“In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of.

In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.”

“Eighty gold coins. Lord Ermius, is that... reasonable?” The merchant in front of Calun spoke with a hesitant tone. The two of them were currently in a private room in the city’s best restaurant. Fine wines and rich meats packed the table, but the entire meal was not a tenth of the cost of what the merchant was holding in his hand. 

A small glimmering red crystal embedded in a silver ring lay quietly in a cushioned wooden box. By his side was an appraising tool, a necessity for every member of the Merchant’s Guild.

Gilon, a B-rank merchant, pulled out a handkerchief to pat away the sweat on his forehead. “Ninety coins?” He offered.

Calun simply let out a cold hum in response.

“...a hundred.” Gilon spoke anxiously. “My lord, I can raise it no further.”

There was no response. He grit his teeth and was about to add another ten coins, but the noble in front of him nonchalantly nodded, not a single emotion on his face. Internally, Gilon sighed in relief. He motioned to his servant, and soon, a full bag of golden coins lay on the table.

After the noble left, Gilon slumped in his chair, handkerchief mopping his entire face. He paused to gulp down an entire cup of fruit wine and let out a laugh. His entire person was flushed with excitement.

On a normal year, he would travel through the north for months, stocking up on ores and furs before selling them in the southern markets. This trip had only taken a week, but the profits already far outscaled previous years. With the right client, the ring would sell for a hundred fifty... no, two hundred gold coins! At an auction, it might sell for even higher.

The servant beside him commented calmly. “Master Gilon, it seems you have found quite the treasure.”

The person didn’t respond until the bottle was empty, alternating between drinking and chuckling. Finally, he gestured to the servant. “Pack everything. We will be returning early. Keep this a secret for now. ”

The servant bowed respectfully. “As you wish, Master Gilon.”

-

Outside, a servant was waiting for Calun by a carriage. It was the golden-haired boy that he had met the other day. The boy was stubbornly insistent on repaying his debt after meeting him at the orphanage, so Calun had taken him as an attendant. He was one of the two children that Calun brought back that day.

Leon called out with a grin upon seeing Calun. “Young Master! I got the stuff as you ordered!”

Winter had passed and the wind was no longer the biting cold that could freeze people to death. Though the spring air was still chilly, he was able to forego the thick winter coats in favor of a lighter jacket. Perhaps because the previous owner rarely showed his face, most of his clothing was simple, unadorned with the gaudy trinkets that many nobles favored.

Calun felt like it matched his personality rather well.

He glanced at the small equipment crate in the back of the carriage. In it were several weapons he had ordered from a blacksmith. Even though some of the scabbards and handles were lacking, the sharp gleam of the blades revealed their true quality.

Feeling the weight of the bag of gold by his waist, Calun once again felt that enchanting objects was a lucrative prospect. Basic accessories could be procured for dozens of silvers, and after putting in a week of work, could be sold as enchanted equipment for dozens of gold coins.

A single gold coin was equivalent to a hundred silvers, and likewise for silvers to coppers. The profit he earned from this single transaction was enough for a small family to eat for the rest of their lives.

He had sold a ring enchanted with the ability to cast Fireball, a low level offensive spell. One of the major restrictions of spellcasting was a person’s capacity for mana. However, Calun was able to lift that requirement by integrating the ring with a crystal capable of storing magical energy. That meant that the ring could be used by anyone, regardless of who they were. It was something that was especially valuable to high-ranked nobles, people that had more money than they could spend, but lacked magical talent.

Unfortunately, it was meaningless to Calun, who had acquired basic proficiency in magic, so he sold it.

“Hey, Aspen! Stop, that tickles!” The carriage slowly set off once the two of them got on. 

Leon was fighting to pull out Aspen, who was trying to climb into his shirt. Though the snow leopard was still obedient to him and Venice, it seemed to have taken a great liking to Leon. Similarly, Leon seemed to love Aspen dearly, taking care of all its baths and meals.

Watching the scene, Calun couldn’t help but unconsciously smile at the two of them. A soft purring filled the cabin as Leon hugged Aspen and started scratching behind its ear. It was a harmonious atmosphere.

As the rocking carriage passed by a certain building, Leon peered out the window curiously and Aspen, in his arms, copied his actions, ears pricked forwards. “What’s that?”

“It’s the barracks.” Calun gave a cursory glance before returning to a resting position, eyes closed and leaning back into the furnished seat. “There should be a new batch of soldiers soon.”

“Mn. Do you think I could be like them too? Like, a cool knight?” Calun couldn’t see Leon’s face, but could sense the sparkling pair of eyes.

“Maybe when you’re older.” He responded faintly. “You need to practice a lot more.”

“I understand, young master!” Leon suddenly raised a fist to the air. "I'll definitely make you proud!" Snuggling in Leon's lap, Aspen purred in agreement.

Half an hour later, as Calun stepped into the residence, he immediately felt a grim air. The servants that usually greeted him politely were walking about in a hurry, faces serious. He sent Leon to store away the crate of weapons, and then hailed one of the servants with an inquiring look.

The servant began to explain. "The Viscount and Lord Klaes were ambushed by bandits on the way back from their hunting trip. The temple priest has already been fetched to treat the Lord's injuries."

Calun opened the door the servant brought him to, and found his father seated on a bed, bandages wrapped around his shoulder. The old priest and Klaes were also in the room, one calm, the other furious. The priest was instructing the Viscount on how to handle the injury, while Klaes stood up and motioned towards him.

Once the two of them were in the hallway, Klaes turned to Calun. He spoke in a low tone, but his voice was tinged with anger.

“A hunter discovered that the bandits set up base in some of the mines. In a few days, we’re going to wipe them out.” He paused briefly. “Father has requested the both of us to go as well.”

Calun’s face remained impassive, but he had an inkling as to what the Viscount was trying to achieve. Soon, he would retire, and the position of the family head would be passed on. It was no mystery that he favored Klaes over Venice and intended for him to inherit the title of Viscount.

However, compared to Venice, Klaes was rather lacking in terms of administrative talent. Over the years, even someone like the Viscount couldn’t help but notice the disparity. Eventually, Venice would be wedded away and the territory would lack a proper administrator.

The Viscount planned for Calun to fill that position.

Consolidating power. That was the Viscount’s intention in trying to have him and Klaes work together. Although the Viscount had increased his pitiful allowance after his 'recovery', Calun supposed that he wasn't yet assured of his support. He wanted to show the image that the two brothers were close to each other.

After all, the third child that he had always ignored not only became part of the political game, but was closer with the person he disapproved of. As Calun made no secret of his actions, the entire residence knew of his pursuit of magic and enchanting, though the extent of his abilities was unknown. Undoubtedly, the Viscount wanted to separate the two and place him by the side he favored instead. 

He wondered how Venice, who was drowning in paperwork at the city hall, would react.

“Venice is a schemer. Don't trust her.” Almost as if reading Calun’s mind, Klaes continued. “I wouldn't be surprised if that woman had a connection with those bandits."

In addition to having completely opposite interests and personalities, the two also had quite a terrible relationship.

“I will keep your words in mind,” Calun replied, but his mind was elsewhere. This excursion was rather unexpected, but there were some new spells he wanted to test out, and this was the perfect chance. He planned to use the opportunity to raise his reputation further.

"Father, I wish you a quick recovery.” After Calun paid his respects to the Viscount, he headed to the study.

Fiddling with his pendant while deep in thought, a silver ball of light soon appeared and spun around his hand. Like a firefly, it moved languidly, glowing softly.