Chapter 284 : Luka Merchant Guild

Luka ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Merchant Guild

While treating the Crimson Moon fox tribe, Serea sought out Avril.

"They said they are people of the Crimson Moon fox tribe and have come here intending to join you and the Cangyue fox tribe."

"Yes, the Holy Maiden of the Cangyue fox tribe mentioned it to me. I didn't expect to meet them here."

Avril and Serea had barely spoken a few words when Lola came over to report.

"Queen Serea, many of our foxkin friends have been affected by 'bonemelt powder.' Although it's not life-threatening, they still need a safe place to detoxify."

Upon hearing this, avril's expression changed, since these fox tribe members were her future 'employees,' so...

"It's too far from here to the Trading Post. Let's take them to the camp for treatment first. Maro, it's your job to escort them back."

"Yes."

Maro accepted the order and the blood slaves began to move. Seeing this, avril quickly gave thanks.

"Thank you, queen Serea."

"It's nothing, just a small favor. But I truly didn't expect those slave-hunters to dare reach into my territory."

She genuinely had no patience for these slave-hunting squads.

On the other side, sahi had received Serea's help and expressed deep gratitude. The fox people then mounted their Carrion Beasts.

Facing Sahi, maro, who was also on a Carrion Beast, reached out his hand and said, "Miss, please get on."

"......"

Sahi instinctively wanted to refuse, as the Holy Maiden of the fox tribe was not allowed to be touched by males. But at this moment, she was affected by bonemelt powder and injured her leg, making it impossible for her to mount the Carrion Beast by herself.

"Thank you, I..."

"Oh, right, miss, it seems you're injured. Let me help you."

Maro jumped down and, to the surprised stares of the surrounding fox tribe, picked Sahi up and placed her on the Carrion Beast's back. During the process, maro seemed to have touched something soft and furry.

A tail?

"Holy Maiden!!!"

The fox tribe guards who were being treated caught sight of Maro's action and, furious, tried to get up.

"Hm?"

Maro was somewhat confused. Why did those people suddenly turn hostile toward him?

And seeing that the misunderstanding might cause a conflict, sahi hurriedly said,

"I... I've already allowed him to come near. It's not his fault."

"How could..."

The fox tribe guards stared in surprise, but hearing Sahi's explanation, made no further moves.

Seeing this, even straight-laced Maro realized he might have violated a fox tribe taboo.

"Did I offend anyone?"

"No, no."

"That's good, that's good."

With that, maro mounted the Carrion Beast again. The other immobile fox people were carried by blood slaves, while those able to walk followed behind.

At this, Serea spoke up.

"Let's set out."

"Yes, queen Serea. Be careful on the road."

With that, maro rushed out riding the Carrion Beast, as they needed to get the poisoned ones back for detoxification.

"Ah!"

Sahi nearly fell in surprise, but managed to hold onto Maro in time.

"Hold tight, we're not far from the camp. We'll arrive soon."

"Mm."

The young woman responded softly, then leaned against Maro's back.

After seeing off Maro and the others, Serea continued on her way to attend the 'Eriwin dwarf tribe' jungle council.

...

A few hours later, in 'Manes City' west of Sedis City—

Since the last old lord died, no new lord had taken over. This lawless place had thus become a paradise for bandits, robbers, merchant guilds, and adventurers.

The infamous 'Luka Merchant Guild,' also known as the 'Luka Mercenary Company,' had its headquarters here. As the local tyrants, they 'ruled' this town and no one dared defy them, though their authority extended only within Manes City.

"Here again—damned outsiders, how dare they resist us!"

In the Luka Merchant Guild's headquarters, guildmaster 'Luka' tore a letter he had just received into shreds and threw it onto the ground.

Seeing the leader's rage, the other executives kept silent, fearful that Luka would vent his anger on them.

As for why he was so furious...

It was because, yet again, his slave-hunting squad had met resistance, suffering heavy casualties, and, as before, the ambush happened on the so-called 'Darkmoon clan's' territory.

Multiple slave-hunting squads were dispatched, but only those entering the Darkmoon clan's lands met disaster, sometimes even massacre. He utterly hated the name 'Darkmoon clan.'

After a long silence, someone finally couldn't help but speak.

"Guildmaster, I think we shouldn't enter the Darkmoon clan's territory again, they—"

"Shut up! Just a bunch of outsiders, a group of slaves, and you think I'll bow to them?"

"But the rumors say—"

"What useless rumors, about the Dragon's Holy Maiden? Or the Otto Kingdom's second princess? Only a fool would believe such things!"

Luka roared. Hearing this, everyone kept silent — after all, luka's nickname was 'Mad Dog' for a reason.

As everyone fell quiet, luka slowly clenched his fist.

"Darkmoon clan, I'll make you pay!"

Just as he was letting his anger out, a man in a purple robe carrying a preacher's staff walked in.

"Such a temper doesn't do you any good..."

"You!!!"

Noticing the man, luka stood up and shouted.

"Quick, go help me deal with them."

"I won't go."

"What did you say!!!"

"If you look at the situation clearly, you wouldn't want to provoke them either."

"Hmph, every month I give your Church so much money, and you're just going to freeload?"

Luka berated the man in purple, but the man only smiled.

"I just want to preach in peace. Even without you, I can manage."

"What did you say!"

"Don't provoke them. That's my advice. If you don't listen, do as you wish."

With that, the man walked away, the black sun pendant on his chest catching everyone's eye.

Gradually, luka calmed down and sat back, glaring menacingly at the man's departing back. He said nothing more.

...

Back to Serea—

At this time, the jungle council was in session. In the conference room, besides the 'five giants,' there were many chiefs of different tribes. They were jointly discussing the many issues concerning the jungle.

During this, although Serea barely spoke, after the 'Demon King subjugation war' her strength had firmly established the 'Darkmoon clan's' name in the western jungle. The whole meeting largely revolved around her and her trade alliance.

Through long negotiations, they finally reached a result.

Vandock Eriwin cleared his throat.

"These are Miss Avril's trade terms and the alliance pact. Those in favor of joining the trade alliance, please cast your vote."

As he spoke, avril nervously looked at the various chiefs in the meeting room. They glanced at one another, seemingly waiting for something.

Finally, the first hand was raised...

(To be continued...)