Chapter 111: [Trouble Is Coming]

“Sir, your behavior seems a little inappropriate. We were here first.”

One of the men watched as Xia Ya cut in, a trace of displeasure appearing on his face. He was around thirty, somewhat short and lean, though sturdily built. He wore a winter fur coat and an emerald ring on his thumb. The mustache above his lips was neatly trimmed, but his eyes were rather gloomy.

Xia Ya glanced at him and laughed. “We’re all travelers here. Since you seem unwilling to take the room despite having reserved it, why not let me have it instead? There are only three of us, so one courtyard will be more than enough.”

With that, Xia Ya gave Soyt a meaningful look. Soyt immediately produced a gold coin from inside his coat and tossed it to the innkeeper. The innkeeper caught it with both hands, his face lighting up with delight, and was just about to agree when he noticed the extremely dark expressions on the faces of the Landisians nearby. He hesitated.

“Sir.” The other of the two Landisians negotiating with the innkeeper spoke up. He wore a genial smile, and his round, plump face gave him an amiable air. He was more finely dressed than the lean man beside him; beneath his fur coat showed the collar of a silk tunic, and he held a riding crop, which he swung casually as he smiled.

“In any case, we were the ones negotiating first. We have rather more people, so this courtyard is a little too small for us, but we did reserve it first. We merely asked the innkeeper to find a way to clear out two more rooms. Why don’t you look for another establishment?”

As he spoke, he reached out and lightly took the gold coin from the innkeeper’s hand. His movement appeared casual, but was astonishingly swift. With a quick pinch of his fingers, the coin was already in his grasp before the innkeeper had recovered. Still smiling, he slipped it back into Soyt’s hand.

Xia Ya’s heart stirred with curiosity. That fellow was remarkably nimble when it came to handling money. If he took up thieving, he certainly wouldn’t starve.

Xia Ya snorted and coldly sized up the two men. He had never held Landisians in particularly high regard. Frowning, he looked at the innkeeper.

“It’s your establishment. What do you say?”

Seeing Xia Ya and the others dressed in finery and spending money so freely, the innkeeper naturally wanted to rent the rooms to them. But the Landisians had strength in numbers, and he did not dare offend them. For a moment, he found himself in a difficult position.

Just then, two of the tall Landisians seated nearby rose to their feet. Anger showed on their faces as they gave a heavy snort and deliberately shouldered their way toward Xia Ya.

“Where did you crawl out from, you bastard? Don’t you know the rule of first come, first served?”

As he spoke, one of them reached out to shove Xia Ya. Xia Ya had spent many years making his way through Wildfire Town; what sort of arrogant bully had he not encountered? Laughing inwardly, he deliberately stood still and allowed the man’s hand to strike him in the ribs.

The man shoved with all his strength, but Xia Ya remained as immovable as a rooted tree.

“Can’t you speak without getting violent?” Xia Ya laughed.

He casually seized the man’s wrist and gave it a light twist. The man let out a shriek as Xia Ya bent his wrist backward, forcing him to drop to his knees with two cries of pain. Xia Ya did not stop there. With another gentle push, he sent the man staggering backward onto a stool.

Turning his head, Xia Ya stuffed the gold coin back into the innkeeper’s hand.

“That settles it. I’ll take the courtyard.”

Seeing how brazenly he had acted, the remaining Landisians flew into a rage. They slammed their hands on the tables and rose to their feet, glaring furiously at Xia Ya.

Xia Ya was utterly unafraid. He merely wore a cold smile, a murderous glint flashing through his eyes.

The two leaders of the Landisians, the fat man and the lean man, exchanged a glance. The lean one shouted, “What are you all standing up for? Sit down!”

The fat man looked at Xia Ya, hesitated for a moment, and finally said, “Very well. Since that is the case, we won’t argue with you. We’re all traveling far from home—for profit, not anger.”

The man had managed to swallow his temper. Xia Ya could not be bothered to waste words with them. He strode straight inside, while behind him Soyt and Dodoro called the innkeeper over to help arrange their belongings. They also summoned the inn’s stable hands to lead their horses around back and feed them properly.

Although the Landisians were furious, their leader had spoken, and they could only endure it. When the fat man saw the stable hands leading Xia Ya’s horses away, his eyes immediately lit up.

Warhorses were naturally quite different from ordinary mounts. There were even military brands on the horses’ hindquarters, which anyone with a little experience could recognize at a glance. Moreover, the stable hands were struggling to carry Xia Ya and the others’ luggage. The bundles were heavy, and as they were moved, they gave off a distinct clinking sound. Clearly, they contained either ironware or something like armor.

Thinking of Xia Ya’s skill just moments earlier, the fat man immediately concluded that the other party was most likely connected to the Byzantine army.

The two men exchanged a glance, then walked back to their companions. Among the Landisian warriors sat a young man in his twenties. His clothing was no different from that of the others, but as he sat there, the surrounding men seemed to have gathered around him, placing him subtly at the center.

The two looked at him without saying anything. The young man smiled faintly and nodded. They understood at once.

“Let’s go.”

At that moment, the innkeeper came over. He had already tucked away the gold coin Xia Ya had given him, and his face was full of delight, though his eyes held a sly glimmer.

“Gentlemen, the city is currently holding its founding celebration, so I’m afraid every inn in town is already full. Even if you try elsewhere, you may not find a place to stay. Well… if you don’t mind, there are several rooms behind the inn. They’re a little run-down—originally they were used to store firewood and miscellaneous goods—but if you don’t object, I can have someone clean them out immediately. It would still be a hundred times better than sleeping outdoors. I see you have several wagons of goods as well. The courtyard is just large enough to accommodate them. As for the price…”

The lean man immediately flew into a rage.

“Why didn’t you say that earlier? Were you deliberately making fools of us?”

The innkeeper had held back the information only to manipulate the situation and raise the price. That was simply another trick of the trade. Now that he had mentioned it, he naturally intended to make whatever profit he could. The generous gentleman’s gold coin had already been an excellent gain, but no one ever complained about having too much money. If he could earn a few extra coins from several firewood sheds, so much the better.

The fat man tugged at his companion and glanced toward the young man surrounded by the warriors. The young man said nothing, so the fat man replied, “Very well. Have them clean the rooms thoroughly.”

He took out two silver coins and placed them on the table.

“And send some food over as well.”

The innkeeper snatched up the money and hurried away in delight.

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The courtyard Xia Ya rented was fairly clean and refined, and the furnishings inside the rooms were quite decent. After resting for a while, he went out into the courtyard to look around.

The courtyard was not large, and the surrounding wall rose only to about the height of a man’s face. Next door stood what had originally been the inn’s woodshed and storeroom. It had now been emptied, and the Landisians had moved in. Their courtyard was somewhat larger. Several large wagons had been pushed inside, loaded to the brim with goods. Wooden barrels and crates were tightly bound together and covered with great tarpaulins. The Landisians were busy leading their horses away.

Xia Ya could not help laughing at the sight. He had never expected those Landisians to move in after all—and become his neighbors.

A little later, the fat man among the Landisians emerged from one of the rooms and spotted Xia Ya standing on the other side of the courtyard wall. He was stunned for a moment, then immediately put on a smile and approached.

The two men nodded to each other across the wall. The fat man beamed as if he had completely forgotten the earlier dispute over the rooms and casually made conversation.

“Sir, are you traveling as well? May I ask where you came from?”

“The north,” Xia Ya replied vaguely, then asked in return, “You’re Landisians, aren’t you?”

The fat man laughed heartily. “That’s right. We usually come by sea.”

Xia Ya narrowed his eyes at the several wagons in the other courtyard and pointed at them.

“Are you a merchant caravan? Where are you taking the goods?”

The smile on the fat man’s face became the standard smile of a merchant. He answered amiably, “We’re from the Galunus Merchant Guild. We’ve acquired a few goods this time and are preparing to transport them south. Sigh, we’re only earning a little hard-earned money. Otherwise, who would be willing to travel about in such a cold winter?”

Xia Ya nodded. “The Galunus Merchant Guild. I’ve heard of it.”

He remembered that there had been a Galunus shop in the Black Street of Wildfire Town. The guild was quite famous across the continent.

The fat man seemed very skilled at dealing with people, and his smile grew even more enthusiastic.

“My name is Guro. I’m only a minor steward. May I ask how I should address you? Looking at you, I’d say you possess the bearing of a military man.”

“My name is Xia Ya,” Xia Ya replied casually. “I’m heading south as well.”

Perhaps because of Ruel, Xia Ya felt a little more favorably toward fat men.

“Then you must be a general in the army.” Guro deliberately flattered him with a smile. “I’ve traveled far and wide myself. Judging by your attire, bearing, and manner, you must be no ordinary man. If fate allows us to meet again, I hope you’ll look kindly upon us.”

“I’m no general,” Xia Ya said, shaking his head.

A gleam of satisfaction flashed through Guro’s eyes. Xia Ya lacked experience in such matters. He had merely denied being a general, without denying that he was a soldier.

Guro became even more certain that Xia Ya’s identity was extraordinary. Not a general? In the Byzantine army, how many men dressed and carried themselves like him? And those fine horses of his—unless one held a rank equivalent to a general, who else could ride such mounts?

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Xia Ya returned to rest.

Guro also turned back. His room had already been cleaned. The lean man stood respectfully to one side, while a young man dressed in ordinary attendant’s clothing sat leisurely nearby, holding a bowl of hot tea and sipping from it.

“Did you find out?” the young man asked, setting down the bowl.

“Yes. That fellow is indeed from the Byzantine army. His name is Xia Ya, and it should be his real name.” Guro bowed slightly as he answered. “Judging by his clothing and manner, his rank is probably quite high.”

“Xia Ya…” The young man frowned in thought. Suddenly, his eyes shifted. “Wait. I’ve heard that name before. Could he be the fellow who caused such turmoil in the Byzantine military command a while back? I heard he even made Hastings suffer on the battlefield. If we’ve really run into him, that would be rather interesting…”

The lean man lowered his voice. “Well… since we’re traveling this time, it would be best not to invite trouble along the way. Your identity is noble, and before we reach Osgilia, we really should avoid unnecessary complications. Whether that man is a general or something else, I think…”

“Foolish.”

The young man shook his head and lightly spat out the rebuke. The lean man hurriedly lowered his head, his expression respectful.

The young man continued, “Have you forgotten the purpose of our journey? Since such a good opportunity has presented itself, and if this man truly is the one who caused such a disturbance in the Byzantine military command some time ago… Hmph. If he really is that fellow, then he may be heading to Osgilia just as we are. This is too good a chance to waste. We should make more of an effort to associate with him. We may even obtain some of the information we want.”

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Nothing noteworthy happened that night.

Early the next morning, Xia Ya rose and finished washing under Dodoro’s care. Soyt had already prepared the horses. Just as Xia Ya was about to leave and stepped into the courtyard, he saw that the Landisians next door were also ready to depart.

The fat man, Guro, greeted Xia Ya across the wall, then called out warmly, “General Xia Ya!”

Xia Ya stopped and frowned. “I’m not a general. Don’t call me that again.”

“Heh, I’ve always been good at judging people. With your bearing, even if you aren’t one now, you certainly will be someday.” Guro wore such a genial smile that Xia Ya found it difficult to reject him outright.

“We’re heading to Osgilia. If it’s convenient, why not travel together? We’re all far from home, and it’s always better to have company.”

Xia Ya was about to refuse, but Guro quickly continued, “For merchant caravans like ours, the greatest fear on the road is running into trouble. With your bearing, you must be a mighty warrior of the army. If a hero such as yourself travels with us, we’ll feel much safer. Please take it as a shameless request on my part—with your protection, we should be able to reach our destination safely.”

Put that way, Xia Ya found it difficult to refuse. His nature was one that yielded to kindness but not force. When others acted arrogantly, he became even more overbearing; when they pleaded with him politely, he softened.

After thinking for a moment, Xia Ya said, “Very well. I’m going to Osgilia as well. It won’t hurt to travel together.”

The two parties then set out side by side.

The Landisians had six large wagons loaded with goods, more than a dozen Landisians riding alongside them, and several teamsters and other laborers from the merchant guild. Altogether, there were only twenty-six people. With Xia Ya and his two companions joining the caravan, they were quite conspicuous.

The lean man never spoke to Xia Ya. He rode far away with the other Landisians. Guro, however, was a straightforward and sociable man, and traveled alongside Xia Ya and the others.

He was not exaggerating when he said he had traveled far and wide. His conversation ranged across the world, and there seemed to be nothing he did not know. He was eloquent, constantly recounting strange and interesting stories he had encountered during his many years of travel.

Xia Ya listened with great interest. When he was young, he had loved sitting in the taverns of Wildfire Town, listening to passing merchants chat and wandering minstrels tell stories. This journey seemed to fulfill a long-held wish of his.

By the end, he felt that Guro was truly a remarkable man. Serving as a steward in a merchant guild seemed almost beneath his talents. If he had made storytelling his profession, he could probably have earned a fortune.

“Speaking of which, one year I accompanied a caravan to the Chaotic Lands in the northeastern part of the continent. Ah, that journey was dangerously close to disaster. We accidentally entered the territory of the elves. If they had been ordinary elves, there would have been no trouble. Elves are gentle and kind by nature. Unfortunately, the ones we encountered were a group of fallen dark elves.

“Those creatures were like ghosts in the forest. Hidden among the trees, they ambushed us twice. The mercenaries we had hired suffered heavy casualties, and some of them were even captured by the fallen elves. Fortunately, we encountered several druids passing through, and they helped us find a way out…”

“And then there’s the Wildfire Plains! I once led a team to the villages of the Zaku natives, trading ironware for their tobacco. That tobacco was truly something special—the finest quality. A single gram was worth its weight in gold!

“Did you know? Those natives look little different from us, though they still live like savages, eating raw flesh and drinking blood. But the tobacco can only be grown in the valleys beside their villages. The natives dry and crush the leaves, then roll them in whole tobacco leaves…”

Guro gave a lecherous grin.

“Heh, those tobacco leaves are rolled by the young Zaku women, rubbing them along their bare thighs! Their girls are extremely tempting. Years of labor give them a sun-bronzed complexion, healthy and full of vitality. They usually wear no long garments, only short tops and little leather skirts, leaving their arms and thighs bare. And those slender waists…”

He sighed dramatically.

“Back then, several of us nearly drooled ourselves dry just looking at them.”

As he spoke, Guro watched Xia Ya’s eyes carefully. Sure enough, a look of longing appeared on Xia Ya’s face, and he seemed even to swallow once.

Damn it. I spent so many years in Wildfire Town, but I never actually visited the territory of the Zaku natives. I heard they were even more closed-off than the dwarves. If I’d known what their women were like, I would have slipped in there long ago to take a look.

Seeing the longing in Xia Ya’s eyes, Guro felt a hint of contempt, but the smile on his face grew even more enthusiastic.

This young fellow seems terribly innocent. It probably won’t be difficult to take advantage of him.

Riding behind them, Dodoro caught the strange look in the fat man Guro’s eyes and sighed inwardly.

That fat man is going to be in for a bad time.