The next morning, after a sleepless night, Lynn woke early. He casually picked up an ornate, empty box and tucked it into his coat before heading out the door.
Outside, in the spacious training grounds, the sharp clatter of weapons echoed continuously. Lynn glanced over and noticed that "his sister," Ivina, had been practicing there for quite some time.
The girl gripped a wooden sword, swiftly and precisely striking the vital points of the training dummy, each blow delivered without hesitation. Beads of sweat trickled down from her brow, slipping down her neck...
How diligent... Lynn thought to himself, but after last night's unpleasant encounter, he chose not to greet her. He walked past without a word, failing to notice that behind him, Ivina had stopped her rigorous training and was staring at him with a complex expression.
Why...
Why, after everything that happened, can he face me with such calm?
Ivina's face showed a trace of confusion, but as her father Pedro's words from last night echoed in her mind, her resolve hardened. She gripped her sword again and slashed fiercely, splintering the sturdy wooden target in front of her.
...
Lynn, having already left the mansion, was unaware of the events unfolding inside. After purchasing some necessary supplies at the market, he returned to the port shop he had visited the previous day.
"Welcome to Bill's... Oh, Lord Lott!" The elderly halfling greeted him as usual, but upon recognizing Lynn, he immediately rushed over excitedly. "About the shipment you mentioned yesterday, we can discuss it further... There's no better partner in all of Port Town than the *Ship's Crew*!"
Lynn didn't respond immediately. He leisurely glanced around the shop, then asked regretfully, "So? Mr. Laud still refuses to meet me?"
Bill quickly explained, "No, no, no, I'm sure Mr. Laud is very eager to meet you! But unfortunately, he's currently not in Port Town. Even with the fastest messenger bird, it would take several days to get a message to him!"
"If Lord Lott is concerned about safety, *The Ship's Crew* can offer goods of equivalent value as collateral!" The elderly Bill patted his chest with enthusiasm, making a dull thudding sound.
Lynn feigned hesitation, then finally waved his hand. "Alright, if that's the case, I suppose I can accept it..."
"Who's in charge of *The Ship's Crew* now?"
"That would be Rabur! Please wait a moment, I'll go get him..." Bill hurriedly ran out the door, called over a dockworker, whispered a few instructions, and then returned, eagerly pouring wine for Lynn.
Lynn took the cup but placed it aside without drinking, then pointed to a pile of iron barrels stacked in the corner of the shop. "What are those?"
"Just some worthless yellow ores dug up by a group of gold prospectors from a barren mountain near Port Town. They brought in a whole boatload of the stuff," Bill replied, sounding rather disheartened.
Usually, only herbalists buy this kind of thing, but this year the market for yellow ores in Vicniel is already saturated, meaning they'll have to store this stuff until next year to sell it.
"Lord Lott, if you're interested, I can offer it to you at cost—only nineteen copper pieces for a barrel. I hear it's effective for repelling insects!" Bill rubbed his hands together, eagerly promoting the sale.
"No, I'm just curious since I've never seen it before," Lynn replied nonchalantly, keeping his true intentions hidden.
As the two chatted, a tall, burly man entered the shop with a few assistants.
"It's an honor, Lord Lott. I heard from Bill that you have something important to discuss with me?" Rabur entered with a smile, his broad face creasing into a sincere grin.
"Indeed, I'm looking to rent a large ship to transport a very important shipment," Lynn said as he carefully pulled out the ornate box from his sleeve and placed it on the table. "This is a sample. I need a private place to discuss this with you alone."
All eyes in the room turned toward the small, exquisite box.
Bill speculated whether it contained some rare gemstone, but then dismissed the thought, considering that Lynn needed an entire ship to transport it.
Rabur, on the other hand, was much more serious. Unlike Bill, he had been with *The Ship's Crew* for over a decade and had occasionally handled some shady business for the nobles.
For example, the Duke of Nordland had been secretly exporting a highly addictive drug called *Soulweed*. If the Church were to discover this, the likes of them would surely be scapegoated.
Of course, high risks come with high rewards. If the cargo was successfully delivered, the earnings from one shipment would be enough to keep *The Ship's Crew* afloat for half a year.
"No problem! We can talk privately in the back room!" Rabur's thoughts raced, but he kept his smile even wider.
Lynn retrieved the box and followed Rabur out of the shop, crossing several streets until they reached an inconspicuous house.
Rabur, well aware of the importance of secrecy, had his men stand guard at the entrance while he led Lynn into a well-hidden basement.
The space was sparse, with only a few simple tables and chairs, but it was meticulously clean.
As Lynn inspected the room, Rabur grew increasingly confident in his suspicions and reassured him, "Please, have a seat, Lord Lott. This place is safe and quiet—no one will disturb us!"
"In that case, I'm relieved," Lynn replied with a smile as he pushed the box toward Rabur. "Take a look, and then we can talk."
With a mix of apprehension and excitement, Rabur placed his hands on the box, curious about what kind of contraband it might contain.
*Soulweed*? *Heimstone*? Surely it couldn't be an idol of some forbidden deity?
Rumor had it that the nobles in the western reaches of the Seikath Empire had a penchant for such occult items.
However, the moment Rabur opened the box, his expression froze.
The box was completely empty.
Was this a trick?
Rabur immediately sensed something was wrong and instinctively reached for the dagger at his waist. But it was too late!
The instant Rabur opened the box, Lynn had already switched to overload mode, swiftly grabbing Rabur's elbow and twisting his arm at the most precise angle.
With a dull pop, Rabur's arm was dislocated, and a wave of searing pain surged through his mind. Before he could cry out, Lynn's hand was around his throat, slamming him down to the ground...