Free Web NovelChapter 1042: Chapter 453: Dwarven Trading Post Proposal (Part 2)
"Then I hope you won’t sell me off at that time either," Laine joked, raising his glass.
"I definitely won’t, I swear by the name of the Eight Peaks Mountain!" Belgar said anxiously after hearing Laine’s words, "Brother Laine, you must not break your oath!"
"I won’t break my oath, and I hope my dwarf friends also won’t break the alliance oath," Laine extended his fist, "We need to respect each other."
"Hey, I like you that way," Belgar said with some effort, extending his fist to bump with Laine’s. The King of the Eight Peaks Mountain downed his beer in one go and then arrogantly gestured to the nearby server to refill his drink.
The little maid Amelia standing behind Belgar immediately stepped forward to help refill his beer. With winter setting in, the little maid was dressed in a thick maid’s dress, covered with a fox fur coat. The lovely Amelia smiled sweetly, and Belgar rarely offered a thank you.
Not far away, Belgar’s Queen Komanik was dining with his son under Surya’s hospitality. Things had improved, and Belgar’s people were no longer hungry. Surya had even commissioned the rune blacksmith Delong Feinson to craft a set of gold jewelry for Komanik. Proud Belgar didn’t express it, but he was deeply grateful inside. freewebnøvel.coɱ
Brother Laine and his wife, Lady Surya, are my friends.
"Brother Laine, currently we’re still relying on your grain supply, but that’s not a long-term solution," Belgar raised his concern, "The Black Stone Stronghold still needs a sufficient and stable food supply. We can’t completely rely on trade transport, can we?"
"That is indeed a problem, but... I already have a solution," Laine pulled out a map, speaking in standard Dwarf Language, "Come, King Belgar, look here."
A rolled-up map was laid out on a table, with Laine pointing his finger near the Black Stone Stronghold, "Actually, near the Black Stone Stronghold, across the Grismore River at the foot of the Gray Mountain Range, lies a fertile piece of land. Unfortunately, it’s too close to the Black Stone Stronghold, and due to safety concerns, nobody dares to settle there, leaving it barren."
"Since we’ve reclaimed the Black Stone Stronghold, we only need a few outposts to bring this land under the protection of the dwarfs. But... Brother Laine, dwarfs are not a race adept at farming," Belgar was tempted initially but then expressed doubt, "We lack the manpower. Rebuilding a dwarf city requires lots of people."
"I know this; it’s an easy problem to solve. This land is part of the Jisoleox Duchy, but Duke Hagen is currently overwhelmed. Kemler and his Ancient Tomb Legion have devastated almost the entire southern part of Jisoleox Duchy. We only need to propose establishing a trade station—a hub of goods trade, connecting the north and south, with the north linking the Pale Sisters Mountain Range and the south via Montfort. The dwarfs are willing to cooperate with humans to establish a trading market and gradually develop it into a trade town. Duke Hagen has no reason to refuse," Laine smiled slyly, "And this barren land lies just below the Black Stone Stronghold. With the road built, it takes less than a day’s journey to reach the Black Stone Stronghold." freeweɓnøvel.com
"Farming nearby, convenient transportation... hmm... it’s good. It’s just that your smile makes one uncomfortable, by Glarni, humans always have a knack for being unpleasantly sly, just like the Sharp Ears," Belgar had to agree Laine was right. The King of the Eight Peaks stroked his beard, thought for a while, and continued to ask, "But what about the manpower? Your Brittania’s population has decreased after years of war, hasn’t it? Where will we get so much manpower to farm?"
"There’s enough," Laine grinned cunningly, pointing to some areas at the mountain waist and foot near the Black Stone Stronghold, "There, aren’t there quite a few rebellious peasants! They’re all potential labor force, and these places are located in rugged terrain, hard for knights to attack. Duke Hagen needs dwarf help, King Belgar."
"Very well!"
......
After receiving the invitation and proposal from Laine and Belgar, despite the time nearing the Winter Festival, Duke Hagen of Jisoleox decided to rush to the Count Glamorgan’s Domain immediately.
The situation was dire. In the face of Kemler’s attack, tens of thousands perished in Jisoleox Duchy, dozens of villages destroyed, leaving the Duchy’s situation in chaos. Kemler invaded Jisoleox, leaving devastation, ruins, and refugees fleeing in the wilds for Duke Hagen to handle. Although Kemler eventually met his demise, the scars left behind by him would not heal overnight.
The repercussions of the previous years’ peasant revolts began to manifest. Upon his return, Duke Hagen found the situation spiraling out of control—grain robberies, rampant bandits, starving disaster victims everywhere. Towns became crowded with dying refugees; the successive revolts left Duke Hagen anxious, yet he was not a highly capable administrator.
He was a Holy Grail Knight, residing mainly in the capital Crona, seldom returning to his Duchy, which was managed by Count Jean-Harun as regent. Duke Hagen himself was more engrossed in showcasing his personal virtues and praying to the Lake Fairy in the cathedral, scarcely governing Duchy affairs.
Now, however, he couldn’t ignore it. The southern Duchy needed rebuilding, refugees required resettlement, and the rebellion needed quelling. Duke Hagen, not adept in internal affairs, faced a tangled mess, especially troubled by how to handle the rebellious peasants.
Suppress them? Those peasants are his property! Moreover, having fled into the mountains, suppressing them is prohibitively costly, and knights aren’t skilled in mountain warfare.
Appease them? Where would the grain come from? How to resettle them? Not suppressing them but appeasing would only encourage more rebellions.
Upon receiving a letter from Laine, Duke Hagen decided to bring along Count Jean-Harun to meet Laine. The Dwarves’ plan to establish a trade station in Jisoleox Duchy was an unprecedented trade growth opportunity. Even Duke Hagen, as slow as he was, knew it was an opportunity for Duchy development, production recovery, and refugee resettlement.
Outside the castle, amidst the swirling snow, Mr. and Mrs. Laine personally welcomed Duke Hagen and his entourage to the winery. Holding his wife’s waist, Count Glamorgan kissed her smooth cheek, "My dear, I always thought Duke Hagen wasn’t a Holy Grail Knight..."
"Laine~ Duke Hagen just seldom leaves Crona, which gives him a low presence," Surya lightly rebuked and pushed Laine’s hand away, as the Lady Knight wasn’t accustomed to such displays of intimacy in public. Laine just wanted to see her shy expression, "Duke Hagen is upright and formidable; he just doesn’t like managing Ducal affairs, residing mainly in Crona, praying and undertaking penance at the Holy Grail Cathedral except during major events."
In a crimson velvet coat, trimmed with mink fur lining his hat, his coronet adorned with a golden ring and eight red gilded leaves, Duke Hagen of Jisoleox arrived hurriedly with over twenty attendants before Laine’s castle. Upon seeing this, Laine immediately stood to greet with respect, "Your Grace, Duke Hagen, welcome to Glamorgan."
"Greetings, Count Laine, Lady Surya. On behalf of the Jisoleox Duchy, I thank you for your contributions in the Black Stone Stronghold battle and the La-Mesnil Abbey battle. Without your and Francois’ efforts, Kemler and his Ancient Tomb Legion would have inflicted grave calamity upon this land," Hagen replied courteously.
Duke Hagen of Jisoleox appeared in his thirties, sporting a horseshoe mustache, with plain features and a strong build. He was from the same era as Francois. The youngest Duke in all of Brittania was Duke Casvan of Paragon, in his forties.
After some casual greetings, Laine had already set up a banquet inside the winery. However, it was clear Duke Hagen had no mind for feasting. After a brief meal, Hagen couldn’t wait any longer and asked, "The dwarfs intend to establish a trade station in my Duchy? And help me suppress the rebellion?"
"Yes, Your Grace, you know, the Black Stone Stronghold isn’t far from Jisoleox, and King Belgar needs a sufficient grain supply..."
"Where is King Belgar? I want to meet him!"
