Bullish in Another World: Isekai Trading for Survival

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Edge of a Storm

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Edge of a Storm

The night in Rindora felt unusually long. The inn where Mia, Logan, and Elys had taken refuge was quiet, too quiet, as if the entire city was holding its breath. The uncertainty of the traders’ decision weighed on them like a leaden cloak. Mia sat by the window, gazing out at the dimly lit street below. She could see the faint outline of the market square in the distance, the heart of Rindora where livelihoods were at stake.

Logan, ever restless, paced back and forth, his fingers tracing the hilt of the dagger he always carried. "I hate waiting," he muttered. "It feels like we're sitting ducks here. If the Consortium wants to move against us, this is the perfect time."

"They wouldn’t strike here, not yet," Elys replied from her place near the fire. She hadn’t taken her eyes off the flickering flames since they returned. "The traders are undecided, and the Consortium needs to keep their hands clean until they know where Rindora stands. Attacking us now would push the city toward the coalition."

"Still," Mia said, her voice soft, "we can’t assume they’ll play by the rules. We’ve made our move, and that makes us a threat."

She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes for a moment. The exhaustion was creeping in, but the thought of sleep felt distant. Rindora’s future hung in the balance, and with it, the momentum of their entire campaign. They needed the city’s support, but the Consortium had deeper pockets, more resources, and a head start on building influence.

Suddenly, a sharp knock echoed through the room. All three of them froze, exchanging tense glances. Logan’s hand was already on his dagger as he approached the door cautiously. Mia stood, heart racing. Elys remained by the fire, her fingers subtly weaving magic into the air, ready for any surprise.

Logan cracked open the door, revealing a messenger—young, barely more than a boy, with wide eyes and a breathless expression.

"Message for you," the boy said, holding out a folded piece of parchment.

Logan snatched the note and tossed a coin to the boy before closing the door. He glanced at the seal. "It’s from Berrick."

Mia hurried over, her pulse quickening as Logan broke the seal and unfolded the paper. His eyes scanned the lines, his expression tightening with every word.

"Well?" Mia asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Logan handed her the note, his face dark. "It’s not good."

Mia took the parchment, reading quickly:

To the Coalition Representatives,

After much deliberation, the guild has made its decision. While we appreciate your offer, the pressures upon Rindora are too great to ignore. The Consortium’s terms, while not ideal, offer immediate relief that our traders cannot afford to pass up. We will be aligning with the Consortium and accepting their aid.

We wish you well in your endeavors, but Rindora must prioritize its own survival.

—Berrick, Head of the Rindora Traders’ Guild

Mia crumpled the paper in her hand, her throat tight. "Damn it. We lost them."

Logan cursed under his breath, slamming his fist into the wall. "I knew it. Berrick was always going to fold to the Consortium. He just wanted to string us along."

Elys stood, her face calm but her eyes betraying a flicker of frustration. "The traders in Rindora are desperate. Berrick made the safe choice for the short term. The Consortium offered immediate relief, and that’s all they could see."

Mia dropped the note onto the table, her hands trembling with a mix of anger and disappointment. "It’s not just Rindora. If the news spreads that they sided with the Consortium, other cities will follow. The coalition will lose its momentum."

"We can’t let that happen," Logan said, pacing again. "There has to be something we can do. We can’t just leave the city to them."

Mia’s mind raced, sifting through possibilities. They couldn’t force the traders’ hand, but leaving Rindora entirely would send a signal of defeat. They needed a way to weaken the Consortium’s hold without sparking open conflict—something that would remind the traders of what they were really giving up by siding with them.

"There might be another way," Mia said, her voice steadying as a plan began to form. "The Consortium relies on appearances, on convincing people they’re the only path to stability. What if we disrupt that? Show the traders that the Consortium’s promises are as fragile as the Flow itself?"

Logan paused, raising an eyebrow. "What are you thinking?"

Mia looked between Logan and Elys, her eyes narrowing with determination. "We hit the Consortium where it hurts—their shipments. Rindora may have sided with them, but they still rely on the Flow to deliver goods and maintain their trade routes. If we disrupt that, even temporarily, it’ll remind the traders that the Consortium’s power isn’t as absolute as they think."

Elys’s eyes lit up with understanding. "You mean sabotage their supply lines? It’s risky, but if we can pull it off, it would send a powerful message."

Logan grinned, his mood shifting as the thrill of action returned. "Now you’re talking. A few well-placed disruptions, and the whole city will see the cracks in the Consortium’s armor."

Mia nodded, her resolve solidifying. "Exactly. We’ll need to be careful—we can’t let this turn into an all-out war. But if we hit the right targets, we can weaken the Consortium’s grip on Rindora and force the traders to reconsider."

Elys stood, already thinking through the logistics. "We’ll need to move quickly. The Consortium will have guards on their shipments, but I know some magic that can help us slip past them unnoticed."

Logan rolled his shoulders, clearly eager for action. "I’ll handle the sabotage. Just point me to the right place, and I’ll make sure they feel it."

Mia felt a surge of hope. They had lost the initial battle, but the war was far from over. The traders of Rindora might have sided with the Consortium for now, but Mia wasn’t about to let that stand. If they could show the city that the Consortium’s promises were built on shaky ground, there was still a chance to turn the tide.

"Let’s move," Mia said, a fire in her voice. "We’ve got work to do."

---

Night had fully fallen by the time they reached the outskirts of Rindora’s trade district. The docks were bustling, even in the dark, with Consortium ships coming and going, unloading crates of goods that would be distributed throughout the city. Guards patrolled the perimeter, their eyes sharp, but Mia and her group stayed hidden in the shadows, waiting for the right moment.

Elys whispered a spell under her breath, her fingers weaving intricate patterns in the air. A faint shimmer surrounded them, cloaking them from sight. "We have about ten minutes before the spell wears off," she whispered. "Make them count."

Mia nodded, signaling to Logan. He slipped through the shadows like a ghost, moving toward one of the larger Consortium supply ships. The plan was simple: sabotage the main crates, the ones holding the most valuable goods, and create just enough chaos to disrupt the flow without drawing too much attention to themselves.

Mia and Elys stayed back, watching as Logan carefully pried open the lid of one of the crates. He worked quickly, scattering its contents and subtly damaging the crates so they would collapse when moved. The guards remained unaware, their attention elsewhere.

In a matter of minutes, the sabotage was complete. Logan returned to Mia and Elys, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "That should do it. When they try to move those crates, they’ll have a mess on their hands."

Mia allowed herself a small smile. It wasn’t a victory yet, but it was a step in the right direction. "Let’s get out of here."

As they slipped back into the night, the faint sound of raised voices and confusion echoed from the docks behind them. The disruption had begun.

Mia’s heart raced, knowing this was only the first of many moves to come. The fight for Rindora wasn’t over—and neither was their battle against the Consortium.