The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 693: Volume 20: Wolves Lurking in the Mediterranean, - 1: Sparta

Chapter 693: Volume 20: Wolves Lurking in the Mediterranean, Chapter 1: Sparta

Just as the upper echelons of the Caucasus celebrated upon hearing the news about Komer, his identity at that time had transformed into that of a Susoer merchant attempting to conduct trade between the Southern Mediterranean and the Blue Continent. His hearty generosity and renowned reputation quickly spread throughout the Southern Mediterranean Region, as tirelessly as his lack of timely awareness.

The Southern Mediterranean has always been a hotspot for the advancement of the Blue Continent’s civilization. Numerous city-states, a long history, and a warm, humid climate have nurtured a developed maritime trade civilization in the region. Civilizations from the inner Continent and accessible seafaring regions intermingle here, creating its unique local customs and thriving cultural arts, which have even become somewhat distorted.

Komer began his voyage across the three bays only after completing his transactions with the Tilo People. The vast sea between the Blue Continent and the Mediterranean brims with prosperity in the Mediterranean, and the essence of the Mediterranean pulsates in its three great bays – the Saronikos Bay, the Aegean Bay, and the Corinthia Bay – nestled within the embrace of the Moria and Sisonia Peninsulas. Dozens of cities, city-states, principalities, and kingdoms interlace around these two peninsulas; an effusion of races and a liberal faith environment, together with exceptional sailing conditions, have created an unprecedentedly rich cultural and commercial civilization.

The Kingdom of Sparta was Komer’s first stop. The honey wine and dried figs of Patre lingered in Komer’s past memories. Here lay the Mediterranean’s most aromatic and sweet honey wine, the crisp and sweet dried figs, as well as the beautifully crafted Spartan armor. Increasingly advanced smelting and forging techniques had made Patre and Sparta second only to the Corinth City-State as the center of armor manufacturing in the Southern Mediterranean Region.

Komer also knew that a significant portion of the iron ore and high-quality smokeless coal shipped out from Bahomon and Bruce was sold here. Even the ravages of the Wicked Dragon and the fierce battles between the Carter Fleet and Gray Skull could not stop the continuous flow of Caucasus and Leon’s most significant exports to this place. The favorable climate and wind conditions of the Northern Mediterranean made this route one of the most profitable, where cargo ships coming from Mattdam and Bruce headed south were invariably large bulk carriers. Iron ore, pig iron, smokeless coal fueled the rebirth of the Corinth City-state Alliance’s smelting and forging industry with a powerful current.

"Mr. Karadin, what do you think? I can assure you, you will not find finer armor in the entire Aegean Bay. We Spartans never lie!"

The incessant merchant tried hard to present the intricate beauty of his goods to Komer, detail by detail. Komer had to admit that the armor displayed before him was something he had never seen in the North. Aside from its beauty, the connection of each armor plate was seamlessly woven, and the delicate patterns and motifs all conveyed to onlookers the armor’s absolute worth of the price being asked.

"Indeed, it’s quite good. However, while you might not find such fine goods elsewhere in the Aegean Bay, what about Corinthia Bay? I’ve heard that the Corinth City-State produces unparalleled armor as well." Seeing the merchant so earnestly peddling his wares, Komer could not bear to deflate the confident merchant’s spirit. Yet, it was not just a display of his financial prowess at stake; this was genuine business, and he needed to save every Gold Shield he could.

The merchant faltered briefly, his face revealing a moment of speechless embarrassment. With the smelting and forging techniques of the Corinth City-State renowned throughout the entire Mediterranean, even his boasting could not claim to surpass the city-state’s armor. It might even provoke controversy.

"Mr. Karadin, if you need only one or a few sets of armor, I won’t stop you from going to Corinth. However, I must remind you that the armors there cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of Gold Shields. They specialize in making magic armor. I believe that you, Mr. Karadin, will need more armor. The basic materials for our Spartan armor come from iron ore from the Caucasus, supplemented with our unique Spartan mineral ingredients during smelting and refining. Aside from magical features, I can boast that our armors will not be bested by any, so I believe our Spartan armor is exactly what you need."

The merchant paused for a moment before lifting his head and raising his voice. The pride that flowed through his words towards the end made even Komer nod in agreement. Having such confidence proved that a people were vital. Compared to the stale air coursing through the Kingdom Court and cities of Nicosia, Komer felt more like he was basking in a refreshing breeze in Patre, with every moment bringing relaxation and joy, yet filled with passion.

"Heh heh, Mr. Kamado Odysseus, I can’t deny your eloquence is as fine as your armor. You’ve convinced me. You’re right; I don’t need just one or two sets of armor—I need a large quantity, yes, a large quantity. I’m not sure if your production and supply capabilities can meet my needs?" Komer said with a slight smile.

"A large quantity? May I inquire how large a quantity you require, Mr. Karadin? Do you have any other specific requirements?" Kamado showed a confident smile. What does ’a large quantity’ mean? One hundred or two hundred sets? It seemed that Mr. Karadin was somewhat underestimating his family’s production capabilities. The Odysseus family was the most important armor manufacturer in the Kingdom of Sparta, with the finest workers. Could this outsider really be doubting his family’s production abilities?

"We have a good partnership with the Sphinx family, which possesses the largest metallurgy and forging workshop in the Sparta region. They will supply us with all the refined iron we need. Mr. Karadin, you have no need to worry about quality or schedule. As long as you give us a deadline, we guarantee that we will deliver satisfactory goods within your specified time."

"Is that so? Then I look forward to a perfect and pleasant cooperation," Komer also laughed. News of his absence from the Caucasus would quickly reach Homer, and Philip would not overlook such an opportunity. Although the Court might not inform Philip of the true situation, they would definitely hint to Homer in various ways that it was impossible to continue bearing the responsibility of resisting Homer’s advance to the south. Under these circumstances, the threat of Homer’s southern invasion would rapidly increase. If the situation in the north stabilizes, Philip would likely act immediately to deal with the nuisance of the Caucasus and Leon.

Komer had to consider this issue as soon as possible. He did not take the Great Mysterium Sect or Uma’s undead power into consideration. If he did, he feared it would draw the full force of the Church of Light and even invite attacks from the entire Northern Mortal World. Komer was not prepared to take such risks yet. Letting the war between both sides play out as conventional warfare among mortals aligns more with his interests.

"Mr. Kamado, I need 500 sets of the finest armor, and I have some special requirements. Their specifications might need to be much larger than normal armor, um, designed to be around two meters tall. Other than that, I have no other requests. I just hope there won’t be too much delay regarding time. Could Mr. Kamado tell me when I can expect to receive this batch of goods?"

"Five hundred sets?" A stunned Kamado could hardly believe his ears. What concept was five hundred sets of armor? That equated to three months of his family’s production. He had never encountered such a large order; usually, nobles ordered five or ten sets at most, and even city-states or kingdoms rarely ordered more than a hundred sets in one go. And now this man wanted five hundred sets at once?! Kamado was so taken aback that he didn’t even notice the last specification requirement Komer mentioned.

"Mr. Karadin, may I ask whom this order is for? Such a large order is very valuable. Please forgive my impertinence, I wish to know the precise destination of this batch of goods." Kamado said cautiously, his expression turning grave when he reflected on the man’s request for larger specifications. Such a large-scale order seemed to be beyond the means of any private person, especially one requiring special specifications. Could this man be an agent for the northern barbarians? This would be problematic. Although the Kingdom of Sparta wasn’t adjacent to barbarian territories, it was common knowledge that barbarians were a significant threat to all southern races, and the embargo on materials to the barbarians was a unanimous decision made by all nations and powers in the south, including the Corinth City-state Alliance. Nobody dared to commit such an egregious act.

Komer immediately sensed the suspicions in the other’s mind. It appeared that these southern nations still had quite a high level of vigilance against barbarians. No wonder barbarians had no chance in the south; the city-states and kingdoms were so united and resolute in their stance against them. The barbarians could only place their hopes in their own lands in the north.

"Heh heh, Mr. Kamado, it seems you have misunderstood. Not only barbarians on the Blue Continent may have such robust statures. I am a merchant planning to conduct long-term business in this region, so I certainly would not violate the laws here. Please rest assured, Mr. Kamado." Seeing that the other party was still silent, Komer knew he had to give a straightforward explanation if he wanted the deal to proceed. He then smiled and said, "Hasn’t it occurred to you, Mr. Kamado? Which region would now need armor of such specifications? Hmm, let me hint to you, Mr. Kamado, that these are for half-beast soldiers."

(To be continued. For further developments, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM. There are more Chapters, support the author, support authorized reading!)