Overwhelming Firepower

Aldric Marren was from a small village near Ironhold. When he was young, unlike the other boys who wanted to be knights, mercenaries, or bards, he had a different ambition. He wanted to be a merchant.

He dreamed of traveling far, meeting interesting people, and selling curious things. Not only that, but merchants were the ones who made real coin.”

Even as a boy, Aldric had a nose for what others wanted before they did, be it fresh goat cheese or handmade wool gloves. Small comforts no one knew they needed, until Aldric offered them.

Which seemed quite a useful skill to have, especially for someone like him, who was aspiring to be a merchant.

Aldric worked hard to get enough coin to go to the capital and register with the merchant union. He brought a few items from his hometown and went to Norvaegard’s capital city, Caelhart, filled with hope for the start of his dream.

Unfortunately, reality was a heavy hammer that brought down many a dreamer. The capital wasn’t kind to no-name merchants. His hometown goods didn’t sell that well, and without connections or coin to secure prime stalls or backroom deals, Aldric was squeezed out before he even had a chance to begin.

His savings bled away with every passing day, from stall fees, lodging, bribes, and spoiled goods. He tried everything: peddling in alley markets, hawking wares to nobles’ stewards, even making deliveries for established merchant guilds. But it was like trying to grow flowers in winter soil.

Still, despite so many setbacks, Aldric continued chasing his dream. After gaining experience over the years, even through his failure, he gained a talent for sensing how the trends will go.

Unfortunately, without enough coin, he could not use this talent effectively. In the end, after years of struggle, he had no choice but to pack up what little he had left and leave the capital behind.

’I guess this can be the start of my dream as a true traveling merchant... Yeah, the capital wasn’t really for me. The scenery was getting boring.’

Now, wrapped in a threadbare cloak, frost clinging to his boots, with pride weighing heavier than his satchel, Aldric wandered north once more.

With a positive look on things, Aldric headed back to his hometown, but before that, he made a stop in the fortress city of Ironhold.

***

He was a northerner, someone who was part of the Dukedom of Stellhart, but this was the first time he had been to the main city, the heart of Stellhart, Ironhold.

Many merchants came and went from this place, as the North, especially Ironhold, has the most monster materials.

Aldric wanted to sell his wares from Caelhart here or trade them for some monster materials. He would then go home and rest for a bit before setting off to a different place to sell the monster materials he would gain.

The towering walls of Ironhold awed him. They felt more solid, more secure, than even Caelhart, the capital city.

’Alright, I can sense it. Once I get the monster materials, I’m sure I’ll be able to make a comeback.’

***

A few days in Ironhold, Aldric was somehow able to sell some of his wares and even trade for some monster materials, though not high-quality, it was still better than nothing.

While staying in Ironhold, Aldric learned of the heir of the North, Lucen Thornehart. In Caelhart, Lucen was said to be a sickly person, and the shame of the north, but recently, there was a rumor that he, alongside some mercenaries, had defeated a young dragon.

Of course, many in the capital had dismissed the tale as bardic exaggeration. It was likely a wyvern, not a dragon, they said. Just another story inflated for the sake of a good song.

Yet now that he was here in Ironhold, every citizen said they saw the dragon’s skull, and some dismembered body parts.

’Are the rumors true then? Does that mean Lucen Thornehart also created a weapon that sounds like thunder?’

Aldric was now gaining some interest in Lucen Thornehart, especially the unknown weapon he created. If he could get his hands on one of those, he might be able to sell it for a fortune.

’Who knows, I really might get lucky and be able to buy one of his weapons.’ Aldric thought to himself with his usual enthusiasm.

Aldric was going back to the place he was staying when he noticed a large crowd gathering in a certain tavern. Laughter and shouting spilled onto the street. Curious, he paused. That kind of noise usually meant coin or opportunity.

Aldric entered the tavern and looked around, trying to figure out what everyone was so excited about.

It was then that Aldric saw what everyone was going crazy over. There was a young man with silver hair and ruby red eyes with an unknown board on the table, and in front of him was Derrin, the guard he usually saw sleeping on the job.

The wooden board seemed to be of high quality.

The two were placing small discs with different colors onto the wooden board, and each time they placed one, they would flip the others.

After watching for a while, Aldric caught on. Control the board, flip your opponent’s pieces, and end with the most in your color. Simple rules, but enough depth to draw a crowd. That was the mark of something profitable.

’So this is a game... A new game that doesn’t even exist in the capital.’

Aldric wanted to have a chance to speak to the boy who seemed to own the game, but then a group of people arrived. They kept on calling the boy young master, and it seems that he was the one who created the game.

It was then Aldric realized who the boy was, his distinct silver white hair, and ruby-red eyes. Isn’t this young man the heir of the North, Lucen Thornehart?

Knowing the silver-haired boy was Lucen Thornehart, the heir of the Iron Duke, the Dragon Slayer himself, made Aldric pause. He’d dealt with barons before, but never anyone of this stature.

’This could be my last chance...’

Aldric stared at Lucen, silver-haired, crimson-eyed, calm amidst the cheering.

’A merchant is a gambler,’ Aldric reminded himself. ’And gamblers don’t win by standing still.’

He exhaled, adjusted his threadbare cloak, and stepped forward.

’Time to throw the dice.’

***

”Excuse me, young sir, I heard that you were the one who created that game they’re playing right now.”

The moment Lucen’s ruby red eyes stared at him, Aldric gulped dryly as he suddenly felt even more nervous, but he kept on smiling. He’d spent years chasing luck that never looked his way. Maybe, just maybe, this was it.

”Yes, I am, and you are?”

”Oh, how rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Aldric Marren, a traveling merchant.”

Aldric unconsciously held out his hand for a handshake, but then he remembered the person in front of him was a noble heir. Based on his past experience with noble barons, they were people who didn’t like talking to commoners, much less touching them.

He noticed Lucen’s reaction, which was of brief surprise, as if he’d just seen something out of place.

’Hah... Must’ve caught him off guard. Guess nobles don’t get many handshakes from lowborn merchants like me.’

As Aldric was about to awkwardly pull his hand back, Lucen surprisingly shook his hand.

”It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Aldric. I’m Lucen Thornefang. So, how can I help you, Mr. Aldric?”

”Just Aldric is fine, Sir Lucen.”

”Alright then, Aldric. What is it you wanted to talk about?”

”Well, truth be told, it’s about that game. The one everyone’s crowding around.”

Lucen raised an eyebrow, expression unreadable. ”It’s called Territory War.”

”Oh, I see, that’s a rather unique name,” Aldric said.

”It’s clever. Simple to learn, but deep enough to make you want another round. I’ve seen games in Caelhart’s noble circles, and nothing draws a crowd like this.”

Lucen tilted his head slightly, as if intrigued.

”I’d like your permission to sell it,” Aldric pressed on. ”I travel. Not just to cities, I plan to go to villages, trade routes, and even outposts. I can get it seen by people who don’t visit taverns like this. And I don’t need much. Just a small cut per sale.”

Lucen didn’t speak right away. Aldric felt his stomach tighten. Had he overstepped? Did he sound too desperate?

Then Lucen gave a small smile. ”You seem like quite the interesting fellow, Aldric.”

”Well, I try to be,” Aldric replied.

”I like your sincerity and the guts it takes to ask the Iron Duke’s son for a deal. I’ll have several copies by tomorrow. I’ll let you take ten for your first batch. The price per set is two silver coins. You’ll take ten percent of whatever you sell.”

”Two silver... ten percent...” Aldric muttered, running the numbers. Twenty bronze a sale... It was not much, but more than he’d had yesterday. This was a much better deal than he had anticipated. Before he could even say anything, Lucen continued.

”I’ll have them wrapped and ready by tomorrow afternoon. I’ll meet you here in this tavern.” Lucen said, already turning back to the game board.

Aldric bowed slightly, hands tight at his sides, adrenaline still humming in his blood. ”Thank you, young master Lucen. I won’t disappoint.”

Aldric didn’t know it yet, but this moment had already changed everything. In the original storyline, he needed to experience more hardships before achieving success, but now those experiences would never happen.

The dice had been rolled, and the bet had been won.