Chapter 3: Experts in Their Field
“Are you saying he should take on this task?” Komer looked skeptically at the unimpressive-looking man before him, then turned to look at Puber, who was beaming with joy.
“Yes, that’s right. Gran, this is my good friend, Baron Komer of Caucasus and Leon. Boss, this is Gran, my friend from my time at the Phoenix City Elite Academy—Karamanni Gran. You can call him Karamanni or Gran. You’ve probably heard of the Gran family’s reputation; they belong to the Giza people.” Puber introduced his recommended companion with great pride.
“Karamanni Gran greets Baron Komer and hopes to serve under your command,” he said politely, nodding at Komer. Though the young man didn’t look very attractive, he still displayed proper manners as a lower-ranking noble.
At least he doesn’t have as many bad habits as Puber; at least he’s not a gossiper, thought Komer, nodding in approval.
The Giza people were a nomadic tribe across the continent. They had no fixed homeland and preferred to travel from place to place. Many of their best members became financial officers or stewards for nobles across the continent, while those with artistic talents became bards. The vast majority became members of traveling circus caravans, often resorting to activities like thievery and prostitution as well. This tribe had a poor reputation everywhere—stingy, promiscuous, and vengeful—but they had one virtue: they were grateful and would repay kindnesses. This was one of the main reasons why many nobles preferred to hire these Giza people as stewards and financial officers.
But Komer soon realized he had misjudged them. “Baron Komer, I heard you intend to build a canal from Matdam, through Santiago, over the Volt Mountains, to Lake Nirel? Oh, Baron Komer, you’re truly great! No matter who undertakes such a massive project, their name will be etched in the history of the continent. However, Baron Komer, I must warn you that this project is far too huge for Caucasus and Leon. Your friend, Lord Puber, who is also your minister of state, has told me about Caucasus and Leon. I can assert that without a thorough and perfect plan along with excellent supervisors, your project will remain just a fantasy. Even if you force it through, it will end in losses.”
The words were indeed pleasant, and the tone sincere, but there was only one purpose behind them. Komer had already figured it out—birds of a feather flock together. Expecting something good from Puber’s peers, especially Giza natives, was nothing but delusion. Komer really didn’t want another noisy person like Puber around him, unless that person had abilities no one else possessed. Hopefully, this guy was just a talker, Komer thought maliciously.
“Is that so? Mr. Gran, I’m also a bit troubled. After hearing you say that, I suppose I can only put this plan on hold for now and discuss it again in a few years,” Komer replied indifferently.
Realizing his thoughts had been seen through, Mr. Gran didn’t seem bothered. As a Giza native, if one couldn’t endure such setbacks, they couldn’t truly be called a Giza native.
“No, no, Baron, it seems you haven’t noticed my premise. With a perfect and reliable engineering plan and capable project supervisors, this project can definitely succeed and bring significant benefits to the economic development of the Caucasus and Leon, as well as substantial profits for you,” Gran said enthusiastically, undeterred by Komer’s indifferent expression. Clearly, he was also an experienced man.
“Is that so? I find it hard to find such capable people. Mr. Gran, you don’t think you can take on this task yourself, do you?” Komer asked coldly and bluntly. He wasn’t willing to entrust such an important plan to someone else so rashly, even if it was recommended by Puber.
“Uh, Baron, please don’t underestimate the strength of us Giza natives and the Gran family. Yes, this project is indeed huge, time-consuming, and requires substantial funding, with some challenges that aren’t easy to overcome. But for us Giza natives and the Gran family, who have long been brave in facing difficulties, these aren’t insurmountable obstacles. Baron, you must be familiar with the Gus Canal in the Spartan Kingdom in the southern continent. That was built under the supervision of our Gran family and has been in operation for over twenty years, still in good condition. So I believe you can trust me completely—I’m fully capable of handling this task.”
Karmanni Gran’s persistent and determined attitude somewhat impressed Komer. “Mr. Gran, I can’t hand over such a project to you based solely on your empty promises. The history of the Gran family can’t be used as a basis. The importance of this canal to the Caucasus, Leon, and myself goes without saying. Therefore, I think it’s necessary for you to provide something concrete to prove that you’re not exaggerating.”
“Of course, My Lord Baron. Even with Lord Puber’s recommendation, I wouldn’t dare approach you without some proof,” Karmanni replied with a slight nod, showing considerable understanding in this regard.
“Oh, may I take a look?” Komer was surprised. Glancing at Puber, he saw that Puber seemed confident, which piqued Komer’s curiosity.
“Please review this, My Lord Baron. This is the project plan I prepared for this canal based on the information provided by Lord Puber. Due to the tight timeline, it’s inevitably somewhat rough. This is just the overall plan. If you think it’s feasible, I can prepare more detailed sub-plans for you as soon as possible.” At that moment, Karmanni calmly took out a pile of parchment scrolls and paper documents from a box behind him and presented them to Komer.
It seemed this guy really had come prepared. Komer took the plans and documents handed to him in surprise. The detailed drawings before him shocked him—every canyon and river between Lake Nyerere and Santiago was outlined, and the route from Santiago to Matdam even indicated the soil type and surrounding environment for each section. Other documents contained the overall vision for the project, from fundraising to construction timelines, from commencement to operation. Even Komer, who had preconceived notions about this man, had to admit that he was not only highly professional but also had put a lot of effort into it.
Komer focused on the fundraising plan proposed by Karmanni. Unexpectedly, instead of focusing on the upper and middle reaches of the Catalonia River, he emphasized the southern part of the continent, such as the central and southern regions along the Mediterranean coast. Those areas were multicultural and industrially prosperous, free from the influence of religious beliefs and the political situation in the northern part of the continent. The interests involved there were also less complicated than in the northern regions, as the Caucasus and Leon were quite far away. Even if there were connections, they would be limited to simple trade activities, without political entanglements.
The method of raising funds also differed significantly from Komer’s vision. The other party did not seem to agree with using the canal’s toll rights as a source of funds; instead, they proposed using those rights as collateral to borrow money from financiers in the cities and countries of the southern continent, which took Komer by surprise as well.
“Mr. Calamani, I don’t quite understand your choice between borrowing money using the canal’s toll rights as collateral and selling those rights. Do you really think forcing me to bear high interest rates is a good solution?” Komer intended to discuss this point thoroughly with him.
“My lord baron, it seems you underestimate the value of the canal’s toll rights, or perhaps you underestimate the potential profits from the regions along the canal. Allow me to analyze it for you.” Calamani saw hope in the change in Komer’s tone and became very enthusiastic.
“Look, from Mardan to Santiago, there’s no need to elaborate on Mardan’s importance—it connects the Abyssal Sea and the Midland Ocean and can serve as a transit hub for the upper reaches of the Catalonia River and the colonies on the Vast Continent. Regardless of its productivity, its strategic location ensures it will remain an irreplaceable transportation center in the Caucasus. As for the coastal areas from Mardan to Santiago, they are among the earliest-developed agricultural regions in the Caucasus. Although the food produced here isn’t sufficient for self-sufficiency yet, I believe that as the land is further developed, there will be an excess of grain that can be transported via this canal. Now, consider Santiago—its abundant coal resources will see transportation costs drop to almost nothing once the canal is operational. From my investigations, both the colonies on the Vast Continent and the upper reaches of the Catalonia River are in urgent need of this fuel. Moreover, the metallurgical industry in the southern continent is developing rapidly, increasing the demand for coal, especially high-quality coal. Thus, the opening of this canal will ensure Santiago has no worries about selling its coal for at least thirty years.”
Speaking of his expertise, Calamani was eloquent and unrestrained, and the advantages of the Giza people began to show at this moment.
“Well, let’s take a look at the section from Santiago to the Nyerere Lake area. This part seems to be the most desolate and harsh, but that’s only for now. As far as I know, there are rampant legends about dwarven civilizations and hidden treasures in the Vot Mountains. Many adventurers and exploration teams across the continent firmly believe in these legends. If the lord could promote them appropriately, the Vot Mountains could truly become a paradise for adventurers and tourists. If this route could be connected by canals, it would be the best entry point for them into the Vot Mountains, and the water journey from Nyerere Lake to Santiago could also become an unforgettable experience for them. If managed well, I think this area could be developed into a highly promising tourist route—by adding more tourist ships and creating some easier-to-access adventure spots.”
“A true expert—indeed, a professional expert. With all these terms and ideas, Komer has to admit that Mr. Kalamanee is quite skilled at turning a remote and barren route into something seemingly paradise-like. That’s also a form of skill.”
“Let’s take a look at the products of this region. The Vot Mountains have a geological structure dominated by basalt and volcanic rocks, with dense primeval forests. The cheap transportation provided by canals can help develop the local stone and timber resources. The stone mining in Muscat drove economic development there, and I believe this area will perform just as well once it’s connected. Further north lies Nyerere Lake, which covers an area of over 10,000 square kilometers and is irregularly shaped. The Beki River flows into it from the east, Palenk from the west, and the Noz River from the southwest. The latter two rivers are short but have abundant water flow, while only the Beki River is longer.”
“Nyerere Lake is the largest freshwater lake in both the Leon region and the entire Kingdom of Nicosia. It’s rich in aquatic life, especially various fish and shellfish, boasting extremely abundant fish resources. It should be a quite prosperous area, but due to its location in the southern interior of the Leon region, at the northern foot of the Vot Mountains, with poor transportation, and given the special circumstances of the Leon region, it has remained underdeveloped. The forests around Nyerere Lake are extremely rich, but there are no mineral resources, and transportation is limited. That’s why it hasn’t caught the interest of investors who only focus on iron and coal mines. If this canal is built and transportation issues are resolved, Nyerere Lake will surely become a new hot spot for development.”
“Especially since the Beki River flows into Lake Nyerere, connecting Izmel, an important western town on the Beki River, with Lake Nyerere. If a canal were to link Santiya to Lake Nyerere, Izmel could use this waterway to reach the sea via Matden or upstream to connect with the upper reaches of the Katenia River. As is well known, Izmel is a famous iron ore mining area in Leon and even throughout the Kingdom of Nicosia. However, transportation has always been a bottleneck, greatly limiting the region’s iron ore production capacity. The construction of a canal could completely overcome this bottleneck. I believe the next auction for iron ore mining rights will generate even more funds for His Lordship.”
At this point, Komer had to admit that the other party’s arguments were highly persuasive. Judging from Pupber’s expression, he too must have been thoroughly impressed by the other party’s eloquence. It must be said that Mr. Kalamanis demonstrated excellent professionalism and skill, delivering such a thorough analysis of the environmental geology, resources, and prospects of the entire canal area in such a short time—a feat that most people could hardly achieve. It seemed necessary for him to consider entrusting this project to the other party.