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Chapter 493: Heading to Sevinton
The batch of rare metals acquired from the Dwarven Kingdom greatly alleviated Matthew's resource shortage for crafting magical armor.
This batch of resources could produce approximately 20 sets of magical armor.
The funds saved by this, equivalent to Bay Territory's expenses, amounted to a staggering 8 million gold coins!
And the cost of the goods exchanged?
Less than 500,000 gold coins!
"When cannons roar, gold flows like a river. No wonder some people are always itching to start wars just to sell arms."
Having tasted this sweet deal, Matthew naturally shifted his focus back to military supplies.
After all, with Bay Territory's current production capacity, they could manufacture military equipment worth over 10 million gold coins per month.
Setting aside a portion for reserves, selling the rest could significantly ease financial pressures.
A few more large orders, and they could fund the construction of a large-scale magic tower!
Moreover, after the trade with Manhammer, Matthew quickly noticed something.
Territories and factions under the threat of war were willing to pay more for military weapons in both price and quantity.
Matthew had already identified his next target.
While Matthew ordered Bay Territory's factories to ramp up production,
the Dwarven Kingdom's Grand Arcanist, Cronorman, returned to Bay Territory after barely stabilizing matters there and sought out Matthew directly.
"Get ready. We're heading to Sevinton for a meeting to discuss the troubles in the underground world with those fools."
The underground world?
"Informing them about the dangers facing the Dwarven Kingdom? That's unlikely to help."
Matthew understood immediately. The Netheril Empire had once considered exploiting the underground world.
After all, the underground was rich in metal resources and magical materials, an enticing prospect for the Netheril Empire's development.
However, the discovery of the Loken Mines, which provided abundant rare metals effortlessly, caused the Netheril Empire to abandon the idea.
The underground world was fraught with danger, its entrances heavily guarded and largely controlled by the Dwarven Kingdom and restrained by the Cole Elf Kingdom.
For various reasons, the Netheril Empire had redirected its efforts toward developing semi-planar worlds, achieving remarkable success.
Without vested interests, the Netheril Empire had little reason to put forth serious effort to aid the Dwarven Kingdom against its attackers.
Matthew wouldn't have it any other way!
Although the dwarves had placed their first order with Bay Territory, worth 5 million gold coins,
for a kingdom with tens of millions of citizens and an army of over a million, this was merely a drop in the bucket.
Surely, the dwarves still harbored hopes for substantial aid from the Netheril Empire.
But once those hopes were dashed, wouldn't Bay Territory seize the opportunity?
As his thoughts swirled, Matthew made up his mind. Meeting the Grand Arcanist's gaze, he explained further:
"The empire's core interests are at stake. Sevinton is indispensable, and the semi-planar worlds must also be managed…"
"They don't have the time or resources to assist the Dwarven Kingdom. That might just open the door for us in Bay Territory."
Ambitious!
Bold!
The Grand Arcanist wasn't surprised by Matthew's clarity.
After only half a month of interaction, Cronorman had already recognized Matthew's exceptional talent in arcane arts, development, and strategic vision.
He knew Matthew was right and could even guess the purpose of the upcoming meeting.
Likely, it was to offer the Dwarven Kingdom a "response," explain the Netheril Empire's current difficulties,
and ultimately provide minimal, insignificant aid before moving on.
Thinking about his collaborative projects with the Dwarven Kingdom, the Grand Arcanist couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
He even regretted not having his own territory, with abundant resources and autonomy, to avoid his current predicament.
Matthew's example gave the Grand Arcanist some inspiration.
Cronorman waved his hand, casting a soundproof barrier around them, and spoke as Matthew watched curiously:
"Because of your outstanding performance and the recommendations of the Third and Eighth Legions, you've earned a chance to browse the Nesser Scrolls!"
The Nesser Scrolls?
The Netheril Empire's national treasure!
Of course, compared to its "Apocalypse" functionality in its prime, the damaged Nesser Scrolls had lost their omnipotence.
At its peak, the Nesser Scrolls offered destiny control without the need for fate's power.
Spellcasters who browsed the scrolls gained groundbreaking inspiration.
Some created new spells.
Others solved complex problems.
This superlative resource accelerated the Netheril Empire's spell research exponentially.
The Nesser Scrolls' incredible utility enabled the Netheril Empire to amass enough spellcaster strength to undertake the challenging journey to nationhood.
However, due to its power, the Nesser Scrolls became a target.
Through the schemes of certain forces, the scrolls suffered severe damage, leaving only 50 of the original 100.
Since then, the scrolls were kept under strict guard, accessible only to those who made extraordinary contributions.
Despite the damage, the Nesser Scrolls remained an invaluable resource for spellcasters below the Grand Arcanist level.
Many gained groundbreaking insights from browsing the scrolls, earning them the nickname "The Ladder to Grand Arcanist."
Even Matthew was surprised to receive this opportunity.
The Grand Arcanist quickly clarified:
"For legendary spellcasters, the Nesser Scrolls are no longer useful."
"Even for most high-level arcanists, they've already found their path forward."
"So the Nesser Scrolls aren't as important as you might think…"
Matthew nodded thoughtfully on the surface but couldn't help sarcastically musing internally:
"Isn't that the truth? A treasure of this caliber targeted and damaged twice by enemies—what else but neglect explains this?"
From this, Matthew surmised that as the number of Grand Arcanists and floating fortresses grew,
the Netheril Empire's confidence—and arrogance—had inflated dramatically.
At least, the Sevinton Council exemplified this trend.
Setting aside his complaints, Matthew thought with excitement:
"If I can truly browse the Nesser Scrolls, it's still an incredible opportunity!"
While others might rely on luck, Matthew had an edge.
With his ability to observe through systemized data and the power of fate, he was confident in extracting maximum benefit.
Since he would be under scrutiny by various factions in Sevinton,
why not make a big splash?
Bay Territory needed recognition, and so did Matthew!