Path of Light.

Chapter 960, 959. Peace Talks
Seeing that Boss Roy was finally showing some interest, Commander Klein quickly perked up and began to introduce the situation:

"These treasures are the wealth we didn't have time to take with us when we withdrew from the heart of the Dragneel."

"It's not just magical weapons and high-level armor, but also some war puppets brought from the dwarf kingdom, and of course, there are also ordinary but large quantities of strategic materials."

"It's just that the Nakma demons' conquest of the heart of the Knee of Drag was too sudden. At that time, these treasure troves were in the hands of the Army Legion."

"With the annihilation of the army legion, many treasures in the vaults could not be moved in time and were not discovered by the Nakma demons..."

"If you, Mr. Roy, are interested in these treasures, we can provide you with the locations of ten vaults that have been hidden deep within the Knee of Drag."

"If one day the Knee of Durag is recovered from the Nakmar demons, then these treasures will definitely reward you handsomely."

"Of course, you can also try to have your adventure team sneak into the heart of Drag's Knee to unlock those treasure vaults."

When Roy heard from Legion Commander Kleis that these dwarven treasure troves were all located in the Nakhmar's controlled territory, he shook his head in disappointment.

Come to think of it!
If this Western Dwarf Treasury were easy to open, the Grey Dwarves wouldn't have kept it until now...

Roy felt that the red-nosed gray dwarf in front of him was being cunning.

He waved his hand again, saying somewhat impatiently:

"Alright, I've heard enough. I don't want you to keep saying these unrealistic things. What I need is compensation that we can get right away."

Commander Klein adopted an attitude of listening attentively.

Roy said:

"For example, your warships, or magic crystals—talk to me about these tangible compensations!"

"In addition, you also need to tell me the whereabouts of the twenty Imperial merchant ships that escaped from the Strait of Mensa and were transporting half-elf slaves. I guess they should be operating around the west coast of the Knee of Drag. I need your warships to help us intercept these merchant ships."

"Finally, after the entire Grey Dwarf population has evacuated and migrated south, the Northern Fleet must also relinquish the Frozen Isle and must not damage any buildings or facilities on the island."

Roy felt there was no need to waste any more time with this gray dwarf legion commander; it was they who were in a hurry…

Commander Klein, with a bitter face, said:
"First of all, we cannot provide your army with warships. We are still short of ships. Forty-six transport ships used to relocate people have not yet been launched, and we cannot produce many magic crystals either."

In fact, the grey dwarves of Durag had already prepared ships for this southward migration.

However, the Northern Fleet suffered several defeats recently, and this time it lost both Nouwen and the Gulf of Aden, with a large number of ships reduced to ruins in these two ports, which led to a gap in the Northern Fleet's fleet.

"But if you want a frozen island, we can talk about that."

Commander Chris wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with a somewhat grim expression.

"Finally, you want our training ships to intercept Imperial merchant ships transporting half-elf spies. I can immediately send a message back to have the patrol fleet on the west coast of Durag's Knee cooperate with your griffin riders..."

The peace envoys sent by the gray dwarves seemed very sincere this time, although they were unwilling to give up ships and magic crystals.

However, they were very lenient in other aspects, and were willing to unconditionally compensate the mixed-race elves for almost everything they could give up.

Roy didn't expect that the grey dwarves would come to negotiate so soon.

He thought there was still a fierce battle to be fought between the two sides. At least the Northern Fleet still had a few Poseidon warships as its last trump card. If these warships were to come out in full force, it was uncertain whether the Griffin Cavalry could gain air superiority.

Their haste to move south is likely due to the deteriorating situation at Durag's Knee.

The sword hanging over the heads of two million gray dwarves is none other than the Black Knights of the Nakmaw...

In fact, Roy should thank the Nachma Demon.

It was the Black Rider army of the Nakhmar demons that besieged the city, the mixed elves and the Horde orcs joined forces to capture the Ruyun Fortress and the Gulf of Aden Fortress, and the Northern Army fleet even took the initiative to come forward to negotiate.

……

Roy and a group of half-elf officers around him whispered among themselves, trying to figure out how to squeeze every last drop of profit out of the grey dwarves.

Everyone agreed that, apart from the ships, the only valuable thing the Northern Army had acquired was the frozen island...

Therefore, Roy ordered the Northern Fleet of the Grey Dwarves to take over the Frozen Isle immediately after the last group of Grey Dwarves boarded the ship and left the Frozen Isle.

As for the cities of Boles and Presidius, it depends not only on the evacuation time of the grey dwarfs, but also on the deployment of the Nakma demon army.

However, Legion Commander Kleis hoped that the mine guards could enter the Villaria Valley as soon as possible.

Ideally, the half-elf guards should be able to quickly take over the defensive zone while the grey dwarf warriors retreat in batches, to prevent the Nakhmar demons from taking advantage of the chaos to seize Presidius City.

Roy was still somewhat hesitant about this.

He didn't want the mine guards to be in danger. The gray dwarf army had already withdrawn, so why should the half-elf guards be able to hold off the Nakma Dark Knights?
Roy felt that the compensation offered by the gray dwarves was far from enough.

But he also kept thinking about what else these gray dwarves had!
The journey from the frozen island to Kui Island, by sailing with the wind, takes nine months if all goes well.

The long journey south,
So many transport ships again.
The Northern Fleet was responsible for the safety of the entire southward migration group.

This is a great migration of two million gray dwarves.

The required support and coordination is enormous. Each supply depot needs to stockpile a large amount of daily necessities and continuously replenish the transport ships that stop along the way.

A large transport ship can carry approximately three thousand gray dwarves.

There are currently nearly two million grey dwarves stranded at Durag's Knee, which means it would take at least seven hundred transport ships to move all of them at once.

Starting from the frozen island and arriving at Gara Island in the Seven Realms Sea, the journey would take about three years at sea, even if everything went smoothly.

During their southward migration, they stopped at almost all islands.

To obtain a large amount of supplies, the Grey Dwarves also need to gather them from various sources.

This is also why Legion Commander Kleis kept making empty promises to Roy; compared to those limited resources, he hoped that the half-elf could take over the fixed assets left by the grey dwarves in Durrag.

The grey dwarves have now completely declined...

They couldn't even provide enough trade goods to satisfy the orc tribes, let alone give their limited resources to the hybrid elves as compensation.

This unprecedented migration has left all the Grey Dwarves in a state of utter chaos. Even though their naval base still has several Poseidon warships docked there, they have no desire to clashed with these troublesome half-elves.

Not only do we need to avoid conflict, but we also need to borrow a sea route from the half-elf.

In truth, it was the Northern Fleet's high command's misjudgment of the half-elf army's strength that put them in such a passive position, ultimately resulting in them shooting themselves in the foot...

Roy was quite interested in the shipyards near Boles, but he wasn't sure he could get his hands on many of the items.

Furthermore, the Northern Fleet must hold out until the very last moment before abandoning the frozen island.

The Frozen Isle is more than a hundred nautical miles from the west coast of Durag's Knee, which is just enough to block the Black Riders of the Nakma Demons, so this Frozen Isle is a real compensation for Roy.

After the Grey Dwarves retreated, who knows when the Dark Knights of Nakma would completely take over the Duragash coast...

The terms offered by the grey dwarves seem very generous, but in reality, they consist of fixed assets that the grey dwarves cannot take with them when they leave...

Even if the half-elf doesn't come to accept it, they will still have to discard it.

Once the Black Riders of the Nachma break through the city of Presidius, these fixed assets in the Valley of Veralia will become worthless...

Of course, the mine guards want to protect the Villaria Valley and maximize their profits.

Then we need to station troops in the city of Presidius. Only by blocking the Dark Legion of Nakma Dark Knights can we control the Valley of Villaria.

Roy hoped the half-elves could find a place to stay on the eastern continent. Seeking land in the elven kingdom was completely impossible, so the Villaria Valley was now before him, and he had to snatch it from the fire...

At that moment, he hesitated.

……

A map of Durag's Knee was also hanging on the wall of the room. The map, which showed the area of ​​the Villaria Valley, had been covered in scribbles by Roy with a quill pen.

In the middle of the night, after Roy and Moira had been intimate, Roy couldn't fall asleep and kept thinking about it.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he looked at the map on the wall by the bright moonlight outside the window. Although the small print on it had become blurry, Roy had already memorized that area.

Whether you watch it or not, it doesn't really matter.

Moira's smooth back was exposed outside the blanket.

She always liked to wrap half of the blanket around herself and hold the other half in her arms before she could sleep soundly...

Sabrina, wrapped in her blanket, sat up from the top bunk and quietly got out of bed. When she reached the table, she saw Roy leaning against the edge of the bed and was startled, almost dropping her teacup.

"Sorry to bother you," Roy said softly.

Sabrina wore a cool, loose nightgown, and in the moonlight, the alluring outline of her breasts was revealed.

Seeing Roy sitting on the bed, she crossed one arm over her chest, not in a hurry to climb back to the upper bunk, but casually sat down on the chair in front of the small table, holding her water glass, and said:

"No, I just wanted some water. What are you thinking about?"

Roy looked away, but his gaze inadvertently drifted over the two ivory-white, shapely legs...

"The grey dwarves were willing to give up the frozen island in the north and two cities so that we could give them a sea route to migrate south. I thought to myself, the half-elves will eventually need a place to live on the prime plane."

Sabrina thought about it carefully before saying:
"Since there's no place for us to live in the elven world, we could try living in the northern part of the eastern continent!"

"Although the Dark Legion Nachmar currently occupies most of the territory of Durrag, I don't think they will stay there for long. Right now, the combined forces of dwarves and orcs are guarding the Montenemz Rift in eastern Durrag. If we can also open up a battlefield on the western coast of Durrag, we will be able to encircle the Nachmar from both the east and the west."

"Since the orcs are willing to establish a defensive line with the dwarves in eastern Durrag, why don't we go and discuss with the Horde orcs to see if they are interested in opening up another battlefield in western Durrag?"

"Compared to the Nakhmar demons crossing the Black Gold Mountains and invading the Mensa Plains, opening a new battlefield in western Durrag is more advantageous for the orc tribes on the Mensa Plains..."

"If they're willing, we might as well give it a try!"

Roy had been agonizing all day over whether or not to send troops to defend Presidius, but after hearing Sabrina's words, his mind suddenly opened up...

He excitedly stood up, rushed to Sabrina, cupped her beautiful face in his hands, and gave her a big kiss on the forehead.

"You're right! How come I didn't think of these things? I feel so much more relaxed now. Time for bed!"

After saying this, Roy went back to the bedside, hugged Moira, and fell asleep peacefully.

Sabrina, who was sitting in the chair, blushed bright red after Roy kissed her forehead. She felt her heart pounding like a drum.

……

Boss Roy agreed to open a sea route for the gray dwarf army to migrate south, but insisted that the Northern Fleet cede the Frozen Isles, while also gradually taking over the cities of Presity and Boles.

This decision finally relieved Commander Klein, as his mission was now successfully completed.

Most importantly, no real benefits were paid.

After they leave Durrag, the half-elf will take over two cities and an island with ice all year round...

He wrote down all of Boss Roy's demands on a magical parchment, and both parties signed it. Although it was only a framework agreement and not a formal magical contract, and was not bound by magic, Kress would take this agreement back to the Frozen Isle.

After the agreement was approved by the high command of the Northern Fleet, it would only officially take effect after Marshal Kane of the Northern Fleet and Boss Roy of the Mine Guard jointly signed a magical contract.

Time was of the essence, so Commander Kleis took the magic parchment and sailed into the waters off the Nantali Islands overnight...

After contacting the Sea Emperor's giant ship waiting outside, the legion commander boarded the ship and returned to the frozen island.

This agreement was also passed at the Northern Fleet's high-level meeting in the fastest possible time.

The following day, Marshal Kane, accompanied by a group of fleet officers, sailed on the Poseidon to the border between the Dulag West coast and the Mensa Strait.

……

After Captain Kleis left, Roy also rushed to Kangamor Forest in a magic airship.

He needs to meet with the chieftain of the Aries tribe. Only with the Aries tribe's support can the mine guards gain a foothold in Presites City.

(End of this chapter)