Let's rewind ten minutes.
Asbel, who had just arrived at the venue by transport plane, was immediately drawn to the huge, white exhibition area tents of various countries.
In his mind, this is the place that best embodies the "styles of various countries" and showcases all sorts of novel and unique products.
Haideng was naturally tasked with accompanying and caring for her.
Watching the prince's excited and joyful figure, the man wore a formulaic smile, but inwardly shook his head, hoping that this little rascal wouldn't cause any more trouble on a whim.
Originally, this underage prince was not qualified to represent Pejite at the Joint Gathering; Business Secretary Haideng was the true representative of Pejite.
But the king couldn't resist his persistent pleading and repeated assurances that he was just "broadening his horizons" and "would not cause Uncle Haideng any trouble," so he softened and granted his request.
Soon, the two entered the tent.
Before I could even take a closer look at the dazzling array of exhibits, an unprecedented fragrance wafted into my nostrils.
That was the caramelized aroma produced when high-temperature oil reacts with starch, which was incredibly tempting for Asbel, who had never seen fried food before.
Even the wealthy Pejite royal family adhered to the ancestral precept of "thrift and diligence," and would not use olive oil for deep-frying, a wasteful cooking method.
He followed the aroma and the flow of people to the Valley of the Valley of the Wind's booth, just in time to see the villagers distributing potato cakes.
Ignoring Haideng's objections, Asbel also got a piece, took a bite, and the delicious combination of crispness and softness won over his taste buds.
Then he heard Nausicaä's introduction to "soybean oil" and its incredibly low price.
Having grown up in the strong industrial and commercial atmosphere of Pejite since childhood, Asbel is not only obsessed with various mechanical structures and yearning for adventure stories, but also knows a lot about business.
So he decisively stepped forward and extended an invitation to the seemingly calm and intelligent princess of the Valley of the Wind.
"My name is Asbel, and I am Prince Pejite. I have a business deal I'd like to discuss with you."
Nausicaä looked in the direction of the voice and saw a handsome young man who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, with short black hair and wearing a felt hat.
Although the nations of the Sea of Corruption also have royal families and noble classes, their living environment dictates that they do not have the elaborate rituals of the Old World.
Even the prince was only wearing a well-made brown leather armor, with a short sword at his waist, making him look more like an adventurer or officer.
Upon seeing Haideng, who was clearly accompanying Asbel, the merchants, even those who did not recognize the young prince, immediately and tactfully made way for him and bowed in greeting.
Everyone knows that the headquarters of the Commercial Federation is in Pejite, and it was Pejite initially proposed creating this trade coordination organization.
It can be said that the true initiator of this Joint Gathering was the Kingdom of Pejite itself, which boasts the strongest comprehensive national power, the most advanced industrial technology, and the most developed commercial network among the nations of the Sea of Corruption.
Seeing that Elder Trudeau was surrounded by several businessmen eager to close big deals and unable to attend to them, Nausicaä took the initiative to step forward and take over the responsibility of negotiating with the prince.
Asbel pointed to the noisy and crowded surroundings and suggested, "There are too many people here, it's not convenient to talk. How about we go to our Pejite exhibition area?"
Nausicaä thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement, "Alright, I was just thinking of going to check out the other booths."
She was very curious about the young prince who had suddenly appeared and the "business" he mentioned, and broadening her horizons was also one of the reasons she came here.
Haideng didn't say much, only nodded slightly.
His primary task was to ensure the prince's safety and proper conduct; as for business negotiations, he could simply exercise discretion when necessary.
Nausicaä gestured for the two Blessed Warrior, Por and Elphias Doge, to follow her, and then, led by Asbel, they left the bustling Valley of the Valley of the Wind booth.
Seeing that the other person was heading straight for the exit, she couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, where are we going? Isn't Pejite's exhibit in this tent?"
Asbel turned around, a shy smile on his face, "Just call me Asbel. As for our booth, this tent can't hold it all."
Por followed behind Nausicaä, somewhat skeptical, thinking that the prince, who was about his age, was just bragging.
This white tent is already incredibly large; even a booth of several hundred square meters can't fit all of Pejite's stuff?
Stepping out of the tent, an even more lively scene unfolded before my eyes.
Outside is a "private commercial district" bordering the outskirts of the Mining Town, with stalls of all sizes densely packed together, and the air filled with the smells of spices, leather, livestock, and dust.
The tavern was bustling with people, merchants leading Horseclaw were everywhere, and spaceships rose and fell in the distance, kicking up dust.
After crossing the block, Asbel led them to a rectangular factory-style building made of Ceramic Steel, located right next to the ceramic Ceramic Steel mine.
This building has a distinctly industrial and utilitarian style, standing out from the irregularly shaped domed houses in the surrounding Mining Town.
"Where is this?!" Nausicaä looked around at the enormous building.
"This is our exclusive area for Pejite!" Asbel exclaimed excitedly, like a child eager to show off his prized collection to his friends.
Without the prince's prompting, Haideng took out the key and stepped forward to open the factory gate.
"Buzz"
The deep hum of the generator came from deep within the building, and the lights installed on the roof of the factory snapped on, their cold white light dispelling the gloom.
When Nausicaä, Por, and Elphias Doge saw the scene inside the factory, they finally understood why the prince had said he "couldn't let go."
The entire Pejite exhibition hall is divided into two areas.
On the left is the arms exhibition area, where rows of various weapons are neatly arranged and polished to a shine.
From ingeniously designed semi-automatic pistols to heavy machine guns with long ammunition belts; from large-caliber artillery to self-propelled howitzer armored vehicles the size of small houses.
The military equipment here is enough to turn the entire Mining Town into a war fortress.
To the right is the spacecraft exhibition area. Due to space limitations, there are no complete aircraft here; instead, various disassembled parts and aircraft models are on display.
Engines of different models and power, wing profile models with various shapes, and turrets mounted on large spaceships—it's practically a classroom for aviation history.
In the most prominent position in the center of the area, there is a huge spaceship model that is extremely well-made and rich in detail.
According to the label, it was a super-giant transport ship with a wingspan of over two hundred meters.
"Well, these are all produced in Pejite's factory. Even Tolmekia often orders from us!"
Asbel stood with his back to the exhibition area, arms outstretched, his tone carrying a childlike boastfulness.
Nausicaä was indeed speechless with shock at the sight before her.
She knew that Pejite was the most powerful and technologically advanced nation among the Sea of Sea of Corruption, but she had never experienced it firsthand.
Only now, after hearing Mr. Tree's explanation of industrial knowledge and seeing the displays inside the factory with her own eyes, did she truly understand the power of Pejite.
Her gaze fell once again on the black-haired boy in front of her, who was a year or two younger than her and was enthusiastically introducing the boy.
This seemingly naive boy is actually the heir to such a powerful nation?
Amidst the shock, a complex mix of emotions welled up within her, including envy and wariness.
If the Pejite, one of the vassal states, is so powerful, how powerful must the Torumekian Empire be?
Asbel didn't notice Nausicaä's subtle emotional changes. After showing off for a while, he led the group through the exhibit area to the reception room on the side of the factory.
The reception room was carpeted, furnished with several comfortable leather sofas and small coffee tables, and even had drinking water facilities. It was prepared for major arms dealers to conduct business.
Everyone took their seats on the sofa, while Haideng stood quietly behind the Asbel sofa, adopting the demeanor of an old butler.
Asbel placed his hands on his knees, leaned slightly forward, and stated his purpose directly. "I think that 'Blessed Crops ' is fantastic, so I'd like to discuss a big business deal with you."
"We'll buy up all of your Valley of the Wind's agricultural products and supply them exclusively to Pejite!"