"I need a magic spatial bag with sufficient capacity," Leylo stated, recalling the time and effort wasted hauling those heavy inheritance stone slabs. "As you know, some items are simply too cumbersome to carry by hand."
Gawain and Viscount Baker both wore "I understand" expressions. Every lord had their share of hidden treasures or oversized spoils of war they preferred to keep discreet.
"Furthermore," Leylo continued, "I need high-tier magic cores and magic stones. Specifically, cores of Tier 4 or higher, and magic stones of Tier 3 or higher."
The Soul Horn and the Grasp of the Giant were energy-hungry beasts that required constant feeding to remain effective.
Viscount Baker clicked his tongue inwardly at the request. High-tier cores were expensive and rare.
Gawain pondered for a moment. "Red Leaf City is one of the largest trading hubs in the North. While these items are precious, I should be able to gather them for you." He nodded. "However, Leylo, if you are trading the stable income of an iron mine for several decades for these... you must realize the immediate value doesn't quite match the long-term loss."
"I am aware," Leylo replied. "In the long run, the iron mine is far more lucrative. But I value immediate growth above all else."
"Very well!" Gawain didn't press further. As a fellow young man, he admired Leylo's decisiveness. "I'll have the warehouse staff do an inventory and prepare it for you immediately." He summoned a servant, whispered a few orders, and the man hurried away.
The parlor fell quiet again, save for the steam rising from the teacups.
"Speaking of which," Gawain said, his expression turning grave. "I've only been in power for a few days, but I already feel the weight my father carried. To the north of Red Leaf lies the Emerald Marsh. Recently, the activities of those Naga have become increasingly rampant. Several border villages have already been harassed."
Viscount Baker's smile vanished. "I've heard of this. The threat of the Emerald Marsh is like a giant boulder pressing on the hearts of all Northern lords. They used to be a minor nuisance, but ever since Count Barton's coalition failed and disturbed their nest, those 'long worms' have been acting like they've gone mad."
Leylo recalled the whispers of the lords at the banquet and Count Barton's lonely figure.
Gawain sighed. "The coalition's failure was partly due to command and coordination issues, but it also exposed our lack of understanding regarding the powerful monsters deep within the marsh. Now they are venting their rage on the surrounding territories. Red Leaf is on the front line, and it's already giving me a massive headache."
"What do you plan to do, Gawain?" Leylo asked.
Gawain looked at Leylo and the Viscount solemnly. "The threat of the Emerald Marsh is not the problem of a single lord. When the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold. I propose that since our territories are geographically close and we already have a foundation of cooperation, we should form a Defense Alliance."
"A Defense Alliance?" The Viscount's eyes flickered.
"Exactly," Gawain nodded. "Within the alliance, if one party is attacked on a large scale, the others must provide aid. In peacetime, we can pool our funds to create patrols to clear out small groups of monsters that infiltrate our lands and reinforce the border defenses."
Leylo was thoughtful. This was a sound strategy. Fighting individually made them easy targets for the marsh monsters to pick off one by one. While other lords were currently too shell-shocked by Barton's defeat to cooperate, it was much easier for these three—who already trusted each other—to act.
"It's a great idea," Viscount Baker was the first to agree. "Though Red Maple doesn't share a border with the marsh, we still suffer from the fallout. If we can look out for each other, I'm in."
Leylo nodded as well. "Unity is indeed better than isolation. We can discuss the specific regulations later."
"With your word, I feel much more at ease," Gawain said, a relaxed smile finally appearing on his face.
Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. The servant returned, followed by two guards carefully carrying an exquisite wooden box and a bulging leather pouch. They placed the items on the table before Leylo.
Gawain gestured for him to check them.
Leylo first picked up the pouch. Upon touching it, he felt a faint ripple of spatial fluctuation. Made from the hide of a special magic beast and engraved with complex spatial runes, it had a capacity of about ten cubic meters—larger than he expected. This bag alone was worth over 30,000 Gold Dragons. Without the future assets of the iron mine to trade, Leylo's current wallet wouldn't have been enough to buy such a treasure.
Satisfied, he opened the wooden box.
Inside, resting on soft velvet, were two fist-sized magic cores. One was a deep, ghostly blue, as if containing a thunderstorm; the other was a searing fire-red, with illusions of flowing lava. These were two Tier 4 Magic Cores.
Beside them were five crystal-clear magic stones the size of pigeon eggs—Tier 4 Magic Stones. Below them were twenty slightly smaller but equally potent Tier 3 Magic Stones.
These materials exceeded Leylo's expectations. While perhaps not equal to decades of iron profits, it was the perfect "timely rain" for someone who needed to boost his combat power immediately.
"Gawain, thank you," Leylo said, stowing the items.
"To me, these are exactly what I need," Leylo smiled. "An iron mine is good, but distant water cannot put out a nearby fire."
The three of them chatted a bit longer, arranging their future methods of contact, before Leylo and Viscount Baker took their leave.
The Detour
Outside the castle, Leylo parted ways with Viscount Baker. The Pegasus Knights guarding the mounts saluted as Leylo approached.
"You all head back to Blackstone Castle first," Leylo instructed. "Don't wait for me."
"Yes, my Lord!" Though confused, they obeyed and took to the sky.
Leylo patted Tempest's neck. "Old friend, let's take a different way back."
Tempest let out a sharp cry and beat his wings, soaring into the sky. Unlike the journey there, Leylo didn't fly in a straight line. He directed Tempest to fly along the border between Red Leaf Territory and the Emerald Marsh.
Tempest rode the air currents with incredible speed. Below, the dense forests spread out like a green carpet, but Leylo's eyes were searching for something specific in the shifting mists of the marsh.