The day began in Brilfax city, with the lord of the city, Cadmus Irrantorth, in his castle. He wore a satisfied smile, looking forward to the grand festival that had just begun and would continue for half a month. He discussed the finer points of the festival with his champion and the head knight of the city, Elmo, a formidable level 6 knight.

Elmo was an imposing figure, tall and stocky, with a small brown beard and unruly hair. His blue eyes held a no-nonsense demeanour, and he bore a large sword at his side. While they were talking, a knock at the door prompted Cadmus to call for the visitor to enter.

In stepped Captain Rhothomir, nodding respectfully as he greeted Cadmus. "Good day to you, Cadmus Irrantorth. It's been a while since our last meeting."

A smile spread across Cadmus's face as he approached Rhothomir. "I've missed you, my friend. Come, give me a hug."

With a warm hug, Cadmus and Rhothomir exchanged hearty pats on each other's backs. At this, Elmo couldn't help but chuckle, jestingly pointing at Rhothomir. "You're telling me this fellow right here will be my festival help?"

Cadmus grinned, addressing the situation. "Yes, this festival is vital for our city's economy. I want it under tight protection."

Rhothomir, with a stern look, said, "If you’re not up to the task, you’re free to leave. The doors are wide enough for you to exit."

Elmo’s temper flared, and he drew his sword as he stood. "You dare disrespect me in my own city?"

Rhothomir, unfazed, met Elmo's gaze with a smile. "Yes. What will you do about it other than raising your voice?"

The tension broke into laughter, and the two friends hugged each other, delivering powerful claps on the back.

Elmo chuckled, "You rascal! Did you forget to visit, or are your little duties more important than your old friend?"

Rhothomir replied, his expression serious, "I have no excuses. I apologize for my absence, Elmo. I hope it won't tarnish our friendship."

Cadmus interjected, "No need for this. Elmo, once the day concludes, take him to your house and enjoy yourselves. I'll join you both after I finish my work."

Elmo agreed, "I like the sound of that. Are you in?"

Rhothomir, arms around both Elmo and Cadmus, affirmed, "I'd be delighted."

Cadmus concluded, "That wraps up our meeting. Let's see what the first day of the festival has in store."

Just then, Cadmus's son entered the room. A tall, suave young man, he sported an elegant white suit and a glistening golden ring on his right hand, exuding an air of opulence. He greeted them, saying, "Rhothomir, Elmo. It's been a while."

Elmo eyed the young man and asked, his expression serious, "Garon, why the extravagant attire? Planning a wedding, are you?"

Garon laughed with a hint of arrogance before replying, "This is how nobles dress, Elmo. I understand you're a warrior, but please, at least have some sense of style."

Garon's response irked Cadmus, who erupted in anger. "How dare you show such disrespect to Captain Elmo! He works tirelessly, day and night, so you can sleep soundly!"

Garon's expression soured, and he retorted, "It's his job. It's my job to live like a king. That's my destiny as the future head of the Irrantorth family. I promise Father I'll bring positive changes to our beloved city."

Cadmus was about to curse, but Rhothomir intervened, placing a calming hand on his shoulder. He turned to Garon and said, "You're young. I understand. Youth often get carried away with the power and influence they gain early on. But remember, when you become lord, every man, woman, and child in this city becomes your responsibility. When you feel the weight of their safety and happiness on your shoulders, that's when you'll truly become the lord they desire. When you can't sleep at night because you're striving to improve your economy so your people won't go hungry, that's when you'll become a great lord."

Garon burst into hysterical laughter, exclaiming, "HAHAHAHA! Burdens! Responsibility! I can't breathe! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Cadmus seethed with anger, ready to confront his son, but Elmo intervened, holding him back. Garon, regaining his composure, spoke with a haughty demeanour, "When I ascend to lordship, people will serve me as their king, as their leader, not the other way around. My father failed in his role because let's be honest here, people on the road start conversations with him casually like he is on the same level as them. Are you joking with me? I am on the same low level as them! When I become lord, I will draw a clear line between me and those lowly people. We, the noble folks, have to stick together and protect each other because, given the chance, common people will seize it to destroy us and burn us alive. I hope that answers your question. Now, if you'll excuse me, good day to you, gentlemen."

With that, Garon exited the room, leaving Cadmus fuming. He turned to Elmo, demanding, "Why did you stop me from giving that brat a lesson?"

Rhothomir, speaking in place of Elmo, replied, "No need for violence. He'll learn the lesson in time, my friend. Don't let anger cloud your judgment. We have a festival to manage and half a month to make up for the past years."

Cadmus nodded, and Elmo chimed in, "Now, let's get moving." They all left the room and set off to attend to their respective duties.

Meanwhile, in the morning, Yory was already at the bustling market, selling his spices and other wares he had acquired on his travels for the festival. Dressed in his new attire from the land of sand, he concealed his face with a scarf. He wasn't alone; merchants all around were vociferously advertising their wares.

A burly man touted the quality of his fur, while women offered fish and meat. In a distant corner, a young boy energetically promoted the vegetables his father was selling, the father beaming with pride at his son's efforts. In the middle of the street, a little girl assisted her mother in taking customers' orders. Nearby, an entire family sold cakes and sweets. At the far end, an elderly man loudly touted the healing properties of his medicines for various ailments. The market buzzed with life, and Yory relished every moment of it.

Later in the afternoon, Yory sat on the back of his cart, savouring a bowl of soup with his face uncovered. He shared the moment with his horse, Boris, who was also indulging in a large fish. After the meal and a brief respite, Yory uncovered his cart and resumed his business. Joe returned, a smile on his face and a document in his hand.

Yory asked, "Is everything in order?"

Joe handed the document to Yory and said, "Everything's set. If anything goes wrong, you can get your money back from the merchants' guild, or from the adventurers' guild if the merchants run into any financial trouble."

Yory expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Joe. You've saved me the time I might have spent at the guild."

With a smile, Joe added, "For a friend, it's no trouble." Just then, Joe’s attention shifted to someone behind Yory. "Behind you."

In swift motion, Yory grabbed the scarf and veiled his face. Upon turning, he confirmed his suspicions—it was Maya, her cart moving alongside his. She settled in and began unveiling her own cart, revealing an array of peculiar-looking vegetables and fruits, from blue apples to white carrots and red potatoes, all with surprisingly high prices.

Joe smiled and greeted her, "Good day, fellow merchant."

Maya nodded seriously and said, "Good day, merchant."

Joe, looking puzzled, scratched his head. "I hope you don’t mind me asking, but aren’t your goods a bit pricey?"

Maya, now seated at the driver's place, explained, "These are from the land of dragons. I bet these people have never seen them before, so their rarity justifies the higher cost."

Joe smiled, saying, "My lady, you're absolutely right. I've never encountered these before today. I suppose you used ice magic to preserve them?"

Maya confirmed, "Yes. The distance between here and the kingdom of dragons is vast, well beyond the tolerance of most goods meant for consumption."

Joe nodded appreciatively. "Thank you for this enlightening conversation. I must be off now. Wishing you a wonderful day."

Maya nodded back, and as Joe rejoined Yory, he called out, "You lazy worker! I hired you to assist with my cart and its goods, so get to it!"

Yory, still masked, nodded in response, and Joe began to announce, "My goods, everyone! From the demon kingdom to Brilfax city! Freshly preserved with a touch of ice magic!"

After a day of tending to customers, Yory and Joe took refuge inside their cart, ensuring they remained concealed from prying eyes.

Joe paused from his meal with a question that had long intrigued him. "Yory, you mentioned changing your appearance, yet demons and others still recognize you. How does that work?"

Yory put down his food and explained, "Changing my appearance was mainly for humans in major cities and nobles who might recognize me or have seen my image. But for demons and dragons, that magic doesn't hold. To them, it's like covering your face with a piece of cloth that's very conspicuous. They'd see through it and uncover my true nature."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Joe absorbed the explanation, remarking, "So, you're stuck with them always on your tail."

Yory smiled and said, "When you're a high-level demon, everyone assumes you have powerful connections and influential friends. That's why I chose this kingdom—no one knows me here. I can be a simple merchant and live out the adventures I'd only heard about from drunken dwarfs in taverns."

Joe downed a goblet of water in one gulp before responding, "And you have the freedom to explore other kingdoms too. This realm is just one of many."

Yory nodded and said, "I have time. No need to rush."

After finishing their meal, Joe and Yory stepped out of the cart to resume their work. Before going out, Yory ensured his face remained hidden beneath the scarf and hat.

Joe couldn't help but remark, "You seem rather fond of this ensemble."

Yory replied, "Indeed, something new always brings a spark of excitement."

After a long day of hustling and serving customers, night fell, and Yory collapsed onto his bed, utterly exhausted. He turned to face the room's ceiling and muttered to himself, "Tomorrow, I need to buy a dozen spices from Huf village, near this city, and some herbs too. Many customers asked for them this morning. It'll boost my business to invest in medicinal herbs and resell them here."

Yory paused, lost in thought. Then chuckled and said, "Three hundred years ago, I never would have imagined that buying and selling goods and acquiring herbs would become my top priorities. Time changes, and so do we. Nothing remains static, no matter what. That's how we live, adapt to change, and seek to benefit from it. It's what every person has done from the dawn of this world."

With that, Yory closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep, ready to face whatever the new day in this new life had in store.

Thirteen gruelling days of hard work followed, marked by backaches from lifting heavy products, sore throats from shouting all day, and headaches from the constant calculations Yory made to manage his business. Joe, too, lent a helping hand, while keeping a close eye on gold prices, both in jewellery and in guilds, and also from the chatter among merchants who had journeyed great distances.

On the final day of the Brilfax City festival, Rhothomir made his rounds, checking on people and merchants, resolving conflicts, and working to ensure a joyous day for all the city's residents.

Maya offered discounts on her goods, delighting her customers. Beside her, Yory served in silence, while Joe handled conversations with finesse, his skill evident. On the opposite side of the city, within the castle, noble Cadmus pored over reports detailing the city's earnings and other profits, all of which would benefit the city and its citizens.

Meanwhile, Captain Elmo directed his right-hand man to keep a vigilant eye on all the soldiers, ensuring no one slacked in their duties. As for Garon, he wandered the festival with his loyal friend Hyf and their guard Dui, indulging in treats without a care for the merchants' ire at their rather impolite behaviour.

Inside the castle, Cadmus set aside the reports, rubbing his eyes, which bore dark circles from overwork. "Another prosperous day for my city. The final day is always the busiest and most profitable. I hope everything proceeds smoothly."

At that moment, a servant knocked on the door, and Cadmus granted permission to enter. The servant presented Cadmus with a scroll, bowing his head as he spoke, "Noble Cadmus, a letter from your son Kutr."

Cadmus took the letter and dismissed the servant. As he read its contents, a broad smile spread across his face. The letter read, "Dear father, my goal has been achieved. Through diligent effort, I am pleased to inform you that I have secured a business relationship with a prominent noble family from the demon kingdom. I did it, father. With dedication and hard work, I've finally accomplished it, and it will greatly benefit our city's economy and reputation, even challenging the capital itself. Tomorrow, I will return home to discuss further what I've learned in these four years. With utmost respect, your son of Brilfax City."

Cadmus was thrilled by the hard-earned success of his second son, Kutr, but disheartened by the tarnished reputation and behaviour of his other son, Garon. Cadmus quietly reflected, "I genuinely hope you learn your lessons, Garon. This world can be harsh and unforgiving, even for nobles."

Meanwhile, at the festival, Rhothomir wandered through the festival as usual, lost in the revelry. After a circuit, he chided himself, "Half a month has passed in the blink of an eye. Perhaps these joyful faces and children at play have taken me away from my duties? Focus, Rhothomir. Don't be a distracted knight."

He headed towards the north entrance of the festival, a location where he never allowed any negligence or disturbances.

An hour later, Rhothomir arrived and found this section to be just as lively as the rest of the festival. He greeted the merchants with respectful nods. Then, he spotted Maya and her array of products and goods, though Rhothomir couldn't help but be captivated by the sight of Maya's lovely face hidden beneath her hood.

Maya acknowledged Rhothomir's presence, saying, "Knight, the goods are down there."

Rhothomir, aware of his distraction, nodded in apology. "My lady, your beauty truly is a sight to behold."

Maya responded with a serious demeanour, "Thank you, knight. Now, is there something I can assist you with?"

Rhothomir answered with a slight smile, "I'd like to purchase some of your unique apples."

Maya attended to his request, giving him his order. Rhothomir nodded in gratitude before resuming his rounds with a renewed focus.

Meanwhile, Yory attended to another customer, then returned to his cart to find it nearly empty. He paused for a moment to calculate and realized he'd sold nearly everything. What remained were frozen meat, a small quantity of spices, and high-quality tiger fur.

Yory smiled to himself, remarking, "This festival has been quite a success."

As noon approached, the merchants took a break to rest and prepare for the second half of the final day. Joe and Yory sat in their cart, chatting and eating.

Joe couldn't help but laugh. "Your cart is nearly empty and you didn't notice? You're quite the character."

Yory smiled and replied, "Yes, I didn't realize. The constant flow of customers and the quick trips I made to restock were exhausting enough."

Joe advised, pointing to the remaining goods, "Don't buy anything else here. Wait for the festival in Daekrahm City; you'll find better deals there."

Yory thanked him and said, "I appreciate the tip. Now, back to work. See you later."

As the merchants began to resume their activities, Garon and his friends entered the area. Dui, the guard, helped himself to a large, beautifully made pie without asking for the merchant's permission.

The merchant protested angrily, "Do you intend to pay for that?"

Dui laughed, and Hyf took the pie, throwing it back at the merchant, covering his face in its contents.

Hyf sneered, "Silence, commoner! Do you know who we are?"

The merchant's son hurriedly tried to wipe the pie off his father's face, while Garon and his companions continued on their way. Other merchants, having heard tales of Garon's behaviour, were frustrated, knowing that his father, as the lord, could easily harm their reputation and businesses.

Garon chattered on with his friends until he came across a merchant whose cart was situated in front of Maya's.

Dui whistled appreciatively and remarked, "This one has a fine sword. I'll take it. I hope you don't mind, old man?"

The merchant scowled at Dui but quickly shifted his gaze to Garon, realizing it was a no-win situation.

Dui tossed his old sword aside and sheathed the new one. He turned to Garon, proudly saying, "Look at this sword, it's exquisite."

However, Garon's attention was no longer on Dui. His eyes were locked onto Maya's face, captivated by her beauty.

Garon approached her and greeted her, "Welcome to my city. I am Garon Irrantorth."

Maya regarded him with a stern expression but didn't utter a word. Garon smiled and proposed, "The silent type, I like it. I'm Garon. I extend an invitation for you to join me at my castle for a party. What do you say?"

Maya responded in a cold voice, "No."

Garon was taken aback by her refusal and burst into laughter, thinking it couldn't be serious. He began, "Look, you're beautiful, and I am the noble of this city..."

Maya cut him off with a gaze so sharp it even gave Dui pause. She stated, "And? You're not the only noble in this kingdom. Even if you were, you're hardly impressive. Just a sad, attention-seeking brat. That's it. And this kingdom's nobles are no different—just low-quality humans with money and fake smiles."

The merchants were in disbelief, their faces reflecting shock at Maya's words. Garon, too, was infuriated, his face red with anger. Dui reached for his sword, preparing to attack Maya, who remained unnerved as if the situation didn't faze her.

Hyf, seething with rage, advanced towards Maya. Yory watched from his cart and quietly remarked to Joe, "They're nothing but a bunch of spoiled brats."

Joe replied, "I know, but I can't help but feel like I want to help that woman."

Yory was puzzled, "Why? It's not your problem."

Joe smiled and explained, "I just like helping people, Yory. I'm not a saint, but I do enjoy lending a hand when I can."

Hyf moved toward Maya's apple table, appearing poised to knock it over. Joe, however, grabbed his shoulder and warned, "Young man, calm yourself before you do something foolish."

Hyf began to protest, "Get your hands off me—"

But before he could finish, Joe delivered a powerful punch to his face, causing him to stagger back, clutching his cheek. Joe then turned to Garon and ordered, "You, young man, leave."

Garon was astonished at seeing Hyf get struck. He retorted, "Do you know who my father is?"

Joe shrugged, "Don't know, don't care. Leave!"

Garon stepped back, and Dui drew his sword, threatening, "Wrong answer."

Joe smirked, "You're going to attack me with a sword you didn't even purchase?"

Dui began to charge, but suddenly, a punch from an unexpected source struck him in the stomach, causing him to collapse in pain. Garon was stunned to see that it was Captain Rhothomir. Rhothomir retrieved the sword from Dui and returned it to the merchant. Then he lifted Dui and Hyf from the ground.

Garon protested, "What the hell are you doing? They attacked me, so arrest them."

Rhothomir glared at Garon, silencing him. He then addressed the merchants, "I apologize deeply, my merchant friends, for this disturbance. I will remove these individuals from the festival and ensure you are compensated for any losses. I wish you all a good day."

The merchants erupted into cheers, and Joe looked at Rhothomir and asked, "Do you remember me?"

Rhothomir responded with a smile, "The brave merchant, always defending people and doing the right thing."

Joe smiled in return and said, "You too. I wish a long life to you, because people like you are the ones who protect the weak from assholes like those."

Rhothomir nodded, but suddenly Garon charged toward Maya with all his might, slapping her in the face and boasting, "You little whore of a woman, no one disrespects me in my city."

In an instant, Rhothomir seized him from behind and began dragging him away, shouting, "You damn fool, what have you done?"

Maya remained silent, her eyes vacant and her face devoid of emotion, while Yory observed her intently.

As the merchants resumed their work, Maya covered her cart and moved on. Joe and Yory took the opportunity to rest in the cart, as their goods had run out.

Yory was eating when Joe remarked, "Yory, why leave today? Tomorrow might be better."

Yory replied, "To reach Daekrahm city and have three days to prepare before the festival."

Joe considered, "I almost forgot about Daekrahm City's festival. You're right, if we leave today and take a month's journey, we'll arrive exactly three days before the festival."

Yory wore his hat and covered his face before stepping out of the cart. Joe followed suit and asked, "Heading out? I'll take the cart to the inn."

"Thank you," Yory said. "I'm going to meet Rhothomir."

This name piqued Joe's curiosity. "Is there a problem?"

Yory explained, "That female dragon is going to cause a disaster, and I can prevent it without getting directly involved. So, why not help Rhothomir?"

Joe inquired further, "Why do you care?"

Yory offered a smile and said, "I'm a demon, and the war with this kingdom 300 years ago erased any sympathy I had for humans. But if there are people like you and Captain Rhothomir around, why not lend a hand? You're the rational folks we need when conflicts arise, and it's good to make friends with people like you."

Joe grinned and expressed, "I'm honoured to be your friend. Even for someone who will live for hundreds of years, I'm happy to be a living memory for someone beyond my family."

Yory nodded and went on his way. Rhothomir was in the centre of the city, reflecting on the recent events with Garon and the female merchant. When Yory approached, he greeted, "Good day to you, Rhothomir."

Rhothomir recognized the voice from that fateful day. He turned around and saw Yory, dressed in the distinctive attire of the land of sand, his face unmasked.

In a low voice, Rhothomir greeted, "Good day to you. Is there something I can assist you with?"

Yory responded with a serious expression, "There is something we need to discuss."