Published: January 12, 2026
As we traveled along the highway, I sat in the driver’s seat and looked back into the carriage to talk with my younger brother, Rango.
“This time has been rough... In the end, going to Edge Village to sell seasonings and daily necessities won’t bring in much money.”
Edge Village is that nameless settlement out on the frontier. Because it’s a village at the edge, we simply called it Edge Village.
“There’s nothing to bring back from Edge Village either. This trip is a huge loss,” Rango replied, joining in my complaints.
Usually, we manage to make a decent profit.
We sell goods from the first city to the second city, visit one town and two villages, then return from the second city back to the first city. That’s our usual route.
Taking luxury goods from the first city to the second is a reliable trade. The clothes, seasonings, and jewels bought in the second city sell fairly well in the next town. Then, we buy as many cheap seasonings as possible and roughly stock up on the cheapest daily necessities, hitting the two villages afterward.
We make this circuit about once a month.
If we were to buy anything from Edge Village to bring back, it would be lumber or demonic beast hides, but unfortunately, they’re not worth much and are difficult to transport, so we always decline.
Our net profit for the month is only about five or six gold coins, so other traveling merchants aren’t keen on this business.
After all, half of our income goes to the trading company. Then, the trading company, which receives three gold coins, has to pay taxes to the marquis family.
That means we brothers are left with only about two or three gold coins.
If we spend some money on ourselves, that leaves less than two gold coins. We use this as capital to buy better goods for higher profits, repair the carriage, or cover horse care expenses—lots of spending.
In general, saving even one gold coin a month is good.
But this time, the carriage broke down midway, and repair costs, plus an extra week of lodging and escort expenses, piled up. On top of that, the carriage tipped over sideways, damaging many goods and making them unsellable.
That alone put us deep in the red.
So, since we were already in the red, I decided not to worry and made bold purchases.
We bought enough seasonings, alcohol, and daily necessities to fill two carriages.
Our plan was to sell them through our usual channels, and if they didn’t sell, try the neighboring count’s territory villages.
When we reached the final stop at Edge Village with such a desperate mindset, I was taken aback by the unusual sight.
“Hey, is that supposed to be Edge Village? No way that’s just a village in size,” said Ea, the adventurer, from beside me. I nodded vaguely.
“Yeah... I think so too.”
When I said that, Ea looked at me suspiciously.
But what else could I say?
After all, compared to any other village, this place used to be nothing but shabby huts—a poor settlement mocked as the village at the ends of the land from similar frontier villages.
Yet now, where the village once stood, there were tall stone walls, and on either side stood watchtowers at least three stories high. I didn’t know the materials, but it was definitely neither wood nor stone.
On top of the walls and towers were numerous large mounted bows, and the drawbridge was raised toward the walls.
In other words, there was even a moat in front of the walls.
“Are you sure we didn’t take a wrong turn?” Rango asked.
I couldn’t answer. I could say for certain we hadn’t lost our way, but I couldn’t swear that this was the same village.
Stunned, the carriage continued, reaching the edge of the highway.
The moat was definitely there—and quite deep. The walls looked new but very sturdy, more like a small fortress city. Villagers I recognized from before stood atop the walls wielding large bows.
Oh, those bows even had shields on the front. No wonder their design was so unique.
“You must be merchants. I am van nei fertio, the lord of this territory. Merchants, please state your trading company and your names. Escorts, please give your professions and names,” said a young voice from the walls as we gazed in awe.