I woke up the next morning. My body was far better than before and I even was able to stand up from the bed…for a second, before falling back.
I didn't resign and tried again…and again.
On the fourth attempt, I stood up by leaning on the wall.
There was a set of simple clothes which I immediately wore, mentally thanking John.
With some lingering fatigue, I exited the room.
John's house wasn't very big: four rooms of which two were for John and his daughter, one was a living room mixed with a kitchen and the last one was mine.
John wasn't at home, and only Elisa was looking at me with apparent wary in her eyes.
"John is…?"
"Daddy went out to buy some food. A merchant has arrived in the village."
"Thanks!"
I dragged my body outside wanting to ask a few things to the merchant.
The weather outside was gloomy with grey clouds covering the sky. It was going to rain.
Instinctively I went towards the center of the village where I also saw the biggest building.
I was right, in front of what I later discovered to be the house of the village head, there was a flashy carriage. In front of it, there was a stand with some miscellaneous things. I also saw John talking to another man. His attire was different from the villagers, so I assumed him to be the merchant. A few muscular guys were transporting wooden cases towards the warehouse.
As I went near them John noticed me.
"Good morning Eliot!"
"Hello."
John immediately introduced me to the other man who was silently observing me. I didn't like his gaze.
Anyway, I was right. He was the merchant Elisa spoke about.
"My name is Elija Markin. Nice to meet you! I heard that John found you in the forest and that you have amnesia. A very unfortunate situation, my friend."
I just nodded in response.
We talked for some time and seeing that I was slowly becoming paler and paler Elija said that he will depart tomorrow and invited me to share a drink with him in the evening.
As I had many questions to ask about the world, I was transported I readily agreed and returned to John's house.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
*Elija Markin POV*
"So, how much do you want?" – Asked Elija to the hunter.
John was looking at Elliot returning to the house. – "Well, he is skinny but the fruit he has apparently eaten in the forest cleaned his body and so his physique is bound to become better with some exercise. Maybe he will develop some magic power…10 golds should be just the right price in my opinion."
"10 golds?" – Elija raised skeptically his eyebrow. – "I don't know what he will become, and what talents he will eventually develop. What I see right now is a young skinny human without anything outstanding or even remarkable about him. His market price should be 1 gold. Ten times the market price…I wouldn't even call that an investment. Even the half-breads with powerful bloodline usually don't sell higher than 8 golds."
"My friend, I know the market price, but I am also sure he will have a few valuable points in the future. Can you take my word for this one?"
Elija scoffed. – "4 golds. Only because we've known each other for so many years."
"Deal." – Nodded John happily.
Elija immediately took out the promised sum and gave it to the hunter.
[…]
The old merchant looked somehow absent-mindedly on John's disappearing back. He was thinking about something else. 'Purple fruit…I must ask Carl about it. He is only a II Hex mage but still pretty knowledgeable. Maybe the boy has more value than it seems. Anyway, I must prepare a few things for dinner.'
He entered inside the carriage and started looking for something.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Evening.
I slept for a few hours and when I woke up it was already time to go out for "dinner" with the merchant.
Since I had nothing to prepare, I went immediately towards the carriage. Elija's guards set up a tent, and a small campfire was burning in front of it.
The old merchant sat in front of the flame and was slowly eating something.
"Oh, my friend, welcome!" – He greeted me. – "Come here, sit." – He passed me his jug of wine.
I took a sip.
The wine was good. A little bit too sweet, but still fine.
"I have a question." – I started. – "Can you please tell me something about the Fregas Kingdom. I remember nothing, but maybe you could help me recollect something from my past."
Elija smiled and nodded. – "Sure. Our kingdom appeared, like many other kingdoms, after the split of the Koti Empire."
"Koti Empire?"
"Yes, it fell a hundred o so years ago. Before that, it covered most of the continent. Then due to many reasons in less than one year it was destroyed and dismantled and most of today's kingdom appeared from the ashes of the empire."
The merchant took out another jug and sipped the wine. – "Fregas family is relatively ancient and was famous even in the former Empire. Our current King is Edmund Fregas III. The only notable thing he has done was declaring war against the Val Federation and slightly pushing our borders."
While he was talking, I found out that I have underestimated the strength of the wine he offered me. My eyes became heavy.
"…another interesting point was the huge re-emergence of slavery which was completely legalized and even the King himself is the biggest slave trader on the market."
He paused and looked at me. I remember some fleeting pity in his dark eyes.
My head was spinning. I tried to stand up, but my legs were so numb that I immediately fell to the ground.
"You know, even without any memory I am surprised that you have so much trust towards the strangers…"
He took another sip and called to his guards. I didn't manage to hear completely the next words, but it was something about "taking candy from a baby".
Everything became black and I lost consciousness.