CHAPTER 46: CHAPTER 46: NOT A SINGLE APPLE

The carriage jolted as they began the ride back, the wheels clattering over the cobblestones. Vanadis sat stiffly, arms crossed, his expression somewhere between annoyance and awe.

Odysseus leaned back, half-smiling as he watched the passing scenery. "You’re welcome." he murmured.

Vanadis scowled. "You didn’t even threaten him. I thought persuasion involved... words."

Odysseus chuckled. "Ah, but it did. The right ones." He tilted his head, the sunlight cutting sharp angles across his face. "You’d be amazed how easily people fold when you give them the illusion of choice."

Vanadis muttered something under his breath and turned to look out the window. He didn’t want to admit it but the man was right.

The town rolled by in silence after that, the sound of hooves filling the air.

The market was already swelling with voices when Meical arrived. The scent of crushed olives hung thick in the air, mingled with the bitter smoke of roasting grain. Heat rippled from the cobblestones, striking his boots with every step.

He stopped before the first stall, rows of earthen jars gleaming dully under the sun. The woman behind them smiled too quickly, her eyes narrowing as she caught sight of his attire.

"My lord.." she said with practiced reverence. "You’ve come at a fortunate time. Fresh oil from the southern groves. The best you’ll find this season.."

Meical lifted a jar and tilted it against the light. The liquid clung sluggishly to the sides, the pale surface blooming with small bubbles that refused to fade.

His expression didn’t change. But he knew the oil lacked quality.

"This is the southern oil?" His voice was soft, but the words fell like cold iron.

"Yes, my lord. It was pressed just yesterday.."

He uncorked the lid and inhaled it once.

A faint sourness rose from it, a fermented, almost rancid smell.

"I see.." he murmured, setting it down. "And what is your price?"

"Three silvers per jar, governor. I’ve given you a noble discount."

"One silver each."

The woman’s smile stiffened. "One silver? It’s good stuff, my Lord.."

"Good stuff?" He ran a finger over the jar’s rim. "There is foam."

She hesitated, the lie on her tongue faltering. "It’s the heat. It makes the oil restless."

"The heat.." Meical said "does not ferment good quality oil.."

He waited for her answer and it took her a while to answer.

Only the sound of the market filled the pause between them.

Finally, she lifted her chin. "Two silvers, then. That’s my lowest."

"One silver.." he replied.

Her eyes widened. "You mock me."

"No.." he said evenly. "You have. By selling this low quality oil.."

A flush rose to her cheeks, pride warring with the realization that she would gain nothing more from him.

He placed the jar gently back on the table.

"Keep it.." he said, turning away.

"You nobles! Always so picky about everything.."

At the next shop, the next seller was much wiser. She understood, there was no need to raise her prices so high just because he was a noble, if he was a intelligent one, he would be chased away.

"Good day Sir. My oil are hand pressed by my sons and I. As you can see, they are all of good quality. There is no foam in sight."

Meical inspected the bottles of oil, it was just as she said.

There was no foam in sight, in fact it even smelled nice.

"I’ll take two bottles.."

The woman nodded and raised two fingers up.

Meical didn’t know if it was because she had heard him argue over price with the first woman that made her lower hers.

Still, he placed three silvers on the table.

He liked how honest she was, she said her oils were of good quality and they were.

Next he went to get the alcohol, he felt irritated being in the midst of drunkards but he had no choice, the faster he got the ingredients, the sooner he got to go home.

The alcohol and flowers weren’t hard to buy, but when it came to the last ingredient on the list.

It suddenly became an impossible task.

"Are you telling me. There’s not a single apple? Not one?"

The sellers bowed as they shook their head, apples had gone out of season so they had quickly sold the ones they had.

"Sir, they will be back in season in two months time..."

-_-

Meical frowned, but Kaizar wanted apples, what should he do now that there wasn’t any.

"I’ll give whosoever can find me a basket of apples. Two thousand gold pieces."

-_-

-_-

"My lord, you must listen. Even if we wanted too. We cannot, there’s not a single apple."

Meical sighed, Kaizar would just have to be disappointed. The apples had gone out of season.

He stared at the the other ingredients in his hands. At least he had gotten these ones. He hoped Kaizar would be pleased at least.

"We haven’t had breakfast together, twice in a roll now.." but he would certainly make sure they had dinner together.

Vanadis and Odysseus arrived first, Meical arrived minutes later. Everyone had gotten their errands completed.

Now they were waiting for the madame to arrive.

But Min-jae had a hold up of his own, he had run into Seraphine on the road and she wasn’t too happy about her textiles houses that he had burned.

"You dirty bastard! How dare you touch my property."

Min-jae crossed his hands, feeling irritated, first it was Radomir, the Icarus, now Seraphine.

"And what proof do you have that I touched your property? If you can’t provide proof. I shall report you for slander. "

-_-

Seraphine tensed up, she knew it was Kaizar. He had started his revenge but she had no idea how to counter him.

Right now, she didn’t even know what his thought process was.

"Just because you have the King and Lord Meical by your side. You think you’re God, you can do whatever you like and there will be no repercussion."

Min-jae chuckled, like God? He laughed again, well he could say he was the god of this novel, after all everyone here was at his mercy.