MHHC Chapter 69

The Merchant Leader

Adelheid knew it was wrong to judge by appearances, but to her eyes, the man seemed far more likely to be the mercenary band's captain than the woman.

So she thought, vaguely, that she was finally about to meet the captain face-to-face.

But the woman merely flicked her index finger and ordered her drink with perfect composure.

"I'll have a strongly brewed tea with preserved lemon and honey. What would Your Grace like?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

As Adelheid answered somewhat flustered, the woman winked and finished placing the order.

"Then a glass of water for this noblewoman. With preserved lemon and honey, of course."

"I'll have it ready right away."

The man closed the door carefully and left the room as if this were routine.

Just as Adelheid was beginning to doubt what she'd seen and heard, the woman continued with a laugh that suggested she understood Adelheid's bewilderment perfectly.

"He's my husband. I handle the merchant group and mercenary band's operations, and he manages the rough mercenaries."

"...Merchant group?"

"Yes. The Golden Hawk merchant group is the one I run. Ah, my introductions are late. Please call me Luisa. Have you perhaps heard of our merchant group?"

The Golden Hawk merchant group was among the first tier of southern merchant houses. As Adelheid nodded, Luisa smiled enchantingly.

The man who'd left to fetch drinks returned quickly.

The tea and lemon water served in luxurious glass cups worthy of royalty hinted at the Golden Hawk merchant group's exceptional wealth.

"Thank you."

After the man accepted her perfunctory thanks and left, closing the door behind him, Luisa picked up her teacup and offered one to Adelheid as well.

"Please, drink. The lemons are especially delicious lately. That one's preserved in honey, actually. My husband makes preserved lemon and honey remarkably well."

Imagining the man from moments ago—with his bear-like, mountain-sized frame—sitting in the kitchen slicing lemons, Adelheid found laughter escaping before she even realized it. Her tone relaxed considerably as she spoke.

"You two seem to get along well."

Luisa glanced toward the closed door and continued in a grumbling tone.

"Of course we do. But do you know how much we fought before reaching this point? He said waiting on me wouldn't preserve his dignity? Then after I took over managing the mercenary band too and the financial situation improved dramatically, he finally does at least this much. While making sure to take all the credit for it!"

"I see."

"You saw Johann, didn't you? That young man who brought Your Grace here. He at least mediated between us..."

As Adelheid listened attentively, she eventually felt completely drained.

She couldn't shake the feeling that all of this was somehow the woman's technique—a way to induce carelessness and make her opponent reveal more information through their reactions. Indeed, just from this brief conversation, Adelheid had begun to feel a strange sense of intimacy toward Luisa.

"Oh my. Look at me. I've been talking only about myself again."

The woman stuck out her lips and took a few slurps of her now-cold tea before asking with a warm smile.

"So what brings you here? We handle anything. As long as you pay us properly, of course."

"I'm looking for someone."

"Someone?"

Luisa tilted her head, then pulled out a sheet of smooth paper and spread it open.

After dipping her quill pen thoroughly in ink and preparing to take notes, she said:

"Please tell me everything you know—the last location she was spotted, her age, and her description."

"Her name is Greta. She's a woman under forty. Brown hair, brown eyes. She looks older than her age, and her right pinky finger is slightly twisted. The last place she was spotted... I'm not certain, but I heard it was Pragma."

"Pragma. Any other distinguishing features?"

"She seems to drift around without a fixed residence. That's what I heard, at least. She probably arrived in Pragma less than a month ago."

"Oh, then this should be easier."

Luisa rose from her chair and walked to a wall covered in notes stuck everywhere.

Muttering something under her breath, she examined the papers on the wall.

"Hmm hmm hmm... Not this one, not this either. This information's too imprecise. This one has blue eyes... Ah... I told them not to buy information from there again... Brown hair, brown hair... Right, and the right pinky finger too... Here it... is!"

Luisa finally seemed to have found the information she wanted, turning back to Adelheid with a broad smile. In her hand she clutched a note she'd torn from the wall. She waved the slip of paper in her hand as she returned to the desk.

"Here. This is the location where a woman matching exactly the information you provided is staying."

"Really?"

"Yes. Brown hair, brown eyes, right pinky finger twisted, drifter. Correct?"

"Y-yes, that's right."

"I couldn't confirm whether that woman's name is 'Greta.' From what's written here, it seems her mind may not be entirely sound. This would be difficult for you to read as is, so I'll convert it to Denburg script for you. Of course, you'll need to pay me first before I hand over the information."

As Adelheid urgently reached into her clothes to pull out a pouch of coins, Luisa raised her hand to stop her.

"I'm not actually asking Your Grace for money. Information like this isn't particularly expensive. Though I did pay a fair price to those who gathered it for me."

"Then what do you want?"

Adelheid asked again, unable to hide her anxiety. Luisa's eyes widened before she burst into refreshing laughter.

"I'd like to tell you that showing such desperation to a merchant like me isn't wise. Though of course, I'll make good use of this opportunity."

"..."

"What you need to give me isn't much. That bracelet you're wearing on your wrist..."

"This is out of the question."

At Adelheid's firm refusal, Luisa's eyes went round.

"You misunderstand. I'm not asking you to give it to me—I was just about to say I'd like to examine it more closely."

"This bracelet?"

Adelheid spoke reluctantly. Indeed, she genuinely was reluctant.

This bracelet Valentin had given her held magic-blocking power.

On the surface it was merely a gold bracelet set with emeralds, but she couldn't begin to guess what information Luisa might glean from the intricate patterns carved into its surface.

Adelheid shook her head from side to side.

"This was a gift from someone precious to me, so I don't want to show it carelessly to just anyone. I'd rather pay in money."

"Hmm... I'm sorry to say this, but Your Grace, I'm a merchant. I buy and sell people's desperation. Naturally, the price changes according to the magnitude of that desperation."

"...Luisa. Are you threatening me right now?"

"Not at all. Could you perhaps think of it as me desperately wanting to examine that bracelet?"

"Why?"

"It's purely personal curiosity. I swear I won't sell or convey this information to anyone."

"...On your name?"

"On the entire Golden Hawk!"

Luisa clasped both hands together and cried out earnestly. Adelheid felt half disgruntled and half strangely fond of Luisa as she deliberated.

Just as Adelheid was about to shake her head and refuse after all, Luisa threw both hands up and exclaimed:

"Oh, forget it! I'll throw in one more piece of information Your Grace absolutely needs!"

"..."

"No one can remove the bridle the Golden Hawk puts in its own mouth. Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely nothing will come of this that harms Your Grace."

Luisa emphasized "absolutely" three times. If she was pleading this much, Adelheid couldn't refuse any longer, even if she didn't like it.

As Luisa said, she'd revealed all her desperation before even reaching negotiations.

Even if Luisa changed her mind and demanded thousands in gold, Adelheid had no alternative.

Of course, if it came to that, relations with Ansgar would deteriorate beyond repair, all the merchant groups established in the north would have to close their doors, and the reputation they'd built would take considerable damage...

In any case, maintaining friendly relations as they were now brought more mutual benefit than problems with the Golden Hawk would.

Adelheid nodded her reluctant head with difficulty.

"Then just very briefly. You can't draw it or keep records, or convey its construction to anyone."

"Of course!"

Luisa answered almost with a cheer of triumph. Adelheid extended the wrist wearing the bracelet onto the desk.

Luisa gently pulled her wrist closer and examined it thoroughly.

Her sharp eyes flowed over the elegant light running across the gold bracelet's surface, the high-purity emeralds, and the intricate patterns raised on the surface, scrutinizing every detail.

Throughout this, incomprehensible exclamations kept bursting from Luisa's lips.

"Isn't that enough now?"

When Adelheid asked anxiously, growing uncomfortable, Luisa obediently released her hand.

Adelheid noticed her cheeks were thoroughly flushed.

"Luisa, do you know what this bracelet is?"

"I know. Of course... I couldn't possibly not recognize it. Naturally..."

Luisa answered half-lost in rapture. But soon, as if recalling her duty, she spoke clearly.

"However, if Your Grace wants to purchase my information about this, you'll have to pay a considerable price."

"Is it such expensive information?"

"No."

"Then?"

A mischievous smile settled on Luisa's face.

"Because it will be information Your Grace desperately needs."