GDTEA Chapter 38

The merchant was, true to the name, someone who sold all kinds of goods.

Because of their profession that took them all around the country, merchants weren’t easily encountered. Mountain journeys were especially difficult, so visits to mountain valleys were particularly irregular.

Even Sharti had only met the merchant earlier this year.

“Oh my, thank you for the water, miss. I enjoyed it.”

The merchant who entered the log cabin put down the water cup with a hearty laugh.

With a similar height to Sharti, the merchant had a protruding belly as large as the load carried on their back, facial hair covering the lower part of the face, and an eye patch over the right eye.

“But are you feeling unwell? You haven’t communicated through writing at all today.”

At the merchant’s question, Sharti hid an awkward smile under her hood.

With characteristic perceptiveness, the merchant quickly changed the subject.

“Ah, right. About the ointment you made, miss, it’s extremely popular. My eye for quality can’t be deceived.”

The merchant took out a money pouch from inside their clothes.

“So this time I want to buy quite a lot. After spreading word about its effectiveness, there are quite many people looking for it.”

Sharti unconsciously clenched her fist.

Since merchants were not easy to meet, they carried substantial amounts of money and paid generously accordingly.

‘How much did the merchant pay earlier this year? It must have been at least 10 silver.’

It was incomparable to house calls or selling gathered medicinal herbs.

The merchant was Sharti’s biggest customer among all the people she had met.

‘I could buy more food ingredients or magic stones.’

Sharti’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Since this was an opportunity to sell the medicines she had prepared, Sharti quickly went into her herb room.

With enthusiasm leading her forward, Sharti lifted up an armful of items but couldn’t take a single step as she screamed internally.

‘Ah, it hurts…’

The aftermath of writhing in hallucinatory episodes still lingered in her body, pulling at all her muscles.

Sharti grimaced as she moved her fingers.

Her fingers had become stiff and wouldn’t move well, as if she had been clutching something tightly.

‘Of all times, the merchant visits when I’m having difficulty writing. Moreover…’

Sharti glanced outside.

She was concerned about Ren hiding in the utility room.

‘…He looked angry.’

Flinging open the bedroom door without knocking was not like Ren at all.

The image of Ren’s face, revealing raw emotions that had burst out after enduring for too long, lingered in her mind.

Sharti squeezed her eyes shut.

Her heart still pounded when she recalled the ball of fire rising from the fireplace.

‘Fortunately, the merchant came by at just the right time.’

As Ren had predicted, Sharti was deliberately avoiding conversation with him.

Even if it was a cowardly and unpleasant attitude, she had no choice.

‘I showed symptoms of mental disorientation, had seizures… and he saw my face.’

How much more would he discover about her? How many more weaknesses would she reveal to him?

She should have comforted Ren who must have been surprised, but she chose avoidance.

She felt ashamed and afraid.

[The fall of Krianet is still circulating among gossips behind closed doors. You must be careful, Sha. Nothing related to Krianet should be discovered. You mustn’t give people any reason to make connections, even in jest.]

Vireta’s caution echoed like a refrain.

Sharti grimaced.

She couldn’t tell him anything. Even if her secrets and weaknesses were discovered, she could not reveal her past.

“…”

Suddenly, she recalled the pale yellow flower she had received from him.

Sharti swallowed the emotion that welled up in her chest.

It wasn’t Ren who deserved to be treated like trash. While she had suspected Ren of being a wanted criminal, a sinner, the real sinner was herself.

“Miss, are you still far from ready?”

As the merchant peeked around the doorway, Sharti snapped back to attention.

Sharti rubbed her stinging nose and sniffled quietly.

‘Come in.’

Sharti invited the merchant into the herb room.

Although she was embarrassed to show the messy room, it was better than suffering from muscle pain.

“So this is your workshop…”

The merchant’s expression was unusual as they looked around the disorganized room.

Especially sharp was the look in their eyes as they examined the medicine recipes and the effects written on each bottle.

“Hmm…”

Lost in thought, the merchant swallowed and twitched their large nose.

Sharti watched their reaction with a tense face.

“You definitely said you’ve never attended an academy, right?”

When Sharti nodded, the merchant let out a hollow laugh.

At the incomprehensible response, Sharti swallowed her nervousness.

‘Do I seem like an unlicensed doctor after all?’

Sharti rubbed her arms.

The tension made her muscles feel stiff and taut.

“Last time, you know, since we hadn’t been trading for long, I only bought samples to try selling. But those were a huge hit.”

“…?”

The merchant turned sharply and stared intently at Sharti.

Their eyes blazed as if they had a treasure before them.

As Sharti stood there blankly, the merchant took out a money pouch.

“At first, I sold ordinary headache medicine. Then sequentially cold medicine, antipyretics, sedatives. And you know what? The buyers who experienced the effects went to nearby pharmacies asking to buy the same medicine.”

The merchant began placing one silver coin at a time on the desk.

A sense of elation could be felt in their chuckling voice.

“But! They couldn’t make or obtain medicines with the same effects as yours! Hahaha, how happy they were to see me visit again!”

The silver coins piled up, exceeding 10 and approaching 20.

“Of course, I sold the medicine recipes to pharmacies like hotcakes. As for the medicines themselves, I couldn’t sell them because I didn’t have enough stock.”

Having stacked a total of 30 silver coins, the merchant laughed, making their chubby cheeks jiggle.

The joy and praise in that laughter could be felt directly.

The merchant spread their arms toward the medicines that Sharti had intended to show.

“I’ll buy all your medicine, miss.”

Sharti blinked.

Then she realized the meaning of the 30 silver coins the merchant had stacked.

‘Three times more than last time?’

It made sense to pay three times the price since the quantity was greater than before, but Sharti couldn’t believe it.

‘Even if I sold all these in the village, I’d barely get 2 silver at most.’

She found it strange that the merchant would be so honest about the medicine sales and offer to buy them.

Of course, the merchant wasn’t making a losing deal.

Promotion of Sharti’s medicines had already succeeded, and demand was still growing. However, there was a limit to Sharti’s medicines that could be supplied, so naturally the market price of her medicines would rise.

Therefore, what was needed now was to maintain a friendly relationship with Sharti.

“I want us to trade for a lo-ong time. Regularly, if possible.”

“…?”

What difference would that make?

If they wanted exclusive sales rights, Sharti planned to refuse.

She sold medicine recipes too, hoping that anyone could make medicine and that more people would use it to stay healthy.

Perhaps noticing Sharti’s suspicious attitude, the merchant laughed good-naturedly.

“I don’t mean to monopolize your medicines. Besides the common medicines, I’d like to request formulations that aren’t easily available in the market. Regularly, of course.”

Sharti frowned. Was the merchant talking about medicines for illegal use?

Just as Sharti was about to draw a firm line, the merchant scratched their plump cheek and said shyly:

“For example, can you make medicine that enhances relations between husband and wife?”

“…?”

“Since you’re an adult, you must have heard of it. Bedroom stuff, you know.”

“…!”

Belatedly, Sharti’s face flushed bright red.

At twenty years old, she was certainly an adult, and there was knowledge she had unintentionally acquired through village residents.

She wasn’t completely oblivious in that area.

What the merchant wanted was medicine to increase stamina.

‘I can’t do that!’

Sharti quickly shook her head and hands.

At her vehement response, the merchant took out one more silver coin.

“There’s high demand for this, but none of the medicines sold in the market have all three qualities: safety, duration, and effectiveness. With your manufacturing skills, it’s a sure thing!”

The merchant tried to persuade her with embarrassingly strong confidence.

Though briefly pleased to have her skills recognized, Sharti desperately refused.

“Well, since you’re unmarried…”

Seeing Sharti’s iron wall of stubborn refusal, the merchant clicked their tongue in disappointment.

But they still paid the 30 silver.

“Would you consider making nutritional supplements good for skin beauty? Something that’s also good for moisture, something women would use regularly. You can make it as a test.”

While cooling the heat in her face, Sharti nodded slightly.

As it happened, she already had a skin ointment she made for Virena each time.

’30 silver. I won’t have to worry about material costs.’

When Sharti responded positively, the merchant became excited.

Skin ointments using medicinal herbs as main ingredients would be popular among women who used harsh cosmetics. Especially among nobles rather than commoners.

These days, merchants were also popular in noble households, so it was a good opportunity.

Paying Sharti a high price was nothing compared to the profit the merchant would make in the future.

“I might come back a bit sooner next time. These sell so quickly.”

The merchant laughed as they left the room with their bag packed full.

Showing satisfaction, the merchant suddenly let out a small exclamation.

“You might not know since you’re in the mountains, but the atmosphere in the Empire is ominous these days. We need to earn while we can.”

“…?”

As always before leaving, the merchant shared various pieces of news, and today it was about the grim rumors circulating within the Empire.

The merchant looked around unnecessarily and whispered quietly.

“I heard that Grand Duke Gwendhill, who was returning after ending the war, was caught plotting treason.”

“…!”

At the unexpected protagonist of the rumor, Sharti’s face turned pale.

She seemed to hear an auditory hallucination of the low, monotone voice that had echoed through the pitch-black Krianet palace five years ago.

“Gossips say that while the Grand Duke was about to attend the return ceremony, the treasonous plot was revealed, and the Grand Duke was executed along with the rebellious group. They say that His Imperial Majesty, concerned about causing chaos in the Empire, intends to keep the Grand Duke’s death quiet for some time.”

Sharti gulped dryly.

It was too heavy and distant a story for her.

‘Treason…? Someone as high as the Grand Duke?’

Moreover, wasn’t the Grand Duke a close associate of the current Emperor Neweiton?

Perhaps their amicable relationship was merely for public show.

Sharti quickly brushed aside these idle thoughts.

‘I don’t need to care about this.’

Whether the Grand Duke of the Neweiton Empire committed treason, disappeared, or died was of no concern to her.

If anything, it should be cause for joy. After all, he was the one who ordered the burning of the Krianet Palace along with her.

Yet strangely, she felt a tightness in her chest.

“Ah, by the way, miss, have you ever thought about marriage?”

At the sudden question, Sharti blinked rapidly.

When the startled Sharti didn’t immediately answer, the merchant’s eyes lit up with hope for a positive response.

“The world is harsh these days, and living alone in the mountains must be difficult and scary for you, right?”

“…”

“I heard this mountain is particularly known for its wild beasts. It’s too dangerous for a woman to live alone.”

Sharti’s eyes narrowed.

“If you want, I could introduce you to a man.”

“…”

It seemed merchants were doubling as matchmakers these days.

The merchant didn’t seem malicious, but it was overstepping boundaries.

Sharti firmly shook her head, as if she didn’t need to hear any more.

“If it’s because of your face, don’t worry. There are many men with unusual tastes, so I can arrange—”

Living with a hidden face seemed to be an unusual taste for some people.

Just as Sharti was about to express her displeasure, it happened.

“Not possible.”

The door flung open, and Ren came out of the room.

Sharti turned around in surprise to look at Ren.

‘A towel?’

Ren had covered his face with a towel on his head.

Then Sharti’s gaze slowly moved downward.

‘Why is he shirtless?’

He was wearing the pants she had made for his lower half, but he wasn’t wearing anything on top.

Ren shook the towel briefly as if to dry his hair and took a step forward.

As the suddenly appeared large figure approached, the merchant’s chubby cheeks trembled. Though his face wasn’t visible, the merchant clutched their bag tightly, intimidated by Ren’s angry muscles.

“Not needed.”

“Y-yes?”

“Right?”

Ren turned his head sharply and called to Sharti.

At the flashing teal eyes, Sharti reflexively flinched.

“Do you need two men? Am I not enough?”

“…?”

For a moment, Sharti’s thoughts froze at his question.

Mulling over his words, Sharti suddenly grasped the situation.

That was quite a suggestive statement.

“Oh, my goodness, so you have a husband!”

“…?”

“…!”

“Last time I heard you were unmarried… Are you newlyweds?”

Continuously bowing in apology, the merchant didn’t notice that Sharti and Ren in front of them looked dumbfounded.

Under the hood and towel, the expressions of the two people were changing moment by moment.

“I’ve never met your husband before, so I misspoke. I apologize, miss. No, madam.”

“…”

“Ahem…”

Belatedly coming to their senses, Sharti and Ren’s faces turned bright red.

Unlike Sharti, who was speechless with disbelief, Ren was momentarily embarrassed but quickly regained his composure.

Husband. It was quite a nice title compared to fugitive slave.