Another world, Celeste

Chapter Six

When Jilko and I walk inside the building, some merchants are talking amongst each other but loud enough for us to hear that another merchant caused an incident but claims he's been falsely accused. Jilko turns pale. I approach the merchants to hear more details.

"Excuse me. I happen to hear your conversation. May I know what happened?"

The merchants stare at me and Jilko. It seems one of the merchants recognises me.

"You're the customer that old man Duce treats favourably."

"This young miss?" 

Another merchant doubt his words.

"Yes. My stall happens to be at the opposite side of the old man Duce's. He treats her the same way he talks with his daughter."

"That old man Duce who is relentless when it comes to business but becomes a different person around his family. Miss, what did you do to gain favour with that old man?"

The merchants utter their disbelief and begin crowding my space.

I back away a few steps.

"Someone I know is a long-time customer of Mister Duce. That's all." I answer them vaguely.

When the merchants heard my answer, they look disappointed.

"I see. That's how it is."

Everyone suddenly becomes dejected. Somehow, I feel apologetic for ruining their expectations.

The first merchant that recognises me says, "Sorry about that, young miss. It's just that gaining good favour from old man Duce is a big deal for us since he's a very influential person in our community."

That revelation leaves me dumbfounded.

"I can see from your face that you didn't know. Old man Duce is not the kind of man to flaunt his wealth and success after all. That is why he's respectable amongst his peers."

The merchants nod their heads in agreement.

I look behind when there's a tug on my sleeve. Ah, right. I almost forgot about Jilko.

"About what you were talking about earlier..."

I manage to return to the topic at hand.

The first merchant says, "A man claiming to be a merchant was making a fuss in front of stalls selling crafts made my gnomes. He kept pushing them to see all their merchandises and when he wouldn't leave them be, other merchants intervened and advised him to stop."

A second merchant chimes in, "Of course, he was reported to the guards for suspicious behaviour. We thought he had left for good but then he returned with an adventurer. They attempted to force the stall owner with threats but every merchant knows that won't work."