Savage Ascension: Starting with God-Tier Plunder Ability-Chapter 71: I’ll Be Honest

"This item isn’t supposed to be here! Who the hell did this!"

The outer wall area inside Torch Fortress’s outer wall. In the western outskirts there, it was full of warehouses and trading companies. In front of a Gorgon Trading Company building painted with a bull with shiny poison-spitting dragon scales, a fat middle-aged man with lots of beard was red-faced and furious.

He obviously looked hot-tempered.

Merchant Bebenik scolded an employee. He waved parchment around.

"Can’t distinguish a knight’s sword from a mercenary’s sword? What the hell were you doing! What does doing it right mean!"

The employee was busy apologizing with his head down but ultimately got slapped once. Bebenik, breathing heavily, threw down the parchment and went inside. The employee picked up the parchment and hurried to get the knight’s sword.

Seeing that scene while walking, Rowan clicked his tongue inwardly. Literally a Boss—not a leader.

"That can’t be the place, right?"

At Rowan’s words, Yuval and Merein laughed inwardly. Like a fallen knight family’s child thinking about honor. Knights’ power was truly tremendous. So everyone respected them. Most knights were straightforward about everything, causing conflict every time.

’Too obvious.’

’Should I say something?’ 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Violence could be seen anywhere. In some parts of the civilized world, striking children was considered shameful, but in others it remained an accepted form of discipline even in modern times. If that was true of his old world, the fantasy world was more brutal still, not less.

Right away, walking around Torch Fortress, Rowan had often seen children standing naked in the street as punishment. There was no gender distinction, which shocked him. He had to turn his head like having a seizure at seeing naked girls.

A crazy world. A world without even the word "child." Though some children were loved, most were considered defective adults.

"How can I help you?"

The employee with a flushed cheek looked at the three and spoke. His lips were split. Though he looked like a fat pig, his weight was itself a weapon. Merchant Bebenik’s single slap was spicier than expected.

"I came to see Bebenik. I’m Yuval, mercenary captain of the Skull Mercenary Group."

"Please wait a moment."

The employee disappeared with quick steps. Discipline was tight. Bebenik was already in a bad mood, so today he had to be more alert than ever and work hard.

They could immediately hear to come in.

The trading company had a two-story structure. The first floor was used as a warehouse, and a counter was visible too. On the second floor, doors were stuck closely together, and there was a place where the door form looked fairly luxurious—Bebenik’s office.

"We’ll enter."

The employee spoke and opened the door to enter. He turned and held the door. Yuval entered first, then Merein, last was Rowan. The brown wolf Dono also entered wagging its tail. It took a spot in the room’s corner and laid on its belly.

Glance.

The employee kept looking at Dono. But unlike dogs that frequently check human gazes, wolves didn’t care about such gazes at all.

Yawn.

One yawn and it closed its eyes. Like a cat, its ears were perked up.

"Hahaha! Isn’t it Mercenary Captain Yuval! It’s been a while!"

"Hahaha."

Bebenik fiercely hugged Yuval while pounding his shoulders. Up close, Rowan could see Bebenik wasn’t just a fat pig but a muscle pig.

"So. What happened that a busy person came looking for me?"

"Do I only look for you when it’s urgent? Last time too..."

Bebenik nodded and moved his hand down, telling him to calm down. Because that wasn’t what he meant.

"Obviously some members aren’t visible. Something happened."

Yuval told him about recent events.

"It was a disaster."

Because he even mentioned sending flying a guy like Keireon, he could only say that. Literally a disaster. No different from facing an orc great warrior or an orc who should be playing beneath one.

"It’s proper bear hide. I’m hoping to sell it to the taxidermist living in the inner wall area. Want to take a look?"

Bebenik nodded. He prepared to go out. On the belt on the coat hanger, a weapon was attached. When Rowan looked there, Merein poked him and said.

"He’s a retired mercenary."

A case of realizing he had business talent while living as a mercenary and changing careers.

The bear hide was at Merein’s house. Hidden in a secret location too. Spreading the bear hide in the living room, Bebenik went in. Bebenik with not a single attendant didn’t seem like a merchant. Labor costs were only one employee seen this morning.

"It’s good."

Obviously well-maintained to prevent moisture. Not a single air hole visible. But soon found two air holes in the hind legs.

"The wolf bit it. This guy here."

"Really? The bear’s size must’ve been enormous..."

Rowan just shrugged his shoulders. At the appearance that it wasn’t that impressive, Bebenik shook his head and gave a thumbs up.

"New recruit?"

"No, a gutsy guy who refused my offer. Name’s Rowan, called the Deep Forest Hunter in Black Mountain Village, starting mercenary work now."

Bebenik, while examining the hide, offered Rowan a handshake. Rowan readily shook hands.

"Nice to meet you. If you have goods, come find me. I’ll be honest."

"Thank you."

The merchant returned his interest to the bear hide. He checked very meticulously.

"The size is very large. Shame it’s the outer part, but still it’s under the back paw so not a big flaw. Plus the wolf bit it, so there’s rarity and a story, which is actually better."

Having traded with Yuval quite a bit, Bebenik didn’t get greedy. He honestly talked about the good points. That was a huge asset. Rowan came to feel a bit of goodwill toward Bebenik. Because every time they rested or ate by the campfire, mercenaries cursed merchants’ dog behavior.

’If he hadn’t maintained ties with this mercenary group, he’d be backstabbing and bridge-building all over.’

Nothing was easier to rip off than newcomers. No matter how perceptive Rowan was and how much he’d worked in society, he could often be placed in situations forcing such unfairness. Even if he didn’t want to, he’d have to put out what he had for small prices.

But if connections were established through veterans, he could escape such newcomer life early.

"How much can you give?"

"One gold coin. Because it was caught in winter, it’s tremendous. If you put a pole inside to stand it up, any noble will be amazed."

’Gold coin!’

The bear hide moved straight to Gorgon Trading Company. Naturally to hide attention, it was loaded on the cart and covered with a tarp.

Waiting a bit in the first-floor warehouse, Bebenik tossed a very small leather pouch. Yuval caught it in one go. The moment he took it out, a fairly thick gold coin revealed itself.

’Way bigger than a quarter.’

Rowan, seeing a gold coin for the first time, couldn’t take his eyes off it. Yuval, laughing at that sight, handed over the gold coin.

"Try touching it once. First time seeing one?"

"Huh? Yes."

He fingered the gold. The thickness struck him as bigger than expected. Rowan quickly returned the gold coin like a scared person. Merein curled up her lips smiling.

Truly a mountain village youth. Rowan who’d lived as a modern person and never even directly seen a gold bar.