Winter Solstice Festival

This world where Magnus lived was not inhabited by humans alone. Besides humans, there were many demi-human races, such as the Giant race, Merfolk, Longarm Tribe, and Tontatta.

But these demi-human races were ultimately minorities.

In this world where feudalism and slavery coexisted, differences in appearance often bred discrimination. The more numerous ordinary humans discriminated against the fewer demi-humans, capturing them and turning them into slaves. Such things were all too common.

The Giant race was one kind of demi-human.

However, compared to other demi-human nations, the Giant race was far stronger. Even the World Government was unwilling to provoke the giants of Elbaf lightly.

Magnus and Harald sat on the ground.

"Fish-Man Island is an Affiliated Nation of the World Government, but because humans loathe fish-men, and because of its location, Fish-Man Island has always been in a very awkward position."

"You mean pirates?"

"Not just pirates. Slave traders too."

Holding a porcelain bowl larger than his entire body, Magnus lightly clinked it against Harald's.

"Humans hate fish-men, but upper-class nobles take pride in keeping a young female Mermaid. On the black market, a young female Mermaid can even sell for tens of millions of Beli. Those enormous profits lead to kidnappings and raids on Fish-Man Island from time to time."

Fish-Man Island lay ten thousand meters beneath Mary Geoise. It should have been very safe, but ever since ship-coating craftsmen appeared, pirates, Marines, and all kinds of people could dive into the deep sea by coating their ships.

"If Elbaf wants to trade with other countries, it must have its own distinctive products. In my view, is there anything more distinctive than Adam Wood?"

Outside Elbaf, the starting price for one cubic meter of Adam Wood was measured in millions of Beli. A sailing ship built entirely from Adam Wood would cost hundreds of millions of Beli in lumber alone.

Elbaf lacked nothing but had plenty of Adam Wood.

"However, I imagine you wouldn't easily trade Adam Wood away."

Seeing Harald's tightly furrowed brow, Magnus knew that path would not work. Getting the giants to offer up Adam Wood that had been felled because of fires was already their limit.

But for the giants to actively cut down the Adam Tree was impossible.

"Other than Adam Wood, you have nothing else to trade. Handicrafts aren't worth much, and agricultural countries can only export agricultural products, but most farm produce is difficult to preserve."

"So after thinking it over, there's only that option."

Magnus smiled. "If you're willing to serve as bodyguards for the Merfolk, I think the king of Fish-Man Island wouldn't refuse to pay a small fee for it."

Because all sorts of people came and went through Fish-Man Island, it was a mixed bag, but those passing travelers had never been stingy with their money.

Fish-Man Island was very wealthy.

Yet wealthy Fish-Man Island lacked the strength to protect itself.

Fish-Man Island's location meant that those capable of reaching it were all powerful pirates. Even the slave traders had backing and connections.

Therefore, even though Fish-Man Island paid the World Government its full annual Celestial Gold without fail, the Marines under the World Government still could not properly protect Fish-Man Island.

On Fish-Man Island, tossing a brick at random could hit several pirates with bounties in the tens of millions of Beli. Great Pirates with bounties exceeding a hundred million were not unheard of either.

Under such circumstances, ordinary Marines simply could not keep order.

The Giant race was different.

Adult giants started with bounties of tens of millions of Beli. As long as there were enough of them, even Great Pirates with bounties exceeding a hundred million would not dare act recklessly.

If they merely wanted to be self-sufficient, Elbaf's little patch of land was enough for the giants to manage.

But if they did not want to be limited to that.

If they wanted to make contact with other nations and even trade with them, they needed a signature product of their own.

"What, Harald? Did you think abandoning force would bring peace?"

Magnus shook his head.

"In this world, strength ultimately does the talking. Power itself is neither right nor wrong. The difference lies in whether it is used to invade others or protect oneself."

"..."

Harald was not naive enough to believe that giving up force would bring peace. He was only wondering what difference there would be between the Giant race and mercenaries if they did this.

"Of course there's a difference!"

Hearing Harald's doubts, Magnus answered without hesitation.

"Mercenaries will do anything for money, but your Giant race would only protect your employers. Is the difference between having principles and having none really so small?"

"...I'll consider it."

This concerned the future of the entire Giant race, so Harald had no choice but to think it over seriously. Magnus was not in a hurry. As long as he got the Adam Wood, that was enough.

"Take your time. That's all the advice I can offer. Perhaps you can also use Carmel's connections to become an Affiliated Nation of the World Government. The World Government probably wouldn't mind if you used your people as collateral for the annual Celestial Gold."

The World Government had coveted the Giant race for a long time. Otherwise, it would not have put on an act with Carmel and made her the bridge between them and the giants.

But working for oneself and working for others were definitely not the same.

"Ah..."

Having listened to their conversation all along, Yaruru sighed.

The world was changing.

Old men like him would sooner or later be cast aside by the tides of the era.

The Giant race of the past could live by raiding.

That did not mean they could do so in the future.

What pleased Magnus was that after leaving the castle, Yaruru instructed the giants to bring out the Adam Wood from the warehouse and prepare to build him a ship.

According to Yaruru, no matter what path Harald chose, they might need Magnus's help in the future.

Since that was the case, they might as well be generous and bring out the lumber.

In the pirate world, where heavy industry was lacking, building a sailing ship was measured in years. Most pirates who wanted to buy a ship either bought a secondhand one or an already completed vessel. Few would wait several years for a single ship.

Magnus was one of those few.

Better to go without than settle for less. After sailing the seas for so many years, Magnus understood all too well how important a good ship was. At sea, it was equivalent to a second life.

That was why Magnus agreed to remain in Elbaf for two years and help teach the giants' children.

In two years, his ship should be nearly finished as well.

The time that followed passed quickly.

After meeting Harald, Magnus spent most of his time in the giants' village, playing with the giants and the children from the Orphanage of Lambs.

Sometimes, Magnus even thought that if not for the system reigniting his fighting spirit, spending the rest of his life here in peace would not have been bad either.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Magnus and the others in Elbaf welcomed the giants' Winter Solstice Festival.