Book 5-5.2
“For that reason, what Runnim is asking for is realistically almost impossible.”
Seeing Edwin lead the conversation, Runa lightly smiled before responding.
“Almost impossible means that it is not impossible.”
“Unless we pull the pillars of our merchant guild and then go far into debt, it is not possible.”
“That debt, is it something our Pareia can take on instead? It is a special request from the Glow.”
“Sigh~!”
Edwin let out another long sigh. He then started to think. The shortening of the trade route from the unification of the Eastern Desert was something to welcome and something that would bring him more profits, but there really was so much risk with this.
“Half!”
Edwin shouted out loudly as if he had made up his mind. It meant that he was willing to fill half of Runa’s request.
“We cannot reward the warriors with just that much. The warriors do not protect the tribe to get a reward, but the Glow wants to keep the morale up as much as possible.
“If you give me years of time, I can definitely fulfill it. But at this moment, even half is going to be pushing it a bit.”
“I will give you something that will return double the amount in one year.”
Seeing Runa continue on, Edwin lowered his head and started to scratch his head.
“It really is going to be impossible.”
“Then at least two thirds. Please. This is the most important time for Pareia. You know that we cannot call in a different merchant guild because of the Glow’s promise with you.”
Edwin abruptly lifted up his head and looked toward Runa.
“Runnim’s words sound like a threat. Are you saying that you may break the promise of our monopoly?”
“You know very well that is not my intention. I have not forgotten about how much Edwin-nim has helped Pareia until now. The people of the desert do not forget their benefactors.”
“Ah! This is really driving me crazy.”
Edwin shook his head as he answered.
“I feel like you only request the difficult things. Now I am worried about what Runnim will request right before a war and right after a war. I really am doing the best that I can right now.”
Runa quickly grabbed onto both of Edwin’s hands.
“We can only ask Edwin-nim because it is so difficult. It is not something we can do on our own. I will promise you this. Within one year, we will repay you twice the amount of trouble this will cause you. Pareia does not lie.”
“Do you have something in mind?”
“I will let you know because Edwin-nim is on the same boat with our Pareia. In a few years, we will attack the Silence Empire and fully occupy their land.”
“What?”
Edwin was completely shocked. He knew that Pareia did not have a good relationship with Silence and that there would be a battle of strength in the near future. However, he had always expected Pareia to be on the defense.
Silence would try to invade while Pareia defended against them. That was the type of war Edwin was expecting. However, Runa was talking about completely destroying them and taking their land. He was trying to be in possession of land that will allow Pareia to grow food.
Runa started to say the things he had planned on saying earlier, but didn’t get to do so because the conversation took an odd turn.
“Of course I am fully aware that Pareia alone will not be enough to make that happen. However, if you think about the fact that the enemy of your enemy is your friend, we have a very good chance of success.”
“Are you talking about the Rojini Kingdom?”
Runa nodded his head.
“They will absolutely not decline our offer. Our Pareia now has over 200,000 warriors. Of course this has its own issues as they make up the majority of Pareia’s men. Nonetheless, we at least have 200,000 strong warriors under our command.”
“It is definitely believable. The Rojini would not be able to let you go.”
Seeing Edwin agree, Runa started to smile. It seemed like they had solved their issue of material goods. Now all that was left to do was completely convince Edwin.
“In addition, the Glow has a very strong network of influence. Among them is someone who can directly speak with even the king of the Rojini Kingdom. The alliance is just a question of time, and once the war starts after the alliance is created, the Silence will definitely not be able to last between our Pareia and the Rojini.”
“Who is that person?”
“I was told that it is a sage who is underground. He is someone who happened to create a friendship with the Glow. That is why we plan to develop Pareia until the war starts.”
Edwin thought hard about what Runa just said.
‘If I could trade with the Rojini Kingdom? If we could provide even a small amount of war materials, our merchant guild can instantly have enough strength that people will not be able to ignore us in the Western continent.’
“That is why I need to ask for your help there as well. Please serve as the guide for our Pareia’s diplomatic envoy.”
“Me?”
“Yes. None of our desert warriors have really traversed the continent yet. We ask for your help.”
Runa said that before seeming to have thought of something, as he started to smile while looking toward Edwin.
“Ah! Even if it is just nominally, why doesn’t Edwin-nim hold of Pareia’s diplomat positions? Wouldn’t it make it easier for you to move in the kingdom?”
Seeing Runa scratch the itchy spots on his back, Edwin started to smile as well, but he was getting a headache thinking about the materials he would need to provide right away.
That was how Edwin and Runa started to come to an understanding with each other.
All of Pareia’s citizens praised their Glow Yulian until their lips became dry. This was especially true about the chiefs of the northern oases who were a new addition to Pareia. They sincerely swore their loyalty to Yulian.
It was because Yulian was not treating their original oases differently than these newly acquired oases.
They may have fought as enemies, but now they were all under the name of Pareia. The remunerations for dead warriors were the same regardless of which side they fought on, and there was no stripping of seniority or positions either.
After using the large amount of materials that Edwin brought to win people’s hearts over, there was still a lot for Yulian to do to successfully make Pareia feel like one tribe. But he had made up his mind to take care of all of these issues and started to work without stop.
***
“We’re going to fly.”
Yulian hugged a child in each arm as he jumped up high into the sky.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaa~!”
The two babies started to laugh while in their father’s arms.
Grace and Violet were watching Yulian and the children, before looking at each other and silently starting to smile.
It had been a long time since they were able to have family time like this. It was obvious for Yulian, but Grace and Violet both had their roles and responsibilities as well. They were all busy taking care of their duties that they sometimes even forgot to go to sleep at night.
Today, Yulian had pushed aside all work and made up his mind to spend time with his two wives and his children that he could watch forever without getting tired.
Yulian had not been able to see their faces that much because of work. Since he had been longing for children for so long, Yulian’s emotions were floating in the air right now.
“Kyaaaaaaa~!”
The babies continued to laugh and Yulian’s smile started to get wider and wider as well.
“When will they grow up?”
Yulian jumped up and approached his wives as he mischievously asked, and Grace responded back.
“Why do you want them to grow up?”
“Of course it is to teach them martial arts. Then help make them into strong warriors. As for our beautiful Kiness, we will turn her into a beautiful woman like the two of you.”
Grace and Violet started to smile at the same time. Yulian seemed like a complete child right now.
“It is too early. Verikan and Kiness, you should just be hoping that they both grow up healthily right now.”
Grace took Verikan away from Yulian while Violet took Kiness away and held her close. Yulian had a really sad expression as he looked toward the two of them.
Grace had given birth to a daughter named Kiness, while Violet gave birth to a son named Verikan. They may not have realized it, but both of them had protected the other’s child before their own.
It was true that Yulian was hoping for Grace to have a son, but both women were extraordinary individuals, that there did not seem to be any reason to worry.
“Glow!”
At that moment, Runa appeared behind them and Yulian started to frown as he turned around.
“Didn’t I say I was going to rest today?”
Yulian was a bit sorry to Runa internally, but he really just wanted to rest today.
“I am not here for work but to just talk to you about something. It is also something that the Mother of Pareia and the Chief Shaman of the tribe Violet-nim can hear as well.”
“Just what is it?”
“It is about changing the political structure of the tribe.”
Yulian had an expression that seemed to say that Runa was speaking nonsense as he asked.
“What kind of structure?”
“I am talking about reforming the current Pareia. Instead of a tribe, we will develop a nation, Instead of having the chiefs pick the Glow, we will develop a king like in the continent.”
Yulian, as well as the two women were all shocked as they looked toward Runa.