This was Boris and Vincent's third visit to Desinia's castle.
Boris had come with a decision already made.
He said, "I agree to the second cooperation proposal, and the Nagabi Merchant Guild can meet the three requirements you put forward."
"However, Nagabi Salt will be sold in other places where Rose Salt is available. On that matter, Your Excellency the Count has no right to interfere."
The Nagabi Merchant Guild was, after all, a renowned merchant guild established long ago.
The reformed Nagabi Salt would only sell better than Rose Salt.
Cyrus said, "Of course. We'll compete fairly elsewhere."
He planned to exchange his reputation points for books on marketing strategies, sales methods, product-selling concepts, and the like.
In the plan to rebuild Visas and Komoy Fort, sufficient manpower and adequate funding were the two most important conditions.
The reason Cyrus had demanded that Nagabi Salt permanently withdraw from Gadayat was to ensure that Rose Salt retained most of its market share and would not later be driven out again by refined Nagabi Salt produced through sun drying...
That would reduce and drain the Thorn Merchant Guild's funds, preventing the rebuilding plan from proceeding smoothly.
As for the manpower issue—
He was about to solve that now.
Cyrus said, "Mr. Abel, we can now discuss what the Nagabi Merchant Guild can use to purchase the formula for the plant potion."
Boris caught the key phrase in his words.
"Use what? Does Your Excellency intend to barter?"
Bartering was a rather special method of trade between merchant guilds. No money was needed; goods of equal value were used to settle the transaction.
Cyrus nodded. "That's right. I want a batch of goods from the Nagabi Merchant Guild."
Boris Abel needed time to consider before giving an answer.
During that time—
The information Cyrus had long ordered people to investigate about the Nagabi Merchant Guild arrived.
As the largest merchant guild in the Anas Empire, the Nagabi Merchant Guild sold not only salt, various daily necessities, weapons, and armor, but also operated the largest slave market in the Anas Empire.
On the Western Continent, slaves were goods as well.
The Nagabi Merchant Guild dealt in slaves.
Although the Anas Empire and the Saint Airo Empire stood opposed to each other and maintained a relatively stable situation, they were not always peaceful and free of conflict.
Unrest and friction often broke out between the two great empires.
The small vassal states and neighboring nations were repeatedly subjected to unavoidable harassment and invasion.
Especially by the Anas Empire.
The king turned all captured people into imperial slaves, shackling them in heavy chains and branding them with obvious marks that could not be removed. Their freedom was gone.
Usually, all these slaves captured by the empire were sent to the slave market of the Nagabi Merchant Guild, where they awaited auction or bulk sale.
Cyrus had sent people to inquire about a recent war in the Anas Empire.
—The Trak Kingdom had been destroyed.
Almost everyone in the entire kingdom had been captured and taken to the Anas Empire.
They were now all imprisoned in the Nagabi Merchant Guild's slave market and had not yet been purchased by nobles.
When Cyrus read through the information, Ferdinand and Walker were by his side as well.
He asked, "Why was the Trak Kingdom destroyed so quickly?"
"Only a little over two months passed from the Anas Empire's invasion to the end. Is the Anas Empire truly that powerful?"
Ferdinand said, "We heard about this matter as well."
"The Trak Kingdom was a small nation with only three cities. It had always been located in the farthest northern region, backed against Ama Mountain and actually quite far from both the Anas Empire and the Saint Airo Empire."
"Because the northern climate was simply too cold and the environment exceptionally harsh, there were practically no other countries around the Trak Kingdom."
"But later, the people of the Trak Kingdom discovered a small iron mine in Ama Mountain, which sparked an internal dispute."
"Someone wanted to use that iron mine to seize the position of crown prince of the Trak Kingdom, so he borrowed troops from the Anas Empire. Who would have thought that he would bring in a pack of ill-intentioned wolves?"
"In just over two months, the Anas Empire destroyed the Trak Kingdom. Everyone in the entire country, whether nobles, commoners, or slaves, was captured."
Cyrus thought that borrowing troops from the Anas Empire was no different from seeking a tiger's skin. He had been bold but incapable.
Walker continued, "Because the people of the Trak Kingdom had lived for generations in the cold and harsh north, both men and women were very tall and sturdy."
"In their country, I heard that women could fight as well."
"Especially the knights of the Trak Kingdom. In terms of cavalry combat ability, they were no weaker than the knights of the Anas Empire—perhaps even stronger."
Walker found it somewhat regrettable. "It was just that the Trak Kingdom's population was far too small, and the Anas Empire caught them completely off guard. That was why they were defeated so quickly."
Cyrus asked, "How many people from the Trak Kingdom were captured in total?"
Walker said, "I heard it was over a thousand. The rest either fled or died."
"However, the final number of captives may be even lower. After all, some people were severely injured when captured and received no effective treatment. They could easily die along the way or after reaching the Anas Empire."
Ferdinand said, "I remember that the population of the Trak Kingdom's two cities combined was fewer than three thousand."
Cyrus said, "So few?!"
Ferdinand nodded.
Seeing his thoughtful expression, Judas asked, "Your Excellency the Count, have you thought of something?"
Cyrus's eyes curved as he nodded. "I have."
At that moment—
Cyrus said to Boris, "I want you to exchange all the captives from the Trak Kingdom for the formula of the plant potion."
Vincent's brow twitched at once. "Your Excellency the Count, are you sure you want the slaves of the Trak Kingdom?"
"I'm sure."
"But..."
Vincent looked at Boris hesitantly, his face troubled.
Judas said, "They are merely slaves. Does the Nagabi Merchant Guild not wish to use them for this exchange?"
"I would think slaves are not worth as much as gold coins."
Boris said, "The goods Your Excellency wants are indeed rather inconvenient."
"I may as well be frank with you. Duke Bass Riches of Gadayat also wishes to purchase a portion of the Trak Kingdom's slaves."
Cyrus could not help exchanging a subtle look with Judas.
In that case, he had to snatch them all the more.
He asked, "Has Mr. Abel already reached an agreement with Duke Riches?"
Boris said, "We have not yet reached a deal."
After all, he had come straight to Visas after disembarking.
Cyrus pursed his lips, his eyes curving as he gave Boris a friendly smile.
"If Duke Riches purchases only a portion of the slaves, then the remaining portion will be useless to me. If I want them, I want all of them."
Boris raised a brow. "But if I agree to a transaction with Your Excellency, I will inevitably break faith with Duke Riches. That will also cause the Nagabi Merchant Guild to lose a source of income..."
Cyrus said, "But I believe that exchanging all the slaves of the Trak Kingdom for the formula of the plant potion would maximize the benefits for both sides, would it not?"
"The Nagabi Merchant Guild should not care about the money earned from selling slaves."
He considered it briefly. "How about this? As long as our transaction is completed, I can give Mr. Abel additional compensation."
Boris asked with some interest, "What compensation?"
Cyrus said, "A book on methods and precautions for cultivating medicinal herbs."
Boris said, "..."
Cyrus calmly said, "Most of the herbs covered by the potion formula are difficult to grow. The initial investment and consumption are the greatest expenses."
"But if someone experienced—such as myself—tells you how to cultivate them, not only will the survival rate of the herbs increase, but the time before they can be sold will also be greatly shortened."
"That way, plant potions can be produced as soon as possible and sold through the Nagabi Merchant Guild."
There were still no fertilizers, pesticides, or similar things on the Western Continent.
Commoners and slaves did not know how to keep plants warm or drive away pests, nor did they know proper sowing methods or planting times... Naturally, medicinal herbs had a low survival rate.
Yet the compensation Cyrus offered was actually an extra that would have been traded along with the potion formula in the first place.
After all, he wanted this potion, which could treat coughs and fevers, to become widespread as quickly as possible.
And with the Nagabi Merchant Guild's capabilities, as long as the herbs were successfully cultivated in sufficient quantities, it could be sold across a vast area.
He simply had not mentioned it before.
Boris Abel had no way of knowing that this so-called compensation had originally been a free bonus...
I really do have a clever and quick little brain.
The deal was ultimately reached.
Both sides drafted a detailed agreement on parchment.
First, every bottle and jar containing plant potion would bear the Desinia Family crest.
Second, from then on, the Nagabi Merchant Guild could not interfere with or suppress any products sold through the Thorn Merchant Guild, including Rose Salt.
Third, the Nagabi Merchant Guild promised that Nagabi Salt would permanently withdraw from the Gadayat Kingdom.
After both parties signed their names, they pressed their palmprints onto the parchment as well.
Cyrus said, "Once all the slaves from the Trak Kingdom are delivered, the formula for the plant potion will naturally be handed over to the Nagabi Merchant Guild."
"I trust the Nagabi Merchant Guild's credibility."
Boris said, "Naturally, I trust Your Excellency the Count's credibility as well. A pleasure doing business with you."
"A pleasure doing business with you."
Before Cyrus saw Boris and Vincent off from the castle, he specifically explained that when the Nagabi Merchant Guild's ships came to Gadayat again, they could travel along the Volri River and dock at Gaya Port.
It was the port in the city closest to Komoy Fort.
Boris said there was no problem with that.
They returned once more to the port of Niramo, boarded their ship, and set sail back to the Anas Empire.
Meanwhile, Bass Riches waited and waited, yet no one from the Nagabi Merchant Guild came.
After sending a servant to inquire at the branch guild in the city, he learned that the people from the Anas Empire had already left Niramo.
Bass Riches was furious at the time, but there was nothing he could do.
More than half a month later—
Bass Riches heard that five ships carrying slaves from the Trak Kingdom were sailing along the Volri River.
Seven days later, the five ships passed Niramo. After sailing for some time longer, they docked at Gaya Port.
Then Desinia sent knights to take away all the slaves from the Trak Kingdom.
"..."
How could Bass Riches not understand what had happened before, causing the Nagabi Merchant Guild not to trade with him?
So it had all been the "good work" of that little brat Desinia!
Bass Riches gritted his teeth in fury. "...Him again!"
The butler beside him said, "Your Grace, Desinia has angered you time and again and even taken Komoy Fort from you. Should we..."
Bass Riches's gaze flickered. After a long while, he said, "Leave him alone for now. The most important thing at present is... We can deal with Desinia later."
As for the Nagabi Merchant Guild—
Just from Boris's willingness to leave Niramo without so much as a word, it was clear that Bass Riches could not afford to offend the Nagabi Merchant Guild.
Although he made that decision, Bass Riches remained truly furious for several days and even developed two mouth ulcers.
At the same time—
Ferdinand and Walker personally led soldiers to bring the people of the Trak Kingdom back to Komoy Fort.