At the gates of Jile City,
Chu Yan stood for the third time, accompanied by Shanaoya and Janet.
The first time was upon his arrival, the second was to welcome the executioner, and now, he awaited the appearance of traveling merchants to procure their goods.
Traveling merchants, essentially middlemen, traverse various locales, purchasing a myriad of items only to resell them elsewhere for profit.
In a grand city like Longyan City, one might witness caravans of these merchants during the harvest season.
However, in a remote place like Jile City, such visitors are a rarity, with perhaps only one or two traveling merchants making an appearance.
A lizard dragon descended from the sky, its wings stirring the air and tousling the hair of the three companions.
A female elf leapt gracefully from the dragon's back, her slightly orange-red hair radiating an ageless vibrancy, save for the exceptionally aged. The pointed ears were a hallmark of her elven lineage.
"Ah! It's my first time at the borders of the Sea of Death, and to be greeted with such warmth! Hello, Janet, and who are the other two beside you…?"
Chu Yan offered a brief introduction, ensuring to include Shanaoya.
However, he merely stated their identities without delving into the recent changes in the Sea of Death, deeming it unnecessary to elaborate extensively.
The elven woman enthusiastically extended her hand for a handshake:
"Ah, so you are the new lord and the castle's new member Shanaoya! I am Oga, a traveling merchant and... a knight."
Chu Yan perceived the pause in her words, and with a smile, remarked:
"Did you mean to say 'dragon knight'?"
Oga laughed awkwardly:
"Visiting the realm of dragonkind, one must choose their words carefully. So, what fine goods do you have for me today?"
Among merchants, there exists an unspoken understanding, and Janet wasted no time in presenting the spoils they had recently acquired, including monster cores, leathers, and teeth—typical specialties of the Sea of Death.
After assessing the items, the elven woman declared:
"Two hundred and sixteen gold coins—do you have any objections to this price?"
Chu Yan had previously instructed Janet to handle the sale, and she showed no intention of renegotiating.
This was indeed a commendable price; after all, few traveling merchants were willing to venture into the Sea of Death.
Were it not for Oga, the dragon knight, whose primary business involved weapons, schematics, and weapon materials, she likely would not have come to the borders of the Sea of Death at all.
Janet shrugged: "Agreed."
"Haha! I appreciate your forthrightness, Janet. By the way, I am tasked with inquiring about any unusual weapons you might possess."
"What do you mean?"
Chu Yan raised an eyebrow, pondering whether news of the Sea of Death's armaments had spread so quickly.
"In the Crystal Great Forest, the elven royalty has issued a procurement notice. They seek odd and rare weapons, and we merchants of elven descent are merely amplifying the call."
I see, Chu Yan thought, releasing a sigh of relief and shaking his head:
"In a region as resource-poor as the Sea of Death, where would we find surplus weapons to sell? The frontlines are in dire straits."
"I understand. The living conditions here are indeed harsh, but there remains profit to be made."
Chu Yan found himself in agreement with the elven merchant's assessment.
The materials sold earlier were accumulated by Janet, alongside a few recent acquisitions from the impoverished district by the coast.
While fortunate to have procured quality materials, they represented a month's worth of harvest, and it was a no-cost venture.
Two hundred and sixteen gold coins meant the impoverished district would receive around fifty coins, sufficient for them to lead a better life.
In previous times, the income from clearing debris would have mostly filled the pockets of the Sea of Death's nobility, who would occasionally indulge in external pleasures—an annual tradition to avoid accumulating unspent wealth.
Chu Yan discussed his plans for attracting investment, inquiring whether she had connections to establish a shop in Jile City for the continuous procurement of materials and the development of complementary consumer facilities—akin to a commercial district.
The elven woman's response was one of contemplation: "I will need to consider it."
This reaction was understandable, for such an investment ought to be placed in a stable and prosperous environment.
Indeed, the Sea of Death harbors considerable wealth, yet for years, no external shops had taken root; the conditions speak volumes.
Furthermore, the wealth rests firmly in the hands of the nobility, while the local residents possess very little. One could only ascertain that... the investment holds substantial "potential."
"By the way, my lord, I recently acquired a peculiar item outside; it could be deemed a blind box. I shall present it to you as a gift for a loyal customer."
Oga retrieved an aged, finely crafted box from a sizable pack on the dragon's back. The lock was rusted, bearing the unique magical aura of the Sea of Death.
Such "blind boxes" typically have lost their keys, forcing merchants to forcibly break them open, leaving them unaware of the contents within.
Yet, amidst the rust on this box, Chu Yan could faintly discern the emblem of the Sea of Death.
Shanaoya noticed this detail:
"Could it be an heirloom of the former lord, pilfered and sold off by the nobility of the Sea of Death?"
Chu Yan jestingly remarked to the elven merchant: "Thank you! I hope it does not contain any personal effects!"
After concluding their sales, the group began to indulge in purchasing from the elven merchant, promptly spending a considerable sum of the newly acquired gold coins.
Janet even presented a list of purchases, many of which were requests from her "cellmates," who preferred to remain indoors.
Janet and Shanaoya each selected items such as meats, vegetables, fruits, and wines.
Shanaoya, relatively quiet, contemplated which of the recently purchased ingredients Chu Yan would prefer—vegetable soup or meat steaks?
Tonight's dinner presented an opportunity to enhance their meals, especially after lamenting the meager offerings of the Sea of Death that morning.
These were exquisite ingredients, indeed hard to procure in the Sea of Death.
Janet, holding a sizable piece of meat steak, invited:
"My lord, shall we have a barbecued feast to celebrate?"
Her intention was clear: to gather everyone in the courtyard for a communal barbecue.
But just as Janet finished speaking, she keenly sensed Shanaoya's subtle glance, igniting her playful spirit as she teased:
"Oh? Did Shanaoya and the young lord arrange a dinner beforehand? But the celebration will lose its charm if it's held after the anticipated time. Shanaoya, do be accommodating!"
This statement carried some ambiguity; she intended to imply "Shanaoya, postpone your plans so we can all enjoy the barbecue tonight," yet framed it as "Tonight, I shall invite the lord while Shanaoya steps aside."
Chu Yan caught the insinuation and looked at Janet with confusion, only to find her discreetly winking at him.
Shanaoya glanced at Chu Yan and noticed him exchanging glances with Janet, feigning indifference as she replied:
"It's not as if we had a prior arrangement. You may do as you wish."
...
By evening, Janet was already grilling meat in the courtyard.
Given the limited space for the impoverished district's residents, she allocated some of the meat to them, permitting them to cook for themselves.
As the first batch of meat neared completion, Janet turned to Chu Yan, who was assisting nearby:
"Lord, could you call Shanaoya down to join us for dinner? I'll try to gather a few more people as well."
"Sure."
With that, Chu Yan promptly ascended the stairs to his room.
Upon opening the door, he discovered Shanaoya stomping on berries in a basin, deep purple juice spilling over her delicate feet.
She was trampling with fervor, subtly exuding frustration.
Chu Yan blinked and inquired:
"Shanaoya, what are you doing? After all the effort to procure these fruits, why are you crushing them?"
"They were purchased for that very purpose! How do you brew fruit wine without crushing them? Is there a problem with that?"
Though her words were assertive, the underlying emotion hinted at something amiss.
Chu Yan sat beside her:
"Couldn't you let me have a few berries before you crush them...? Are you upset because Janet invited everyone for a barbecue?"
The female knight twirled her fingers through her hair, continuing to crush the berries, and nonchalantly replied:
"No, I have no reason to care about who can or cannot dine together."
Chu Yan nodded in agreement:
"Indeed, there's no cause for unhappiness. No matter the situation, Shanaoya shouldn't feel offended at being invited to dinner downstairs. It simply means pushing tonight's planned meal until tomorrow!
Let's go downstairs for meat; it's already grilled, and we risk waiting if we delay further."
At that moment, Shanaoya realized her misunderstanding; her expression stiffened awkwardly as she questioned, devoid of emotion:
"Are you two deliberately teasing me?"
"Not at all! Did you misunderstand some strange implication?"
Regardless of the circumstances, Shanaoya could discern that he was feigning ignorance and teasing her, which only deepened her embarrassment.
To mask her discomfort, she picked up an uncrushed berry with her toes from the basin and indignantly declared:
"Didn't you just say you wanted to eat berries? Here's one more. Go ahead and eat it!"