Chapter 230: Doglud Waits for the Bear

Chapter 230:
Doglud Waits for the Bear

 

THE GIRL IN THE BEAR OUTFIT and the guild master Sanya headed out into the rain.

I couldn’t fathom how the pair were planning to cross the river in the middle of the downpour. I had lived in this town for many years, and I had never heard of a way to cross the river to the other town during such a deluge. Any reckless soul who attempted such a thing was simply swept away and carried downstream.

Even if someone were able to reach the other side, they would need to make their way to the town from wherever they ended up, then they’d need to prepare a new boat to return, and that boat would also end up downstream from their intended destination. A costly endeavor—not to mention incredibly dangerous.

Yet that bear girl spoke as though she had a simple method for crossing the water. It was possible that there was a method unknown to me, but…what? It piqued my curiosity.

 

After the two of them left, I got back to work in my office…and soon enough, Mr. Retbelle came by.

It wasn’t even evening yet, but he wanted his bracelet.

“Why, Mr. Retbelle, it seems you’ve come much earlier than our appointed time.”

I led my rain-drenched, elderly visitor to a room where we could sit together.

“The very thought of coming in the evening made me weary. Yes, I thought it better to come early. Besides, the boats aren’t going anywhere in this rain. You wouldn’t mind if I took it now, would you?”

A reasonable request, I must admit. The boats weren’t moving. There was no way to bring the painting over.

I prepared some tea and set it in front of Mr. Retbelle. “I’m sure you must be chilly, with the weather like that. Please, have some warm tea.”

“Ah, yes, thank you.”

I sat down and looked Mr. Retbelle in the eye. “Regarding the elven bracelet I promised you...would you be willing to wait until evening, as we agreed?”

“Why would I do that?”

“Someone is picking up the painting I promised you at this very moment.”

“In this rain?!” Mr. Retbelle was shocked, naturally. No resident of this town would guess that someone could cross the river in this rain.

“Indeed. It’s the sister of this bracelet’s owner, to be exact. She left in the middle of this deluge and insisted that she would bring the painting here.”

“An elf went to all that trouble simply for a bracelet?”

“Surely you’re aware of how much elves value such a thing, Mr. Retbelle.”

“Yes, yes—which makes them all the more difficult to acquire.”

“She left in this terrible rain to recover her family’s precious heirloom. I made a promise to that elf, you understand. I told her I would return the bracelet if she brought the painting tonight. You did promise that the earlier issue would be water under the bridge, Mr. Retbelle. Am I correct?”

“Yes, I promised. When did this elf go? We’ve had rain these past few days.”

“She just left.”

“She just left?” He blinked. “She just left?”

“Yes. She said she would be certain to come back by evening too.”

“And you didn’t stop her? You saw the state of the river, surely! You say she’ll get to the other town but look at this rain! What boat could survive it?”

“I’m not sure. But I did make a promise. If she’s able to bring the painting you asked for by this evening, then I must return the bracelet to its owner. And so, I ask you…please wait until evening. As a fellow merchant, I hope you will understand the importance of this sort of agreement. It’s the foundation of our trade, after all.”

“Well, I do understand...”

“So please, Mr. Retbelle, keep your own promise. If the painting doesn’t make it by this evening, I will give you the bracelet.” That had been my original promise to him.

“Yes, yes. If you insist, I shall wait. But I shall come this evening, I swear it.”

“Of course.”

Truthfully, I was just as doubtful as Mr. Retbelle. I didn’t expect them to come back in time. Still, a promise was a promise. Merchants must honor such things. If the two didn’t come back, I would give Mr. Retbelle the bracelet.

But promises aside and merchantly duties forgotten…I did hope that they would come back soon.

You see, I didn’t want to make that little elf girl cry.