Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 351 Emotional Intelligence and Generosity

It must be admitted that Horak's arrival was at a rather delicate time.

A little earlier, Xia Nan and the others were collecting honey in the nearby woods;

Later on, they might have already finished dinner.

Just as the group returned to camp with the anvil beehive, and before they even had a chance to deal with it... it was hard not to suspect that the other side had known their whereabouts in advance and deliberately timed it.

However, considering that Soldin left the camp alone, and apart from Margaret and Shanan, he did not mention anything about the "Anvil Hive" to any other team members.

Given the perception abilities of the strongest adventurers in their team, there was no possibility that anyone was following or spying on them.

So it's highly likely that it really was just a coincidence.

At least Xia Nan didn't find anything strange in the other party's expression.

Good evening, my young friends!

"In this desolate night, if only the starlight is for company, it would be far too boring!"

Holak walked at the head of the group, and before even entering their small camp, he was already smiling and waving from afar.

After spending seven days together, this generous merchant, compared to the extravagant and domineering aristocratic style that made me think of his caravan journey as a kind of outing, was actually quite considerate and kind in his daily interactions.

Not to mention the adventurers specially hired by Xia Nan and his caravan, even the servants who served the caravan members had never been scolded by Horak to his face.

Even when a team member occasionally made a mistake, he remained very calm. The one who actually reprimanded him was the assistant manager behind him, a thin man with a serious expression—Xia Nan guessed that he probably played the role of "good cop" and "bad cop."

He was quite generous with his rewards, often praising and rewarding team members for doing well in certain aspects. Even though most of these rewards were just a few copper coins or a silver coin or two, the total amount he gave to his team members was enough to hire two or three new people.

In addition, the silver chain pocket watch that Horak had forced into Xia Nan's arms as a greeting gift when they first met made him have a very good impression of this wealthy businessman.

“My old friend always says that we should enjoy the peace and quiet of being alone at night.” Horak reached out and patted the team manager on the shoulder next to him. “But I’m naturally fond of being around people, and I especially love sharing good food with my colleagues.”

The servants following behind quickly stepped forward and placed the iron pots, which were emitting a fragrant aroma of food, on the fire.

As the lid was lifted, a rich and enticing aroma burst forth with the rising steam, revealing a delicious dish underneath that, judging by its appearance alone, would likely taste quite good.

Golden fat swirls and boils in the thick, bubbling broth, garnished with onions, radishes, and vegetable roots, setting off the main ingredient: a whole pot of fragrant, tender chicken stewed until it's soft and juicy.

“From a farm near the Misty Forest, these top-quality black-feathered chickens have been nourished by the magical particles in the forest since they hatched. Before setting off, we specially found the best chef in River Valley Town to marinate them with special spices for a whole day.”

"Simmering it over low heat, the flavor has seeped into the bones. Try it, you definitely won't be disappointed!"

As he spoke, Horak sat down on the folding stool that the servant had prepared for him, his relaxed posture making it seem as if he were in his own living room rather than in a makeshift camp during his journey.

However, coupled with his warm and composed attitude, as well as his sincere act of bringing high-quality food to visit, he did not evoke any sense of dislike.

With a keen eye, Horak noticed that the reactions of the people on the field were different from those of the previous days. He seemed to realize something and glanced at the bag Margaret was carrying and the dwarf's swollen and red hand. He already had a guess in his mind.

Not embarrassed, he just smiled and eased the atmosphere by saying:
"Haha, it seems... I've come at the wrong time?"

"No, no," the dwarf Soldin quickly replied, the ornaments in his braids clinking softly. "We're all teammates, there's no such thing as 'not at the right time'."

As he spoke, he exchanged a glance with Margaret and Shanan beside him. Seeing that the two of them nodded slightly, he then pointed out to Horak across the campfire where they had just gone.

"Anvil honey!?"

Whether it was to feign surprise to give the group ample emotional value, or to genuinely be amazed by the rarity of this ingredient, Horako's performance was spot-on; he practically sat up straight on the stool.

"These bees usually only live in high mountains and mining areas, but I didn't expect them to be found in this kind of plain and wasteland."

"It's only because you guys are here that I wouldn't recognize you even if my lads were standing right in front of me."

The portly businessman casually opened his mouth and, without anyone noticing, offered a few more compliments to the group.

They were also very tactful in not asking Xia Nan and the others about the exact location and remaining status of the anvil beehive.

Even when Soldin offered some of his own portion to the other party to taste, the wealthy merchant only took a few spoonfuls as a symbolic gesture, not taking more than necessary. He also said that he had taken advantage of Xia Nan and the others, and that he would treat them to several big meals after the mission was over and they returned to River Valley Town.

All I can say is that even the most oblivious and dull-witted person would feel incredibly comfortable around someone who is so generous and has such high emotional intelligence.

"No wonder he's been able to build such a large business; he certainly has some talent in dealing with people and situations."

Xia Nan thought to himself.

Throughout the meal, Horak chatted and laughed, mainly talking about his travel experiences and local customs, which kept the adventurers interested in the topics and allowed them to participate harmoniously.

When Soldin recounted his adventures, I responded with just the right amount of surprise and followed up with some targeted questions that really piqued his interest, demonstrating my exceptional communication skills.

In any situation, as long as there are no obvious contradictions, it is difficult for people with this kind of personality to dislike them.

Of course, throughout this whole process, Xia Nan played more of a listener role.

He's just a good-for-nothing.

Of course, I'm interested in the experiences of other adventurers and the local customs, but right now, the food is undoubtedly more appealing.

The black-feathered chicken stew that Horak described as growing in the magical particle mist of the Misty Forest tasted exactly as he had described—salty, savory, and rich.

The long simmering process fully releases the marrow and essence from the chicken bones, along with the sweetness from the vegetables and ingredients, allowing the fibrous chicken meat to retain its original chewy texture while being soaked in the rich broth, making it not dry at all.

With just a gentle sip, the meat separates from the bone, then slides down into the stomach, enveloped in a rich and complex broth infused with various spices.

Delicious, rich, smooth, savory, and fragrant...

Perhaps this world doesn't have the advanced cooking tools of my previous life, nor does it have as many seasonings to choose from.

But when the supernatural power of a fantasy world is combined with money, even food can become a "pleasure" worth savoring. And what surprised Xia Nan even more was the anvil honey they had just retrieved from the beehive.

It doesn't emit a particularly strong fragrance; if you get close, you can only smell a cool, refreshing scent.

But when you put the honey in your mouth, and your tongue touches the amber-like, viscous liquid, the rich sweetness, which combines the crispness of minerals and the fresh aroma of fruit, will instantly explode and spread throughout your entire mouth.

It's hard to describe this taste in words.

But without a doubt, this is the most delicious honey Xia Nan has ever tasted in both of his lives.

Paired with hard bread, the thick texture of honey envelops the bread's roughness, and the sweetness largely compensates for the lack of flavor, allowing the slight acidity of the grains to blend perfectly with the sweetness of the honey.

When paired with dried meat, the dry, fibrous texture is masked by the amber-colored, viscous liquid. The rich sweetness and the salty and savory flavor of the dried meat blend harmoniously, creating a wonderfully complex taste. The mineral-clear aftertaste of the iron anvil honey cleverly neutralizes the greasiness of the dried meat, eliminating the need to drink water frequently to relieve oral discomfort.

If Xia Nan had a bowl of steaming, fragrant cream of mushroom soup in front of him right now,

Add a few more spoonfuls of anvil honey.

The taste... he couldn't even imagine how delicious it was.

While Xia Nan was enjoying the food, the atmosphere around the campfire became increasingly harmonious under Horak's influence, and they even dared to discuss topics that might normally be offensive to strangers.

Soldin held a piece of silk cloth between his short, thick, radish-like fingers and carefully wiped the braid on his chin—some of which had accidentally gotten on it while drinking soup.

Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of the exquisite golden ring inlaid with deep red chalcedony on Horak's right little finger, and subconsciously said:

“Hey, Mr. Horako, that stone on your little finger that looks like solidified flame, is it chalcedony? I used to dig up similar things occasionally when I was in the mines.”

Coming from a very traditional dwarven clan, Soldin grew up almost entirely in the mining area and is extremely knowledgeable about it.

When talking about his wealth, Horak showed no resistance whatsoever. Instead, he laughed heartily and gently twisted the little finger of his right hand with his left hand, thus removing the gold and jade ring.

"Good eye, my friend!"

"The ring itself was commissioned by me to be made by a jeweler in Newme, but the deep red carnelian on it was obtained by me at an auction house. It is said to come from an ancient kingdom that has been buried by the sands of time."

Without the slightest hesitation, he handed the ring to the dwarf beside him with a smooth and sincere gesture, almost without thinking, so that the other could examine it carefully.

Dwarfs are naturally interested in these kinds of minerals.

Soldin paid no attention to the intricate patterns engraved on the ring's surface; he simply held it in his hand, examining the chalcedony itself closely in the firelight.

I couldn't help but marvel at its extremely pure and high quality.

He held the ring in his hand and examined it for five or six minutes. Just as Soldin was about to return the ring to Horak, he suddenly stopped.

This wealthy merchant, who was a member of the "Golden Wheat Merchant Guild," actually turned the dwarf's hand away, refusing the ring he offered.

"The most precious gems should naturally be paired with the most valiant warriors."

"Since you like... this ring, consider it a gift from me."

"No, no, no!" Clearly not expecting the other party to be so generous, even if Soldin was thick-skinned, he would not accept such an expensive thing without reason, especially since he had already received a much higher-than-average reward as an accompanying bodyguard.

He couldn't help but wave his hands repeatedly, even his beard swaying violently.

"Mr. Horako, I'm just looking, just looking! This thing is too valuable, I really can't accept it!"

Xia Nan sat to the side, observing very carefully.

With his perception, he could clearly sense that Horak's act of giving the ring to the dwarf was not just a pretentious gesture.

It's not that they genuinely want to give the ring as a gift; it's that they truly want to give it to their partner from the bottom of their hearts.

If Soldin accepts, the wealthy merchant will not hesitate at all, and may even offer to help him find a craftsman to alter the size of the ring to fit the dwarf's short and thick fingers.

However, Soldin was a seasoned adventurer with certain principles, and he knew that he could not accept such high-value items without a reason.

After a few awkward attempts to refuse, Horak finally managed to get the gift back.

“Alright, alright, I was presumptuous.” The wealthy merchant twirled the ruby ​​ring back onto his little finger. “However, Soldin, my dwarf friend, your connoisseurship is far superior to that of many self-proclaimed experts I have met.”

In just a few words, not only did he ease the somewhat stiff atmosphere caused by their arguing, but he also flattered the other person, making Soldin feel proud, and his slightly embarrassed expression relaxed again.

With extremely high emotional intelligence, Horak knew he couldn't show favoritism. While chatting with the dwarf, his gaze subtly shifted, first sweeping over Margaret's hands and ears. Seeing that she wasn't wearing any jewelry, he knew this female swordsman wasn't interested in that.

So they put it aside for the time being and turned their attention to Xia Nan on the other side.

Suddenly, my eyes lit up!
This black-haired youth, who usually doesn't talk much and looks exceptionally young, inexplicably holds a very high position in their temporary three-person team.

In contrast to his aloof and ascetic personality, which focuses on training and missions, he actually wears a considerable number of accessories!

Not only are her right index and ring fingers adorned with simple, plain-looking silver rings, but their actual texture is exceptionally fine.

A rather inconspicuous metal necklace hung around her neck.

Although the necklace pendant dangles deep into the lining of the armor and is difficult to see, the fineness of the exposed chain clearly indicates that it is not a cheap item.

"Could it be that this person, like me, has a similar interest in this area?"

Horako wondered to himself.

After carefully organizing her thoughts, she subtly shifted the topic to Xia Nan in a gentle tone that was as unobtrusive as possible.

(End of this chapter)