Chapter 19: Bargaining

“Three leaders, I understand your sincerity and desires. The Caucasus will never forget its friends. The Sanjia Tribe and the Caucasus are close neighbors. You must be aware of my current situation in the Caucasus. The Star Court of the Kingdom of Nicosia has ruled that the Leon region to the north should be reclaimed by the kingdom. Due to the special circumstances in Leon—hundreds of thousands of half-orcs are in a state of unrest, and carelessness could lead to disaster—the kingdom has asked me to temporarily take charge of governing Leon.”
“Hundreds of thousands of half-orcs’ livelihoods now rest on my shoulders. I’m not emphasizing my difficulties, but you surely know that Leon is even more barren than the Cordillera Wasteland, especially when it comes to food. In the Cordillera Wasteland, there are still some areas that can produce food and offer hunting opportunities. But Leon produces nothing except coal and iron ore. Moreover, the Homer region to the north has blocked us from all sides, so we rely entirely on the Caucasus for supplies. I’m under great pressure right now.”
After a pause, Komer continued, “Of course, the opening of the Catalonia River route has solved one major problem for us. Otherwise, even the Caucasus itself wouldn’t be able to ensure its own food supply, let alone supply Leon and you.”
Komer spoke in a roundabout way. Difanqi and Sik failed to grasp his true intention, but the shrewd Belemon realized that he had actually shown signs of being willing to compromise, though he might still be dissatisfied with the terms. It seemed this man had huge ambitions—even Earth Dragons and Thunder Wyverns couldn’t satisfy his desires. It was likely he still aimed to seize the mines in our territory.
“Lord Baron, the Sanjia Tribe has come here with great sincerity. There are no conflicts of interest between the Sanjia Tribe and the Caucasus. Although other tribes in our Mountain People’s Alliance are fighting against other countries in the east and south, our Sanjia Tribe rarely participates in those conflicts. If we truly had concerns about the Caucasus, we would never provide Earth Dragons or, in the future, Thunder Wyverns. After all, these are unique military units of ours that can play a crucial role in war.”

“As you said, the situation in the Caucasus is not good at the moment. Especially, your relationship with Duke Philip, your direct lord to the north, has always been strained. The transfer of sovereignty in the Leon region might further intensify conflicts between you. I think you need to face up to the strength you currently possess. As far as I know, the Caucasus only has a little over a thousand beastmen soldiers, which might just be enough to maintain order in your territory. No, to be precise, even that number might not be sufficient if the beastmen in the Leon region rise in rebellion. And once Homer repairs the floating bridge at Fortress Bruce and sends his army south, I believe your forces won’t be of any use at all. You don’t need to hide behind your previous victory in the Leon region. Although I don’t know how you achieved that victory, one thing is certain: if Duke Philip truly decides to take control of the Caucasus, with your current strength, you simply won’t be able to change anything.”

Belemon, who had remained silent until then, suddenly spoke up, hitting Comer right in the core of his concerns. His deep understanding of the Caucasus and its surroundings not only surprised Di Fanchi and Sik, but also made Comer look at him with new respect. Who says there are no wise ones among barbarians? Neither Di Fanchi nor Belemon are easy to manipulate, and it’s clear they didn’t become tribal leaders by chance.

“Leader Belemon, you’re absolutely right. It’s precisely because of the difficult situation in the Caucasus that I have to think carefully before making any decisions,” Comer said, trying to discern the intentions behind the other man’s words.

“Baron Comer, it’s wise of you to be cautious. But do you really need to care so much about those countries and cities far to the south and east of the Cordillera Wasteland? I don’t think so. Now that the three leaders of our Sanjia tribe are here, we can openly propose our terms. If you can provide us with food support and increase exports of strategic goods such as weapons, armor, and iron to our Sanjia tribe, we guarantee that these supplies won’t flow outside our tribe. In return, we can offer you exotic beasts like earth dragons and thunder eagles, as mentioned by Leader Di Fanchi. And if the Caucasus is in danger and you need our help, our Sanjia tribe can provide the necessary military support.”

Military support?! This move has caused a huge stir; not even Difanqi and Sik understand how this traditionally conservative Belemon leader could suddenly shift from one extreme to another. He was previously unwilling to even provide Thunderbirds, yet now he’s even willing to offer military support—this is practically a military alliance, and the contrast is quite striking.

Komer didn’t think so. He had to admit that Belemon wasn’t easy to deal with. Providing Earth Dragons and Thunderbirds was meant to strengthen the Caucasus’ own military forces. As for military support from the Barbarians, even if Komer needed it, he wouldn’t dare ask casually. He wasn’t sure what the Barbarians had in mind. Once they tasted the benefits of using force, their desires would grow endlessly, and then he might face even more trouble. Of course, he also admitted that there was some truth to what this guy said, especially since the Caucasus’ current military forces were indeed weak—just over a thousand soldiers, and even weaker after taking control of Leon. Perhaps he really should consider this issue.

“Leader Belemon, I will seriously consider your proposal. How about this: the three of you can rest in Ugru for two days. I need to discuss your proposal with my advisors, and you should also refine your demands and conditions. I’ll give you a reply as soon as possible.” Komer felt it necessary to think things through. He needed to hear about the situation in the kingdom’s central region once Puber returned. The situation was becoming increasingly unpredictable, and Komer could already sense the scent of war, though he didn’t know where the problems would arise.

“Very well. We’ve always hoped to see the changes that have taken place in the once desolate Caucasus under Komer’s rule. We’ll wait anxiously for good news,” said Difanqi and the other two, nodding in agreement.