Chapter 350: rchant Gathering (Part 1)_1
Winterfell City.
As the most famous tavern in the east of the city, the “Butter Tavern” has, uncharacteristically, turned away a large number of potential patrons today.
“Huh? Why was he allowed in, but we’re not?”
At the tavern’s entrance, a young patron, stopped by the attendant, pointed at a client who’d just been welcod inside and questioned.
The tavern attendant politely explained, “I am very sorry, but the gentleman who just entered has an invitation.”
“So, does this an the tavern is reserved for a private party today?”
“Yes, it is.”
The refused patrons huffed and puffed expressing their dissatisfaction, but none of them dared to storm in.
As regulars of the “Butter Tavern,” they all knew it had strong backing. It was said that the tavern owner had profound connections with the aristocrats residing in the castle atop the hill.
Against such a backdrop, who dared to ss around here, thereby risking being ostracized from the North Territory?
When the disgruntled patrons had dispersed, the tavern received two more guests with dark complexions.
The two n bore a striking resemblance to each other, evidently brothers.
Notably, their dark complexions indicated that they had spent years on the road. Coupled with their inability to hide their ostentatious wealth, the attendant quickly surmised that they were traveling rchants, likely guests at tonight’s event.
As expected, one of them handed over an invitation to the attendant.
The attendant glanced at the invitation and promptly opened the door with a respectful salute, “Welco, Mr. Oliver and Mr. Orma.”
The Oliver brothers entered the tavern.
Inside, hundreds of guests had already gathered. Surveying the room, Oliver recognized many familiar faces.
“Mr. Oliver!”
As soon as the two brothers had acclimated to the surroundings, they were surrounded by a flood of greetings.
Oliver was seemingly prepared for such a scene; he imdiately put on airs, offering reserved smiles to those swarming around him.
The North Territory rchant eting was not hosted by Oliver, and in fact, the Tulip Chamber of Comrce was not reckoned as the most potent force in the North Territory.
Especially after the upheaval in the Uman Clan, rchants who understood the Tulip Chamber of Comrce began to dismiss it.
However, this perception had recently taken a complete 180-degree turn.
The reason was simple.
The rchants discovered that Mr. Oliver, the under-the-radar chairperson of the Tulip Chamber of Comrce, had unexpectedly established a relationship with Count Angler!
Rumors of a relationship between Oliver and Count Angler had long circulated, yet it wasn’t until recently, when Count Angler sent ssages to the major North Territory rchants through Oliver, that they finally accepted the veracity of the gossip.
Consequently, both Oliver and the Tulip Chamber of Comrce witnessed their prominence rise dramatically overnight.
“Mr. Oliver, is it true that the St. Hilde family is planning to secure a loan? How much do they aim to borrow?”
“Mr. Oliver, is Count Angler also planning to bulk purchase food in Silver Moon City this year?”
“Mr. Oliver, is it possible for Count Angler to provide additional relief for the tax quota within the Troll Empire?”
“Mr. Oliver…”
With such a barrage of inquiries, Oliver was montarily overwheld. He plastered a polite smile on his round, chubby face, ignoring the questions, instead focusing on shaking hands and greeting the rchants surrounding him.
Clang clang!
An overweight middle-aged man at the bar struck his glass to draw quiet in the room. Once all eyes were on him, he said:
“Gentlen, Your eagerness is overwhelming poor Mr. Oliver. Kindly control yourselves, please!”
Only then did the crowd around Oliver go dispersed, laughing rrily.
To make so many rchants so “obedient,” this middle-aged man surely has an extraordinary identity.
“Mr. Arnold!” Oliver made a move to catch up and extended his hand in greeting at the bar counter, “Thank you for inviting us to this grand event!”
This Mr. Arnold is the organizer of this rchants’ gathering, the owner of the Butter Tavern. More importantly, he also holds the esteed position as the chairman of the North Wind Business Association.
The North Wind Business Association has always been in close association with the St. Hilde family. There have even been rumors saying that the business association was actually funded and established by the St. Hilde family, with Arnold simply serving as a figurehead.
For years, Arnold leveraged the St. Hilde family’s good na and influence to reign over the business world of the North Territory. Now as he was establishing a union of the North Territory rchants, all the reputable rchants are present, having responded to his call.
“Mr. Oliver, Mr. Orma, your participation in this grand event is an honor for ! Please take your seats and enjoy the champagne I’ve been keeping for years. Our eting will comnce shortly.”
The Oliver brothers laughed and accepted the gracious offer, being led to a round table at the front by an attendant.
After Arnold’s diversion, all the rchants were reminded that the eting was primarily to discuss the establishnt of the North Territory rchant Union, rather than St. Hilde family’s large loan eting.
So, everyone had to suppress their enthusiasm, stopped pestering Oliver, and prepared to inquire more closely after the eting.
After a short while, the tavern door swung open again, and a young knight dressed in armour and equipped with a long sword stepped into the establishnt.
The previously tranquil tavern buzzed with noise anew.
The rchants were buzzing, wondering why a knight would participate in a rchant conference.
Yet, so recognized the identity of the knight, and shifted their attention to Arnold.
At this, Arnold quickly stepped forward, personally inviting the young knight to the stage. He then loud addressed the assembly of rchants:
“Ladies and Gentlen, allow to introduce to you all – Sebas’ eldest grandson of the Senate, Knight Weber of the St. Hilde family!”
Applause ensued.
The crowd of rchants seed invigorated by the news. Knight Weber’s appearance confird their suspicion – Arnold really does have a close working relationship with the St. Hilde family. It seed that this establishnt of the North Territory Business Association was indeed the will of the St. Hilde family.
Only Oliver and his brother looked on with differing expressions, quietly conversing amongst themselves while occasionally glancing toward the tavern’s entrance.
Knight Weber wore a tolerant smile upon his face as he nodded and saluted the rchants below the stage.
He was initially reluctant to co, as when he left Dragon City, his grandfather Sebas had cautioned him to act discreetly in the North Territory. He was to do nothing that might cause any offense to Colin nor constantly fraternize with the North Wind Business Association.
However, the impulsive youth that was Weber, was not used to such a humble existence. Coupled with the North Wind Business Association offering money and won, the stifled Weber finally experienced the pleasures a wealthy young scion should have. In his drunken stupor, he accepted Arnold’s invitation.
In his opinion, attending a rchant gathering was a minor thing and would not draw Colin’s attention.
Arnold, observing the changing complexions of the rchants beneath the stage, was brimming with satisfaction.
His grand effort to invite Knight Weber to the eting was to perpetuate an image in the minds of the North Territory’s rchants – behind the North Wind Business Association stood the St. Hilde family!
Waving the banner of the St. Hilde family, the very thing that had allowed Arnold to prosper throughout these years in the North Territory.
However, recent changes within the North Territory have been so abrupt that it’s hard to keep up. The newly risen Count Angler does not seem to be highly receptive to rchants, prompting Arnold’s idea to establish the North Territory rchant Union to unite the rchant force and adapt to the changing circumstances.
Just as Arnold was about to give a triumphant speech, the tavern door opened yet again.
Arnold knitted his brows, ready to berate the tardy rchant. However, when he saw the stately figure that strided in, he was montarily stunned.
Knight Weber, who was already seated, imdiately rose to his feet. He hurriedly wiped the beer foam from the corner of his mouth with his left hand against his chest, stuttered a salute to the newcor:
“Count…Count Angler!”
Colin strode into the eting room, laughing:
“Such an exciting gathering, how co I wasn’t inford?”
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