Episode 301 – Tardiness
A road shrouded in darkness.
Clatter, clatter—
A luxurious carriage rolled slowly down the road.
City guards patrolling the Class 1 storage district bowed their heads in haste rather than performing a checkpoint when they spotted the carriage leaving the area.
The flag of the Lenon Workshop.
And it was a carriage carrying the head of the house.
In Aintrier, where power hierarchies were strictly divided by wealth, the guards treated the Lenon Workshop with the sa reverence they showed to nobility.
The escort glanced at the passing guards, then turned to face his master.
Italus, known as the Iron-Blooded rchant.
A master with a colder, more calculating mind than anyone else had remained silent ever since they left the storage area.
His expression showed he had a lot on his mind after a recent conversation.
A long silence ensued, finally broken only when the carriage stopped in front of an old-fashioned mansion.
Italus looked at his escorts and asked,
“Why didn’t you move?”
The Leaf of the World Tree.
An item he had spent a million gold to find.
Not wanting to walk away empty-handed, Italus had even devised a plan to steal the Leaf if necessary.
But his escorts hadn’t taken action, even with the Leaf right in front of them.
Neither had the hidden backup force.
“It was deed too dangerous.”
“You decided that? Was the masked man by Alex’s side really that strong?”
“The masked man was strong, but…”
“But?”
“Alex Marcia was involved.”
“Alex?”
His escorts were warriors whose skills brushed the threshold of 4-Star, essentially blades of the workshop itself, equipped with the finest magical gear the Lenon Workshop had to offer.
With even their trainees added to the mix, they wouldn’t lose easily against 5-Star combatants.
“And yet you hesitated because of him?”
Italus frowned as he recalled Alex.
He had already done a background check before coming here.
His own evaluation was that Alex could be subdued without much trouble—but apparently, his escorts thought otherwise.
“We weren’t confident we could take him down. And the woman jumping across the rooftops wasn’t ordinary either.”
“If that’s what you say…”
Italus trusted his escorts’ eyes.
Alex Marcia.
He seed more formidable than his carefree appearance let on.
Suddenly, curiosity sparked.
“How would he compare to Richard, the Special Commander assigned to protect Lord Azonne this season?”
“If we had to face Richard, we’d worry more about staying alive than subduing him. Comparing them is nonsense.”
“Hm, then first, let’s confirm the item.”
Alex had claid the blessing in the Leaf would help treat his granddaughter.
Once inside the mansion, Italus brought his granddaughter to a room and had the attendants fetch hot water.
Upon hearing the Leaf had been obtained, the blood relatives gathered in the room.
“I’ll do it.”
“No, I must see this for myself.”
Waving off the others, Italus took the Leaf out of a jewel box and placed it in the steaming water just as Alex had instructed.
As a soft glow spread through the clear cup, gasps of wonder filled the room.
Silently observing the mystical scene, he then fed the infused water to his granddaughter.
Everyone watched tensely for the result.
...Oh!
“Her, her complexion!”
Monts later, a rosy blush blood on the pale face of the girl.
As if regaining her vitality, she stirred slightly and stretched—and for the first ti, no trace of pain could be seen on her face.
A peaceful expression, free from the curse.
There was no doubt—it worked.
“F-Father! Has the curse been cured?!”
“No.”
“Then what is this?”
When his son asked, flustered, Italus shook his head gravely.
He said one Leaf wasn’t enough.
‘So the boy’s more complicated than expected?’
Alex hadn’t ntioned how many leaves would be needed to lift the curse, nor how much ti it would take.
‘He’ll only tell if I accept the deal.’
Now that he had witnessed the effects with his own eyes, Italus could no longer ignore Alex’s proposal.
After a brief pause, he gave orders to his kin.
“Spread the word that the World Tree Leaf cured my granddaughter’s curse.”
“What? But it wasn’t a complete cure—”
“I said spread the word.”
“You an… throughout the city?”
“There’s soone who wants to hear this through rumors.”
With a furrowed brow, Italus imdiately carried out Alex’s first request.
This one cost no money, carried no risk.
All he had to do was make the truth widely known.
The problem was the second request.
“How many dwarves are enslaved in the workshop?”
“A little over fifty.”
“Fifty? It’s grown.”
“Many non-humans have been brought into the city lately, increasing the count.”
“Hm…”
Dwarves, with their craftsmanship surpassing that of human artisans, were invaluable.
Having fifty dwarves could be said to represent the entirety of the Lenon Workshop’s assets.
But Alex had told him to grant those dwarves their freedom.
At first, he had dismissed it as madness, but then Alex had presented a feasible alternative.
[Do you intend to redefine your relationship with the dwarves?]
If Italus sided with the World Tree Union, Alex would share the dwarven artisans’ skills with the workshop.
[The King of the Dwarves, Dorneth Gader, is part of the Union’s leadership. You're a rchant—I don’t need to explain what kind of opportunity this is. I’m here as the Union’s representative. What I say reflects their will, with the Dwarven King’s blessing.]
Alex had brought the infrastructure to trade directly with the Dwarven King—and a chance to establish a favorable relationship.
A deal hard for any rchant to refuse.
On top of that:
[Soon you’ll have to choose. Will you be our friend or enemy? So long as you enslave non-humans, the World Tree Union will inevitably target you.]
It was a chilling warning.
Italus had survived countless crises to build the Lenon Workshop into what it was today.
Even rivaling Lord Azonne in influence.
His gut was now telling him—This choice would determine the fate of the Lenon Workshop.
And so, the second proposal wasn’t so easy to answer.
Dismissing his relatives, Italus kept only his son behind.
As the current head of the workshop and the only family mber he confided in, he always sought his advice on serious matters.
After hearing about the eting with Alex, his son spoke after a mont of thought.
“The answer is simpler than you think.”
“Simple?”
“The dwarves are essential to our business. We can’t give them up. But ignoring the World Tree Union could endanger the workshop. Reports say the Union is uniting around non-humans.”
“So the answer is?”
“Military strength.”
“Military strength...?”
“If the Union is strong, we join hands. If not, we use them.”
Demtor’s sudden retreat from the Ordor Forest had already caught the attention of powerful factions.
But few knew the details of the war itself.
As a result, reliable information about the World Tree Union was the most expensive commodity in the information guilds.
And everyone wanted to know just one thing: How strong is the World Tree Union?
No guild had found that answer yet—because the Union’s representative had just arrived in Aintrier.
But Italus knew a man who did have that answer.
The Union’s agent, Alex Marcia.
“How about watching whether he can protect the Leaf of the World Tree during the Dark Sales?”
“To test their strength?”
“The World Tree is a symbol of the Union. If the Leaf is taken from them easily, there’s no point considering their proposal.”
“Then we must spread the rumor more provocatively.”
“We’ll get even Lord Azonne to lift his heavy rear.”
After his son left the room, Italus looked at his peacefully sleeping granddaughter.
If only he could preserve this comfort.
To do that, he needed to choose the right side.
“I’ll et him again tomorrow.”
He needed to see with his own eyes to be sure.
Alex had told him to co anyti, so Italus planned to judge for himself.
He entered his study quietly and scowled, recalling Alex.
“How should I test him?”
The boy was like a fox—read him wrong, and it could cost dearly.
When he opened his palm, he saw sweat.
Feeling tension for the first ti in ages, Italus let out a chuckle.
“How interesting.”
That feeling of being alive—Not bad.
But tonight, sleep would not co easily.
Poooooo—!!!!!
In the distance, the massive transport ship Ship Gridnt drifted down the river, disappearing southward.
Keros barked warily at the vanishing ship, while Lily skipped stones along the riverbank.
Once the ship was fully out of sight, Elton asked the question that had been on his mind.
“Is Samuel’s curse completely cured?”
“No. The Curse of the Fracture is a lifelong affliction. It will return if he uses his power again.”
“Then he mustn’t push himself.”
“Crossing dinsions is a miraculous ability that can alter destinies. But as such, it carries a heavy cost.”
A price to pay.
Just like how even the regressor and mass murderer Kal was forbidden any combat power.
If soone like him had both brains and might, he’d be no different from a walking calamity.
And I’m one of the candidates too.
“How are the rumors?”
“Overwhelming.”
“That bad?”
“The Lenon Workshop got involved.”
Lenon Workshop was the second-most powerful financial force in Aintrier.
Rumors said they spent a million gold just to cure one blood relative’s curse and arrange a eting with Alex using the Leaf’s blessing.
Everyone’s attention was now laser-focused on one topic.
How much had Lenon Workshop really paid to get the Leaf of the World Tree?
So rumors said over ten million gold.
“Intentional, huh.”
“Stoked people’s curiosity perfectly.”
“What’s he scheming?”
“Why not ask directly?”
“Huh?”
Turning around, they saw a familiar carriage approaching the river.
It was Italus’s.
Showing up right after being ntioned—this old man clearly wasn’t just anybody.
Just like last ti, he brought two escorts and greeted casually.
“Did you like the rumors?”
“You went a bit overboard.”
“I only responded to the first proposal.”
I could tell what this old man was thinking.
If the Leaf’s value skyrocketed, the greedy would inevitably show themselves.
He was testing how I’d respond.
‘He’ll regret that.’
I intended to show him clearly—if he tested carelessly, he’d have a heart-pounding experience.
“So, what brings you here?”
“You ca without knowing?”
“Just know that I’m three tis your age.”
“What’s that supposed to an?”
“That you’re being rude.”
When his escort stepped in with a threatening aura, I smirked.
“Does Aintrier run on age or cash?”
“Insolent.”
As one of the escorts scowled and approached, Elton stepped in to block him.
A fierce tension rose—Until a commotion broke out across the river.
“They’ve arrived.”
At my words, the old man reacted.
“Were you expecting soone?”
“Oh, didn’t I ntion? I’m here to greet my companions.”
“Companions, huh…”
Union agent’s companions.
Italus was curious who they were.
So were the many information guild agents secretly shadowing Alex.
Dozens of spies had positioned themselves discreetly to monitor the area.
Who were the people Alex personally ca to the gates to greet?
Monts later, everyone’s expression twisted as they covered their noses.
“...This sll.”
“Blood?”
A breeze carried the stench of blood to their noses.
The sll of death.
Everyone turned their gaze toward the scent.
The dock ca into view—and the crowd gathered there began to part like a wave.
A procession of carriages erged slowly, pushing through the thousands.
Silence fell.
“…Madness.”
Groans escaped from all directions.
Flagpoles rose above the carriages.
But no flags.
Instead, dozens of severed heads were mounted upright.
And not just on one carriage.
They were planted all over, each bearing decapitated human heads—
All twisted with fear and agony.
Clack—clack—
Beneath them, blood-soaked n pulled the carriages toward the city gate.
The atmosphere was so terrifying, no one dared block their path.
It was like watching a procession of death.
And when the carriage stopped before , one of the red-stained n grinned, revealing white teeth as he approached.
It was Karl.
“Yo, I’m not late, right?”
“You are late.”
Behind him, Lochter silently wiped blood off his sword.
Lochter’s group had arrived in Aintrier.
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