Chapter 115: The Viscount’s Predicament
Duane learned from Garrot about the hardships Viscount Freddy’s territory had endured for more than half a year.
Apparently, a fairly large Secret Realm had appeared within the Yalvis Territory, and it was filled with Magical Creatures.
The Secret Realm had appeared right next to a major city in the Viscount’s Territory. When the Space Gate opened, the Elemental Energy of the two worlds merged.
The Magical Creatures inside continuously poured out, and the city was inevitably affected.
Even though Viscount Freddy immediately led his forces out after receiving the news, he couldn’t prevent many people from being slaughtered.
In the end, with the support of Duke Star Sea, it took them a full four months to mostly clear out the Magical Creatures and barely bring the Secret Realm’s entrance under control.
It was this battle that left the Viscount’s Territory with immense expenditures and heavy losses.
That was why Freddy had arranged for so many ships to come to Black Forest Island, to carry away as many tradable goods as possible.
After all, every little bit helped.
"No wonder your ships were two months late."
Now that he understood the reason, Duane couldn’t help but remark with emotion, "Secret Realms are truly dangerous things. I completely understand how Viscount Freddy must feel. But with every crisis comes opportunity. Once the Secret Realm is under control, the wealth inside will be immense!"
As he spoke, he reached out and shook Garrot’s hand.
"Black Forest Island welcomes everyone who comes to do business."
Duane coveted these large ships. After all, seizing just one would solve his problem of having no vessels for travel to and from the Kingdom.
But if he actually resorted to robbery, it would not only bring him trouble, but more importantly, it would destroy his reputation.
If Black Forest Island was to develop further in the future, it had to connect and trade with the outside world.
Earning a reputation for robbery now would be extremely disadvantageous.
Therefore, as long as they were willing to do business with him fairly, he would naturally welcome them.
So, Duane asked, "I wonder, Garrot, are you visiting in your capacity as a nobleman, or merely as a merchant?"
Garrot considered himself quick-witted, but he was momentarily stumped by the question.
"Is... there a difference?"
"Of course!"
Duane explained with a smile, "If you are here solely as a merchant, then I will arrange lodging for you at a set price. If you are visiting as a fellow nobleman, then I am naturally responsible for your reception."
The corner of Garrot’s mouth twitched. ’So that bizarre question was all about charging for a room.’
Perhaps it was stubbornness, but Garrot refused to choose one or the other.
"This is our first meeting. I believe my capacity is twofold: I am a merchant, and at the same time, I am visiting you as a nobleman from a neighboring kingdom."
He was an anointed Knight, so there was no issue with him calling himself a member of the nobility.
"Fifty percent off, then!"
Duane smiled and gestured for them to follow. "Lingang Village has a guesthouse. This way, please!"
This so-called guesthouse had been there for a long time; it wasn’t newly built. It was the place Monbodt had used in years past to receive the Kingdom’s tax officials.
Hall had stayed there for a few days on his last visit. While the rooms were spacious, they were rather old.
After Duane took over, he figured it might come in handy, so he had people clean it up and patch the leaks and drafts.
He could have, of course, used the castles of Daniels or Bard for their reception.
But both of those locations were too far inland and distant from the port, making them unsuitable.
Once everyone arrived and they exchanged a few more words, Duane extended an invitation to a banquet that evening and then took his leave.
In a spacious bedroom, once all the outsiders had gone, Garrot and his men began to talk.
"What do we do, Commander?"
Blake said in a low voice, "This Baron is charging us just to stay the night. He’s definitely not going to sell us anything at the old prices!"
Garrot sat with his legs splayed, his hands clasped behind his head and his brow deeply furrowed.
The Viscount’s Territory had been hit hard, and many Warriors had died.
Trading was one part of their mission, but they had also planned to bring Bard, Gaius, and the others back with them.
And now look at this mess. A Baron had shown up on Black Forest Island, Bard was dead, and Gaius had submitted to the new Lord.
Everything was a complete mess.
"Hall, you know Gaius. Go have a chat with him. See if you can get any information about this Baron."
"Yes, Commander!" Hall took his leave upon receiving the order.
Another one of the captains, a man named Cameron, asked, "Are you thinking of using force to compel the Baron to trade with us?"
Garrot shook his head. "We aren’t pirates, and he isn’t some nobody like Bard. Using force will only bring us trouble."
Blake slumped into a chair, completely dejected. "I have a feeling... we’re not going to be able to complete our mission this time."
Garrot was worried, too. Eleven ships, a voyage of nearly a month... if they returned empty-handed, it would be a tremendous loss.
"Let’s take stock of what we have to offer. We’ll need to negotiate with him in earnest tonight."
Duane returned to his residence, instructed the kitchen to prepare for the banquet, and then went into his study.
He spread out the map Lloyd had given him and looked at the location of the Starfall Islands.
Viscount Freddy’s territory was located north of the Starfall Islands. To the east, across the Flowing Silver Fjord, lay the Fernando and Grant Provinces of the Pruck Kingdom.
The journey from the Viscount’s Territory to Black Forest Island took over twenty days, but a trip to those two provinces of the Pruck Kingdom would only take half that time.
This meant Viscount Freddy was one of the Akutas Kingdom’s nobles responsible for defending against the Pruck Kingdom.
Duane’s gaze shifted to the border between Fernando Province and Grant Province. The shape of the land there resembled the tip of a sword.
’If I could get an exclave near there,’ he thought, ’I could profit from any future turmoil.’
The Akutas Kingdom was far from peaceful; it was bordered by great powers to the west, east, and north, and had clashed with all of them before.
It might seem peaceful now, but who knew when war might suddenly erupt?
’As a Lord, it’s not too much to think about expanding one’s territory, is it?’
However, a mainland territory wasn’t like Black Forest Island. Obtaining an exclave was far easier said than done.
Duane was still just small fry; he could only entertain such thoughts for now.
Before long, Gaius was announced and entered the study.
"My Lord, I have looked into the matter you assigned me."
He had stayed behind with Raymond to attend to the guests, and Hall had sought him out to ask about the recent events on the island.
With Duane’s permission, Gaius had given him a general account of what had recently transpired on the island.
In doing so, he also obtained the information he wanted from Hall.
It had effectively been an exchange of information between them.
Duane gestured for him to sit in a nearby chair. "Let’s hear it."
"The leader of this delegation, Garrot, is Viscount Freddy’s Broken Reef Knight and has the strength of an Earth Tier warrior. The Vice Commander, Blake, is a Human Tier Warrior."
"Additionally, there are two Advanced Warriors, five Middle Level Warriors, eight Basic-level Warriors, and over twenty elite soldiers, all members of the Gale Corps."
"Quite a formidable force," Duane commented.
"Indeed!"
Gaius readily agreed. "Besides the members of the Gale Corps, they are also accompanied by a Level 4 Mage and her guard, who is an Advanced Warrior."
"A Level 4 Mage?"
Duane was stunned. ’Someone of that status isn’t to be taken lightly. What is she doing all the way out here?’
"What’s her story?"
"The female Mage is named Selena. She is said to be the wife of Baron Torre Courtney. Her guard, Brison, is the Baron’s Knight."
"Baron Courtney..."
Duane muttered the name. It didn’t ring any bells.
He guessed, however, that the man was most likely a Baron under Viscount Freddy’s command.
After all, according to the common law of the kingdoms, a Viscount had the right to create not only ten Knights, but also one Baron.
"Why would they come all this way to Black Forest Island?"
Gaius gave a sly chuckle. "I heard from Hall that Baron Torre has been taking new wives for years but has never had a child. It’s been the same even after marrying Selena."
"Recently, he seems to have heard that a Magic Potion made with Red Sun Grass as the main ingredient can invigorate one’s vitality and fertility, giving him hope of finally conceiving a child. Then he heard that Black Forest Island has the Hot Spring Mountain Range—the perfect environment for Red Sun Grass—so..."
Duane never would have guessed that was the reason.
Still, even the Starfall Islands didn’t have Red Sun Grass. ’Is the plant that rare?’ he wondered.
Unfortunately, Simone had recently explored the Hot Spring Mountain Range and hadn’t found any.
’Still, it might be worth making contact with this female Mage.’
Duane was set on becoming a Mage, so the more he could learn and the more knowledge he could accumulate, the better.