Chapter 19: Conquest (2)

Komer’s expression darkened. Homer’s naval fleet had been quite active lately, constantly intercepting merchant ships in the central Abyssal Sea to inspect those coming in and out of Matdam, strictly enforcing the so-called ban aimed at preventing strategic supplies from reaching Leon and the Barbarian territories. Everyone knew exactly who this ban targeted—even ships with complete paperwork and paid taxes were taken back to Odessa and held for days before being released. This had led to widespread complaints among the fleets traveling to Matdam. Fortunately, Homer’s navy had not yet crossed the traditional Gray Skulls’ control line, so the colonies from the Land of Mist and the merchant ships from the southern part of the Land of Blue had not been greatly affected. However, most of the food in the Caucasus came from the north, rendering the plan to import large amounts of food through local harvests to maintain necessary reserves ineffective. Current food imports were already insufficient, and this was the biggest problem facing Komer.

Komer also knew that negotiating with those guys from Gott was pointless. The Gray Skulls’ attention was entirely focused on the Southern Mid-Sea. The pirate fleet led by the red-haired witch Katrina had grown rapidly, posing a serious threat to the Gray Skulls’ existence. After obtaining the Thousand-Mile Mirror, the Gray Skulls believed they had the strength to reclaim what used to belong to them. Their conflicts had evolved from small-scale clashes into full-scale wars. Thus, they had no energy to respond to Homer’s navy’s expanding patrol areas toward the south. As long as it didn’t threaten their core interests, it seemed unlikely they would engage in conflicts with Homer’s navy over the fate of the Caucasus.

Now, the only way to solve this problem was to rely on themselves. Komer’s gaze quietly shifted westward, where lay the vast Marshlands. The abundant water from the Catania River and its numerous tributaries, along with frequent floods, were the main reasons for the existence of the Marshlands, which also served as the primary habitat for the Jellyfish People.

The Jellyfish People may be one of the most fascinating races on the continent. They differ from races that live entirely on land and are not like the Merfolk, who spend most of their time in water. Their preferred living environment is the swamps and wetlands scattered across the continent—this semi-aquatic, semi-terrestrial setting is an unbearable torment for other races on the continent, but it is a paradise for them. Their unique way of life stems from this special environment; they build wooden houses on drier, solid ground within wetlands or swamps. A foot fin on their bodies, which can transform at will, allows them to move easily through swamps and wetlands. Of course, they can also live freely in rivers, lakes, and on land, but staying too long out of water or living in water for too long can harm their health. Therefore, they make a living by fishing, hunting, and growing edible plants suitable for growth in swamps and wetlands.

Due to their unique way of life and their habit of isolation, they rarely interact with the outside world. They have little contact with either the commoners spread across the continent or the Merfolk, whose living customs are somewhat similar to theirs. And they seem quite content with this way of life. Perhaps the only way the outside world can communicate with them is because their special living environment makes them prone to certain diseases. This forces them to rely on merchants who have special permission to enter their areas to purchase medicinal herbs, while they in turn sell some local specialties as exchange. This is likely their only channel of communication with the outside world.

A considerable stretch of the Catania River runs through this vast marshland marked on maps as the Java Swamps. Neither the barbarians and other nations and forces to the south of these swamps nor the kingdoms to the north, nor some countries to the east including the Duchy of Rosenberg, dare to venture into these mysterious waters. The highly exclusive Jellyfish People detest having their peaceful lives disturbed; they have lived in these waters, including the marshland, for hundreds of years. Decades ago, the Kingdom of Rosenberg to the east and the city-state of Loire on the south bank of the Catania River both hoped to open up this waterway, which was crucial for these inland nations. However, their attempts to cross the Great Marshlands were blocked by the Jellyfish People. After several battles, these asymmetric conflicts ended in defeat for the Kingdom of Rosenberg and the city-state of Loire. Dozens of warships and merchant ships sank in the Catania River, and the Jellyfish People, who refused to negotiate, completely shut off any possibility of opening this waterway. Since then, aside from the upper reaches, the middle and lower sections of the Catania River have become abandoned and desolate waterways.

Since then, many adventurers have tried to drift down the Catania River, but without exception, none have returned. It is unknown whether they encountered dangers at sea or perished at the hands of the inhabitants of these waters—the Jellyfish People. The entire Great Marshland seems shrouded in thick mist; no one knows what lies within. Even the few merchants who have established long-term contacts with the Jellyfish People can only reach the outermost outposts in the marshland and cannot go any further. All trade takes place only at a handful of outposts. Their completely self-sufficient economy allows the Jellyfish People to thrive without much contact with the outside world, which also renders all attempts by those seeking to find their weaknesses in order to open up this vital water route futile.

Seeing Komer’s gaze fixed on the misty river surface to the west, Puber naturally understood what his old friend was thinking. But so far, not a single Jellyfish Person has appeared on the territory of the Caucasus, nor even a merman has been seen from time to time, let alone a Jellyfish Person. The Jellyfish People have a very distinctive appearance. They mostly wear a type of cloth made from plant fibers extracted through special methods from the reed stems and leaves commonly found in the marshland. These plant fibers are processed through multiple steps before being woven into a somewhat rough fabric. This fabric has excellent breathability and moisture-wicking properties, making it very suitable for life in the marshland.

“Boss, do you really plan to target the Jellyfolk? Alas, the Jellyfolk are not like half-orcs or barbarians—they’re completely self-isolated and self-sufficient, needing nothing from the outside world. It will be difficult to communicate with these rigid and conservative Jellyfolk; we don’t even know how to get in touch with them.” Shaking his head, Pupber sighed slightly. He had tried before, but the area bordering the Great Swamp from Bahomonsi was uninhabited, with few humans or barbarians to be seen, let alone Jellyfolk. Moreover, further ahead, the ground became soft and wet, gradually turning into marshlands and eventually swamps—places that ordinary people wouldn’t dare enter. Vast reeds and various aquatic plants covered the riverbanks, blocking them completely. How could one establish contact in such a situation?

“There must be a way. The Jellyfolk probably aren’t as superior as you think. They too have their troubles. If we search carefully, we’ll surely find their weaknesses. As long as they’re human, they’ll have all sorts of desires and worries. Their settlement in the Great Swamp can’t be just due to living habits alone. Just like barbarians trapped in the Koldorla Wasteland, it’s not that they don’t want to leave, but rather due to various constraints. From what I know, the Jellyfolk originally existed not just in this Great Swamp, and this swamp alone doesn’t seem to have only a few tens of thousands of them.”

The exact number of Jellyfolk remains a mystery. Some estimates put it at over a hundred thousand, while others suggest around thirty to fifty thousand. But based on the information he had and what Rebrí and others knew, Komer believed the number of Jellyfolk was under a hundred thousand. According to the records of the continental history books, during their peak, there were at least five hundred thousand Jellyfolk across various swampy areas. But now, aside from this swamp, which can still be considered a Jellyfolk settlement, few Jellyfolk are seen in other swampy regions, if any at all, existing only in very small groups.

With a slight raise of his thin eyebrows, Puber realized that his boss likely already had some ideas—otherwise he wouldn’t have such a determined expression. Yet he was more worried about time. Given the advancing momentum of Homer’s naval fleet, it wouldn’t be long before Homer’s ships appeared off the coast of Matdan. If that happened, the entire Caucasus region would be severely affected. And opening a passage through the Catalonia River didn’t seem like an easy task—could his boss really pull it off?
“Lord, why have you chosen me to join you on this adventure? Though I enjoy risks, I wouldn’t lightly take on such a pointless danger. What treasures could possibly be worth seeking in the Great Swamp? Besides, the Jellyfish People are notorious across the continent for their hostility toward other races. By rushing in like this, aren’t we just seeking death? You can’t think that the two of us, plus a Dark Knight, can fight against tens of thousands of Jellyfish People. If it were land, maybe we could escape and survive, but it’s full of quagmires—we’re likely to never return!”
Watching Comer’s calm face with interest, the disheveled mage clearly had just come out of his magic laboratory, holding a short stick that was still emitting faint smoke. The corrosive spots on his robes, scattered across them, were likely the result of some magic experiment—perhaps he was conducting a spell attack test. The pursuit of magical mastery seemed to be the lifelong aspiration of these mages, and magic experiments were an extremely important task.