Chapter 129: Sold out.

Achilles stared at him, slowly processing the news. It was not surprise that the goods had sold out, but the speed was incredible, even for their guild.

"And that’s not all," Rocket continued, waving a clipboard that he picked from a wall holder. "I’m already drowning in pre-orders from the city’s wealthiest clans that got a whiff of the supplies. The demand is too high, boss! Way too high! They want more everything. You need to bring back another haul as soon as possible!

Imagine what will happen when we start exporting these goods? We could charge ten times the price what we ask for here! At this rate, we will be richer than the Johnson clan soon. The Divine maiden will have to borrow money from us." He chuckled in an evil way that made Achilles’s skin crawl for a second.

"Our boss will be the richest man in the post-apocalyptic world." Rocket declared.

Not our boss, but his wife! Achilles thought. A slow, big grin spread across his face. He let out a loud, booming laugh, clapping his hands together. "Ha! I knew that girl would help me blossom! Excellent work, Rocket!" He rubbed his hands. Now all that I have to do is to make sure that Hunter never divorces her, never! He thought, grunting at the thought that he once thought that she was not good enough.

With Zyra they could build the Thorn guild empire. He pulled out a folded piece of paper; the shopping list Zyra had aggressively handed him before he left. "Here. We need to buy these human supplies. I will be leaving with them today in the afternoon. When I return we will have new stock."

Rocket took the list, his eyebrows shooting up in curiosity as he read the items. Rice, cotton clothes, winter clothes, guns, basic iron cooking pots, salt, sugar, toilet paper... Wait, since when did hunting missions need such a high volume of goods?

Rocket opened his mouth to ask but saw the look on Achilles’ face and wisely shut it. In the merchant world, you don’t ask questions that might get you fired.

"Hey, you!" Rocket barked, pointing at a nearby worker. "Get a team together. Buy everything on this list, pack them securely in heavy cargo boxes, and have them ready to be moved by this afternoon. Jump to it!"

"Yes, manager!" the worker bowed and scurried off.

Rocket turned back to Achilles, his voice dropping to a businesslike tone. "I also finished the task you gave me, boss. I’ve gathered all the intelligence on the families that you told me to look into. I sent a detailed summary to your message box, but I also left a physical paper file on your office desk, just in case."

Achilles tapped Rocket’s shoulder gratefully. "You’re a good man Rocket. I’ll go over the file now."

As Achilles turned to leave, Rocket stepped in front of him, his enthusiastic smile fading into a look of genuine worry.

"Wait, boss, before you go," Rocket said, scratching the back of his neck. "I almost forgot to mention... business at the fighting pits has not been at the peak. The gamblers are throwing fits because Magnus has not showed up. People are asking for him." He looked up hopefully. "Any idea when he’s coming back?"

Achilles sighed, his shoulders dropping a fraction. "Honestly? I have no idea how long he’s going to take for his break. He didn’t give me a return date. Tell them he is on vacation."

Rocket slowly nodded in understanding, the disappointment on his face softening into respect. "Yeah... that makes sense. Honestly, the man fought beasts in those pits day in and day out without a single moment of rest. He practically carried the arena on his back. It’s only fair he takes all the time he needs, as long as he is okay."

"Any word on Ocean?" Achilles asked, his eyes narrowed.

Rocket shook his head, eyes lowered. He hated to disappoint his boss, but Ocean was a rat hiding in a deep hole.

Achilles nodded and headed up to his private office, grabbed the thick folder of documents, and began cross-referencing the movements of Zyra’s ex fiancé’s families. Once he was satisfied, he pulled out his phone and dialed a specific number.

"Nero," Achilles said when the connection clicked. "I need a favor. Go to my home and extract Nanny Rosita to Greenwich. But do it quietly. My nosy sister is there so make sure that she doesn’t follow you and oh, she is smarter than you think. Knock her out if you must."

"Understood, boss. We’ll be there discreetly," Nero’s gruff voice replied before the connection faded.

Achilles leaned back in his chair, exhaling a sigh of relief. Everything was going perfectly so far. What he didn’t know was that on a high tile roof a few hundred yards away, a figure was lounging comfortably against a chimney. Bianca held a pair of binoculars to her eyes, focusing right on the window of the Thorn Guild headquarters.

She adjusted the focus, watching her brother pack some things.

"Gotcha," she whispered, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips. "Let’s see where you run to now, big brother."

*****

That same morning, the breakfast at the Kaelion family estate finally came to an end. The table was a rich zone of meats, milk, bread, eggs, tea, porridge, and exotic fruit peels. If the low-borns ever saw it, they would kill those who lived there.

Lita was one of those low-borns. She had been invited to the table, but she had only been allowed to eat porridge and bread! Loveline had slapped her fingers and called her a thief for daring to touch the meat and eggs.

"Mistress Lita," the head butler, Maverick Gnome announced, gesturing toward the mess. "Clear the table along with the servants."

Lita froze. Her jaw nearly dropped. "Excuse me? Me?" She looked around, expecting someone to say it was a joke. When no one laughed, she frowned. "I am a daughter-in-law of this house. Why should I carry dirty plates?" It was bad enough that she had only been allowed to eat the cheap stuff, but she had to work! Why didn’t those who ate the rich foods do the work?

Before she could protest further, a heavy, suffocating pressure filled the room. The Grand Patriarch, who had been wiping his mustache with a silk handkerchief, looked up. His eyes were cold enough to freeze water.

He was already disappointed in Lita. Being that she was a village girl he thought that she was humble, but so far, she was proving the opposite.

"It is your duty as the lowest ranked daughter-in-law to take care of the menial tasks." the Grand Patriarch said, his voice booming with absolute authority. "A person should understand how to lower themselves before they can rise." He turned to Sabrina, "Have you not told her what her duties are?"

Sabrina smiled softly, "She was exhausted yesterday grandfather so I gave her a break, but it will be done today."

Lita expelled a sharp blast of air from her nostrils. Her hands balled into tight fists, and thoughts swirled furiously in her head. She wanted to scream.

Lowest ranked?! Loveline’s half-life beast was a fucking low-level fish! How could he call her lowest ranked? I hate this stupid family! She internally raged.