73 - The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

Chapter 73: The Merchant Guild of Death The Merchant Guild of Death. A newly established guild in Noktar, it has been making bold moves since its inception. The beginning was marked by the absorption of the Nightly Gathering's Duke, a popular tavern in Noktar. A central hub where the city's information and connections intertwine, the Merchant Guild of Death took control of its information network and began dominating both commerce and intelligence. This allowed them to stay one step ahead of competing guilds. The second move was the full support of Baron Bardelli. First, they sold the collections stored underground by the Desert Rose Guild at a high price to gather funds, and then they constructed a building on the site where the Desert Rose had stood. Additionally, through Baron Bardelli and his connections to Narsha, entry into noble society was made possible, bypassing the time and expense usually required for a guild to trade with nobility. This enabled them to establish favorable relations and secure transactions with the nobles, eventually dominating not only the upper class but also the markets throughout the city. Of course, at this point, any guild somewhere on the continent could achieve the same. However, Narsha was competent, and the Merchant Guild of Death had a business strategy that was unmatched by anyone else. Elves. It wasn't merely about having elves entertain with drinks. That was only to garner initial attention. What piqued Narsha’s interest were the elves' spirits. The spirits embody the power of nature. While they are formidable in combat, when examined closely, they are optimized for agriculture. Spirits of prosperity enrich the soil, and water spirits bring rain. A vast farmlands were created on what was once a barren Noktar. The slum inhabitants, who roamed the back alleys, were provided with jobs, and money fitting for their work. With money in their hands, the market economy was revitalized. Noktar began to come alive. And no one was happier about this than Baron Bardelli himself. “Hahaha! Who would have thought my territory would brim with such vitality. Lady Brianne, it’s all thanks to you. My judgment was never really that dull after all.” “It’s nothing, really.” “No need to be modest. You accomplished something even my father and grandfather could not. Count Brion has raised an excellent child.” The baron's smile grew as wide as it could. He had been enjoying every day recently. Unlike the baron, who was laughing so hard his mouth hurt, Narsha showed no reaction. “Lady Brianne. Have you thought about what I asked you to consider last time? Have you given it some thought?” “Yes.” “Well? Will you meet my son?” The Baron Bardelli had two sons and a daughter. In comparison to Narsha, a daughter of a count’s family, they were lacking, yet they were quite handsome. One never knows with relationships. It would be good if it worked out, but if not, it’s simply unfortunate. “I must decline. I have no interest.” “Hoho, my sons indeed lack compared to the lady, but hearing you reject so decisively still pains me as a father.” “I apologize.” Despite the implied meaning of 'Isn’t that a harsh thing to say?’ within his words, Narsha only apologized without correcting him. Her unchanging and expressionless gaze was directed at the horizon. As if to imply he was wrong for making such a proposal. The baron had nothing to say. Narsha might not have a title yet, but he was the lesser party. It was Narsha providing her services, and if she left, it would be the baron facing the loss. “My lady, you’re taking it too seriously. I was just joking. Just joking.” The baron chuckled heartily and tried to brush it off. Narsha placed her teacup down and stood up. “Are you leaving already?” “I can’t leave my position for too long.” “I’ve kept the guild head for too long it seems. Have a safe journey back.” Narsha, who was leaving the VIP room, paused. Baron Bardelli tilted his head. “Is there something wrong?” “I am not the guild head. The guild head is someone else. I am merely acting as their substitute for a while.” With that cryptic remark, Narsha left the room. Once Narsha had departed, Baron Bardelli exchanged glances with his secretary. “Does the Merchant Guild of Death have a separate guild head?” “I’m not sure. This is the first time I've heard of such a thing.” If not Narsha, then who could possibly be the master of the guild? Who could be such a formidable person that even a count’s daughter and elves follow their lead? Narsha's explosive revelation left the baron pondering deeply for quite some time. *** “You're back? You’ve worked hard these past two weeks.” The location once occupied by the Desert Rose Guild. Where the Merchant Guild of Death now stands. Narsha was greeted by Arpia as she returned to the guild. Narsha had only just come back from a business trip to secure deals with another city for the guild’s affairs. “Did something unpleasant happen?” “The baron asked if I’d meet his son.” “That sounds like a good idea. Why not marry him? I can bring the elves and spirits to bless the wedding. Just leave the guild to me.” “No thanks. If I leave the guild to you, it’ll be destroyed in a day.” “That would be a shame.” Crunch. Arpia chewed on her cookie as Narsha gave her a once-over. She was sprawled lazily on the sofa, munching on grain cookies like an idle layabout. While someone was busy working all day, another was just lying down, unmoving. “Aren’t you doing any work?” “You told me not to.” Arpia was truly terrible at anything work-related. Everything she touched ended up in shambles, so much so it wouldn’t be odd to call her actions those of Midas. Thus, most management duties fell on Narsha. Having been educated from a young age and with her inherent talents, Narsha managed to keep things from falling apart—more than could be said for others. They’d probably have failed long ago. Within the guild, the only person Narsha could rely on was Victor. His experiences in life and his skills as an innkeeper were gold. In Narsha’s meticulous eyes, his abilities were more than acceptable, which is why Victor became the guild's manager. Contrarily, Arpia was… better left unspoken of. Her staying calm was already a form of help. "By the way, Arpia, didn’t I leave about two weeks ago? It seems like you were in the same position then." "That's right. I haven't moved an inch." "Does that mean you haven’t bathed since then?" "Elves are different from humans; we don't need to bathe often. Our natural scent is always pleasant, and if we get dirty, the water spirits can clean us." Even as she said this, Narsha’s furrowed brow remained unsoftened. She looked at Arpia as if viewing something unclean. Sometimes personal impressions precede the truth. Narsha pulled Arpia along. "Come on. Let's go get you washed." "Ugh, it’s such a hassle. I’m really clean, you know?" "Just come with me. It's more because I feel lonely bathing alone." *** Within the guild was a large bathhouse. Since all of the self-proclaimed servants were women, it was decided that they might as well build a large bathhouse to bathe together. However, it was excessively luxurious for a mere bathhouse. Angel sculptures adorned the space, the flooring was marble, and luminous stones sparkled on the ceiling. It rivaled the baths of palaces. As someone from a prestigious family, Narsha was meticulous about such details. As a noble, certain standards could never be compromised. “Sigh…” Narsha submerged herself in the bath to her shoulders. The feeling of the travel’s fatigue melting away naturally drew out a sigh. It wasn’t just a feeling. The bath, empowered by the water spirits, had extraordinary benefits. Not only did it relieve fatigue, but it also promoted health. The water she soaked in could even be safely drunk. It was, in essence, holy water. In many meanings of the term. "Hmm~ Hmm~" Arpia leaned back against the edge, enjoying her bath with her back exposed. It was as if she was flaunting the brand on her back to someone. Narsha understood that she was that someone. Even an elf like Arpia’s beauty was beyond the reach of mere sculpture. The brand on such a body might have seemed a blemish, but to Narsha, it wasn’t. In fact, she sometimes felt her own unbranded body appeared insignificant by comparison. ‘Should I ask the master to brand me too when he comes?’ Of course, Arpia’s brand was to suppress her pain, but Narsha was unaware of those details. As Narsha carefully observed Arpia's bare figure, her eyes caught sight of the bandage wrapped around Arpia's arm. “Arpia, are you hurt?” “Mm?” “You’re wearing a bandage.” “Oh, this?” Arpia checked her arm, a sly smile appearing on her face. “It’s a secret.” Narsha couldn’t fully grasp the secret. Yet, she vaguely caught a flicker of darkness in Arpia’s eyes. *** After a long-awaited bath, Arpia returned to her room and lay on her bed. A clean body truly did feel good. And unlike before, she felt no pain. The spirits that once raged uncontrollably were now completely subdued under Arpia's will. She was finally free from pain. Yet, Arpia couldn’t help but feel regretful. She unwrapped her bandage. Revealing multiple scratches on her alabaster arm. Each one resembled a claw mark. Hoping that if she suffered and got injured, he might return sooner, if only a little. And that he would come to check on her, comfort her, care for her... The more pain, the longer he would stay by her side. Until she was completely healed, she wouldn’t let him leave. He couldn’t possibly leave. Therefore───── ‘I’ll suffer eternally, and he’ll stay by my side forever.’ Harboring such a wish, Arpia etched another scar onto her body, wearing a faint smile. 피폐너무좋아 2024.10.02 23:42 신고 Secret View Comment 0 로리는죄인가 2024.10.02 23:49 신고 Secret View Comment 0 피폐너무좋아 2024.10.02 23:47 신고 Secret View Comment 0 럭키아이스 2024.10.13 16:01 신고 Is it possible for me too? 0 피폐너무좋아 2024.10.13 16:45 신고 Secret View Comment 0 럭키아이스 2024.10.13 16:49 신고 Secret View Comment 0 피폐너무좋아 2024.10.02 23:48 신고 Secret View Comment 0 TunaK 2024.10.02 23:52 신고 Secret View Comment 0 Manasky 2024.10.11 20:53 신고 Teacher, me too!! 0 피폐너무좋아 2024.10.11 21:01 신고 Secret View Comment 0 Cowe 2024.10.17 16:52 신고 Please, count me in!! 0 준식준식 2024.11.04 01:24 신고 Forgive me, but could you share with me too....... 0 피폐너무좋아 2024.11.04 07:04 신고 Sorry everyone, if you reply here, I can't reply back... 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