Chapter 350 - The Dark Forest 1 (1/2)
Sevastol—a commercial city in the south eastern part of Volga Republic.
The city along the side of a large river that flowed to the south of the continent. The place was built over a hundred years ago by a merchant named Bratt.
The man called Bratt had supported the revolutionary army during the republican revolution.
In return, it grew exponentially, benefitting from the supply for the military and the right to trade goods without duty and taxes.
The Bratt Co. entered the continent’s top 10 Chamber of Commerce the same year and was serving the republic.
“What is that carriage?”
“Seems like someone is going in it.”
In front of the headquarters of the Bratt Co. in Sevastol, a carriage with men from El Kassel order had stopped.
The men around the area looked at the carriage for a while and then continued to do what they were doing.
It was because that shrine often purchased items that were needed for their shrines and other sanctuaries.
However, the workers, who went back to work, stopped moving when they saw who was in the carriage.
Even though the one inside was cool and expressionless, the beauty of the one inside was like a goddess.
“Huh, such a beauty for a priestess…!”
“What made her become a priestess? Maybe a heartbreaking story?”
“Her heart must have been broken by some bad guy.”
“Hey, don’t talk and get back to work!”
At the shouts of their chief, the workers went back to working.
However, as if she had heard the grunts of the workers, the goddess had stopped for a moment.
She was Erwin.
Erwin, who was under a written promise with Luke, smiled bitterly at the words of the workers.
Though the other men didn’t know, there was a bad guy who learned dark magic but isn’t aware of her.
‘I can’t help it. I was the one who made it like this.’
When it came to princess Reina, Erwin had did something in the past which made Luke despise her.
It wasn’t just that. Even after being crushed by his anger, he was consistently using a chilly tone when speaking with Erwin.
‘The words of my teacher were right.’
She remembered that Erenes had once scolded her for not being too compliant when it came to marriage.
At that time, she didn’t feel so bad with his words, but now she was regretting it.
‘The next time we meet, would he treat me a little softly?’
It was important for him and her to have a change in their attitudes, but it was much more important to get results.
As promised to Luke, she had to persuade the fairies to neutralize the representatives of the fairies.
In that way, Luke’s view on the fairies and herself might be a little softer.
Erwin decided to go along with the escorts provided by Luke and had gone into the main building of the Bratt headquarters.
The escorts, who were dressed as knights of El Kassel, were all members of the Rakan Knights.
“What is your reason in coming here?”
A person in the counter at the center of a spacious hall talked to Erwin’s party.
Coming to the head office of the company was very rare. It was because every item could be purchased in their branches.
Moreover, the one there was a priestess.
“I am here to see the boss.”
“My boss is going to the capital because of work…”
“The one I want to meet is someone who loves cypress trees.”
Upon saying that, Erwin took out the silver ring that she was wearing.
The silver ring had words inscribed in it that said ‘Truth and Eternity’ in the elven language. It was a memento she received from her teacher—Erenes.
The expression of the man in the counter changed as he saw the ring.
After a moment, he pulled out a bell from the drawer and rang it three times in a row.
With that, a door to the side of the hall opened, bringing an armed elf warrior.
“Follow me.”
Erwin and the knights were guided by the elf warrior into the depth of the store.
Upon moving, they passed a small garden and then went into passages and several doors.
In the garden, a middle aged elf wearing a straw hat was trimming the tree with large scissors.
Erwin approached him and bowed.
“The young daughter who succeeded the wise man greets the head of the Wind Valley.”
“Erwin Lesa?” The man asked without looking at her face.
“Yes, Mr. Bratt.”
Apparently, the elven man who was gardening was Bratt Edelkron—the merchant who had founded the company.
He was actually a promising wizard. He acted as a merchant in the human society, hiding his identity despite the opposition from his close aides.
“Money is what moves the human society. I will use the power of money to help my people who have been persecuted.”
After succeeding as a merchant, Bratt saved the elves who were being sold as slaves with his money, and he secretly established an elf community in human society.
Many elves were working in that community created by Bratt.