Chapter 5 

The morning started like any other. By now, Isaac was used to the cold winds of the northern tundra. Despite the sun shining on his face, it was still cold.

As usual, he donned on his outfit and warm clothes before heading out, as he usually did for the past few months of living here.

Now that they have reached this point, they have a big plan ahead.

As Isaac exited the Palace, he took in the full view of the place. The White Kingdom has certainly improved and it's been much better than when Isaac had first arrived.

People were bustling around the city, doing their own things. Some were helping out with catching fish while some were helping Meng build a massive water storage area just in case they needed it.

But if Isaac was to be honest, having twenty boilers was probably enough for everyone, especially since they're producing clean water non-stop every day.

Almost everyone greeted Isaac when they saw him. Since he'd been someone who's been helping them a lot, they liked him very much. Similar to when he was at Rost, he became that one guy that’s really friendly and helpful.

After helping a few people on the way, he stopped by the tavern as usual.

And as usual, Liliora was there.

Today, she looked normal. Well, she's a succubus, so the blonde hair and fair skin was a disguise. Isaac knew what she actually looked like.

"What's with the getup?" Isaac asked as he sat on a stool. "Are you seeing someone?"

Liliora shrugged. "Why? Are you jealous?"

Isaac snorted. "You'd wish." He said.

Liliora just grinned. "I have something for you." She said,

"Are you trying to get me into bed again?" Isaac groaned. "Because the last time you did that, you set me on fire."

"No, not this time," Liliora said. "Got a tip from one of the guards that were in charge patrolling near the fishing lake."

Isaac leaned in and listened more intently. "What is it?"

"A merchant fleet will be making their way here," Liliora said. "A whole flock of them, ready to make good money in the White Kingdom."

Isaac scowled. "There's no way," Isaac said. "There's no safe way to get here."

It's true. Traveling by land, you'd have to cross Whitewash Peaks and from firsthand experience, Isaac knew how dangerous that is.

Air travels are also dangerous. Not only is there a risk of encountering the Snow Dragon who can fly, but no air traveling method – neither magic nor machine – can get high enough to go over Whitewash Peaks. Even if there is, the harsh weather will make it impossible to navigate through.

They can get through by sea, but that’s realistically impossible.

Surrounding the coastline of the White Kingdom is what the people have called Shipwreck Maw. A natural defensive barrier against monsters, giant waves, and ships. With the whipping winds, nasty rock and ice formations, and unstable currents, any ship or boat coming from any direction would be crushed instantly.

But the people of the White Kingdom had a way. A way of navigating through Shipwreck Maw safely against the dangers. Isaac didn't know what it was because it’s a closely guarded secret.

"They're gonna arrive by sea," Liliora said. "Or so the guard said."

If that is true, then this will either be a huge opportunity for them or a potential danger.

"I need to speak with him," Isaac said. "The guard you talked to."

Liliora gave Isaac his name and Isaac went straight out to find him.

Isaac took the ride to the fishing lake, which was now thriving by the way. They've built a small hut for the fishermen to rest and store their fish. To Isaac's surprise, they even got a fishery going, to breed and cultivate the fish so that they don't run out too quickly.

But he had other matters to attend to.

Isaac grabbed the closest guard he could. "I'm looking for someone named Iola."

The guard seemed surprised. "Uh, he's watching over the White Vessels." He pointed to where four Vessels were parked side by side and a guard watching over them.

Isaac thanked him and went over to Iola. "Are you Iola?"

"Yes sir." Iola saluted.

"We need to talk," Isaac said. He pulled Iola aside. "Explain to me what you told the bartender. About the merchants."

Iola gulped. "Am I in trouble?"

"You will be unless you start talking," Isaac said.

And so, Iola starts talking. He'd been in contact with his wife who was in Losteria, a coastline city in the western part of Arya. Losteria has probably the largest naval force on the continent, rivaling the Sovereign Empire's naval forces.

Similar to the White Kingdom, Losteria is not aligned with the Sovereign Empire. They're on neutral terms for one particular reason:

Mercenaries.

Losteria is a thriving city governed by a group of mercenaries called the Three Coins which consists of the three most powerful mercenary factions in all of Arya. Because of that, the Sovereign Empire had no power over them. In fact, they seem to welcome Losteria's presence since they're a sizable source of manpower, provided you can fill their pockets.

Since the city is lawless, merchants often flocked to the city to sell their goods. Some might be standard such as food and booze while others can be more . . . unsettling products. Like mythical beasts or slaves, things that were illegal to sell in normal kingdoms.

And as Iola just told Isaac, a group of merchants hired one of the Three Coins to protect them as they sail through the ocean and to the White Kingdom.

"But how?" Isaac asked. "They won't make it through Shipwreck Maw."

Iola looked around to see if anyone close by was listening. Once he confirmed no one was around, he leaned in closer and spoke in a hushed voice. "I don't know if this is true, but apparently there's someone from the White Kingdom there with them. Someone who knows a way to navigate around Shipwreck Maw. A traitor."

Isaac was shocked but he remained calm. Shipwreck Maw is the kingdom's line of defense. The reason why they haven't cleared it or made it safer was because it's a very effective barrier against a naval invasion.

But there's a way to navigate it and it was a nationally kept secret. Giving this secret away would be the same as treason and is punishable by death. It’s the reason why Isaac knew of its existence but he doesn’t actually know how to do it because technically he was still an outsider.

Isaac now understood why Iola was so wary. If there's any news of a traitor in their midst, it would throw the White Kingdom into chaos.

"I see," Isaac said. "Have you told Liliora about this?"

Iola shook his head. "Only the merchant part. Aside from us two and my wife, no one knows about the traitor."

Isaac nodded. "You did well. Keep this between us. I will bring this up to the Queen."

Iola nodded but before Isaac could leave, Iola stopped him. "Can you do me a favor?"

Isaac was taken aback. "What's wrong?"

"Can you tell me if . . ." Iola hesitated. "If you're the Pale King?"

Isaac did well to hide his shock and surprise but internally, he almost screamed. Did Iola know? Had Scarlet told everyone?

"What makes you think that?" Isaac decided to play it safe.

"It's just that the day you arrived with the Queen, things suddenly got better. And the Queen said that it's thanks to the Pale King." Iola said. "So I just put two and two together."

When Isaac thought about it, it was kinda obvious. But then again, Isaac wasn't going to just outright admit it.

"So what if I was the Pale King?" Isaac inquired.

"Then I would like to thank you," Iola said humbly. "For saving my life. I was on the brink of death when you showed up. I thought I would never get to see my wife again. But you changed that. I was ready to face death, but you saved me and gave hope to my wife. If you are the Pale King, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. And that I swear to serve you until the day I die."

Isaac was again speechless. It was the first time someone had personally talked to him like that. The gratitude from someone whose life Isaac saved. It felt sincere and heartwarming.

"You’re mistaken. I am not the Pale King.” Isaac said which was technically the truth since he’s still a King Candidate and not an official King yet. Iola’s face dropped. “But I will make sure the Queen hears your message and she’ll pass it on to the King.”

Iola looked disappointed, but nodded. “Thank you,”

Isaac went into one of the Vessels and went back to the Palace. After a few minutes, Isaac reached the Palace grounds. He tried looking for Scarlet, but he only found Elisa.

"Hey. You know where Scarlet is?" Isaac asked. "I need to talk to her."

"You know, you might be an honored guest," Elisa said. "But you can't just go meet the Queen whenever you want."

"But I'm the King."

“You’re a Candidate.”

“The only Candidate, which means I'm King by default.”

"Technicalities."

Isaac rolled his eyes. "Can I see her? There’s something important I need to talk to her about."

Elisa noticed the seriousness in his voice and she nodded. "Come," Elisa said as she led Isaac to where Scarlet was.

After a few turns through the Palace corridors, they arrived in a room. Scarlet’s room. A grand bed covered in red sheets was pushed against the blue walls that were adorned with pictures of people Isaac didn't recognize.

The chandelier hung from the ceiling wasn’t lit since it’s still daylight. Unlike the whole Palace which had marble floors, Scarlet’s room had carpeted floors so Isaac felt a bit bad stepping inside with shoes but Elisa didn’t stop him so Isaac assumed it was okay.

At the opposite side of the door, another door led to a balcony that overlooked the entirety of the White Kingdom. Outside on the balcony, Isaac saw Scarlet’s familiar snowy white hair being let loose along her back. She wasn’t in her usual royal outfit right now. Instead, she wore a normal white dress. No decorations or anything. She almost looked like a normal lady instead of a Queen.

“Your Highness.” Elisa called. “Isaac’s here to see you.”

“Hm?” She said, “Come on in.”

Isaac and Elisa joined her on the balcony where the air wasn’t as cold as Isaac expected. It was surprisingly warmer up here.

“Sorry for the unflattering look.” Scarlet said with an apologetic smile. “I’ve just gotten out of bed. I’ve been tired with all of my duties.”

“I think you look great.” Isaac said.

“I haven’t washed my face.”

“Still,” Isaac shrugged. “You look beautiful.”

“Oh?” Scarlet raised an eyebrow with an amused smile. “Are you finally warming up to me?”

“I figured I have to at some point since I’m a King Candidate.”

“Well, if you think I look beautiful then you must be–”

Elisa cleared her throat loud enough to interrupt their conversation. Her face was blushing after listening to the awkward conversation of Isaac and Scarlet flirting with each other.

“You said you have something important to discuss.” Elisa said sternly without meeting Isaac’s eyes.

“Right.” Isaac also felt embarrassed but he composed himself.

Isaac explained everything. The incoming merchants from Losteria and the possible traitor of the White Kingdom in their midst.

While hearing this, Elisa's expression changed multiple times. From shock, to disbelief, to confusion.

Scarlet, on the other hand, maintained a calm exterior. She didn't show any expression as she listened intently to what Isaac was saying.

"What will this mean for us?" Elisa asked.

"The way I see it, there are two ways this could go for us," Isaac said.

Scarlet nodded in agreement. "One of them – which is the preferred one – is that Losteria will be looking to create a trade agreement between us."

"Losteria?" Elisa asked. "I thought you said it was just a group of mercenaries."

"She means the Three Coins," Isaac said.

Again, Scarlet nodded in confirmation. "The Three Coins wouldn't normally be involved in work such as this. An escort job is beneath them and they would normally leave it to a smaller group of mercenaries. The fact that they accepted it means they're interested in us as well."

"This can potentially be good for us." Isaac continued. "Losteria is not aligned with the Sovereign Empire. If we can reach a mutual agreement, it will be beneficial for both cities. We can get trades out while they can expand their market."

"It will solve our food problem and allows us to gain more resources," Scarlet said. "But that's one possibility. The other one is the more likely one."

Isaac sighed. "They've come for an invasion," Isaac said. "Losteria is full of mercenaries. For the right amount of gold, there's nothing that they wouldn't do. And the Empire has lots of gold."

Elisa gulped. "So, do we have to prepare for war?"

"Not exactly." Scarlet bit her lower lip. "We're in a very delicate situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's assume that we got the good ending," Scarlet explained. "Losteria came to do trade and explore and nothing else." Scarlet leaned forward. "But when they arrive, they're met with an army preparing for battle. What would cross their minds?"

Elisa's eyes widened in realization. "That we're hostile. They will stop their attempts of achieving any form of mutual agreement between us."

Scarlet nodded. "As I said, this is a delicate situation. We can't let our guard down in case the Empire invades, but we can't be too cautious and scare off our potential allies."

"Let's just send them a message then, telling them that we're not a threat." Elisa suggested.

"That's a bad idea," Isaac shook his head. "They will be suspicious of how we know that they're coming. They will assume we have a spy in their ranks. It might as well be a declaration of war."

"Can't we just send a signal like, 'Hey! We’re friendly! Wanna grab a drink?'. Or something along those lines."

"You're welcome to try," Scarlet said. "But I need to discuss this with my advisors." Scarlet turned towards Isaac. "When will they be here?"

"I don't know, but I'll look into it," Isaac said. "But considering how far Losteria is to here, it will probably take them months."

"You underestimate them," Scarlet said. "Their naval prowess surpasses the Sovereign Empire. The most we can hope for is a month."

Isaac winced. "That's not a lot of time."

"Indeed." Scarlet grimaced. “There’s also the matter of this traitor that shares our secret.”

“Any idea on who it might be?” Isaac asked.

Scarlet sighed. “When the White Kingdom was in trouble, a lot of people left the kingdom. I don’t know if they’re alive or not but they know our secret. If there’s going to be a traitor, it's going to be one of the people who left.”

“I suppose you don’t remember every single one that left the kingdom, right?”

“I don’t, but there’s a record of everyone that’s ever stayed here, right?”

Elisa nodded. “We can go through the old archives but it will take a while to cross reference it with everyone who’d left and everyone who stayed.”

“Tell the librarians to get on it. I want a list of our potential enemies.” Scarlet said.

Elisa nodded. "Might I add, you're forgetting something," Elisa said. "It could be a lie."

Isaac cursed under his breath. She was right. There was no way to confirm if this was all even true. Iola could be lying or his wife could be lying. Losteria might not even come at all and they could spend weeks preparing for something that might not happen, only to be blindsided in some other way.

"We can't prepare for everything," Scarlet said begrudgingly. "Worst case scenario, we have a battle in our hands. I will need to discuss this with the council. If I could, I'd like to send an envoy to Losteria but we're short on time and manpower. I need all the troops I can get."

Isaac nodded. An idea formed in his head, but he can't tell that to Scarlet. "I’ll leave you to it. Call me if you need anything," Isaac said.

“Thank you for telling this to me, Isaac.” Scarlet said with a smile.

Isaac smiled back as he and Elisa left the room.

When they left, Isaac pulled Elisa aside. "How long does it take to go to Losteria by land?"

Elisa frowned. "You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?"

"Maybe," Isaac said.

Line Break

Liliora whistled. "That’s an insane plan."

It’s been five days since Isaac told Scarlet about the merchants.

"It’s at least a week’s worth of journey, maybe even more," Isaac said. "And I need a party. Are you in?"

"You know, most people don't ask me for help since, well, I'm a demon. The only time you need a demon's help is when you need to kill people."

"Well, I'm not looking to kill anyone," Isaac said. "But I do want your seduction skills. You can gather tons of information. Also, you can do fire magic and I could barely hold a sword properly. I need a few ways to defend myself."

"I'm sure many people can do that."

"But it would be easier for you since you're a succubus. No offense."

"None taken," Liliora said. "You're not wrong."

"It’s gonna be my first time adventuring like this. I need someone that I can trust." Isaac said.

"Hmm." Liliora crossed her arms. "Trusting a demon. Are you sure you’re alright in the head?”

“I’m positive.”

“You know that by doing this, I'd have to close up the tavern for a while, right?"

"I thought you had a helper?"

"I call it ‘involuntary assistant’. But that’s only because he didn’t pay his tab." Liliora rolled her eyes. "If I leave this place with him it's going to burn to the ground."

"Come on," Isaac begged. "You said you wanna meet new people, right? This is your opportunity." Judging from her expression, she was on the edge of being convinced. "I'll repay any losses you have from having the tavern closed."

"Deal," Liliora said without hesitation and a wide grin on her face. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning. Pack up what you need." Isaac said before he went to gather more people to travel with him.

While he'd like to have Darius or Hillut with him, he knew they wouldn't come. Hillut will only take orders from Scarlet and Isaac can't let her know about his expedition while Darius is on standby because of the Lunar Empress. And he'll only take orders from her.

Typical Sovereign Knights.

"So how about it?" Isaac asked Meng. "I could use your help."

"I'm only good at making swords. Not so much on using them." Meng said.

"Don't worry about that," Isaac said. "I just need someone I can trust. You have a good eye for things and are a genius blacksmith. Besides, your work is done here anyway and you have nothing to do."

Meng looked reluctant until she eventually agreed. "Fine. But I'm not cooking."

Isaac had no problem with that. Now, he just needs one last person. A capable fighter and someone brave.

Line Break

"Me?" Iola asked. "Why?"

"Because I need someone who can fight."

"I-I'm sorry, but I have orders from the Queen and the people need me," Iola said miserably. "I would love to follow you, but–"

Isaac stopped him. He gave Iola a warm smile. "It's fine, Iola. I understand."

Iola looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry."

Isaac sighed. "Now that you've said that, I trust you will do well in protecting this city, yes?" Isaac said with a firm tone. "I have faith that you will take care of this kingdom and its people when I'm gone."

Iola stood up straight. “Don’t you worry. I’ll lay down my life if I have to.”

"Good," Isaac said. He felt bad that Iola felt bad that he couldn't come with him. So Isaac wanted to make him feel better. "Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

And so, he managed to only gather two other members other than himself. He could just bring any other guards or troops that were free, but he didn't know them enough to trust them.

And with the talk of a traitor in their midst, it's hard to trust anyone right now. He has to play it safe. Otherwise, his efforts will be in vain.

Line Break

Early that morning, they got an early start when they took a ride to the foot of Whitewash Peaks with the White Vessel.

Iola took the responsibility of sending them here with Elisa accompanying him. Outside of this group, no one else knew of their excursion. At least not now. Elisa will have the hard task of explaining this to Scarlet when she finds out about this.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Elisa muttered as they arrived.

"None of our ideas are good ideas," Isaac said. "But this will help in increasing our chances of getting the good ending."

"You also didn't bring anyone who could fight for us," Meng said.

"You're being ridiculous. It's a perfectly safe journey." Isaac said. “Also Liliora can do magic.”

Elisa looked at him with disbelief. "The first obstacle you're facing is Whitewash Peaks. In case you didn't remember, a dragon lives here."

For some reason, Isaac felt like everything was going to go well. Maybe he's just optimistic to a fault, but it certainly feels that way. "We'll be fine."

Elisa sighed. "Just . . . come back, okay?" To his surprise, Elisa hugged him. "We need you here."

Isaac was taken by surprise. Meng looked bored while Liliora looked excited. By the time Elisa moved back, she was holding a pouch and a folded leather. "Here, you'll need this."

Isaac took them both. The folded leather was the map that he'd given Elisa on the first day they met. "Didn't think you'd still have this."

"Are you kidding? That thing saved our lives." Elisa said. "But now I think you'll have more use for it."

"Thanks," Isaac said. He opened up the pouch and saw something unfamiliar. A leather necklace and along with it, a small white crystal, almost like a pendant. "What's this?"

"Not many people have it, but it's a merchant pass," Elisa said. "We used to have merchants come and go to the kingdom, but not anymore. Hopefully, it will be of some use."

Isaac shrugged and put the necklace on.

All kingdoms have a merchant pass. It can be a letter, a ring, or a necklace like Isaac's. A merchant pass is given to merchants who often visit the kingdom and is considered as legitimate.

The pass has its perks. You won't have to pay for tolls every time you cross the city borders, you are allowed to set up shop in the city either permanently or temporarily, and lastly, you could trade within a city’s Palace grounds, a place limited to only people close to the King or Queen of the city.

So having a merchant pass could help them travel but it was a bit questionable since it was from the White Kingdom. Isaac knew that barely anyone carries a pass from the White Kingdom since it's not a city that merchants or travelers visit often these days.

But still, Isaac was grateful for the help. "Thanks." He said. He turned to Iola. "Protect the city."

"I will." Iola stood up straight. He turned towards Meng and Liliora. "Shall we?"

Line Break

By the time we reached the top, Isaac was barely panting. He'd improved his fitness over the months thanks to Darius.

Meng also had no problems reaching the top. Her days as a blacksmith working tirelessly in the forge did well for her physical abilities.

Only Liliora had issues, but that's just because she's cold even with the thick warm clothing.

"Didn't think you couldn't handle the cold," Isaac said.

Liliora was shivering. "H-H-Hell is a land of f-f-f-f-f-f-fire." Liliora chittered through her teeth. "S-S-Snow is a p-p-p-p-problem."

"But you stayed in the White Kingdom for a long time, right? I thought you'd get used to it." Isaac said.

"The White Kingdom has a barrier around it that protects everyone from the freezing cold," Meng explained. "It's cold, but it's not that cold inside the city."

"And the t-t-t-tavern was warm," Liliora added.

"Well, you're gonna have to bear with it. We still have a long way to come." Isaac huffed as they descended the mountain.

Isaac kept an eye out for Icirin, but he saw no trace of the Snow Dragon wherever he looked. Isaac expected to see a glimpse of her somewhere, but Icirin was nowhere to be seen.

It's a different story when it comes to Snow Goblins though.

The first wave attacked in a group of five. Even with limited experience in fighting, they managed to defeat them with a few cuts and bruises.

Isaac figured Liliora wouldn't be of much help when it comes to fighting, but apparently, a succubus's attractiveness works on everything, including goblins. They were so distracted with Liliora’s ‘prettiness’ that they let their guard down.

"What can I say?" Liliora grinned when Isaac asked her about it. "When you got it, you got it."

Aside from Snow Goblins and the unhelpful terrain, they got to the bottom of the mountain with ease in just a day.

After being in the White Kingdom for months, the greenery was refreshing. Green hills rolled down the landscape while orange skies lit their way.

They left for Whitewash Peaks early in the morning and they had managed to arrive just before sundown.

"It's been a while since I've seen something that's not snow or ice," Liliora said.

"Same here," Meng said.

As the air got warmer, they took off their thick clothing and wore normal ones. As Isaac remembered, the closest town they found was Tuplin. The same town where Isaac and Darius caught up with Scarlet as they went on an adventure chasing her.

"We'll rest here for the night," Isaac said. "Then we're gonna discuss our plans."

"Good because my boobs are getting heavy," Liliora said. Issac and Meng both looked at her. "What? I have big boobs."

The two rolled their eyes as they went towards the tavern. By the time Isaac managed to book a room for the three of them, it was already nighttime. The room only had two beds. He debated on letting the girls sleep on it while he slept on the floor, but Liliora said there was no need.

"Why?" Isaac asked.

"I'm gonna go on a night out and gather some information," Liliora said. "That's why you brought me, right?"

"Yeah, but we just had a long day. You need rest."

"Yeeeeaaaahhhh, you see,." Liliora edged towards the door. "My rest is different from your rest. Your rest is sleeping. My rest is . . . well, sleeping. But with other people." She grinned as she opened the door and stepped outside. "Don't do anything sneaky now, you two," Liliora smirked before closing the door shut, leaving Meng and Isaac.

Isaac just rolled his eyes and went to sleep. Before he could fall asleep, he heard Meng say something.

"If you try anything, I'll smack your nuts in with a hammer." Meng threatened.

"Relax." Isaac rolled his eyes. "I won't do anything."

"Uh-huh. You might be one of the sneaky types that acts when I'm asleep."

"Shut up and go to sleep."

With that reassurance, the two of them went to sleep.

The next morning, Isaac found himself waking up to Liliora straddling him. "Wakey wakey, sleepyhead."

"Wh-what?" Isaac was in a daze, so he was having trouble processing everything. "What are you doing?"

"Waking you up," Liliora said in a sultry voice. "Do you like it?"

"I don't," Isaac said with embarrassment.

"Your 'friend' seems to think otherwise." Liliora started to move, so Isaac quickly got up and slid away from her. "Aw, you're no fun." She pouted.

"Why didn't you stop her?" Isaac grumbled at Meng who was busy eating a bowl of soup.

"I tried," Meng said.

"You're eating soup. How is that trying?"

"I said 'don't do it'."

"And that counts as trying?" Isaac rolled his eyes. "Why didn't you push her off of me?"

"Like you said, I'm eating soup."

Isaac groaned in frustration as he got out of bed and stretched. "We need to discuss our plan."

"Yeah, before that, there's something you need to know," Liliora said. She then told him what she learned last night from one of the merchants that stayed here.

"So because of the White Queen incident, she's been branded as an escaped prisoner," Liliora explained. "And so they've been chasing her for the past few months. This means more Sovereign forces are milling about, there's tighter security on everything, and that includes wanted posters."

Despite the news, Isaac was somewhat relieved that Scarlet stayed back at the White Kingdom instead of following him. Bringing her along would've drawn unwanted attention.

"Rumor has it that they'll capture anyone from the White Kingdom or those who are suspected to have helped the White Queen with her escape." Liliora continued. "So we need to lay low."

Isaac nodded. "We can't let anyone know that we're from the White Kingdom," Isaac said. "Okay, listen up. As of now, we are a band of adventurers from Sarca. We heard of a high-paying job in Losteria, which is why we're headed there."

"But none of us could fight," Meng said. "They won't believe we're adventurers."

"We'll worry about that later," Isaac said. "For now, we'll focus on getting to Losteria. So ready up, we leave in ten minutes."

Line Break

Isaac tried getting horses, but they weren't available. So they had to walk on foot to the next town, which was Riverside.

Riverside had mutual standings with the Sovereign Empire, so it wouldn't be too dangerous. But Isaac was still cautious.

"How long do we have to walk?" Liliora whined.

"It’s barely been ten minutes." Isaac rolled his eyes.

Luckily, their adventure was uneventful. A few monster attacks but it was nothing they couldn't handle.

The land was rolling with hills and splashed green in the scenery. He missed a view like this after spending a few months in the White Kingdom. Back there, everywhere he looked was just snow.

After about two hours of walking, Liliora had enough. "Can we take a break?" She asked while wheezing.

Isaac figured it would be a good time for it. It was almost noon, so they looked for any shade they could find to rest under. Along the road, they found a big tree at the side of the road that could provide them with some shade from the sun.

"Let's rest for a while." Isaac decided as they rested up underneath the tree.

Liliora didn't argue as she collapsed at the base of the tree and started resting. Meng gathered her breath and sat down.

Isaac looked around to see if there was any danger around, but it was just an expanse of empty land with wild pastures roaming about.

Again, he missed this environment. The gentle warm breeze blew against his skin and the smell of fresh air filled his lungs. He felt right at home.

"So, there's no way we're walking all the way to Losteria," Meng said. "What do you have in mind?"

Isaac thought about it for a bit. "We're stopping in Riverside for supplies. Hopefully after that, we can secure some horses or hitch a ride with a merchant."

Meng didn't argue. She dug something out of her satchel and handed it to Isaac. A ball of something white wrapped in a leaf. "Eat up."

"What is this?" Isaac grabbed the food.

"Rice balls," Meng said. "Food from my hometown."

"I thought you were born and raised in the White Kingdom." Isaac sat down next to her.

"You got the last part right," Meng said. "I was born in my parents' homeland."

"And where are you parents from?"

Meng shrugged. "I don't know. They never told me about it. All I know of my parents' past was that they’re not from around here. Probably just a small remote island off the coast of Arya or somewhere further down south."

It never occurred to Isaac that Meng might be from somewhere else other than the White Kingdom. Arya’s a big place, so it might be possible that her parents came from somewhere else. There’s also a very slim possibility that Meng didn’t come from Arya at all. Surrounding Arya was a wall of thick fog that’s called the Fog Border and those who venture through it never came back.

There have been many theories of what lies beyond the fog. Some say it's just more ocean. Some say it's a land of monsters. Some even say that it's the edge of the world and you'll fall into nothingness if you sail to the end.

"Have you tried asking them about it?"

"Plenty of times," Meng said. "Never got a straight answer."

"Maybe you can try again at some point."

Meng sighed. "That won't be possible."

"Why?"

"They're . . . not around anymore."

The atmosphere got heavier. Isaac felt bad about prying so much. "I'm sorry."

Meng just shrugged and said nothing. Isaac knew what it felt like to lose your parents so he could empathize with Meng.

They tried to rest, but their peace got disturbed when Isaac heard rustling from the leaves above him. At first, he thought it was maybe just a bird or an animal so he waved it off, but the rustling got louder and heavier.

Isaac and Meng looked up to see what was above only to have the full ass of a man crashing on his face.

All he could see was darkness and something heavy sitting on his face. Isaac struggled and eventually pushed the person off of him.

"What the hell?!" Isaac shouted.

"Sorry about that." The man said as he got up. The man was big but not like ‘Big Bob’ big. He was squishy big. He looked like he had a massive feast for an entire village, but he ate the entire feast.

Despite being twice Isaac's size, he was properly dressed. A purple jacket over a white shirt that was clearly too tight for him. Oversized purple pants and a similar purple top hat. Seeing his monocle, the thick mustache, and the sleazy look he wore, Isaac instantly knew what he was.

He's a merchant.

Normally, when Isaac met someone new, he would always ask their name first. But because of the circumstances, he started with "Why did you come from the tree?"

"I was resting." The merchant said. "And also hiding. Had some trouble with the Empire and I don't want to be found again." He held his hands up to show that his hands were chained together.

"I'm more surprised you can climb the tree given your . . . condition," Meng said and Isaac agreed.

"Who are you and why shouldn't I kick your butt?" Isaac asked with annoyance as he tried shaking the pain off of his face from being sat on.

"Polus Longleaf, at your service." He tried bowing but with his big belly and chained hands, he just looked awkward. "The finest merchant west of Arya."

Isaac's guess was correct. "All you merchants claim to be the finest one."

"Ah, but I'm the real deal," Polus claimed. "Ask anyone from Losteria to Nastaya, they will have heard of me. I have proof." Polus reached for something tucked under his shirt, which was a necklace that was decorated with a variety of things from a ruby pendant, to a feather, to a rabbit's foot.

"Are those all merchant passes?" Meng asked.

Polus brimmed with pride. "Yes, and I have the biggest collection of them all."

Isaac was impressed by his collection. By the looks of it, he had at least a dozen passes from most of the big kingdoms and cities in Arya that’s known to be a popular commerce hub.

"So, what's your deal?" Isaac asked. "Why are you chained up and why are you hiding?"

"Well," Polus laughed nervously. "As a successful merchant, I tried to increase my connections and influence. I was wandering through a few cities in Eastern Arya."

Isaac winced. "That's not very clever."

"Why?" Meng asked.

"The entireity of Eastern Arya is crawling with the Empire forces. Not to mention almost everyone there are Sovereign loyalists. People who will stay loyal to the Sovereign Empire no matter what."

Polus nodded miserably. "The Empire didn't appreciate me coming through their borders and offering tax-free trades. And also," Polus looked around to see if anyone was listening which was ridiculous since they were the only ones there.

Apart from Liliora who was sound asleep.

"They don't like my special services," Polus said in a whispered tone.

"What do you mean by that?" Isaac asked.

"As I said, I'm the finest merchant west of Arya," Polus said. "I have connections and skills. For the right price, I could get whatever goods you desire."

Isaac found that hard to believe. It sounds like the common lie and sweet talk that all merchants are good at.

"Well, we're not interested," Isaac said. "Especially since the Empire's looking for you. I'm not looking to draw any unnecessary attention."

"No, please!" Polus begged. "Help get out of these chains. I will reward you, I promise."

"No thanks."

"Please," Polus said. "If you do this, I will be indebted to you. I will come to your aid whenever you need me. I can give you a discount for all of my wares."

"No."

"Please." Polus looked like he was on the verge of crying. "I can't continue my job after this. The House of Longleaf will ridicule me! My father would disown me! I beg of you."

Isaac groaned. He was really in a dilemma. It's not like he had anything against Polus apart from him sitting on his face, but since he's being hunted by the Sovereign Empire it will make their journey much harder.

"Can't you break out of it yourself?" Isaac asked.

"I can't," Polus said miserably. "These blasted chains are enchanted and I can't use magic when I'm wearing them."

Isaac genuinely feels sorry for him, but he was stuck with a hard choice.

"We can free him," Meng said. "I mean, we are trying to avoid the Empire as well. Helping him won't make our journey more dangerous than it already is."

Polus looked at Meng like she was his savior.

"And we're heading to Losteria anyway. That's far from any Sovereign Empire's borders."

Polus was quick to jump on the information. "Losteria!" He said. "Yes, I have connections there. I can give you a ride and make it easy for you there. You know that Losteria is a very mean place, right?"

Isaac sighed. The sound of having a ride was very tempting. Plus, they wouldn't need to worry about supplies since they're going to be traveling with a merchant.

"You said you'll give us a ride," Isaac said. "Where's your carriage?"

"Oh, it's nearby," Polus said. "If you remove these chains you'll see."

"How do I know you won't trick us?"

Polus gasped. He looked offended. "I'm a man of my word. There has never been a customer that is not satisfied with my services." He stood up straight. "I put my reputation as a merchant on it."

That's when Isaac knew he was serious. When it comes to merchants, there was one unwritten rule among them.

You were born for the coin, you live for the coin, and you die by the coin.

Simply speaking, a true merchant will be a merchant through and through. Their reputation and as a merchant is something they hold most dear, even more so than earning money. They could have the finest goods or the most money but a merchant will only be known by the reputation that they earned.

People look up to merchants with reputations. They want to buy from them because they know that they're good for it. When it comes to selling goods and products,  their reputation holds the most value. It’s not about how good your wares are, it’s not about how cheap or expensive you sell them for, it’s all about the person who’s selling it. 

To anyone else who’s not a merchant, Polus putting his reputation on the line might have not been a big deal. But to merchants, it’s almost akin to putting your life on the line.

"Fine," Isaac said. "I'll free you."

Polus jumped with joy. "I promise, you won't regret it."

"Hold your horses," Isaac said. "I have a few conditions."

"For sure. Anything for you."

"One, you will give us a ride to Losteria," Isaac said. "No detours, but we can stop by any towns or cities on the way for supplies."

Polus was listening intently, probably because he was afraid that Isaac might trick him with a loophole or something.

"Two, you will provide us with supplies for the journey. We will still buy them from you, but for a lower price." Isaac said. "And three, if I even think that you will betray me, I will kill you."

"Deal." Polus grinned. "Now, let me out of these infernal chains." He held the chains up in front of him.

Isaac nodded and drew his sword. Before he could swing down on it, Meng stopped him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing?"

Polus pulled away as well from panic.

"I'm breaking the chains," Isaac said.

Meng rolled her eyes. "They're enchanted. If you break them by force they might explode or something."

"They can do that?" Isaac gulped.

Polus nodded. "I don't know what kind of enchantments they put on it, but I don't wanna risk it. We need to find another way."

"What do you suggest?" Isaac asked.

"We just need a blacksmith," Polus said. "These chains can't be broken by force, but they can be unlocked with a little bit of lockpicking. A blacksmith would know how to."

Isaac and Meng exchanged looks.

What a coincidence.

Line Break

It barely took ten minutes before Polus was free from his chains thanks to Meng.

"I'm free! Oh sweet holy guardian of the Great Tree I'm finally free!" Polus looked ecstatic to be finally free from the chains. Judging from the marks on his wrists, Isaac knew he was chained far longer than Isaac assumed. "Thank you! Thank you, sir and madam! I will not forget this kindness you've shown me!"

Polus knelt and went to shake Isaac's hand, to which he shook vigorously so it made his whole body shake.

"Yes, yes, you're free," Isaac said. "Now it's your turn."

"Oh, of course." Polus wiggled his fingers. "Ah, to be able to summon my Tristina again. I'm sure she misses me."

"Summon your what?" Isaac asked as Polus made a few hand gestures before the ground in front of him exploded in purple smoke.

When the smoke cleared, their ride was in front of them.

Compared to most merchant carts and carriages Isaac has seen coupled with the bragging that Polus had done by saying he was the best merchant, Polus's cart was underwhelming.

It was a simple bandwagon with a white canvas arching over it as a roof. It looked normal at best.

Its defining feature was the thing pulling it. Instead of a horse, the cart was pulled by a gigantic bright blue lizard. Its blue scales glistened under the sun and its eyes were silts at first, like a reptilian. But as soon as it saw Polus, its irises widened as it rushed to nudge its owner.

"Oh ho ho." Polus ruffled the creature. "I've missed you too girl."

"What is that?" Isaac asked as the lizard kept licking her owner in the face as a sign of affection.

"You've never seen one?" Meng asked. "It's an Azure Salamander. They're overgrown lizards that can spit poison, though I've never seen one being used to pull a cart before."

"Azure Salamanders are often hunted for their scales and poison glands," Polus explained as the lizard kept nudging and rubbing against him. Next to the lizard, Polis looked like a big chew toy. "I met Tristina when she's just an egg. The nest she was staying in was getting pillaged by vultures and I only managed to save her. Her siblings didn't make it."

"Aren't they a little too big for vultures?" Isaac asked.

"Oh, they grow up really big really fast." Meng said. "Their eggs are normally the size of a rice ball. When they hatch, they can grow to this size in about six months or so."

"Tristina here is only two years old." Polus scratched Tristina's chin. Judging from her wagging tail, she must've liked it. "She's the one that insisted on pulling my cart. As a gesture of saving her life."

"You can understand her?" Isaac asked.

"No," Polus admitted. "But after she ate the first two horses that I bought for my cart I figured she was insisting."

Isaac decided not to question further. He examined the cart in all of its brilliance.

"What's wrong?" Polus asked.

"I don't know," Isaac said. "With everything you said about being the finest merchant, I expected something more."

"Ah, then my plan works perfectly then," Polus said. "Being a merchant of my reputation, I will always be a target for thieves, bandits, and hooligans. That's why I made my cart look as boring as possible."

"Well, it worked," Isaac said, clearly unimpressed.

"Have a look inside." Polus grinned. Isaac went around the cart and pulled the blinds open and . . . whoa.

The inside definitely looked bigger than the outside. With a lantern hanging above them, the inside was filled with goods and wares. Everything ranging from weapons to herbs to food to what looks like a metal chicken.

"Whoa." Isaac and Meng both exclaimed.

"And that's only for display," Polus said. "I have more stashed away in secret magic compartments."

"I take back what I said then." Isaac grinned. "This is awesome."

Polus was clearly happy. "Well, shall we be on our way?"

Isaac nodded. As they got ready, Isaac went over to Liliora who was surprisingly still asleep through all that.

"Liliora." Isaac shook her slightly. "Come on, we gotta move."

Liliora groaned as she opened her eyes. She looked at Isaac briefly before sitting up and yawned. "What time is it?"

"Come on, we have a ride," Isaac said. Liliora looked to where Isaac was pointing. She rubbed her eyes and squinted, just to make sure what she was seeing was real.

"Is that . . ."

"Yep, it's our ride–"

"An Azure Salamander?!" Liliora squealed and rushed over to Tristina who was wide-eyed to have received this sudden exciting welcome. "Aren't you the cutest little thing ever?" Liliora started to scratch Tristina all over her neck.

The lizard was surprised at first, but that soon turned into euphoria as her eyes rolled back and her body softened as she leaned into Liliora's scratching. Her tail wagged excitedly with her tongue hanging out from her mouth, clearly having fun.

Liliora was no different. "Oh, you're so cute. You're the cutest thing ever, yes you are. Who's a good girl?" Liliora said in a kid-like way, like how you'd talk when you're playing with a baby.

"Really?" Meng said. "She was complaining all day from walking and she's more excited about the lizard than our ride."

Liliora finally jarred back to reality when she noticed everyone was staring at her.

"Um, what did I miss?"