Isha stood at the back of the crowd, her gaze never leaving the steaming pot of bean soup for a single moment.
She had watched every shift in expression on the faces of the princess and the other two as they tasted the soup, but she did not act rashly.
She was confident that no one present understood the value of this pot of soup better than she did.
As a merchant, this pot of soup was not merely the result of a crop harvest; to her, it was a piece of ore from an untapped gold mine. She could already see countless gold coins swirling before her eyes.
Yet, to her, the value of this soup went far beyond that. The gimmick of a “Golden Sea crop” was where its true worth lay.
These few words alone would be enough to make the nobles in the heart of the Empire flock to it.
Even if the beans tasted mediocre, as long as they bore the label “Produced in the Golden Sea,” they would be a rare commodity—a legendary delicacy on a noble's dining table that would make their guests' eyes widen.
What was more, the taste of these beans far exceeded expectations.
Just then, the princess stood up with her bean soup and announced in a clear voice to the surrounding crowd, “Anyone who wishes to try it may come and have a bowl!”
Isha's eyes lit up. She naturally would not let this opportunity slip by. However, just as she expected the surrounding crowd to surge forward, she realized that was not the case.
The people in the crowd exchanged glances, and some even took a half-step back, whispering their reservations about the beans, even though the princess had already tasted them first.
How ignorant.
Isha rolled her eyes inwardly, but her face remained entirely expressionless.
Feeling the atmosphere gradually grow awkward, Isha knew she had to step forward and be the first. Otherwise, if even the princess's own retinue harbored reservations about this batch of crops, how could she possibly convince merchants and nobles on the outside?
Thus, she whispered a few instructions to Lena beside her, and then, under Lena's astonished gaze, she stepped out.
“Your Highness, I would like to try.”
The princess was visibly startled. She had not expected the first person willing to step forward to be this merchant who had only arrived today.
But she said nothing more. Instead, a smile graced her face, and she turned, preparing to personally scoop a bowl of bean soup for this brave young lady.
“Wait!”
Lena's voice suddenly rang out. The tall woman lunged to Isha's side in a single stride, grabbing her arm tightly, and cried out in an exaggerated, high-pitched voice, “Miss! Have you lost your mind? Those are... beans grown by a necromancer! Who knows if they're dangerous? If anything happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to everyone?!”
Although she tried to keep her voice down, the moment those words were spoken, they stirred up a massive wave of unease. Everyone around them furrowed their brows. Though they said nothing, their body language spoke volumes.
The princess also stopped in her tracks, looking at the performing master and servant with a slightly peculiar expression.
“Lena, you are right.”
Compared to Lena's exaggerated acting, Isha's performance was far more natural. She looked at Lena with a firm gaze, placing a reassuring hand over hers. “The cultivation of these beans indeed involved a necromancer, and there might be some danger.”
“However!”
Isha shifted her tone, her gaze sweeping over the surrounding crowd as her voice grew louder and more impassioned. “Her Highness has already drunk it for our sake, when it should have been us doing so for her.”
“As the Third Imperial Princess of the Empire and the rightful owner of this land beneath our feet, Her Highness could have easily ordered us to test it first. But she didn't. Instead, she took the risk upon herself. So, what do we have to fear?”
The camp instantly fell silent. The servants lowered their heads, and the guards clenched their fists in shame, none of them daring to meet Isha's eyes.
Beside them, the peculiar look on the princess's face turned into a hint of amusement. She looked at Isha, a flicker of genuine interest rising in her eyes.
To Alicia, tasting the bean soup was entirely voluntary. If no one wanted to drink it, she wouldn't force them.
But what this young merchant was doing suddenly made her realize that the current situation was far from ideal. The others still couldn't fully accept Shane's presence. If their perspective didn't change, it would inevitably lead to other hidden troubles.
Thus, she did not speak up to interrupt Isha. Instead, she stood aside, observing how this fourteen-year-old girl would perform to help her.
Isha had no intention of stopping there. She gently pushed Lena's hand away and looked back at the crowd. “Furthermore, this is no ordinary bowl of bean soup. It represents the very first crop ever grown on the soil of the Golden Sea.”
“In all of history, who has ever heard of grain being grown in the Golden Sea? Who has ever eaten anything produced here?”
The crowd remained silent, for the answer was absolute: no one.
“But now, things are different.”
Isha raised her hand, pointing toward the princess. Her ringing voice reached every corner of the camp. “Under Her Highness's leadership, every single one of us is a witness to this miracle.”
“Think about it. Ten or twenty years from now, when the Golden Sea has become a fertile land and you bring your descendants to this oasis, what will you say when they ask you, ‘What were you doing when the first batch of crops matured back then?’”
The servants and guards looked up, their eyes flickering with anticipation, seemingly realizing what Isha was about to say next.
“How do you plan to answer? Will it be, ‘Oh, I just stood by that day and watched others become heroes’? Or will you say...”
Isha turned and pointed to the iron pot over the bonfire. “...‘I drank that bean soup, and it tasted pretty good’?”
“Pfft!”
Someone couldn't help but burst out laughing first. Soon, laughter rippled through the crowd.
Those who had been hesitating just moments ago now straightened their backs, their eyes gleaming with eagerness.
It was obvious they had been won over.
Striking while the iron was hot, Isha added, “Besides, if Mr. Leynas really wanted to harm us, why would he go to all the trouble of growing beans?”
“Wouldn't it be much easier for him to summon a few skeletons to bury us all in our sleep than to spend half a month growing beans?”
At those words, the crowd erupted into a burst of hearty laughter.
Amidst the laughter, the previously awkward atmosphere dissolved completely, and people began to step forward.
At that moment, Alicia approached Isha with a freshly scooped bowl of bean soup and handed it to her. Isha took it without hesitation and took a large gulp.
Instantly, a warm, soothing comfort spread from her stomach to her limbs, causing her to widen her eyes slightly as she looked at Alicia.
No wonder the princess and the others had those expressions on their faces.
Licking her lips, Isha took another large gulp. Then, facing Alicia, she pretended to lower her voice, though speaking loudly enough for everyone around to hear: “Your Highness... this taste reminds me of my mother.”
She looked up, her eyes turning slightly red, her gaze brimming with a sincerity that was almost palpable. “It's so warm.”
These words completely shattered the final line of defense.
“Your Highness, I would like a bowl too.”
A young servant finally couldn't resist and stepped forward. With him leading the way, even more people followed. Within moments, the area around the bonfire was crowded with people.
“Don't push, don't push, there's enough for everyone.”
“Form an orderly line, don't grab!”
“Mmm, this soup is really good!”
Alicia looked at the scene before her, unable to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She turned to Isha beside her and said sincerely, “Thank you.”
Hearing this, Isha bowed slightly, a polite smile on her lips. “As Your Highness's friend, it is only my duty.”
“Friend,” Alicia murmured, her gaze lingering on Isha for a moment longer.
This merchant's value was far greater than she had imagined. To read people's hearts, dissolve their fear, and elevate her own standing all in such a short span of time—this level of skill was rare even within the imperial court.
Looking at Isha, Alicia suddenly felt that this friend she had made was truly quite wonderful.
However, in contrast to the increasingly lively scene around the bonfire, Shane, who had retreated to a corner, was now standing up and staring deep into the sandy sea. The skeletal hound he had sent out with the sand scalers to find water seemed to have spotted something rather unpleasant.
Rate on N.U.
