There was still time before the Shining Auction, so Levi found an open space to set up a stall.

There was no need to pay for the booth fee since it was accounted for in the glass of wine he drank.

The Shining Tavern is incomprehensibly rich, he thought as he placed the swords on the booth, feeling envious in his heart.

The Chamber of Commerce couldn’t hold a light to the Shining Tavern. The Tavern seems to earn a hundred gold coins a day just from selling drinks.

Levi’s father wanted a stake in the Shining Tavern, but even as a Great Knight, he was rejected. The Shining Tavern never seemed to accept new shareholders.

“Excuse me, how much is this sword?” A man who wore a white wolf mask asked.

“Two gold coins and one silver coin. No bargains. Customizations and bulk purchases are accepted, and designs are required for your customization,” Levi muttered.

“It’s a bit expensive, isn’t it?” the man replied as he left.

Levi wasn’t in a hurry. He was very confident in the swords he made, and he thought that 2 gold coins was an affordable price.

Not long after, a stout but powerful knight stood in front of the booth. A large hammer hung from his waist, and he exuded an aura fit for a qualified knight. “I heard you accepted custom designs of weapons and armour.”

Levi raised his head, and his eyes widened under his mask. ‘Another Knight? He seems stronger than the ambergris seller. He has a hammer hanging on his waist, so he must be practising a powerful breathing method.’

“That’s correct,” Levi replied confidently. “As long as you have the design, I’ll be able to make it.”

“It seems that you are an excellent blacksmith, are you not?” the Knight asked.

“I guess.”

“I’ll be taking these two swords, and I’ll be looking forward to cooperating with you in the near future,” the Knight smiled. “The weapons and armour you forge will be sold to me first, and you cannot sell them to other lords or nobles. I’m willing to pay a 20% markup of the current market price too.”

He threw five gold coins on the booth, and Levi earned back the money for his drinks.

“Alright. The location of the transaction is set at the Shining Tavern,” Levi said, nodding.

If he were to trade outside, it would be easy to be taken advantage of.

However, at the Shining Tavern, nobody is allowed to cause trouble.

“Here’s to our business relationship,” the Knight said, raising his glass. “What shall I call you?”

“Geralt. Geralt, the White Wolf,” Levi blurted out, remembering the name of a character from a game in his previous life.

“Geralt,” the Knight nodded. “On the last day of every three months, we shall meet again at the Shining Tavern. Here are my designs.”

“By the way,” the Knight muttered as he unravelled his design sketches. “I wonder if the White Wolf is interested in joining a great organisation with unlimited prospects and a bright future..”

“Absolutely not,” Levi refused.

“If you change your mind, I’ll be here,” the Knight smiled.

Levi watched as the Knight left, and he sighed in relief.

‘My monetary problem is solved now—that Knight must be an ambitious Knight from a big territory. He must be planning something by wanting to recruit me for his.. party. What does that have to do with me?’ he wondered. ‘My identity is obscured here, so I should be fine regardless.’

Meanwhile..

In a mansion in the City of Icy Winds, the Knight who had just finished his deal with Levi took off his iron helmet, revealing his scarred face and never-ending smile. He knelt down on the ground before an extremely large man with bulging muscles that breathed and exhaled white gas.

“Vice President,” the Knight bowed. “I have found another good blacksmith, and we have begun our business cooperation.”

“Very good, Hog Rider. I am satisfied with your recent performance. The Lord of the Wilderness must be proud of your loyalty and hard work.”

Standing up, the large man was 2.5 metres tall, and even the Hog Rider was petite before him.

“I haven’t been to headquarters in a while. Report to me on the conditions of equipment.”

“Our brotherhood has a total of 2,500 sets of armour and weapons and 1,000 mountain horses. Dozens of blacksmiths are working under us to create the equipment we need, and I am still looking for blacksmiths to recruit.”

“It is far from enough,” the large man coughed. “To subvert these greedy and hateful nobles, we need at least tens of thousands of fully armed cavalry and hundreds of formal knights to charge into battle!”

“I am but a step away from becoming a Great Knight,” the large man said. “The Brotherhood of the Wilderness would have two Great Knights by then, and we may act by then.”

“Congratulations, my Lord.”

“By the way, our deal with the Spirit of the Lamp was very good. With its help, I am practically unstoppable! However, I still need the Spirit of the Lamp to aid me in becoming a Great Knight, and I may have to trouble you on this matter.” The man spoke as he produced a black jar from his arms..