Controlling himself, Rafael followed the guard, breathing only through his mouth to avoid the stench, though it still made him nauseous. The spearman stopped in front of a house with brick walls and a tiled roof. It was clearly better built than the others, indicating it belonged to someone of higher importance. The guard knocked twice on the door, then stepped aside.
"You can go in," he said, looking at Rafael.
After nodding, Rafael stepped forward and pushed open the wooden door, entering a small room about 3x3 meters in size with a paved stone floor. A wooden pillar stood in the middle, supporting the roof. To his right, a tiny window allowed some light to filter into the dimly lit space.
A table with a candle on top and a chair stood next to the window. On the other side of the room was a small fireplace with some embers glowing faintly. Against the back wall was a small wardrobe, and beside it, another door. This door opened, and a man appeared.
He had dark brown hair, a square face with wrinkles, and a beard that made him look ten years older than he probably was. His muscular build and better-made clothes set him apart from the villagers.
"Welcome, sir. I'm Cenric, the leader of this small village. You are…?" Cenric observed the man before him.
Yes, these strange but incredibly well-made clothes, the book, and the fact that he's not carrying any weapon... he thought. Sigh. That farmer's run out of luck. He assumed Rafael must have enough money to afford guards, which explained why he didn't carry weapons.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Cenric. I'm Rafael, a merchant from the east." Rafael took a deep breath after greeting the man, relieved by the fresh air, though the smell lingered faintly.
He greeted me but didn't bow. Is his status higher than mine? Cenric wondered. Even if it's not, I better not offend him.
"A pleasure to meet you too, Rafael. First, I must apologize for one of my villagers' actions towards you. One of my guards was told by some kids that their father was fighting a bad guy in the forest. When he went there to help, the farmer, named Eadgar, was exiting the forest. After interrogating him, we learned that he attacked you. As a symbol of our friendship, we'll execute him for his wrongdoing if you wish."
Rafael, who had been enjoying the relatively fresh air, was jolted by that statement. Execute him? Why?... Well, he did attack me, but... nah, I already forgave him, and killing him won't bring me any benefits... or will it? Hm... no, what am I thinking?
"That won't be necessary. But it's true he attacked me, even after I said I wasn't a threat." Raising his hand, he showed the two arrows to the chief. "I don't like senseless killing, so I expect some other form of compensation."
"I have to thank you, sir, for sparing that worker's life. These are difficult times, and we're already short on hands for work. Of course, I'll still compensate you for what happened, but…" Cenric took the arrows from Rafael's hands and hesitated, frowning slightly.
"This is a small village, so we don't have much money. Forgive me, Sir Rafael, but 4 coins and 22 coppers is all I can offer. Any more would affect the survival of this place."
He could actually give a bit more.
Rafael stared at the man, considering his words. Well, any period before the 23rd century is difficult times. Now, 4 coins and 22 coppers? Is that a small sum? It seems like it. What else should I ask for?
Cenric, receiving no immediate response from the supposedly wealthy merchant, understood that the amount might seem insignificant to him. But he also knew how greedy people could be, especially those of high status.
"I realize it's not much, sir. Is there anything else you want from this humble and small village? I'll do my best to fulfill your request," he said, emphasizing the last words.
"Although I was expecting more, I'll still accept it. And there is, actually, something I need. I'll need a place to sleep, sir."
"Oh, that's no problem. A few days ago, Baron Floutt requested some men to receive training and help him defend the borders. Apparently, some savage people from the west have been trespassing our lands and even attacking caravans. Not that I'm saying you're one of them, sir! You're a respectable man and merchant," he quickly clarified, raising his hands.
"Anyway, we sent 35 men, and one woman because she was the wife of one of them and didn't want to be left alone here. So now there's an ownerless house you can use to stay in. However, I must apologize—it's a commoner's house, so it might not be up to your standards. Is that acceptable to you?"
"No problem at all…" At that moment, someone knocked on the door. "This is Guard Godric, sir. I have something urgent to report." Rafael glanced back at the door, then at Cenric, before stepping aside.
"You may enter. What's your report, Godric?" Cenric asked as the guard entered the house, looking slightly out of breath. "Me and two other guards went to where the farmer attacked Sir Rafael, and we found something strange. It's like a house made of metal and glass—something we've never seen before."
The guard had a bit of sweat on his face and looked tired from running. In truth, they had found it suspicious that someone suddenly appeared near the village, so a scout team was sent to search the area, fearing a possible hidden enemy using the merchant as a distraction.
"What? A house of metal? And glass? Let's go and see what it is. Sir Rafael, would you mind accompanying us to that place?"
Shit, Rafael thought. "Of course."