Rion walked through the bustling streets of Velmara, his Bronze-Rank Merchant License tucked safely inside his coat. He had done it he was officially part of the Merchant Guild.

  But success always comes at a price.

  He felt the shift immediately. The way some merchants looked at him. The whispers. The sudden silence when he passed by.

  And then he saw the problem.

  His suppliers had shut their doors to him.

  A Market Without a Supplier

  Rion’s usual spice vendor, the one who had supplied him with Drayhark saffron, avoided his gaze when he approached.

  “I… I can’t sell to you anymore.”

  Rion frowned. “What? Why?”

  The merchant sighed, looking over his shoulder as if someone was watching. “I don’t want trouble.”

  Trouble?

  Rion glanced at the market and saw a well-dressed man talking to another vendor. A tall, confident figure in a velvet coat lined with gold trim.

  Darius Haldrek.

  A Gold-Rank Merchant.

  A man with power, connections, and enough wealth to control entire industries. And now, he had set his sights on Rion.

  The Power of Influence

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  Darius turned, locking eyes with Rion, and smiled. A slow, knowing smile.

  He hadn’t needed to say a word. His presence alone had forced Rion’s suppliers to cut him off.

  Rion clenched his fists. This wasn’t just competition this was economic warfare.

  Outthinking a Gold-Rank Merchant

  Most merchants would give up, apologize, and leave the market quietly.

  Rion wasn’t most merchants.

  He took a deep breath and started thinking. Darius had cut off his supply chain, but that meant two things:

  Darius now had control over a massive amount of saffron.

  That meant no one else could get it including noble clients.

  A monopoly only works if there’s no alternative.

  But Rion knew a secret.

  The Plan

  Instead of begging for suppliers, Rion walked straight to the artisan district specifically to a noblewoman’s estate.

  Madame Ivora Carleone. One of the most powerful noble investors in Velmara.

  She greeted him with a raised eyebrow. “Back so soon?”

  Rion bowed. “I have a problem, Madame Carleone. One that might also be yours.”

  She gestured for him to continue.

  “Darius Haldrek has secured all the saffron supply in the market. Meaning…”

  Her eyes flickered with interest. “Meaning he’ll raise the prices soon.”

  Rion nodded. “If you invest in me, I can get you the same quality product before he inflates the market.”

  Silence. Then, a slow smirk. “I like merchants who think ahead.”

  She handed him a contract and 100 silver.

  “Don’t disappoint me.”

  A New Trade Route

  Armed with noble-backed funding, Rion traveled to the docks, where goods from other cities arrived.

  He met with Kaelen Darnes, a nomadic spice trader who operated outside the Merchant Guild’s influence.

  “I need Drayhark saffron. And I need it fast.”

  Kaelen smirked. “That’ll cost you.”

  “I have an investor.” Rion tossed the pouch of silver forward.

  The deal was made. By sunrise, he had a new saffron supply one Darius couldn’t control.

  The Counterattack

  When Rion returned to the market, he didn’t lower his prices he raised them.

  He announced publicly that his saffron came directly from noble-backed imports, fresher and richer than any stored stock.

  Within hours, nobles flocked to his stall, buying him out.

  Darius watched from a distance, his expression unreadable. He had tried to crush Rion’s business. Instead, he had just made him richer.

  But Rion knew one thing for sure.

  This wasn’t over.