Episode Forty: A Duel of Fate — The Settlement Between Merchant and King
In the Persian Market: The Roar of an Empire
Episode Forty: A Duel of Fate — The Settlement Between Merchant and King
1. Silence Within the Inferno
East of Persepolis, the Garden of Paradise—once a sanctuary reserved only for royalty—had transformed into a blazing purgatory.
The sky overhead, choked by towering pillars of flame and rolling soot, lay drowned in darkness, as black as midnight despite the hour being day.
At its center, where fallen marble columns lay piled like the walls of a natural circular arena, two men stood facing one another.
One was Alexander, the young god of war born to rule the world.
His golden armor was blackened with soot, stained with blood—yet his presence still shone with a sunlike divinity.
The other was Cyrus, a merchant who had clawed his way up from the market, bearing the voices of the people on his back.
His clothes were in tatters, his limbs torn and bleeding, yet in his eyes burned a force of survival that repelled even the Great King’s overwhelming aura.
Behind Cyrus, Queen Nirfar clutched the Ledger of Wisdom he had entrusted to her, watching in breathless silence.
2. Plunderer or Investor
“Cyrus. Why do you not kneel?”
Alexander slowly raised his beautiful yet merciless sword into a perfect guard.
“I defeated Darius and became master of this land. The companions you sought to protect, the market itself—everything now lies in my palm. One man’s resistance cannot halt the torrent of history.”
Cyrus tightened his grip on the hilt of his broken dagger.
“…History? A torrent? Don’t make me laugh, Great King. What you’re doing is nothing more than a fire sale.”
“What did you say?”
“You bought this country cheap—with violence. …But in business, what matters is the management after the purchase.
Do you have the resolve to procure the tomorrow of the millions who live here?
Do you possess the wisdom to revive the market chatter you burned to ash?
If all you do is take, you’re no different from any roadside bandit.”
3. A Duel That Bets on History
“…Enough of your nonsense. Then prove with that blade that you are necessary to my rule!”
Alexander kicked off the ground.
Blinding speed.
Even without Bucephalus, his movement was that of a raging beast.
GIIIN!!
Cyrus’s broken dagger barely caught the Great King’s longsword.
The impact sent screams through the muscles of Cyrus’s arms.
“Guh…!”
“What’s wrong, merchant? Your words carry more weight than your life does!”
Alexander’s onslaught continued.
With each swing, marble shattered and sparks flew. Cyrus rolled clumsily across the ground, flinging rubble and sand into the king’s eyes, clinging to life with sheer desperation.
“…Don’t call it cowardly! In the market, victory makes you righteous—and survival means profit!”
4. The Moment of Settlement
In the midst of the fierce exchange, a massive, crumbling stone pillar above them reached its limit.
GOOOOOON!!
With a deafening roar, the fire-scorched column collapsed toward Alexander.
“Your Majesty!!”
The Macedonian generals watching from afar cried out.
But in that instant—
Cyrus abandoned his chance to strike the king down.
He grabbed Alexander by the collar of his armor and hurled him sideways with all his strength.
The enormous pillar smashed into the spot where they had stood, pulverizing it.
Silence fell.
Ash drifted through the air as the two men, caked in dust and sand, rose to their feet.
Alexander stared in shock at the man who had saved his life.
“…Why did you save me, Cyrus? Killing me would have meant your victory.”
Cyrus spat on the ground, breathing heavily.
“…If I killed you, who’d pay the bill?
If you died here, this land would become nothing but a wasteland.
You still have work left to do.
The heavy work of carving into history the lives of the people and the seeds of culture we protected.”
5. End of Part III: A New Contract
Alexander sheathed his sword.
The killing intent vanished from his eyes, replaced by deep contemplation.
He picked up one half of the broken tally board lying at his feet and held it out to Cyrus.
“…Cyrus. You win. I burned the imperial capital today—but I could not dominate you as a man.”
Turning to Cyrus and Nirfar, the Great King declared:
“Go. Eastward.
If the wisdom you protect truly endures longer than my force of arms, then show it to me at the edge of the world.
But know this—when I finally arrive there, if your market does not offer the finest goods, then the true settlement will begin.”
“Yeah. It’s a deal, Great King.
…Bring plenty of admission money.”
6. With the Burning Capital at Their Backs
Cyrus took Nirfar’s hand and ran toward the collapsing rear gate.
Behind them, Persepolis burned, radiating the final brilliance of the Achaemenid Empire as it fell.
Yet within Cyrus’s ledger—and within Nirfar’s heart—dwelt a soul that would never burn.
