Tenfold

Merchants.

Ever since she arrived in this world, she hadn't actually done anything to the merchants.

Yet, she had always kept a close eye on them.

They were a group of people who could prosper a nation if used well, but destroy it if handled poorly.

They possessed no personal power or fiefs, and their individual strength was no different from an ordinary person's.

Before a true master, they could be easily crushed.

However, this very group held wealth enough to turn the world upside down.

Most merchants were profit-driven, often discarding their morality when faced with gain.

This was a dangerous situation.

Like the secret dealings in Moonrise City before, some would even take desperate risks for profit.

Crucially, merchants and nobles in this era were almost inseparable.

Most merchants operated under the names of nobles.

By holding a noble title, they could enjoy certain tax exemptions in other regions.

Furthermore, the prestige of a noble title discouraged bandits from targeting them.

Of course, this didn't mean these merchants were truly helpless.

While they lacked personal strength, the money in their hands wielded a terrifying power.

With that wealth, they could hire the strong.

Luo Li recalled what she knew of the merchants of this era as she walked toward the East Market.

As she drew closer, the noise grew louder.

The East Market was divided into several streets.

Goods were categorized by the street they were sold on.

After all, this was the capital of the Kingdom of the Moon, and a year ago, the city planning had been quite thorough.

Arriving at the East Market, she looked up.

Other streets seemed deserted, only the rightmost street, the one closest to the southern end, was teeming with people.

The noise was deafening.

"Your Highness, for safety's sake, please wait here for a moment while I scout ahead," Hilda suddenly stepped forward to block her path.

Luo Li glanced at Hilda and hesitated.

Indeed, she didn't know the situation inside yet.

Above all else, she valued her own life.

She preferred to stay out of chaos whenever possible.

After all, she was a girl now.

Even if she didn't lose her life or get hurt, being groped in a crowd would be incredibly unpleasant.

'Ah, being a woman is such a hassle. If I were still my old self, I wouldn't have hesitated for a second and would have charged straight in to see what was happening.'

"Go then. Be quick, and remember not to reveal your identity."

"Understood."

Hilda nodded, pulled up her hood, and walked into the East Market.

Luo Li watched Hilda leave.

At the entrance of that street was a large plaque with the character for 'Grain' clearly displayed.

This street was dedicated to selling food.

Looking at the entrances of the other streets, different characters were displayed.

Some were marked with 'General', some with 'Jewelry', and others with 'Weapons'.

Even a stranger to Brilliant City could find what they needed without a guide.

It was quite convenient for the public.

Standing at the entrance of Grain Street, Luo Li casually glanced behind her.

Sure enough, not far behind, several people stood out.

It wasn't their appearance or clothes, but the way they subtly formed a protective circle around her.

In the shadows of a nearby alley, she could see figures moving.

Truly, there was no real freedom for her once she stepped out.

But that was to be expected.

She was the ruler of a nation now.

Every move she made affected the country's affairs.

No wonder the ancients always spoke of a 'body worth a thousand gold'.

Experiencing it now, she truly understood what it meant for one's weight to be worth more than gold.

After waiting for about five minutes, Hilda still hadn't returned.

Luo Li looked toward the street entrance with growing impatience.

From her position, she could see the sea of people surging.

Even at the entrance, a steady stream of people kept pouring in.

It seemed the crowd was only growing.

Luo Li stood there, and while she couldn't count the exact number, it was obvious that many were going in, but few were coming out.

They entered in groups but left in trickles.

"What is Hilda doing? Why is she so slow?"

Luo Li frowned at the Grain Street plaque, and seeing this, Nara hurried forward.

"Please calm your anger, Your Highness. Sir Hilda is likely caught in the crowd. I'm sure she'll be out soon."

Nara pulled a small square wrapped in parchment from her sleeve.

She carefully unwrapped it and offered it to Luo Li with both hands.

"Your Highness, this is a milk candy. Please, try one."

Luo Li looked down, and though she was annoyed, she couldn't vent her frustration after Nara's gesture.

She took the candy and popped it into her mouth.

Mnh... it was quite sweet.

Another five minutes passed before a figure squeezed out of the crowd.

The process was clearly exhausting.

The street was becoming increasingly packed.

Since more people were entering than leaving, the crowd naturally swelled.

The street's capacity was limited.

If this continued, something bad would happen.

"Your Highness, my deepest apologies for the delay."

As a Guardian Knight, Hilda wasn't actually stuck, but she needed to investigate while following Luo Li's order not to reveal her identity or use force.

She also feared her brute strength might injure someone.

"No need for excuses. What's the situation? Why are so many people going in but so few coming out?"

Luo Li spoke somewhat indistinctly, her jaw working on the candy.

It was a bit sticky.

Hilda responded without hesitation.

"Reporting to Your Highness, though I only took a brief look, only two of the ten grain shops are currently open. Furthermore, the prices are exorbitant, and the transaction speed is incredibly slow. It seems they are intentionally dragging their feet."

Intentionally slowing down meant the shop owners were clearly manipulating the rhythm.

Were they trying to make people believe the food supply was dwindling?

"I see. Have our people arrived?"

"Not yet, Your Highness. Should I go urge them?"

Luo Li looked up at the 'Grain' sign.

"Hilda, have your men blockade the entrance to Grain Street. Arrange for the other end to be sealed as well."

"Yes!"

Hilda replied and immediately turned toward the nearby alley.

Soon, several knights in silver armor ran over.

At the valiant girl's command, the knights responded instantly.

With a wave of a hand, over a hundred more silver-armored knights emerged from the corners.

In the blink of an eye, the street was blockaded.

Now, Luo Li was no longer in a hurry.

Being anxious was useless anyway. Rushing in now might provoke the merchants into doing something desperate.

They might incite the crowd or cause a riot.

A stampede of this many people would be disastrous, and dozens could easily be crushed to death.

"Find me a chair. We'll wait here."

A knight quickly brought a chair, and the girl sat right at the street's entrance.

"Hilda, notify Dominica to have her men completely seal off the East Market. From this moment on, not even a mouse is allowed out without my command."

"As you command!"

Hilda turned and gave a look to a knight, who understood immediately, mounted a horse, and galloped away.

Luo Li sat calmly at the entrance.

Time ticked by.

As some citizens finished buying their grain and walked out, they were frozen in place by the sight of the mass of bright silver armor at the entrance.

"Sir Knight, what is...?"

One of the braver men stepped forward and asked with a hint of terror.

In this era, knights were beings ordinary people could never afford to offend.

Though knighthood wasn't hereditary, their status was equivalent to nobility.

To these commoners, nobles were beings to be looked up to from afar.

"By order of the Saintess, the East Market is blockaded. No one leaves without authorization!"

The knight replied coldly, while the others remained silent.

A row of nearly a hundred knights stood there in unison, clad in silver armor and helmets, their swords planted in the ground as they faced the East Market.

It felt like they were on the brink of war.

Many people were terrified.

"Let him pass."

Just as the crowd was looking at each other in fear of what might happen next, the girl sitting on the chair suddenly spoke.

The people didn't know what to make of it, staring blankly at her.

They expected the knights to ignore a woman, but to their surprise, the knights immediately opened a path.

"Anyone carrying a bag of grain is also to be let through."

"Yes!"

The knights shouted in unison.

The crowd stared at the girl, and a dead silence fell over the entrance.

Someone in the crowd muttered something.

"Silver hair? The Saintess... she has silver hair, doesn't she?"

Although the girl was draped in a white cloak that hid her clothes, her bright silver hair was unmistakable.

Though she sat there quietly with her eyes closed, anyone who looked closely could see the female knight standing beside her, radiating an aura of natural authority.

Many hearts trembled.

No one knew what was happening, but there was no doubt that a silver-haired girl who could command knights so easily could only be one person in the Kingdom of the Moon.

Instantly, countless people lowered their heads, none daring to speak loudly.

They instinctively opened their grain bags for the knights to see.

Once confirmed to be flour or rice, they hurried away.

Throughout the entire process, not a single word was uttered.

After all, such a personage was right before them.

No one dared to make a sound.

Those behind them followed suit.

As a result, more people left, but no one was allowed in.

Bit by bit, the street began to clear.

Hilda reported on Dominica's progress.

"Your Highness, the entire East Market has been blockaded. No one will escape."

Currently, the only way out of the East Market was the entrance near the Central Square.

All other exits were sealed tight.

Luo Li sat there calmly, her eyes scanning the crowd before she suddenly pointed.

"Bring that man here."

"Yes!"

The knights quickly brought the man over.

He looked at the knights flanking him with pure terror, clutching his bag of grain.

"Sir Knight, I... did I do something wrong? Why are you seizing me?"

The knight didn't respond. When he reached the girl, he looked up at her, appearing confused.

"You? Did you call for me? May I ask, young lady, is there something you need?"

Luo Li looked at him, the dark expression on her face vanishing instantly.

To her subjects, she had to remain kind.

Only then was she a Saintess.

"Hello, sir. I apologize for the sudden interruption. My name is Luo Li, and I hold the position of the Saintess of the Moon."

"The... the Saintess!?"

The man froze for a moment, then, as if suddenly remembering something, he moved to kneel.

"No need to kneel. Just stand and speak."

Luo Li raised a hand as if to help him up, though the man knelt before standing back up.

His face was filled with a mix of reverence and confusion.

"Saintess, may I ask why you've called for someone as lowly as me?"

The man was utterly bewildered. He never imagined his first close encounter with the Saintess would be here in the East Market.

Nevertheless, he looked at her with pure devotion.

This was the one who saved Brilliant City, the one who led the army to victory on the Demon Island!

But seeing her now... she didn't quite fit the image in his head.

If it came to fighting, this seemingly fragile girl couldn't compare to the imposing female knight beside her.

The girl smiled, her presence as refreshing as a spring breeze. Her kindness allowed the man's fear to gradually ebb away.

"Mnh, it's nothing major. I just wanted to ask: how much did you pay for this grain? Is it more expensive than usual?"

The man blinked, looked down at the bag in his arms, and then back at the girl.

Realization dawned on him, and he nodded vigorously.

"Yes, it's much more expensive... no, not just 'much', it's 'vastly' more."

He hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"Saintess, in the past, a pound of good rice was only three to five copper coins. Even the cheaper stuff was only two."

The man set down the bag and opened it for her to see.

"Look, Your Highness, this is the worst rice I've ever seen. It's full of sand, yet they're charging twenty copper coins a pound."