The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 697: Volume 20: Wolves Lurking in the Mediterranean, - 5: Whose Responsibility

Chapter 697: Volume 20: Wolves Lurking in the Mediterranean, Chapter 5: Whose Responsibility

"Mr. Kamado," Komer began with a slight smile, "the scenery of the Akmon River is indeed as famous as they say, with clear waters like a ribbon and fertile banks on both sides. No wonder I heard even in the North that Sparta might replace Corinth as the leader of the City-state Alliance. Patrae has developed rapidly, I recall four years ago when I last visited Patrae it was nothing like it is now. I wonder what has caused Patrae to become so lively all of a sudden?"

Upon hearing Komer ask this question, Kamado was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t expected a merchant from the North to be interested in these matters, but as a Spartan, he naturally felt proud of his country’s development. "Mr. Karadin, have you visited Sparta before?"

"Oh, I only passed by Patrae by boat and spent just one night there. The lime wine from the ’Old Sailor’ Tavern by the dock in Patrae let me sleep soundly." Reno laughed, his face lighting up with genuine recollection.

"Heh, it seems that Mr. Karadin doesn’t hold his liquor well, getting sound sleep from lime wine? Perhaps only our Spartan honey wine would suit you best." There was an odd look on Kamado’s face; not being able to hold one’s liquor was a somewhat embarrassing topic for any man, but it seemed that the merchant from Susoer wasn’t bothered by it, which made Kamado feel more favorably towards this straightforward business partner. "In Athens City, Mr. Karadin, you can freely enjoy our honey wine made with rose honey. It will leave you feeling tipsy all day," he laughed heartily.

"Mmm, I’ve been looking forward to such a delightful time. I tried Spartan honey wine four years ago in Patrae, but that accursed owner took advantage of me being a foreigner and added too much sugar water to my drink, which was quite disappointing. This time in Athens, I must have a proper taste," Komer replied, also laughing, and their interaction seemed to bring them much closer.

"Wasn’t Mr. Karadin just asking why Patrae has undergone such significant changes in recent years? One of the reasons has to do with the Caucasus Lord you serve now," Kamado said, steering the conversation back and casting a glance at his counterpart.

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Komer asked with a hint of surprise.

"Mr. Karadin must know that although our forging and smelting technology in the Southern Mediterranean Region has always been the best on the Continent, we have very limited metal ores in our region. Whether it’s iron, silver, or copper mines, the quantities are modest and the quality not very good. Most raw materials need to be imported from the North or inland regions, which is why, with this limitation, the entire Southern Mediterranean Region, aside from Corinth known for producing high-end and unique weapons and armor, other areas, though technically advanced, have struggled to scale up. Patrae is no exception."

"However, this situation has recently changed. After the Caucasus replaced its Lord with the one you serve now, a massive shift occurred. The iron ore and pig iron from the Caucasus are exported in large quantities to our Southern Mediterranean, and now the high-quality smokeless coal from the region neighboring the Caucasus, also under his jurisdiction, is being continuously supplied to our area. With secure supplies of raw materials and fuel, it’s unsurprising that the local smelting and forging industries have developed. Sparta has some advantages too - we have special minerals in the Pindus region. When added to the smelting process through special methods, they significantly improve the quality of wrought iron and give it unique properties. While we can’t yet compare to Corinth’s magic armor, our ironware, especially armor, is very sought after. I believe this is something Mr. Karadin is also aware of since you have come here to place orders," Kamado explained.

"Oh? Is that the reason for such a dramatic change in Patrae?" Komer was skeptical of this rationale. The idea that the development of just one industry, the smelting and forging industry, could cause such growth in Patrae seemed astonishing.

"Of course, it’s not just that reason. The prosperity you see in Patrae is due to many factors, and the supply of minerals and fuel from the Caucasus to the Southern Mediterranean Region is just one of them. You may have also noticed that the number of dwarfs in Patrae has increased since the last time you visited, and that’s another reason," Kamado said, his expression a mix of excitement and concern.

"Dwarves? What do dwarves have to do with this?" Komer was even more perplexed. In his memory, dwarves were commonly spread throughout the whole southern continent. Naturally, the most concentrated populations were in the two dwarven kingdoms—the largest being the Kingdom of Shimaina, close to Barbarian Territory, which was said to contain over one third of the continent’s dwarves. Slightly less populous was the Severo Duchy on the root of the Sisonia Peninsula to the south, which was also an important dwarf settlement area. Most other dwarves were scattered across various cities and countries established by other races in the south. In these nations, other races did not exclude dwarves; on the contrary, they welcomed the dwarfs who possessed specialized skills.

"Of course, this past year, the number of dwarves has greatly increased in our Sparta as well as in other cities and countries in the Southern Mediterranean. Many of them are skilled craftsmen and artisans who engage in construction, repair, or are involved in smelting, forging, and manufacturing. For our smelting and forging industries, which are currently expanding production, this influx of technical workers and skilled labor couldn’t have come at a better time. That’s why Patrae is seeing such prosperity," Kamado’s face took on an expression of concern and bitterness.

"Oh? A significant increase in the number of dwarves? What’s the reason for that? Could it be that the dwarf settlement areas have encountered a disaster or famine?" Komer seemed to have a premonition that the increase in the dwarfs’ numbers in these regions was somehow connected to him.

"Mr. Karadin, over this past year, the situation near the northern regions close to Barbarian Territory has been far from peaceful. The Barbarians’ offensives appear to have greatly intensified, posing significant pressure on the surrounding countries and city-states. The Kingdom of Shimaina has borne the brunt of it; its northern defense lines have shown signs of being breached by Barbarians several times. If reinforcements hadn’t arrived in time, Shimaina’s situation would have been even worse. Under such circumstances, many dwarves from the northern part of the Kingdom of Shimaina migrated to other areas to avoid the war, and naturally, our Southern Mediterranean Region became their preferred destination for relocation," Kamado said.

Kamado had mixed feelings about the migration of these dwarves. Their move to the south had brought a significant influx of technical labor to his family’s workshops, alleviating the worry of a labor shortage for the expansion of production capacity. Furthermore, the increasingly fierce northern battles had led to a rising demand for armor and weapons, which should be a welcome development for all merchants producing such goods.

However, the threat of Barbarians was always a nightmare for all races in the south. No one dared to imagine what would happen if those Barbarians, reputed to be capable of tearing apart tigers and leopards and consuming human flesh, broke through the defense line and poured into the inland areas. The defense line encircling the Cordillera Wasteland had been quite solid for hundreds of years; the Barbarians’ countless attempts to attack had never succeeded. Even on the rare occasions they did, the surrounding countries were always quick to patch up the breach and trap the Barbarians within the adjustable encirclement. Once their supplies ran out, they had no choice but to retreat to the Cordillera Wasteland in frustration.

However, the changes in the northern situation over this past year seemed to have exceeded past norms. The Barbarians’ offensives were fiercer than ever, and problems with supplies appeared to have little impact on them. Clearly, the surrounding countries were not sufficiently prepared for this situation. Kamado learned of the seriousness when he escorted shipments of armor and weapons to the northern front. The Barbarians’ level of readiness for this assault seemed to surpass all prior instances, especially concerning their perennial supply issues. They seemed to have prepared an abundance of food and supplies. If it had been any previous year, the Barbarians would have had to retreat by now after such prolonged and intense fighting, but this time, it seemed they still had reserves of strength. This forced the surrounding countries to engage in grueling battles and standoffs against the Barbarians.

"Those damn Barbarians, it’s inexplicable how they’ve suddenly become so fierce and difficult to handle. Their assault has already lasted three months without any sign of retreat. In Shimaina, three cities and fortresses in the northern border have been destroyed by the war, and to the west, the Iberian Kingdom has likewise suffered the Barbarians’ wild ravaging. If not for the financial support from Ephesus and Piergos, which allowed them to quickly equip and send their reserve forces into battle, I think Iberia might have already been finished," Kamado sighed deeply, appearing somewhat disheartened.

"This Olympia festival is not just a simple athletic event. Both Iberia and Shimaina will send special envoys to participate in the gathering. Representatives from our Corinth City-state Alliance and other countries will come together to discuss this matter. I seem to smell the scent of war’s shadow," Kamado remarked gravely.

Seeing Kamado’s somber face, Komer finally understood that the pressure the Barbarians were placing on these southern countries and cities was no less than what the beastmen were imposing on the Northern League Countries. Both Iberia and Shimaina were flat and fertile, rich lands that produced the food the Barbarians most urgently needed. No wonder the Barbarians had little interest in the barren Caucasus —even capturing it wouldn’t be of much value to them. The same was true for Leon. However, Komer never imagined that the immense pressure the south was facing this time might very well be the result of his own actions.

(To be continued... For more Chapters, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM. Support the author; support authorized reading!)