What is a calamity falling from the sky?
As a new noble merchant from the Jenkins family of the Misty Bay Harbor Trade Alliance, Wesley Jenkins had always sailed smoothly through life.
He inherited the shrewdness of the Visaji people and their keen sense for numbers, firmly believing that "reward" and "risk" were weights placed on either end of the scales of fate. If either side became too heavy, it would cause the scales to tilt, lose balance, and ultimately topple over.
He believed in an ancient Visaji proverb: "The fruit of high reward often grows within the thorny thicket of risk."
Where there is reward, one cannot avoid facing risk. This is the merchant's destiny and the rules of the game. He enjoyed maneuvering within these rules, calculating probabilities, weighing gains and losses, and savoring the sense of achievement that came from leveraging wealth with wisdom and courage.
Until... an urgent appointment letter stamped with the seals of the three major merchant associations from the Trade Alliance council was delivered to his luxurious mansion.
Citing "Councilor Jenkins' exceptional communication skills, loyalty to the Alliance, and familiarity with western border affairs," the appointment letter formally designated him as the "Envoy of the Misty Bay Harbor Trade Alliance." He was to depart immediately for the Gold Lionheart Fortress, now occupied by the Slime Kingdom, to make contact and negotiate with the other party, assess the situation, seek peaceful solutions, and protect the Alliance's interests.
The real reason was actually that his family's manor was the closest to the Gold Lionheart Fortress, which would save the maximum amount of time.
Wesley held that appointment letter, which still smelled of parchment and ink, and only then did he realize that on a merchant's path, besides calculable market risks and commercial rivals, there existed something completely immeasurable by calculation — the risk of force majeure.
Negotiate with a group of "Magical Creatures" that had captured a military fortress and possessed Giant Dragons and The Extraordinary professionals?
Was this not simply a euphemistic death warrant, sending him right to their doorstep to serve as a toothpick for those terrifying monsters of legend?
He instinctively wanted to refuse, to invoke the "dangerous mission exemption" clause in the Alliance's regulations, to write a strongly worded, well-referenced letter of protest back to the council.
He had even already planned how to use his family's connections within the council to shift this death appointment onto some political enemy or unfortunate competitor.
However, on that very afternoon as he was about to pick up his pen, the Alliance's "compensation" arrived with astonishing efficiency. Not only was there a massive subsidy large enough to fill the family vault, but also the complete deed to a coveted coastal plot he had long desired, lying quietly inside a sandalwood box inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
Risk was indeed an irresistible force, but the reward... was equally enormous, enough to devour reason and blind one's perception of danger.
After sitting all night in his study, staring at that deed and the appointment letter, weighing them back and forth, a glimmer of resolve finally flashed in Wesley's eyes, bloodshot from lack of sleep. He chose to gamble.
He gambled that those "Magical Creatures" were not completely unreasonable savages, and gambled that his eloquence and skill could win him an opportunity.
Thus, amidst the farewells of the crowd, Wesley Jenkins, this usually pampered and privileged merchant noble skilled at navigating banquets and negotiation tables, took a small team of ashen-faced attendants and guards, boarded a carriage, and with a mix of tragic resolve and trepidation, delivered himself to that Gold Lionheart Fortress, which rumors had painted as a demon's den.
Not long after, sitting on the spacious sofa in the fortress's former army commander's office, looking at the spot on the wall where the Alliance flag once hung, now replaced by a brand new flag with an emerald green background and a simple slime silhouette emblem at its center, his expression remained somewhat dazed.
He mechanically accepted a cup of hot water offered by a bouncing slime.
To be honest, from the moment he tremblingly stepped through the gates of this fortress rumored to be a "Magical Creature nest," he had regretted it, regretted letting impulse and greed override his reason.
But the imagined scenes of bloodshed, chaos, and Magical Creatures lunging at him did not appear. On the contrary, although traces of battle could be seen inside the fortress, order was maintained.
The slimes bouncing around on patrol instead displayed a surprisingly unexpected level of discipline and politeness. When he took the cup, that slime even gave a slight "bow."
What in the world?
That is completely different from the Magical Creatures I know!
If I can leave this place alive today and tell this story outside, even the old Elf bard at the "Greenfield Tavern" would probably think I was spinning a wild tale under the influence of alcohol.
Just as Wesley was lost in these chaotic thoughts, the heavy oak door of the office was gently pushed open, emitting a soft creak.
A young man in formal attire, with a slightly pale complexion, walked in.
Even without the other party introducing himself, Wesley had already used all his channels to gather intelligence on this special envoy from the Slime Kingdom before coming.
He immediately rose from the sofa, a warmly enthusiastic smile spreading across his face as he quickly stepped forward to greet him.
"Lord Zoran..."
Zoran maintained an elegant yet distant smile on the surface, giving a slight nod in return, but his words held no trace of polite small talk, cutting straight to the point.
"Mr. Jenkins, I hope you, and the Misty Bay Harbor Trade Alliance you represent, will not attempt to test our kingdom's patience any further."
He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over Wesley's instantly stiffened smiling face, and continued, "The Gold Lionheart Fortress was merely a lesson. If your Alliance still does not understand how to properly handle relations with neighboring states, the Slime Kingdom would be more than happy to use more direct methods to help you comprehend."
Wesley was so startled that cold sweat instantly broke out, soaking the silk shirt beneath his inner garments.
Forgetting about noble etiquette or maintaining the Alliance's dignity, he hurriedly gave a slight bow and said, "Yes, yes. The Alliance council has already conducted an emergency investigation and confirmed that the detention of your kingdom's merchant caravan was indeed the personal action of individual member merchants within the Alliance. The Alliance has always strictly cracked down on such illegal acts that undermine the principles of fair trade and damage the Alliance's overall reputation. Old Patriarch Bartley of the Blackwater Guild... he will face due punishment for his actions."
He skillfully severed the Alliance from the Blackwater Guild, placing the blame entirely on Old Bartley and the guild, attempting to absolve the Alliance of responsibility.
Zoran was, after all, a vampire who had lived for over a century. He naturally understood the subtext of Wesley's words.
The smile on his face remained unchanged, but a dangerous glint flickered in his dark red eyes.
"Mr. Wesley, I said, do not attempt to test our patience."
He leaned forward slightly, speaking leisurely, "A delicate little treat like you isn't even enough to serve as a toothpick for the greediest little fellow under His Majesty's command."
Wesley's face instantly froze. He fumbled to pull out a silk handkerchief, nervously wiping the cold sweat continuously beading on his forehead. Although the fireplace in the office was burning and the temperature wasn't particularly low, he felt as if he had fallen into an icy cellar, chilled to the bone.
"Lord Envoy... you misunderstand," Wesley's voice was dry as he hurriedly explained. "The Alliance's intention is absolutely not to shirk responsibility. We are willing to bear all consequences caused by the Blackwater Guild's mistake and do everything in our power to compensate your kingdom for its losses."
As he spoke, his finger adorned with an agate ring trembled slightly as he reached into the inner lining of his formal attire, pulling out a compensation list stamped with the joint seals of the Alliance's three major merchant associations. He respectfully presented it with both hands to Zoran.
"Please take a look. This is the preliminary compensation plan hastily drafted by the Alliance council after emergency discussions," Wesley tried to make his voice sound more sincere. "We are urgently preparing a war indemnity of one hundred thousand Gold Coins, ransom payments for Army Commander Torres Marco and other captured personnel, and a batch of equivalent war materials such as grain, cloth, metal ingots, etc., as compensation..."
Zoran took the list, his eyes quickly scanning the items and figures listed.
Even he couldn't help but secretly marvel at how fabulously wealthy these merchants were.
One hundred thousand Gold Coins!
This was no small sum for any human kingdom, yet the Alliance offered it without hesitation.
However, as a vampire whose only interest lay in gel, looking at this list didn't stir much emotion within him. After all, no matter how shiny the gold coins were, they couldn't compare to a single mouthful of pure blessed gel.
Ah, praise be to the Slime Majesty...
Of course, he knew that His Majesty, as well as that Minister Bran, seemed quite interested in these shiny things.
He fell into thought, as if engaging in a silent dialogue with an unseen presence. Finally, he lifted his head, his gaze refocusing on Wesley.
"The immediate and unconditional release of the merchant caravan goods and your kingdom's subjects detained by your Alliance is a prerequisite for negotiations, not a condition."
Wesley's heart skipped a beat. The fact that the Slime Kingdom was willing to accept the indemnity was good news; it meant there was room for negotiation. But this prerequisite was precisely the trickiest part.
The Blackwater Guild had met with disaster. On the very night of the Gold Lionheart Fortress battle, their warehouse in the harbor district of Misty Bay was completely consumed by an "accidental" fire.
The blaze was exceptionally fierce. Even the guild leader, Old Bartley, hadn't escaped. Many account books and documents that might have recorded transaction details were also reduced to ashes.
Of course, he couldn't state it so bluntly. This involved the Alliance's internal, unsavory struggles. He could only express it with euphemistic phrasing.
"Your Excellency, regarding this point... the Alliance feels profound regret and grief," Wesley's face wore an appropriately pained expression. "On the very same night your kingdom's forces arrived at the Gold Lionheart Fortress, the Blackwater Guild's warehouse unfortunately suffered a suspicious fire. We suspect this was the work of external forces hostile to the Alliance, or internal traitors attempting to sabotage these peace negotiations."
He paused, carefully observing Zoran's expression, and continued, "The fire caused incalculable losses. No members of the Blackwater Guild escaped the flames... But please rest assured, your kingdom. The Alliance council has already passed a resolution: regardless of the condition of the goods detained by the Blackwater Guild, the Alliance will compensate your kingdom tenfold."
Those Ancient Resins usable in Arcane Ancient Tree rituals were not cheap. Valued by weight, they were even more expensive than gold. Compensating tenfold for the incinerated goods would absolutely not be a small sum.
"As for your kingdom's subjects... the good news is that our investigators did not find... well... any remains or belongings belonging to your kingdom's vampire compatriots among the warehouse ruins."
"The Alliance has already commissioned several reputable, experienced adventurer teams and private investigators at great expense to conduct secret investigations throughout the entire Alliance territory. We will definitely do everything in our power to give your kingdom a clear account."
Zoran listened quietly. He knew Wesley wasn't lying. The other party also had no reason to lie about facts that could be easily verified.
This meant that the merchant caravan led by Casimir had most likely been caught up in the Alliance's internal political disputes and settling of accounts.
But clearly, this answer was not satisfactory to him, let alone to the Majesty behind him.
Casimir was one of the few true friends he had made in his long years, and also a Bishop of the Great Slime Religion. He had to find out what happened to him.
Thus, after a silent dialogue with his Majesty, Zoran put forth a new demand:
"In light of the vague information currently provided by your Alliance and the slow progress of the investigation, His Majesty demands that you open travel permits for the western regions of the Misty Bay Harbor Trade Alliance, allowing the Slime Kingdom's Adventurer's Guild to establish a presence in the Alliance's major cities."
"Simultaneously, we will dispatch kingdom Adventurers into Alliance territory to independently investigate the disappearance of our subjects. Your Alliance must provide the necessary support."
This was practically a lion's outrageous demand!
Faced with this demand from the Slime Kingdom that struck right at the heart of the matter, Wesley could only continuously wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
Although Adventurer's Guilds on the continent were relatively independent transnational organizations, not directly controlled by the Alliance, and operated more on a basis of cooperation and employment...
Once they opened the borders and allowed the Slime Kingdom's Adventurer's Guild to formally establish a presence... who knew if the Adventurers coming from the Slime Kingdom were hidden spies, infiltrators, or subversive elements?
This was equivalent to opening a difficult-to-monitor breach in the Alliance's defensive line. Opening border passage also meant relinquishing a portion of their defense and control.
"Your Excellency... this... this demand is of great significance... I need to urgently report to the Alliance council and request instructions... Please, you must grant us some time..."
He couldn't make a decision on this matter. He could only hastily leave and report to the Alliance council via long-distance magic.
After half a day of tense, fierce negotiations and council quarrels, the Misty Bay Harbor Trade Alliance ultimately compromised. But they also proposed restrictive conditions:
All Slime Kingdom Adventurers entering Alliance territory must undergo detailed information registration, including name, race, profession, estimated power level, affiliated adventurer team, etc.
A copy of the registration list would be filed jointly by the local Adventurer's Guild and the Alliance, and the total number of Slime Kingdom Adventurers entering the Alliance at any one time would be strictly limited.
Individual action was not permitted. All Slime Kingdom Adventurers must operate in the form of registered adventurer teams and could only accept commission tasks approved by the Alliance through official channels.
It was an agreement filled with distrust and restrictions, but at least it opened a breach.
Only after Wesley presented this draft agreement and received the Slime Kingdom's consent did he finally heave a long sigh of relief, feeling as if he had just snatched his life back from under a dragon's claw. He dragged his utterly exhausted body and mind away from the fortress.
Watching Wesley and those guards completely disappear into the snowy landscape, Chen Yu bounced out from the shadows of the office.
Zoran's face showed concern. "Your Majesty, the disappearance of Casimir and the others is very suspicious. It seems someone is using them as a bargaining chip. Do we need to continue putting pressure on the Alliance?"
Chen Yu calmly shook his gel. "No. The Misty Bay Harbor Trade Alliance has no small number of The Extraordinary professionals. There might also be shadows of certain forces from the White Horse Kingdom behind them. If we apply further pressure, it might instead prompt them to temporarily set aside their internal differences and unite. The resistance we would face then would be much greater."
"This is fine for now. Let the kingdom's Adventurers infiltrate first under a legal identity. It just so happens those little ones lack sufficient worldly experience. Letting them go out to gain some experience is good too."
Although Zoran couldn't fully comprehend His Majesty's deeper meaning, he knew that His Majesty's gel-filled head always contained wisdom far beyond ordinary imagination.
He respectfully replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Chen Yu shook his gel contentedly, though he did indeed harbor a bit of mischief.
Misty Bay Harbor, this trade hub situated at the mouth of the Jade River, possessing a natural deep-water harbor, connecting the continent's inland to the southern kingdoms and shipping routes... was simply too perfect.
If it could be brought within the Slime Kingdom's sphere of influence, then the kingdom would possess a direct window and springboard facing the vast ocean and continental trade networks.
The Slime's great age of maritime exploration would no longer be a distant dream.
Of course, he was well aware that the intricate web of interests behind Misty Bay Harbor, its external backers, and its own accumulated wealth and armed forces all meant this would be a complex game of strategy where military conquest alone wouldn't be fully effective.
His reason for sending Adventurers into the Alliance, besides the surface objectives of investigation and gaining experience, hid another, more important purpose: observation and learning.
Observing the transaction details of the Alliance's major merchant associations, the distribution of main trade routes, the categories of traded goods, and the trade interactions with the southern kingdoms and the White Horse Kingdom.
That's right. He wanted to steal their business.
Slimes might not have a head for commerce, but that wasn't important. What was important was that the Slime Kingdom also controlled a conveniently located trade hub — the rift snowplain.
The kingdom's carriage and horse post station located in Winterhold could, through the stable planar rift network, connect the Dark Realm, the Eastern Swamp, the southern kingdoms... into a network.
Goods passing through the kingdom's carriage and horse post station could, in theory, be transported much faster, more stably, and at lower cost than those relying on the river and sea transport of the Misty Bay Harbor Trade Alliance.
This was a war initiated by the slimes, a war without magical radiance.