HTLCCBFT Chapter 22

Has The Lord’s Career Chart Been Filled Today? – Chapter 22

Of course, even if everyone else had forgotten, Oliver could never forget.

On the twelfth day of summer, when the Summer Market was held, the first to arrive in Laina City was the Nisse Merchant Caravan from the neighboring Gregor City.

The two merchants at the forefront were naturally the most conspicuous in the entire caravan: not only because they rode at the very front, but also because their horses were the most robust, and they wore beautiful garments embroidered with exquisite patterns.

The two were of similar age and had strikingly similar facial features, clearly indicating a blood relation—not to mention they deliberately sported identical bushy beards.

Though the early summer noon was already sweltering, they still wore beaver fur hoods purchased from Mediterranean merchants, adorned with ten pearl-like white grains.

Their light green cloaks draped over their shoulders, and beneath their brand-new breeches, their tightly fastened leather boots were impeccably clean, with soles so finely stitched that no seams were visible, barely even stained with mud.

They were the owners of this caravan—the brothers, Nisse and Niel.

“If it weren’t for the rumor that Laina City has a new duke as its lord, and after our last experience selling goods by that shit river, I really wouldn’t want to come to this godforsaken place.”

Nisse wiped the thin sweat from his forehead and complained to his younger brother: “Besides, the people there are getting poorer, barely able to afford food, let alone having spare coin for our goods. Last time, out of the six cartloads we brought, we only managed to sell one! And even that was all bought by that lord.”

They were fortunate to have arrived early enough to receive payment from the haughty steward—according to merchants who came later, their goods were all purchased on credit by that nobleman, and with the previous lord’s sudden death, there was no hope of ever collecting.

What stuck most vividly in Nisse’s memory was how, since the market was held by the stench-filled shit river, their goods inevitably absorbed the foul odor, which lingered for a long time without fading.

The brothers were somewhat renowned in the southern part of the kingdom, operating mainly as itinerant fur merchants around Gregor City.

Their primary goods ranged from the most common rabbit pelts to fox and squirrel furs, which were quite popular among the minor nobility. These smaller pelts, versatile for use in various parts of clothing, brought them substantial profits with each sale.

Of course, the downside was obvious: even in Gregor City, widely regarded as the largest city in the south, the demand for such goods wasn’t high—at least, not enough to satisfy the brothers.

Rather than paying exorbitant rents to set up a fixed shop in the city, they preferred to spend their time on the dangerous roads.

From early spring to late autumn, the Nisse caravan traveled between different towns, rushing from one market to another.

Their profits were greatest when their goods were constantly on the move.

Even these well-traveled brothers, long accustomed to the hardships of the journey, were still haunted by the conditions in Laina City.

In terms of distance alone, the road to Laina City wasn’t particularly far for them.

But whether it was the abysmal road conditions or the desolate, uninhabited stretches where supplies were impossible to obtain, these were reasons merchants generally avoided Laina City.

“Haha,” Niel said, finding humor in their misery, “Relax a little. At least we don’t have to worry about running into bandits on the road.”

Nisse twitched the corner of his mouth: “That’s because Laina City is too poor—even bandits can’t be bothered to come!”

Regardless, they had learned their lesson well this time: before setting out, they streamlined their caravan, bringing only three carts of goods.

If not for hearing from a trusted friend that the new lord of this seemingly cursed city was the Angel Duke—who had recently lost in a political coup and was subsequently exiled from the royal capital by the new king—he wouldn’t have made this trip at all.

The reputation of the Angel Duke was far too prominent; even they, who typically operated only in the southern regions, had caught whispers of it. Though what they heard was limited to how much the old king doted on his youngest son, the rare treasures bestowed upon him, or his angelically beautiful appearance.

As profit-driven merchants, Nisse and Neil naturally had no interest in how handsome a man might be.

What truly captured their attention was… “His Grace, who has enjoyed the king’s favor for so many years, must have deeper pockets than the previous lords, even after being driven from the royal capital.”

Holding onto this hope, they nervously urged their servants and drivers onward, the wheels of their cargo-laden carts slowly grinding over the uneven, muddy road toward the distant castle and clock tower now visible on the horizon.

The first surprise for Nisse and his companions was the two young men in light armor standing before the familiar, weathered city gate.

“Does Laina City finally have guards?”

After a brief moment of astonishment, Nisse quickly found it reasonable.

Impoverished Laina City, unless hosting its seasonal grand market, was usually beneath even thieves’ notice. Over the past year, it had cycled through lords like a cursed revolving door, leaving internal management in chaos. No one would bother stationing guards at a gate where no one ever came.

Now, however, the only duke in the entire kingdom was in residence.

That kind of noble—born with a silver spoon, looking down on everyone—would never forgo such formalities, no matter how fallen his circumstances.

The two guards, who had been pulled from training under Knight Captain Noel just ten days prior and were now temporarily on duty, showed no surprise at Nisse’s arrival.

Though the experienced merchants could easily spot their awkwardness and nervousness, the guards still carefully inspected their identification documents before allowing them entry.

“I thought His Grace stationed guards at the gate to collect an entry tax,” Nisse murmured to his brother. “I never expected they wouldn’t ask for a single copper coin!”

Neil chuckled cheerfully. “It seems His Grace doesn’t care for such petty change.”

“That might not be a good thing,” Nisse said with a serious expression. “Let’s hope he doesn’t disdain the goods we’ve brought, either.”

Once the city gate opened, another surprise awaited them: the former “mud path,” trodden solely by foot traffic, had been replaced by a neat, wide gravel road stretching toward a garden filled with golden-yellow flower heads, appearing as a brilliant, sunlit patch from afar.

“Incredible,” Nisse widened his eyes, initially not thinking the flower garden had any relation to his business, merely assuming…It was a garden specially opened by pleasure-seeking nobles: “This is the first time I’ve seen such huge flowers! They must be exotic seeds purchased from beyond the sea.”

Over the past decade, he had visited Laina City at least once a year, and while not intimately familiar with it, he had a general impression of the place.

However, the situation in Laina City was not so much unchanging as it was deteriorating—fields overrun with weeds, foul-smelling ditches, dilapidated houses, and sallow, emaciated citizens. As a result, merchants willing to do business here had become increasingly scarce, further cutting off Laina citizens from contact with the outside world.

“If I’m not mistaken, the Duke has been in Laina City for less than a month, hasn’t he?” Though he had seen cities ten times more magnificent and opulent, Nisse was still astonished by the short-term changes: “This should be good news for us. He might be willing to take a look at our goods—Hey, Neil, look! What is that?!”

As the carriage drew closer to the flower garden, the brand-new appearance of the houses scattered across the fields gradually came into view.

“The slaves are all building new houses! Don’t they need to work in the fields?” Nisse exclaimed in surprise.

“Though they’re just using some charred wood, it looks quite decent! Oh, oh, my God! How are their corn plants already about to ripen so quickly?!”

Even though Nisse’s family had been merchants for three generations, he was not so ignorant as to be unaware of the typical growth cycle of common crops.

Corn, for instance, required at least three to four months to mature!

Yet, spread out before Nisse’s eyes were vast fields of corn, already tasseling and filling with kernels, on the verge of ripening!

“Am I seeing things, Neil?” Nisse couldn’t help but dismount and step into the cornfield himself, staring wide-eyed as he confirmed the state of the corn. “How is this possible?!”

“Take your hands off the corn, merchant!”

A voice, steady and forceful in tone but blunt in wording, suddenly rang out from nearby.

Nisse instinctively withdrew his hand.

With just one glance toward the source of the voice, his heart tightened, and he immediately bowed without hesitation. “My deepest apologies, sir.”

The one who had just reprimanded him for his rash action was a tall, imposing young knight, clad in brand-new armor that clearly came at no small cost.

Most importantly, the scabbard of the sword he carried was engraved with an intricate shield emblem bearing an inscription.

—This was a knight of noble birth.

The knight frowned slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping over Nisse before relaxing a little. In a deep voice, he explained, “These crops were sown with seeds bestowed by God and personally planted by the esteemed Duke. They are not to be touched carelessly.”

Nisse, still bowing respectfully, was about to beg for forgiveness again when he was startled by these words.

“Sir, did you just say…” Nisse involuntarily lifted his head, stammering as he asked, “These were planted by His Highness himself? The Duke?”

After receiving a solemn nod of confirmation from the stern-faced knight, the shock of “the lord personally tilling the land and planting crops with his own hands” struck Nisse profoundly. The shock in that moment far surpassed even the miraculous sight of “God-given seeds” and corn nearing maturity in just half a month!

Before the dazed Nisse and his companions could collect themselves, the knight cast a calm glance at the stunned coachman and voluntarily explained, “Starting from this Summer Market, the gathering location will change… Follow this road to its end. The square surrounded by sunflowers is where you may store goods and set up stalls.”

Wave after wave of astonishment had left Nisse and Neil utterly numb.

Their jaws, gaping since earlier, remained unclosed even now.

Watching the knight—whose tone seemed aloof yet had kindly offered guidance—gradually walk away, Nisse suddenly remembered something and hastily called out, “P-please wait a moment, Sir Knight! We are fur merchants from Gregor City. Hearing that a noble new lord has arrived here, we specially brought a selection of premium goods… We wish to present gifts. Might you arrange an introduction for us?”

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