"WHOO— WHOO—"
A long, deep blast from a horn echoed from the valley entrance, shattering the morning's tranquility.
It was the signal that the Valley caravan had arrived.
'They're here.'
Raylo had already ordered Old Buck to prepare the territory's recently accumulated Magical Beast Materials and gathered herbs for trade with the approaching Valley caravan.
Merchants are driven by profit. The caravan would only continue visiting this border territory if their trade with Black Stone Territory was profitable enough.
After all, reports had mentioned caravans choosing to bypass Black Stone Territory entirely, deeming it too barren.
For Black Stone Territory, which was currently short on supplies and difficult to reach, the arrival of the Valley caravan was nothing short of a lifeline.
Raylo threw on an overcoat and strode down from the terrace.
Seeing this, Moonlight perked up and leaped nimbly onto his shoulder, ready to go and "supervise."
In the clearing outside the castle, the caravan had already begun to unload its cargo.
A dozen or so cargo-laden wagons were drawn into a circle, while caravan guards in leather jerkins and felt hats vigilantly scanned the surroundings.
The caravan leader, a portly, middle-aged merchant named Hassan, was directing his men, his brow beaded with sweat.
He had swarthy skin and a perpetually shrewd smile.
"Esteemed Lord!"
"Good day!"
Seeing Raylo approach, Hassan hurried to greet him, rubbing his hands together with a broad smile.
"May the wind and sand bless you, my Lord! You're looking even better than our last meeting. Black Stone Territory is truly thriving under your rule!"
"Hassan, you've had an arduous journey."
Raylo replied with a smile and a nod.
"What fine goods have you brought this time?"
"Heh heh, see for yourself, my Lord!"
Hassan stepped aside, gesturing to the unloaded cargo.
"The finest grain from the Valley—enough to feed your people until the next harvest! We also have basic ores, like copper and iron. In addition, there's salt, cloth, and common tools—all goods that are in high demand in the territory."
"Of course, we also have some valuable Magic Artifacts, as well as Knight Armor and Weapons, should you have need of them."
'Grain and iron ore are the cornerstones of the territory's development; the more, the better.'
He signaled for Old Buck, the steward standing behind him, to step forward and take inventory.
"My Lord, we're also hoping to purchase some local specialties this time."
Hassan rubbed his hands together, his gaze flicking to the large chests being carried over by the Knights behind Raylo. "It seems you've had a bountiful haul recently?"
"We've been fortunate."
Raylo motioned for the Knights to open the chests.
The chests opened to reveal processed Magical Beast hides. Some were materials from Low Tier Magical Beasts the Knights had killed for trespassing, but the majority was loot from eliminating the Demon Serpent's Fangs and the Blood Wolf Corps.
But one set of materials made Hassan's eyes light up: the hide, teeth, and Magic Core of a Mire Giant Crocodile. These were high-grade materials from a Tier Three Magical Beast.
For a traveling merchant like him, these were the highest-tier materials he could ever hope to acquire.
The profit from ten wagonloads of grain and ore was less than half of what he could make by taking the materials from this single Tier Three Magical Beast back to the Valley for resale.
This was precisely why he had gone to the trouble of forming a caravan to trade with these Border Lords.
The Valley was located in the southern part of the Duchy. The land there was flat and the soil fertile. Vast tracts had been converted to farmland, and the Magical Beasts had long since been hunted to extinction by the Human Lords.
These high-grade Magical Beast Materials were the most sought-after commodities, indispensable for crafting high-end equipment for Knights.
But in a border territory like Black Stone Territory, the land was barren and Magical Beasts roamed in packs.
The resources of the two regions were perfectly complementary.
Hassan's eyes lit up.
"Oh! This is just... wonderful!"
Hassan leaned in for a closer look, the smile on his face becoming a little more genuine. "My Lord, we'll take all of it! We can be very flexible on the price!"
The rest of the transaction went smoothly.
Old Buck and his men carefully inventoried the delivered supplies, confirming that the quantity and quality were correct.
In turn, Hassan offered a reasonably fair price for the Magical Beast Materials Raylo provided.
The two parties quickly reached an agreement.
Raylo traded the Magical Beast Materials and a portion of his stockpiled ore for large quantities of grain, iron ore, salt, and cloth.
Watching the wagonloads of supplies being moved into the castle's storehouses, Raylo felt a great sense of relief.
'These basic supplies were an indispensable safeguard for the territory's development and population growth.'
With the official trade complete, the caravan would stay in Black Stone Territory for a day to trade freely with the local populace.
Hassan cheerfully thanked Raylo again, promising to bring even more and better goods on his next visit.
After leaving the trading area, Raylo patted the big cat that had jumped into his arms. "Moonlight, let's go for a stroll in town."
Moonlight nuzzled its head against his cheek, then found a comfortable position and closed its eyes to doze.
The flea market of Black Stone Town was located in an open area on the west side of town, near the wall.
It was a place where townsfolk, Mercenaries, Hunters, and the occasional passing traveler could freely buy and sell goods.
Unlike the solemn dignity of the castle, this place teemed with the clamor and vitality of a bustling market.
Raylo had changed into a simple set of linen clothes, tucking away his insignia of rank. With only Moonlight for company, he walked into the market, looking like any other townsman.
Moonlight perched on his shoulder, curiously observing everything around it.
The market was thronged with people, and the air was filled with the calls of vendors and the din of haggling.
Stalls of every kind lined the area: Hunters sold herbs, Mercenaries displayed rusted Weapons and battered armor, traveling performers sold all sorts of strange trinkets, and vendors hawked their own poorly brewed barley beer.
The air was a complex mixture of sweat, dust, animal dung, and the smell of various foods.
Moonlight's small nose twitched incessantly, clearly more interested in the stalls selling roasted meat and fried fish. It occasionally scratched gently at Raylo's shoulder, urging him to walk in their direction.
"Patience. Business first," Raylo said, patting it soothingly.
Soon, he found his target.
Behind a crude stall—nothing more than a ragged Beast Hide spread on the ground—sat a man.
He appeared to be in his forties or fifties, his hair streaked with gray and his face deeply lined by wind and sun. A vicious scar ran from his left forehead, across his brow bone, and down to his cheek, giving his face a fierce look.
He wore a suit of old, faded Leather Armor, and one of his legs, which seemed to be lame, was drawn up slightly.
In front of him were just a few scattered old items. The most eye-catching was a small, yellowed piece of parchment with tattered edges, on which were drawn some blurry lines and a few incomprehensible symbols—that must be the so-called "treasure map fragment."
The man leaned against a wall, his gaze dull and seemingly indifferent to the surrounding clamor. He would only occasionally lift a battered wineskin to his lips and take a drink.