The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 552: Volume 13: Sea Rain and Sky Wind - 22: Race

Chapter 552: Volume 13: Sea Rain and Sky Wind Chapter 22: Race

When Komer and his party appeared at the Bahomon Port dock following the flow of the Catania River, the entire Bahomon was astounded. Whether it was the indigenous people from the Caucasus itself or the new immigrants from the three northern regions, whether it was the half-beastmen who had newly obtained citizenship after fleeing from the Funiu Mountain Range or the barbarians who had trekked from the Cordillera Wilderness to work in Bahomon, they were all shocked by the news—the Catania River route had truly officially opened!

While many common people were still immersed in this massive surprise, the sensitive traders had already begun to ponder what the opening of this "Golden Waterway" would bring to the Caucasus and what they should now do.

Food would no longer be the biggest constraint limiting the Caucasus. The middle and upper reaches of the Catania River are known for their grain production, with an output much larger than that of Homer and the Galle region. Each year, a considerable surplus of grain would rot in warehouses due to logistics issues, mainly because transport problems, especially the lack of cheap transport, could not be resolved. This led to the inability to export grain from countries like Luxembourg, keeping their grain prices fairly low.

And the Caucasus could potentially become a major buyer of grain from these regions. Essentials such as alcohol, cotton, woolen goods, and other life necessities could all be replenished through the various countries along this waterway, eliminating the need to obtain them through maritime or land routes. In other words, Homer’s blockade of the Caucasus would become meaningless with the opening of this waterway. Conversely, the Caucasus’s lumber, iron ore, iron products, and even precious stones could be shipped continuously to the middle and upper reaches of the Catania River via cheap water transport, bringing an unprecedented tremendous opportunity to the entire Caucasus.

Eve and Grace’s party was watching all this with a surprised gaze, too. The towering arch at the dock clearly marked the name of the place—Bahomon—also a town within Lord Komer’s territory. But the complex flow of people in this town made Eve’s party feel somewhat nervous and even a little uneasy.

The transportation workers bustling about on the dock were not like those they saw daily; it seemed mortals weren’t much in the majority, at least from what Eve’s party could see.

Some clearly elf-bloodline merchants and craftsmen were busy with their business in the street-side shops, while the fellow who looked like a master in the ironworks was unmistakably a dwarf—it gave Bayezid a somewhat familiar feeling. Even the tax collector passing by seemed to be a half-elf, but more were the grim-faced, oddly dressed half-beastmen and the tall, burly barbarians. These people were pulling carts, carrying sacks, lifting baskets, shouting in rhythm, and moving swiftly. This place did not resemble a mortal town they had imagined at all, but rather a settlement of tribes from the southern wilderness.

Perhaps sensing the surprise and tension in Eve’s group, Komer said with a light smile, "Eve, Grace, don’t be too nervous. The Caucasus has always been a region of multiethnic cohabitation. This Bahomon, sitting adjacent to the mountain people—ah, what you call barbarians—and half-beastmen, has always been the main labor force in the Caucasus. So, you see a bit more of these two races here. Don’t worry, even my Lord’s Guard and Self-defense Army are mainly composed of half-beast soldiers. It’s all quite normal."

"You mean, your Guard is also made up of half-beastmen?" Grace genuinely didn’t understand why Komer would choose those fierce-looking half-beastmen as his guard. Wasn’t he afraid that these half-beast soldiers might suddenly become violent?

"Hehe, Grace, do you think half-beastmen can’t serve as my Guard? It seems your opinion has some issues. In the Caucasus, all races are equal, and any discrimination is not allowed. Otherwise, the Judicial Officer will severely punish those guilty of inciting racial hatred—inciting racial hatred is a serious crime in the Caucasus, punishable by imprisonment and fines. So this principle is well enforced in the Caucasus. As far as I know, so far, no one has dared to violate this law," Komer explained with a laugh.

Komer continued with a smile, "In fact, my half-beastman Guards have higher combat capabilities and loyalty than mortal Soldiers. I am their only master, and my orders are carried out without fail. Therefore, I plan to keep using half-beastmen as my Guard."

Komer’s remarks indeed stirred up huge waves in the minds of Eve and her companions. They had noticed from Komer’s usual talks that he seemed not to have any prejudice between races, but they still hadn’t expected that as a lord of a territory, Komer would actually choose the rumored rough and barbaric half-beastmen as his personal guard.

If elves, half-elves, and the proud races could be somewhat accepted by mortals, half-beastmen, which were almost the same as beastmen, seemed to mortals like a race that could never coexist with them on equal terms. Yet, such perceptions seemed to be completely overturned here. Just looking at the barbarians—considered the most dangerous race by all races on the Continent—and how they also live and work on this land, one could tell that Komer’s words were true, and the Caucasus was indeed a place full of miracles.

"Look, this is Bahomon, the westernmost port of the Caucasus on the Catania River, and also the southernmost town of my territory. Around twenty thousand people live here now, mainly because there is a large iron mine and several ironworks, and there are some logging yards around here. Overall, it’s still very rudimentary; everything has just begun, like a big construction site, chaotic, with people everywhere recruiting workers and seeking jobs. It seems we really need to appoint an Administrative Officer specifically for this place," Komer said while introducing his companions to the surroundings and frowning as he examined the town.

Bahomon, being under his direct jurisdiction and not having a designated Administrative Officer like Mandu, was concurrently managed by Puber, and it seemed to Komer that Bahomon had changed somewhat in just over a month. Barbarians, who now made up more than half of those pulling carts and carrying packages at the dock—something which had been the exclusive domain of half-beastmen—indicated that barbarians were gradually taking over jobs from half-beastmen. Komer wondered if this had anything to do with Puber’s barbarian girlfriend.

The streets of Bahomon were filled with people overjoyed. Whether it was small traders or craftsmen, farmers nearby or workers from the mines, shop owners or workshop masters, everyone realized the significance of their Lord coming down from that merchant ship on the Catania River: oh, the world had suddenly become so wonderful!

If you like this book, please visit Qidian.com for more Chapters. Support the author, support authorized reading!