and his group retreated, the crowd of onlookers saw there was no more conflict to watch. Wary of the terrifying strength Roland had just displayed, they whispered amongst themselves for a moment before gradually dispersing, melting back into the ceaseless throng of the black market.

Before long, the area returned to its previous clamor and chaos, as if the brief conflict had been nothing more than an insignificant echo from the depths of the mines.

Seeing that the surroundings had quieted down, Ogre took a step forward and bowed his head slightly at Roland’s side. His voice was low, yet it carried an unprecedented sincerity.

"Master... Thank you for stepping in just now."

The last trace of reluctance and unease from his forced submission had now completely vanished from his light-brown eyes.

In its place was a complex emotion—a mixture of gratitude and awe.

Roland waved his hand, his tone matter-of-fact.

"There’s no need. You’ve signed the Blood Covenant and accepted me as your master. It’s only natural that I protect you. That’s all."

Ogre said no more, merely nodding respectfully.

After a moment’s hesitation, he used his left hand to untie the heavy leather coin pouch. By the light of a nearby stall’s oil lamp, he quickly counted and inspected the coins inside.

As he saw the coins—each with its crisp edges and majestic embossed crown, still reflecting a seductive golden glint in the dim light—an unavoidable flicker of instinctual greed flashed in the Half-beastman’s eyes.

But he quickly suppressed that gleam, took a deep breath, retied the pouch, and offered it to Roland with both hands.

"Master, I’ve counted them. It’s exactly two hundred Golden Crowns, all high-purity. They’re newly minted, so they’ll be easy to spend. What... are your orders for them?"

"You hold on to them for now. I’ll ask for them when I need them."

Roland didn’t seem to care much.

To him, money was little more than a tool for achieving his goals.

He had barely finished speaking when the sound of hurried footsteps approached, accompanied by a familiar, urgent shout.

"Rudolph! I heard there was some trouble over here. Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?"

Holland pushed through the crowd, hurrying over with an expression of genuine concern.

He quickly looked Roland over and, seeing that he was unharmed, let out a sigh of relief.

The very next second, however, his gaze was completely captivated by the glint of gold spilling from the gap in the pouch Ogre was still holding, which he hadn’t fully closed.

"Merciful gods! G-Golden Crowns?! So many?"

Holland’s eyes went wide in an instant, practically glowing, his voice climbing in pitch with excitement.

"These are real-deal Golden Crowns! A single one is enough for a normal family to live comfortably for half a year! Two hundred... that’s enough to buy a house with a courtyard in a decent-sized town, or get a full set of fine gear plus two good mounts, and still have plenty left over! My gods, this... this is..."

He subconsciously rubbed his hands together, a mercenary expression mixing ecstasy and shrewd calculation spreading across his face, as if he could already envision a thousand wonderful possibilities.

"With this money, our startup funds for Dawn Embers will be more than plentiful! Whether it’s upgrading our gear, buying intel, or taking on those high-reward quests that require an upfront deposit, we’ll be able to..."

As he spoke, his hand habitually reached for the pouch in Ogre’s grasp, as if he wanted to feel its intoxicating weight.

SLAP!

Ogre’s reaction was lightning-fast. His massive, fan-like left hand shot back, clutching the pouch tightly to his side. He simultaneously blocked Holland with his body and growled in a low, rumbling voice.

"This is the Master’s property! Show some respect, Priest Holland!"

"Hey! Come on, buddy!"

Blocked, Holland sputtered indignantly.

"I just want to take a look, is that so wrong? It’s not like I’m going to take any! We’re all in this together now!"

"No!"

Ogre’s stance was resolute, like a mother bear protecting her cub.

"No one touches the Master’s property without his permission!"

Watching the two of them fall into their usual bickering, Roland shook his head in exasperation. Just as he was about to speak up and put an end to the pointless argument...

"M-My lord!"

An urgent, panting voice called out from the edge of the crowd.

Copper Tongue pushed aside a few Adventurers in his path and scrambled over, half-running, half-stumbling. His face was pale, his forehead beaded with sweat, and his chest heaved violently—he had obviously sprinted the whole way.

Without stopping to catch his breath or take in the scene, he went straight to Roland. Mustering all his strength to keep his voice down, he spoke in a rushed but clear whisper.

"I... I found him! My lord! One of my kids, over... over by the fork in the old mine tunnels near the Boiling Water District, he glimpsed someone in a dusty gray hood,"

His eyes, bloodshot from the run and the excitement, were locked on Roland.

"It’s the merchant! The one who sold me... er... the one who sold *you* that... thing!"