Chapter 112: Building a trade route.

Kai knew exactly what it would do.

The name Aron carried weight in Rambosa.

The man who killed four dragons, the man who dismantled the Crimson Ledger, the man whose company sold artifacts that could hide your stats from anyone.

To the merchants of this city, Aron was not just a businessman. He was a legend.

And legends attracted followers.

He stepped back from the board and watched as a few nearby merchants immediately gravitated toward the notice, their eyes scanning the words with growing interest.

’Frontier trade opportunity. That is vague enough to be exciting and specific enough to be believable. They will assume it is a new adventurer settlement on the outskirts of Traona.

A frontier town looking for merchants to establish trade. It is the kind of opportunity that ambitious merchants dream about, getting in on the ground floor of a new city means first pick of the best contracts.’

He turned and walked out of the guild hall without a word.

’Of course, when they arrive and discover that the frontier town is actually a city full of monsters, there will be some… adjustments required. But by that point, they will have already seen the quality of the artifacts, the volume of the trade, and the amount of money to be made. Greed is a powerful motivator. Fear fades quickly when the alternative is poverty.’

A faint smirk formed behind his mask.

’I give it three days before the first batch of recruits shows up.’

…

He was wrong.

It took one day.

By the following morning, a line had formed outside the Undead Market Company warehouse. Twenty-seven merchants, eight caravan drivers, three security contractors, and one very confused blacksmith who thought the notice said “free artifacts.”

Leo stood at the entrance of the warehouse, his face pale with shock as he stared at the crowd.

“Sir,” he whispered when Kai appeared behind him. “What did you do?”

“I put up a notice.”

“A notice? This looks like a recruitment rally!”

“That is because it is.”

Leo opened his mouth, then closed it. Then opened it again.

“Sir, these people think they are signing up for a frontier settlement. With walls and guards and, I assume, a distinct lack of demons.”

“They will learn otherwise in due time.” Kai kept his sentences short, because even he was surprised by the sheer magnitude of people that showed up on the first day.

“In due time? Sir, the moment they see the first skeleton, half of them will soil themselves, and the other half will run screaming back to Rambosa!”

Kai placed a hand on Leo’s shoulder.

“That is why you will not show them a skeleton first. You will show them the money.”

Leo blinked.

“The money?”

“When a merchant sees profit, their fear becomes negotiable. Greed and terror have been fighting each other since the dawn of civilization, Leo. And greed wins more often than you would think.”

Leo stared at him for a long moment, then slowly let out a breath.

“You are terrifying, sir.”

“I have been told.”

Kai walked past him and stepped in front of the gathered merchants. Dozens of eyes locked onto him instantly. Whispers erupted the moment they recognized the black suit and the mask.

“That is Aron!”

“The Dragon Slayer himself!”

“I told you this was legitimate!”

Kai raised one hand, and the crowd fell silent.

“Thank you for your interest,” he began, his voice carrying the measured authority of the Aron persona.

“The opportunity I am offering is not for the faint of heart. The settlement you will be traveling to is located beyond the borders of any established city. The roads are untamed, and the land is… unconventional.”

A merchant near the front raised his hand.

“Unconventional how? Is it near the Jaun Land?”

’Closer than you think.’

“The details of the location will be disclosed upon arrival. What I can tell you now is this. The settlement is growing rapidly and requires a full merchant infrastructure. Those who join will be given exclusive trade contracts for high-demand artifacts, including the Eye for Eye, at wholesale prices. Housing, security, and a monthly stipend will be provided during the initial settlement period.”

The whispers turned into excited murmurs.

A woman near the middle of the crowd stepped forward. She was tall, with sharp features and the calculating eyes of someone who had been in the trade business for years.

“And what exactly are you building out there, Lord Aron? A city?”

Kai looked at her, a somewhat hesitent look on his face.

“Something new.”

The woman studied him for a long moment, then smiled.

“Good enough for me. Where do I sign?”

That opened the floodgates.

Within the hour, nineteen merchants had signed preliminary agreements. Eight caravan drivers committed to transport routes. And the three security contractors, all former adventurers, signed on after Leo showed them the pay rate.

The confused blacksmith left empty-handed but was given a free Eye for Eye artifact for his trouble.

By the time the crowd dispersed, Leo was sitting on a crate inside the warehouse, staring at the stack of signed contracts in his hands.

“Sir.”

“Yes?”

“When these people arrive at the settlement and realize it is a monster city, they are going to riot.”

Kai adjusted his cuffs.

“No, they will not.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because by the time they arrive, they will have already traveled through three days of guarded road, eaten meals prepared by my people, and seen the quality of goods they will be trading. Their minds will have already accepted the opportunity. The only thing left will be the visual shock of seeing a skeleton. And I assure you, a skeleton holding a welcome banner is far less frightening than a skeleton holding a sword.”

Leo opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.

“A welcome banner?”

“I will have Lyra arrange it.”

“Sir, Lyra is a demon lord with horns that crackle with lightning. She is not exactly the welcoming committee most merchants are expecting.”

“Which is precisely why it will be memorable. First impressions are everything, Leo. The stranger the introduction, the harder it is to forget. And the harder it is to forget, the more they will talk about it. Free advertising.”

Leo put his face in his hands.

“I cannot tell if you are a genius or a madman.”

“The line between the two has always been remarkably thin.”

Kai turned and walked toward the warehouse exit. He paused at the doorway and spoke over his shoulder.

“Have the first caravan ready within a week. I want the merchants moving toward Valdris before the end of the month. Sophia will handle the logistics. You will handle the contracts and ensure every merchant understands they are bound by the terms they signed.”

“And what happens when they arrive and see the city?”

“I will handle that personally.”

He stepped through the door and into the morning light of Rambosa, leaving Leo alone in the warehouse with a pile of contracts and the creeping realization that his employer was about to trick several dozen humans into moving to a monster kingdom.

’This is either going to be the greatest trade expansion in the history of Jaun,’ Leo thought, ’or the most spectacular disaster.’

He looked at the contracts again.

Then he sighed and started organizing them by city of origin.

…

Back inside the dungeon, Kai returned to his true form and settled into the throne.

The plan was in motion.

Merchants would arrive. They would panic. Then they would see the money. And one by one, fear would lose to greed, just as it always did.

But there was still one piece missing. The trade routes between Rambosa and Valdris were dangerous, not because of the monsters, those he could control, but because of the humans who might take interest in a caravan traveling toward the Jaun Land.

’Bandits, rival guilds, or worse, agents of Prince Aldren. If word reaches the wrong ears that human merchants are being funneled into monster territory, the political fallout could undo everything Carlotta negotiated with King Desmond.’

He closed his eyes and leaned back.

’I need a security corridor. A protected route between Rambosa and Valdris that runs through terrain I control. That means expanding my patrol range beyond the current borders. Phera can handle the ground security, and Verendel’s aerial presence should discourage anyone stupid enough to attack a caravan.’

He opened his eyes.

“Lucifer.”

The dark-winged woman appeared from the shadows as if she had been waiting for the command.

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Send word to Phera. I want a full patrol sweep of the road between the Jaun Land border and Rambosa. Every bandit camp. I want it mapped and cleared within three days.”

“At once, my Lord.”

“And Lucifer.”

“Yes?”

“Tell Lyra I need a welcome banner.”

Lucifer paused. For the first time in a very long while, something resembling confusion flickered across her face.

“A… welcome banner, my Lord?”

“She will understand.”

Lucifer bowed and vanished into the shadows.

Kai closed his eyes once more and let the silence of the throne room wash over him.

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