Chapter 142: Meeting a Wealthy Merchant
Chapter 142: Meeting a Wealthy Merchant
They stepped out onto an open balcony overlooking the vibrant city streets below.
Two muscular guards wearing dark leather armor stood completely still outside the sliding wooden doors.
A middle-aged man sat comfortably on a plush velvet sofa in the center of the terrace. He wore immaculate silk robes practically dripping with expensive gold embroidery and gemstone rings. Two exceptionally beautiful women wearing loose, revealing silk dresses sat closely on either side of him.
They poured dark wine into crystal cups and fed him peeled fruits from a silver platter.
The wealthy merchant noticed the silver-haired boy entering the space and patted the women on their shoulders to push them away.
The girls looked at Solomon, a done girl bit her lower lip while another licked her lips.
The man stood up and adjusted his expensive collar with a wide grin. "Welcome to my private terrace, champion. Please, take a seat and make yourself comfortable. We have a lucrative business to discuss tonight."
He casually gestured toward an empty velvet seat positioned directly across a low mahogany table.
Solomon grabbed the thick hilt of Eden’s Penance and hauled the massive executioner’s sword off his back. He dropped the divine relic onto the wooden floorboards with a loud clatter and sat down on the plush sofa.
The floating owl fluttered its wings and hovered faithfully right over his shoulder to broadcast the entire meeting. Consequently, the translucent blue interface instantly lit up with a barrage of new messages from his remaining audience.
[LazyCat: bro is meeting the local mafia boss.]
[IceWaterKat: look at those girls!]
[GoonLord: DO NOT LOOK AT THEM SOLO MAN! STAY LOYAL TO THE PRINCESS!]
[BloodKnight: A wealthy patron usually offers the most dangerous missions.]
[Chi_Master: time to secure the bag.]
Solomon leaned back against the cushions and rested his boots casually on the edge of the table. "I am sitting right here. Let us hear what kind of business you actually want to discuss."
The two women wearing revealing silk dresses stood up from their velvet seats and walked around the mahogany table. They slid onto the plush sofa right next to Solomon, pressing their bodies against his sides.
One of the maidens traced a manicured finger across the spider-silk fabric of his shirt while offering a playful smile. The other leaned incredibly close to his ear and giggled at his complete lack of reaction.
The floating owl adjusted its camera lens to capture the sudden shift in seating arrangements. A massive flood of text instantly hijacked the translucent blue interface as the viewers realized what was happening.
[GoonLord: WHAT ARE THEY DOING?! GET AWAY FROM HIM!]
[Fatal_Beauty: Solo Man is getting the VIP treatment right now.]
[1Fizzy: the princess is going to see this and actually kill him.]
[IceWaterKat: bro is completely frozen in place.]
[James_Hayes: look at his face. he literally does not care at all.]
[Chi_Master: those girls are stunning and he is just staring at the wall.]
Solomon kept his hands resting on his knees and completely ignored the women pressing against his arms. He looked directly across the low wooden table and locked eyes with the wealthy merchant.
"I am waiting for your proposal." Solomon tapped his boots against the floorboards. "You claimed you had a highly profitable matter to discuss tonight. So you should start talking before I decide to pick up my sword and leave."
The middle-aged man let out a booming laugh and clapped his hands together. He adjusted his gold-embroidered collar and leaned forward over the polished wood.
"You possess a impatient personality for a youngster." The man reached for a crystal cup. "My name is Chenric Goodman. I oversee several prominent trading networks and diplomatic channels operating directly in Tianfeng City. Everything you see here in this city came through me."
Solomon nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. "I am Solomon."
"I already know exactly who you are, Solomon." Chenric offered a wide grin. "Word travels incredibly fast when a first-year academy student dismantles a local arena roster. The entire Golden Lotus is currently buzzing about your combat style."
Chenric lifted a silver pitcher from the table and poured dark wine into two empty crystal cups. He pushed one of the filled glasses across the mahogany surface toward the silver-haired boy.
"Have a drink with me." Chenric gestured toward the luxurious spread of food. "We can celebrate your recent string of victories before we delve into the actual contract. Establishing a comfortable rapport always leads to better business."
Solomon looked at the dark liquid sloshing inside the crystal glass and then shifted his gaze back to the merchant. "I do not drink alcohol. You can save your hospitality for someone else."
Chenric went completely quiet. The welcoming smile slid right off the merchant’s face. He placed his own cup back onto the table and stared at the boy. He quickly realized the teenager possessed zero interest in pleasantries or casual entertainment.
"You are a remarkably difficult person to entertain." Chenric folded his hands together over the table. "We will skip the formalities and get straight to the business. I brought you up here to offer you a highly classified mission."
Solomon uncrossed his arms and leaned closer to the table. He finally found the conversation interesting.
[Last_Fables: secret mission unlocked!]
[Grey: they always drop the classified quests on the new guys.]
[Dark_Skies: time to make some real points.]
[BloodKnight: Proceed with caution. Underworld contracts always carry hidden risks.]
"What kind of mission requires a classified briefing?" Solomon rested his elbows against his knees. "I am currently an unregistered civilian, so I cannot accept official guild bounties or regulated government tasks."
Chenric waved a dismissive hand through the air. "As I said, it is a classified mission, but don’t worry, you are qualified to do it."
Solomon rested his boots on the edge of the mahogany table and tapped his fingers against his knees. "How exactly do you expect me to accept a classified mission when you refuse to give me the actual details?"
Chenric poured another cup of dark wine and pushed it aside. "I intend to explain the objective. I am merely waiting for a second candidate to join us tonight. You will both receive the exact same mission, and you both will have to work together."