My Love Debts Are Everywhere!-Chapter 545: The Eclipse Trading House

"Hey, mind telling me more about what you were talking about?"

At the sound of that voice, the four burly men, who had been deep in conversation, immediately froze.

In unison, they turned toward the source and saw an incredibly handsome man.

He had a flawless face with a strong jawline. Black hair framed his striking features, and his golden eyes were both unique and captivating.

That man, of course, was Leon.

"Excuse me, sir. How can we help you?" one of them asked politely.

Even while simply standing there, Leon radiated an aura that made it clear he was no ordinary man.

Leon smiled and said, "No need to be so tense. I'm just curious about what you guys were discussing earlier."

Hearing that, they all let out a small sigh of relief. They had feared they had offended him, but fortunately, that wasn't the case.

Their bodies relaxed slightly, and smiles returned to their faces.

"Were you asking about the Eclipse Trading House that's been so famous lately?" The burly man on the right asked in a light tone.

"Yes," Leon nodded and pulled over a nearby chair to sit with them. "Please, tell me about the Trading House."

The man took a sip of his beer, his expression serious. "Honestly, sir, we don't know the exact origins of the trading house. They're very mysterious and operate mostly in the shadows."

"However, in the past two months, they've started making themselves known to the public. There are many rumors saying they're a new power controlling the trade routes within the Holy Orthodoxy. Still, those are just rumors and haven't been confirmed."

Leon narrowed his eyes slightly at the explanation. He stayed silent for a moment before asking, "Do you know what kind of activities they've been involved in?"

The burly man to his left quickly replied, "Word is, they've acquired many stores in Morvhal City. And not just there—they're doing the same in other cities too."

"On top of that," he continued, "I've heard they've bought up many farms and ranches from local farmers and ranchers. They now control almost the entire food sector in the Holy Orthodoxy."

"Control the food sector in the Holy Orthodoxy?" Leon echoed, looking a little surprised. "How is that possible? Was there no objection from Saint Arshley or the government officials?"

"None," the burly man across the table replied. "On the contrary, they seem happy about it and are even welcoming the Eclipse Trading House's activities."

"In fact, I heard that Saint Arshley and the officials are planning to cooperate with them to improve the people's quality of life. Of course, that's still just a rumor—the official announcement is supposed to come later."

Leon fell silent for a moment, as if lost in thought.

A few seconds later, he finally understood the reason behind Arshley and the government officials' actions.

"So that's how it is..." Leon let out a small chuckle and nodded slowly.

What the Eclipse Trading House had done could be seen as a form of monopoly.

They bought up many farms, ranches, and stores across various cities in the Holy Orthodoxy, which would inevitably disrupt the existing market order.

However, it was also a necessary step. It was well known that the farmers, ranchers, and merchants of the Holy Orthodoxy were still quite traditional.

Typically, farmers and ranchers sold their produce to traders, who would then sell it to the public.

While this pattern seemed profitable, it had one major drawback—the system didn't encourage growth and kept the market stagnant.

The only way to bring trade into a more advanced era was for traders to invest directly in farmers and ranchers or, even bolder, to establish their own farms and ranches.

What the Eclipse Trading House was doing was definitely something new and would push other traders to change their way of thinking.

Of course, there had to be regulations and policies in place to manage the situation.

Otherwise, farmers and ranchers might suffer losses with merchants entering the fields that had long been their livelihood.

Well, he trusted Arshley. He believed Arshley had already taken these possibilities into account.

Moreover, with Edward, the wise angel of the Holy Orthodoxy, present, Leon was even more certain that everything had been carefully planned.

"Alright, I understand. Thank you for the information," Leon said with a smile. "But before that, could you tell me where the Eclipse Trading House building is located in this city? I'd like to visit it."

His words caught them off guard. They looked at Leon with curious and puzzled expressions.

Ever since Leon had started asking about the Eclipse Trading House, they had already made several guesses about his identity.

And now, hearing him ask for directions to the Trading House building made them even more suspicious—he might actually have some connection to that place!

"Hiss!" As if thinking the same thing, they exchanged glances, their faces full of surprise.

"Ahem!" The burly man on the right quickly spoke up, "The Eclipse Trading House building isn't far from here. After you leave this tavern, just walk down the main road and..."

He proceeded to explain the directions to Leon, who responded with a nod of understanding.

"Thank you," Leon said, placing four silver coins on their table before returning to his seat.

They stared at the silver coins in stunned silence. It had never crossed their minds that they could earn money just by sharing a bit of information.

Yet, they didn't immediately pick up the coins. Instead, they glanced at Leon, who was eating casually.

His indifferent and calm expression made it clear he wasn't concerned about the money—meaning they were free to take it!

"Hahaha! Let's drink to our hearts' content!" The burly man who had first greeted Leon exclaimed excitedly.

"Let's go!" his friends cheered, no less enthusiastically.

***

"Thank you for visiting, sir."

A waiter bowed to Leon as he stepped out of the tavern.

Leon walked about ten meters before stopping to observe the bustling crowd around him.

"Alright, time to visit the Eclipse Trading House," he whispered with a meaningful smile.

That was, after all, his main reason for coming to this city—to meet an old enemy.

Coincidentally, that person now owned the Eclipse Trading House, and Leon was eager to see him.

Without wasting any time, he headed in the direction the burly men had pointed out.

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