Chapter 42: A Merchant’s True Intentions

After the battle with the slimes, the caravan quickly resumed its journey following a brief respite.

They didn’t even pause to gather the dropped loot, the sticky slime mucus.

The longer they lingered on the prairie, the greater the peril became.

No one could predict if more slimes would emerge, leaving no time for further delays.

Along the way, a notable change occurred.

Eve, unlike before, was invited by Joyce to ride in the foremost carriage.

As the caravan leader’s carriage, its interior boasted considerable luxury.

Plush, soft cushions lined the seats on both sides, and a small, stand-alone table nearby held a fruit platter.

It felt entirely designed for enjoyment!

Compared to the plain cargo wagon Eve had ridden previously, this was truly a world of difference!

Yet, the switch from a hard bench to a soft seat made no discernible difference to Eve.

‘My backside feels nothing anyway, so what does it matter where I sit?’

Initially, Eve had intended to decline.

However, Joyce directly stated that he wished to discuss something with her in private.

After a moment’s consideration, Eve decided to follow him and hear him out.

Inside the carriage, Eve and Joyce sat facing each other, a small table separating them.

Eve silently watched as he unhurriedly brewed a cup of black tea and offered it to her.

“Miss Luosha, please.”

“…Thank you.”

After a brief hesitation, Eve politely uttered her thanks and reached out to accept the cup.

She did not immediately sample the tea.

Instead, she delicately held the cup by its handle with one hand, supporting the saucer with the other, and gracefully placed it on the table before leaning back, silently awaiting his words.

This series of refined gestures had been ingrained in her through Alice’s constant influence.

During their time in the courtyard, their days were often spent either ‘playing dead’ or sipping tea, and over time, Eve had absorbed most of Alice’s tea etiquette.

However, in Joyce’s eyes, the scene held a different meaning.

As a merchant, Joyce frequently interacted with numerous nobles.

He immediately recognized Eve’s mannerisms as the common afternoon tea etiquette practiced among the nobility.

Such forms of etiquette were utterly inaccessible to common folk, unless one belonged to the aristocracy.

‘Miss Luosha, it seems, has delivered yet another surprise…’

‘It’s only a pity that this opportunity didn’t allow me to glimpse her true face beneath the mask…’

Unlike Odell, Joyce felt no particular disappointment or sense of disparity upon encountering a mysterious powerhouse like Eve.

Rather, the more enigmatic Eve became, the more excited he grew.

While recruiting her now seemed unrealistic, it only solidified his earlier decision to forge a good relationship with her.

As a merchant, he possessed a keen ability to perceive Eve’s true value!

Whether it was her unparalleled strength as a cleric or the subtle hint of noble status revealed by her tea-drinking habits, Joyce recognized her potential.

Joyce was certain that cultivating a strong relationship with her would be a venture with guaranteed returns!

Perhaps in the future, more opportunities for cooperation with Luosha would arise, bringing him even greater profits!

A smile, habitual for a merchant, involuntarily spread across Joyce’s lips as he looked at Eve.

“Miss Luosha,” he began, “I never imagined you were such a powerful cleric. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have met you…”

“Therefore, I called you here not for anything particularly unusual. I simply wish to compensate you fully for your previous services. Someone as powerful as you deserves a bounty commensurate with your strength.”

As he spoke, Joyce withdrew a heavy pouch from his robes.

The distinct clinking of gold coins resonated from within the bag.

“Please accept this; it is a small token of my appreciation.”

Eve gazed calmly at the money pouch before her.

‘Good heavens, the bag is practically bursting! Just how much money is in there?’

‘If a money-lover saw this much, they’d probably be rooted to the spot!’

Unfortunately, Eve held no interest in money.

As a minor undead, she had no need to eat, drink, or relieve herself, leaving her with few avenues to spend money.

Shaking her head, she temporarily placed the teacup on her lap and pushed the money pouch back towards Joyce.

“There’s no need, Mr. Joyce. I have a very clear understanding of my own strength, and you could easily use this money to hire a far more powerful cleric than myself.”

“Furthermore, let me state upfront: no matter how much more money you offer, I will not accompany your group to Greendunburg.”

‘Are you kidding? I still have slimes to farm.’

That recent surge of slimes had almost filled her experience bar to the brim; she was on the verge of leveling up.

Naturally, Eve had no interest in wandering around with a caravan.

Moreover, where in the world did free lunches truly exist?

This was merely a sugar-coated trap woven by him.

‘Once I accept it the first time, who knows what I might eventually become corrupted by?’

Hearing her words, the smile on Joyce’s face did not falter.

He shook his head. “No, Miss Luosha, you’ve misunderstood my intentions.”

“This money is precisely the commission for your employment. If you find it excessive, you may simply take half.”

“Please do not deem it too much. After all, you single-handedly saved both me and my goods, a value that a mere bag of gold coins cannot truly compare to.”

“Furthermore, Miss Luosha, you may not be aware as a newly-minted adventurer: upon completion of a quest, it typically requires submission to the Adventurer’s Guild.”

“Only after verification by guild personnel will your commission be disbursed and your adventurer’s record updated.”

“But you intend to disembark midway through the Xigelili Prairie and part ways with us, don’t you?”

“Therefore, I am providing you with this commission in advance. Afterwards, once my caravan reaches Greendunburg, I will, as the quest giver, approach the local Adventurer’s Guild to submit this completed quest on your behalf.”

Eve listened silently to Joyce’s explanation, then nodded.

She truly hadn’t bothered to learn any of these adventurer regulations.

After all, she hadn’t even completed the beginner’s tutorial.

‘Even if there was one, I probably would have skipped it anyway.’

As a player, she didn’t need to know anything beyond the fact that she was about to embark on a killing spree.

Only now, after Joyce’s explanation, did Eve gain a rudimentary understanding of the Adventurer’s Guild’s quests.

However…

“Mr. Joyce, why are you helping me like this?”

Eve voiced her doubt directly.

If it were anyone else, she might have mused about the abundance of good people in the world.

But he was a merchant, one who wouldn’t rise early without profit.

Eve found it truly difficult to believe that his assistance came without any ulterior motive.

Joyce smiled. “Haven’t I already told you the reason?”

“Miss Luosha, you saved both me and my goods. While I am a merchant, I am also a human being, not an ungrateful wretch. I still understand gratitude.”

Eve remained somewhat incredulous. “Really, truly?”

Joyce gave a wry, helpless smile. “While I’m unsure of what you’ve experienced in the past, Miss Luosha, to make you so distrustful of merchants, I can assure you that everything I’ve said is from the bottom of my heart.”

Eve lowered her gaze, watching the tea within her cup.

Her slender, fair index finger gently tapped the edge of the saucer as she sank into contemplation.

After a long moment, she finally looked up. “Mr. Joyce, I apologize. I had previously viewed you through the lens of certain stereotypes. I am willing to trust you.”

“Thank you for your trust, Miss Luosha.”

Joyce placed the money pouch on the table and extended his hand toward Eve.

Eve nodded, then reached out her own hand, clasping his once more.