Special Treatment

"Alexander, take my calling card and a few men to file a report with the Saint Hena City Defense Office. After that, go to Gray Rock Castle of the Balas Family and have Etna, Xilixis, and Mesa come to Sea Blue Castle tomorrow morning. Tell them I have an important matter to discuss with them. If they ask what it is, you may tell them about the assassination attempt I encountered tonight..."

"Yes!"

"Keli, I'll issue you a letter of certification shortly. Take a small squad of guards under your command and leave Saint Hena Island at once. Go to the headquarters of the Ewendala Bounty Hunters Guild and add one million gold coins to the bounty list for hunting on Demon Snake Island!" A baleful aura had already seeped into Olina's voice as she spoke.

Keli trembled slightly, then lowered his head. "Yes!"

"Adilina, contact the elders of your tribe. Tell them I agree to the terms they discussed with me last time. The Balas Merchant Guild will cede twenty percent of the Sinela Island shipping-route business to you. The maximum proportion of barbarians in the Balas Merchant Guild's armed Silverwing Guard will be raised to thirty percent. At the same time, one of the Silverwing Guard's vice-captain positions may be filled by one of your people, who may answer to me alone!"

Adilina, whose brow and the corners of her eyes bore strange tattoos, raised her eyebrows again, then nodded forcefully.

"Perif, you'll have to work harder during this period. I'm placing the castle guard under your command. Sea Blue Castle's safety is in your hands!"

"Please rest assured, Madam. If any more miscreants manage to slip into the castle, I'll cut off my own head!" Perif declared boldly, thumping his chest.

"Jigang, go to the Silverwing Guard