Lloyd felt a surge of excitement; he had never been content with just hunting and farming. As a hidden dweller, he had even fewer chances to venture beyond the mountains. So, becoming a mountain king seemed like the best choice. Derek’s suggestion was irresistible to him. It was a win-win situation, he told himself.
Lloyd eventually nodded in agreement; their conversation was destined to remain a secret. Derek wouldn’t tarnish his reputation by directly involving himself in Lloyd’s affairs. As for others’ speculations, what noble didn’t have some dirty dealings? As long as it stayed out of the public eye, it was manageable.
Believe it or not, many infamous bandits had noble backing.
Just before returning to the camp, Derek brought up a small request. “I also need a small piece of land, just a hill would do. It should be convenient for transporting a little bit of supplies. Do you have a recommendation?”
“Most suitable farmland in the mountains already has owners; breaking new ground would be too costly.”
“No, no, I just need a place to settle, not to cultivate.”
“In that case, it’s easy. I’ll find a spot for you.”
With their friendship serving as the foundation for the deal, it was settled. They agreed on a meeting place and time before parting ways.
Back at the merchant convoy, Vincent was still waiting for him.
“Sir Derek, I heard you went to meet that mountain dweller again?”
“Indeed, don’t worry; I’ll take care of these bundles of hides. I won’t disrupt the rules.”
Vincent’s expression softened a bit. He sincerely reminded Derek, “Business isn’t as easy as you think. Interfering in local dealings could bring you a lot of trouble. If you have doubts, you can always consult your father. Old Baron Ferreira would surely give you some advice.”
That Vincent could say such things showed the depth of their relationship.
Derek expressed his gratitude, repeatedly assuring him, “I definitely won’t recklessly interfere in matters I shouldn’t touch; I’m well aware of the noble rules.”
Despite Derek being a mere country noble, he was of solid background and understood these matters well.
Seeing his resolve, Vincent refrained from saying more; sometimes, deep words in shallow relationships could lead to complications.
After this encounter, it seemed their relationship fell into a temporary cold spell.
On the way back, they both tried to act as if nothing had happened, but a hint of tension had already emerged.
Perhaps as time passed, Derek would prove he wasn’t an adventurer who broke rules, which could ease that tension.
Upon returning to Watch City, Derek took stock of the accounts and began preparations for departure: food, weapons, fine iron, and daily supplies.
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He prepared two carts and set off quietly.
Vincent, who was keeping an eye on him, soon caught wind of his actions.
“Still planning to do business with the mountain dwellers?”
Vincent shook his head, thinking Derek was blinded by profit.
It was easy to go, but how would he return?
The mountain goods trade within the city had its limits; if it drew attention, the next journey could bring unforeseen troubles.
Just one slip could lead to losing everything.
As a vested interest holder, he only needed a letter to intercept Derek’s venture.
But considering their friendship, he felt it wasn’t worth becoming the villain.
“Two carts of goods aren’t much; let him get beaten up a bit, and maybe I can buy them back at a low price.”
This was the way of human relationships; what benefit was there in reporting him? It would only turn a hard-earned relationship into enmity, gaining an additional powerful enemy.
What if Derek managed to escape? That would be a lingering issue.
As an experienced man, Vincent wouldn’t act unwisely.
He instructed his subordinates to keep a close watch on Derek’s movements and decided to let the matter rest for the time being.
...
On the journey, Derek made no stops and headed straight into the mountains.
He moved quickly and reached the agreed-upon location in just five days.
Upon arrival, he indeed found someone waiting.
As he saw the two carts and the twenty-odd people in the convoy, a mountain dweller emerged from the bushes.
“Is this Lord Derek?”
Derek rode closer, looking down at the familiar face from that night.
“Did Lloyd send you?”
“Yes, my lord.”
The mountain dweller nodded and bowed, unable to stand tall after witnessing Derek’s prowess.
“Please wait here for a day; I’ll go inform Brother Lloyd. He’ll come to see you shortly.”
Thus, Derek set up camp on the spot. Being on the outskirts of the mountain, he knew he couldn’t stay too long.
The next day, Lloyd emerged from the woods with around twenty men, several of whom sported new swords, giving them a fierce appearance.
The two embraced warmly, with Lloyd eagerly saying, “I’ve found you a place—hidden and safe.”
“Thank you! Once I settle in, I’ll treat you to a good drink.”
Derek had prepared himself for a tough journey but didn’t expect Lloyd to take him on a winding path, eventually leading him along a small stream in the mountains for half a day.
Then the stream suddenly joined the main flow, revealing it to be a river.
Lloyd’s men pushed several rafts to the riverbank.
“See? Just go with the flow; it’s quite simple. The trouble will come when you need to return upstream.”
Going in with the current and coming out against it would definitely pose challenges.
However, Derek wasn’t worried; he wasn’t planning to transport anything out of the mountains, and besides, a river was much easier than traversing through the mountains.
They traveled for an entire day, loading supplies onto the rafts while struggling to keep pace along the riverbank.
There was hardly a path, and human footprints were rare.
Suddenly, the scenery opened up; without Lloyd’s prompting, Derek felt they had arrived at their destination.
The river bent here, creating a spacious area due to the mountain’s contours.
Ahead lay the river, while the mountains loomed behind; if it weren’t for the small stones scattered everywhere, it would be a perfect spot for cultivation.
When it comes to clearing land, many think it’s a simple matter of turning over a patch of soil.
But the fertility of the land is limited, and all the little stones and root systems must be dealt with.
It takes manpower to clear them little by little, and each year they must painstakingly break down the compacted earth.
In front of him lay a severely rocky area; it would take at least ten years before it could even begin to yield profit, and twenty years would hardly make it fertile land.
If there were larger stones underground, it would be a slow process.
Such a place was only for the mad; even mountain dwellers would avoid it.
But for Derek, this was indeed an excellent spot.
“Thank you very much, my friend.”
Derek hugged Lloyd tightly, who let out a sigh of relief, satisfied.
He didn’t plan to pry into Derek’s intentions; even friends needed some secrets.