Chapter 373: Trade agreement (01)

Ethan walked alongside Raynar, leaving the bustle of the harbor behind as they entered the intermediate zone of Goldenveil.

The merchant wore an expression of pure wonder, his eyes silently scanning every detail around him.

There were large, prosperous cities scattered throughout the Eternal Forest, some as wealthy as those of the central empires, boasting millions of inhabitants and led by powerful sixth-stage experts.

Raynar had already visited many of them throughout his career, yet none had come close to impressing him the way Goldenveil did.

Even the most ordinary commoners wore well-kept clothes, and the houses, without exception, looked like residences fit for the nobility rather than peasant dwellings.

The streets, paved with dark basalt, were impeccably clean and the wide sidewalks had benches every few meters, accompanied by trees with golden flowers and green leaves.

These trees offered more than just a beautiful sight, also moderating Goldenveil’s climate, keeping the city surprisingly cool even under the scorching summer heat of the Eternal Forest.

Furthermore, each of these trees was directly connected to the Tree of Life, which could control them to a certain extent and use them as conduits, channeling life energy throughout the city.

As a result, the people of Goldenveil were extraordinarily strong, brimming with vitality.

Raynar had even seen an unawakened elder in his nineties running through the streets with the vigor of a young man, his body still displaying firm, well-defined muscles.

Ethan had already spoken with Arwen about this very topic a few days before.

According to her, the life expectancy of an ordinary human in Goldenveil—even an unawakened one—was around 120 or 130 years. Some extremely rare elders, already nearing their hundredth birthday, visibly regained their vitality, appearing fifty years younger than they actually were.

This effect would continue to accumulate, gradually reshaping the bodies of Goldenveil’s people as they lived under the constant influence of the Tree of Life.

They would not become elves, nor would they cease to be human, of course, but reaching a life expectancy of two hundred years was hardly unrealistic, even for an unawakened person.

Raynar could already feel this in his own body, vitality coursing through his veins with an intensity he hadn’t experienced in decades.

His gaze drifted to the Tree of Life, which stood majestically on the horizon, but he reined in his curiosity and refrained from asking too many questions.

"It must have been a long journey. Aren’t you tired of seafood? Come on, this is the best restaurant in Goldenveil," Ethan said, gesturing toward a large, elegant five-story building whose elven architecture exuded grace and singular beauty.

It was the Golden Feather restaurant, founded by a couple—a human woman and an elf man. It was famous for serving the most delicious dishes in all of Goldenveil.

They had been the first to receive one hundred handpicked recipes from the Glutton Emperor’s Cookbook, and they knew how to make the most of each one.

Currently, the couple ranked among the wealthiest in all of Goldenveil, having already expanded the business by opening a second location in Windmere.

Once Fallenwinter and Greenleaf were finally conquered, they planned to open new branches in both cities.

The moment Ethan stepped through the restaurant’s doors, a waitress rushed toward him, bowing in an immediate greeting.

"L-Lord Ethan!" the waitress stammered, her face flushing. "Welcome to the Golden Feather! How may I assist you?"

"Show us to a private room and bring us the chef’s recommendation for today. Nothing from the sea," Ethan said.

The waitress didn’t hesitate for a second, leading them directly to the restaurant’s most luxurious private room.

The two settled in near a large window overlooking the sea, around a table spacious enough for six.

Raynar let his gaze sweep the room, a satisfied smile forming on his lips.

It was an excellent venue for meetings, equipped with sound-suppression and anti-spy arrays discreetly embedded in the walls.

"I passed through this region almost a year ago... and I don’t remember seeing this city here," Raynar remarked, fixing his gaze on Ethan with renewed interest.

There was something familiar about that young man—a nagging feeling that he’d seen him somewhere before—but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember where.

His eyes narrowed as he searched the depths of his memory.

A few possibilities flashed through his mind, but he dismissed them one by one.

"I founded Goldenveil a little over a year ago. We’re only now beginning to really get off the ground," Ethan replied, casually pulling a bottle of third-stage Green Fairy Wine from his spatial ring.

He ignored the shock etched onto Raynar’s face at the revelation of just how new Goldenveil truly was.

Without hesitation, he poured a generous serving for himself and another for the merchant.

Raynar watched the emerald liquid dance inside the crystal goblet, small ripples of light shimmering with each gentle sway.

Feeling the magical density emanating from the wine, he grasped the goblet and raised it to his lips, taking a cautious sip.

In the next instant, his eyes widened, and he nearly leaped out of his chair.

It was... too good!

"Lord Ethan... this wine?" Raynar pointed at the bottle, practically drooling with admiration.

He was a fourth-stage Awakened, and wines whose magical and healing effects could truly affect him were extremely rare—practically nonexistent on the market.

From the sensation coursing through every fiber of his body after that single sip, he knew full well that this drink could affect even fifth-stage Awakened ones!

"Two thousand gold coins per bottle," Ethan replied without hesitating for a single moment.

"I can offer you, right now, ten thousand bottles of this third-stage wine, plus thirty thousand bottles of second-stage wine at two hundred gold coins each, and one hundred thousand bottles of first-stage wine at twenty-five coins per bottle."

That sale alone would be more than enough to finance all of Goldenveil’s short-term plans and basically ensure the city healthy development until Ron returns with even more gold..