Chapter 24: The Three-Year Gap Unknown to Him

Chapter 24: The Three-Year Gap Unknown to Him

"Hmm."

Karyl reached inside his coat and took out a pouch. To continue his journey, he needed funds, no matter what. The pouch in his hand contained treasures of Kaye Aesir he had obtained in Einheri.

However, he decided against using them and instead pulled out another, smaller pouch. It was something he had brought when he escaped the mansion. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Jingle—

Karyl opened the pouch, revealing gold coins inside. These coins were different from the ones in the pouch from Einheri. These were from Kaye Aesir's era, gold coins belonging to the Old Empire. Although they held their own value, they had to be sold to a jeweler to be used.

Though he was told to spend them freely, it wasn’t feasible for him, a twelve-year old boy, to make transactions with such items.

"It’s fortunate that Elliot hasn’t changed his hiding spot for emergency funds."

Perhaps due to being the son of a merchant who had fallen from grace, Elliot, the third son, possessed a fiery temperament and an unwavering obsession with money. It went beyond mere attachment, so much so that whenever their father gave them an allowance, Elliot would always save it, stashing it away in a small safe without spending a single coin.

"His dream of setting up a trading company would be impossible once the war begins... This money would have gone to waste otherwise. But I'll still make sure to repay the borrowed amount."

For now, Karyl bought a horse in a nearby village. Though the people there had cheered for him, nobody recognized him since he had worn a mask during the goblin subjugation.

Upon leaving the mansion, he had already set his sights on a destination—the port city of Piasta.

Since it was about a fortnight's ride from the mansion, Karyl was browsing the village for food and other necessary supplies.

"Look here, it’s new leather goods!"

"Try this, just taste it!"

From fruit vendors to various shops, the village under the MacGovern's jurisdiction was small but lively.

Thank goodness the goblins were thoroughly eradicated. Otherwise, this place might have been swept away by them.

In his previous life, this place was nothing but ruins, and the smiling people around him were corpses. For the first time since his return, Karyl felt genuinely pleased with the outcome he had created.

He took a bite of an apple lying on a stall while looking around.

When was the last time I freely roamed the empire like this? Maybe this is the first time, Karyl marveled at the wonders of magic.

Suddenly, out of the blue, he heard a man gasping for breath shouting from the entrance of the village, "Make way, everyone! Clear the path quickly!!!"

The merchants and villagers were confused, not understanding what was happening. As Karyl took the last bite of his apple, he looked in the direction the man had come from.

Soon after, his eyes started to gleam. It was as if Karyl's vision had zoomed in, allowing him to see a group rushing towards them from afar. People mumbled in confusion, unaware of what was happening.

Soon, the sound of galloping hooves echoed loudly. As soon as the crowd saw the insignia on the leading banner, they hurriedly cleared the area.

That's definitely... Karyl thought, furrowing his brows.

One of the knights tugged on the reins, causing his horse to rear up.

"Might I trouble you for some water?" asked the leading knight, as he removed his helmet and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Yes, of course," the merchant replied, at first hesitating but eventually bringing out his finest ware.

"Please, don’t worry. Just being able to drink water is enough for me," the young knight reassured the merchant, a faint smile gracing his lips. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com

Karyl glanced at him. Isn’t that one of the Seven Knight Orders of the empire, the Ryeo Knights? They must be heading to the mansion late... Well, given Father's nature, he would've already reported the spy's death through a magical device.

However, something seemed off. It had only been a day since the death of the spy from the Lurein Principality, Baker.

The Ryeo knights were assigned to the eastern border... Even if they received the report, they couldn't have arrived this quickly.

Karyl tried to recall if the Ryeo knights had ever visited the mansion in his previous life; they didn’t.

If they had, I would definitely remember.

Karyl’s gaze was fixed on one of the knights nonchalantly chugging down a bucket of water given to him by a merchant. Despite his masculine appearance, there was a certain elegance and old-fashioned charm. His face seemed to radiate an inherent kindness, almost as if he was a priest in a previous life.

And true to his appearance, he was one of the few nobles who mingled easily with the commoners, even though he was of noble birth.

Baron Naryl, despite his young age, had risen to the position of vice-captain of the Ryeo Knights.

He was adored by the ladies for his good looks and noble character.

It was because of that very character, that after the Oracle was revealed, he had treated Karyl, a mere barbarian at the time, without any reservations.

I wonder if the ladies know that he turns into a demon on the battlefield. Nevertheless, he's skilled and will soon be promoted to captain.

As memories of the first Oracle War flooded his mind, Karyl couldn't help but smirk.

Everything he needed was there.

"I don't know what you're after, but give it up. Not if you don't want to die young," a merchant jeered.

"Indeed, indeed," another chimed in.

"Crossing there? Nonsense."

Despite the merchants' low laughter, Karyl hesitated to move, and contemplated instead.

The reason for his hesitation was simple:

Tatur couldn't be reached by land. The only way was to travel up the Fonein River or down the canal behind it. In other words, movement was strictly by boat and Karyl’s current location was the only port that allowed access to the Free City.

While Tatur had no king, the lawless port had an owner. Curan, known as the Lion of Fonein, was thus considered the de facto ruler of Tatur by many.

But the merchants' fear did not stem from his reputation as a pirate.

Anyone who pays tribute is accepted, even the most notorious criminals or barbarians fleeing persecution.

Well... I don’t have any tribute to offer to someone like him.

However, that was a concern for after arriving. The real issue at hand was whether he could even reach Tatur.

The river is infested with monsters.

Among them, there was a giant serpent called the Sea King, a problem that even the empire couldn't handle. But that wasn't it either. Even if he were to encounter the Sea King, there were ways to avoid it.

Given that the route isn't widely known, the Lion probably monopolizes this method.

That's why he held his position as the owner of the Lawless Port. So, what was the real issue then?

It’s the rapid currents that connected the Fonein River to Tatur.

The Fonein, too vast to be just a river, had currents so strong, that they could be compared to those of the open sea.

If only I could open even two of the meridians in my legs, I’d be able to use the Fly spell...

He lamented his inability to fully utilize his great magical power because his channels remained unopened.

The Bracelet of Greed had stabilized his mana, but without open channels, he couldn't properly cast spells.

Suan Hazar, the master of Rabat Guild. He was the reason Karyl had sought the aid of the Merchants' Guild.

Suan Hazar was the first to analyze Fonein's currents and pioneer the water route to Tatur. His magical navigation skills and almost reckless intuition surpassed any sailor Karyl had encountered in his life.

And he was just as formidable in combat on land as he was at sea. Frankly, it was a waste for him to remain a merchant, when his crew could outmatch any ordinary army.

His boats were as fierce as a storm, while his trading fleet moved with the swiftness of the wind. They utilized their unique routes for rapid strikes.

After the revelation of the Oracle, they left behind numerous feats.

From The Sea Wars to the Barca Desert Battle and the conquest of the Forgotten Canal Temple...

After Olivurn's coronation as emperor, Suan Hazar played a significant role in nearly every major event on the continent. Olivurn even intended to bestow upon him the title of Count.

But for some reason, he refused until the end. He always seemed uneasy at even just the mention of the military.

Karyl first met him when he was at the age of fifteen, three years from now.

Even if it’s too early for Suan Hazar to be the guild master, I thought that the Ravat Guild would at least exist...

In Karyl’s previous life, before the revelation of the Oracle, he spent most of his time within the mansion until he was fifteen. In a way, it was as if there was a three-year gap in his experiences.

This was unexpected. By the time he met Suan Hazar, Ravat Guild was already a major guild, well known even in the Imperial City.

Karyl furrowed his brow, astonished that the guild had emerged and flourished within just three years, Karyl frowned.

Where did Olivurn find him? Regrettably, it remained unknown.

I got caught by something unforeseen, Karyl thought, biting his lip.

Maybe I should negotiate with the Lion himself, he pondered for a moment, but quickly dismissed the thought.

"Hm?"

All of a sudden, the street became noisy.

...What’s this?