Novel Bin
Chapter 49
A carriage was waiting near the front gate, prepared for Ayra’s departure. Standing loyally beside it, Bloom wore an expression full of worry and concern.
A business trip to Sobletz.
There were several reasons Ayra was heading to Sobletz, but the primary one was to seek assistance from the Joban family, his maternal relatives. However, neither Jinas nor Ayra held much hope for the trip. The situation was dire, and this was nothing more than a desperate attempt, a gamble on a low probability of success. This estate was so impoverished that there was nothing left to even die on a full stomach.
The reason Ayra was going personally was simply because there were no other options. Sending the incompetent administrator, Ran Graffni, was out of the question. As for the highly capable steward, he was too competent—there was still too much to be done in the territory, and Jinas could handle at least twice as much as Ayra.
Sending Bloom, the Knight Commander, was also unthinkable. The already shoddy palisade had suffered damage from a wandering beast attack the night before, and after Jinas mentioned that Bloom was actually quite skilled, Ayra had no intention of letting his knight commander leave the estate.
Besides, since this was a mission to request help, wouldn't it at least show some sincerity if a blood relative like Ayra himself took charge?
‘On top of that, I need to hire stonemasons for the wall repairs, establish new trade connections for cheaper supplies, and gather information while I’m at it. It’d be nice if this also improved my approval rating.’
Ayra summoned the Quest Window. His approval rating, which had been fluctuating between 12% and 13%, had finally ticked up to 13%. He needed to surpass 15% to level up to the next stage.
Steeling himself, he approached the carriage. As expected, Bloom, his face set in grim determination, spoke earnestly.
“My Lord, if you give the order even now, I will mount my horse and ride out immediately. Please, I beg you, allow me to escort you.”
Bloom was as anxious as he had been when the Bolni army had marched in. But, as always, Ayra simply raised an eyebrow and asked, “Is this insubordination?”
Just like that, Bloom was defeated without another word. Ayra shot Jinas a look as if to say, ‘See that?’ but the young steward didn’t even twitch a single brow.
After a final check, the few remaining vassals of Solar Estate lined up, bowing their heads as they bid him farewell.
“Return safely, my Lord.”
Ayra gazed at them for a moment. These were the rare, precious retainers who had stayed out of loyalty and love despite the estate being buried in debt and on the brink of ruin. Feeling a strange emotion stir within him, he raised a hand in farewell before stepping into the carriage.
The rhythmic sound of hooves echoed through the dawn as the carriage set off, breaking the early morning stillness.
The vassals of Solar watched until the carriage had dwindled into a speck in the distance before they dispersed, each burdened with their own concerns.
Lord’s Castle—219 days until destruction.
❄
“Ugh, my butt...”
As the coachman pulled the reins and opened the door, Ayra groaned as he stepped out of the carriage. The long journey had taken a toll on his body.
The dedicated coachman bowed deeply.
“My Lord, I’ll be staying at that inn over there. Please summon me anytime if you require my service.”
“Alright, thank you for your hard work.”
Ayra handed the coachman a small amount of magic stones, telling him to have a good meal, and then sighed tiredly.
The journey from Solar to Sobletz had taken about ten days by carriage. With little time to rest and an unbearably bumpy ride, his entire body ached. The only silver lining was that, unlike his previous trip to Dalum Gorge, there had been no assassins lying in wait to take his life.
Stretching with a groan, Ayra took a deep breath and looked around.
“So this is the great city of Sobletz.”
Unlike Solar, where the only noteworthy eatery was a steamed meat bun stall and economic activity was practically nonexistent, Sobletz exuded wealth. As a port city, the air was thick with the scent of exotic spices and the sea breeze. The economy thrived on maritime trade, with bustling jewelry stores, general goods shops, high-end restaurants, and an array of foreign merchandise. The streets were filled with lively commerce.
Had Ayra been born and raised in Solar, he might have been wide-eyed with wonder, eagerly taking in the sights. However, having once visited the grand capital city of Trastasa—the largest and most prosperous land on the continent—this commercial hub, impressive as it was, failed to truly amaze him.
‘Sobletz hasn’t been pressing for debt repayment.’
Even as the deadline for interest payments approached, their attitude had been almost indifferent. Unlike Bolni, they showed no strong desire for whatever it was that lay within Solar Estate.
Why the difference? What made Sobletz and Bolni’s attitudes so distinct?
Hoping to find answers, Ayra set out to locate the Joban family. He had never been here before and didn’t know the way, but thankfully, he had a competent spirit to assist him. Stroking the back of his hand, he murmured softly.
“My brilliant little pebble, where is the Joban family’s estate?”
[:3♡ Loading intelligence data on the brilliant and wise little pebble...]
After about ten minutes of processing, his spirit gathered geographical information from the minds of the surrounding people and projected a semi-transparent map. The Joban estate was located approximately thirty minutes away on foot.
Still feeling stiff from his long journey in the carriage, Ayra decided to take a leisurely stroll, letting the movement loosen up his body.
As he walked through Sobletz, the contrast with Solar became glaringly apparent. The climate was warmer, the fabric of the clothing more refined, and the variety of food stalls far superior. In every aspect, Sobletz had the upper hand.
In the past, Ayra wouldn’t have thought much of this. But now, as the lord of Solar, his pride stung.
Just as he was lost in thought, a system notification popped up.
[Tip: Rumors about a dragon are spreading among the residents of Sobletz.]
Ayra’s steps came to an abrupt halt.
Rumors about a dragon?
Frowning, he stared at the notification. Moments later, a new quest appeared.
<Sub-Quest!>
Engage in casual conversations with five residents of Sobletz and earn 20+ Favorability. (0/5)
Rewards:
It was labeled as a sub-quest, but the reward made it impossible for Ayra to ignore. And fortunately, it wasn’t a particularly difficult task.
Feigning the demeanor of a lost traveler, he adjusted his expression into an awkward yet friendly smile before approaching a shopkeeper sweeping in front of their store, as well as two chatting locals and a few merchants.
“Excuse me, could you tell me where I can find the largest market in this city?”
After five conversations, Ayra effortlessly gained 20 Favorability from each person, ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ thanks to his elegant appearance and eloquent speech. Chewing on the steamed bun he had just bought from the last merchant, he mused to himself.
‘At least our estate wins in the steamed bun category.’
As he waited, the system processed the quest completion. A moment later, a notification appeared, followed by a new information window Ayra had never seen before.
<Sub-Quest Completed!>
Engage in casual conversations with five residents of Sobletz and earn 20+ Favorability. (5/5)
Reward: Dragon Rumor (1), Dragon Rumor (2), Dragon Rumor (3)
<Dragon Rumor (1)>
"Have you heard the story? A dragon has come to our land!"
For the past few years, rumors have spread among the people of Sobletz that a dragon has settled here after taking a mate. According to the servants and maids at the lord’s castle, the lord’s daughter is in love with someone so beautiful that they hardly seem human.
Could that breathtaking person be the dragon that has taken the lord’s daughter as a mate?
<Dragon Rumor (2)>
"My nephew’s friend’s cousin’s grandfather’s second cousin said he saw a dragon in Bolni. Apparently, the dragon was so impressed by our lord’s might that they became friends!"
A merchant who had recently traveled to Bolni told his friend about it. The friend dismissed it as nothing more than exaggeration.
And for good reason—after all, the dragon isn’t in Bolni but here in Sobletz!
<Dragon Rumor (3)>
Rick, a resident living on the border of Sobletz and Bolni, suddenly became rich overnight.
While traveling to visit a relative in Bolni, he stumbled upon the remains of a slaughtered horde of magical beasts. The carcasses, each the size of a house, contained valuable magic stones. Rick marveled at the sheer brutality of the wounds—the kind of damage that no human could possibly inflict.
"It’s clear as day! A dragon must have come to our land!"
After reading through the information, Ayra let out an involuntary groan.
"No way... These can’t all be true, right?"
The mere thought sent shivers down his spine. Dragons in both Sobletz and Bolni? It was an absurd rumor, hard to believe. If even one of these estates were truly home to a dragon, Solar—and every neighboring territory—would have been reduced to ashes long ago.
And if the lord’s daughter had actually become a dragon’s mate, wouldn’t there have been an official announcement by now?
Still, Ayra couldn’t entirely dismiss the rumors. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Could these whispers really be baseless?
Lost in thought, he glanced down at his half-eaten steamed bun and sighed. Suddenly, he had lost his appetite.
Yup. Still tastes awful...
Stuffing the rest of the bun into his mouth, he picked up his pace, making his way toward the Joban estate. He fully expected to be turned away at the gates, but to his surprise, he was respectfully escorted to the VIP reception room.
‘So, they’re still acknowledging me as a grandson, at least.’
As he waited for his grandfather, Ayra pondered this unexpected hospitality. However, instead of his grandfather, the one who came out to greet him was Calima Joban, the young heir of the family.
After exchanging brief pleasantries, Ayra inquired about his maternal grandfather—only to learn that he had passed away recently due to illness.
Ayra didn’t feel much sadness over the death of a man he had never even met, but he still offered sincere condolences before continuing the conversation.
The discussion, which maintained an air of formal politeness, could be summed up as follows:
Ayra: "Cousin, I need a loan. Any chance you could lend me some money?"
Calima: "I’ve heard your estate is on the brink of collapse. That makes things difficult. But how about this? Once your territory is gone, why don’t you come live with us? We’ll take good care of you."
Essentially, they weren’t willing to lend money to a doomed lord whose estate would soon be worthless. But once Ayra became a free agent—stripped of his title and lands—they were more than happy to welcome him into the family.
With polite smiles, the conversation came to an end. Ayra sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Ugh, this is exactly why skilled mages always end up in these ridiculous situations."
[Tip: Calima Joban is cautiously making sure not to offend a potentially volatile labyrinth mage who, despite appearing reasonable, could still be unpredictable.]
Ayra deliberately ignored the system’s tip. He had no intention of reacting to that.
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