Chapter 26: A Brief Interlude (The Merchant Guild Leader 3)

"Guild Leader! They're here—the crew from Paraiso!"

"...So they’ve come."

Hearing the report, Kulavia Telek, the guild leader, let out a sigh of relief.

Since their last trade, he had been besieged with urgent demands from the capital’s merchants. They clearly understood the value of the goods, and judging by the tone of the letters, the demands must have come from someone of considerable influence—likely a high-ranking noble or even royalty.

"They made good time. From what they said, they were quite a distance away."

During their previous visit, they’d estimated it would take months for a round trip, given that reaching Telek Harbor in the first place had taken them six months. While they mentioned knowing the route would speed things up, he hadn’t expected them back in just over two months. It was a pleasant surprise.

"Guild Leader, they brought three ships this time!"

"What?!"

More ships meant more cargo, and more cargo meant greater trade volume—and more bargaining power for Telek Harbor. He felt a sudden urge to revere those cold-eyed women as goddesses. Since their arrival, fortunes had turned for the harbor. What was once a dwindling town now caught the winds of luck and life.

"The iron’s ready, right?"

"Of course, Guild Leader! Didn’t we confirm that yesterday? We’ve gathered all we could!"

For some reason, they were incredibly interested in iron, requesting iron ingots, though it seemed any form of iron would do. Luckily, a mining town inland provided a steady supply, though the quality was somewhat lacking. Still, he had diverted even portions meant for the capital, stocking the warehouse with piles of iron ingots. With three ships, though, he hoped it would be enough.

"Alright, let’s go greet them. And notify the other merchants to bring out their iron! The exchange rate is 1,000 to 1. They’ll even rip nails from pillars to get their hands on this."

"…Pirate flag."

"Yes. We took it on our way here. We thought it might be useful, so we kept it."

The young women with animal-like ears and identical faces had increased in number this time, with about ten of them coming ashore. After brief introductions, one of them, Zwei—the ship captain or perhaps the fleet commander—brought up the pirate flag.

"Do you recognize it? We have it here."

At her signal, another young woman unfolded the black cloth and placed it on the table.

A pirate flag.

Pirates flew these flags to broadcast their allegiance, and significant bounties were often placed on them. If it was the mark of a famous pirate, it was likely recognized locally with a bounty attached, though with the current political instability, many countries couldn’t even be reached to collect on it.

"This…"

He spread out the flag and recognized the skull symbol.

"…Red Cap."

"The notorious Red Cap, the great pirate! Did you all defeat them?"

"I don’t know the name. They attacked us, so we fought back."

A black flag with a white skull wearing a red cap—this was the flag of the fearsome Red Cap, captain of one of the largest and most powerful ships-of-the-line, equipped with nearly 100 cannons. And now, this flag lay spread across the table. The guild leader could hardly believe it.

"Red Cap? That giant ship-of-the-line? You defeated it…?"

"As long as their cannon fire doesn’t hit, there’s nothing to worry about."

The guild leader shuddered at her response. He remembered the terrifying precision of Paraiso's rotating turret, which had destroyed an entire mansion with a single shot during their last visit. Few had noticed the turret’s capabilities, focused instead on the wreckage it left behind.

The turret had swiveled in under ten seconds, adjusted its elevation, and fired without detailed aiming, sending the shell in an arc to strike the mansion’s center with pinpoint accuracy.

The guild leader felt a chill down his spine. With such speed and precision, there was no hiding from that turret, even for a ship-of-the-line. Just two or three hits would be enough to sink any large vessel.

"The bounty might be substantial, but it’s impossible to pay here. Normally, we’d contact the capital to claim it, but…"

"We’re aware of the situation. Use it as you see fit."

"Well, that’s…remarkably generous."

Claiming the bounty on a notorious pirate would typically be a point of pride, opening doors to favorable negotiations at ports worldwide. Yet they’d offered it without hesitation.

"We seek only trade. Position and prestige are of no interest to us."

Kulavia understood. They had no need for titles or fame; they clearly wielded immense power. In this world, might was everything. In such times, wealth and authority were mere tools for securing military power.

If these women ever turned their strength against others, Telek Harbor could become a wasteland overnight.

Last time, they’d brought one ship and two cannons. Now, it was three ships with many more cannons, easily enough to overwhelm any local forces.

By entrusting him with the flag, they were subtly telling him to gather trade goods and resources that would be useful to them.

"I understand. We’ll gratefully accept it. …Hey!"

"Yes, sir!"

He motioned for his subordinate to take the flag, letting out a light sigh. What he’d intended as a casual conversation had become a far more serious discussion than expected.

"Now then, you all must be tired. Shall we save the negotiations for tomorrow? You’re welcome to rest here tonight."

"Thank you. I’d like to allow half the crew to disembark. Do you have rooms available? We’ll pay for them."

"Oh? You’ll allow the crew to come ashore this time?"

At his question, Zwei, the fleet commander, nodded.

"We plan to permit half the crew ashore at a time. The town is bustling and safe. Unlike our previous visit, we now have ample crew and currency. There won’t be any issues."

"Understood. You’re welcome to come ashore, though I’d like to assign guides to accompany you. I hope you understand, but your group may not be familiar with our customs, and we’d like to avoid unnecessary trouble."

"No problem. All our crew can understand your language to some extent. We welcome the guides."

The guild leader was relieved by her immediate agreement. Although the town was safe, fools existed everywhere, and with their distinctive appearance, the women might attract unwanted attention.

"Thank you for your understanding. And please, allow us to arrange your accommodations. Think of it as a courtesy—we consider you valuable guests."

At this point, the guild leader hadn’t yet noticed the unique appearance of Paraiso's entire crew. He hadn’t realized they were all young women with animal ears and tails. Had he known, he might have approached things more cautiously.

But instead, he treated them with the formality reserved for nobility, announcing their arrival publicly and gathering people for a grand welcome.

As a result, word of their appearance spread quickly throughout the town.

A parade of beautiful young women with animal ears and tails, without a single man among them, became an unforgettable sight for the people of Telek Harbor.

The townsfolk flocked daily to catch a glimpse of them, and additional guards were assigned to control the crowds. For a while, this strange and captivating procession through the streets became a new and thrilling sight for the townspeople.