Free Web NovelChapter 1072: Chapter 256: War Without Smoke (Part 1)
Generally speaking, Ampezel Port’s busiest season of the year starts in March. But beginning in February, when the North thaws, merchants pack goods from the Southern Territory onto ships, transporting them to Kerkova, West Faha Province, both just waking from the frost. Furs, Hu Po, and tobacco from within Jandener, along with pine nuts and timber from Golan-Elsen, all gather here at this time each year. As for Tonyger? Tonyger has no specialty products, merchants only care whether the Gold Coins in their pockets increase or decrease, and no one bothers with what might come from a remote backwater.
One might think mostly of bandits or something like that. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
It is said that before winter last year, a few ship fleets transported grain to Tonyger. From Ampezel to Bunosson, the first reaction everyone who heard the news had was doubt—could those country bumpkins possibly afford this transaction? Of course, not many know Tonyger owns one of Erune’s only three silver mines, but then again, the silver mine belongs to the Lord, what does that have to do with everyone else? Even children understand this.
In summary, before merchants could verify if this news was true, word of Southern rebellion and war arrived. Just great, not only are there bandits and robbers, but Rebel Army has also appeared. This further proves Tonyger is a poor and harsh place, in the eyes of the lords, "poor and harsh places breed treacherous people," such an old saying, is as accurate as a proverb. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
However, most of the portly noble lords enjoy furs and spices that come from the South, adorned with jewelry and trinkets that originate from the wilds, without needing to know their place of origin. Although Erune now faces both internal and external troubles, with shadows of war simultaneously looming over the South and North, merchants, being the most informed group, have their activities greatly affected, leading most commerce to stagnate. Yet from Ampezel to Yituo Lin, the Kingdom’s economic core, free trade port, and Holy Temple-promised permanently neutral zone, Gold Coins still flow slowly like Bloodline.
At Omitos, the nearest outpost to Ampezel Port in Feistone, surrounded by mountains, amidst forested cold not yet dissipated, the pine forest sheds snow off its needles, forming babbling mountain streams from the thaw on Anlek’s green mountains, flowing through the woods. A team of Riders passes through the forest avenue, flutters of birds lift off from branches along the road, leaving a few feathers behind.
Nemesia leads her Knights patrolling this area. Most Officer Cadets from the first term of the Royal Knight Academy can now handle their own. Behind her is Frey, a countryside girl who was still green half a year ago, now decently clad in knight armor, her face slowly gaining a military’s dignity—though she still ties up her hair as before, the mark left on her forehead from last bout has faded much.
She wears the Lion Heart Sword at her waist, the Princess advises her, not to draw this sword unless absolutely necessary, so she uses an Ordinary Steel Sword instead. A knight girl equipped with two swords seems somewhat silly, but Frey herself finds nothing wrong with it. In the Militia, each sword is a precious asset, if possible, she might bring several more swords, as if that would provide her with a sense of security.
It’s actually akin to how people scared of poverty seize every chance to save up money, except the knight girl at least understands it would be laughable for a knight to carry five or six swords, and what’s more, the horse wouldn’t bear it.
During academy training, everyone can receive a new sword each month, due to the high intensity of training, few are diligent enough to maintain their swords, most change eight or nine swords a year. But every time Frey gets a sword assigned to her, she carefully stores them under her bed in a trunk, now she has saved six.
This became an old joke in the academy, and after Nemesia learned about it, she summoned her for a thorough scolding. Frey was terrified and honestly confessed she intended to bring these swords back to Buqi, so the Militia there better defend their home.
