Chapter 43: Traveling Together and the Goblin Chamber of Commerce

"Hey, buddy, sorry about this. You can't ride a horse inside the Imperial City unless you hold the rank of Viscount or higher. It’s a shame I’m just a regular employee of the Night’s Edge; I haven’t managed to snag any titles yet." Wang Yu stood at the manor gate, patting Torret on the face.

"Hey, stop licking, that tickles." Whether or not it understood Wang Yu’s words, Torret rubbed its face vigorously against his, its large, soft tongue lapping at him until his face was covered in slobber and he couldn't stop squirming from the ticklish sensation.

"That’s enough. I have to go catch the Goblin Merchant caravan. Mira and Avia will take good care of you—it’ll be a much better life than running around fighting and killing with me. Don't get so fat you can't run by the time I come back to see you."

Pushing Torret’s large face away and giving his little bovine-steed one last affectionate stroke, Wang Yu sat down at the manor gate with his belongings on his back.

A month and a half had passed in the blink of an eye. Wang Yu’s physique was naturally robust, and with Avia and Mira casting healing magic on him daily right up to his body’s limit, he was nearly fully recovered after just over a month.

With the remaining time, Wang Yu spent his days telling Avia more stories about Earth, and he also had to figure out what to do with his pile of gold coins; he lacked the strength to haul such a fortune on a long journey.

He left these matters to Mira. She had arranged for the Goblin Merchant caravan to stop by, and today they would arrive to pick him up for the ride to the Royal Capital.

Torret was a creature of great intuition. Though it seemed reluctant to part with its master, it gave Wang Yu one last nuzzle before wandering off.

There was no need to worry about this horse with traces of dragon blood; from what Wang Yu had observed, the creature had nearly become the local tyrant of the surrounding forest lately.

Sitting atop his heavy chest of gold, Wang Yu looked down the road leading away from the manor. It was two or three in the afternoon, and the sun had lost the scorching intensity of midsummer.

Autumn had arrived early this year; the weather had turned cool a month ago. Now, with a light breeze and a sky full of clouds shielding the sun, Wang Yu felt quite comfortable.

He tossed a gold coin into the air, its golden luster looking particularly enchanting in the sunlight. The chest he sat upon held two thousand coins—dragging it here had taken every ounce of Wang Yu’s strength.

In the end, Wang Yu had left half of his gold with Mira. The manor required a significant amount of coin for its reconstruction, and he truly didn't need that much for himself.

Giving away two thousand coins was, in effect, securing a permanent place for himself at the manor. If he ever hit rock bottom, they certainly wouldn't turn him away.

Wang Yu wasn't just waiting for the Goblin caravan. According to Mira, while the Goblins could be a bit scatterbrained, their reputation for reliability was impeccable.

If they said they would arrive at four in the afternoon, they would arrive at four. There was no point in Wang Yu coming out early.

What Wang Yu was actually waiting for was the "little surprise" Avia had mentioned. A few days ago, the girl had mysteriously told him she had a surprise for him before he left, and Wang Yu was genuinely curious.

However, he wasn't the type to guess when someone told him not to, and Avia hadn't asked him to guess, so he didn't. With a touch of curiosity, he sat at the manor gate waiting for her.

Footsteps sounded behind him—light ones. He didn't need to turn around to know it was Avia. She was sneaking up on him, approaching with exaggerated caution.

It was pointless, of course; his omnidirectional perception had already spotted her. But since they were about to part ways, there was no harm in playing along.

Wang Yu didn't turn, keeping his eyes fixed on the distance. Avia crept up behind him, then suddenly leaped out from the side and shouted, "Surprise!"

"Ah!" Wang Yu shouted back with a completely deadpan expression, which startled Avia in return.

"Why did you yell so loud?!" Avia asked, looking a bit annoyed.

"Isn't it you who learned this so fast?" Wang Yu scratched his head. He had only told her the interesting parts of Earth, but to have her shouting "surprise" in English after only a few days—was she a prodigy? Well, she was a genius, so it was understandable...

"Because it's fun, hehe." The girl stuck out her tongue, looking a bit embarrassed.

Watching the girl who could now laugh and joke with him, Wang Yu nodded with a sense of relief. Avia was no longer the introverted, shrinking girl she had been; at least in front of him, she could let her guard down and show her youthful side. That was a good thing.

"So, where's my surprise?" Wang Yu looked at her, looking quite composed.

"This is it, surprise!" Avia struck the same pose she had used to scare him.

Wang Yu didn't speak, just stared at her. Under his gaze, the girl’s face began to flush, and her pose started to falter.

"Um, well... do you need an apprentice mage?" Feeling uncomfortable under his stare, she spoke up timidly. Her personality hadn't changed that much; she was still a little shy.

Wang Yu looked at Avia and smiled. "No, I don't."

"Oh?" The girl’s expression collapsed, her previously happy face turning pitiful.

"I need an Avia. Haha, just kidding. Welcome aboard." Wang Yu stopped teasing her and extended his hand in invitation.

"Yes!" The girl realized he had been joking and happily took his hand.

"Weren't you going to stay with your mother for a while?" Wang Yu asked curiously. He truly hadn't expected this to be the surprise; he had assumed she would spend more time with her mother.

"Oh? I did plan on that, but Mother seems to really encourage me to go out and see the world with you. Although, I do feel like she wanted to spend more time with me, too." Avia looked a bit hesitant.

"I feel like Mother is acting a bit strange, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Still, I'm very happy to be going to the Royal Capital with you, Wang Yu!" The girl seemed puzzled by her mother's suggestion, but she couldn't identify anything specifically wrong.

Though she was reluctant to part with her daughter, perhaps she wanted her to go out and gain some experience. Wang Yu nodded. Even if his intuition also felt something was slightly off, it seemed understandable enough.

Wang Yu had a favorable impression of Avia’s capable and sharp-witted mother.

The gold coins and the supplies had all been handled by her. While he knew a fair bit, he was an outsider when it came to the logistics, and Mira had managed everything with perfect order.

Still, in the days he had spent there, he hadn't seen anything suspicious. Vigilance was a virtue, but paranoia was unnecessary.

"It’s fine. I’d feel strange without you and Torret, too." Wang Yu shifted his weight, making space on the chest for Avia to sit.

"Really?" There was clear joy in the girl’s voice as she sat down in the space he had cleared.

Wang Yu looked at her and noticed that her attire was different from her usual dress; she was wearing a sharp, feminine gentleman’s suit.

A simple white shirt, well-fitted gray trousers, and her golden hair tied back in a ponytail. She clearly had prepared an outfit suitable for travel. Wang Yu’s verdict: she looked wonderful.

The two sat on the chest at the manor gate waiting for the caravan, looking for all the world like a pair of villagers resting by the roadside.

Before long, the sound of hooves and wheels clattering against the ground echoed in the distance. Wang Yu squinted; sure enough, the silhouette of a long caravan appeared on the horizon. It looked massive—at least a dozen carriages from this distance.

The caravan drew closer, moving at a steady pace. Amidst a cloud of dust, the line of carriages pulled up to the manor gate.

Wang Yu noticed the driver at the front was a massive Orc with thick hair and bulging muscles, looking quite fierce.

His expression, however, was quite friendly. With a crack of his whip, the two sturdy draft horses neighed and slowed the caravan to a halt.

Wang Yu stood up and walked toward him. The Orc looked at Wang Yu and bellowed in a booming voice, "Are you Mr. Wang Yu?!" His voice was rough, but his tone was polite.

"That’s me. I’m looking to deposit some gold and catch a ride to the Royal Capital." Wang Yu gestured toward the large chest beside the girl.

The Orc immediately slapped the side of the carriage behind him, his voice like thunder. "Mr. Elliott! Stop sleeping! Our big client is here!"

"Damn you, Eamon! Can you keep it down? I fell off my bed!" A shrill voice came from inside, and the carriage door was kicked open.

A small, yellow-skinned creature in a brown robe scurried out, ran up to the Orc named Eamon, and kicked his knee hard.

"Boss, the money." The Orc seemed used to it, and since the small creature couldn't possibly hurt him, he just pointed calmly at Wang Yu’s chest.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh! Right, our big client! Two thousand gold coins!" As if suddenly waking from a dream, the yellowish creature completely forgot about being shaken off the bed, rushed to the chest, and threw it open. It was incredibly fast.

The sight of the chest filled with shimmering gold instantly dizzied the small creature. Excited, it hopped onto the pile, picked up a coin, bit it, and let out a shrill scream: "It’s real! We’re rich this time!!!"

Wang Yu watched the yellow creature with interest. Its features weren't ugly, just a bit comical. It was much better looking than the Goblins he had heard of—the ones that were just as small but green. So, this was a Goblin?

Still, this style was exactly as Mira had described—scatterbrained. If he didn't know better, he would have thought this "Elliott" was planning to steal his gold to make a fortune...

But in reality, Goblins were known for their integrity, which was why the Goblin Merchant Guild was permitted to operate across all the major kingdoms—except, of course, for the Northern Barbarian Kingdom, where they would simply slaughter any passing caravan and stew them for meat.

"Ah, what are you looking at!" The Goblin noticed Wang Yu’s intrigued gaze, turned, and glared at him unhappily.

"Nothing, just think you’ve got the spirit of a merchant!" Wang Yu waved his hand.

"You’ve got a good eye! I, Elliott, am the top-tier figure of the Alastair Goblin Merchant Guild!" Elliott took the comment as a compliment and looked incredibly smug.

The burly Orc walked over and whispered something to the Goblin—though he clearly thought he was whispering, it was loud enough for everyone to hear. "Boss! We are the only Goblin Merchant Guild in Alastair, and that is Wang Yu! Don't offend him!"

The Goblin froze instantly, its yellowish face turning into a wide, ingratiating smile as it turned back to Wang Yu.

"Hehe, my apologies, big client! I didn't recognize you just now. I got a bit excited seeing so much money. If I said anything offensive, please forgive me!"

Wang Yu was a laid-back person; he shook his head to show it was fine.

"Good, good! I will deposit your money into our vault immediately. Rest assured, our Goblin Merchant Guild’s magic crystal cards are accepted everywhere!"

"You can spend it anywhere in the Royal Capital, and you can withdraw cash in every small town! Plus, we guarantee at least a five percent return every year!" Elliott smiled obsequiously and handed a black card to Wang Yu.

"You hulking brute, get to work! Move our distinguished client's coin into the merchant vault!" Elliot turned and landed another kick on Eamon.

"Yes, boss!" Eamon replied with a dull, vacant expression, then hoisted the crate and trudged toward the caravan.

Wang Yu took the black card Elliot handed him, examining its peculiar material; it felt like a shard of stone, yet possessed a strange, resilient flexibility.

He gave it a slight bend, and it snapped back instantly, adorned with a crudely drawn, exaggeratedly grinning goblin head that looked utterly out of place—as if Elliot had scribbled it on himself.

Stowing the card away, Wang Yu glanced at the path the orc had taken, where deep, heavy indentations marked the earth with every step.

Between the orc’s own massive frame and the weight of the gold, it was no small burden; Wang Yu himself would have had to drag it, yet this Eamon had carried it with ease, his strength clearly surpassing that of a formal knight.

"Heh, honored guest, do climb aboard the carriage; we shall be departing shortly." Elliot rubbed his hands together, a gesture Wang Yu found rather sleazy, though not entirely disagreeable.

"Very well. By the way, I have a mage companion traveling with me. I trust that is acceptable?" Wang Yu nodded, offering a polite inquiry.

"No problem at all! A companion of my honored guest is certainly welcome. Please, sit in my carriage; it is quite spacious." Elliot agreed without hesitation, his attitude beyond reproach.

"Let's go, Aivya." Wang Yu signaled to the girl, and together they stepped into Elliot’s carriage.

The goblin followed them inside, where the interior proved indeed commodious and meticulously crafted.

Several clean, neatly laid-out bedrolls covered the floor, and a small stove sat in the corner, its embers glowing with a muffled, steady heat that warmed a sliver of incense, releasing a soothing, tranquil scent.

"Ling'er grass?" Wang Yu sniffed the air, asking with a touch of surprise.

"Mr. Wang Yu, you recognize this? That oaf Eamon never sleeps well, so I keep some of this to help him rest. Ah, orcs—they are a costly investment." Elliot replied casually, clearly taken aback by Wang Yu’s knowledge.

Under the crack of Eamon’s whip, the lead horses pulled the caravan into motion, the rhythmic clatter of the wheels muted by the carriage’s excellent soundproofing.

Aivya leaned out the window, watching the manor shrink and vanish into the distance, her eyes filled with a palpable reluctance; she had not truly wanted to leave her mother’s side.

Wang Yu patted the girl’s shoulder to comfort her, and Aivya leaned against him, drifting into a state of quiet meditation.

As the carriage rolled further away and night began to fall, Elliot climbed onto a wooden board suspended from the wall and slumped into a deep sleep; Wang Yu noted it was held only by two ropes—no wonder he had fallen off earlier.

"Ah, boss, time to eat!" Eamon’s booming voice and a heavy thud arrived simultaneously, and with a violent jolt of the carriage, Elliot tumbled from his "bed."

"Thump!" Jolted awake and ready to curse, he caught sight of his guest and immediately stifled his temper, warmly inviting Wang Yu to join them for dinner.

Wang Yu and Aivya followed Elliot out of the carriage, where Eamon had already built a campfire and set a large pot to boil, the horses’ fodder already laid out.

Wang Yu walked over and accepted a bowl of thick stew from Eamon; it was a simple, salty blend of meat and vegetables, yet it tasted far better than anything Wang Yu could prepare.

Aivya sat beside Wang Yu, sipping her portion in small, delicate mouthfuls, while Elliot grumbled at Eamon for devouring half the pot himself, lamenting the orc’s bottomless appetite.

Suddenly struck by a thought, Aivya asked curiously, "Mr. Elliot, does your caravan have no guards?"

"We do, but there is no need for a bunch of useless trash. This big lug may be dim, but he has strength to spare; even a typical formal knight might not best him!" Elliot replied, patting Eamon’s rock-hard muscles.

"Besides, we have the finest elven ranger; with her around, nothing will dare ambush us." Elliot added with a smug flourish.

As he spoke, Wang Yu’s "Inner Eye," which he kept active within a five-meter radius, sensed an approach—a figure cloaked in shadow, pointed ears peeking out to reveal her elven heritage.

A cool, feminine voice drifted over: "Wenna, Ranger. Greetings."

The cloaked elf had approached in total silence; Wang Yu hadn't even noticed her until she entered his range, a testament to Wenna’s formidable stealth.

Though her voice and demeanor were icy, Ms. Wenna proved surprisingly rugged; she pulled back her hood to reveal the ethereal beauty of an elf, ladled a bowl of stew from the pot, and began to eat with hearty, unrefined gusto.

The group gathered around the fire, sharing a fine meal in a surprisingly pleasant atmosphere.

(The second volume has officially begun; the perspective will broaden, the character descriptions will deepen, and the story will grow ever richer.)