Thief of Twilight

Part One: Chapter 21

"Min-ji, what countries does Sincheon have an alliance with?" I sat on the floor beside her with a bowl of grapes between us. Tomorrow night will be Lord Baldwin and Dahi's final evening at the palace. Dahi stressed the importance of Yohan agreeing to work with Lord Baldwin. But I can't bring myself to persuade him into doing so. Yohan doesn't know anything about Lord Baldwin or his business aside from what I have already told him. To him, Lord Baldwin is just another man trying to get in good with the emperor of a foreign country and to be the first man in Khurut to establish trade with Sincheon. By doing so, he can find out what it is that the emperor wants to trade and block any and all competitors.

"Well...Sincheon is very close with Gaounia." Min-ji explained. "We did have a slight issue with Ainde a few years ago. Even though the issue was resolved, we have not established trade with them."

"What about Masir?"

"Masir doesn't have an alliance with Sincheon. They pride themselves on being self-sufficient and rarely seek help from any outside country. If they do, it's another country overseas."

"I see..." most of the time, coastal regions don't need the support of other countries. Coastal regions control trade through the ports. Masir, Sincheon, Khurut, and Batoise are the four countries that have access to trade overseas. With that being said, if either of those countries finds fault with an ally overseas, the company can dock somewhere else. The only countries that would be affected by the sudden delay in goods would be Gaounia and Ainde.

"Lady Abedayo...if I may..."

"Yes." I popped a grape between my lips.

"May I ask...and please if this is too rude of a question you do not have to answer it. But...you seem to have a relationship with Lord Baldwin and Lord Ayad." Min-ji pursed her lips. "I was wondering...what kind of relationship that might be. And why..." her voice shrank as she looked into my eyes.

"Remember when I told you,' the less you know the better'?"

"Yes...I remember..."

"Well..."

"But, Lady Abedayo! What if what you are doing...gets others in trouble? Or worse, what if it gets certain people hurt?"

"That is why I'm not telling you anything."

"But..." Min-ji's eyes began to swell with tears. "Lady Abedayo...I don't like this."

"Min-ji..." cupping her face between my palms, I wiped her tears with the tips of my fingers. "Min-ji..." I don't know if I can tell her. I don't know if I can guarantee her safety.

"I just want to help. I don't think I can help you to the best of my abilities if I don't know what to look out for." she sobbed. "If I don't know anything about them or you, how can I help? I swear I won't tell the emperor or Lord Kang! Or even Lord Baek! I'll keep quiet and if I speak, you can cut out my tongue!"

"What?" I gasped. "No, there is no need for that." I smiled softly. "I just...I don't want you to get hurt but..."

"Is there a way that you can indirectly tell me?"
"...Perhaps..." I thought for a moment. It's not like I can't lie and make up names and groups. "But first...did you see or hear anything today?"

"Well..." Min-ji cleared her throat. "After I had heard Lord Baldwin and Lord Ayad speaking to one another, I learned that Lord Ayad was looking for you. I went to the kitchen and found some servants who were talking about you. They said that you had not been eating much lately. That was when I learned Hyo-rin was taking you a snack."

"What were Lord Baldwin and Lord Ayad talking about? Was it about business?"

"No...it was something about...Shadowbane and Nightshade...?"