Zaun Estate.
It is another bustling morning for the peasants of Zaun estate. For them, this is just like any other day. The gatekeepers shall wait by the gate and receives the toll fee for the visiting merchants. The local butcher will see the livestock from the villages and work on them. The smiths will then start creating basic farming tools to sell.
For Zeraya, it is also the same for her. It is not her first time here. In fact, the Zaun estate is one of the places she and Wisley visit most often for various reasons.
"Wisley, you do your own thing, while I do mine. Get back here in the inn on time, do you understand? We will be staying here for a week, so you don't have to hurry to buy the things we need." She sternly reminds the merchant.
Wisley subserviently nods at Zeraya's words.
Zeraya leaves the inn, and only then did Wisley stop holding his breath. He cannot really get used to these elves, even a half-elf like Zeraya. Wisley doesn't really know their stories except for their desire for vengeance against humanity.
Wisley scoffs at this impossible hatred. There is no way all humans are guilty. Wisley hopes the elves don't push themselves on this insurmountable task anymore. As the way he sees it, the elves are slowly reaching the point of no return.
In his eyes, these elves are no better than becoming the next bandits. Though he believes that to be the case, Wisley knows better not to share his inner feelings. He was there when the female elves were violated by the bandits, and he did pity them, but the situation now is different.
Wisley is not an idiot. Buying the grains at a high price, and hoarding them is very unethical yet he has no choice but to do this as his crew and his only son are hostages to the elves. Wisley fears what the Elf King might have in mind. Wisley inspects the lacquered wooden box lying by the desk. Inside it is a 'Tobacco Coca' as the Elf King likes to call it. It is pure coca, and oftentimes, the King affectionately calls it just Cocarette.
Wisley recognizes the luxury goods to be of high quality as the King made him try one. Wisley is familiar with these smoking sticks as the empire also sells this kind of goods together with alcohol. But this Coca is different. It has that… pleasure unique to it. Wisley cannot pinpoint exactly what is the problem with this 'version' of smoking sticks.
He is a merchant and must just do what a merchant does. So, he sells.
In front of him seats the young son of Baron Zaun, Piven Zaun eagerly looks on his product. "Is this a high-quality Vorsce?" Piven eagerly mentions a certain brand of a smoking stick.
Wisley shakes his head. "Something better. In a month's time, this thing will push the most famous smoking stick in the market. Vorsce will be outdated anytime soon, and this is the future. Try one."
Wisley cuts off the head of the tobacco with a knife and shows the finely-grained leaves of coca. "Can you smell it? It smells good, right?"
Piven doesn't really know as it is his first time seeing a smoking stick. "How much?"
Wisley smiles as it seems that his advertisement manages to get through the young master of the Zaun estate. Just like that, the fish bites the bait.
"Take this box as a gift for the young master."
Piven takes a taste of the smoke. He puts it in his mouth, and then Wisley lights it with some sparking stones. Piven is very eager on trying to smoke. His older brother tells him stories of how he was able to taste one when he visited the capital.
With one good huff, he takes in the smoke in his lungs.
"Tomorrow then, young master. I will just be at the Boarhoney Inn if you need more." Wisley bids farewell to Piven leaving the young master to his own luxurious room.
Wisley leaves the Zaun manor peacefully like how he was able to get in. He bids farewell to the madame of the house who seems to very much appreciate the vases he sells to her at a discount. Much of the goods he is bringing from the empire are safely in storage at the former bandit village.
Now, he is using his goods to fund the war of the elves. Wisley realizes it too late that he cannot trust every story he hears. Are elves peaceful? Maybe… Wisley is not sure, as for 'warring', the elves' version seems quite peaceful to him.
Wisley recalls the many news of fallen families at the hands of angry demi-humans, and also the small skirmishes among the nobles. So far, the elves aren't making any big moves like mass slaughter or the like. Maybe, they are peaceful after all.
Night approaches and Wisley returns on curfew. He doesn't dare anger his half-elf overseer. But to his surprise, the half-elf didn't return to the inn. Only in the morning did Wisley see Zeraya again.
"How did you do?" Zeraya asks him plainly.
"I manage to sell my goods to the Zaun estate." He plainly answers.
However, there is this nagging feeling at the back of his mind. There is something he doesn't know, and something that Zeraya isn't telling him. Why are Zeraya so late last night? Why do they have to wait for a week here?
There is no use asking, but a creeping fear is knocking on Wisley's curiosity. It is tempting him greatly whether he should answer this curiosity or not. Wisley's eyes land on the other lacquered boxes of tobacco. Wisley recalls the King's specific instructions to sell this only to the Zaun estate.
The King even went as far as making Wisley promise to sell this only by portion to the Zaun estate day… by day… and not all at once. If Wisley fails to do so, the King promises him to kill his son last if he fails on doing what he is told.
Wisley continues on the second day idly passing up the time by reading a book in his room. Zeraya is gone again and is busy with her own thing.
Suddenly, knocking comes on his door. Wisley opens his door only to see the nervous innkeeper. "The young master of the Zaun estate wishes to see you… he seems annoyed."
Wisley is expecting this as that is how good the smoke he is selling. With already a box of coca, he makes his way to Piven. "Young master, I knew you would be back!"
"Tsk," Piven annoyingly smirks. "Just give me more of the smokes."
"It is a luxurious item, and it isn't even very widespread in the empire, so you have to understand…"
Cutting him mid-sentence is Piven's angry shouting. "Just give it to me!" He tosses the pouch of gold to Wisley. Counting a hundred gold, he nods approvingly and gives up the box of tobacco coca.
"It is ten gold a piece, young master. That box has 12 sticks in it. But since we are close friends, you can have the extra two for free!" Wisley recalls the King's words that his priority is selling the 'luxury goods' and not earning.
Piven clicks his tongue and digs from his own pockets and tosses another pouch of gold of over 20 gold pieces. "Take it. Your goods are that much worth!" He smugly smiles.
The cost of staying in the inn is just 7 silver pieces, and a gold piece is worth a hundred silver pieces. Wisley looks at his money and realizes selling these luxury goods can make him an easy killing.
Night once again claims the night, and like yesterday, Zeraya only returns to the inn in the morning. The two didn't even exchange simple dialogues, but just proceeds on their own tasks. It is still quite early and Wisley is thinking of even sleeping more as rarely he would have breaks like this.
The Elven King is working him like a slave making him go to places and buy stuff.
This is only the third day, and Wisley can still laze off.
Suddenly, knocking comes from behind the door again. The only difference is this time, it is so much earlier than the last. Wisley opens the door irate however he holds his tongue as he sees the person behind the door is not the innkeeper but PIven.
"Give me more boxes of that stuff! Make it double!" Piven seems to be full of energy, and his smile is quite vibrant.
Wisley gives a pair of boxes to Piven, and quickly, Piven gives him a pouch of gold worth the item. Now, Wisley is starting to fear whatever mysterious force that is driving Piven. Wisley gazes at more of the boxes hiding under his bed. Fear finally grips his heart in its bare form.
Perhaps, did the Elf King use black magic on these smoking sticks?
On the fourth day, Piven comes again at him begging to sell him more. Wisley sold five boxes.
On the fifth day, Piven didn't come anymore. Wisley imagines that he cannot finish all of those smokes. In fact, Wisley cannot even imagine Piven finishing a box whole by himself in a day! Wisley realizes his family members must also be using.
On the sixth day, something scary happens. The madame personally visits him near evening. She drags a rather beautiful woman by her side. The madame looks haggard and seems to be having a lack of sleep.
"Hello, there mister Wisley… Do you still have more of that coca?"
"Same price as always, madame…" Wisley tries to hide it, but it is scaring him. What in tarnation is in that smoking stick!?
The madame has a sleazy look on her face. "This here is my stepdaughter. She is beautiful, no?"
Wisley gulps at the temptation, but he is a hardened merchant through and through. "If you don't have any gold anymore, I can lend you some of my smokes. I would also like to barter if possible."
The beauty beside the madame shudders. The madame looks sullen. "I'd rather you accept this generous offer." The madame pushes her stepdaughter.
In the end, Wisley gives up under the pressure, surrenders the last of his tobacco, and spends the night with the stepdaughter of a noble. Wisley didn't touch the beauty, however, as he is a respectable gentleman of the empire.
"Sleep, I have no desire on touching you." He says concluding the matter at hand.
But the beauty doesn't seem to be so simple either. Wisley's neck is pouring with sweat as he senses the danger from the sudden shift in countenance from the woman.
"Who do you work for?" The beauty sharply asks.
"What do you mean?"
"Whatever you were trying to do, it is working…"
Wisley frowns. The night peacefully comes to an end as Wisley converses with the woman all throughout the night. He fears his new acquaintance, but not as much as he fears the enigmatic Elven King. Wisley starts having ideas of his own.
Maybe, this person is his only way out.
On the seventh day, Wisley with Zeraya hurriedly leaves the Zaun estate with all of the goods he manages to buy at a whole lot of discount thanks to the favor of the Zauns.
Wisley has a resolute gaze in his eyes as he leaves the Zaun estate.