Following behind Arles, Ethan walked silently.
Truthfully, long before arriving in the Spade Kingdom, he had already mapped out how to approach this espionage mission.
The first and most crucial step was simple: establish himself and gain their trust.
This had nothing to do with his strength—it was about methods and connections. Only by planting solid roots here could he even think about the next phase of his plan.
"Welcome, Mr. Uchiha Madara. It is an honor to receive you in our kingdom for trade negotiations. On behalf of the Spade Kingdom, I extend my gratitude."
The moment Ethan entered the commander's residence, he was greeted by a man with cropped hair and a dark, sullen expression.
Ordinarily, a mere merchant wouldn't warrant such personal attention from a military commander.
But this was no ordinary merchant.
What Ethan had brought wasn't flower seeds or trinkets—it was enough supplies to arm a tenth of the kingdom's magic knight forces.
Smiling faintly, Ethan reached into his satchel and produced a pouch of gleaming mana crystals.
"An honor to meet you, Commander. Please accept this small token of respect for our first meeting."
Heh.
Now that's a man who knows the rules of the game.
Weighing the pouch in his hand, Commander Chartrand couldn't hide his grin. Yes, he was acting on behalf of the kingdom, but pocketing a little "bonus" along the way? Perfectly acceptable.
"Mr. Madara, Arles has told me about your goods. Impressive—exactly what we need at the moment. But… with such a large shipment, surely we can negotiate the price, no?"
A discount, is it?
Ethan didn't need to guess what the man was angling for. The Spade commander's face said it all.
The crystals were precious, yes, but they weren't his true objective. His purpose here was infiltration. If lowering the price earned him more trust, so be it.
"Of course," Ethan replied smoothly. "What Commander may not know is that this isn't my first time trading in the Spade Kingdom. We're practically old acquaintances by now. Let's say… ten percent off. How does that sound?"
"Ten percent…?"
Chartrand's eyes narrowed, calculating.
"To be frank, our military budget is tight these days. Even with your discount, we may only be able to afford two-thirds of the shipment…"
Old fox, Ethan thought with an inward sneer. But outwardly, he sighed with feigned regret.
"A shame… I was hoping to sell the entire lot in one go. If that's the case, I'll just have to take the remainder to another buyer…"
His tone was flawless—the perfect image of a businessman lamenting a missed deal.
After several hours of haggling, the deal was finally struck.
"Then it's settled. Mr. Madara, thank you for selling to us first. Should you come across such goods again, please notify us immediately."
"And thank you for your kingdom's generosity," Ethan replied with a warm smile. "Otherwise, I would have had to travel elsewhere. A pleasure doing business."
They shook hands, each wearing the same practiced grin.
But what lay beneath that smile? Only they knew.
Once Ethan departed, Arles leaned closer to his commander. "Sir, can we really trust this man?"
In truth, Ethan's conduct had been flawless—obedient aboard the fortress, unassuming in town, never overstepping. Yet Arles couldn't shake a lingering doubt.
"Trust?" Chartrand smirked faintly. "That's not the point. If he truly had ulterior motives, would he waste two hours haggling over transportation fees, labor costs, insurance… even his meals while handling the shipment? The man's practically more cutthroat than a loan shark."
Arles nodded reluctantly. "You're right. He's outrageous, but genuine. That man only cares about money."
Stepping out of the residence, Ethan allowed himself a faint smile.
After this drawn-out negotiation, he could be fairly certain: they no longer viewed him with suspicion.
"If he truly had schemes, he wouldn't waste hours arguing for pocket change… That's what they'll think. And honestly…" Ethan chuckled at himself, recalling how shamelessly he'd acted during the talks. "I was just being a merchant."
But suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and turned sharply.
"Come out. Why are you following me?"
From around the corner, two figures hesitantly emerged—one tall, one small. The elder girl's blouse was still torn, exposing her pale shoulders.
"You two…"
Ethan immediately recognized them—the sisters he had saved from that lecherous soldier earlier. Truthfully, once he'd entered Chartrand's mansion, he'd pushed the matter from his mind.
Thud!
Before he could speak, the older sister dropped to her knees, clutching the younger one tightly. Tears streamed down her face, her beauty all the more striking for it.
"My lord… may we follow you?"
"Follow me?"
Ethan frowned, shaking his head. Yes, he pitied them—just as he pitied all of Toron Town—but he wasn't a saint. He couldn't save everyone.
More importantly, he wasn't here as a tourist. He had a mission.
"Forgive me. If you follow me… you'll only die faster."
The older sister, Lucia, let out a bitter laugh. Die faster? In the Spade Kingdom, for people like them—"lower district" commoners—death could come tomorrow, or even in the next breath.
But she clenched her fists. I am human. I want to live. I want to protect my sister and live on.
"My lord, no matter what it takes, even if it means death—I will not regret following you!"
Her voice trembled, but her words carried steel.
She had seen it—felt it—that the man before her was not like those soldiers. Perhaps she was wrong. But life itself was a gamble: win and live, lose and die.
That's all there is.
"…Bold."
Ethan's eyes narrowed, studying her. "No matter what it takes? You're certain?"
Her cheeks flushed, but she met his gaze without wavering. Slowly, she set her younger sister aside, then glanced down at her tattered clothes.
With a sharp tug—
"...Wait, what the hell—?"
Ethan froze as the girl, without hesitation, bared herself before him.
Is this… seduction?
For a split second, his thoughts spiraled. She's young, but—dammit, what am I thinking?
Lucia's heart sank. He was staring, yes—but not moving. Desperately, she reached toward her confused little sister, ready to strip her as well.
"Enough."
Ethan snapped back to his senses and cut her off. Clearing his throat, he pulled a gold coin from his pouch and flicked it to the ground before her.
"Put your clothes back on. Buy yourselves proper garments and tidy up. Meet me at the largest inn in town."
She blinked, stunned. Then her eyes lit up.
Clutching the coin, she looked up to thank him—only to find the man had vanished without a trace.
"Little one… perhaps we're saved."
She pulled her sister close, tears shining in her eyes, as the autumn wind brushed her torn blouse.
For the first time in a long time, Lucia felt a spark of hope.
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