Jonn and Elia’s carriage creaked under the weight of the resources Acelin delivered. The wooden wheel, strained and groaning, seemed on the verge of snapping beneath the load of hundreds of kilograms.

Among the sacks of food, stacks of building materials, and bundles of medicinal herbs, a single book stood out—a forging book, its leather cover worn but sturdy. This was precisely what Tim had been pleading for over the months. Luckily, Acelin had an intermediate-level book on forging.

The merchant boasted that even mages could use it to begin their forging journey. Though Jonn was wary of the merchant’s claims, he tucked this possibility away in his mind as he and Elia made their way home.

He cast a last glance at the group camped by the river, their tents dotting the landscape, and waved a silent farewell.

It would be better if they left before me. But unfortunately, their group will be here for a few days… I hope none of them think of following us to the village.

Jonn turned his attention forward, the sun casting a warm glow over the path as they began their journey back to the village.

Elia shared similar thoughts with Jonn when she posed a question to him.

“This group is peculiar. I’m certain that if you hadn’t mentioned not being blood relatives of old Hewet, we would have encountered trouble.”

“I agree,” Jonn replied, recalling the incident without glancing back and remembering how his horses shied away from Acelin and Uranius.

“We should find another group of traders to do business with,” Elia suggested after a pause. “We can keep small deals with Acelin’s group to avoid fomenting suspicion, but we need to seek other merchants. I have a bad feeling about engaging in bigger transactions with them.”

Her eyes met his. They were filled with concern. “Dealing with them feels like walking on eggshells. With an alternative group, we can conceal the source of our resources and conduct business without jeopardizing the village’s location.”

“We’ll assess the situation once we reach the village. We’ll need to send men to the royal roads near the Barren Hills of Deepshadow to establish new contacts.”

“It will be worthwhile. Even if it takes a few months, it’s less risky than getting too involved with Acelin’s group.”

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As Jonn and Elia strolled leisurely, discussing Acelin’s group, Acelin and his ally remained at the spot where the carriage from the Eternal Village had departed just minutes earlier.

Watching the carriage fade into the distance, the two men stood in silence, ignoring the activity of servants and guards around their camp.

Acelin continued to gaze after Jonn and Elia’s carriage, and as it nearly vanished over the horizon, he murmured, “What do you think of that boy? He doesn’t seem to be related to old man Hewet.”

“Indeed, he isn’t. Nothing about him resembles Hewet,” Uranius concurred, standing motionless with his arms clasped behind his back. “The stories mention the old man had black hair in his youth. White hair rarely appears in the descendants of black-haired individuals.”

“That’s what I thought as well…” Acelin closed his eyes, nodding in agreement.

Uranius continued, “But that doesn’t mean he isn’t a disciple of the old mage. He might know about the old man’s past.” His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Still, it’s best not to take any chances. Since he lacks Hewet’s bloodline, we can handle this discreetly in the future.”

“What about the old man’s inheritance? Are we just going to leave it without investigating?”

“The old man was one of the most powerful mages in Eldoria. We can’t risk investigating his village now. Mages often leave supernatural powers lingering, even after their deaths. So let’s wait a few years. That’s more than enough time for any remnants Hewet left to fade away,” Lord Uranius said, clenching his fists tightly as he recalled the awe-inspiring power of The Destroyer in his prime.

“I’ll keep doing business with them until then… But what about the invitation you extended to them?” Acelin asked, his tone serious.

“If they decide to join the Lost Treasures, all the better. There’s always work for new slaves in my domains!”

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Hours after their encounter with Acelin and Uranius, Jonn and Elia arrived at the village by mid-afternoon.

The horses whinnied at the sight of the village walls, while Jonn and Elia savored the morning breeze on their return. After being away for over a week, they were eager to resume their routines and responsibilities.

Jonn was preoccupied with concerns about the village and, more importantly, his plans for the animals. He had had little opportunity to use his two new {Spells} on them. Now, he was eager to test his abilities thoroughly to speed up their development.

Elia’s plans were less ambitious, but equally important. She was considering how to establish a new trade route, what prices to set, and what the village needed to bolster its defenses and grow stronger.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

As they neared the village, the scent of tea mixed with burning wood reached them, and they noticed a group of people near Arnald’s house. They also saw the beginnings of a new house being constructed on that side of the village, prompting them both to narrow their eyes in curiosity.

Jonn urged his horse forward, quickening the pace of his carriage, which soon drew the attention of the village guards keeping watch over the area.

A loud noise echoed from within the walled area, drawing attention to Jonn’s arrival and causing those outside it to turn northward, where he was guiding his carriage.

Petyr hurried to the side of the village where Arnald’s houses and Sarre’s group’s camp were situated, eager to discuss several matters with Jonn.

Ice and Phantom also appeared, soon settling in front of the spot where their master’s carriage had halted.

“Petyr, who are these people?” Elia asked, eyeing the three children and two relatively young women.

“We have a lot to talk about,” Petyr said, gesturing toward the village’s walled area. “In short, we now have seven new members, at least temporarily. You need to hear their stories.”

Jonn and Elia regarded the newcomers with cautious curiosity. Jonn felt slightly uneasy about more strangers entering his home, though he was primarily skeptical of their stories. However, he welcomed the idea of adding more people to the village, and fresh faces in his home didn’t bother him.

With their resources in tow, they returned to the walled area of the village, greeting several villagers busy with their daily tasks until they stopped in front of the warehouse.

Several men approached the wagon, unloading the resources and storing them diligently in the adjacent building.

Jonn and Elia followed Petyr, along with Molle and Lance, to the Council chamber. There, they refreshed themselves with some water before settling in to hear what the three had to say.

Molle had tended to Sarre during the woman’s recovery using the experimental treatment Jonn developed. She planned to share her observations about Sarre and their conversations.

Petyr and Lance had interviewed every member of Sarre’s group, including the children. They now possessed a more detailed account of the travelers’ story, which they believed to be credible. This revealed two significant problems with the newcomers.

“…Now we have to worry about the group behind those men Ice killed investigating their deaths near the village, as well as the threat posed by merchants like Acelin,” Petyr said, his expression concerned.

Hewet had conducted business with Acelin on behalf of the village for nearly two decades. However, the old Elder had cautioned Petyr that Acelin was not someone to trust blindly. He was reliable for business, but could easily shift his stance to serve his own interests.

With Sarre’s warnings and Acelin’s earlier insistence on the group going to the Lost Treasures, Petyr’s suspicions about the merchant’s motives grew stronger.

Jonn and Elia exchanged glances, recognizing that their earlier suspicions were justified.

“We realized that Acelin indeed had some peculiar interests on this trip,” Jonn said after listening to the full account from Petyr, Molle, and Lance, with Elia by his side.

“This time, he was accompanied by an ally, Lord Uranius, someone associated with the Lost Treasures. Once again, they urged us to venture into that region.” Elia clenched her fists, envisioning the sinister motives of someone who would lead others into a place fraught with danger.

“That’s really suspicious…” Molle said in his weary, aged voice. “It seems Acelin can’t be trusted. He might be one of those who lure people into the traps set by groups that enslave others in Lost Treasures.”

“I think we’d better not do any more business with him, Village Elder,” Lance said, his concern evident.

Jonn sighed and replied, “Cutting ties completely would arouse suspicion, and we need to monitor his group’s movements. However, I’ve already discussed with Elia the idea of finding other merchants to sell our products, starting with the next harvest.”

“That’s a good plan. I already have someone in mind,” Petyr said, drawing the attention of everyone in the simple room, which contained only the Council table and chairs.

He continued, “Before I suggested the idea of intercepting travelers and merchants on the Royal Roads, I spent about a year observing the road from the Nation of Thalassia to the Lands of Etheria. That road isn’t as busy as the one to the north, but every three months or so, caravans of merchants pass through.”

The Royal Road north of the village, connecting Sylvestria to the Lost Treasures, was even busier, with merchant groups passing through every two months.

The Eternal Village used only one group of traders to do business, for reasons of security and history. However, they were aware of the groups passing through the area.

“Why don’t we just find another group to the north?” Lance asked.

“That would be risky. Acelin might have contacts among those groups, and we could be exposed.

While we have the freedom to trade with anyone, traders can be tricky. Switching from one group to another could be seen as disloyal and lead to reactions,” Petyr explained, emphasizing the need for a different approach. “It would be best to engage with merchants from another state.”

“But the resources we get from other states will differ,” Lance pointed out.

Elia disagreed. “That’s not an issue. We trade with Sylvestria merchants because of their state’s food production. Since we will sell food, trading with merchants who lack food resources could actually be beneficial. We might even gain an advantage.”

Jonn made the decision. “Petyr, assemble a group and start preparations. Within two months, you’ll set out to find a new group of merchants for us to engage with.”

The red-haired man nodded with a smile.

“But what about the threat from Lost Treasures?” Molle asked, concerned about Sarre’s group. “These women won’t seek revenge or attempt to rescue their comrades. They know they lack the numbers and want to secure a future for the three children. But that doesn’t mean trouble won’t find us.”

Elia shared this concern, while Petyr and Lance regarded the village leader with seriousness.

“Did you take care of their bodies?” Jonn asked Petyr.

“Yes. The day after we rescued the women, we returned to the site and buried the bodies. We also repaired their carriage and brought it back to the village.”

“Good. That should make it harder for those men to figure out what happened. But we’ll remain vigilant. I’ll have Ice and Phantom take turns patrolling the area for any unusual activity. I hope it doesn’t come to a fight, but if it does, we’ll be ready.” He concluded.

Jonn longed for peace and hoped to avoid conflict. Yet, a strange feeling stirred within him, and he almost felt the urge for these men to actually come and cause trouble.

He clenched his fists secretly as his fellow villagers voiced their agreement.

Is this what it’s like to grow up as a mage?

He pondered silently as he set aside the topic for now.

Sigh! It doesn’t matter. Sooner or later, we’ll have to fight, and I’ll use my {Skills}. For now, the priority is to plan our first steps in exporting food. After that, there’s no turning back.