"True. Your observation is the most apt, Miss! Hahaha. But if I appraise my stuff with the same price where I got'em that would leave me with no profit at all. I assure you the prices are rated fairly! What about this, I give you more discount! These two for 95 coins!"

Louise readied her pouches and looked at the siblings. "You two have forty-eight gold each. Take your desired product and I will do the transaction." With those paws. Surely it can't carry out physically with forty-eight shiny small metal pieces.

---

He took a deep breath as he stared back over at them, and he slowly placed his hand to his face. With that he hopped off the wagon, and started walking towards the tradesman, the bears, and the betrothed woman. He smiled as he held his musket in hand, and sword on his hip. "Miss Ironside... do you not remember grandfathers teachings?" he asked looking over at her with a smile as he came to her side.

"Ask for the license if they are on the road... see if they are a legitimate business or not, then... haggle prices with fair accordance to what they say."

He smiled as he held his musket in hand, and sword on his hip. "Miss Ironside... do you not remember grandfathers teachings?" he asked looking over at her with a smile as he came to her side.

"Ask for the license if they are on the road... see if they are a legitimate business or not, then... haggle prices with fair accordance to what they say."

"I was about to but those bears already made a ruckus with merchant when I approached them..." She replied as she crossed her arms.

---

He smiled softly as he looked at her, and then the bears, "make sure he has it before a deal okay..." he said quietly before he took a step back, "if he doesn't you can get a better price, or get it for free."

He smiled a bit, "After all, a merchant that doesn't pay his taxes, doesn't pay the king for protect. And thus isn't a person we protect right?"

Erwin's head slowly turned towards the merchant as he looked at him, smiling bit, "Have a crown signatured license of some kind? It's one thing to peddle a group in the middle of the night; it's another to do it illegally my friend."

The bearded merchant stared at Erwin with his signature joviality. Though a glint in his eyes said he strongly disagreed with Erwin's legal assessment. The inconsistency of penalty he spewed was barely a legal procedure. But his golden rule was to never debate with a customer!

"Illegal? Oh no, good sir! I assure you that my trinket and wares are earned with legitimate means!" he bowed a bit, gesturing at his merchandise that somehow remained neatly arranged even after that previous ordeal.

"Ah certainly, regarding the paperwork, sure but the law also says only government officials may request to examine my permit. To avoid forgery they say! Hahaha can't be too careful these days. So, are you a legitimate officer, sir?"

The man smiled and he looked at him, "Yes, hold on, let me get my paperwork." with that he went to the wagon, got a bag, and then walked back as he slowly opened it up to reveal a leather-bound booklet with official recordings upon the cover.

"Also it is not a law, it should be posted openly within the shop, or present at any sale. Since this is a mobile shop, there is likely several marks of legality depending on where all you travel to and fro; typically for someone of your wares, it will be Fanghorn, skipping over minor settlements,the capital, and several port cities and towns that connect to larger trade routes. But charters are a different matter; these are internal routes. This is closer to Hrud, so... I believe that is the next Dutchy over; well regardless... there is probably several things I can find, what schooling does for a young man, am I right?"

He continued to blather legal nonsense for a minute more before he looked at the man, "Papers, please, if I may?" he said as his booklet was open to his royal signifiers as a guardian of tax, trade, and diplomacy.

The merchant stood up to read the booklet. He did it for quite a while Erwin had to remind him again of his obligation.

"Papers, please, if I may?"

"Ah! Certainly, Sir Erwin Est Euluin!" he fished a scroll from his inner pocket and let Erwine examine it himself. Then, an additional scroll, signed by Kindeance Harbormaster to ascertain the legality of his latest shipping was already in his hand. The shipping manifest was as follows: Jewelry and antique goods, ceremonial and ornamental weaponry, and pieces of art.

"I assume everything is in order?" He asked, before whistling in amusement. "Est Eluin! So you must be the relative of His Highness eh? Long way from Rascade aintcha? On a very important mission, I assume? Something royal perhaps?"

He grinned, and that wasn't his usual 'friendly and jovial' facade anymore.


Meanwhile, Solomon and Jazdia discussed about the energy that pulsed from that mysterious merchant earlier

“How odd.” commented Solomon with Jazdia, “are Cedar’s sisters causing the man some distress? I’m sure you saw it, too. That wasn’t anything ordinary.”

"Yeah, it is anything but ordinary. And I say, they should have listened." She shrugged, and the doctor stared at her searchingly.

The glow in her eyes was fading just recently when Jazdia answered.

"That man can bind them in a spot and have them shackled with his power if he wanted to. Especially in that range, it is as wide as on his rug. The power was similar to yours, it had a shorter effective range, but the bindings were a bit stronger. I see that he has a few cages in his wagon. Wouldn't that make you wonder what are those for?"

The merchant and the blonde woman seemed just about ready to make the purchase-- Finally--- She even hauled out the coin, and counted it out, offering two small sacks for collection--

"You two have forty-eight gold each. Take your desired product and I will do the transaction."

Clearly she didn't pay attention to the merchant-- That was the combined price for both items alright, but the pricing between the items was not split down the middle, and this kind of shenanigan was just improper.

They were just about to discretely suggest that SHE conduct the transaction, given that it would be highly unlikely that the merchant would trust the two of them near his wares a second time --Once bitten, twice shy, as they say-- when that prettyboy from the front of the wagon sauntered up, and started causing more trouble than was needed.

Didn't he know not to harry legitimate merchants once they had been tested? There were LIMITS to civility!

The man walked right up to the merchant, and started demanding to see licenses and permits. What gall! Not even THEY would demand something like that from a merchant! They might never come back again, and worse, might tell their friends! That is NOT the kind of word of mouth you wanted spread-- Moreover, this was not where they lived, and the bad reputation they might cause from a bad sale with a legit dealer, could stifle the offers to people that DID-- and that was just plain wrong.

They were in danger of offending the man so badly that he just closed up and walked off, and that was just plain criminal-- Lily scowled at the man, and Rose made a frumpy "shoulders forward, ears back" warning posture in her stance. If the merchant was upset, he hid it well though.

Regardless of WHO conducted the transaction, it had better be concluded, and soon-- but they really did not want to be the ones on the carpet.

It was inappropriate.

---

Solomon hummed softly at what Jazdia said. A binding spell of some sort. One that relied on darkened magic. That alone gave creed to the bearded Goodenough’s ability to take care of himself. Even to help take care of others. Then there were the cages. Solomon wasn’t sure of the specifics of the merchant’s wares, but from the ornate weaponry to the jewelry, the cages felt very out of place.

“Unless his trade is luxuries. Would you believe he catches exotic animals?” said Solomon in jest. He continued watching the others as Erwin walked past the doctor and elf, and then again with a stack of papers, “but more likely something less than ethical, let alone legal. Perhaps we should be grateful the cages are empty. But should they not be in our presence, I guess we’ll cross that bridge once we get to it.”

Vaguely aware of the commentary behind her, Athena kept her attention to Erwin. The thought of papers had occurred to her, but after the reveal of the magical properties of the items it felt unlikely the merchant would be associated with any of the trade guilds. Having papers on the items made sense, until Lily said something, she assumed they were ordinary items.

When Erwin returned with his own identification, Athena reached out in an attempt to stop him, only muttering out a few sounds, but was too late as Erwin began reading out the book. Athena felt it was a bad idea to share this information. For one, it was unnecessary to compete with the merchant. Second, this envoy was meant to be secret. If news that the King’s relatives were a part of the caravan, it might tip off whatever force that had been blocking Rascade’s previous attempts.

Athena lowered arm back down, resting it around the spear she had leaned up against her shoulder. What’s done is done. Gripping the spear firmly in her hand once again. Athena straightened up. There was something about the man’s smile she didn’t like. Then again, she just didn’t like the man, so she couldn’t justify to herself anything about why. She just felt increasingly uneasy. If the man was prepared with papers, why did he go through the hassle with Erwin to reveal them?

“Erwin, perhaps we’d wrap this up soon. We’ve wasted too much time, and we still need to rest.”

"Ah! Certainly, Sir Erwin Est Euluin!" he fished a scroll from his inner pocket and let Erwine examine it himself. Then, an additional scroll, signed by Kindeance Harbormaster to ascertain the legality of his latest shipping was already in his hand. The shipping manifest was as follows: Jewelry and antique goods, ceremonial and ornamental weaponry, and pieces of art.

Louise went close to Erwin kissing their arms. She took a look at those identical papers to scrutinized. She matched the paper usage. The typographical structure. The spelling and grammatical structure and more importantly, name of her lord and the way of to wrote his signature. She had been memorized how Lord Thernous the way his hand wrote his signature.

"These are... Authentic. Sir Erwin..." She spoke to Erwin.

[h2]Erwin[/h3]

Shook his head and chuckled a bit, "While yes I am in line of blood, it does not mean my place is there. I am more or less a tax man, a diplomatic envoy, or tradesguard depending on whom you speak to, and what my ward decides he is at that moment. Or what our lord tells him he is at that moment. At the moment, I am checking upon a fraudulent trader, and I am checking to see that you are not him."

Heh smiled a bit as he looked at the papers, and he continued to reach, "So... these papers seem fine, knowing my grandfather's signature, and that it's hard to replicate it. This figure seems to be legit. Sorry for wasting your time, but I do suggest you keep to peddling wares to light hours and towns. In areas like this, it is unknown who might be the lord over this area, that will require a different stamp of approval, plus one from the capital. It usually takes six to eight weeks to catch up to the office signed. Beuracracy, at it's finest isn't it?"

At this point, it was as if he had become a dignified tax man, and someone who could bullshit, but he couldn't swindle and rob this man; for the most part, the papers were legit, and his grandfather was asleep. "But, I do warn you after this, and you head back north, these papers will be invalid in the next month or so. Head south, and they should be settled from there." he blathered on, continuing the apparent search of the man's documents before handing them back. "Also, keep watch for some folk peddling goods, especially magic ones or those found in the warzone to our north."

With that, he looked at Louise, and smiled, "Go on dear, buy your things and go to bed. I'll take watch."

With that, he looked at Louise, and smiled, "Go on dear, buy your things and go to bed. I'll take watch."

Louise clinged on him as she grabbed his arm both of hers.

"Besides with those two product for the bear siblings. I would like to buy matching jewelry for us who are both recently fell inlove. She said with an innocent and adorable look that may melt deep down hard his heart.

Erwin looked to the woman as she clung to his side, and he nodded as he looked at her, then the brooch, then back at the man as he looked at him.

"And what is it that you were looking at?" he asked looking at her, "plus wouldn't it be better to look at it in the morning when it's light out?"

"He might have something that catches your eye then." he said with a relative smile as he slowly moved his other hand to her head and rubbed it gently. He slowly took her close and started towards the cart of the man, hoping to get a peek at whatever it is the man might have. "So do you know what all he sells?"

"He might have something that catches your eye then." he said with a relative smile as he slowly moved his other hand to her head and rubbed it gently. He slowly took her close and started towards the cart of the man, hoping to get a peek at whatever it is the man might have. "So do you know what all he sells?"

"I haven't browse any yet as I focus on the bear the sisters. She said as she kept grabbing his arm. She then stare on merchant with a wink. "Perhaps, Mister can recommended us a good match."

"Weeelll...." grumbled Lily irritably. "..ya gunna pay da man, er not? He got places to go, more'n'likely-- Dis a sale, er a hol'-up?"
"Be nice, Lileh-- girl's payin'-- we gunna has tuh make it up ta 'er some'ow sooner'r'laters no-how. Dun go makin' it worster an' it a'ready is."

Lily's eyes rolled a second time, then addressed Rose and Erwin in turn.

"Fiiiiiiine... ahright... ya win... Fella, Mr Good'nuff 'ere gots a stash a fanceh 'kitchenware' back o'er yonder. -- was a makin' muh way ta go 'verify da merchandise' afore he dun come unglued at us-- I's really dun' thank he gunna lets me just moseh on o'er and starts touchin' on 'is stuffs ag'in, sos' ya gunna has tuh put up wit' mistah buttuh-ball heya's smooth talkin' astead."

"He seem legit, but wit' a name like "good'nuff" a girl cain't be tuh careful, migh' be a bit slippreh, all at butteh he a bastin' you wit'-- ya asks meh though, I says we should pay da man fer 'is trouble, 'en le' hims moseh on out-- but ya wanna play in da fire af'er lett'n hims git yas all greased up--"

"--don' blames us if'n yah gits burned--"
"Mmm-hmm!"

"You're welcome, Sir Erwin. Just doin my part as a good citizen!"

The bearded merchant's grin seemed to widen when Erwin mentioned something about being an envoy for diplomatic matters. Whether it was for the sake of courtesy or something else entirely, nobody would ever know. For Goodenough suddenly found himself in a very profitable situation again when Loiuse asked for more specific trinkets.

"Aye! Certainly, young miss. But gotta fetch them first in me cart, kindly wait for me ya?!" He turned and suddenly a donkey, one of his burden beasts emerged from behind his transport and turned its head toward the crowd behind the carpet. A moment later, it moved its head down and whuffled as if bowing at them. Perhaps it would smile too if possible.

The merchant climbed down. And with him, he brought a box lined with satin. He opened it in front of Louise, gesturing her to look closer.

"It has no names, but I think it's really suitable for you. It was created in a pair. One of a pendant and the other is a ring. Don't hesitate! You can touch it if you want."

He indicated the jewelry inside the box. It was an emerald pendant that seemed to lack any luster, but if a living being touched it, it would show its glitter. Beside it was a gold ring with a piece of emerald that seemed to be embedded and forged along with the band itself. It also has an elvish inscription on it."

"I also have the usual ones. Brooch or-or silver necklace you can put a picture of your loved ones nside. But ain't that boring things! So took me chance to show ya this. The Elves made them. So they're old and durable. It said if two lovers wore 'em, the other would know if the wearer was receiving an embrace from de outsider. N'ver checked if it works, dun hav loved one meself. Kha! kha!"

"I'll sell them for yue cheap. My usual customers don't want this kniche thing. Soo, 40 coins for the pair and its box!"

The merchant paused to wait for Louise's decision. On the other end, the conversation between the twins could be heard and... well at least it wasn't as nerve-wrecking as before. He really hope this transaction could be wrapped up soon.

"I assume the two items we discussed earlier are a deal? Sould I process the purchase with this one?"

"Aye! Certainly, young miss. But gotta fetch them first in me cart, kindly wait for me ya?!" He turned and suddenly a donkey, one of his burden beasts emerged from behind his transport and turned its head toward the crowd behind the rug. A moment later, it moved its head down and whuffled as if bowing at them. Perhaps it would even smile at them if possible.

Louise was impressed from the donkey. She made a bow with an innocent smile after the animal made a greeted on her.

"I also have the usual ones. Brooch or-or silver necklace you can put a picture of your loved ones nside. But ain't that boring things! So took me chance to show ya this. The Elves made them. So they're old and durable. It said if two lovers wore 'em, the other would know if the wearer was receiving an embrace from de outsider. N'ver checked if it works, dun hav loved one meself. Kha! kha!"

"The elven made make me interested. I will settle to that, please." She replied on the merchant. She probably going to ask this this later to the two elven people from her party. For a short time, she made a smile on Erwin.

"I assume the two items we discussed earlier are a deal? Sould I process the purchase with this one?"

"Ninety five gold for the bears' and forty gold for my item. Here is my one hundred thirty five gold. Mister." She respond and gave him an exact amount of the total cost of the purchased items.

The Merchant Goodenough looked like he was ready to flip over.

"And sold! To the lady with exceptional taste and her curious bear companions! But hold on to yer horses naw! I gotta tell you about that Abydos Necklace." he straightened his back and gazed at the twins. Yellow eyes flashed with anticipation yet his jovial expression was as genuine as one can feel.

"In case any of ye want to use that jewel for anything more than just pretty things to hang 'round yer neck, know that was already filled to the brim. Use it sparingly ammarite? Don't wear it when it's empty or ye will suffer magic hangover. How to refill it, Uncle Goodenough?! Ya may ask! Well lucky for ye I've got mana potions too! Drink them and it will be full blue again. Better buy them now for de road! Kekekeke!"

He placed the first two items in two seemingly ordinary wooden boxes respectively and approached the twins, handing them each the packaged jewelry. "Here you go, lasses! Don't do something with them something I wouldn't do, allrite?!

He turned to Loise and gave her the box containing that elven trinket. A pouch of gold was handed to him in return, and with his lanky fingers, Goodenough squeezed it, feeling the clinking, the weight, and sound, and felt satisfied with his just payment.

"Good doing business with ya!"

Erwin wouldn't have handed anything out to the man and would keep Louise from doing the same.

He looked at the man, and nodded some, "It's my role... For five years, making sure that traders are true, and that when we trade outside of our nation those individuals are protected. But, again, stay to the south, peddlers aren't well-liked at the moment due to certain individuals peddling magical wares, and war trophies taken from our neighbor to the north. And definitely do not do them at night, it is extremely shady, and unprovoked to those who might be trying to sleep. You caught the sheriff's prison wagon going North, Northeast to the passes to see if we can find this band of petty crooks, and peddlers."

"Right now... Tregador is a problem with the turmoil up there, and the amount of magical goods about is... not good, but also putting a halt to trade past our northern border as well. We can't fuel the conflicts there in case if one of them decides to turn south. Might I ask where you were going with mana potions? Also, I believe those prices regardless are a little steep... for items, that are relatively mundane, and magical, most of them would only be... twenty to thirty, those are the prices for things that aren't mundane."

Goodenough listened while maintaining a pleasant, interested expression when Erwin told him about the dangers in the north. He assured him that he would take that advice to heart, and it was wise words that deserved a heartful thanks.

"Oh those potions are my old stock, and I carry those around as I do with the rest of my wares."

it was a rather nosey question, but fortunately this Erwin was relentless in his quizzing, allowing Goodenough to pick one of the two questions and make a bigger deal out of it to evade elaborating on the others

"As for the trinkets, they were Mundanes, maybe." the merchant pinched his beard, letting the word seep deeper. "But them jewelries ain't something that can be made by a random blacksmith, good sir. And I have yet to encounter anyone in Kindeance who can supply wares with similar qualities.

He hooked his head, and for the first time, he sounded more dejected.

"So dealers like me 'as to go farther and further to fetch our wares. And you said yourself the situations with our neighbors are not nice. Them lands being full of dangers means merchant like meself must go there with extra preparations and often take longer routes. Naturally that means me folks have to sell higher just to make even, let alone makin' any profit. I've told young lass here before that ain't taking much profit from me sales, only 20 per-cent and could be even lower if customer haggle the price or I'm feeling givin' dem a discount."

He cleared his throat. and continued. "May I ask where you and your party's goin' Sir?"