At this moment, the entire commercial event area was divided into two distinct sections.

  One side remained bustling with vendors and crowds, while the other was sparsely populated, with the few remaining stalls already packing up.

  Standing at the center of the now-empty space was Caius, behind him towering stacks of order books.

  Yes, order books, not the simplified single-page order forms.

  In reality, each order was just one page, and even if all the orders Caius held were stacked together, they wouldn’t amount to much—just a slightly thicker pile.

  But this guy, for the sake of showing off, had people bring out the detailed instruction manuals for the magitech weapons. After all, these were standard inclusions, and most magitech weapon vendors kept some on hand.

  Once all those detailed manuals were piled up, they ended up taller than Caius himself—multiple stacks of them.

  Only the pile beside Caius’ hand contained the actual orders.

  Noticing everyone’s eyes on him, Caius grinned, utterly unbothered. He casually picked up a glass of wine from the side, raised it toward the group of Grilla City officials, and downed it in one go.

  After finishing the drink, he leisurely lit a cigarette.

  Kiki had been jotting notes so furiously that her little hands were slightly swollen. Feeling a pang of sympathy, Caius didn’t let her light his cigarette this time.

  He simply stood there, leaning against the stacks of manuals and orders, smoking leisurely, as if waiting for something.

  Meanwhile, the Grilla City officials began murmuring among themselves. Soon, someone from their group headed toward the city’s administrative hall at the back of the square—likely to report to the real boss.

  This was exactly what Caius wanted.

  All he had to do was wait. Someone would come.

  If no one showed, he’d just pack up and go home to sleep. He’d already made a killing anyway.

  Combined, these orders amounted to at least twenty million gold—enough for him to splurge wildly.

  And this wasn’t just profit from markup—it was pure profit!

  But before the boss arrived, someone else did—the Little Swan.

  “Caius, are all these… yours?” Hilda stared at the thick stack of orders, unable to hide her astonishment.

  “Mhm~” Caius nodded with a grin, then glanced at Britney beside Hilda and raised an eyebrow.

  “Convinced now?”

  Britney: “……”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  “Alright, I admit, you really are something,” she said reluctantly.

  “Thanks.” Caius smiled, satisfied.

  “Caius, how did you pull this off?” Hilda stepped closer, running her fingers over the weapon manuals, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

  To her, this was nothing short of incredible.

  How could a mercenary outmaneuver merchants at their own game like this?

  Compared to the meager sponsorships she’d gathered earlier, this was on a whole other level.

  “Talent, plus one incredibly capable little cat,” Caius chuckled.

  Kiki also beamed with pride, puffing out her chest—after all, she’d played a part in this too.

  “Amazing…” Hilda murmured, still in awe.

  Just then, a surprised gasp rippled through the crowd.

  Everyone turned to see a man standing on the grand steps of the administrative hall, hands clasped behind his back.

  Caius flicked away his cigarette and straightened up.

  Well, look who’s here—the boss.

  The man wore understated yet luxurious attire, his hair neatly slicked back, and frameless glasses lending him an air of refined gentleness.

  Though no longer young, his posture remained tall and dignified, exuding the charisma of a well-seasoned man.

  With his hands behind his back, he stepped forward—not walking down the stairs, but hovering in midair.

  Behind him followed a group of equally imposing individuals.

  His pace was unhurried, yet he moved swiftly. Everyone in his path bowed respectfully.

  “City Lord.”

  “City Lord.”

  “...”

  In no time, he stood before Caius.

  Britney curtsied slightly, lifting the hem of her dress. “City Lord.”

  Hilda, however, smiled warmly. “Uncle Mel.”

  Well, well—listen to that.The difference in address spoke volumes.

  Caius was mildly surprised. He’d expected to draw out a high-ranking official from the administrative hall—after all, the “rank” of Grilla City’s officials was on a completely different level from Ocean City’s.

  But he hadn’t anticipated summoning the biggest boss of them all—the City Lord of Grilla City himself.

  A Title-ranked powerhouse—[Windchanter·Mel]!

  Meeting his gaze, Caius dipped his head slightly. “Greetings, City Lord.”

  Kiki mimicked him. “Greetings, City Lord, meow.”

  “Hehe, greetings to you as well.” Mel chuckled, showing no displeasure at Caius’ lack of a deeper bow.

  If he got angry over something so trivial, he wouldn’t be where he was today.

  Standing before Caius now, the City Lord wore a gentle smile, his curiosity evident.

  “Hilda, is this your friend?” Mel asked, clearly familiar with her—likely through some familial connection.

  “Yes, this is Caius,” Hilda replied brightly.

  “You never mentioned having such an impressive friend before,” Mel remarked with a smile.

  Hilda stuck out her tongue playfully but said nothing.

  Mel then turned to Caius. “I’d just heard that someone had brought half the trade event to an abrupt end in an astonishingly short time. I’d assumed it was some great merchant visiting Grilla City.”

  “Yet here I find a young man instead.”

  Indeed, despite Caius’ towering build, his youthful features were unmistakable.

  Caius laughed heartily, scratching his head as if slightly embarrassed. “You flatter me. It was just a bit of clever thinking, really. And I’m no merchant.”

  “No?” Mel’s curiosity deepened.

  He’d initially assumed Caius was a renowned merchant, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Then he wondered if Caius might be the scion of some influential trader—but again, no.

  If not a merchant, how had he legally secured such a massive volume of magitech weapon orders—all fully paid—in such a short time?

  Or rather, purchase agreements.

  “Uncle Mel, Caius really isn’t a merchant. He’s a mercenary—an exceptional one,” Hilda chimed in, her tone carrying a hint of pride, as if she were the one being praised.

  Caius grinned and nodded. “Yep, just a mercenary. Don’t I look the part?”

  “Your build certainly fits, but your wit? Not so much,” Mel replied with an amused smile.

  “Which is why, as Hilda said, I’m an exceptional mercenary. The emphasis is on exceptional, not mercenary.” Caius winked, drawing a genuine laugh from Mel.

  “Indeed, exceptional,” Mel conceded, acknowledging Caius’ point—that excellence lay in the person, not the profession.

  “Now then, young man, would you mind telling me what you plan to do with all these magitech weapons?” Mel asked, still smiling warmly.

  Caius immediately straightened, adopting a solemn expression.

  “To help Hilda secure sponsorships.”

  Mel: “……”

  Britney: “……”

  Hilda: “……”