Although he called it business, it was actually a collection of trivial matters.
It was nothing more than discussions about taxes, goods, and transportation routes.
...
"Given the quality of your alchemical products, My Lord, setting up a sales point in Caro Town would be most appropriate," Eric said, picking up his teacup and taking a small sip. "Our chamber of commerce has permanent storage there, so transportation costs can be kept to a minimum."
Klein tapped his finger lightly on the rim of his teacup. "Caro Town is quite a distance from here, and the route passes through the territories of two other lords. How will the transit taxes be handled?"
"You don't need to worry about that." Eric smiled. "The Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce has long-term cooperation with both of those lords. We can route the transit taxes through our channels, saving you at least forty percent."
Klein didn't respond; he simply watched him.
This man's speaking rhythm was very steady, with perfectly timed pauses between every sentence. He didn't seem anxious, nor did he appear dismissive. It was standard merchant rhetoric, expertly practiced.
"What about the profit split?" Klein asked.
"For transportation, our chamber of commerce only asks for twenty percent of the profit," Eric said casually, as if he were discussing a trifle. "The rest belongs to you. Additionally, if sales are good, we can help connect you with several large trading houses on the West Coast."
Klein narrowed his eyes.
Twenty percent?
Such a ratio would be difficult for even long-term partners of many years to obtain, let alone people meeting for the first time today.
He set down his teacup, his gaze lingering on Eric's face for a few seconds.
The man's expression remained gentle, and his smile hadn't wavered. It was as if he truly were here only to discuss a regular business deal.
But Klein didn't believe it.
"Mr. Eric's conditions are indeed very generous." Klein leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers twice on the armrest. "But if I may be blunt, with such a profit split... what is the Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce after?"
Eric was stunned for a moment, then he laughed out loud.
"My Lord truly is shrewd." He set down his teacup, his smile deepening slightly. "To be honest, our chamber of commerce has recently been expanding into inland markets and urgently needs high-quality alchemical products to break ground. Your goods happen to meet our requirements perfectly. Therefore..."
He paused, lowering his voice slightly. "Therefore, giving up profits in the early stages is only right. As long as the cooperation is pleasant, there will be plenty of business in the future."
His words were seamless.
But Klein still felt something was wrong.
"Besides transportation, are there other ways to cooperate?" Klein asked, deliberately shifting the topic.
Eric nodded. "Of course. If My Lord is interested, we can provide raw material supplies. Deep-sea magic algae, storm crystals, moonlight shell powder... these are all common goods on the West Coast, and the price is over thirty percent cheaper than inland."
As he spoke, he pulled a small cloth bag from his robe and placed it on the table.
"This is a small sample. You can check the quality first."
Klein didn't move.
He simply looked at the cloth bag without reaching for it.
Ophelia stood behind him, her golden eyes fixed on the bag, her fingers tightening slightly.
The tension in the air thickened once more.
"What is it?" Eric smiled. "Does My Lord not feel at ease?"
"It's not that I'm uneasy," Klein said, his tone remaining flat. "It's just that when I do business, I'm accustomed to understanding the other party's background first. Since Mr. Eric comes from the West Coast, surely you can understand."
Eric's smile stiffened slightly.
Though it was only for an instant, Klein caught it.
"That is only natural," Eric said, his voice remaining gentle. "The marketplace is like a battlefield; it's always good to be cautious."
He picked up his teacup and took another small sip.
His finger tapped the rim of the cup three times.
One, two, three.
The rhythm was steady, like he was beating time.
Klein stared at that hand for a few seconds before withdrawing his gaze.
He intentionally raised several conditions.
These conditions were things that even long-term partners would find difficult to agree to entirely.
As it turned out, Eric didn't even frown.
"No problem," he said easily, as if agreeing to a minor matter. "All of these can be discussed. If My Lord has other ideas, we can continue to negotiate."
Klein picked up his teacup, but the tea was already cold.
He didn't drink it, simply placing the cup back on the table.
The sunlight hit Eric's face, making his smile exceptionally clear.
That smile was too perfect.
So perfect it felt fake.
The Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce was a large organization on the West Coast, with trade routes spanning the western reaches of the empire.
Many of the alchemical materials Klein bought could probably be traced back to their warehouses if he followed the chain up a few levels.
A merchant of this level shouldn't be proactively giving up profits for a small alchemical business.
And they certainly shouldn't be giving up this much.
The tension in the air was like a taut string, ready to snap at any moment.
"What does My Lord think?" Eric asked, that standard merchant's smile still hanging on his face.
Klein leaned back in his chair and tapped the armrest twice.
Hearing the sound, Ophelia moved instinctively.
She didn't step forward but subtly adjusted her stance, her right hand hanging naturally with her fingers only half an inch from her waist.
Even though she had no sword there, her movements said everything—if Klein gave the signal, she would strike immediately.
Eric's gaze swept over Ophelia, lingering on her for less than half a second before shifting away as if nothing had happened.
But Klein saw what flashed in the depths of his eyes.
Fear.
Klein gave Ophelia a look, telling her not to be nervous.
He was only thinking; he had no intention of letting Ophelia act.
"Since Mr. Eric is so sincere, it would be difficult for me to refuse," Klein said, his tone still flat. "However, the specific contract terms will have to be discussed in detail between Raymond and your people. I don't quite understand the twists and turns of business."
Eric nodded.
"That is only natural," he said. "Our chamber of commerce's legal advisor can arrive tomorrow, and we can finalize the terms in person then."
He stood up and straightened his sleeves.
"Forgive the intrusion today," he said. "I will visit again tomorrow. I'll have to trouble My Lord for your care then."
Klein also stood up, exchanging a few symbolic pleasantries.
Eric turned and left with his two guards, their footsteps quickly vanishing outside the courtyard.
But Klein noticed that as the two guards left, their eyes continued to scan the surroundings.
At the moment they turned, one of them even rested his hand on his hilt.
The movement was obvious.
The sound of the carriage rose as the wheels rolled over the stone road, gradually growing distant.
Klein stood where he was, unmoving.
His gaze fell on the empty teacup on the table. There was a bit of water left on the rim that hadn't dried yet, reflecting a faint light in the sun.
He stared at that water mark for a few seconds, then took a deep breath.
"Martha."
Martha, who was clearing the tea set, jumped, nearly dropping the teapot.
"M-My Lord?"
"That Eric just now—did you notice anything when he was drinking tea?"
Martha froze for a moment, thinking back carefully.
"N-Nothing special... he just drank tea normally," she said cautiously. "Is something wrong?"
Klein didn't answer.
He walked to the table and picked up the cup Eric had used.
There was a faint ring of moisture on the rim, but that wasn't what Klein was focused on.
He brought the cup to his nose and sniffed lightly.
A very faint fragrance.
It wasn't the scent of tea, nor was it the scent of roses.
It was the smell of a certain spice.
It was very faint, so faint it was almost undetectable. But Klein was very sensitive to such things—he dealt with alchemical materials year-round and his ability to identify various scents far exceeded that of an ordinary person.
This was...
Sea breeze grass?
Klein narrowed his eyes.
Sea breeze grass was a plant that grew on the reefs of the West Coast, often used by locals for incense or tea.
The scent was very light, with a salty, fishy smell of the sea.
But that wasn't the point.
The point was that sea breeze grass had a unique property—its fragrance would cling to the skin and take at least three days to completely dissipate.
In other words, Eric had come into contact with a large amount of sea breeze grass within the last three days.
And sea breeze grass was not easy to store... it was almost never seen inland.
Klein set down the teacup and tapped the tabletop twice.
Ophelia walked to his side and asked in a low voice, "Was he really just here to talk business?"
Klein shook his head.
He wasn't denying it; he just couldn't say for sure.
"I can't tell," Klein said. "This man hides himself very deeply."
He paused and added, "But one thing is certain—he has been to the seaside recently. And not just for a day or two; he stayed for at least a week or more."
Ophelia frowned. "Isn't the headquarters of the Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce on the West Coast? It's normal for him to have been to the seaside, isn't it?"
"It is normal," Klein said. "But the problem is, he said their chamber of commerce is currently expanding into the inland market. If that were true, he should have spent quite a bit of time inland. Yet the scent of sea breeze grass on him is so heavy..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.
Eric was lying.
He was either not expanding the inland market, or he had just rushed here from the seaside.
And regardless of which possibility it was, it showed that his purpose for this trip was not simple.
"Even if they come with ill intent, their little tricks won't come particularly fast," Klein said, his voice a bit deeper than before. "The Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce has deep roots on the West Coast, but that's not the case here. If they truly intended to act, they wouldn't be in such a hurry."
He paused and added, "But I can't say for sure. Be as careful as possible."
Ophelia nodded.
Raymond walked over from the corridor and stood before Klein.
His expression was more serious than usual, with a trace of gravity hidden in his eyes.
"My Lord, do you need me to investigate this Eric?" Raymond asked. "The inland branch of the Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce isn't that secret. I know a few people I can ask for information."
Klein looked at him.
Raymond's expression was calm, but there were things in his eyes that couldn't be hidden.
It was an alertness built up over many years, an instinctive reaction to danger.
Klein was silent for a few seconds before nodding.
"Go ahead," he said. "But don't alert them. If they really have some purpose, it's better not to expose it now. Also..."
He paused, lowering his voice even further. "Focus on checking if the Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce has made any big moves recently. Especially anything related to the West Coast."
Raymond's eyes sharpened, and he immediately understood Klein's meaning.
"Understood."
He nodded and turned to leave. His steps were quick, clearly eager to get to work.
Martha passed by carrying the tea tray, her footsteps making light sounds on the stone floor. She looked up at Klein, opened her mouth to say something, but ultimately swallowed it back down.
She simply cleared the tea set more carefully, afraid of making too much noise.
Klein leaned back in his chair, his gaze falling on the empty teacup on the table.
The water on the rim hadn't dried yet, reflecting the afternoon light.
The sunlight in the courtyard was wonderful, hitting the teacup and casting a small spot of light.
But Klein felt a bit cold.
He thought of the words Eric said before leaving—"I will visit again tomorrow."
This man would come again.
And he wouldn't just come once.
Klein closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He didn't know what Eric was actually trying to do.
But he knew that this matter had already begun.
And it wouldn't end easily.
The wind blew through the courtyard, and the petals of the roses fell with a rustle, drifting onto the stone path.
Ophelia stood beside him, her golden eyes fixed on the direction of the manor's gate for a long time without looking away.
Her fingers were still pressed against her waist; though nothing was there, the movement had become an instinct.
"Do you think..." she suddenly spoke, her voice very light, "could they be... coming for me?"
Klein opened his eyes and looked at her.
Ophelia's expression was calm, but there was something in her eyes he had never seen before.
It wasn't fear, nor was it tension.
It was a more complex emotion.
It was as if she were waiting for something, yet also confirming something.
"It's possible," Klein said, not denying it. "But they could also be coming for me. Or..."
He paused, his voice dropping another notch. "Or, they're coming for both of us."
Ophelia fell silent.
Her fingers tightened at her waist, her knuckles turning slightly white.
After a long while, she spoke, "If that's the case..."
"If that's the case, then we'll face it," Klein interrupted her, his tone still calm. "In any case, there's no hiding from it."
He stood up and brushed off non-existent dust from his sleeves.
"Let's go back and prepare. They'll be back tomorrow, and then... we'll deal with whatever moves they make."
...
After Eric left, Klein sat in the courtyard for a while.
The tea had grown stone cold, and the water mark on the rim of the cup glinted faintly in the sun.
He picked up the cup and took a sip, the bitter taste spreading across his tongue.
Worries were worries after all, and agonizing over them wouldn't solve the problem.
Klein set the teacup down and stood up.
The roses in the manor were in full bloom, and this season happened to coincide with the wheat harvest.
He no longer had the heart to continue with alchemy; he might as well go for a walk and see how the wheat harvest in the territory was going.
Just as he reached the courtyard gate, Ophelia's voice came from behind him.
"Where are you going?"
Klein turned his head.
Ophelia was wearing that pale gold dress, the silver thread patterns on the cuffs and collar shimmering in the light.
She stood there, her golden eyes fixed on him, with emotions hidden in their depths that Klein couldn't quite read.
"Going for a walk," Klein said. "To check the wheat fields."
Ophelia walked up to Klein, her pace slightly faster than usual.
"Take me with you," she said.
Klein was taken aback for a moment.
Ophelia's tone was calm, but he could hear her meaning—this wasn't a request, it was more like an insistence.
"Are you worried Eric will make a move?" Klein asked.
Ophelia nodded.
"Something is not right with him." She paused, her golden pupils narrowing slightly. "And... I don't want you going out alone."
Looking at her serious expression, Klein felt an indescribable sensation well up in his heart.
"I'm just going for a loop around the wheat fields, nothing will happen," Klein said.
"Then take me anyway," Ophelia said. "I... I want to see the territory."
As she said this, her fingers tightened slightly on the fabric of her skirt.
Klein looked at her.
Ophelia's expression was serious, her golden eyes devoid of emotional fluctuations, but that tiny movement had already betrayed her.
She was nervous.
Klein sighed.
"Then let's go together."
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