“Foreign merchant, I recognize the emblem on your ring. Where did you obtain the emblem of the royal family that was destroyed?”
The question came from a man standing near the entrance of the trading hall.
Nikolai kept his expression calm, although his attention immediately shifted to the speaker. The man wore a dark blue coat with silver buttons, and two armed guards stood behind him. Unlike the merchants who had spent the morning arguing over trade fees, he carried himself with the confidence of someone who rarely needed to explain his actions.
Several conversations around the hall stopped.
The man pointed toward Nikolai's right hand.
“You heard me. That ring bears the emblem of the old royal family. I want to know where you got it.”
Nikolai glanced down at the ring on his finger.
