THE DIMENSIONAL MERCHANT-Chapter 89 - 88: Second Son of House Matgorat

"We’ve exhausted what the kingdom’s finest can offer. The capital would take weeks to respond. The Saint of Helios would take months." The Marquis of Mangort’s voice was low but edged with iron. "My wife doesn’t have that time."

Count Marek stepped closer, his eyes dark with concern. "So you’re planning to go to that forest yourself? To find that woman?"

"I think we have no choice but to do it."

"You’re insane," Marek said, voice taut with disbelief. "You’re a Marquis. If word spreads that you consorted with a witch, even for a cure, it will destroy your name. The Church will call it heresy. The nobles will call it desperation. Even your allies won’t defend you. And that forest—no complete map exists. No one truly knows what lies within. What if something happens to you?"

The Marquis turned, meeting his brother’s gaze. "Then tell me—what do you propose?"

Marek hesitated, then said, "I just got word. The Guildmaster of the Adventurer’s Guild has escaped from Ginip."

"Hm." The Marquis’s gaze shifted slightly. "The Guildmaster has escaped."

"Hmm, the Guildmaster has escaped."

"Yes. The mayor of Ginip has been sending me complaints about him for a long time. So I sent some people to investigate him a few days ago. It seems he ran away after guessing it."

The Marquis exhaled slowly through his nose.

Marek leaned in. "But there’s more. I found out he had a strong relationship with your eldest son. The Guildmaster’s bribes kept him safe. That’s why none of the corruption was ever punished. Every time the adventurers filed a complaint against him, it was dismissed by your boy. He used your son’s name, and your son used your name."

The Marquis closed his eyes for a moment, then pressed his fingers against his temple. "That boy... always gambling, drinking. Wasting coin and time like the world owes him. And now this. I’m tired of looking the other way."

"Then stop looking away," Marek said quietly. "You’ve been protecting him for too long. There’s another option."

The Marquis opened his eyes.

"Your second son. Leonard. He’s still young, but the people respect him. If you send him to Ginip, it serves two purposes."

"Go on."

"We say we’re sending him to restore order—put down unrest, ensure the Guild survives. But privately, he begins the search for the witch. No one will suspect."

The Marquis stared out the window toward the distant trees, their dark outlines sharp beneath the rising moon.

"The Church will believe we sent him to suppress lawlessness. No one will guess the real goal." Marek added, "This could even clear the stain your eldest left behind."

The Marquis said nothing for a long time. Then, finally, he nodded.

"Begin preparations."

Two Days Later – The Courtyard Before Dawn

In front of the Marquis stood his second son, Leonard Matgorat. He was twenty-five years old. He wore a silver cloak over a fitted green traveling coat, a sword at his side, and a calm confidence in his posture.

"Father," Leonard said, bowing deeply. "Give me permission to depart."

The Marquis studied him. "You’ve heard what must be done?"

"Yes. I will restore order in Ginip... and quietly begin the search for the witch."

A beat passed. Then the Marquis nodded—rare approval, wordless and heavy. "I’m placing great trust in you. You must not fail. Our family’s honor—and your mother’s life—depend on this. I don’t care what the Church or court says. If she can heal your mother, bring her back."

"I won’t fail," Leonard said, straightening.

The Marquis placed a hand on his shoulder briefly. "Ride well. Don’t trust anyone who speaks sweetly and carries no scars."

Leonard bowed once more, then turned toward the waiting carriage.

His retainer, Caldus—a thin man in dark leather with a sharp jawline and shrewd eyes—fell into step beside him.

"So, Young Master," Caldus said in a low voice, "aren’t you going to tell the Marquis the whole truth? That your elder brother was the one behind this corruption?"

Leonard glanced sideways, his expression unreadable. "You think he doesn’t already know?"

Caldus blinked.

"My father knows. He’s known everything. He’s just pretending not to. With Mother like this, he doesn’t want to deal with the embarrassment. Or the conflict."

"But isn’t that dangerous? What if—?"

"It’s good," the second son said quietly, climbing into the carriage. "Let my brother drink and waste money and sleep with whoever he wants. Everyone already thinks he’s unfit. The more he fails, the more the court and the army look to me. Even Uncle Marek prefers me now."

Caldus smiled thinly. "You’ve already won in their eyes."

"Not yet," the young noble said. "But soon."

He looked ahead, toward the carriage.

"And when this mission succeeds—when I return with order restored and a cure in hand—my father will have no choice but to name me his heir."

Caldus nodded slowly. "Yes, Young Master."

As they neared the carriage, Caldus quickened his pace slightly and stepped ahead, reaching for the handle. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

But before opening the door, he paused and glanced back. His voice lowered, tone careful and deferential.

"There is one more thing, Young Master—In Ginip, there is a shop—you may want to see it for yourself. It’s not like anything I’ve ever encountered. They sell items that don’t feel... natural to this world."

Leonard paused at the step. "A magic shop?"

"No. Not magic. Something else. The locals call it Kaelmart. You have to see it for yourself. Flashing lights, strange tools, unheard-of devices. I bought something called a ’pocket light’ that shines brighter than a torch."

"That doesn’t sound real."

"It’s real. You’ll understand when you see it."

The noble’s interest sharpened. "Strange products... appearing in a city just as chaos breaks out. Hm."

Leonard then entered the carriage, and Caldus closed the door.

"Let’s go see what kind of city Ginip has become."

The entire caravan started moving, there were dozens of knights, soldiers, and many adventurers.

The Matgorat banner flew high over the caravan: a white stag with twin golden horns, on a field of deep blue.

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