Chapter 27

As soon as Chancellor Augustus left, my appetite vanished. My mind was racing with thoughts on how to handle this situation. It was clear that either the chancellor suspected me, or he was acting on behalf of the king, who held suspicions of his own. If it was the latter, then I may need to confront the chancellor in the future. I couldn't take any chances, and I needed to tread carefully from now on.

As we stepped out of the restaurant, I motioned for Andrew to handle the bill. "Leave the waiter a nice tip and pay the bill, Andrew," I instructed him, while I stood outside lost in thought.

After Andrew had taken care of the payment, I got into the carriage while Andrew rode a horse next to the carriage. "Andrew, I want you to head to the bishop's office and get as much information as you can on Chancellor Augustus," I told him firmly. "Find out everything you can about him, his background, and why he was in Silverglade."

Andrew nodded, his expression as stoic as ever. "Understood, Master Lucas. I will head there immediately," he replied before heading towards the direction of the church.

I settled back into the carriage, the leather seats creaking as I shifted my weight. My mind was still whirling with possibilities, and I knew I needed to start planning my next move. I needed to know as much as I could about Chancellor Augustus and his motives.

I closed my eyes, thinking back to our conversation. He seemed cordial enough, but there was an underlying tension there that I couldn't shake. Was he onto me? Or was he just doing his job? I needed to find out.

"Master Lucas, we are here" My thoughts were interrupted by the Carriage driver as we arrived at the open market.

As I stepped out of the carriage, I took a deep breath and surveyed the bustling market. The air was filled with the aroma of spices, fresh produce, and the sound of vendors shouting their wares. The market was always a good place to gather information, as people tended to let their guard down when they were focused on buying and selling.

I walked through the crowd, observing the people as I went. There were peasants and merchants alike, each with their own unique stories. Some looked weary from a hard day's work, while others were filled with excitement as they made a good sale.

I stopped at a fruit vendor's stall and picked up an apple, inspecting it closely. "This is quite a fine piece of fruit you have here, my friend," I said, flashing my smile at the vendor.

The vendor grinned back at me. "Aye, it's one of our best. Straight from the orchards in the south," he replied, his accent thick.

I took a bite of the apple, savoring the sweetness. "Do you happen to know anything interesting happening around town?" I asked casually.

The vendor shrugged. "Not much, sir. Just the usual happenings, I suppose. There have been whispers of a new tax being levied, but that's about it," he said with a small frown.

I thanked him and continued through the market, scanning the various stalls for anything that caught my eye. As I walked, I spotted a herb vendor who had a plant that looked similar to tobacco. I made my way over to the stall and picked up the plant, examining it closely.

"This looks interesting. What is it?" I asked the vendor, who was an elderly woman with a kind smile.

"That, my dear, is called Blackthorn. It's a rare herb that is known for its calming properties. It's quite popular with the aristocrats," she explained.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Calming properties, you say? And it's popular with the aristocrats? How interesting," I said thoughtfully.

The herb vendor nodded. "Yes, indeed. It was quite expensive, though. Only the wealthy can afford it," she said, a hint of envy in her voice.

Intrigued by the herb vendor's mention of Blackthorn being popular with aristocrats, I inquired further about the herb's rarity and price.

"Why is Blackthorn so expensive?" I asked, examining the plant closely.

The vendor gave a small sigh. "It's because Marquis Elric of Shadowmoor has a monopoly on the plant. He doesn't allow any seeds to leave his territory, which means it's very difficult for other merchants to obtain the herb," she explained.

I furrowed my brow in thought. A monopoly on such a rare and valuable herb meant that Marquis Elric held significant power. And yet, the fact that he didn't allow any seeds to leave his territory presented an opportunity.

"How interesting," I mused. "Do you happen to know how Marquis Elric prevents the seed from being smuggled?"

The vendor shook her head. "I don't know the specifics, but I've heard that they check every product or package leaving the city with inspections. And if they find any Blackthorn seeds, they confiscate them immediately," she said, her voice lowering to a whisper.

I smiled charmingly at the vendor. "Thank you, sweetheart. You've been most helpful," I said before placing the Blackthorn plant back on the stall and heading towards the carriage.

As I got back into the carriage, I felt a sense of excitement. The information I had gathered in the market had given me a new perspective on my potential future business. Marquis Elric of Shadowmoor was a powerful figure, and his monopoly on Blackthorn meant that a market could potentially be disrupted if I were to get involved.

I leaned back in my seat, lost in thought. My mind was racing with possibilities

"Master Lucas, I have returned," Andrew's voice broke through my thoughts.

I opened my eyes and turned to him. "Did you find anything useful?" I asked eagerly.

Andrew nodded. "Yes, Master Lucas. Chancellor Augustus was appointed by the king himself. He has a reputation for being thorough and efficient, but also very secretive. No one knows much about his background, but there are rumors that he used to be a spy," he said in his usual stoic manner.

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "A spy, you say? That's quite interesting," I mused.

Andrew nodded. "Yes, Master Lucas. And there's more. I managed to find out that Chancellor Augustus is staying at the Silverglade Guest house, on the highest floor," he said,

I smiled at his information. "Well done, Bishop. You've done an excellent job." I murmured "We'll need to keep an eye on Chancellor Augustus and see what he's up to,"

As I stretched my limbs, I couldn't help but admire the beauty of the moonlight, which illuminated the world around me in a serene glow, signaling the end of another day