The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 258 - 2: The Three Jia Tribe

Chapter 258: Chapter 2: The Three Jia Tribe

"Is that so? If it truly is as you say, then it is indeed a cause for celebration. Please come in, Mr. Volen," Komer replied with a smile that was neither servile nor overbearing, gesturing for the group to enter. He noticed that apart from Volen, there was another among the Barbarians whose attire and demeanor set him apart from the rest of the Barbarian Warriors.

As Komer had anticipated, only that one Barbarian who had caught his attention entered Komer’s study with Volen. Although not as imposing as Volen, the fierce look on his face left a deep impression on Komer.

Komer’s lavish and generous study greatly shocked the two Barbarian delegates, the exquisite crystal glass curtain walls causing them to be unable to hide their fascination. Komer found it somewhat amusing that these Barbarians were so enthralled by something mainly decorative and of little practical value. It appeared that the tastes of these Barbarians were indeed quite extraordinary.

With its antique rosewood furniture and oil paintings, the elegant and luxurious velvet curtains, the soft and exquisite cashmere carpet, and the bookshelves filled with the heavy scent of books, not to mention two pots of hanging silk osmanthus adding a touch of vitality and greenness, the whole study exuded a refined and splendid atmosphere, which put considerable unspoken pressure on the two Barbarian delegates the moment they stepped into the study.

Fortunately, Volen had dealt with Mortals a few times before, from Ugru to Cyprus, and his previous travels had broadened his horizons. Although Komer’s study left Volen in awe, his good psychological quality enabled him to quickly recover from his astonishment.

"Lord, allow me to introduce you; this is Solos, the representative of the Gapeng Tribe from the Mountain People Alliance. The two of us represent our Alliance on this visit to the Caucasus, and we offer our most precious divine beast, the Earth Dragon Cub, as a gift to the Lord of the Caucasus Region. We hope this signifies our sincerity towards the Caucasus and you, Sir. We wish that the Lord will further strengthen our ties with the Cordillera Region, especially in terms of economic and trade interactions, to facilitate increased economic exchange between our lands." Clearly, these formal diplomatic words were taught to the Barbarian by someone else, and although he stumbled over them in the Mountain Language, Komer could hardly keep himself from laughing.

"Mr. Volen, Mr. Solos, first of all, thank you for your visit. Since the Caucasus and the Mountain People Alliance are neighbours, and as the saying goes, ’Better a close neighbour than a distant cousin,’ we in the Caucasus are willing to extend our utmost effort to help our neighbours, as long as we do not violate the laws of the Continent and the Kingdom. Mutual assistance is certainly to our mutual benefit. I am deeply grateful for the two Earth Dragon Cubs gifted by the Alliance, though I regret that the number falls far short of my hopes." Komer effortlessly expressed these lofty words, adhering to principles without making any concrete promises, while also appropriately conveying thanks and disappointment—a mix of sentiments that carried different meanings for the two Barbarians.

Volen, who had already dealt with Komer twice, clearly understood the implications of his words. The embargo on military supplies was still in place, and the checkpoints established by Bahomon had become increasingly stringent. Last month, a Caucasus merchant was caught smuggling sixty military spears and was immediately stripped of all his assets and imprisoned in the newly constructed jail in the Caucasus, awaiting trial by a Judicial Officer of the Caucasus, who also served on the Nicosia 13th Circuit Court. He would become the first to be tried for smuggling. Meanwhile, the buyer of the spears—the Galong Tribe of the Alliance—had lost a hefty deposit amounting to thousands of Gold Shields, but could hardly complain. Volen knew that the Lord appeared generous, but was actually shrewd and ruthless in such matters, offering no gaps for the tribes of the Alliance to exploit. Their hopes of tempting profit-driven merchants into smuggling had failed; no one was willing to risk their life and entire wealth. And now, the Lord’s open expression of disappointment over receiving only two Earth Dragon Cubs left the straightforward Barbarian delegate at a loss on how to proceed with further requests.

The other Barbarian delegate, not quite understanding Komer’s manner of speaking, heard the willingness to extend maximum assistance and couldn’t hold back, interjecting, "Respected Lord, you just mentioned your willingness to help us to the fullest extent. May I inquire if we would be able to purchase some weapons and other supplies from your lands?"

Smiling and nodding, Komer responded graciously, "Of course, provided your side has sufficient funds or trade goods to exchange, why not? Naturally, these supplies must be accounted for within the trade quotas set in our original agreement with the Mountain People Alliance."

The Barbarian representative’s face fell, and he glared at Komer before reluctantly saying, "Lord, are you jesting with me? If it counts against the Alliance’s trade quota, then isn’t that just a normal trade? There is no need for me to waste words over that."