Witch Troupe and the Undead

Looking at the fragmented blue sky beyond the leaves, Wax savored this brief moment free from the constraints of life, children, and family, and a pure joy welled up within him. A man's happiness, sometimes, is that simple.

"Splash!" "Hey buddy, having a smoke? Want me a few?"

Wax subconsciously touched the bag before looking up in the direction of the person. A dark figure stood among the trees, carrying an axe in one hand, a backpack on the other, and a small bundle of wood in the other. He looked like a lumberjack who had come to the forest to cut down trees.

“Then, on the hour?” Wax hesitated for a moment. The voice was unfamiliar. In the small village of Windcandle, he knew everyone, especially the lumberjacks who often went into the forest together. Moreover, the man’s accent was strange and didn’t sound like someone from Lywood County.

"On the hour!" The man put down the wood and walked in. He was about to share his treasured Waxton with this unfamiliar lumberjack when he froze. The man was tall, almost six feet tall, taller than the tallest man in the village.

His face, neck, and exposed arms were covered with crooked scars. As he walked, they looked like countless earthworms wriggling on his face. His face was divided into three or four parts by the scars, which made his originally fairly regular features appear uneven and distorted due to visual illusion.

To be fair, if you ignore the healed scars, this man's appearance wouldn't be considered exceptionally handsome; he could be described as a well-proportioned, handsome young man with clear features. Unfortunately, those terrible scars completely ruined all the beauty, giving him only a terrifying and bizarre feeling of being neither human nor inhuman, a feeling that could touch the uncanny valley.

It was as if a tall man, carrying an axe, was slowly approaching, his body being painstakingly prepared by an embalmer. The surroundings were a dark and gloomy forest. At this moment, in this scene, Wax felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet.

"Good heavens!" The wax collector dropped his tools and bag and fled without looking back. Of course, he didn't forget to take his ancestral treasure, the expensive silver pipe.

“…” Roach looked at the empty stone, the cloth bag and tobacco box beside it, and the tools that looked like those used for harvesting rubber, and fell into a brief silence.

"What happened?" Roach scratched the back of his head, feeling a little confused about what had happened. Was it because he looked too scary?

Indeed, he knew he had many scars on his face and body. Although he felt his appearance had been greatly diminished, considering that the little witch had praised him for being cute, he thought that at least this level of "uglification" would be acceptable to the locals.

Roach picked up the tools and cloth bag from the ground. It would be better to return these relics to their owner later. He also took a look at the small wooden buckets. The liquid inside gave off a fresh smell. He didn't know what it was for, but Roach didn't plan to try it. After all, there was no witch here to resurrect him.

Following the footprints left by Vax and the barely discernible paths in the forest, Roach easily emerged from the dense Ash Forest and entered the sparse maple forest near Windcandle Village, composed of red maple trees cultivated by lumberjacks.

The sparse trees could no longer block the brilliant sunlight, which danced between the maple leaves and the dense grass below. Occasionally, one could see a few plump, free-range roosters with their harems searching for grass seeds and insects in the grass, which made Roach, who had been eating mushrooms and fish for a long time, involuntarily swallow his saliva.

Scattered among the sparse woodlands and fields of verdant spring wheat are dozens of thatched-roof houses. However, unlike the mud-brick and wood houses of the real Middle Ages, these houses, though thatched-roof, have sturdy walls made of cobblestones and plaster, with a white plaster coating on the outside.

Rather than being medieval, it is closer to the rural architectural style of the period around the Victorian era (see the picture at the end of the article).

Three windmills of different sizes slowly turned in the village. A clear stream flowed through one side of the village and disappeared on the other side of the horizon covered by farmland. Roach was certain that the surrounding area should be a plain, because he did not find any trace of mountains or hills.

The Eagle Feather Mountains block typhoons from the southern ocean, protecting the Luster Plain from wind disasters similar to those experienced by the Great Plains of North America. The numerous passes and low ridges along the mountains ensure that the plain never lacks rainfall.

With its fertile land, abundant rainfall, and few natural disasters, the Luster Plain became the largest grain-producing area in the Stoll Empire. It was also the source of territorial disputes between the Empire and the Kingdom of Lada. The former was constantly encroaching on the latter's land, while the latter rallied the countries east of the Luster Plain to resist the Empire, eventually leading to a protracted war.

However, no matter how the war goes, it doesn't really concern the people of Lywoodshire, since their possessions are all in the Black Forest, and to the south lie the Eagle Feather Mountains and the even more worrisome "Dangerous Living Forest".

It's a place that even the Kingdom of Rada didn't even consider taking. Besides, if they had the ability to send their army across the eastern Black Forest, then it would be someone else who is now being beaten and begging for mercy.

Rather, the war actually made Lywood County, rich in strategic resources such as wheat, candles, and hardwood, even wealthier. Being close to the front lines yet not vulnerable to enemy attacks, it was the perfect place for merchants and quartermasters to procure and resupply for the army.

In the fields, farmers are diligently tending to their crops. If they can't make more money while wheat prices are high during these years of war, they won't have such good days after the war ends.

Sturdy farm women, carrying baskets full of clothes, swayed their barrel-like waists as they walked in groups towards the river. Their cheerful laughter carried on the wind, creating a scene of peace and tranquility. In such places, there was often little wariness towards strangers, as merchants and peddlers frequented these times and locations, and there was also a greater frequency of visits to relatives and friends.

Several children playing on the edge of the field instinctively stopped when they saw the stranger, looked at Luo Qi, and then turned around and ran away in unison, shouting something in a rural dialect that was hard to understand, but judging from their behavior, it was definitely not anything good.

Before Roach had gone 50 meters, he was blocked by a group of short, stocky farmers carrying pitchforks and sickles.

"I'm here to buy something, I mean no harm," Roach spread his hands to indicate that he had no ill intentions and that he didn't have any dangerous items in his hands. He then took out his money pouch and shook it. He wouldn't have done this in other situations or with other reactions, as it could easily arouse other people's greed and malice.

Now, it is the locals who are afraid. So, taking out money as a tool to buffer the current antagonism between the two sides would be very effective. Now, it is he, not the locals, who needs to prove that he has no malicious intent.

Clearly, the clinking of the coins calmed the farmers' expressions considerably. It must be said that money truly can make the devil turn the millstone, and even the millstone can turn the devil. Even the devil often uses money as a tool when tempting mortals, because it is really effective!

"Gold, golden gold, shining gold, just a little bit can turn white into black, ugly into beautiful, coward into hero. Yes, Shakespeare was right~" For some reason, this sentence popped into my head, but I have to say it really makes a lot of sense.

The gold in his purse made him, a man who might seem terrifying to others, become kind and approachable, and gave courage to the timid and cowardly farmers in front of him.

"Who are you? What brings you to Fengzhu Village?"

“Me? I am Roach, an… well, an alchemist. You can also consider me a potion maker. I’m going to buy some tools and materials, and also some food, because there’s nothing to eat in the forest over there.”

The village elder's expression softened considerably. He had seen many alchemists and adventurers venturing into the Black Forest in Wind Candle Village. And he was right; there was nothing to eat in the Black Forest. On the contrary, the people who went in were quite edible compared to the creatures inside.

Furthermore, the fact that he was an alchemist made the farmers feel much more at ease about the scars on Roach's face. In the stories they had heard from the bards, alchemy was often associated with explosions, and judging from the scars on this guy's body, he must have been a frequent exploding person!

Even Roach would agree with this, and other alchemists and pharmacists would nod in agreement, because... his injury really was caused by an explosion.

Chapter Ten: Windcandle Village Trading Station

Villages like Wind Candle Village have almost no shops or commercial facilities. There are only two commercial facilities in the entire village, and the village elder took Roach to one of them, a trading post located under a small windmill.

Empty wooden crates and barrels were piled up in the courtyard enclosed by a tall wall made of stone and stucco. Bundles of hay were scattered on the ground, and the whole courtyard was filled with the smell of wheat and horse manure. Two guild laborers stood by the stables shoveling horse manure, and a sturdy wagon was parked by the courtyard gate, with two solid oak doors stacked next to bundles of hay.

The windmill creaked and turned slowly, below which stood a sturdy stone building about three stories high, with two narrow windows set under the high roof, reflecting the sunlight.

Roach never had the idea of ​​making money by making things like glass or soap. On the one hand, the technical difficulties involved could not be explained in a few words. On the other hand, the relevant knowledge he learned was all about "laboratory preparation methods," which is different from industrial preparation methods that require large-scale production.

Even so, he couldn't help but sigh when he saw the glass windows inlaid in the main building of the trading post.

This means that the world not only has glassmaking technology, but has also made four technological advancements: "colorless transparent glass", "flat glass", "bubble-free flat glass" and "inexpensive glass". It is unclear whether there has been a breakthrough in the remaining technological challenge of "large flat transparent glass".

But if even a relatively remote village like this can use large glass windows, then it's hard to say. It seems that the world's technological development is not too backward.

The trading post was divided into two floors. The lower floor was a spacious two-story warehouse that also served as a trading hall. Tall shelves held wooden frames, sacks, and crates, while in the corners were wooden barrels piled up to the wooden ceiling and a considerable number of bales of hay.

Local farmers traded agricultural products, timber, candles, and other goods here, and also bought salt, farm tools, cloth, and other supplies from merchants. The purchased agricultural products were processed in a backyard workshop connected to the warehouse, turning them into higher-value goods that were easier to trade and carry. At the same time, the trading post itself would also use the power of windmills to produce some simple goods for local sale.

Going up the wooden staircase in one corner of the trading post leads to the office and living area of ​​the trading post manager, as well as the temporary lodging area for the heads of the visiting merchants' associations. In addition, it is also the only general store.

Some delicate goods that are not suitable for placement below, such as glassware, are stored on top. This serves two purposes: firstly, to prevent theft, and secondly, because local farmers generally would not buy them. They are mainly sold to passing caravans, lumberjacks, or wax miners with some money, as well as to adventurers who occasionally venture into the Black Forest.

Roach could only buy alchemical glassware, seeds, fertilizers, and even some processed agricultural products from the trading post. The people of Windcandle Village and the merchant guild had signed a purchase agreement, and they generally wouldn't sell things to others privately. The guild owners who had close ties with the local lords wouldn't tolerate such behavior.

Of course, this only applies to the contents of the agreement; not everything has value for trade and transportation. Products that lack this value or are of low value will not appear in the agreement. After seeing Roach down the stairs, the elder left, and Roach had to climb the seemingly dilapidated stairs on his own.

The second floor is a long L-shaped corridor with closed doors on both sides. At the end of the corridor is a small, separate warehouse. The trading post clerk he is looking for is in the first office on the right-hand side of the building.

There were two desks in the office. One was a large one for the head of the trading post, with a sturdy wooden cabinet behind it and a sturdy metal box on the side. The other desk was for the traders, and it was covered with papers, ink bottles, balances, and other odds and ends. There was no place for visitors to sit.

The main door faces a window on one side of the corridor, which is the only source of light in the entire room. This setup makes Roach feel that the public security in this world may not be ideal. It looks like the design of some kind of solid fortress.

In fact, his guess was probably quite accurate for this building with a long history. After all, trading posts not only had to deal with potential robbers and thieves, but sometimes they did also serve as military supply depots.

The floor was uneven, and when Roach walked in, the wooden planks made a shrill, mournful sound, as if they were about to be hanged. Perhaps this was some kind of anti-theft measure? The sound made the trader, who was looking down at the pile of coins in front of him with his scales, look up.

This was an old man who looked to be about fifty or sixty years old. As a respectable professional, he wore a thick, faded coat with ink stains on the cuffs. His face, covered with wrinkles and deep lines, was adorned with small round glasses, and his gaze was deep and wary.

The moment he made contact with Roach's face, he saw the old man's facial muscles twitch and his eyes become extremely alert.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" The old man calmly tightened his grip on the iron cane leaning against the desk. Since the other party had passed through the bottom of the building silently, and the thugs and part-time helpers hadn't sounded the alarm, it was possible that he was legitimate, or it was possible that they were all already finished.

“It’s like this,” Roach took two steps closer and pulled out his money pouch from his pocket. “I want to buy some things.” His Luster language wasn’t very fluent, and for a seasoned trader, it was almost immediately obvious that it wasn’t his first language.

As for where this guy comes from or what his identity is like? Sorry, from the moment he pulled out his money pouch and the little cuties inside clinked together with a crisp sound, none of that mattered anymore.

For a competent merchant, especially one who, around the mid-18th century, had endured an incredibly arduous life as a traveling merchant before becoming a stationary one, any customer with a trading inclination was invaluable.

Because their status, business, and wealth all stemmed from their relentless pursuit of every trade opportunity, every wrinkle on the old man's face smoothed out when Roach took out his money pouch and uttered the incantation of utmost goodwill between them: "Buy something."

He transformed from an aloof, critical clerk who scrutinized every person who entered the room, a vigilant guardian of every single coin he owned, into someone who, to everyone, including Roach, appeared kind, compassionate, and approachable.

"Dear guest, what would you like to buy? Judging from your appearance, you must be a traveler. We have all kinds of goods that are most suitable for travel, from sturdy ropes and durable oil lamps to the best candles from Wind Candle Village."

The trader stood up with a smile. With his keen eye honed over decades, he could roughly judge the customer's wealth—a high-class, rare, and well-off client—from the shape of the money bag the other party was holding, its bulging outline, and the crisp metallic clinking sound inside.

This means he can afford the largest quantities of goods or the most expensive treasures at this trading post. Of course, it's not suitable to put them out to sell right away, because a last shred of vigilance still keeps him wary of the possibility that he might be a bandit coming to sell stolen goods or purchase supplies.

“I need some seeds, wheat flour, and some vegetables. If possible, cheese and cured meat would also be fine. I don’t need too much. The road is a bit difficult to travel, so I may need to make several trips to carry it,” Roach said after carefully considering his words.

The trader's somewhat fluent Lusterian was quite ambiguous, but for someone who had seen all sorts of strange humanoid creatures, he didn't need to repeat himself a second time to understand his needs, and had already drafted a preliminary sales strategy or product recommendation for him.

The need for multiple round trips for handling implies that the transaction will be substantial, potentially involving multiple trades and shipments within a short period, prompting the trader to involuntarily lick his lips.

"I also need some alchemical tools, sturdy ones, not too advanced, just basic ones, and some measuring tools."

"You are a..."

"Alchemist."

"Oh~" The old man immediately understood the source of the scars on his face and, like the others, exclaimed, "So that's how it is!"

Alchemists were definitely the most sought-after customers for merchants. Although alchemists in the strict sense no longer exist, they have been replaced by more specialized potion makers, rune makers, craftsmen, and instrument makers.

However, apart from weapon craftsmen who forge arcane weapons, these artisans involved in mysticism are still generally referred to as alchemists, and they often use this identity when dealing with people.

After all, it's really difficult to explain the difference between a potion master and an alchemist to farmers in the countryside. However, it's much simpler to just say that you are an alchemist, since farmers and even a significant portion of urban residents are already confused about the difference anyway.

"Then the money you brought..." the trader said cautiously. If the other party wanted to purchase alchemical tools or something, then their family's wealth might be a little... insufficient. Of course, he didn't care too much about this, because alchemists always had good things that could offset the price of the goods.

Roach also showed a knowing expression, "I do have some medicine here."

"Well, to be honest, we don't actually buy these kinds of things here, and we can't give you a reasonable price."

The salary for hiring an appraiser with potion-identifying abilities is honestly not cheap, and the possibility of an alchemist coming to a place like Windcandle Village, especially one who goes to the Black Forest to find materials, is not zero.

Even the tools Roach wanted weren't readily available locally. Once the deal was struck, he would immediately send his apprentice on the fastest horse in the stable to the River Bend branch of the Chamber of Commerce to retrieve the goods. They would usually arrive the next day at the latest with the caravan and the hired guards.

There was no other way; these tools were not cheap, and the profit margins wouldn't be low either. It was entirely worthwhile to send a caravan on the trip. Besides, the caravan could also bring back some seeds and other goods that Roach needed that weren't available locally.

“I understand,” Roach understood perfectly. What they meant was that they would buy the potions, but certainly not at market price; there would be a significant discount.

"That's good. Let's talk about the specifics then." The old man magically pulled out a rather comfortable chair from a corner that Roach hadn't even noticed, and invited Roach to sit down opposite him.

The transaction negotiations between the two parties took a lot of effort from Roach. To be honest, it was the first time he had ever heard of a trader from a rural area in another world being so difficult to deal with. The two sides repeatedly discussed and confirmed the quantity and subtle differences of each type of goods, and these differences were reflected in the final transaction price.

The trader also felt that this was the most difficult customer he had ever encountered. If he didn't know better, he even suspected that this was someone sent by another chamber of commerce to cause trouble. Ordinary customers and farmers would never discuss such details about freight costs and the protection of different goods during transport.

It even specifies which damages to goods during transportation fall under the "force majeure" exemption clause and which fall under the "avoidable human error" clause, requiring the Chamber of Commerce to assume responsibility for compensation or reshipment.

Of course, he also firmly rejected some of Roach's completely unrealistic requests. What does "three-day no-reason return" mean? What does "after-sales service" mean? As for the so-called goods, even if they break as soon as they leave the hands of the customer, it is the other party's responsibility, and the Chamber of Commerce will not be responsible.

Finally, when all the contracts were finalized, stipulating that delivery would be made in no more than two days and that a penalty of 15% of the total value of the goods would be charged for each day of delay, both parties felt that "this was truly a thrilling battle."

Under the other party's enthusiastic sales pitch, in addition to purchasing the high-quality wheat flour, yeast powder, and common vegetables such as radish and lettuce seeds that were already on his list, Roach also bought local cheese and pickles from River Bend Town, as well as premium dried nuts and cured meats from Wind Candle Village.

It's worth mentioning that Roach initially thought the cheese was sheep's cheese or cow's cheese, but it turned out to be made from the milk of a creature called the "Long-haired Giant-footed Beast".

Its appearance is roughly similar to that of a mammoth, but it is only as tall as an adult's shoulder, with four thick legs. It is docile and does not have the long tusks of an elephant. It is considered a "harmless" monster. Its meat is used to make cured meat, and its milk is used to make cheese. According to the traders, it seems to have a status similar to that of a pig.

Rather, this is a normal phenomenon. If the animals here were the same as cattle and sheep on Earth, Roach would really have to question the origin of this place. However, even so, there are still some things that are very similar to species on Earth. For example, when entering the village, he saw birds that looked exactly like chickens.

However, if you consider that chickens are actually descendants of dinosaurs and originated from ancient reptiles, it's not incomprehensible. It's strange enough that humans in this world are so similar to humans, which shows that they have at least a high degree of convergence with biological evolution on Earth.

As for the other pickled vegetables, some of them were familiar to Roach, some were unfamiliar, and a small portion were highly recommended by traders, but he felt it was unnecessary. For example, the root plants that looked exactly like the legendary mandrake, after being pickled, resembled screaming corpses as thick as fingers.

And those giant, orange-red fruits that look like pumpkins—if you didn't see that incredibly resolute face made of a tough outer shell, Roach might actually have bought them to try what these fruits, supposedly from plant-type monsters, tasted like.

In addition to these, because of the large amount of goods purchased, the merchant guild rented a packhorse to Roach. He needs to return the horse within a week, otherwise the deposit of up to 20 gold coins will be deducted, and he will have to pay a separate loss for the next transaction.

However, if the goods are returned within a week, Roach can take the 10 gold coins as collateral, while the remaining 10 gold coins will still be collected. This is a characteristic of commercial trade in this era: no one has much credit, not only in terms of the quality of goods, but also in terms of transaction contracts.

After finalizing the trade, the Chamber of Commerce provided Roach with a temporary room, so he wouldn't have to go to the other commercial facility at the village entrance, a dilapidated part-time inn, where he would sleep on a communal bed with the lumberjacks.

Roach entered the guest room, which was located at the end of the corridor. The room was small, with only space for a bed and a bedside table. On the table were candles about two finger-widths high, reflecting the trading post owner's stinginess and cost control.

"Phew, today was exhausting!" Walking was alright, but negotiating was truly draining.

Chapter Eleven Leslie or Leslie

The next morning, the trading post was bustling with activity. Although Roach didn't need a large quantity of goods, they were quite a jumbled mess. The traders were able to arrange the goods faster than he had expected, perhaps because Fengzhu Village was indeed not far from Hewan Town and was located along the river.

Just as Roach finished eating the dried fish he had brought, he saw a large wagon slowly drive into the trading post. On the wagon were three rather large cargo boxes and several wooden barrels. Two guards wearing thick cloth armor stood beside the wagon, holding short swords in their hands and carrying short hunting bows on their backs. This level of armament was more than enough for short-distance escort and trade.

"Mr. Roach, please confirm the goods you requested. If there are no problems, we can proceed with the handover." The wooden crate was stuffed with straw, and a set of exquisite glassware, including beakers, test tubes, and a glass distiller, was stored in individual compartments lined with velvet.

Roach checked them one by one. There were no bubbles or cracks. Although the transparency was a little disappointing, it was not unacceptable considering the technological background of the time.

The other two boxes contained other tools he had ordered, including a metal casting furnace, clamps for holding test tubes in place, and various measuring tools such as rulers, set squares, small scales, balances, and matching weights.

Inside the wooden bucket were the local specialties he had bought. The cheese looked very similar to goat cheese, with a thick orange-red crust and a pinkish-white core underneath, emitting a strong, fermented sour smell.

The pickled vegetables are made from the roots and stems of a local specialty called "Heyuangen". Luo Qi had tried a sample before and found it to be sweet and crunchy. Since this type of pickled vegetable is a common side dish for ordinary families in the area, as the raw materials can be found in any fertile place along the river, it was just an extra item included in this trade.

Finally, there were the high-quality salt blocks and some spice powder that Roach bought. Compared to Europe in his memory, the spice production here was at least better, and the prices weren't too expensive, although the variety was somewhat limited.

Or, as in ancient China, many spices were now being sold in pharmacies as medicinal herbs and alchemical ingredients. Overall, Roach was quite satisfied with the transaction. After checking and confirming that everything was in order, he readily paid the money. All the coins, plus the unused healing potions and strength potions, plus a bottle of antidote potion, were just enough to cover the cost of the goods and the rent for the packhorse.

His backpack is a magical item that can hold much more contents than its apparent capacity, but note that it is only larger than its apparent size and does not reduce the weight in the slightest.

Therefore, Roach only stuffed in the expensive tools and spices, and put the rest of the flour, pickles, and cured meat in the baskets on either side of the packhorse. It could be said that the most expensive thing in the whole transaction, apart from the tools, was the rental fee for the horse, followed by the spices. As for the flour, cheese, cured meat, and seeds, they didn't even cost a single gold coin.

"Money and goods settled, transaction complete." The old man waved his hand to indicate that the transaction was now complete. As long as Luo Qi walked out of this door, even if he was robbed on the street, it would have nothing to do with their merchant guild.

Don't get me wrong, these stationary merchants wouldn't do such a thing. While itinerant merchants might seamlessly switch between banditry and trade, stationary merchants, who need to do business in one place for a long time, wouldn't do such a thing, at least not near their own guild or trading post.

Luo Qi led his packhorse away from Fengzhu Village, but just as he was about to leave the village, he was stopped by three young people, two men and one woman.

"Sir, sir! Please wait a moment!" A red-haired girl with a few freckles blocked his way. Her cheeks were red from the intense exercise. She didn't look like a village girl who worked all year round, but her skin was dull and rough, and her appearance was just like a human.