Bran’s perspective:
My name is Bran and I’m a merchant. Well, I guess I should be saying I work for a merchant. I’m a carriage driver and I work for a small merchant guild. The pay isn’t that good but it’s not like I have many options. I’m originally from the Esteria kingdom but I decided to move to the Slavia kingdom to find a job, leaving my wife, son, and daughter.
My goal is to save enough money to start my own merchant guild not because of money but because I’ve always wanted to be a merchant. I got fired from the previous merchant guild that I worked for because I gave a business opinion.
The guild was busy trying to make a major decision about whether they should expand or not. Expansion was definitely something the guild couldn’t afford but the superiors wanted to expand more than anything. I simply gave my opinion about how the company wasn’t rich enough to expand.
After they tried the expansion and failed, I was blamed for their failure. They said I “jinxed” them. Like anyone would believe that but the person who was in charge of the guild was a noble so he fired me just to quench his rage. Of course, I received a good beating before I got fired.
I tried to apply to multiple merchant guilds in the Esteria kingdom but since I was under the radar of a noble, I was rejected from every job I applied. That was when I decided to move out of the kingdom, leaving my family behind. I managed to get this job after countless rejections from big merchant guilds here in the Slavia kingdom.
So, that’s why I can’t complain about my work. This is my first job and it is to go to this village that is close to the Silent Demon’s Forest.
There’s been a lot of rumours about it having an intermediate-grade potion alchemist. A lot of other merchant guilds have been trying to recruit this alchemist because being an intermediate-grade alchemist in this continent means that you would bring in fortune for yourself and that merchant guild.
Of course, people stopped trying to recruit the alchemist responsible for the potions and are now trying to buy her recipes. It is said that the potions she crafts are incredible. Even the low-grade potions she crafts has a potency that even surpasses the biggest potion merchant guild in the continent, the Clifford merchant guild ran by the Clifford marquis family in terms of low-grade potions.
I’ve now been sent to buy at least one of her potions and if I don’t come back with it, then I would be fired. Of course, I know I won’t be able to buy any of her potions. I’m just going for the sake of work, nothing more.
It’s been three days now since we’ve started on this journey and I noticed something weird. We haven’t encountered a single bandit on this journey. Usually, bandits would attack merchant caravans like ours since we are basically a moving target.
“Is it your first time heading to Lockwood village?” asks one of the carriage drivers.
“Yeah, it is.”
“No wonder you’re surprised. The bandits in this area have all been driven away a long time ago.”
“What?!”
“Yeah. At first, the bandits were frequent in these parts to the point where we decided to come only once in two months. Due to the law saying that merchants must sell to every village in the kingdom, we didn’t have a choice but come to this side. But one day, bandit groups started disappearing one after the other. We also don’t know why but they did. Maybe the kingdom decided to send the Law enforcement division to drive them out or something.”
“Would the kingdom be that generous? I mean, there are a lot of regions that are still being terrorized by bandits even now aren’t there?”
“Oh, I guess you’re right. Well, whomever did drive them away was our blessing. Due to there being no bandits, the guilds have been hiring less adventures.”
I see. I wonder who took care of them though?
***
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
We finally arrive at this Lockwood village.
To tell you the truth, I was a bit sceptical when people talked about this great alchemist found in the village that was far away. The reason was because why would an alchemist that good stay at a run-down village? I mean, they could go live in a city or something.
My expectation completely shatters like glass hitting the ground. The run-down village is more like a town. It has a beautiful well-made wall covering it. The gate is big and sturdy and the guards who are standing by the gate are wearing well-made equipment made from high-ranked monsters. There’s no way this is just a simple village?
“Hahaha, the look on your face is priceless. That’s how I was too when I first saw this place. At first, it was just like any other village but then it went on a transformation.”
“How can a village look like this? Just who was responsible of this great work? I want to see the inside of this village.”
“Forget it kid. No one is allowed to enter the village if they are not invited. Those guards will beat your ass the moment you get close to the gate. We’ll be setting up camp here outside kid.”
I don’t know why he’s calling me kid? I’m twenty-nine. Well, he does look like he’s much older than me but still...
***
At night.
Noise coming from the village echoes throughout the night.
I guess they must be celebrating or something. I really want to enter this village but I can’t. The old guy told me about how, some of these merchant guilds, sent people to infiltrate the village but none of them ever came back.
Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll probably be fired when I return anyway since I didn’t get to buy any of the potions today.
We’ll only be staying here for two more days but I think I’ll just leave tomorrow. There is no reason for me to stay here any longer than I have to.
***
In the morning.
“You’re leaving already kid?”
“Yeah. I don’t understand why you guys are even staying?”
“Well, the higher ups always stay for two more days to try and negotiate with the village chief and that rumoured alchemist. They also try to buy materials that can be found only in the Silent Demon’s Forest.”
“Huh?! Why don’t they just look for them themselves?”
“Hahaha, you don’t know anything do you? There is a strange barrier at the entrance of the forest that confuses the perception of anyone who enters. Of course, there’ve been other people who entered the forest from another point but they were killed by the monsters of the forest. So, it is believed that only the people of this village can deal with the dangers of the forest since they’ve lived here for the rest of their lives.”
Weird. Heck, this village itself is weird. I should probably get the hell out of here.
I leave the other carriages behind and return back to the town. The sun quickly set and I start feeling like something is watching me. My horse is awfully scared and keeps trying to run. Then as if to laugh at my face for going alone, an orc jumps out of nowhere.
Why is an orc here?
It’s blood shot eyes look directly at me. Saliva dripping from its carnivorous mouth. The orc swung its enormous club, smashing the carriage into bits.
*Neigh*
That was close. Thank the Goddess I managed to jump out the carriage. I need to get the hell out of here. Where’s the horse?
When I look at the horse, it is lying on the ground, injured.
Fuck! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! Am I going to die just like that?
The blood thirsty orc raises its giant club and swings down towards me at full power. I close my eyes and wait for my impending death to come.
At least my family should be able to survive with the money that I have already saved up. It should give them some leeway at the very least.
A thunderous crash that even shakes the very earth resonates into my ears.
“Hey. Are you okay?”
A young voice enters my dead ears as the darkness of my eyelids covers me.
Huh, I’m not dead. Wait, who’s voice is that?
I open my eyes slowly only to find a boy looking at me. He has beautiful white hair and blue eyes that glows even in the darkness of the night. He is holding the orc’s club with one hand as he looks at me crouching, his back facing the orc.
D-did he just save me? Wait a minute. Did he stop that orc’s attack with just one hand?
“I-I’m okay.” I answer stuttering.
“Good. Then let me take care of this guy. Give me a sec.”
With just those nonchalant words, he glares at the orc. Cold sweat rolls down the orc’s face. It is scared. It is as if it met its natural enemy.
An orc is scared of a kid? What the fuck?
The orc steps back a little, hesitant to move. It seems like it wants to run away but couldn’t. The kid then raises his hand towards the orc.
“Gravity control: Crush”
Clenching of his hand shut, the orc is crushed into a ball of flesh. Its gooey green blood spews everywhere like a smashed fountain. It is disgusting to the point I puke. How can anything be killed like that?
The kid then smiles in satisfaction for some reason.
Is he happy? Was killing that orc satisfying for him? I’ve got to get the hell out of here.
“Oh, driver guy. Where are you going? Your horse is injured remember.”
Oh yeah, I forgot.
“Aha-ha, thanks kid, I mean sir for saving this lowly life of mine. I didn’t see anything today so please spare this inferior life of mine.” I say on my knees and my head touching the dirt of the ground.
I wonder if he’ll let me live. He’s not saying anything. Oh Goddess, what the hell is going on in that kid’s head. Let me just take a peek.
A look of frustration shoots up his face.
Holy shit, he seems angry. I should keep kneeling and don’t look at him.
“It’s okay. I’ll heal your horse for you.”
Huh?! Wasn’t he going to kill me?