RinoZ
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Chapter 1742 - Making the Sale
🕑 Added 2026-01-14 01:00:15 +0000 UTCMerchant sat, brushing imaginary dust off her finest coat, a black satin number woven with a fascinating and rare type of golden-silk. Only found in a small area in the first stratum, the moths who wove the cocoons were a type of monster carefully cultivated by the Toothoo nomads who claimed the region.
With just a hint of fire mana held within the threads, they seemed to glow all on their own, and the way they captured the light was just exquisite.
Naturally, she had procured some and handed it to the finest embroiderers in the Colony, and they had not let her down. Not only was the pattern an intricate masterpiece that captivated the eye, it also told the story of the Champions who had come before her, with panels dedicated to Vibrant, Brilliant and Solant.
Across the table from her sat a rather unhappy Alice Erry, chief negotiator of Green Mountain and Merchant’s current adversary.
Of course, Ms. Erry was far too professional to let her emotions show on her face, but it wasn’t hard to sense just how she was feeling. Anger was practically radiating from the woman like heat. Merchant hadn’t needed to mutate herself to sense emotions in order to work that out, she merely needed eyes.
“It’s a shame we have to meet again under such inauspicious circumstances,” Merchant said, shaking her head sadly. “I had truly hoped our last meeting would have led to an immediate and lasting peace between our people.”
“At that time, you had already put in place your plan to kidnap our citizens from their beds as they slept, I’m hardly inclined to believe you.”
Alice’s eyes were hard and burning with rage, which was to be expected. After all, they had been planning on abducting delvers from their beds at that time.
“Kidnapping?” Merchant said, placing a leg on her abdomen in shock. “Such an ugly term. I have been assured that no children were taken. Only delvers. Indeed, only delvers who had been active in the tunnels outside our nest… looking to murder my siblings, or even capture them for sale.”
Merchant tutted, shaking her head sadly.
“Such a cruel world, where the civilised would inflict such acts upon the unwilling. It’s a shame.”
Alice cocked a brow at the ant sitting opposite her.
“Are you now claiming to be civilised?”
“Are you claiming we are not?” Merchant shot back. “If we are not civilised, then spare me your moral protestations, because you can’t expect us to act morally. If we are, then stop pretending you did anything other than endorse the capture and sale of sapient, independent beings to a fate worse than death. I’m aware you humans like to possess a cake and have consumed one simultaneously, but I’m afraid this time, you must choose.”
It was unlike her to draw such a line in the sand during negotiations, but Merchant found that the attitude of Green Mountain was really starting to grind her mandibles. Inconsistent, founded upon nothing and seemingly without clear goals or direction. Just… bad for business.
“Does that choice have any bearing on the outcome of these negotiations?” Ms Erry countered bluntly. “Civilised or not, you have abducted our people and are now demanding that we pay you for them. How are we supposed to view this as anything other than provocation for a war?”
Merchant took a soothing puff on her cigar and adjusted the monocle over her right eye.
“Let us not forget the four thousand soldiers we returned to you after the battle beneath the Dungeon. Is that the act of an aggressor looking to ignite a conflict?”
“Then what do you want?” the representative of Green Mountain pushed. “You assured us you would leave our people alone, but failed to keep your word. Why would we trust you this time?”
They both knew the answer to that: they had no choice. If Green Mountain refused to rescue the delvers, then their economy would be devastated. Delving was their primary industry, and the ants had it by the throat.
“Last time, you failed to get anything in writing,” Merchant said pleasantly. “This time, neither of us is going to make such an elementary mistake.”
So saying, she reached down with a leg and pulled an elaborate scroll from the pouch beside her seat and presented it to her adversary. Ms Erry seized the document and scanned through it rapidly, eyes narrowing the further she got.
When she was done, she placed it down on the table and stared Merchant right in her multi-faceted eyes.
“This is… interesting,” she said.
“It’s downright generous is what it is,” Merchant returned with a laugh. “Let me remind you how this started. We warned you. We pleaded with you. We offered to PAY you. Anything to call off the delvers hunting for us, and you said ‘no’.
“Now we are here, in a different time and a very different place. If you want it to stop, then sign and pay us. Once you do, we will respect your borders, we will not impinge on the operation of your industries, or your trade. In fact, your delvers will be welcome to seek contracts from our own Delving Outpost—there are so many centipedes out there, after all. Peace and prosperity for all. After you pay.”
Muscles tensed on Alice Erry’s jaws, just for a second, but Merchant knew she had clenched her teeth. Sure, get angry. You started this, despite our best efforts to foster peaceful relations.
“Why make us pay at all? You’ve made your point. Even if the Church doubles their bounty, I don’t think a single person would take them up on it.”
“Because the failing is Green Mountain’s. You have made a grievous error in judgement, and that means you must pay a price.”
Merchant reached into her jacket pocket and retrieved a small piece of folded paper. She placed it on the table, then slid it across.
“This price, to be exact.”
When Alice winced upon seeing the number, but didn’t raise her voice, Merchant knew she had selected the right price out of the eleven she had tucked into her pockets.
Make them hurt, but not too much. They were going to be nice and friendly neighbours from this point on, after all.
Comments
Turtle
It’s to prove a point. Show them they can make it hurt regardless of location, with extreme accuracy and precision. The soldiers are valuable but are a money sink by default, unless they act as delvers instead of typical soldiers. The delvers on the other hand pay out monetary dividends just by doing their jobs.
Laurent Jerry
But why go through the kidnapping at all they had the thousands captured in battle and they released those for free ...
carson
This was such a satisfying and deserved dressing down. These people are such hypocrites. They call the ants uncivilized monsters but its their civility that's holding them back from just wiping Green Mountain off the map. They act like the ants are pushing them towards war when they'd already readied an army to attack.
MrrC
"after the battle beneath the Dungeon". Aren't they in the dungeon meeting on the same 4th floor level?
MrrC
Reread this and this sentence @rinoz doesn't track.
MrrC
Second
KopiCAT
I understand wanting that. But the cycle of hatred will never end that way. Sure, destroy the church, but don't do the very thing you hate them doing. That would make the ants no better, or different. And it would be horribly diplomatically towards the other civilized nations. If it ever got out that the ants started draining humans for XP pots, half the nations would go to war against them. And the Legion would laugh themselves to sleep every night. Heck, they might even start truly going to war against the Colony. And make no mistake, as ineffective as the Legion has been in relation to the Colony so far, I don't for a second believe they aren't able to absolutely stomp the ants into oblivion if they truly want to. It's simply a matter of cost. 90% of their resources are dedicated to the levels lower then the ants are currently. The Colony is NOT ready for war against the Legion. A skirmish is what they can win.
ShivaMcTimber
I like the merchant chapters, I think it's useful to develop her character and impact, but I think it would have helped to add something like Alice walking these demands back to Green Mountain and we see the reality of how the ants have impacted them. Maybe when the delvers are released we see a follow up with them and also the captive leader of the Church Army. I know Anthony is going to have words with the priest.
alt31415
As much as I like Merchant, I second this. Show us, don't tell us, the pain Green Mountain is in.
Sean Bloodgood
Tyftc
Vampiric Dust
Another Merchant chapter... bleh. She's really not that interesting and the vagueness in which you treat the specifics just leave these chapters feeling very empty. I feel you're just telling us the Colony is hurting Green Mountain while doing nothing to show us that Green Mountain is suffering in any way. I really dislike this chapter. It would have been way more interesting to see someone inside Green Mountain hearing about the abductions and agreement to pay an insane amount again. Seeing the fallout of Green Mountain giving up so much money as people struggle to afford daily needs. Perhaps shops running low on goods, a climate of fear and uncertainty as more shops are closing than opening. Not that Merchant is a bad character, but I do not really see the point in giving her whole chapters. First one is fine, but this like the third chapter that basically is the exact same each time. It really doesn't need to be repeated unless it's adding something new and I don't think this chapter did anything new.
Byebyebirdie
You might have missed a chapter. The nameless went and captured all the delivers they could from the city while the eldest fought the 10k from the church and 4k from the city. 10k of the church were captured, 4k city folks were left to run back home.
forwad Nothing
Was this the incident mentioned in one of bits before a chapter? (After Anthony woke up something happened, was it him fighting against 10,000 till they were drained of stamina, or did he do something else later, I can’t tell since as absurd as his actions were I’m not sure if it was in reference to this.
Jomel Mirafuentes
I didnt like how theyre going to negotiate and even giving comfort to the captured priests. They should be torturing them and finding a way to extract experience out of their blood and feed it to their grubs. Well theyre a civilized colony and that how we love them as they are monsters.
David Eddy
I'm not sure a human merchant with access to limitless resources would be any less or more concerned about money than Merchant is. Still love her and I'm hoping she might find that taking on all the trappings of an "individual" leads thinking a lot more like an individual....possibly influencing a new batch of ants to adopt unique fashion or music....Anthony will surely blame their wierd behaviour on his inabilty to tickle the youth.
taukid
"out of the eleven she had tucked into her pockets." Lol, I love that. The ants didn't care about money, they care about the message
Koala Man
So good :)
NyxWell
The colony. It came from the colony
UNKNOWN
Merchant used ruthless logic... It's super effective!
Roombot
Oooooooh Merchant slamming her with the logic hammer!! If we’re uncivilized monsters, why are you whining about our behavior? If we’re reasonable people, why were you hunting us like prey?
Anthony Romanov
Sure Anthony left finer details for Merchant. But you got it give it to Anthony. He knew exactly how to hurt and make Example of Green Mountain. Capture their delvers and sell them back and kidnap the ones that are slow learners to sell again. It's no longer just Delvers problem whatever they live or die. It's city's reputation when "Monsters" offer to sell their delvers back. They have no choice but to pay whatever price Colony names. Anthony's marketing strategy is wicked when he is Pissed off!
DrDankness
Merchant is fun. She is a much needed champion for sure
UNKNOWN
Don't play nice Merchant. WE WANT YOU TO FLEECE THEM FOR EVERYTHING THEY HAVE AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING THEM KEEP THE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACK. Pardon me, I'm not sure where that came from.
shawn B
I loved that tidbit of info!
blucube 14
Thanks for the chapter! Man I love Merchants negotiations every time. Puts a smile on my face making the enemy pay. For the colony!
Rene Duvall
Our champion of commerce is very generous indeed
David Harshman
Okay, I love that Merchant honors the Champions that came before. That is awesome.
