V : The Merchant

The morning started like any other. By now, Isaac was used to the cold winds of the northern tundra. Despite the sun shining on his face, he was cold.

As usual, he donned on his outfit and warm clothes before heading out, as he usually does for the past three months.

Now that they have reached this point, they have a big plan ahead.

As Isaac exited the Palace, he took in the full view of the place. The White Kingdom has certainly improved and it's been much better than when Isaac had first arrived.

People were bustling around the city, doing their own things. Some were helping out with catching fish while some were helping Meng build a massive water storage area just in case they needed it.

But if Isaac was to be honest, having twenty boilers was probably enough for everyone, especially since they're producing pure water non-stop every day.

Almost everyone greeted Isaac when they saw him. Since he'd been someone who's been helping them a lot, they liked him very much. It's also the same as when he was in Rost.

They recognized Isaac as Isaac since Scarlet has yet to tell them that Isaac was the Pale King who had been their savior all this time.

After helping a few people on the way, he stopped by the tavern as usual.

And as usual, Liliora was there.

Today, she looked normal. Well, she's a succubus, so that's a disguise. Isaac knew what she looked like.

Liliora had short cropped blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her tanned skin showed off a bit of muscle.

"What's with the getup?" Isaac asked as he sat on a stool. "You seeing someone?"

Liliora shrugged. "Why? You jealous?"

Isaac snorted. "You'd wish." He said.

Liliora just grinned. "I have some information for you." She said.

"Are you trying to get me into bed again?" Isaac asked. "Because the last time you did that, you set me on fire."

"No, not this time," Liliora said. "Got a tip from one of the guards that were in charge patrolling near the fishing lake."

Isaac leaned in and listened more intently. "What is it?"

"A merchant fleet will be making their way here," Liliora said. "A whole flock of them, ready to make good money in the White Kingdom."

Isaac scowled. "There's no way," Isaac said. "There's no safe way to get here."

It's true. Traveling by land, you'd have to cross Whitewash Peaks and from firsthand experience, Isaac knew how dangerous that is.

Air travels are also dangerous. Not only there's a risk of an encounter with the Snow Dragon who can fly, but no air traveling method - neither magic nor machine - can get high enough to go over Whitewash Peaks. Even if there is, the harsh weather will make it impossible to navigate through.

The only possible way for a fleet of merchants could arrive here safely was by sea, but even that is dangerous.

That is assuming you don't know what you're doing or where you're going.

Surrounding the coastline of the White Kingdom is what the people have called Shipwreck Maw. A natural defensive barrier against monsters, giant waves, and ships. With the whipping winds, nasty rock and ice formations, and unstable currents, any ship or boat coming from any direction would be crushed instantly.

But the biggest danger they'd have to face would be the thick fog. Inside the thick dense fog, visibility is reduced up to the point of near blindness. In the fog, you won't even be able to see your hand in front of you. It's really that bad.

But the people of the White Kingdom had a way. A way of navigating through Shipwreck Maw safely against the dangers. Isaac didn't know what it was, but he assumed it was safe.

"They're gonna arrive by sea," Liliora said. "Or so the guard said."

If that is true, then this will either be a huge opportunity for them or a potential danger.

"I need to speak with him," Isaac said. "The guard you talked to."

Liliora gave Isaac his name and Isaac went straight out to find him.

Isaac took the ride to the fishing lake, which was now thriving by the way. They've built a small hut for the fishermen to rest and store their fish. To Isaac's surprise, they even got their fishery going, to breed and cultivate the fish so that they don't run out too quickly.

But he had other matters to attend to.

Isaac grabbed the closest guard he could. "I'm looking for someone named Iola."

The guard seemed surprised. "Uh, he's watching over the White Vessels." He pointed to where four Vessels were parked side by side and a guard watching over them.

Isaac thanked him and went over to Iola. "Are you Iola?"

"Yes sir." Iola saluted.

"We need to talk," Isaac said. He pulled Iola aside. "Explain to me what you told the bartender. About the merchants."

Iola gulped. "Am I in trouble?"

"You will be unless you start talking," Isaac said.

And so, Iola starts talking. He'd been in contact with his wife who was in Losteria, a coastline city in the western part of Arya. Losteria is probably the largest naval force on the continent, rivaling the Sovereign Empire's naval forces, maybe even more.

Similar to the White Kingdom, Losteria is not aligned with the Sovereign Empire. They're on more neutral terms for one particular reason.

Mercenaries.

As prosperous as Losteria is, it's governed by a group of mercenaries, the Three Coins. As its name, the Three Coins consists of the three most powerful mercenary factions in Arya.

Because of that, the Sovereign Empire had no power over them. In fact, they seem to welcome Losteria's formation since they're a sizable source of manpower and fighting forces, provided you have the right amount of gold for their services.

Because of its nature of being free from the Empire's authority, merchants often flocked to the city to sell their goods. Some might be standard such as food and booze while others can be more . . . unsettling products. Like mythical beasts or slaves.

And as Iola just told Isaac, a group of merchants hired one of the Three Coins to protect them as they sail through the ocean and to the White Kingdom.

"But how?" Isaac asked. "They won't make it through Shipwreck Maw."

Iola looked around to see if anyone close by was listening. Once he confirmed no one was around, he leaned in closer and spoke in a hushed voice. "I don't know if this is true, but apparently there's someone from the White Kingdom there with them. Someone who knows a way to navigate around Shipwreck Maw. A traitor."

Isaac was speechless. Shipwreck Maw is the kingdom's line of defense. The reason why they haven't cleared it or made it safer was because it's a very effective barrier against naval invasion.

But there's a way to navigate it, which is something that everyone in the White Kingdom learned to do. And this is considered a kingdom's secret. Anyone who leaks this to anyone on the outside will be considered a traitor.

Isaac now understood why Iola was so wary. If there's any news of a traitor in their midst, it would throw the White Kingdom into chaos.

"I see," Isaac said. "Have you told Liliora about this?"

Iola shook his head. "Only the merchant part. Aside from us two and my wife, no one knows about the traitor."

Isaac nodded. "You did well. Keep this between us. I will bring this up to the Queen."

Iola nodded but before Isaac could leave, Iola stopped him. "Can you do me a favor?"

Isaac was taken aback. "What's wrong?"

"Can you tell me if . . ." Iola hesitated. "If you're the Pale King?"

Isaac did well to hide his shock and surprise but internally, he almost screamed. Did Iola know? Had Scarlet told everyone?

"What makes you think that?" Isaac decided to play it safe.

"It's just that the day you arrived with the Queen, things suddenly got better. And the Queen said that it's thanks to the Pale King." Iola said. "So I just put two and two together."

When Isaac thought about it, it was kinda obvious. But then again, Isaac wasn't going to just outright admit it.

"So what if I was the Pale King?" Isaac inquired.

"Then I would like to thank you," Iola said humbly. "For saving my life. I was on the brink of death when you showed up. I thought I would never get to see my wife again. But you changed that. I was ready to face death, but you saved me and gave hope to my wife. If you are the Pale King, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. And that I swear to serve you until the day I die."

Isaac was again speechless. It was the first time someone had personally talked to him like that. The gratitude from someone whose life Isaac saved. It felt sincere and heartwarming.

"The Queen has her reasons for keeping the identity of the Pale King a secret," Isaac said. "But I will make sure he hears your message."

Iola nodded and Isaac wondered if he understood what Isaac was trying to say. Isaac got his answer when Iola replied. "Very well, my lord."

Isaac gave him a grin as he went into one of the Vessels and went back to the Palace. After a few minutes, Isaac reached the Palace grounds. He tried looking for Scarlet, but he only found Elisa.

"Hey. You know where Scarlet is?" Isaac asked. "I need to talk to her."

"You know, you might be an honored guest," Elisa said. "But you can't just go meet the Queen whenever you want."

"But I'm the king."

"Unofficially."

Isaac rolled his eyes. "Can I see her? I just learned something important."

Elisa noticed the seriousness in his voice and she nodded. "Come," Elisa said as she led Isaac into the throne room.

As usual, the throne room tends to take Isaac's breath away.

The room was circular since it was built inside a giant ice spire. Because of that, the walls, floor, and ceiling all looked like they were made out of ice. But Isaac knew that wasn't the case since it wasn't slippery in the slightest.

To the right of the room, the walls opened up to a balcony with delicately designed railings, overlooking the entirety of the White Kingdom and even more

To their left was a wall of decorations filled with weapons, armor, banners, and monster hide.

In front of them at the far end of the throne room was the throne itself. A red carpet leading up to it up a few flights of stairs. The throne, like everything else in this room, also looked like it was made of ice. The top part of the throne was carved in a similar design to Scarlet's crown, with three pointy bits that looked like arrowheads.

On its seat was something that looked like white fur, which looked comfy.

Around them were armed guards, at least a dozen.

Sitting on the throne, was none other than Scarlet herself.

"Milady." Elisa knelt in front of her. Isaac followed her lead which was weird since he's technically the king.

"What business do you have for me?" Scarlet asked.

"I've learned of something, Milady," Isaac said. "But I must ask that we speak in private."

"And why is that?" Scarlet asked.

"Because this will determine either the rise of the White Kingdom or its downfall."

Hearing that, the guards felt restless. Scarlet scanned her eyes across the room. "Leave us." She said. The guards followed suit and exited the room. "Tell me."

Isaac explained everything. The incoming merchants from Losteria and the possible traitor of the White Kingdom in their midst.

While hearing this, Elisa's expression changed multiple times. From shock to disbelief, to confusion.

Scarlet, on the other hand, maintained a calm exterior. She didn't show any expression as she listened intently to what Isaac was saying.

"What will this mean for us?" Elisa asked.

"The way I see it, there are two ways this could go for us," Isaac said.

Scarlet nodded in agreement. "In one of the scenarios, which would be the best for us, is that Losteria will be looking to create a trade agreement between us."

"Losteria?" Elisa asked. "I thought you said it was just a group of mercenaries."

"She means the Three Coins," Isaac said.

Again, Scarlet nodded in confirmation. "They wouldn't normally be involved in jobs such as this. A protection duty is beneath them and they would normally leave it to a smaller group of mercenaries. The fact that they accepted it means they're interested in us as well."

"This can potentially be good for us." Isaac continued. "Losteria is not aligned with the Sovereign Empire. If we can reach a mutual agreement, it will be beneficial for both cities. We can get trades out while they can expand their market."

"It will solve our food problem and allows us to gain more resources," Scarlet said. "But that's one possibility. The other one is the more likely one."

Isaac sighed. "They've come for an invasion," Isaac said. "Losteria is full of mercenaries. For the right amount of gold, there's nothing that they wouldn't do. And the Empire has lots of gold."

Elisa gulped. "So, we have to prepare for war?"

"Not exactly." Scarlet bit her lower lip. "We're in a very delicate situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's assume that we got the good ending," Scarlet explained. "Losteria came to do trade and explore, and nothing else." Scarlet leaned forward. "But when they arrive, they're met with an army preparing for battle. What would cross their minds?"

Elisa's eyes widened in realization. "That we're hostile. They will stop any attempts of achieving any form of mutual agreement between us."

Scarlet nodded. "As I said, this is a delicate situation. We can't let our guard down in case the Empire invades, but we can't be too cautious and scare off our potential allies."

"Can't we just send them a message?" Elisa asked.

"That's a bad idea," Isaac said. "They will be suspicious of how we know that they're coming. They will assume we have a spy in their ranks. It'll be the same with the bad outcome."

"Can't we just send a signal, like, 'hey we're friendly people come to join us for a drink'?"

"You're welcome to try," Scarlet said. "But I need to discuss this with my advisors." Scarlet turned towards Isaac. "When will they be here?"

"I don't know, but I'll look into it," Isaac said. "But from how far Losteria is to here, it will probably take them months."

"You underestimate them," Scarlet said. "Their naval power surpasses the Sovereign Empire. The most we can hope for is two weeks, maybe three depending on the weather."

Isaac winced. "That's not a lot of time."

"Indeed." Scarlet grimaced.

"You're forgetting something," Elisa said. "It could be a lie."

Isaac cursed under his breath. She was right. There was no way to confirm if this was all even true. Iola could be lying or his wife could be lying. Losteria might not even come at all and they could spend weeks preparing for something that might not happen, only to be ambushed in some other method.

"We can't prepare for everything," Scarlet said begrudgingly. "Worst case scenario, we have a battle in our hands. I will need to discuss this with the council. If I could, I'd like to send an envoy to Losteria but we're short on time and manpower. I need all the troops I can get."

Isaac nodded. An idea forms in his head, but he can't tell that to Scarlet. "Call me if you need anything," Isaac said as he left the throne room with Elisa.

When they left, Isaac pulled Elisa aside. "How long does it take to go to Losteria by land?"

Elisa frowned. "You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?"

"Maybe," Isaac said.

Line Break

Liliora whistled. "You seriously planning to go to Losteria?"

"It's a week's worth of journey," Isaac said. "And I need a party. Are you in?"

"You know, most people don't ask me for help since, well, I'm a demon. The only time you need a demon's help is when you need to kill people."

"Well, I'm not looking to kill anyone," Isaac said. "But I do want your seduction skills. You can gather tons of information."

"I'm sure many people can do that."

"But it would be easier for you since you're a succubus. No offense."

"None taken," Liliora said. "You're not wrong."

"Plus, it's gonna be a new experience for me. I'd like to have someone I can trust." Isaac said.

"Hmm." Liliora crossed her arms. "You know that by doing this, I'd have to close up the tavern for a while, right?"

"I thought you have a helper?"

"That's because he doesn't pay his tab." Liliora rolled her eyes. "If I leave this place with him it's going to burn to the ground."

"Come on," Isaac begged. "You said you wanna meet new people, right? This is your opportunity." Judging from her expression, she was on the edge of being convinced. "I'll repay for any losses you have from having the tavern closed."

"Deal," Liliora said without hesitation. When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning. Pack up what you need." Isaac said before he went to gather more people to travel with him.

While he'd like to have Darius or Hillut with him, he knew they wouldn't come. Hillut will only take orders from Scarlet and Isaac can't let her know about his expedition while Darius is on standby because of the Lunar Empress. And he'll only take orders from her.

Typical Sovereign Knights.

"So how bout it?" Isaac asked Meng. "I could use your help."

"I'm only good at making swords. Not so much on using them." Meng said.

"Don't worry about that," Isaac said. "I just need someone I can trust. Plus, you have a good eye for things and are a genius blacksmith. Besides, your project is basically complete."

Meng looked reluctant until she eventually agreed. "Fine. But I'm not cooking."

Isaac had no problem with that. Now, he just needs one last person. A capable fighter and someone brave.

Isaac went to the only other fighter he knew.

"Me?" Iola asked. "Why?"

"Because I need someone who can fight."

"I-I'm sorry, but I have orders from the Queen and the people need me," Iola said miserably. "I would love to follow you, but-"

Isaac held his hand up, silencing him. He gave Iola a warm smile. "It's fine, Iola. I understand."

Iola looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry, my King."

Isaac sighed. "Now that you've said that, I trust you will do well in protecting this city, yes?" Isaac said with a firm tone. "I have faith that you will take care of this kingdom and its people when I'm gone."

Iola stood up straight and saluted. "I would lay down my life for the kingdom."

"Good," Isaac said. He felt bad that Iola felt bad that he couldn't come with him. So Isaac wanted to make him feel better. "I can rest easy knowing the White Kingdom will be safe."

And so, he managed to only gather two other members other than himself. He could just bring any other guards or troops that were free, but he didn't know them enough to trust them.

And with the talk of a traitor in their midst, it's hard to trust anyone right now. He has to play it safe. Otherwise, his efforts will be in vain.

Line Break

Early that morning, they got an early start when they took a ride to the foot of Whitewash Peaks with the White Vessel.

Iola took the responsibility of sending them here with Elisa accompanying him. Outside of this group, no one else knew of their excursion. At least not now. Elisa will have the hard task of explaining this to Scarlet when she finds out about this.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Elisa muttered as they arrived.

"None of our options are good ideas," Isaac said. "But this will help in increasing our chances of getting the good ending."

"You also didn't bring anyone who could fight for us," Meng said.

"You're being ridiculous. It's a perfectly safe journey." Isaac said.

Elisa looked at him with disbelief. "The first thing you're going through is Whitewash Peaks. In case you didn't remember, a f*****g dragon lives here."

For some reason, Isaac felt like everything was going to go well. Maybe he's just optimistic to a fault, but it certainly feels that way. "We'll be fine."

Elisa sighed. "Just, come back, okay?" To his surprise, Elisa hugged him. "We need you here."

Isaac was taken by surprise. Meng looked bored while Liliora looked excited. By the time Elisa moved back, she was holding a pouch and a folded leather. "Here, you'll need this."

Isaac took them both. The folded leather was the map that he'd given Elisa on the first day they met. "Didn't think you still have this."

"Are you kidding? That thing saved our lives." Elisa said. "But now I think you'll have more use for it."

"Thanks," Isaac said. He opened up the pouch and saw something unfamiliar. A leather necklace and along with it, a small white crystal, almost like a pendant. "What's this?"

"Not many people have it, but it's a merchant pass," Elisa said. "We don't get merchants at all, so it's not that popular. But hopefully, it will be of some use."

Isaac shrugged and put the necklace on.

All kingdom has a merchant pass. It can be a letter, a ring, or a necklace like Isaac's. A merchant pass is given to merchants who often visit the kingdom and is considered as legitimate.

The pass has its perks. You won't have to pay for tolls every time your cross the city borders, you are allowed to set up shop in the city either permanently or temporarily, and lastly, you could trade within Palace grounds, a place limited to only people close to the King or Queen of the city.

So having a merchant pass could help them travel but it was a bit questionable since it was from the White Kingdom. Isaac knew that barely anyone carries a pass from the White Kingdom since it's not a city that merchants or travelers visit often.

But still, Isaac was grateful for the help. "Thanks." He said. He turned to Iola. "Protect the city."

"I will." Iola stood up straight. He turned towards Meng and Liliora. "Shall we?"

Line Break

By the time we reached the top, Isaac was barely panting. He'd improved his fitness over the months thanks to Darius.

Meng also had no problems reaching the top. Her days as a blacksmith working tirelessly in the forge did well for her physical abilities.

Only Liliora had issues, but that's just because she's cold, even with the thick warm clothing.

"Didn't think you couldn't handle the cold," Isaac said.

Liliora was shivering. "H-H-Hell is a land of f-f-f-f-f-f-fire." Liliora chittered through her teeth. "S-S-Snow is a p-p-p-p-problem."

"But you stayed in the White Kingdom for a long time, right? I thought you'd get used to it." Isaac said.

"The White Kingdom has a barrier around it that protects everyone from the freezing cold," Meng explained. "It's cold, but it's not that cold inside the city."

"And the t-t-t-tavern was warm," Liliora added.

"Well, you're gonna have to bear with it. We still have a long way to come." Isaac huffed as they descended the mountain.

Isaac had no idea why, but he saw no trace of the Snow Dragon wherever he looked. Isaac expected to see a glimpse of her somewhere, but Icirin was nowhere to be seen.

It's a different story when it comes to Snow Goblins though.

The first wave attacked in a group of five. With limited experience in fighting, they managed to defeat them with a few cuts and bruises.

Isaac figured Liliora wouldn't be of much help when it comes to fighting, but apparently, a succubus's attractiveness works on everything, including goblins.

That and the fact that Liliora knew combat magic, which is magic that is used when fighting.

"What can I say?" Liliora grinned when Isaac asked her about it. "When you got it, you got it."

Aside from Snow Goblins and the unhelpful terrain, they got to the bottom of the mountain with ease.

After being in the White Kingdom for three months, the greenery was refreshing. Green hills rolled down the landscape while orange skies lit their way.

They left for Whitewash Peaks early in the morning and they arrived at the other side at sunset. Shows how tall the mountain really is.

"It's been a while since I've seen something that's not snow or ice," Liliora said.

"Same here," Meng said.

As the air got warmer, they took off their thick clothing and wore normal ones. As Isaac remembered, the closest town they found was Tuplin. The same town where Isaac and Darius caught up with Scarlet as they went on an adventure chasing her.

"We'll rest here for the night," Isaac said. "Then we're gonna discuss our plans."

"Good because my b***s are getting heavy," Liliora said. Issac and Meng both looked at her. "What? I have big b***s."

The two rolled their eyes as they went towards the tavern. By the time Isaac managed to book a room for the three of them, it was already nighttime. The room only had two beds. He debated on letting the girls sleep on it while he slept on the floor, but Liliora said there was no need.

"Why?" Isaac asked.

"I'm gonna go on a night out and gather some information," Liliora said. "That's why you brought me, right?"

"Yeah, but we just had a long day. You need rest."

"That's the thing about us succubus." Liliora edged towards the door. "When we drain the life force of other people, we'll be reinvigorated. So we don't actually need rest." She opened the door and stepped outside. "Don't do anything sneaky now, you two," Liliora smirked before closing the door shut, leaving Meng and Isaac.

Isaac just rolled his eyes and went to sleep. Before he could fall asleep, he heard Meng say something.

"If you try anything, I'll smack your nuts in." Meng threatened.

"Relax." Isaac sighed. "I'm too tired to do anything anyway."

With that reassurance, the two of them went to sleep.

The next morning, Isaac found himself waking up to Liliora straddling him. "Wakey wakey, sleepyhead."

"Wh-what?" Isaac was in a daze, so he was having trouble processing everything. "What are you doing?"

"Waking you up," Liliora said in a sultry voice. "Do you like it?"

"I don't," Isaac said with embarrassment.

"Your 'friend' seems to think otherwise." Liliora started to move, so Isaac quickly got up and slid away from her. "Aw, you're no fun." She pouted.

"Why did you allow this?" Isaac asked Meng who was busy eating a bowl of soup.

"I tried," Meng said. "I said don't do it."

"And that counts as trying?" Isaac asked. Meng just shrugged. Isaac sighed.

He got out of bed and stretched. "We need to discuss our plan."

"Yeah, before that, there's something you need to know," Liliora said. She then told him what she learned last night from one of the merchants that stayed here.

"So because of the White Witch incident, she's been branded as an escaped prisoner," Liliora explained. "And so they've been chasing her for the past three months. This means more Sovereign forces are milling about, there's tighter security on everything, and that includes wanted posters."

Despite the news, Isaac was somewhat relieved that they stayed back at the White Kingdom instead of following him. Bringing Scarlet along would've drawn unwanted attention.

"Rumor has it that they'll capture anyone from the White Kingdom or those who are suspected to have helped the White Witch with her escape." Liliora continued. "So we need to lay low."

Isaac nodded. "We can't let anyone know that we're from the White Kingdom," Isaac said. "Okay, listen up. As of now, we are a band of adventurers from Sarca. We heard of a high-paying job in Losteria, which is why we're headed there."

"But none of us could fight," Meng said. "They won't believe we're adventurers."

"We'll worry about that later," Isaac said. "For now, we'll focus on getting to Losteria. So ready up, we leave in ten minutes."

Line Break

Isaac tried getting horses, but they weren't any available. So they had to walk on foot to the next town, which was Riverside.

Riverside had mutual standings with the Sovereign Empire, so it wouldn't be too dangerous. But Isaac was still cautious.

"How long do we have to walk?" Liliora whined.

"We've been walking for only ten minutes." Isaac rolled his eyes.

Luckily, their adventure was uneventful. A few monster attacks but it was nothing they couldn't handle.

The land was rolling with hills and splashed green in the scenery. He missed a view like this after spending three months in the White Kingdom where everywhere he looked, it was just snow.

After about two hours of walking, Liliora had enough. "Can we take a break?" She asked while wheezing.

Isaac figured it would be a good time for it. It was almost noon, so they looked for any shade they could find to rest under. Along the road, they found a suspiciously big tree at the side of the road that could provide them with cover from the sun.

Isaac said suspiciously because they were in a rather empty area. There's no nearby forest around them and it's all just flat land and hills.

So a tree out of nowhere looks suspicious. Or maybe he was just being paranoid.

"Let's rest for a while." Isaac decided as they rested up underneath the tree.

Liliora didn't argue as she collapsed at the base of the tree and started resting. Meng gathered her breath and sat down.

Isaac looked around to see if there was any danger around, but it was just an expanse of empty land with wild pastures roaming about.

Again, he missed this environment. The gentle warm breeze blew against his skin and the smell of fresh air filled his lungs. He felt right at home.

"So, there's no way we're walking all the way to Losteria," Meng said. "What do you have in mind?"

Isaac thought about it for a bit. "We're stopping in Riverside for supplies. Hopefully, after that, we can secure some horses or means of transportation."

Meng didn't argue. She dug something out of her satchel and handed it to Isaac. A ball of something white wrapped in a leaf. "Eat up."

"What is this?" Isaac grabbed the food.

"Rice balls," Meng said. "A food from my hometown."

"I thought you were born and raised in the White Kingdom." Isaac sat down next to her.

"You got the last part right," Meng said. "I was born in my parents' homeland."

"Which is?"

Meng shrugged. "I don't know. They never talk to me about it. All I know of my parents' past were that they came from a faraway land. Probably just a small remote island off the coast of Arya."

The thought of Meng coming from a different land had occurred to Isaac before. Arya itself hadn't been fully documented on a map so there might have been some unknown places that people weren't familiar with.

And that's just Arya. Surrounding the continent was a massive wall of fog that not many people dared to venture across. It's called the Fog Border. Those who do venture into the fog never came back.

There have been many theories of what lies beyond the fog. Some say it's just more ocean. Some say it's a land of monsters. Some even say that it's the edge of the world and you'll fall into nothingness if you sail to the end.

"Have you tried asking them about it?"

"Plenty of times," Meng said. "Never really got a straight answer."

"Well, maybe you can try again."

Meng sighed. "That won't be possible."

"Why?"

"They're . . . not around anymore."

The atmosphere got heavier. Isaac felt bad about prying so much. "I'm sorry."

Meng just shrugged and said nothing. Isaac knew what it felt like to lose your parents so he could empathize with Meng.

They tried to rest, but their peace got disturbed when Isaac heard rustling from the leaves above him. At first, he thought it was maybe just a bird or an animal so he waved it off, but the rustling got louder and heavier.

Isaac and Meng looked up to see what was above only to have the full a*s of a man crashing on his face.

All he could see was darkness and something heavy sitting on his face. Isaac struggled and eventually pushed the person off of him.

"What the hell?!" Isaac shouted.

"Sorry bout that." The man said as he got up. The man was big but not like, Big Bob big. He was squishy big. Like he ate everything in a wedding feast.

Despite being twice Isaac's size, he was properly dressed. A purple jacket over a white shirt that was clearly too tight for him. Oversized purple pants and a similar purple top hat. Seeing his monocle and thick mustache, Isaac instantly knew who this person was.

He's a merchant.

Normally, when Isaac met someone new, he would always ask their name first. But because of the circumstances, he started with "Why did you come from the tree?"

"I was resting." The merchant said. "And also hiding. Had some trouble with the Empire and as you can clearly see, I don't want to be found again." He held his hands up to show that his hands were chained together.

"I'm more surprised you can climb the tree given your . . . condition," Meng said and Isaac agreed.

"Who are you and why shouldn't I kick your butt?" Isaac asked with annoyance as he tried shaking the pain off of his face from being sat on.

"Polus Longleaf, at your service." He tried bowing but with his big belly and chained hands, he just looked awkward. "The finest merchant west of Arya."

Isaac's guess was correct. "All of you merchants claim that you're the finest one."

"Ah, but I'm the real deal," Polus claimed. "Ask anyone from Losteria to Nastaya, they will have heard of me. I have proof." Polus reached for something tucked under his shirt, which was a necklace that was decorated with a variety of things from a ruby pendant, to a feather, to a rabbit's foot.

"Are those all merchant passes?" Meng asked.

Polus brimmed with pride. "Yes, and I have the biggest collection of them all."

Isaac was impressed by his collection. By the looks of it, he had at least a dozen passes from most of the big kingdoms and cities in Arya.

"So, what's your deal?" Isaac asked. "Why are you chained up and why are you hiding?"

"Well," Polus laughed nervously. "As a successful merchant, I tried to increase my connections and influence. I was wandering through a few cities on the eastern side of the continent."

Isaac winced. "That's not very clever."

"Why?" Meng asked.

"The whole eastern side of Arya is crawling with the Empire forces. Not to mention almost everyone there are Sovereign loyalists. People who will stay loyal to the Sovereign Empire no matter what."

Polus nodded miserably. "The Empire didn't appreciate me coming through their borders and offering tax-free trades. And also," Polus looked around to see if anyone was listening which was ridiculous since they were the only ones there.

Apart from Liliora who was sound asleep.

"They don't like my special services," Polus said in a whispered tone.

"What do you mean by that?" Isaac asked.

"As I said, I'm the finest merchant west of Arya," Polus said. "I have connections and skills. For the right price, I could give whatever goods you desire."

Isaac found that hard to believe. It sounds like the common lie and sweet talk that all merchants are good at.

"Well, we're not interested," Isaac said. "Especially since the Empire's looking for you. I'm not looking to draw any unnecessary attention."

"No, please!" Polus begged. "Help get out of these chains. I will reward you, I promise."

"No thanks."

"Please," Polus said. "If you do this, I will be indebted to you. I will come to your aid whenever you need me. I can give you a discount for all of my wares."

"No."

"Please." Polus looked like he was on the verge of crying. "I can't continue my job after this. The House of Longleaf will ridicule me! My father would disown me! I beg of you."

Isaac groaned. He was really in a dilemma. It's not like he had anything against Polus apart from him sitting on his face, but since he's being watched by the Sovereign Empire it will make their journey much harder.

"Can't you break out of it yourself?" Isaac asked.

"I can't," Polus said miserably. "These blasted chains are enchanted and I can't use magic when I'm wearing them."

Isaac genuinely feels sorry for him, but he was stuck with a hard choice.

"We can free him," Meng said. "I mean, we're on the Empire's watchlist as well. Helping him won't make our journey more dangerous than it already is."

Polus looked at Meng like she was his savior.

"And we're heading to Losteria anyway. That's far from any Sovereign Empire's borders."

Polus was quick to jump on the information. "Losteria!" He said. "Yes, I have connections there. I can give you a ride and make it easy for you there. You know that Losteria is a very mean place, right?"

Isaac sighed. The sound of having a ride was very tempting. Plus, they wouldn't need to worry about supplies since they're going to be traveling with a merchant.

"You said you'll give us a ride," Isaac said. "Where's your carriage?"

"Oh, it's nearby," Polus said. "If you remove these chains you'll see."

"How do I know you won't trick us?"

Polus gasped. He looked offended. "I'm a man of my word. There has never been a customer that is not satisfied with my services." He stood up straight. "I put my reputation as a merchant on it."

That's when Isaac knew he was serious. When it comes to merchants, there was one unwritten rule among them. Sort of like their code of conduct.

'You were born for the coin, live for the coin, and you die by the coin.'

Simply speaking, a true merchant will be a merchant through and through. Their reputation as a merchant is something they hold most dear, even more than earning money. They could have the finest goods or the most gold coins, but a merchant is only as good as their reputation.

Isaac have heard of this from a passing merchant when he was still in Rost. A story of how a merchant had dozens of excellent goods and even sold them for a low price.

But no one came to buy with him. Instead, they made business with the other merchant who was selling nothing but fruits and vegetables. Aside from their wares, the only difference between the two was reputation.

People look up to merchants with reputations. They want to buy from them because they know that they're good for it.

So Polus staking his reputation on the line is kind of a big deal for him.

"Okay," Isaac said. "I'll free you."

Polus jumped with joy. "I promise, you won't regret it."

"Hold your horses," Isaac said. "I have a few conditions."

"For sure. Anything for you."

"One, you will give us a ride to Losteria," Isaac said. "You could stop by wherever you want, but no detours."

Polus was listening intently, probably because he was afraid that Isaac might trick him with a loophole or something.

"Two, you will provide us with supplies for the journey. We will still buy them for you, but for a lower price." Isaac said. "And three, if I even think that you will betray me, I will kill you."

"Deal." Polus grinned. "Now, let me out of these chains." He held the chains up in front of him.

Isaac nodded and drew his sword. Before he could swing down on it, Meng stopped him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing?"

Polus pulled away as well from panic.

"I'm breaking the chains," Isaac said.

Meng rolled her eyes. "They're enchanted. If you break them by force they might explode or something."

"They can do that?" Isaac gulped.

Polus nodded. "I don't know what kind of enchantments they put on it, but I don't wanna risk it. We need to find another way."

"What do you suggest?" Isaac asked.

"We just need a blacksmith," Polus said. "These chains can't be broken, but you could just lockpick it. A blacksmith would know how."

Isaac and Meng exchanged looks.

What a coincidence.

Line Break

It barely took ten minutes before Polus was free from his chains thanks to Meng.

"I'm free! Oh sweet holy guardian of the Great Tree I'm finally free!" Polus looked ecstatic to be finally free from the chains. Judging from the marks on his wrists, Isaac knew he was chained far longer than he expected. "Thank you! Thank you, sir and madam! I will not forget this kindness you've shown me!"

Polus knelt and went to shake Isaac's hand, to which he shook vigorously so it made his whole body shake.

"Yes, yes, you're free," Isaac said. "Now it's your turn."

"Oh, of course." Polus wiggled his fingers. "Ah, to be able to summon my Tristina again. I'm sure she misses me."

"What?" Isaac asked as Polus made a few hand gestures before the ground in front of him exploded in purple smoke.

When the smoke cleared, their ride was in front of them.

Compared to most merchant carts and carriages Isaac has seen, Polus's cart was underwhelming.

It was a simple bandwagon with a white canvas arching over it as a roof. It looked normal at best.

Its defining feature was the thing pulling it. Instead of a horse, the cart was pulled by a gigantic bright blue lizard. Its blue scales glistened under the sun and its eyes were silts at first, like a reptilian. But as soon as it saw Polus, its irises widened as it rushed to nudge its owner.

"Oh ho ho." Polus ruffled the creature. "I've missed you to girl."

"What is that?" Isaac asked.

"You've never seen one?" Meng asked. "It's an Azure Salamander. They're just overgrown lizards that can spit poison, though I've never seen one being used to pull a cart before."

"Azure Salamanders are often hunted for their scales and poison glands," Polus explained as the lizard kept nudging and rubbing against him. Next to the lizard, Polis looks like a big chew toy. "I met Tristina when she's just an egg. The nest she was staying in was getting pillaged by vultures and I only managed to save her. Her siblings didn't make it."

"Aren't they a little too big for vultures?" Isaac asked.

"Oh, they grow up really big really fast." Meng said. "Their eggs are normally the size of a riceball. When they hatch, they can grow to this size in about six months or so."

"Tristina here is only two years old." Polus scratched Tristina's chin. Judging from her wiggling tail, she must've liked it. "She's the one that insisted on pulling my cart. As a gesture of saving her life."

"You can understand her?" Isaac asked.

"No," Polus admitted. "But after she ate the first two horses that I bought for my cart I figured she was insisting."

Isaac decided not to question further. He examined the cart in all of its brilliance.

"What's wrong?" Polus asked.

"I don't know," Isaac said. "With everything you said about being the finest merchant, I expected something more."

"Ah, then my plan works perfectly then," Polus said. "Being a merchant of my reputation, I will always be a target for thieves, bandits, and hooligans. That's why I made my cart look as boring as possible."

"Well, it worked," Isaac said, clearly unimpressed.

"Have a look inside." Polus grinned. Isaac went around the cart and pulled the blinds open and . . . whoa.

The inside definitely looked bigger than the outside. With a lantern hanging above them, the inside was filled with goods and wares. Everything ranging from weapons to herbs to food to what looks like a metal chicken.

"Whoa." Isaac and Meng both exclaimed.

"And that's only for display," Polus said. "I have more stashed away in secret magic compartments."

"I take back what I said then." Isaac grinned. "This is awesome."

Polus was clearly happy. "Well, shall we be on our way?"

Isaac nodded. As they got ready, Isaac went over to Liliora who was surprisingly still asleep through all that.

"Liliora." Isaac shook her slightly. "Come on, we gotta move."

Liliora groaned as she opened her eyes. She looked at Isaac briefly before sitting up and yawned. "What time is it?"

"Come on, we have a ride," Isaac said. Liliora looked to where Isaac was pointing. She rubbed her eyes and squinted, just to make sure what she was seeing was real.

"Is that . . ."

"Yep, it's our ride-"

"An Azure Salamander?!" Liliora squealed and rushed over to Tristina who was surprised to have received this sudden exciting welcome. "Aren't you the cutest little thing ever?" Liliora started to scratch Tristina all over her neck.

The lizard was surprised at first, but that soon turned into euphoria as her eyes rolled back and her body softened as she leaned into Liliora's scratching. Her wiggling tail indicates that she was liking it very much.

Liliora was no different. "Oh, you're so cute. You're the cutest thing ever, yes you are. Who's a good girl?" Liliora said in a kid-like way, like how you'd talk when you're playing with a baby.

"Really?" Meng said. "She was complaining all day from walking and she's excited more about the lizard than our ride."

Liliora finally jarred back to reality when she noticed everyone was staring at her.

"Um, what did I miss?"