The moment Seraphine and Leon approached the tent entrance, the terrified merchant rushed forward with a level of respect that bordered on worship, his face pale and sweating profusely. He bowed so deeply that his rotund belly nearly touched the ground, showing more respect than he would ever display even to his own mother.

"Y-Your Grace! Young Master!" he stammered, his voice trembling with barely contained fear. "Welcome, welcome! Please, you honor me with your presence!"

His hands shook as he gestured frantically toward the tent entrance, nearly dropping his ledger in his nervousness. The rings on his fingers caught the sunlight as his hands trembled.

"Please, Your Grace, allow me to escort you inside immediately! Everything is prepared exactly as you requested!"

But before they could move toward the tent, the merchant suddenly stopped, wringing his hands together as if gathering courage for something important. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he looked up at Seraphine with eyes that were desperate and pleading.

"Your Grace, if I may... about the payment..." His voice cracked slightly. "The advance payment you provided—it's more than sufficient! Please, you don't need to pay anything more. Consider it my humble contribution to your cause!"

His words tumbled out in a rush, as if he was terrified she might refuse his offer. The merchant's entire body language screamed of someone who would rather lose money than risk angering the woman before him, who was accompanied by the devil himself.

"The half payment you gave earlier—it covers everything! The full order, all the supplies, everything! Please accept this as my gift!"

Leon observed the interaction with quiet amusement, while Seraphine maintained her composed expression, though internally she was slightly surprised by the merchant's desperate generosity.

Seraphine didn't hesitate for even a moment. Without the slightest trace of humility or politeness, she accepted his generous offer with the casual confidence of someone who viewed such gestures as her natural due.

"Good. I accept," she said, her voice carrying the same commanding tone she used when issuing orders to her knights. There was no pretense of refusing out of courtesy, no false modesty about accepting such a significant financial concession.

Not to her, of course, it will earn Leon more Causality, so she was satisfied, clueless about how rich Leon was right now.

She stepped into the massive tent with Leon beside her, her amethyst eyes already scanning the organized sections of goods with the practiced efficiency of someone accustomed to getting exactly what she wanted.

"You can wait outside," she commanded the merchant, her tone making it clear this wasn't a request. "Eight of my knights will be arriving soon. When they do, let them enter immediately."

The merchant nodded frantically, bowing so low his forehead nearly touched his knees. "Yes, Your Grace! Absolutely! I'll wait for them personally!"

As Seraphine turned away to examine the merchandise with Leon, the merchant's outward composure remained intact. Still, inside his mind, he was crying tears of blood. The financial loss was devastating—he had just given away goods worth a fortune for a fraction of their value. His entire profit margin had been obliterated, and he would likely operate at a loss for months to recover from this transaction.

But what choice did he have? The alternative of refusing someone who might be connected to the legendary white-haired devil was far more terrifying than any financial ruin could be. Better to lose money than lose his life.

He was already pleased by half the payment he had gotten in advance. The only thing he wanted now was to get the fuck out of here as soon as possible.

He shuffled toward the tent entrance, his heart heavy with the weight of his ruined business calculations, but his survival instincts telling him he had made the only choice possible.

What Seraphine had done was completely normal behavior for someone of her status and power. In this world, strength was the ultimate currency, and with great power came certain natural privileges that others accepted as the way things worked.

Kings, dukes, and other powerful nobles were showered with such generous offerings regularly. Merchants, artisans, and traders would compete to provide their services at reduced rates or even for free, hoping to curry favor with those who held absolute power. It was an unspoken understanding that crossed all social boundaries. When faced with overwhelming strength, ordinary people naturally deferred and offered tribute.

Seraphine had been initially prepared to pay the merchant exactly what she had promised him during their initial negotiations. She wasn't the type to cheat or renege on agreed-upon terms. However, when he voluntarily offered to waive the remaining payment out of his own fear and desire to appease her, she accepted without a hint of guilt or remorse.

Why should she feel bad about it? This was how the world functioned. The substantial received deference from the weak, and the weak gained protection and favor from the strong in return. It was a system as old as civilization itself, built on the fundamental truth that power commanded respect.

This is by far the most generous offer I've ever received from any merchant, Seraphine thought as she walked deeper into the tent, her eyes scanning the neatly organized goods. Usually, they try to negotiate or at least hesitate before offering such concessions.

She understood the reason completely. The merchant's terror wasn't just about her own reputation as the Lightning Commander of the West. It was about Leon—her beloved had become far too famous now, it seems. The stories about the white-haired devil who had slain kings and reshaped battlefields had spread like wildfire through merchant circles and beyond.

He's terrified of Leon, not just me. The rumors about my Leon have reached even here. A small smile played at the corners of her lips. And honestly, they should be afraid. They have no idea just how much power he truly possesses.

Leon watched her examine the goods with casual efficiency, noting how naturally she moved through this dynamic. There was no cruelty in her acceptance of the merchant's generosity—just the practical acknowledgment of her position in the world's hierarchy. She had earned her power through years of training, battle, and dedication. The benefits that came with it were simply part of the natural order.

Once they were inside the massive tent, Leon's eyes began to take in the sheer scale and variety of supplies that had been assembled. The organization was impressive—everything was categorized and arranged with military precision, clearly designed to support the complex needs of running an entire city.

To his left, towering stacks of grain sacks stretched from floor to ceiling. Mountains of wheat, barley, rice, and oats were arranged in neat pyramids, each variety clearly labeled and stored in protective containers. The quantity was staggering—Leon estimated there had to be enough grain here to feed hundreds of thousands of people for months. Adjacent to the grains were enormous containers of preserved meats, salt-cured and smoked to ensure long-term storage.

In another section, he spotted an incredible variety of seeds arranged in countless small containers. These weren't ordinary crops—many were specialized varieties that could grow in low-light conditions or even complete darkness, perfect for underground cultivation or areas with limited sunlight. Mushroom spores, root vegetables that thrived in shadows, and hardy grains that required minimal light were meticulously organized and labeled.

The construction materials occupied a vast area of their own. Lumber was stacked in precise rows according to size and type—oak beams for structural work, pine planks for flooring, cedar for weather-resistant applications. Beside them sat pyramids of stone blocks, bags of lime for mortar, clay tiles for roofing, and coils of rope thick enough to hoist the heaviest building materials. There were enough materials here to construct entire districts.

Professional tools and equipment filled multiple sections, each dedicated to different trades. For blacksmiths, there were anvils, hammers of various weights, tongs, and bellows. Carpenters had saws, chisels, planes, and measuring tools. Masons had their specialized hammers, levels, and cutting implements. Tailors and sewists had a variety of tools at their disposal, including scissors, needles, thread, and measuring devices. Even more specialized professions were represented—alchemical equipment, scribal supplies, and even musical instruments.

She had even kept things in mind for besides just basic living.

The textile section was enormous, with bolts of cloth stacked ceiling-high in every conceivable material and color. Wool for warmth, linen for comfort, silk for luxury, and sturdy canvas for practical applications. Leather goods occupied their own area—from fine materials for luxury items to thick hides suitable for armor and heavy-duty work.

Leon's spatial awareness allowed him to perceive the true magnitude of what surrounded them. The quantities were enormous—this wasn't just enough to supply a large town, but sufficient to sustain and equip hundreds of thousands of people through extended periods, covering every aspect of medieval life and professional need.

Seeing the incredible scope and organization of the supplies around him, Leon naturally turned to Seraphine, his expression filled with genuine admiration.

"Seraphine, this is truly remarkable," he said, gesturing at the vast collection surrounding them. "To accomplish all of this in just one and a half days in the outside world... the logistics alone must have been incredibly complex. You've managed to gather everything needed to sustain and equip an entire city."

He shook his head slightly in amazement as he continued to take in the sheer scale of what she had coordinated.

"The organization, the variety, the quantities—it's exactly what we'll need. I'm impressed by how efficiently you handled this."

Seraphine accepted his praise like the accomplished commander she was, a gleeful smile spreading across her face. Her amethyst eyes sparkled with pride as she stood a little straighter, clearly pleased with both the achievement and his recognition of it.

"Of course I managed it," she replied with confident satisfaction, her voice carrying that familiar note of pride she had whenever her capabilities were acknowledged. "When you asked me to handle the supplies, I made sure to think of everything we could possibly need."

She gestured around them with obvious satisfaction, her smile growing even brighter at his praise. There was something deeply gratifying about having Leon recognize the complexity and skill required to coordinate such a massive undertaking in such a short timeframe.

"I told you I'd take care of everything, didn't I?" she added with a pleased expression, basking in both the accomplishment and his admiration.

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