The same is true for the White Dove Merchant Guild. The timeline given by Bright Light City is not generous, the first batch of goods must be delivered within half a month.

Traveling from Sacred Star City to Bright Light City in the west, even with horses and carriages on official roads, takes at least ten days.

If there is a breach of contract, the compensation is a minor issue. Offending the big boss receiving the goods could mean the end of the White Dove Merchant Guild in the Holy Empire.

However, Avery cannot show his anxiety. He must appear calm and composed, as if it doesn’t matter when the goods arrive.

The reason is simple: if the caravan doesn’t want to wait for the knights’ escort, whose arrival is uncertain, they must take a detour. Detouring takes more time and comes with unpredictable risks.

Although the Holy Empire’s public security is good, it is limited to official roads and cities. In vast, sparsely populated areas, even the powerful Goddess Church cannot cover everything. Hidden dangers lurk in remote areas.

These costs must be borne by everyone in the caravan, including the merchants who paid to join them. If Avery suggests detouring from the start, these shrewd and opportunistic people will undoubtedly raise their prices, citing delays and unforeseen risks as reasons for compensation.

On the other hand, if he proposes an unacceptable alternative, prompting them to suggest detouring themselves, the negative impacts can be greatly reduced or even eliminated, minimizing the Merchant Guild’s losses.

It sounds simple, and perhaps a bit cynical, but Avery has seen too much selfishness and ugliness in human nature over the past three years with the president. Although the Holy Empire values light, not all its citizens are truly just and flawless.

It’s just that some people are blatant, while others hide under the guise of light, praising the Goddess while concealing their unsightly actions in the shadows of the light.

As expected, just as Avery had predicted, when he threw out the bait, these people immediately became restless. Some might have been sharp enough to see through his trick, but given the current situation, everyone was in the same boat.

Regardless of what they really thought, they had no choice but to cooperate since they still needed the White Dove Merchant Guild’s protection.

With this in mind, Avery smoothly introduced his prepared lines.

“If no one wants to wait… well, though it’s risky, we have no choice but to take a detour. However, I must discuss one thing in advance. Although our White Dove Merchant Guild’s guards are well-equipped and well-trained, they are not true Knights Templars…”

“Once we leave the official roads, the situation becomes unpredictable. If anything happens, I ask for your full cooperation with our actions and commands. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee everyone’s safety.”

Hearing Avery’s emphasis, the wealthy merchant who had led the opposition earlier immediately became displeased again, shouting loudly.

“Hey, hey, hey! What do you mean by that, kid? I paid money, I’m the boss, so why should I follow your commands?! According to the rules, shouldn’t the guards prioritize protecting us? If you take the money and don’t do the job, does the White Dove Merchant Guild still want to stay in business?!”

“……”

Wearing a loose shirt and long pants, Mr. Avery, in standard merchant attire, took off his hat and glanced at the portly man with a nouveau riche appearance nearby. His gaze briefly swept over the man’s chest, where the sacred emblem of double wings was displayed, and a hint of sarcasm seemed to flicker in his eyes.

Last time, to steer the situation, he deliberately did not refute the man’s words. This guy actually took himself seriously, thinking he was the leader of the group?

“During extraordinary times, we must take extraordinary measures. We did indeed accept your protection fee, but this is a mutually beneficial arrangement, without any distinctions of rank or status. How about this: if Mr. Pierre really cannot trust the White Dove Merchant Guild, we can refund the money you paid. We can part ways here and now, and you and your companions can handle your own goods from here on out.”

“Uh…! This…”

Avery’s light words immediately left the man, named Pierre, speechless. He seemed on the verge of anger but couldn’t find a point of attack, eventually lowering his head in embarrassment and slowly retreating into the crowd.

Humph, just a petty clown.

Seeing this, Avery couldn’t be bothered to pay him any more attention.

“If there are no objections, we will settle it like this. I need to take some time to study the caravan’s detour route, so I’ll take my leave. Please feel free to make yourselves comfortable.”

Having swiftly dealt with this group of meddlesome people who hoped to profit from the situation, Avery quickly turned away. In a hidden moment, he rubbed his annoyed head, then put his hat back on and headed back to the carriage.

He indeed needed to study the specific detour plan. Even if it wasn’t for the safety of the passengers, the caravan and its goods must not suffer any losses, as this was a significant business deal.

Especially during this period, Avery had heard that demons were continually ravaging the eastern part of the Holy Empire. There were even sporadic sightings of similar incidents in the west. As a devout follower of the Goddess Church, he had to be extra cautious.

As Avery reached his carriage and was about to enter, his attention was suddenly drawn to a few young girls slowly approaching in the distance.

“Hmm? Them… I remember they are…”

The troublemakers from earlier were not all the passengers in the caravan. In fact, the truly important figures wouldn’t care about trivial gains and would typically choose to investigate firsthand when unexpected situations arose.

At least, the president of the White Dove Merchant Guild, whom the young merchant respected as a half-teacher, always did so.

“Inspecting the damaged official road… These girls look young but seem knowledgeable. They were also generous before, and among them were two rare and noble White Feathered Winged People. Are they some big shots from the Azure Sky Kingdom…”

“If it’s them, maybe…”

No, it’s better to leave it alone.

After some consideration, Avery ultimately decided against inviting the girls to discuss matters. They might be very capable, but Avery hadn’t interacted with them much and couldn’t guarantee their trustworthiness at this point.

Moreover, they had been particularly aloof when they paid for their passage, clearly not intending to get involved with the caravan. Given this, there was no need to forcefully seek their help. After all, favors can sometimes be harder to repay than straightforward monetary transactions.

So, they passed each other without a word, and before long, the caravan set off again.

As for the detour route, there weren’t many options. To travel from Sacred Star City to the next major city, New Aster City, without taking the official road, there were only two remaining open routes suitable for carriages and large carts. Both were old roads that had been used before but were gradually abandoned after the official road was built.

One of them, while wide and flat with minimal risk, required a large detour to the north, crossing a tributary of the Star River that extended within the country. This would add at least a week to the journey, which was the worst option for a caravan in a hurry.

Therefore, after much consideration, Avery chose the southern route, passing through a sparsely populated area but with a path known as the 【Holy Spirit Trail】 through a quiet forest, eventually rejoining the official road to continue onward.

If everything went smoothly, this detour would only add about a day to the journey to New Aster City, making it a relatively cost-effective option. Of course, it also came with some… additional risks.