CHAPTER 42……
It was a bright afternoon with warm sunshine pouring down.
“Beautiful, pretty ornaments here! Take a look before you go.”
“If you want sturdy axes and hammers, this is the place!”
“Soap that washes away grime in one go—4 silin each, or 3 for 10 silin!”
The young man, the girl, and Noah sat in a corner of the bustling marketplace.
On their makeshift stall lay several carved wooden figures. Most were of animals, though only one had the shape of a human.
Each carving was different in movement and expression. Many had dynamic poses, yet none toppled despite their balance seeming precarious. The expressions were so vivid that a young man peering at a lion figurine actually yelped and stepped back in surprise.
Ignoring the noisy surroundings, Noah sat silently with arms crossed, guarding the stall. A few plainclothes soldiers moved discreetly about nearby.
In the end, because it was difficult to find decent wood from just one bundle of firewood, Noah had to go into the forest with the youth. They stayed up through the night shaving down the grain of the logs, and it took another half a day to shape the rough forms.
They wrapped the roughly carved pieces in bundles, brought them back to the castle, and continued working. The young man’s home was on the outskirts of the city, but it was too cramped and dark to work on fine details at night.
“Really… will these even sell?”
The youth, who had introduced himself as Hans, whispered nervously. Noah gave a slight nod, observing the passersby.
This area was the territory of the artisan guild Holemia, and only guild members were permitted to sell here. Noah had managed to secure this corner spot using a guild token he happened to possess.
Since guild rivalries over territory were fierce in every city, selling in another guild’s area without permission could easily escalate into gang fights.
“They’re so lifelike… it’s almost scary.”
Hans’s younger sister, Ellie, added cautiously from beside him. A faint smile appeared on Noah’s lips.
“Of course. They’re rough, since time was short, but it will be fine.”
“Rough… you call this rough?”
Even after carrying back three whole bundles of wood, Noah had only selected seven pieces worth carving. And then he had stayed up all night sanding them until they were nearly white.
Noah did not bother to mention that, ordinarily, just preparing the wood for carving took him an entire day.
An awkward silence lingered until their first customer arrived.
A plump middle-aged man, followed by his attendants, stopped before the stall. With slanted eyes and crooked lips, his face suggested an unpleasant personality.
As Hans and Ellie swallowed nervously, the man’s gaze fell on a bear figurine posed with one paw extended forward.
“Hmmm, how much for this bear?”
“Five kenis,” Noah replied.
At the mention of five silver coins, Hans and Ellie blinked in shock. The man seemed taken aback, but soon tried to haggle.
“Bah, on closer look the wood is quite flawed, and the paint isn’t of the best quality either. Two silver should be plenty.”
“You clearly have a discerning eye. But I won’t go lower. Surely you know the market rate.”
Noah didn’t bat an eye. As he slowly stood—his towering height overshadowing the man—the middle-aged fellow flinched.
“If the price doesn’t suit you, I’ll sell it to someone else. Please step aside.”
Noah spoke politely, and the man’s eye twitched.
“I don’t recall seeing your face before. Do you even have permission to sell here?”
“I come from elsewhere. But as you know, I am indeed with Holemia.”
“Oh? Your name?”
To the question clearly meant to test his reputation, Noah calmly answered:
“Whether it drizzles or pours, a rainbow that follows can only be beautiful.”
The metaphor—that the value of the work doesn’t change just because the maker’s name is unknown—made the man falter, though his gaze lingered on the piece. He seemed reluctant to walk away empty-handed.
“Hmmph, how about three coins then?”
“You should know that haggling over such a piece only diminishes its worth.”
After several rounds of bargaining, the man sighed, defeated.
“Fine, fine. You’re stubborn as a mule. Five kenis it is.”
Grumbling, he finally paid. The bear figurine was gone, and as the customer’s back receded, Hans and Ellie could only stare in shock.
“It… it actually sold?”
“It really did.”
More customers came afterward. Some balked at the high price and left, while others, eyes sparkling at first sight, paid without hesitation.
One by one the carvings left, and the sun was already sinking low. If Noah hadn’t restricted buyers to only one piece each, they would have sold out by now.
Three carvings remained: a human figure in the center, flanked by an eagle and a rabbit. Oddly, the human-shaped carving drew the fewest questions, likely due to its unusual form.
The figure wore a flowing tunic, had short, curly hair, and a sharp face that could belong to either man or woman. Its eyes were closed, one arm stretched out chaotically, and a small hollow gaped in the left side of its chest.
Some inquired about the price, but balked when they heard it was several times higher than the others. Many simply studied it with strange looks before moving on. Noah paid them no mind, waiting patiently.
“What a beautiful sculpture!”
With a clear, bright voice, a pair of shoes stepped into Noah’s view. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet the newcomer.
***
“I’m telling you, it’s true.”
Cordelia, lounging on the study sofa, answered curtly.
“All I did was take an early morning walk. Why are you making such a fuss about it?”
Cordelia was well-known among her family for her shameless boldness—but unfortunately, her opponent was not one to take things lightly.
“Strange. I didn’t see you outside this morning.”
Isaac’s eyes narrowed sharply. Cordelia, feigning innocence, replied:
“Maybe we just missed each other?”
“Since when have you ever risen early to take a morning stroll?”
“I just happened to wake up early. Thought I’d enjoy some fresh air for a change.”
“And how’s your hangover? Recovered well?”
He pointed out that she usually drank until dawn and slept through the morning. Cordelia nodded.
“I felt great yesterday, actually.”
That much was true. It wasn’t every day that Noah approached her first. The drinks went down smoothly, her self-control slipped easily.
Waking up in Noah’s bed that morning, though, she had seriously considered crawling into a hole.
Isaac sighed and rubbed at his temple.
“Cordelia.”
His voice was solemn, and Cordelia instinctively straightened her posture. For all her casual closeness with her father, she knew well when things were serious.
“I don’t want to sound meddlesome, but…”
Gone was his usual humor—only sternness remained in his gaze.
“That young man, Noah… what exactly is your relationship with him?”
His voice was gentle, yet it sent shivers down her spine. Isaac always spoke like that when teaching etiquette or negotiating—soft, but leaving no room to escape.
He hadn’t raised his tone at all, yet she felt oddly tense. Cordelia grumbled inwardly.
Of course. He’d seen Noah cling to her last night—there was no way he’d let it slide.
If only the alcohol had also erased her father’s memory… but no, no matter how much he drank, Isaac’s recall was impeccable.
Just ask Rick—who, after drunkenly spilling all sorts of secrets to Isaac, was still paying the price. His marriage to Pamela was one such consequence.
Well, at least the notorious flirt now lived with a leash around his neck. Isaac clearly had a knack for matchmaking—though everyone in the family agreed Pamela deserved far better.
“Let’s just say… it’s a one-sided interest on my part?”
Cordelia smiled slyly, masking her thoughts. Isaac’s eyes widened.
“That—what kind of interest do you mean…?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve met a man who’s actually my type.”
“You insolent girl! Do you hear yourself?”
The serious mood barely lasted a minute before shattering. As Isaac fumed, Cordelia tilted her head, teasing.
“What’s the problem? It’s not like there’s a law against dating commoners.”
“Even if not written in law, custom still exists!”
“I’m not talking about marriage, just… something casual. What’s so wrong with that?”
“Absolutely not!”
She had baited him, and he had taken it. The moment he saw her mischievous smile, Isaac realized his mistake, but it was too late to retract.
His face flushed as he wiped it with his hand, troubled eyes lingering on his daughter.
“Cody… the world may be harsher than you think.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you truly have feelings for him, you need to think carefully.”
His choice of words shifted—she noticed, but kept listening.
“Politics can be more ruthless than you imagine. A single pretext can change everything. You may be just one person, but your actions could be interpreted as the family’s actions. Remember that.”
Just as a small spark can become a forest fire with the right wind, so too can an individual’s behavior spread into larger consequences.
“We will always be on your side. But… there may come a moment when even we cannot protect you.”
