The Southeastern area is a very crowded place, full of merchants coming even from outside the kingdom. The most popular trade is by ship given the large shipboard is almost always crowded.
Thus, foreign merchants are no odds.
And the ironically, the noble that headmasters that region, Earl Arinton, is not the slightly interested in trades, especially with foreigners. The Earl instead run a separate paper company while leaves handling the merchants to his oldest son.
Earl Arinton is as known, a normal man without any suspicion going around him. His file is clear.
After reading all the information in the public's hand about Earl Arinton, Rivan turned his head to the window where the breeze blow by his face in an inn located near the shipboard.
He looked back to ask Nile and Elora.
"What do you think?"
The butterfly maid was the first to answer. Her tone was practical and analyzing.
"He has a good cover. It isn't odd for the Lord of a region to not be involved in its work however, the Earl having no contacts with the foreign merchants is a point to look at."
Elora spoke while tapping on a certain paper.
"As a businessman, Earl Arinton has to at least deal with the paper merchants to receive materials and sell his goods. Yet, there aren't even records of those trades. He only sells inside the Teasel kingdom. And as for his material resources, they are unknown. All records about his work are almost nonexistent, as if they were erased or hidden."
Nile on the other hand looked carefully at the Earl's file before adding to her words.
"That could be the case however, there are other ways to trade without records."
Elora, who understood the meaning of his words, narrowed her eyes.
To make a trade, merchants have to seal their deals in the guild. Without a record, the trade is never existing or...illegal.
A corner of Rivan's mouth rose as he concluded.
"Trades with the underworld leaves no records."
"That is the case."
Rivan closed his eyes, looking deep in thoughts, yet he started speaking after a few moments.
"Earl Arinton runs a paper company. He's known as an honest man who doesn't deal with foreign merchants yet his paper business is running well. If he hides his trade records, then it's either he has unwanted information about those trades to leak to the public, ruining his image."
Elora pointed at this matter.
"If I may, Master Rivan."
Rivan nodded in approval, still closing his eyes, and so Elora spoke.
"Erasing trades records is possible but in Earl Arinton's case, that would be unwanted. If he has hidden deals, then the leftovers should be found after a thorough investigation."
Rivan smirked before opening one eye to look at her. Even with a single eye, the Heliodor glimmer could be clearly seen.
The young Duke said with an amused tone.
"There should be no problem if you handled those investigations, right?"
Elora smiled confidently. She bowed with elegance as she answered.
"Without doubt, Master Rivan."
Rivan closed his eye again and proceeded speaking.
"If hiding his trades isn't the case, then we are left with the trading with the underworld."
Rivan opened his eyes and looked at Nile. The blue bird said sharply.
"In that case, there is one man who knows the underworld trades more than its king himself."
The only one who's information network and influence would surpass that of the underworld region's king.
"Merchant of the underworld, Johan Lauzin."
Johan Lauzin, merchant and consultant of the underworld of the entire Teasel Kingdom.
There isn't one known to hold a higher reach to all the underworld deals and trades more than him.
The corners of Rivan's mouth turned up slowly as he spoke with a interest.
"There's a lot of faces to meet and things to investigate. But there shouldn't be a clearer fact than the calling miserable children."
The young Duke turned towards Elora.
"Elora, start investigating any possible hidden fact about Earl Arinton. All his minor trades and whereabouts. His schedule and close partners. Any move is needed."
"As you order, Master Rivan."
Elora answered immediately and without a single heard sound, the blue butterfly left the chamber.
Rivan spoke to the gray bird.
"Nile, prepare for meeting the merchant of the underworld. It doesn't matter what it take to meet him. Use my title If needed."
"Yes, Master."
Nile bowed before walking out of the chamber.
Who was left is the young Duke with darkened eyes.
He could hear it.
More clearly than ever, the pleads and cries of young children craving for anyone, anything to save them.
The miserable children are so close begging for his help, the only person who could hear them.
Rivan thought. There's nothing he wouldn't do to answer those pleads. He will find them and reply to their request. No life should matter as long as those children are no more miserable.
As the Duke of Whishipper, it is craved to his very existence to avenge them.
Until then, their pleads would accompany his mind every single moment.
*****
Just as the normal merchants have their guilds that keep order to trades, the underworld merchants has their own rules.
And the only person who could be said to equally stand as the king of the underworld, is the one that makes and keeps those rules.
The man to plays with the stings of every trade and deal, has one of the widest information network.
And that man, Johan Lauzin, has found an interesting thing.
"Ho?"
The merchant of the underworld exclaimed with surprise and amusement.
He took a breath form his long pipe, letting the smoke dance in circles in front of his aqua blue eyes.
He looked at the man before him as he smiled, his eyes like a crescent moon.
"You say that the Duke who came back from the dead is hanging around this area?"
"Yes. A lot of people have recognized him. His looks are known to every curious eye. And his two weird high class maid and servant are with him too."
The smile on Johan Lauzin's face became thicker. His voice low and exited as he whispered like he's speaking to himself.
"Is it a rotten fruit that fell on my field or is it a magic bean~"
Johan Lauzin smoked another breath. Then, he ordered the man.
"Watch him."
"Roger."
The merchant of the underworld has found an interest in the reviving Duke.
End of chapter 21.