On September 29th, on the third floor of Daddy Camel Tavern in Abadi, Abadi's usurper, Shahman Duleqizi, sat properly before his favorite tea table.
Shahman had been in a terrible mood these past two days. The impact of the Royal Court's legions marching south was far greater than he had imagined, to the point that it threatened Abadi's normal commercial operations.
The camps of every tribe crowded along the main roads, disrupting trade transport throughout The Basin. The endless stream of troops required vast quantities of food, Magic Plants, and medicine, driving up local prices and undermining the spending confidence of every tribe.
Even more troublesome, the Beastmen had sealed off The Basin's eastern exit—Iowa Valley—and detained Night-Kirin City magical goods from several merchant caravans. Many tribes had preordered moisturizing cream, Magic Potions, Magic Pattern Plates, Magic Brew, and other products with deposits. Once logistics ground to a halt and the goods could not be delivered on schedule, the Duleqizi family's reputation would be utterly bankrupt.
Yet amid all these terrible matters, there was always something even thornier—such as the lady before Shahman: Jenny Gallop.
Jenny, standing before Daddy Camel, was dressed like a Beastman, with a Temple of Life badge hanging from her waist. Having only just come of age and standing a little shorter than a typical high-level Mana-Wielder, she did not look at all like a high-level Water School Mage.
And yet, this very girl had a crafty, aggressive glint in her eyes, enough to leave even Shahman, seasoned by countless business wars, unable to read her clearly.
Once the tea had steeped, Shahman poured Jenny a cup and said with a smile, "Miss Jenny, it's hard to imagine that you managed to reach Abadi under such difficult conditions. May I ask whom you represent on this