Forests Don't Support Idle Goblins

"Sorry, there aren't enough goblins here, otherwise I could have found some to liven things up for you."

In the reception room of Theodore, the third prince of Plantagenet, he was smiling as he received a merchant from the "Islands." Normally, it would be impossible for His Highness, a prince, to condescend to personally receive a merchant, but if this person could provide him with something important, so important that it was unique in the world, then the situation would be different.

"No, thank you, I don't like that kind of thing." Uncle Musa shook his head and refused.

"Really not going to give it a try? You know, you can chase those little things away, and then just stand on high ground and aim with your longbow and crossbow," Theodore said with a smile as he personally poured the other man a full cup of tea. "You know, these cunning green dwarves sometimes turn around and run away, so you can't always hit them."

"Shooting that thing is no fun," Musa chuckled. "It's nothing compared to shooting a big fish with a giant crossbow at sea. Men still prefer something big."

Hearing this, Theodore's lips twitched a few times, but he quickly chuckled awkwardly, "That's true. So, Mr. Salmu, how much Red Bull powder did you bring this time?"

"As we agreed beforehand, I brought some extra, which are all stored at my rented apartment. Should we have them delivered immediately?"

"No, no, no," the third prince immediately waved his hand. "Doing it this way is too conspicuous. I'm not afraid to tell you, Red Bull is already well-known among the nobles in Golden Flower City. I can't let more people know that this is my business, or it will cause a lot of trouble."

"So?"

"I will send someone to pick up the goods when I have time."

Things were progressing somewhat beyond Uncle Musa's expectations. He had originally thought Red Bull sales wouldn't be progressing this quickly, but he hadn't expected it to reach this point. "Is it really selling that well?"

Theodore glanced at the archipelago merchant sitting on the velvet sofa opposite him, and a smirk involuntarily appeared on his lips. "Of course, Little Blue Star has disappeared from the market. Red Bull is the only alternative, and it's even better than Little Blue Star. Merchants from Savoy and Argon are already inquiring about where to find it."

"In that case, it is indeed in high demand." Uncle Musa smiled, then his gaze met that of the Third Prince. The coldness in the prince's eyes immediately alerted him. "I am a businessman. I like to act according to agreements and contracts. As long as the other party does not breach the contract, I will not do anything."

These words were like a reassurance, temporarily calming Theodore's mind, but Uncle Musa's next words made him frown.

"However, I hope this deal can be changed a little. I'd like to exchange it for mithril of equal value." Uncle Musa picked up his teacup and gently blew on it.

"Mithril? That magical metal?" Theodore sized him up. "What do you need it for?"

"Your Highness, as you know, there aren't many mineral deposits in the Salo Islands, and precious metals like mithril are even rarer. I can exchange them for an equivalent amount of mithril and sell them, which will earn me more money."

The answer from the other side did not surprise the Third Prince, but he remained silent for a few seconds before smiling and saying, "I think you want to get some mithril for yourself."

Uncle Musa raised an eyebrow in surprise, but didn't rush to refute.

"My men saw you going in and out of some magic item shops in Golden Flower City. You seemed to have inquired about the prices of some magic crystals, but you didn't buy any." Theodore leaned back and looked at the other man calmly.

"As expected, Your Highness couldn't be fooled," Uncle Musa laughed heartily. "It was indeed something I wanted to use myself."

After taking a sip of golden flower tea, he smacked his lips and said, "My Red Bull farm has been targeted. Those pirates want to cause trouble. It's inevitable that I need to expand my strength and prepare some magical items that suit the habits of us islanders."

"Pirates?" Theodore keenly caught the key phrase in the other person's words. "Red Bull lives in the sea?"

Before he could finish speaking, he saw a glint of shrewdness flash in Uncle Musa's eyes, but the man quickly chuckled, "No, it's planted on land."

"Oh, I was just asking." Theodore chuckled. "As for mithril, I can figure something out for you, but it will take a few days."

"Yes, I understand." Uncle Musa reached out, picked up the teapot, and poured tea for the Third Prince. "I also need to arrange manpower here. There aren't many people in the archipelago who can make magical items, so it's not in a hurry."

Theodore recalled what he had heard before and smiled. The people of the Saros Islands preferred hand-to-hand combat. They even had a profession called "Berserkers," whose bodies would emit a faint red mist when they went berserk. As for magic, he hadn't heard much about the islands studying that stuff.

Perhaps it's because the islanders have muscles in their brains.

"Then it's settled. This time I will provide an equivalent amount of mithril for the transaction, which is also to protect Red Bull's reputation." He nodded and reached for the teacup on the coffee table.

"Then, happy transaction."

Theodore smiled, blew on his tea, and took a small sip.

He now increasingly felt that taking that step out of Torch City was the right decision. If he hadn't taken the risk of dealing with the Mello family, no one would have taken over the port affairs, he wouldn't have met the merchant across the street, and he wouldn't have obtained Red Bull, a precious "aphrodisiac" that could help him make a lot of money and allow him to win over various nobles.

"I enjoy doing business," he said with a smile, but he didn't finish his sentence, on the condition that I was the one who made the most money in the transaction chain.

Uncle Musa on the other side smiled and nodded. It seemed that they would be able to obtain a lot of high-quality mithril this time, and there would be no problem with young master Charles's request.

Just as the two were exchanging pleasantries, a commotion arose outside the reception room. Theodore frowned, about to say something, when the door was suddenly pushed open with a bang.

"Your Highness." Earl Valentine walked in, looking travel-worn, while the guards outside stood there somewhat awkwardly.

Theodore glanced at Valentine, then said to the guards, "It's alright, the Earl is a good friend of mine."

After dismissing the guards, Valentine spoke first: "The Duke has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Theodore immediately sat up straight, squinting at Valentine. "Is the information accurate?"

"They've already arrived at the east gate of the royal city, and they've brought a force of 2000 men, all elites from the Great Nest. They're currently being held back by the royal guards outside the east gate, and there's a stalemate." Valentine said, glancing at Uncle Musa beside him, his lips unconsciously pursing, as if he didn't like the merchant.

"2000 people?" Theodore hesitated for a few seconds. "Your Excellency, how many people did you bring to the capital?"

"Me? There are only 200 people."

"Bringing 2000 men, what is this Duke of the North planning?" Theodore scoffed. "Why wasn't there any news about this before?"

"It's probably a cavalry march that's in a hurry and hasn't had time to report yet," Valentine explained.

"The Duke of the North? Is that him?" Uncle Musa asked at the opportune moment.

The Third Prince and Valentine exchanged a glance. Seeing the Prince nod slightly, Earl Valentine said with a hint of arrogance, "Yes, it is the master of that great nest, the northern bulwark of Fran, the Duke of the North, known as the indestructible old raven, Drais Lokosa."

"I, an island merchant, have also heard of this title. Many Frans say that if it weren't for this old marshal holding the fort in the North, the Argonians might have attacked twenty years ago."

"Indeed, the old marshal is indeed very capable," Theodore nodded, then, as if remembering something, he smiled and asked Uncle Musa, "Mr. Salmu, I remember you sold a lot of healing potions to Count Valentine before, didn't you?"

"Uh," Uncle Musa nodded immediately, "That's true."

"Do you still sell healing potions?"

"Healing potion," Uncle Musa glanced casually at his teacup, "There's still plenty left. What, does Your Highness need that stuff too?"

"Yes, as a member of the royal family of this country, I also need to pay attention to the protection of the national army. If you can provide high-quality and inexpensive medicine, I don't mind purchasing some for the army."

"Buying some?" Uncle Musa asked with a smile. "How much do you need?"

How much can you provide?

After they finished speaking, they both smiled silently. The third prince spoke first, "I will have someone take a count and contact you shortly."

"no problem."

"Now that the Duke has arrived, I must go and pay him a visit." After saying this, Theodore glanced at Earl Valentine, who smiled with narrowed eyes and said, "Be quick."

…………

At the east gate of Golden Flower City, a cavalry force of 2000 men blocked the city gate. The general in charge was an old man with a white beard and wearing a helmet and armor.

"Get out of the way!" he shouted in a deep voice, his entire being exuding authority without being angry.

"Your Grace, it's not appropriate for you to bring so many people into the city." The commander of the royal guards, who was blocking his way, slightly spread his arms to stop the horse.

"As the marshal of the kingdom, what's wrong with me entering the city to pay homage to His Majesty the King?" The old duke sat upright on his horse, looking down at the other man.

The guards of the capital did not ride horses, but instead formed a tense military formation, with many of them gripping the shafts of their spears so tightly that their knuckles turned white.

"But you actually brought 2000 cavalrymen here, and even carried them out on a forced march at night. What are you trying to do?"

"What for?" The Duke smiled. "I just want the capital to see what a barrier to the North looks like."

He glanced contemptuously at the guards opposite him, his tone revealing no hint of malice.

The guard commander frowned. He knew the Duke was implying something. The eldest prince's mother was said to be the Duke's most beloved sister, but after her death, her child was imprisoned and stripped of his inheritance rights.

"You...you don't want to bear certain charges, do you?" the officer stammered, trying to persuade the Duke.

"Shut up," the Duke said without any courtesy. "Do you think I'm some minor border baron like Baron Mello, or are you trying to fool me with those dirty tricks used to frame the Mello family?"

These words, spoken in public, made the guard commander look miserable. He now regretted not asking for leave in advance. He had heard that there were new things going on on Perfume Lily Street, and he wanted to try them out.

But now it seems that being reprimanded by the kingdom's higher-ups was the least he could do.

"Do you think my spear has become dull?" Seeing the guard commander still blocking his way, the Duke took the spear from his cavalry follower behind him. "What is the punishment under military law for obstructing the marshal from seeing His Majesty?"

"Your Grace." The guard commander gritted his teeth, his face pale. He dared not let this cavalry unit into the city, but he did not want to die either. So he waved one hand to the side, signaling the people behind him to step forward.

"Get out of my way!" the Duke of the North roared, his voice like thunder. He grabbed the reins with one hand, spurred his horse forward with both legs, and swung his spear downwards. The steel spear gleamed coldly and crashed down with a "whoosh" as it carried the wind.

Amidst the shadows of the spear, a figure pounced forward like a ghost, straightening his arms to meet the spear head-on.

With a loud clang, a visible shockwave rippled outwards, stirring up dust and sand. Many of the capital's guards took a step back, trying to avoid the force of the impact.

Beneath the spear, a young man in silver guard armor held up his longsword to block the Duke's blow. His handsome face remained expressionless, the only change being his long, golden hair that was being blown by the wind.

"Dulak Slok?" The Duke looked down at the young man and asked.

"Dulak greets His Excellency the Duke of the North." The young swordsman resisted the pressure from the spear, but his face remained expressionless.

"As expected of the Iceberg Knight, his swordsmanship is indeed excellent," the Duke smiled. "And he is indeed, as rumored, a man whose appearance is no less than that of Charles Mello."

Upon hearing this, the swordsman finally showed a hint of emotion. He merely frowned slightly and then said, "I'm sorry, Your Grace, you cannot enter the capital."

"Little fellow, do you want to take another shot from me?" The old duke laughed heartily, but his eyes gleamed with a thirst for battle.

Just as the two sides were locked in a stalemate, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from the capital. "His Majesty has given an order! His Majesty has given an order!"

The man quickly ran over, panting, and said before he could even dismount, "The Duke of the North has rendered meritorious service in protecting the kingdom; the guards must not obstruct him. Let him pass immediately."

Upon hearing the order, the guards of the capital immediately parted to make way, bowing their heads and not daring to look at the Duke of the North.

The master of the giant lair laughed a few times, tossed the spear in his hand to his follower behind him, and then glanced at the iceberg knight beside him. "Little guy, how about you consider coming to the North? I guarantee you can become a centurion very quickly."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Grace." Durak calmly shook his head and declined.

The Duke merely pursed his lips, seemingly unconcerned, and said, "Let's go into the city."

He took the lead, pulling the reins and sitting upright on his horse, heading towards the City of Golden Flowers.

The cavalrymen followed in single file.

Only the guard captain standing on the side muttered:

"Chaos is coming! Chaos is coming!"

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