Just as Zuo Si's clone in Mirrodin obtained Melira and began to use her innate abilities to attack the essence of the sparkling oil, a food war without gunpowder had quietly begun in Sembia, a commercial powerhouse in the "Fallen Star Sea" in the central area of the continent of Faerun.
Sergant, an important trade hub and port city standing in the northwest of the Falling Star Sea, has a permanent population of tens of thousands.
Although it is not the capital of Sambia, it is the richest and most powerful place in the country, and it is also the place where the power struggles among big businessmen are most intense.
The reason why the Council of Six of Amn chose this place as the dumping site for grain was that they saw the complexity of the commercial and political factions within Serganth.
As long as there are enough benefits, the arrogant ruling class of this city doesn't care about the lives of other parts of Sambia, especially those "country bumpkins" who make a living from land and planting.
Although they own the most fertile land and the largest irrigated area in the country, only a small part of it is used to grow food.
The vast majority of the rest are cash crops, such as cotton, flax, rapeseed, sesame, olives, etc. used for textiles and oil extraction.
In addition, the well-connected transportation network is also one of the reasons for being selected.
After all, to the west of Sergant are the cities of Darren and Uraspil, which are adjacent to Cormyr, which is probably the most powerful feudal state in the continent of Faerun.
Sambian merchants bought large tracts of contiguous land here, owning countless manors, vineyards, orchards and hunting grounds, and even maintaining private armies. They secretly retained the notorious slavery system, and it was also one of the most important grain producing areas.
If the price of food in Sergan is driven down by dumping, this region will be the first to be affected and react quickly.
To the northeast of Sergant is the inland capital of Sambia, Ordulin.
This is the most densely populated region in the country. It is not self-sufficient in food and has long relied on deliveries from the southwest.
As we all know, the cost of long-distance transportation over land will definitely not be low, so the price of food around Odulin has always been high.
If food prices in Serganth plummeted, the first reaction of Sambia's supreme rulers would certainly not be alarm, but uncontrollable ecstasy.
This means that they only need to spend very little money to feed the large population in their core ruling area.
Anyway, once the landowners realize that growing crops is not profitable, they will immediately switch to growing other high-value-added crops such as sugarcane and beets.
As for the lives of ordinary farmers, these guys don't care.
Bankruptcy is even better! We can also take advantage of this opportunity to buy their land at a low price and sell their entire family into slavery to obtain even cheaper labor.
If all else fails, they can be sold to merchants or red-robed wizards in Sel as slaves.
If anyone were to ask what the difference is between the commercial empire of Amn and Sembia, it is that the former at least has some shame, maintaining its appearance through various charitable donations and allowing paladin organizations such as the Knights of the Burning Heart to enforce the law and uphold so-called "justice" within its borders.
But the latter are too lazy to even cover up. The major business tycoons and the families behind them are completely above the law and basically have the final say in their own territory.
And although slavery was prohibited by law, in practice it existed everywhere.
Especially the farmers working in the manors, more than 50% of them were serfs without personal freedom, and even their life and death were in the hands of their masters.
Those in power also collude with the dark elves active in the northern region of Cormanthor, and often make deals with evil forces such as the Red Wizard and Zhentil Keep. The Harper Alliance has long regarded Sembia as a threat like Cyre.
However, Bernard didn't care at all about the miserable lives of the lower-class people in Sambia.
He came this time with a mission assigned by the Council of Six, which was to destroy Sembia, a powerful competitor, in one fell swoop through legal business activities and ensure Amn's undisputed dominance in the trade activities of the continent of Faerun.
And the ambitious businessman also understood that such an important operation was a test in itself.
If he could successfully complete this series of operations, he would be treated like a hero after returning to Athkatla, and he might even be able to be included in the candidate list for the Six-Man Council with this merit.
Many families are eager to become the person in charge of this operation.
The reason why he was able to stand out was not because of his outstanding strength, but because he had an extremely powerful backer behind him, Zuo Si, who also provided the most important food for this operation.
Thinking of this, Bernard couldn't help but secretly congratulate himself for making the right choice. He then raised his head and asked his assistant who was sorting out the intelligence: "How much food have we dumped at a low price? What is the price of food in Sergante today?"
“170,000 tons, we have dumped a full 170,000 tons of all kinds of grain.
According to information provided by the Shadow Thieves Guild, all the granaries in the towns surrounding Sergant have been filled to capacity.
As for food prices, they have fallen to only one-fifth of their original normal prices, far below the cost of planting.
Almost all grain-growing estates and farmers are worried about how to quickly sell the grain in their hands to recover their costs.
After all, with the granaries in the surrounding areas full, they have no place to store the grain, and it is definitely too late to build barns now.
In addition, as the weather begins to turn cold, the Falling Star Sea area will soon experience frequent autumn rains.
If the food is not processed before the rainy season arrives, all the food piled outdoors will be soaked by the rain and become moldy and rotten.
Therefore, it is foreseeable that these people will eventually reluctantly sell off the food in their hands at prices far below cost, further triggering panic selling until food prices fall to a complete low.
By this time next year, all landowners will no longer be choosing to grow food.”
Another Am merchant in his forties reported excitedly.
Because through the operations and dumping over the past few days, he was basically certain that Sambia was 100% doomed this time.
After several rounds of large-scale dumping, the confidence of agricultural producers in food prices in the surrounding areas of Sergan has been completely destroyed.
And with the subsequent panic selling, it will quickly spread to other places and even to other cities in the Kingdom of Cormyr and the Fallen Star Sea.
After this painful lesson, no estate or farmer in Sambia would risk growing food again.
This means that when it is no longer possible to temporarily change crop planting in March or April next year, we can start to close the net and change from dumping at low prices to purchasing at high prices.
At the beginning, raising the grain purchase price would even make the Sambian merchant class and rulers, whose granaries were overflowing, smiling with joy, thinking that they had taken the opportunity to make a huge profit from the price difference, and they sold it unscrupulously.
Since Sambia was originally a country united by merchant oligarchs, all major cities basically maintained autonomy, and it was even more impossible for them to have a modern national statistical system. Therefore, they had no idea that there was no land left in the country to grow crops, and they thought that the gap could be made up by the time of the autumn harvest.
The result was that when the grain in the warehouse was almost sold out, it was discovered that there was not a single grain left in the country during the autumn harvest.
By then, there would be no need for Amn to take action. The selfish local merchant groups in Sembia would start hoarding grains on their own and continue to raise grain prices to reap the wealth of the lower-class people.
When people can no longer survive, a terrible riot will break out.
At this moment, it has become impossible for the rulers to purchase food from other neighboring countries to quell the civil unrest.
After all, other countries are not fools.
With Sambia as a negative example, they will naturally be more vigilant and prioritize protecting their own food reserves.
What's more, there are millions of people in Sambia, and the food consumption cannot be met by the surplus food of one or two regions or even the country.
Coupled with the negative impact of previous low-price dumping, grain production around the Falling Star Sea will definitely decrease to varying degrees.
This means that for at least a year, Sembia will not be able to obtain sufficient food supplies, and can only watch the lower-class people who can't survive rise up in rebellion, and the whole country will inevitably fall into division and civil war.
"Only 170,000 tons? Too little! Keep increasing the quantity! We need to dump at least 600,000 tons of grain in the next two months."
Bernard narrowed his eyes and gave quick instructions.
In his opinion, a mere 170,000 tons of surplus grain was not enough to cause a devastating impact on Sambia's agriculture.
The assistant nodded vigorously and said, "Understood! I will arrange for people to disguise themselves as merchants from Celtic as soon as possible and transport more food to major port cities. Anyway, we have that treasure, so we only need to leave the port and travel around the coast to fill up all the empty warehouses."
"Let our people be careful and remember to change the sails, markings and sailors every time they leave the port. Never let ourselves be discovered." Bernard warned with a serious expression.
"Please rest assured about this. The Guild of Masked Mages has provided us with enough magic masks, which can instantly change into another face once put on. So far, no one has been suspected." The assistant gave a solemn assurance.
No matter what, this is also an important operation that has attracted the attention of the Council of Six, and all forces in Amn have provided help to the best of their ability, both in terms of supplies and manpower.
Hearing this, Bernard finally showed a satisfied expression: "Very good. This is a very important opportunity for me, and for you as well. So I don't want anything to go wrong, understand? By the way, where is Uthea, the servant sent by Lord Soth?"
"Him? He seems to have been attending dinners held by the upper class frequently recently, and even became a guest of honor of Andasi Igamar."
After a moment's thought, the assistant quickly told what he knew.
"Have you already entered the upper class? You are indeed worthy of being..."
Bernard stopped talking in the middle of his sentence.
Because others may not know who Usea is, but he knows that the other party is not a human being at all, but a little devil who has grown into a powerful and terrifying hell demon, and is also Zuo Si's servant and magical pet.
On weekdays, most of the communication with the Mage Tower is done through Uthea.
Just when the assistant wanted to say something, a familiar figure pushed open the door and walked in from outside.
"I think I heard someone mention my name just now?"
Usia walked in slowly from outside with graceful steps, ignoring the guards guarding the door and the shadow thief hiding in an inconspicuous corner.
Although it was just past noon and still at least four hours before evening, he reeked of alcohol. There were at least twenty lip marks on his forehead, cheeks, neck and chest. It was obvious that he had just attended a rather "wild" private banquet, and his face was filled with an extremely satisfied smile.
Of course, this "satisfaction" does not refer to the desire for beauty, indulgence and alcohol in the hearts of mortals, but to seeing that Sembia's behavior perfectly conforms to the values of the devil in hell.
First of all, the people here abide by the contracts and are good at finding loopholes in the contracts, which is exactly what the devils are good at.
Secondly, almost all Sambians like to climb up by any means necessary within the scope of the rules, and are keen on playing tricks and betrayal. In addition, the society is full of various secret societies formed due to interest relations, which is simply a replica of hell politics.
Finally, there is the country's merchant class's insatiable thirst for money and wealth, just as the demons of Hell have an insatiable thirst for souls.
There is no doubt that Usia likes this place and the people here even more.
If he had not already severed his connection with Baator, he would have even been unable to resist pulling out a few pieces of parchment, signing a contract with those humans whose souls radiated evil, and then waiting for their death to transform their souls into his own capable subordinates.
The only regret is that Sembia lacks a leader like Asmodeus, the Lord of Hell, who holds absolute power, unparalleled vision and wisdom.
The current commander-in-chief, Odus Yamast, has exhausted all his energy every day just busy scheming with other forces. He is simply unable to centralize the power of the entire country like the Council of Six of Amn did.
Bernard winked at his assistant, who immediately understood, turned around and quickly left the room, closing the door behind him.
When there were only two people left in the room, he couldn't help but ask, "How is it? Have the wealthy families that rule Sergante begun to be alert to the recent plunge in food prices?"
Uthea sat down on the chair and responded with a slightly contemptuous tone: "Be alert? Don't be silly! The major families and chambers of commerce are busy taking this opportunity to devour the land and property of those bankrupt self-cultivating farmers and small landowners.
How could they become alert when they haven't even had time to thank us?
All ordinary people are short-sighted, especially profit-seeking businessmen.
At present, almost all the upper ruling class are happily talking about how much usury their families have lent out, how much land they have added, and what more profitable crops they plan to plant next year.
They even laughed at those stupid country bumpkins who only knew how to grow crops, and thought that they deserved to go bankrupt because of the plummeting grain prices. "
"So... our backup plan may not work?"
Bernard's eyes flashed with undisguised delight.
"Given the current situation, they are indeed no longer needed. However, the weapons and equipment can be packed up and prepared to be sold to the rebels in the next phase. Oh, by the way, I have also found a few suitable people for you. You can consider sending someone to contact them."
As he spoke, Usia pulled out a list of seven or eight pages from his pocket.
Under each name, there is his life story, experiences, preferences, and tendencies toward good and evil.
Among these men were the ambitious leaders of the Thieves Guild;
Some are rebels who have seen through the greed, shamelessness and insatiable faces of the Sambia ruling class and desire to overthrow them from the bottom of their hearts; others are avengers who have lost their families due to the exploitation of businessmen, and have watched their lovers, friends, parents and children leave them one by one, and finally they are so angry that they just want to destroy and ruin everything.
Even though at first glance they don't seem to have any necessary connection with each other.
But they all have one thing in common, that is, they are extremely dissatisfied with the current situation in Sambia, and they also have a certain personal charm and leadership ability.
This means that when food becomes scarce and famine sweeps the country, with proper funding, everyone can quickly form a team and begin the drama of burying the entire existing Sambia regime.
Bernard took the list and looked over it again. He then picked up a pen and circled a few names. He said meaningfully, "Now we have the last piece of the puzzle. All we have to do next is wait patiently for the seeds we have planted to take root and sprout."
"Yes! There is a full six months from now to March next year, and I can have fun with those interesting mortals. Although the master does not allow me to interfere in your affairs, he did not say that I can't have some fun, right?"
As he said this, Usiah grinned like a devil.
Although he was currently maintaining his human form with the help of magic props, Bernard couldn't help but feel the hairs all over his body standing up instantly.
For a Pit Devil, the so-called "playing around" is not as simple as it sounds.
If things go wrong, the entire upper class of Sambia may experience severe turmoil and civil unrest, and it would not be surprising even if some families that seem strong now are wiped out.
After all, this country's political structure, social environment, and people's way of thinking all allow the devil to blend in perfectly without even arousing anyone's suspicion.
A full minute passed before Bernard finally shook off his fear and smiled bitterly, "You'd better be careful. Lord Soth doesn't like too many accidents, and he doesn't want anything to go wrong with the originally smooth plan."
But Uthea shrugged his shoulders and said, “Don’t worry, I know my limits.
What's more, the master has a lot of things to do now and has no energy to take care of Sambiya.
Apart from anything else, the Northern Lords Alliance meeting held in Luskan and the internal conflicts of interest that broke out between towns after the external threat disappeared were enough to give him a headache.
Besides that, there is also Lady Alustriel from Silvermoon City..."
It has to be said that as a magical pet that has followed Zuo Si for a long time and has magical and emotional connections with him, Usea knows his master quite well.
Although his habitual flattery often hit the horse's legs.
At this moment, in Luskan, the northernmost city on the west coast of Faerun, representatives from Neverwinter, Waterdeep, Silvermoon, Mirabar, Mithril Hall, Longsaddle, Red Pine, Yatta, Elward and other towns have gathered in a huge conference room.
Even the steward of Dragonspear Castle, Marshall, came from far away to join in the fun.
In addition, many noble lords who controlled one or two castles and several small villages also arrived at the scene.
After all, the Northern Lords' Alliance is a semi-open organization. As long as one can prove one's identity and legal possession of the land under control, one can apply to join and become a member.
In fact, barons, viscounts, earls and dukes who own one or two castles and a few villages are the largest number of members in the Lords' Alliance.
However, unlike the "harmonious and friendly" scene expected by Lord Alustriel and Lord Nasir, soon after the meeting began, King Bruno of Mithril Hall took the lead and started arguing with the representatives of Mirabar.
Since the main economic structure of both sides relies on mining, metal smelting and the forging of weapons and armor, Mirabar secretly adopted a series of shady and despicable means to combat its competitors.
Generally speaking, more mature leaders will not bring such conflicts to the table to avoid a breakdown that could lead to a mess.
But who is Bruno Warhammer?
The legendary dwarf blacksmith who created the powerful magic hammer - Aegis-fang! He once successfully crushed the war started by the evil artifact, the Shard of Demonic Shard, in Icewind Dale!
He also went on adventures to find his former hometown, Mithril Hall, and personally killed the evil dragon named Shimmering Shadow!
He then abandoned his throne as king and drove the flaming chariot given by Alustriel across half of the continent of Faerun, just to support his good friend!
Later, when facing the dark elf army roaring towards Menzoberranzan, he fearlessly led his people to resist bravely, and used his sharp ax to split the head of the old matron of the Baenre family! Would such a dwarf leader sit down and follow the unspoken rules to play those dirty political games? Don't be ridiculous!
He was quite calm and restrained as he didn't just pick up the ax and chop the man down first.
With Bruno taking the lead, the remaining town representatives simply stopped pretending and started exposing each other's secrets.
After all, among those who have been able to gain a foothold and survive to this day in the North, a place full of dangers, monsters and bandits, how many of them have truly clean bottoms?
As a result, the quarrel soon gave way to rude insults and personal attacks, and the meeting room was ten thousand times noisier than an open-air market.
Seeing that the situation was beginning to get out of control, Alustriel immediately exchanged glances with Lord Nasir, and they both reached out their feet from under the table and gently kicked Eric.
The latter suddenly woke up from his dozing state, and then showed an innocent expression, as if saying, what's the point of kicking me, I'm just a puppet without any real power, the only thing I want to do is to stay in my current position and enjoy life.
Besides, if these guys fight, it won't have anything to do with Luskan and the Nelanthel Islands. Helplessly, Alustriel lowered his voice and explained, "Your Majesty Eric, if you don't stop them, the verbal abuse will soon turn into violence and bloodshed.
I believe that Soth would not want to see casualties in the Northern Lords Alliance meeting held on his own territory, right?
If it really happened, it would be quite embarrassing."
moment!
Eric finally came to his senses, stood up suddenly, and slammed his fist on the table.
Bang! With vibrations and noises, the conference room, which was as noisy as a vegetable market in the last second, suddenly became quiet in the next second.
Everyone turned to stare at the titular king.
Eric, who was born as a pirate, was not afraid of the stage. Instead, he deliberately put on a serious face and scolded in a pretentious manner: "Look at what you look like now! What kind of words are you talking about!
If the people of the North knew that you, who they had placed high hopes on, were now arguing, accusing, and swearing at each other like street thugs, what would they think? So please be rational! At least sit down and have a serious talk about how to solve the problem, instead of letting the conflict escalate into hatred. "
"That's right! Everyone, don't get so excited. After all, compared to the harsh living environment in the past, we at least don't have to worry about the conspiracy and invasion of the Arcane Brotherhood. Even the orcs who pose the greatest threat have disappeared. What's left are just some insignificant troubles that can be solved through negotiation."
Lord Nasir of Neverwinter quickly chimed in.
He couldn't understand why the external environment had improved, but the situation within the entire alliance had deteriorated.
Alustriel also suggested: "I think it would be better if we take a break for two days to give everyone some time to calm down and think. Otherwise, everyone will be angry and it will be impossible for them to sit down and seriously resolve the conflict."
"agree!"
"I agree!"
"Let's take a rest for two days. Maybe we are all too tired, so our tempers have become bad."
…
Soon, the proposal to temporarily adjourn was passed unanimously.
The representatives of various towns and castle lords also realized the possible consequences of a complete break-up, and they all stood up and left with flickering eyes.
However, cracks have already appeared, and it is basically impossible to return to the previous state.
Just the opposite!
This rift will only grow larger as external threats disappear and conflicts of interest and frictions between each other increase.
After everyone left, Alustriel sighed slightly and asked Eric directly: "Where is Soth? Why hasn't he shown up yet?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am, you've asked the wrong person this question. What makes you think that I'm qualified to know the whereabouts of Lord Soth?" Eric asked back in a slightly self-deprecating tone.
You have to know that so far, he has only met Zuo Si twice.
One was to pay the ransom at Calim Port, and the other was at the meeting to decide on establishing a regime after occupying Luskan.
The rest of the time, the liches in the organization are responsible for issuing various notifications and orders.
It is also because of this that Eric knows better than anyone else the huge power hidden in the darkness, and he has never had any improper thoughts just because he has become king.
Because he knew that if he had any inappropriate thoughts, he would lose everything he had now.
"Then what about this Northern Lords Alliance meeting? Doesn't Soth want to step up and become the leader of the entire North?" Elastro frowned and continued to ask.
Hearing this, Eric couldn't help but laugh, and he joked while laughing: "I don't think Lord Soth would be interested in such boring things."
"boring?!"
Alustriel showed a look of astonishment.
"Yes! Lord Soth scoffs at both the Northern Lords' Alliance and the Silver Moon Alliance led by you. Because these two organizations are too loose, and they do not give their leaders enough power, let alone integrate them to form a true rule and country." Eric commented incisively.
Although he was born a pirate and had never received a decent education, he has read a lot of books related to politics and power struggles in the past two years.
In addition, by observing how the bureaucratic systems of Luskan and Nelanther Islands work, his insights are higher and broader than most rulers of this world.
Alustriel obviously did not expect that the puppet in front of him could actually say such a thing. He raised his eyebrows in shock, and after half a minute he asked, "Let's not talk about the Northern Lords' Alliance for now. Why do you think that the Silver Moon Alliance cannot unite to form a country?"
"Because of power!"
Eric gave the answer without hesitation, and explained to himself: "In the concept of Lord Soth, building a country requires many prerequisites.
For example, unimpeded legislative and law enforcement powers, a strong central administrative power that can completely control the local areas, corresponding financial powers such as economy, trade, taxation, etc., and absolute control over the military.
Only when all these powers are concentrated can a truly unified country be formed.
Let me ask you, in the Silver Moon Alliance, which of the above rights do you have?
The answer is obviously none.
The laws you make only cover Silvermoon City and its surrounding areas. The various towns have long been in an independent and autonomous state politically, and each has its own financial affairs. You even need to pay several tolls to pass through the territory of the Silvermoon Alliance. Finally, each town has its own army that only obeys its own orders.
Without violating the existing framework of the Silver Moon Alliance, the best you can do is to glue them together with your strong personal strength and charm.
And this took hundreds of years.
It is impossible for ordinary people to live such a long life.
If one day you unfortunately pass away, or step down from the position of Queen of the Silver Moon Alliance, will there be another person who can continue to maintain this situation?
Unless you change your current style and attitude, suppress local forces through various means, and forcibly seize judicial, administrative and military power bit by bit.
Otherwise, the Silver Moon Alliance will never become a country."
There is no doubt that Eric's remarks impressed Elastro, Lord Nasir, and the Golden Dragon Queens Veramalandace and Erebeth who followed behind them.
They originally thought that this pirate guy was just a puppet who was greedy for beauty, enjoyed pleasure and loved vanity, but they never expected that he had such profound and unique insights.
At least there aren't any obvious holes in the logic.
Eric noticed the change in their looks and immediately said in a half-joking tone, “Don't look at me like that.
These truths are not something I have realized on my own, but come from some books given to me by Lord Soth.
He also said that even if I am a puppet with no real power like me, since I sit in this position, I must have the most basic political knowledge and awareness.
Otherwise, it is easy to be exploited by people with ulterior motives and eventually become a tragic victim."
"You are too modest, Your Majesty Eric. In my opinion, you are far superior to most rulers in this world. Even if you hold real power, you can still become a wise monarch." Alustriel praised generously.
But Eric shook his head indifferently: "No, you are wrong, ma'am.
A guy like me who is lustful, lazy, and only wants to enjoy himself without taking any responsibility can never become a qualified ruler.
Even though I understand the theory, it is very difficult to stay sober and rational when it comes to the actual operation.
Whether it is the flattery from subordinates or the intoxicating feeling brought by holding huge power and wealth, it will continue to corrode a person's heart.
This is also what I admire most about Mr. Soth.
He will never be confused by these things and always know what he really wants.
Moreover, he understood human hearts and human nature very well. He knew what each of his subordinates desired and would satisfy them when they performed well.
Take me for example. The life I have now, which has both status and position, but does not require any responsibilities and has plenty of money to spend and enjoy, is what I have always longed for.
If I were really made a king with real power, I would not feel happy. I would only think it was a heavy burden.
So my advice to you is, don't think that the rulers of the towns in the Northern Lords' Alliance and the Silver Moon Alliance are as kind and noble as yourself, and that they have lofty ideals and ambitions.
Most of them are probably like me, simply wanting to acquire more wealth so that they and their entire family can become part of the privileged class.”
After saying this, Eric stood up and bowed slightly to the four people present. Then he hugged the hot and scantily clad female secretary who was waiting outside the door, turned around and disappeared at the end of the corridor.
After a long silence, Lord Nasir let out a long sigh and said with emotion: "It seems that we have all underestimated His Majesty the King. He is not stupid at all, but a rare and truly smart man."
"You're right. I can't believe that a pirate who has never received systematic education would have such insight." Eribes agreed with deep conviction.
But Alustriel shook his head disapprovingly: "No, this has nothing to do with Eric himself, but the result of Soth's training. Not only him, but also the entire Luskan's clean and efficient bureaucracy that far exceeds that of other cities is worthy of our learning."
The Golden Dragon Queen Valamaradace responded helplessly: “We can't learn it.
Because South maintains this system not by law, but by another set of violence and terror methods independent of the judicial system.
If it were simply a matter of judicial procedures, I think the bureaucrats would not be as awed as they are now, but would do their best to find loopholes in the law to defend themselves.
It has been proven countless times that it is difficult to curb corruption and money-for-power transactions by relying solely on laws.
Just when Eribes was about to say something, a tall man covered in crimson armor suddenly walked in from outside the door. It was the Flame Dragon Knight Davian.
He first looked around, then bowed with one hand on his chest to the only four people left in the meeting room.
"Ms. Alustriel, Queen Veramalandes, Lord Nasir, and Ms. Eribes, the host has prepared sumptuous food and fine wine and is waiting outside for your arrival."
"It's you?!"
Veramaradace's pupils suddenly dilated, contracted, and then dilated again. The muscles all over her body tensed rapidly, as if she could transform into an ancient golden dragon at any time.
Needless to say, she knew through the smell and the amazing fire energy that the sturdy man in front of her was the fiery red dragon that had caused panic among the people not long ago.
"Hmm? Have we met before?"
Davian blinked in confusion.
He didn't remember having any interactions with this golden dragon that maintained a human appearance.
Willamalandais obviously noticed that there was no hostility in the eyes of the Flame Dragon Knight. She immediately relaxed a little and replied with a smile: "Uh - you really don't know me, but I know that you have been killing evil colorful dragons and monster tribes in the North some time ago."
moment!
Davian suddenly realized what was going on, and immediately showed an apologetic expression: "Ah, so it's that matter. I'm very sorry that my hunting has caused you trouble. But don't worry, there is no other meaning, I am just simply clearing out possible threats in the wilderness."
"You don't have to apologize, because after the cleanup, the security situation in the Silver Moon Alliance has improved significantly. By the way, are you a red dragon?" Veramalandais asked cautiously.
"No, I'm not a red dragon, but a knight who can transform into a flaming red dragon. In the beginning, I was just a human, and later I gained the power I have today with the generosity of my master."
Davian did not hide anything and stated his identity openly.
Because ever since the battle with Sharptooth, his identity and abilities are no longer a secret.
"Ah! I remember now! You are Davian! One of Soth's most powerful warriors!"
Alustriel remembered something and suddenly let out a cry of surprise.
Davian smiled and nodded: "Yes, I have always been the most reliable servant beside the master. Well, let's stop talking about me here. Everyone, please follow me."
After saying that, he turned around and walked out of the building.
The other four looked at each other, then immediately stood up and followed behind.
When they arrived at the door, Elastre, Veramalandais, Lord Nasir and the Holy Knight Aribeth were surprised to find that what was docked here was not a carriage, but a "ship" that they had never seen before.
When everyone boarded with curiosity and confusion, the "ship" suddenly flew up into the air and flew directly over the largest market in Luskan, attracting the attention and screams of countless people below.
You don't need to ask to know that this is a small airship that has just been built in the floating city.
And the hydrogen inside has been replaced by safer helium.
Zuo Si himself stood in the middle of the hall filled with sumptuous banquets, opened his arms and smiled to the four guests, saying: "Welcome! First of all, please allow me to apologize. Due to some unexpected troubles, I was unable to catch up with the meeting of the Northern Lords Alliance. How about this dining place I specially arranged, isn't it good?"
"It's more than good! Eating above the sea and in the sky is exciting just thinking about it."
Lord Nasir stood beside the glass window, looking at the magnificent scenery thousands of meters above the sky and exclaiming in admiration.
After all, he was a warrior. Although he had gone on adventures when he was young, he had never experienced what it was like to fly in his life.
Now that I can experience it through this airship, it would be strange if I wasn't excited.
Of course, the reaction of the Holy Knight Eribes at the side was not much better. His eyes kept flashing with strange looks, and his joy was beyond words.
In comparison, Alustriel and the ancient golden dragon Veramalandes, who possessed powerful magical powers, were much calmer. They were simply very interested in this device that could carry people flying and wanted to find out how it worked.
Especially the former, who was chosen by the Goddess of Magic, soon noticed that on a table not far away, there was a ghost ship in a glass bottle.
Through the transparent bottle wall, you can even see ghosts and evil spirits floating inside, constantly emitting piercing screams...
(End of this chapter)
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