The Island Of The Naga (2)

“Hm, is that so? Well, it doesn’t matter.”

“What I mean is, if he’s traveling with this many people, this Naga merchant must be of quite high status.”

“How many are with him?”

“At least eight Nagas.”

“If it’s just eight, we can handle that.”

If a human said they could handle eight Nagas, most would’ve scoffed.

But having witnessed Azadine’s battles thus far, Shati knew he wasn’t just bluffing.

“Still, he’s a high-ranking Naga, so be careful.”

“Got it.”

Taking Shati’s advice, Azadine approached the merchant.

The Naga merchant, adorned in splendid ornaments and accompanied by acrobats, gathered a crowd by having the performers display their tricks in the open space before the village dock.

The performances were just basic juggling and twirling flaming sticks, but in a remote place like this, even that was a fine spectacle.

“Come, come! I’ve brought goods from all corners—please, make a purchase today. Oh, young lady there! Don’t be shy. This is a fabric called Nasam from Vthuma—see how translucent it is? If you use it as a veil, your beauty will appear mysterious and stir the hearts of all the village lads.”

The Naga merchant was smooth-tongued enough that he could’ve done fine even without the acrobats. Still, the goods he brought were too expensive for the local fishermen to afford.

“I’d like some fishing line made of hemp.”

“And some net cords, too. I don’t get why ours always end up flimsy when made locally.”

“Oh dear. How can village weaving compare to the work of craftsmen? It’s all about technique. But is that all you’re buying? You always get lines and hooks—why not something nicer this time?”

“Well actually, we’ve got some guests with us today.”

“Guests?”

“Come on out.”

As the villagers spoke, Azadine and his group stepped forward.

“Hmm? Haven’t seen you folks before. Not travelers, I’d say… Blue Turban Party, maybe? Not a fan. They always want this and that for free.”

“We’re not asking for anything free. We’re willing to pay. Could you take us to Vthuma? The roads are a mess because of the rainy season…”

“I’m not planning to go all the way to Vthuma, but I can take you as far as Bel Hoda. Not for free, of course—we’d have to agree on the price.”

“Bel Hoda?”

Azadine opened his map to find Bel Hoda.

It was a town near Vthuma, and given the road drawn between it and Vthuma, it looked like they could travel the rest of the way on foot without much trouble.

“How about one gold coin to Bel Hoda?”

“Could you offer a bit more?”

“Pardon?”

“When you say gold coin, outsiders seem to think it’s impressive, but eighty percent of Hubris gold comes from Vthuma. Gold’s not that rare around here.”

“……”

Of course, that was just bluster. Just because gold was mined nearby didn’t mean it was cheaper than elsewhere. Above all, gold coins had their value certified by the Eight Kingdoms and trade guilds.

That kind of talk probably worked well on those unfamiliar with the world. But Azadine wasn’t that clueless.

‘This guy’s trying to rip me off? But judging by his behavior, maybe he’s not involved in the invasion of Vthuma?’

Contrary to Shati’s warning, this Naga seemed solely focused on business. He was living his life very diligently as a merchant and had quite the gift of gab.

With his handsome face and disarming charm, he was a Naga who seemed more likeable than most humans.

Was he uninvolved in the Vthuma invasion?

“If gold’s so worthless here, then forget the coin. I’ll pay with goods instead.”

“Oh my. Forget the coin, you say? I meant I want more.”

“Well, gold doesn’t seem welcome around here. I thought maybe iron would be better.”

Azadine brought out the weapons he’d been stuck with ever since his mountain goat had died. Most of them were taken from those who attacked him, so the quality varied.

“Hmm… just a pile of junk. Wait, isn’t this the shaft of a heavy crossbow? It’s just the shaft—who’s going to pull this?”

The Naga merchant grumbled as he examined the weapons.

“I’ll give you scrap value. That won’t do.”

“Scrap value? That’s harsh. This is a pretty decent sword, isn’t it?”

“From the looks of it, you’re stuck here and in trouble. More weapons would just be a burden, right? Hmm, okay—one gold coin for all this. I’ll take you to Bel Hoda, and I’ll provide food on the way.”

“Let’s go with that.”

Azadine sealed the deal with the Naga merchant.

“Oh dear, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Deha. As you can see, I’m a merchant.”

“I’m Adan of the Blue Turban Party, this is Jiswa, this is Scott, and over here is Shati.”

When Azadine introduced the group, the merchant who called himself Deha flinched.

“Shati?”

“Deha…”

Shati also seemed to recognize something upon hearing Deha’s name.

And so, the fishing village and Deha, the Naga merchant, began their transaction.

The villagers gave him smoked fish meat and animal hides from nearby hunts, while Deha sold nets, fishing lines, jewelry, spices, seasonings, and iron tools.

While the trade went on, Shati called over Azadine.

“What’s wrong?”

“Captain, that Deha is a high-ranking Naga. I think he’s royalty of the Water Serpent Tribe—just like the Nagaraja Dehares we saw before.”

“Hm, even you’re calling me Captain now?”

“Listening to Scott call you that… Then what, should I call you ‘Captain’ too? Anyway, judging by your reaction, you must’ve known already?”

“He looks a lot like Dehares. And with a name like Deha, it’s probably him. But it seems like he also realized you’re a Naga?”

“Most likely.”

“Either way, we don’t have a choice. We’re boarding.”

Azadine decided to board Deha’s ship and paid the agreed price.

“Excellent. Then please come aboard. Ah, just so you know—we’re traders, so we’ll need to make a few stops along the river and coastal ports. I’m sure you understand that skipping business for a single gold coin would be a terrible loss.”

“How long will it take?”

“We’ll reach Bel Hoda in three days. Ours is a fast ship, after all.”

Deha smiled as he said this.

Deha’s ship, despite its ornate decoration and large size, was incredibly fast.

Usually, it sailed by wind with its sails, but when the wind was low or the currents poor, the Nagas would cast spells to alter the water flow and push the ship forward—with impressive speed.

“Now then, while we’re steering the ship, why don’t you take a look at some of our exotic and rare goods in the cabin?”

“I’m not buying anything.”

“It’s just to pass the time. Ha ha. We don’t want you getting in the sailors’ way, after all.”

Whenever the Naga sailors needed to use magic, Deha would invite Azadine’s group into the cabin to avoid letting them see.

Even though Azadine already knew they were Nagas, he respected the effort they put into hiding it and earnestly browsed the exotic goods Deha proudly displayed.

They were actually interesting too.

“Look here. A pendulum. Isn’t it beautifully crafted? Smooth, right? Can you imagine the passion of the craftsman who polished this metal to such perfection? Ah, did you know? A pendulum never rises above the point it started from? So even like this…”

Deha lifted the pendulum—made of small steel balls—up to his philtrum and let it swing.

“Uh, but here on a rocking ship…”

Azadine tried to warn him, but it was too late—the pendulum smacked Deha’s philtrum.

“Gah! Ah, what a minor miscalculation… Huh? I’m bleeding?”

“……”

Whenever the Naga crew needed to use magic, Deha used moments like this to redirect Azadine’s group’s attention.

And so, Deha made more stops at other coastal towns. It seemed he’d traded with these villages before, as both sides had prepared their supplies in advance, and the deals were made quickly.

“Well then, just one more stop and we’ll arrive at Bel Hoda. From there, it’s only a day by ship or horse to Vthuma—or two to three days on foot, so don’t worry. Did the food suit your tastes?”

“Yes.”

“Now that we’re almost there, don’t try to say the gold coin was too much and ask for a refund.”

“Ha ha. I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Alright then. Let’s stop at this last place.”

Deha smiled as he steered the ship.

After exiting the river delta and sailing along the coast, Deha’s ship approached an island battered by rough waves.

But then—

[Azadine.]

The emperor’s voice called to Azadine.

“What is it?”

[There are surveillance spirits using magic above.]

Startled, Azadine asked in his mind without speaking.

‘Like foreseer birds? Or… Arael’s voice?’

[No. It’s Kurt God Clan magic. And there are monsters beneath the water too.]

“……”

Shortly after, Deha’s ship docked at the pier. The Nagas disembarked in their true forms, walking boldly as they tied the ship with ropes.

“Welcome.”

Deha greeted Azadine’s group with his usual smile.

But the crew were now holding weapons, those on the dock were drawing theirs, and massive tentacles burst through the surface of the water.

Anyone could see they were surrounded.

Ziswa, shocked, rushed to Azadine’s side.

“M-Master Priest…”

“So after all that effort to hide it, why reveal yourselves now?”

Azadine asked Deha, who had suddenly shown his true colors.

“Because you’re Azadine.”

“Am I that famous?”

“Quite. Among the Messenger Clan, your rapid promotion is infamous.”

“You’re saying that’s all it takes for Nagas to know about me?”

“No, not just that. You’ve interfered with our business many times. You hold the Wendigo’s dagger, Count of Salasma died by your hand, and you wiped out our detachment in Coral Sahar. If we told the Messenger Clan everything you’ve done, even they would see your promotion to the Second Command was no favoritism.”

Amazingly, this Naga knew a great deal about Azadine’s past exploits.

“Then you must also realize killing me here won’t be easy.”

“Let’s not be so grim. We admire great heroes. And you—you qualify.”

“……”

“There’s an old tale that eating the heart of a hero raises a Naga’s rank…”

“Hmm.”

“Just kidding. Ha ha.”