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Journey to Become the Zenith

Chapter 418: A Merchant’s Investment · Oct 23, 2026

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Chapter List (490)

Page number / 10

401 Chapter 401: The Chaos Spirit’s Terror 2026-10-23
402 Chapter 402: Truth Hidden Behind Misunderstanding 2026-10-23
403 Chapter 403: The Fury of a Warrior Denied 2026-10-23
404 Chapter 404: Gathering Before the Storm 2026-10-23
405 Chapter 405: The Prince Who Declared Independence 2026-10-23
406 Chapter 406: The Queen’s Silence 2026-10-23
407 Chapter 407: The Queen’s Decision 2026-10-23
408 Chapter 408: The Queen’s Decision [Part 2] 2026-10-23
409 Chapter 409: Shadows Enter Fantom City 2026-10-23
410 Chapter 410: Shadows Enter Fantom City [Part 2] 2026-10-23
411 Chapter 411: A Woman From the Past 2026-10-23
412 Chapter 412: The Weight of a New Kingdom 2026-10-23
413 Chapter 413: The Burden of Independence 2026-10-23
414 Chapter 414: The Burden of Independence [Part 2] 2026-10-23
415 Chapter 415: The Woman From the West 2026-10-23
416 Chapter 416: A Name from the Past 2026-10-23
417 Chapter 417: A Deal Over Tea 2026-10-23
418 Chapter 418: A Merchant’s Investment 2026-10-23
419 Chapter 419: A Deal Written in White Gold 2026-10-23
420 Chapter 420: A Deal Written in White Gold [Part 2] 2026-10-23
421 Chapter 421: A Gamble Worth Taking 2026-10-23
422 Chapter 422: The False Residence 2026-10-23
423 Chapter 423: The Strange Marquis of Elmhart 2026-10-23
424 Chapter 424: The Fortress Beneath the Earth 2026-10-23
425 Chapter 425: The Woman Beyond the Gate 2026-10-23
426 Chapter 426: The Marquis Is a Woman!!! 2026-10-23
427 Chapter 427: The Distance Between Them 2026-10-23
428 Chapter 428: The Transmigrator Before Him 2026-10-23
429 Chapter 429: The Sword Empress’s Last Resort 2026-10-23
430 Chapter 430: The Artifact of Materialization 2026-10-23
431 Chapter 431: The Original Soul 2026-10-23
432 Chapter 432: The Sword That Slays Gods 2026-10-23
433 Chapter 433: The Sword That Slays Gods [Part 2] 2026-10-23
434 Chapter 434: Origin Swordsmanship!!! 2026-10-23
435 Chapter 435: The Sword That Split the Heavens 2026-10-23
436 Chapter 436: When the Moon Was Cut in Half 2026-10-23
437 Chapter 437: An Omen Across the Ancient Continent 2026-10-23
438 Chapter 438: The Original Awakens Their Battle Lust 2026-10-23
439 Chapter 439: Why Did He Spare Her? 2026-10-23
440 Chapter 440: Find Out Who Sent Him 2026-10-23
441 Chapter 441: Evelyne’s Sincere Request 2026-10-23
442 Chapter 442: A Swordswoman’s Humble Request 2026-10-23
443 Chapter 443: The Sword Master and His Disciple 2026-10-23
444 Chapter 444: The Quiet Days After the Moon Was Cut 2026-10-23
445 Chapter 445: Something Wrong in the Alley 2026-10-23
446 Chapter 446: The Woman Behind the Fear 2026-10-23
447 Chapter 447: The Thief’s Broken Act 2026-10-23
448 Chapter 448: A Path That Should Not Exist 2026-10-23
449 Chapter 449: The Hero Returns to the Hidden Cave 2026-10-23
450 Chapter 450: The Six Types of Heroes 2026-10-23

A Merchant’s Investment

The words came almost casually.

Felberta crossed one leg over the other beneath the table. Then she leaned back slightly, settling into her chair as if they were discussing something completely ordinary.

”I just want to start a little business here.”

Brinda’s eyes narrowed.

A business?

After revealing her identity?

After showing that she had a butler who could overwhelm her before she even had the chance to cast a spell?

The whole situation was becoming stranger by the moment.

Felberta didn’t seem bothered by Brinda’s suspicion.

She simply continued.

”You see, I’m growing tired of the traveling merchant’s lifestyle.”

Her voice was light.

Almost playful.

But there was something beneath it.

Something quieter.

Something sincere.

That small trace of honesty made it difficult for Brinda to dismiss her outright.

Felberta didn’t sound like someone looking for a place to make a quick profit before moving on.

She sounded like someone who had spent enough time wandering and had finally found somewhere she wanted to stay.

”I want to take root here in New Fantom,” Felberta said. ”I feel like a lot of opportunities are going to appear here.”

Brinda didn’t answer immediately.

She studied Felberta in silence.

There was confidence in the woman’s expression, but it wasn’t the loud kind. Felberta wasn’t trying to impress her. She wasn’t desperately trying to sell the idea.

She simply seemed certain.

That certainty made Brinda more cautious, not less.

Outside the room, faint footsteps passed through the corridor.

They grew closer.

Then faded away.

For a moment, neither woman spoke.

Beyond the mansion walls, New Fantom continued to live.

The city was never truly quiet anymore.

There was always something happening somewhere.

A cart rolling over uneven stone.

Someone shouting from a nearby street.

The distant sound of workers finishing their duties.

New Fantom was still finding its feet.

Its independence was young.

Its foundations were far from stable.

And financially...

Things were even worse.

Lord Victor had left behind a vision for the city.

A grand one.

But a vision alone couldn’t build anything.

Someone had to pay for the roads.

Someone had to fund the workshops.

Someone had to bring in supplies.

Someone had to organize trade.

People needed work.

Businesses needed protection.

The city needed merchants willing to take risks.

And above all else, it needed money.

Brinda understood that better than most.

She had seen the accounts.

She knew how carefully every coin had to be handled.

That was why Felberta’s proposal couldn’t simply be brushed aside.

A merchant willing to invest in New Fantom at this point wasn’t merely offering money.

They were placing their faith in the city’s future.

And people didn’t make that kind of decision without a reason.

Brinda slowly raised one hand and rested it against the armrest.

Her fingers tapped against the wood.

Once.

Twice.

Then stopped.

Her gaze remained fixed on Felberta.

”What exactly are you planning to establish?”

Felberta’s smile remained gentle.

”That depends on what New Fantom needs.”

Brinda watched her carefully.

There was no hesitation in the answer.

No nervous glance toward Oliver.

No attempt to exaggerate.

It was almost frustrating.

Felberta was giving her just enough information to keep the conversation alive without revealing anything important.

Brinda exhaled quietly.

”You’re not acting like a proper merchant.”

Felberta’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

”Is that so?”

”You know too much.”

For the first time, Felberta’s smile changed.

It became smaller.

Not threatening.

Just knowing.

”A merchant survives by knowing things, Ms. Brinda.”

Brinda stared at her.

”Perhaps.”

Her fingers continued moving almost imperceptibly.

The delayed spell was taking shape.

Mana flowed through the channels beneath her skin, gathering without producing any visible fluctuation.

She needed to remain patient.

She couldn’t afford to rush.

Felberta had already demonstrated that she was not someone who could be underestimated.

And Oliver...

Her fingers continued moving almost imperceptibly.

Brinda’s eyes briefly shifted toward him again.

The old butler stood exactly where he had before.

Still.

Silent.

Unmoving.

Yet somehow that stillness was more threatening than an armed guard.

Brinda immediately looked away.

She didn’t want to provoke him.

There was no reason to.

For now, this was a negotiation.

Felberta leaned forward slightly.

”You’re worried about the city’s finances, aren’t you?”

Brinda’s expression remained unchanged.

Inside, however, her thoughts sharpened.

So she knows that too.

”Anyone who has eyes can see that New Fantom needs money,” Brinda replied.

Felberta gave a quiet laugh.

”True.”

She placed her teacup down.

”But knowing that and being willing to do something about it are two different matters.”

Brinda said nothing.

That statement struck closer than she wanted.

Felberta wasn’t wrong.

Many merchants had already heard about New Fantom’s situation. Most would wait.

They would watch.

They would wait for the city to stabilize before investing a single coin.

But this woman had come now.

At the worst possible moment.

That meant she either had extraordinary courage...

Or extraordinary confidence.

Perhaps both.

Brinda’s eyes narrowed.

”What do you expect to gain?”

Felberta smiled.

”Profit, naturally.”

The answer was so simple that Brinda almost laughed.

Almost.

Felberta continued, her tone still relaxed.

”But profit isn’t always measured in coins.”

That sentence made Brinda’s expression grow serious.

She understood what Felberta was implying.

A merchant could invest money today and receive influence tomorrow.

A foothold in a newly independent city could become extraordinarily valuable if that city succeeded.

And if New Fantom truly became the prosperous city Victor envisioned...

Then the first merchants to establish themselves here would possess an advantage no latecomer could easily take away.

Brinda finally understood the shape of the offer.

This wasn’t charity.

It was an investment.

A calculated one.

And that made it far more dangerous.

She leaned back in her chair.

Her delayed spell was nearly complete.

She kept her face calm.

Felberta’s smile never faded.

Between them, the tea slowly cooled.

Neither woman looked away.

For the moment, both were smiling.

But beneath those smiles, neither trusted the other.

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