NOVEL WEB Chapter 19: Information and Business
Acelin invited Jonn’s group to join him for roast beef immediately after his question. Jonn and Elia sat down with him while Eliot stood, keeping watch over their surroundings.
Jonn took a deep breath as he pondered Acelin’s question. He had no intention of telling anyone outside the village about how, after death, Hewet had passed through the Gates of Dawn and entered the Immortal Realm in spirit. He didn’t fully understand the implications of that phenomenon, but it seemed inappropriate to discuss something so extraordinary with people he barely knew.
Reflecting deeply on that day, he couldn’t help but miss his grandfather. The old man had raised him and was like a father to him.
“Grandpa left us after falling ill during his daily walk around the village. Everything happened quickly. He spoke with Arber, looked at the plants in the greenhouse, and then suddenly fell ill. He was in bed within minutes, saying his last words.” Jonn relived the memories of that day in his mind.
Elia added, casting a sober glance toward the fire. “Petyr said that the old Elder knew he was going to die. He spoke to our hunter about his feelings weeks before his death.”
Acelin remembered Petyr’s name. The man had been a hunter and aide to old Hewet for at least two decades. The merchant had encountered Petyr on more occasions than he could recall.
Jonn continued, trying to steady his breathing. “In the end, he managed to say his last words to me before he left for good.”
If it hadn’t been for the emotional and genuine nature of Jonn and Elia’s accounts, Acelin might have doubted their words. However, he felt the depth of every word they spoke, and he couldn’t deny it.
‘That’s so strange. Did old Hewet really die like that? It’s seldom that men like him pass away from old age.’
“But he left me a mission.” Jonn used the momentary silence to shift the topic. “He asked me to take care of the village and lead our people toward something more than mere survival. That’s why we’re here today, Senior Acelin. We’re seeking information and materials for the village.”
Though still curious about the previous subject, Acelin set his thoughts aside for the moment. ‘I’ll revisit this in the future.’
“What exactly do you need? We have grain, fruit, dried meat, weapons, clothes—basically a bit of everything,” he said in a less somber tone, attempting a smile as he gestured toward his wagons.
“We have a list for that, but we’re also interested in some of your weapons. We’ve had trouble with animals recently and realized the need for new weaponry.” Elia handed over the list compiled by the other village Councilors.
Acelin scanned the short list of 11 items while signaling his servants to bring forth the weapons for sale.
“We have everything you need. The items listed will cost 2 gold. I can also throw in 10 kilos of dried meat as a bonus for this deal,” Acelin said, removing the large circular gold lens from one of his eyes.
Jonn nodded, a smile spreading across his face. “We can close the deal for that sum.”
As they spoke, two men in simple clothing, thin with large dark circles under their eyes, placed two wooden boxes between Jonn and Acelin.
“These are the weapons we have with us, Jonn. We have more, but they’re identical to these,” Acelin explained.
Jonn didn’t hesitate to pick up one weapon—a medium-length sword, far more elegant than those in the village. It featured a well-crafted blade with a firm, comfortable grip. Its weight was balanced, allowing for a greater number of movements before tiring the user.
Jonn wasn’t ashamed to use the Celestial Magnifying Glass to examine the item.
His mana only escaped his body when he used it for purposes other than employing one of his Skills. Thus, even if there were mana-sensitive beings in the merchant group, no one would detect his unique essence.
“The sword in your hands costs 5 silver each. The spears are 6 silver, and this little beauty here is 10,” Acelin said, holding a silver helmet, which rested atop some metal plates of the same color, shaped in a way that made their purpose clear.
An armor suit, huh? It looks good.
He visually compared it to the armor worn by the two guards behind Acelin.
While the servants began preparing the 11 items on Elia’s list and the meat promised by Acelin, Jonn examined each of the weapon models and the armor available for sale.
He had analyzed each of the village’s weapons with his magnifying glass over the past two days, using his time by the riverbank to study his spear, Elia’s sword, and Eliot’s dagger.
If Acelin’s sword costs 5 silver coins, then ours should be worth 2, maybe 3, if I’m optimistic. Our spears should be costs 3, and our daggers 1.
That wasn’t bad value. The village’s weapons were ordinary and couldn’t even be classified by the Celestial Magnifying Glass system. [Analysis] merely deemed these weapons unclassified, but of good quality, as they had never been used before.
Acelin’s weapons also lacked magical components that would classify them according to the Celestial Magnifying Glass’ rank. However, they were made from better materials and were better constructed.
I’ll talk to Tim about the structure of Acelin weapons. I think I can replicate their production method in no time.
“Your weapons are good ones, but I’m afraid we don’t have enough resources to improve the situation in the village now,” Jonn said with a bitter smile, placing the last piece he had analyzed back into a wooden box. “Perhaps we can do some business on your next passage through the area.”
Acelin didn’t push the weapons deal, aware of the Eternal Village’s struggles.
“I’ll be passing through again in about 21 to 23 weeks. I’ll head to Lost Treasures to sell the contents of these wagons and bring back some spices. If any of these weapons are still with me, I’ll offer you a discount before I return to Sylvestria,” he said to the group.
“Speaking of which, how are things in those areas?” Elia asked, seizing the opportunity.
“Good. The last time I spoke with you and old Hewet, I was returning from Lost Treasures. I secured some suppliers in a town near to the border,” Acelin said, his tone shifting slightly. “You should consider relocating your group there, you know? Many nomadic caravans are thriving in Lost Treasures.
After the fall of the imperial family and the civil war, many of the region’s gold and silver mines were abandoned. They’re open to anyone who finds them and can mine.”
“Are the neighboring states going to allow simple groups like ours to enter Lost Treasures and take possession of these mines?” Elia frowned.
“It’s not about allowing it. They simply can’t stop it. Arcanis is surrounded by beasts and can’t move out of its territory for the next few months. The Beasts’ Tsunami has been affecting the kingdom since early spring.
Meanwhile, Sylvestria is too large to send a group that far. The Coalition has only a few thousand men and can barely control the cities in their allied territory. How will they manage the opportunities in Lost Treasures?”
The man laughed as he added, “But that doesn’t mean there’s no competition in that area. Groups like mine are traveling there in droves. Fortunately, the route to Lost Treasures is known to few, and even fewer have information about the locations of the mines.”
Finding an abandoned mine wasn’t easy, especially considering the vastness of Lost Treasures. The now sovereign-less territory northwest of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow was ten times larger than the black area they were now.
“I see… We’ll consider our options,” Jonn said, contemplating the implications of the situation in Lost Treasures.
The last information they had about the area indicated that there were 11 human cities remaining there after the Third Magic War. Some of these cities had rebelled against their rulers and were in civil war. Learning that the war was over and the region had entered a new era was news to the members of the Eternal Village.
We need to be cautious of exploratory groups passing through our territory on their way to Lost Treasures. This could cause us some problems.
But Jonn didn’t delve into the opportunities in the area that Acelin had mentioned. “How’s the food market there? Another confrontation must have further destabilized that mountainous region.”
“Indeed,” the chubby man replied as he received a goblet of wine and a plate of meat from one servant. He promptly signaled for the servants to serve the trio from the Eternal Village as well. “Lost Treasures has never been a major food producer. The area has always been best known for its mining and food imports.
After the rebellion and civil war, many people died, but the destruction of the few agricultural fields increased the demand for food even more.
The sack of wheat that cost 50 bronzes before the rebellion now costs 130 bronzes!”
Elia's and Jonn’s eyes widened in shock at the massive increase in wheat prices.
They almost considered abandoning everything to become merchants like Acelin after hearing such news.
“All that?” Even Eliot couldn’t help but express his wonder.
There were several currencies with their respective names and symbols in Valorian. However, the coins were made of the same materials, with only the markings differing. The value of these coins was nearly the same everywhere.
While 1 gold was a substantial amount, enough to cover a family’s expenses for months, it was equivalent to 100 silver. And 100 silver was worth 10,000 bronzes, the most common currency used to pay for non-slave labor.
The sack of wheat is less than 50 kilograms… 130 bronzes!
Four sacks are worth more than the sword he showed me!
Jonn did the math, while Acelin smiled in a peculiar way.
“That’s the current reality, kids,” the man said with sincerity, “and I have no choice but to sell at those prices. Just entering Lost Treasures with food is a tremendous risk.
If I sell cheaper, there’s a chance my customers will kill me. They’d rather pay more to ensure the food is theirs than risk a competitor doing business with me first.”
Elia understood. One of Hewet’s lessons in negotiation was that price is relative to product demand.
“So Sylvestria must be doing very well in this scenario. Perhaps only Eldoria can vie with your nation in Valorian food production,” Elia said in realization.
Before the Third Magic War, Sylvestria and Eldoria were the two large territories with the greatest agricultural potential in Valorian. Although Elia didn’t know Eldoria’s current situation, she imagined it couldn’t be much worse off than Acelin’s nation.
The stout man couldn’t disagree. “Little news reaches us from Eldoria, but that must be the case. Unfortunately, the wicked Battle of Barren Hills destroyed some of our best fields. There is still enough to feed the nation and some of our neighbors, but...”
At this point in Acelin’s speech, he couldn’t hide his pessimism. “But I don’t know, kids… The world has been strange for a few months now. Since the war ended decades ago, it seems like we’ve gone backwards. I’m afraid the food problem will only worsen in the future.”
He thought about some of Sylvestria’s largest plantations, which were decreasing in production each year. ‘At the current rate, we won’t have anything left to market in 10 years… I need to secure my family’s future by then.’
Jonn clenched his fists, already anticipating such a scenario, given the celestial item he possessed and his mission to save the village.
Regardless, he and Elia didn’t delve further into the matter. They would discuss what Acelin seemed eager to share and then learn about other products the man had—peculiar, even extravagant items.
Acelin had several books on different professions with him. For Eliot and Elia, this seemed quite absurd. Who would buy books at the end of the world? But it intrigued Jonn.
He didn’t have the coins to purchase anything and left the matter of the books for the future.
After finishing their meal, the group collected their items and paid for the 2 gold coins. They waited for Acelin’s group to depart before heading back to the village later that evening, having promised to return to the area for business in another five months.