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Of course, although Haver was a legendary Half-Elf merchant renowned across Silver Moon City, he had little interest in geometry. His fascination with these light patterns stemmed simply from his immense boredom.

After the Silver Moon Guards’ rebellion was quelled, those Half-Elf merchants, who had set their own granaries on fire, were ‘invited’ one by one to the Royal Palace.

Yet they had been waiting in the Palace for most of the day without an audience with Queen Isa or Count Angler.

This kept the Half-Elf merchants in a constant state of irritation and fear.

However, with the passage of time, these emotions gradually became numbed, and they began to calm down, contemplating how to obtain Her Majesty the Queen’s forgiveness.

“Cough cough, excuse me, could we have some water?”

Unable to bear it any longer, a Half-Elf merchant croaked out a request to the palace guards.

But those guards encased in armor seemed to have turned a deaf ear to his plea.

Just as Haver was about to speak, a regal young man strode into the hall.

“My lord Count!”

The Half-Elf merchants hastily rose to salute the newcomer.

Colin took his seat at the head of the hall and casually gestured for everyone else to sit down too.

Young Half-Elf maids stepped lightly into the room, serving red wine to everyone.

The overpowering aroma of the wine made the thirsty merchants gulp helplessly, but before Colin lifted his cup, none of them dared to touch the one before them.

Colin’s icy gaze swept across the faces of the Half-Elf merchants. Perhaps feeling guilty, none of them could meet his stare.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have asked you here to pose a question on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.” Colin began, his tone devoid of emotions, “Why would you set fire to your own granaries?”

That was a tricky question to answer.

The hall fell into an uncomfortable silence.

The merchants wished to hide their heads in their chests, scarcely daring to breathe, for fear of drawing Colin’s attention and being put on the spot.

But Colin seemed in no hurry, taking up his wine cup and twirling it in his hands. The dark liquid swirled inside the cup creating a tiny vortex, releasing a robust scent that relentlessly tantalised the sensitive nerves of the already terrified Half-Elf merchants.

Out of the corner of his eye, Haver studied Colin who was absorbed in the vortex in his cup. The young count’s face bore a faint smile, making him seem just like a mildly curious, normal young lad.

But Haver dared not take Colin so lightly. As a Half-Elf merchant, he had become all too familiar with the Count. He knew all too well about Colin’s rise to power.

A path littered with corpses and soaked in blood!

“Haver.”

Perhaps sensing Haver’s sneaky glances, Colin called the name of the legendary Half-Elf merchant.

“M-my lord Count!” Haver suddenly stood up, looking curiously like an errant student called out by the teacher during a lesson.

Relieved, the rest of the merchants quietly exhaled.

Only Haver stood there stiffly, cold sweat pouring out of him like springs and soaking his ceremonial dress in seconds.

Flashing a nonchalant smile, Colin asked, “Mr Haver, could you please answer the Queen’s question?”

If he could turn back time, Haver would swear to the Deity that he would never sneak a peek at Colin.

But now, all he could do was muster courage and answer, “M-my lord Count, it… it was because… Marquis Vincent in the Eastern Territory forced us to…”

Colin’s face remained unchanged, as ever so gentle and elegant, but in Haver’s eyes, that face looked no differently to that of a devil.

Without waiting for Colin to continue his question, Haver quickly added: “But, my lord Count, rest assured, we’re prepared. Before burning down the granary, we’ve secretly replaced most of the food in it with hay. So even if all the granaries are gone, most of the food is still there!

As long as you do not hold us accountable, I am willing to sell you this food at the lowest price!”

After Haver finished speaking, the other half-elf merchants also started jabbering:

“Yes, my lord Count, I too, hid the food in advance!”

“My lord Count, me too, and I’m also willing to sell it to you at a low price!”

“My lord Count, me too…”

…

At these words, Colin started to laugh.

It was not known if he was pleased because there was still food storage remaining or if he was amused at how crafty these half-elf merchants really were.

Of course, it wasn’t unexpected. Expecting these half-elf merchants to set ablaze the food that they had painstakingly accumulated would be more unbearable than killing them.

“Very well.” Colin nodded in satisfaction and there was silence in the main hall.

The group of half-elf merchants, looking at the smile on Colin’s face, felt as though the huge rock pressing on their hearts had finally fallen.

But just as they were relieved that they had escaped disaster, Colin suddenly stopped smiling and said coldly: “However, your actions are tantamount to treason!”

“But, my lord Count, we were forced….” the merchant still pleaded.

“Forced?” Colin sneered, “why didn’t you report this? Why did you choose to follow the directives of the rebel army?”

The half-elf merchants were suddenly at a loss for words.

At this moment, Haver proactively said: “My lord Count, we were indeed confused then and made a foolish choice. If you are willing to forgive our mistakes, I am willing to donate all the food to you for free!”

As soon as he said this, the rest of the half-elf merchants felt their hearts bleed, but they had to vocally agree in unison, expressing their willingness to donate the food for free.

Only then did the expression on Colin’s face soften a bit, he softly remarked, “Just this is not enough.”

Haver, trying to suppress his pain, respectfully asked: “My lord Count, if you have any other orders, please do not hesitate to say.”

“Do you know about the North Territory Trading Company?”

“Yes.” Haver nodded, understanding in his heart that Colin was planning to forcibly integrate the half-elf business world.

As expected, the next moment, Colin said: “After lengthy discussions with Her Majesty the Queen, we decided to establish a Half-Elf Foreign Trading Company…”

Upon hearing this, all the half-elf traders were trembling with fear, knowing what was inevitable had finally come.

But before they could comment, an attendant rushed into the hall, reporting: “My lord Count, Marquis Vincent has been assassinated!”

“What?” Colin stood up abruptly, then quickly dismissed the half-elf merchants and strode out.

It wasn’t until his figure disappeared from the hall that the half-elf merchants came back to their senses, simultaneously filled with indescribable horror.

This is a major event!

If the heir apparent of the St. Prowse family died in Silver Moon City…

The half-elf merchants looked at each other, exchanging thoughts with their eyes, but no one dared to break the oppressive silence.

For a moment, they didn’t know whether they should gloat over the disaster, or be nervous about the storm that was about to sweep through Silver Moon City.