Chapter 69: An Excellent Businessman

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: An Excellent Businessman

Lorin withdrew the Longsword from the young clerk’s heart. Watching the corpse crash heavily to the ground, he fell into a long silence.

Nearby, Gary had just recovered from the young clerk’s frantic attack. He had barely managed to sit up when he witnessed this exact scene.

"This... this..." For a moment, he felt the situation was utterly absurd. He even wondered if he was still unconscious on the goblin cart, and everything unfolding before his eyes was just a dream.

However, the stinging pain on his face was far too real, reminding him that he was wide awake.

Gary watched as the man turned to look at him. His scalp tingled with fear as he immediately dropped to his knees and stammered in terror,

"My lord, he was just a fool. Please don’t be angry! You took these goods back from the goblins, so of course they are your spoils of war!

"Right... right... My lord, you definitely need to find a place to fence these items, don’t you? They are absolutely the goods Viscount Herman ordered. It would be best if you didn’t sell them directly on the open market, or it could easily cause a misunderstanding.

"I happen to know a few people who can help you dispose of them. What do you say?"

Lorin silently exchanged a glance with Erin.

To be honest, he hadn’t intended to kill the clerk. After all, he wasn’t some homicidal maniac. He even felt a slight urge to thank the man for giving him a wake-up call.

Logically speaking, these goods were their rightful loot, earned through the hard work of clearing out the Goblin Camp. Naturally, they couldn’t just abandon them.

But would Viscount Herman care about that? The noble would only see that his merchant caravan had mysteriously gone missing, and some Adventurers were suddenly selling the exact items he had ordered.

When that time came, trouble would undoubtedly come knocking on their door.

Therefore, the best solution was to keep this entire matter out of Viscount Herman’s sight and ensure he never caught wind of it.

A dispatched caravan losing contact in the wild? That was perfectly normal!

However, they really did need someone to handle this batch of loot. This place was far too distant from Shallow Beach Town, and their rations wouldn’t last long enough for them to haul everything back themselves.

Since Gary had brought it up himself, Lorin decided to play along and see if the man truly knew what was good for him.

He decided to test him.

Mimicking Erin’s usual demeanor, he stared blankly at Gary, who was still kneeling before him. "Then tell me," Lorin said. "Why would Viscount Herman, a Warrior, want to buy these things?"

Gary shuffled forward a couple of steps on his knees, bringing himself closer to Lorin. He wiped the blood from his face and offered a fawning smile.

"Your female companion is truly knowledgeable... But you might not know this since you just arrived here. The Viscount has a Mage advisor, and they often craft Magic Scrolls to sell for money."

Erin let out a cold snort, terrifying Gary so much that he flattened himself against the ground once more.

But he wasn’t worried that the terrifying man would punish him for his choice of words. After all, what man wouldn’t want someone to refer to a beautiful lady as his female companion? Having been in business for so many years, he at least had that much tact.

"A Mage advisor?" Lorin asked, frowning.

Sure enough, the man hadn’t gotten angry. Gary raised his head and gave a dry chuckle.

"Yes, my lord. Many powerful nobles hire Mages to serve as their advisors. It’s actually considered quite the trend."

Lorin looked over at Erin, who stood with her arms crossed, pretending to be angry.

"Mhm," she replied coldly.

"If a high-ranking noble doesn’t have a Mage in their retinue, people will suspect they are facing financial difficulties. As for a Viscount... it’s barely acceptable," Erin mercifully offered Lorin a brief explanation.

"I see..." He nodded.

He actually thought this made perfect sense. It was just mutual exploitation—one lacked money, the other lacked brawn, so it was perfectly normal for them to team up. Besides, having a "Mage advisor" sounded incredibly prestigious. It was easy to imagine why those nobles would flock to such an arrangement.

Lorin crouched down and gently rested Rusted Throat—its blade still speckled with un-flicked blood—against Gary’s shoulder. "How can I guarantee you won’t go running to the Viscount to snitch?"

Gary lowered his body even further until his chest was practically pressed against the dirt. He knew his next words would determine whether he lived or died.

"My lord, do you really think Viscount Herman would believe a word I say? If I go back empty-handed and claim the goods were robbed by three Adventurers, yet I’m still alive and kicking? He would kill me on the spot! My only chance of survival is to work for you."

"Then wouldn’t it be the same if I just killed you right here? What reason do I have to spare your life?" Lorin asked nonchalantly, tapping the flat of his Longsword against Gary’s cheek.

As the icy blade patted his face, Gary could even feel the sticky blood smearing against his temple. He swallowed hard, his mind racing as he spoke rapidly,

"You need someone to help you fence these goods. These furs aren’t common in this region; if they appear on the market, Viscount Herman will definitely notice something is amiss.

"The same goes for those spices. I’ve been with merchant caravans for over a decade and know many black market dealers. I can help you dispose of them without a trace.

"As for those... Magic Materials, your female companion should know how to handle them. If she doesn’t need them, I have channels to sell them off too, though the price might be a bit lower than their original value.

"This way, even if the Viscount finds out, he’ll just assume I tried to embezzle the goods myself. He won’t ever suspect you."

"You make a good point, but what if you just run off with everything?" Lorin moved the Longsword away, staring at him intently. "Your family lives in the city, don’t they, Mr. Caravan Leader?"

Gary’s heart skipped a beat. He raised his head in terror, completely baffled as to how he had exposed his true identity.

Those people in the tavern had been right. Casters really were monsters...

Lorin slowly began to explain. "A mere clerk wouldn’t have the guts, nor would he come up with a foolproof way to save his own life so quickly." He then stood up and looked down at Gary. "Tell me where they are, and I’ll spare your life," he said indifferently.

Gary gripped the dirt tightly with both hands. His entire body trembled uncontrollably as he visibly waged an intense internal struggle.

After a long silence, he suddenly straightened his back and screamed hoarsely,

"Why? Why!

"After everything I’ve said, why do you still refuse to let me go!

"Does toying with me make your twisted heart feel better? You despicable bastard!"

He angrily pointed a trembling finger at Lorin. "Didn’t you want my life!? Come and take it!!"

SHING!

Lorin flicked his Longsword and smoothly sheathed it.

This guy was indeed someone he could use.

"Very good. If you had actually been willing to sell out your family just to eke out a miserable survival, I really wouldn’t have dared to keep you alive." He extended his right hand toward Gary. "You are an excellent merchant. At the very least, you’ve managed to earn your own life today. Get up."

Gary stared at him in sheer disbelief, his finger still trembling in mid-air. He never expected he would actually survive.

"You’re... willing to let me go?" he asked shakily.

"Mhm. But if you don’t get up now, the offer is rescinded," Lorin nodded.

"O-Okay."

Gary grabbed Lorin’s outstretched hand and was pulled to his feet by an immense force. However, the intense emotional roller coaster and the prolonged kneeling left his legs feeling like jelly, and he immediately collapsed back onto the ground.

"Since you are already a ’dead man’, it’s not convenient for us to take you back with us."

Lorin didn’t bother helping him again. He turned around, retrieved his backpack, and pulled out two packs of rations and a canteen. Tossing them in front of Gary, he continued, "Figure out your own way back. Five days from now, at dawn, I’ll be waiting for you at the Furnace Tavern."

Lorin then waved to his two companions, who had been standing there dumbfounded, watching his performance. "Pack things up. It’s time to head back."

At Lorin’s signal, the two quickly sprang into action. After catching his breath for a moment, Gary silently joined in to help.

First, they dismantled the wooden crates bearing the noble crest, tossing every piece into the campfire to burn. The extracted spices and furs were neatly stacked on the cart, followed by the rest of their loot from this expedition. Finally, a tarp was thrown over the top to cover it all.

The Magic Materials were carefully tucked into Lorin’s backpack. To make room, all his miscellaneous items were cleared out and stuffed into a large bundle.