Chapter 259: Garen’s Promise

“Brother Boren! Leaving without saying goodbye? How heartless!”

The voice echoed down the road like a barrel rolling downhill. Boren closed his eyes for a moment before turning around slowly, wearing a polite smile that resembled more of a surrender than a warm welcome.

Valeria shifted her weight on her mount behind him, watching with the quiet amusement that always surfaced whenever Garen was involved.

Garen Holtweiss waved both arms as if he feared Boren might suddenly gallop away and pretend not to hear him. Dressed in bright layers of silk that strained at the seams, his rings sparkled under the afternoon sun, and his belly bounced slightly as he hurried forward with surprising speed for someone of his size. Two attendants trailed behind him, looking embarrassed by how loudly he called out in the middle of the road.

“Brother!” Garen shouted again. “You were going to abandon me like this? After all we’ve been through?”

Boren sighed and dismounted slowly. “What exactly have we been through?” he asked calmly as Garen reached him, slightly out of breath.

Garen placed a dramatic hand on his chest. “Pain,” he said solemnly. “Fear. River pirates. Business pressure. And most importantly, emotional bonding.”

Valeria coughed lightly to stifle a laugh.

Boren blinked at him. “Emotional bonding?”

“Yes!” Garen nodded earnestly. “When one man commissions a mission and another handles it properly, that is trust. Trust is the foundation of friendship, and friendship is the root of brotherhood. Therefore, you and I are practically family.”

Boren rubbed his forehead in disbelief. “That logic should be illegal.”

Leaning closer, Garen lowered his voice in mock seriousness. “You can’t deny it, Brother Boren. When I heard you were leaving Riverdale today, my heart shook! I thought to myself: ’No way can he leave like this, without a farewell feast!’”

“A feast?” Boren asked cautiously.

“Yes!” Garen clapped his hands together enthusiastically. “A grand one! Roasted lamb! Stewed river eel! Sweet rice! Honey wine! I’ll pay for it all; I’m not shameless!”

Valeria turned to Boren with an encouraging look. “You should go,” she said calmly. “You’ll eat for free.”

Boren shot her a wounded glance. “Whose side are you on?”

“Whichever side has food,” she replied without missing a beat.

Garen burst into laughter at that remark. “I like her,” he declared with approval. “Sister Valeria, you possess wisdom!”

Boren raised an admonishing finger at Garen’s enthusiasm. “Don’t drag her into this.”

Garen waved dismissively at Boren’s protestation. “Brother, why are you so cold? I came all this way to see you off properly.”

“You came all this way because you heard I was leaving,” Boren said, correcting him. “Which means you had someone watching the Guild gates.”

Garen looked offended. “Watching? No, I was observing respectfully. It’s different.”

Boren stared at him.

Garen sighed and dropped the act a little. “Fine,” he admitted. “I may have told one of my warehouse managers to let me know if you left. Is that a crime? You’re an important man now.”

Boren crossed his arms. “I’m just an assistant.”

Garen leaned in closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Not for long,” he said, his tone serious. “Everyone knows Riverdale exploded under your watch, thirty thousand Adventurers! When I started my merchant group, I had three ships and one donkey.”

“You still have five ships,” Boren pointed out.

“Yes, but no donkey,” Garen replied sadly. “He retired.”

Valeria laughed this time, and Garen seemed pleased with himself.

“Brother,” Garen continued, “I had to come see you. After what happened with Roderick, I realized something important.”

Boren raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“That you are terrifying,” Garen stated simply.

“I didn’t even move,” Boren replied.

“Exactly!” Garen slapped his thigh in excitement. “You stood there like a mountain while that boy shouted at you! Then your guardian spirit…” he gestured toward Valeria..”turned his guards into decorative floor pieces! I watched from a distance and was genuinely impressed.”

“You were watching that too?” Boren asked flatly.

“I’m a merchant,” Garen replied proudly. “Information is oxygen.”

Boren shook his head in disbelief. “So what do you want?”

Garen placed a hand on Boren’s shoulder and squeezed it with surprising strength. “Nothing unreasonable,” he said earnestly. “Just promise me something.”

Boren looked suspiciously at him. “What?”

“Promise that when this Guild grows so big that you forget ordinary merchants like me, you will still remember that Garen Holtweiss supported you early on.”

“You supported us because we protected your ships,” Boren reminded him.

“Yes,” Garen nodded happily, “but I made sure everyone knew about it.”

Valeria tilted her head thoughtfully. “That’s true.”

Boren sighed again in exasperation. “You’re not helping.”

Garen grinned widely. “See? Sister Valeria understands the value of marketing! I told everyone in the consortium how the Guild handled my river problem in just five days! Even the City Guard couldn’t do that.”

“And now you’re here to cash in on the friendship discount?” Boren asked skeptically.

Garen gasped dramatically, placing a hand over his heart as if wounded by the accusation. “Brother, how could you think such a thing? I would never ask for a discount.”

“Free escort?”

“Not free,” Garen replied quickly. “Preferential rate.”

Boren stared at him, taken aback.

Garen raised both hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright, I’m joking. Mostly.”

They stood there for a moment, the gentle afternoon breeze rustling through the street as merchants passed by, nodding respectfully to Garen and casting curious glances at Boren.

Garen turned serious again. “Are you heading back to Greyvale?” he asked.

“For now,” Boren answered. “I have other cities to check.”

Garen nodded slowly. “The Guild is spreading rapidly,” he noted. “Some folks are getting nervous.”

“I know,” Boren replied, his tone measured.

Garen leaned closer again. “My father always told me something,” he said. “When a tree grows too fast, people look for axes.”

Boren shot him a sideways glance. “Are you warning me?”

“I’m advising you,” Garen corrected gently. “Riverdale is smiling because you stood up to Roderick, but power doesn’t stay quiet forever and his father… he’s no fool.”

Boren nodded slowly in acknowledgment. “We’re aware.”

Suddenly, Garen’s demeanor shifted back to lightheartedness.

“But that’s not why I stopped you!” he exclaimed with enthusiasm. “I realized something even more important!”

Boren looked weary already. “What now?”

“If I wait for you to come back to Riverdale, who knows how long that will take? So I’ve decided, I’ll visit you instead!” Garen grinned widely.

Valeria blinked in surprise. “Visit?”

“Yes!” Garen clapped his hands together excitedly. “Why not? Greyvale isn’t far by ship! I own five ships, do you think I bought them just for decoration? I’ll dock, step off, and shout ’Brother Boren!’ in your main hall!”

Boren’s expression morphed into one of pure horror. “Please don’t.”

“Why not?” Garen feigned innocence with wide eyes.

“You’ll scare the new recruits,” Boren said flatly.

“I’ll inspire them,” Garen countered confidently.

Valeria couldn’t help but smile at their banter. “He will definitely shout.”

“Of course I will shout!” Garen declared proudly. “If I don’t shout, how will people know I’ve arrived?”

Boren pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. “You’re impossible.”

Garen leaned back with satisfaction and grinned widely. “Good! Impossible men tend to survive longer.”

Then he stepped closer again and lowered his voice just enough to sound sincere: “In truth, Brother Boren, I owe the Guild, not just coin but reputation and stability as well.”

He paused for emphasis before continuing, “My ships sail smoother now, my men sleep easier and Riverdale’s trade routes are cleaner. That matters.”

Boren studied him closely. “You paid for the mission.”

“Yes,” Garen replied, “but you tackled the real issue.”

For a moment, their playful banter faded into something more sincere. Then Garen playfully slapped Boren’s arm. “So I will visit!” he announced again. “And when I do, you better treat me right.”

“I’ll make you wait in line,” Boren shot back instantly.

Garen paused in disbelief. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I absolutely would,” Boren said with a calm demeanor. “Registration line. Fill out forms and everything.”

Garen looked genuinely concerned. “Brother,” he said slowly, “I have delicate fingers.”

Valeria couldn’t help but laugh again.

Garen turned to her. “Sister Valeria, convince him! Am I not an important merchant?”

“You’re just loud,” she replied with a smirk.

Garen pointed dramatically. “That’s called influence!”

Boren shook his head but couldn’t suppress a smile creeping onto his face. “If you visit,” he finally said, “make sure it’s done properly, no entourage shouting through the streets.”

“I can’t promise silence,” Garen admitted with a grin, “but I can promise gifts.”

“Bribes?” Boren raised an eyebrow.

“Tokens of friendship,” Garen corrected smoothly.

They lingered longer than expected, exchanging lighthearted jabs about ships and trade routes, debating which city had superior wine and how many bowls of stew Boren could devour in one sitting.

Garen insisted he could out-eat Boren despite their similar builds, while Boren flatly refused to compete.

“Fine,” Garen conceded at last, stepping back slightly. “I see you’re set on leaving. But remember what I said, I will visit.”

“Uninvited,” Boren muttered under his breath.

“Family doesn’t need an invitation,” Garen declared proudly.

Valeria climbed back onto her horse. “Let’s go,” she urged.

Boren nodded and mounted his own steed, casting one last glance at Garen. “Try not to start any rumors while I’m away.”

“I’ll only start the profitable ones,” Garen assured him with a wink.

Boren sighed in response. “That’s exactly what worries me.”

As they turned toward the gate, Garen waved both hands enthusiastically. “Safe travels, Brother! Don’t forget Riverdale! And don’t forget Garen Holtweiss!”

This time, Boren didn’t look back; he could feel laughter bubbling up inside him as he rode away.

Valeria glanced sideways at him. “You like him,” she observed.

“He’s a headache,” Boren replied with mock exasperation.

“But you’re smiling,” she pointed out teasingly.

Boren focused ahead on the open road and admitted quietly, “He grows on you.”

Garen lingered in the road for a moment, hands on his hips, as he watched the two figures ride out of the city.

Turning to his attendants, he called out, “Get the ships ready. If Greyvale has good wine, I plan to sample it myself.”

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