It was early in the morning. It was 9 a.m. By now, 99.9% of the Azure city's population had woken up and had breakfast already. The adults were preparing to start their long day of work while by now almost all the children of the city had reached school and their classes had already begun. The Azure City was alive with various activities. The streets were full of people and commotion. The morning market was the busiest place in all of Azure City. The morning market is the place where all local and foreign fresh vegetables and fish are brought for sale. In the morning, the market was filled with more people than at any other time during the whole day. The whole market was full of crowds. It wouldn't be wrong to call this place overcrowded. In the morning, the market turned into the loudest spot throughout all of Azure City. This was when an enormous number of buyers and sellers gathered, each looking to sell or purchase items they wanted or needed. The sounds of many people talking, laughing, and especially bargaining with the sellers filled the air everywhere in the Market. This bargaining wasn't quiet or polite; it was lively and full of energy, with buyers trying to get the best prices and sellers aiming to make good sales. The Market buzzed with the voices of people negotiating deals, the calling out of prices, and the occasional shout when a deal was struck or disagreed upon.
The whole market was bustling with activity, made up of countless small vendors who came from nearby villages and towns. These vendors were there bright and early to sell their goods, which were either freshly grown vegetables or freshly caught fish. They set up their stalls with hopes of attracting customers' attention, laying out their produce in neat rows and calling out to passersby to take a look.
There wasn't a single spot in the market that was calm or silent. The air was filled with the mingling scents of fresh food and the constant hum of conversation. The ground vibrated with the footsteps of thousands of people moving about. The atmosphere was one of chaos and liveliness which was a true sensory overload. People haggled passionately. Each exchange was a mini-drama of its own. Each exchange was filled with gestures, expressions of surprise or delight, and the occasional friendly argument over a price. This was a place where the energy and noise never seemed to fade, making it the most vibrant part of Azure City in the mornings.
It wasn't just the small vendors who were trying to sell their vegetables, there were also many big players in the market. But the Istarin Empire's policy and laws made sure that were was no room for an oligopoly market. Everyone got a fair chance. But still, the big businesses had way more opportunities than the small vendors. Early in the morning, one of such big business owners was hurrying out of the Market with his subordinates. It was very odd to see him leave the market, especially early in the morning. Because the morning was when businesses sold the most amount of goods and products. Around 50 to 60 percent of their daily sales are made in the morning. But instead of watching over his business, he was leaving everything to his subordinates and was leaving the market. This sight made many puzzled. As the man along with some of his subordinates was about to exit the market, another man with a long red beard reaching his chest blocked his math. "Eloise, where are you heading this early in the morning?" Asked Cassian. Just like Eloise, Cassian is also a big business owner. Both of their names are very famous in the market. It was well known that both of them were competitors but outside of business both of them were like friends. Eloise Fairweather was 71 years old. But despite being that old, he only looked like he was in his 30s. He had long black hair that he had tied into a ponytail. He had a sharp jawline and a pointy nose. He was fair-skinned and was around the height of 5 feet 9 inches. He was wearing a luxurious outfit that only nobles could afford. Eloise looked like a young handsome man. Since he was a cultivator, his appearance has remained young. Cassian Thorne was 61 years old. Despite being 10 years younger than Eloise, Cassian looked older than Eloise; but not that old. Just like Eloise, Cassian was also very well dressed. Cassian mainly looked old because of his long red ginger beard that reached his chest. Cassian had a very thin hairline. He was 90% on his way to becoming bald. "Cassian, I am in a hurry today. I will talk to you later." Normally whenever Eloise met Cassian, he would stop even if he was in a hurry to talk to him at least for 30 seconds. But today, Eloise was in such a hurried state that he did not want to waste a second talking to Cassian. "What happened? Did you make a big loss or something?" Seeing Eloise hurrying, Cassian felt that Eloise might have made a big loss in his business. Though he didn't show it on his face, assuming the possibility of that happening, Cassian felt slightly bit excited. After all, who wouldn't? The fewer competitors he had, the more profits that he could make by scaling his business. "Nothing like that has happened, Fortunately. I am going to receive a very important client from the Western entrance." Eloise said as he kept walking. Cassian had become so interested that he was also walking along with Eloise to keep their conversation going. "Who is this client?" Cassian was shocked. Who could make the legendary Eloise, who was one of the biggest merchants not just in the Azure City but also in all of the Istarin Empire go to pick someone personally? "It's Felix....!!" Hearing these two words, Cassian remained frozen in his place. He had a look of shock and disbelief. Meanwhile, Eloise quickly got on his carriage. By the time Cassian recovered from his shocked state, he saw 6 carriages leaving the market already. It was already too late for Cassian to stop Eloise. "Dammit.....!! I wasted on such a huge opportunity." Cassian angrily gritted his teeth in anger. If he and Eloise were known as one of the biggest and richest merchants in the Istarin Empire, then Felix would be their ultimate Merchant. In the merchant community, there is no one who doesn't know about this legendary Figure. Felix is considered to be a myth. He is a man who is very highly respected and well-known by almost everyone. Even the nobles regardless of their rank and status or their military might have to be careful with attitudes in front of Felix. Now that he realized why Eloise was in such a hurried state, Cassian felt his heart in regret. He had missed out on such a huge opportunity. Now Eloise would get the chance to work with Felix. -
Scene change_______
Around a few days ago, just after a few hours after the Hydra's attack, Eloise received a letter from a big shot. The legendary Felix had personally written him a letter. This was a huge honor for Eloise. Not only that but after reading what was written inside the letter, Eloise knew that huge doors of opportunities were about to open up to him. By the time, Eloise reached the Western Entrance of the City, the carriage number had grown from 6 to 10. All the carriages stopped in front of the Western Entrance. Seeing this many carriages, the Imperial guards were confused for a few seconds. They did not understand why there were so many carriages in front of the Western entrance so early in the morning. Eloise and his men got out of the carriages and waited for the arrival of Felix. "Boss, why this Felix person is so important?" One of the new and inexperienced subordinates of Eloise asked him while standing behind him.
"Felix is not just a name or a person. Felix is a brand that every Big business knows about. Felix is a brand that has the power to play a significant role in wars and conflicts."
Eloise then turned around and looked at his subordinate. "Simply put, Felix has the power to change the outcome of a war."
"He has the power to start a war between two powerful Empires." From Eloise's tone, it did not look like that he was joking. He was really serious. Hearing this, everyone felt shocked. They felt goosebumps.
Suddenly they all became so nervous. They were going to meet such a legendary figure. One of the imperial guards went up to Eloise to ask why he had brought 10 carriages with him. "Eloise, you can't park your carriages here. You're blocking the road." The Imperial guard knew Eloise so he spoke nicely to him. Otherwise, the guard's tone wouldn't have been so nice. "Brother, a super important figure is going to come in a few minutes. If you knew this identity, then you wouldn't stop me." Eloise seriously said. "Who is it?" The guard asked in a lazy tone. "It's Felix......!!" Hearing the lazy face of the guard instantly disappeared. "Is it true?" Eloise silently nodded. By then, they saw the large doors of the Western entrances fully opening. All the people in the street moved out of the way and stood on both sides as a golden luxurious carriage slowly entered the Azure City. Felix was here!!!
