The sounds of a woman’s heavy breathing?
Financial Officer Grace and the others stood frozen.
Gareyas’s expression was particularly strange.
Many others were secretly gripping their chests in indignation, silently thinking: ‘Lady Saintess, please mind your image!’
The only saving grace was that Renata, as one of the Grandmasters of the Chastity Knights and a Double-Handed Sword Master among humans, possessed strength that was beyond question.
Even though there was a massive difference in their physical sizes, she did not fall into a disadvantage during the confrontation.
*Clang!*
*Thud!*
No one knew how much time had passed.
Renata finally pinned Baccus to the ground, but in his final struggle, Baccus managed to wrap his arms around her and pull her down with him. Both of them were so exhausted they couldn’t even stand.
Baccus panted heavily. His nose was bleeding profusely, and he only spoke after stuffing a wad of cloth into his nostrils. “You… are very good.”
Renata pulled off her helmet, which had been dented by a heavy blow, and tossed it aside. She wiped her face, then spat out half a bloody tooth. “Likewise.”
There was no other way; this was a necessary form of communication.
If they didn’t want to wipe out the War Pig Tribe entirely, then this was a mandatory ritual of respect.
Baccus sat on the ground and looked toward Aililan. “Are you their… King?”
Aililan nodded. “Something like that.”
“Speak. What business do you have?”
“Grain, meat, spices, even salt and iron. Whatever you want, I have it.”
Baccus snorted. “You’re teasing me.”
Aililan pressed her hand down slightly. “Don’t be in such a hurry. I assume you aren’t yet aware of the changes on the human side. I can only say that the heavens have shifted over there.”
“Human, what do you mean?”
“Quite literally, Atester City has changed. The human upper class is about to crack down hard on ‘gray industries’—meaning the smuggling trade with Orcs. In the future, your lives will only get harder. As far as I know, many in the War Pig Tribe are still eating grass roots to stave off hunger.”
“Humans…” Baccus finally turned serious. His tone was no longer as haughty as before. “So, what does that have to do with what you said?”
Aililan smiled faintly. “Quite a bit, actually. I know that the humans intend to open a Mutual Market.”
“What is a Mutual Market?”
“It means regularizing that smuggling. In the future, you will be able to trade with humans openly and honestly.”
“There’s such a good thing? In that case, we won’t need you even more, right?”
“No, no, no. You’re overlooking the issue of location. We humans are currently in contact with the Fox-kin and the Swift-claws as well. You must understand that no matter where a Mutual Market is opened, the Orcs in that area will be the first to grow powerful. They can even control the transactions and reap massive profits from them. Chief Baccus, what do you think?”
Baccus said almost without thinking, “I… I think it’s possible.”
Aililan gave a small smile. “Chief Baccus, are you truly foolish, or just pretending?”
“Human, what do you mean? Are you trying to insult me?”
“I am asking you, if I choose to locate the Mutual Market within your territory, what benefits can you give me?”
Grace: “?”
Gareyas: “…”
Wait, could negotiations even be handled like this?
In their subconscious, they assumed that if they wanted to establish a Mutual Market on someone else’s turf, they would inevitably have to pay a massive price.
This was also Aililan’sæ— å¥ˆ and compromise. A Mutual Market should ideally have been established within her own territory. But how should she put it? To many people, that would look like an act of treason. Aililan could only compromise by choosing a location near the Orcs.
The Jackal Tribe should have been the most stable choice, but their location was a bit too deep into the plains.
The place Aililan had her eye on happened to be within the War Pig Tribe’s sphere of influence.
Baccus’s brain couldn’t quite keep up. He hesitated. “I… you… I…”
Aililan stood up. “You can go back and think this over carefully, but I won’t give you too much time. You must give me an answer by tomorrow at the latest. We still have to go and negotiate with the Jackal Tribe.”
Baccus also scrambled to his feet. “You… you… Fine. Please give me one night. I will give you an explanation by tomorrow at the latest.”
Between a few sentences, the situation had completely reversed.
Baccus’s way of addressing Aililan had even shifted to a respectful tone.
Once the War Pig Tribe had departed, the crowd gathered around. Looking at Aililan, every one of them showed an expression of deep admiration.
Even Fina Nisi seemed to share in the glory. She murmured to herself, ‘This is the woman I, Fina Nisi, have set my sights on. Aililan is truly taking on the aura of the other Saintesses. She will surely grow into a Saintess just like those senior sisters… So… I’m getting impatient.’
Aililan looked toward Renata and immediately cast a [Healing Art] on her. “You worked hard this time.”
Renata shook her head. “To fight for the Saintess is my honor.”
“No, this honor belongs to you.”
“Lady Saintess, I wish to share it with you.”
“I am very happy you think that way, Renata. You will always be the knight I am most proud of.”
Aililan stepped forward and gave Renata a gentle hug.
Feeling that warm embrace, Renata felt that even if she were to die in battle right now, it would be worth it.
On the side, Fina Nisi looked on with envy, her heart instantly filled with indignation. ‘If I had known, I would have gone up myself. I could have crippled that wild pig king with a single move!’
Gareyas walked over and said, “Lady Saintess, your words just now moved me deeply. I feel that what you said seems very correct, but I also have a concern.”
Aililan smiled slightly. “Please, speak.”
“Just as you said, if the War Pig Tribe obtains a large amount of resources, won’t we be nursing a tiger that will eventually bring us trouble?”
“Legion Commander Gareyas, I am glad you thought of this problem, but you should also understand one thing.”
Gareyas bowed. “Please enlighten me.”
Aililan waved her hand, signaling him not to be so formal.
“First, if the War Pig Tribe grows strong, the first they will conquer will surely be the surrounding Orc tribes, not the humans with whom they share massive mutual interests.”
“Second, if the War Pig Tribe is too deeply involved with humans, they will surely become a thorn in the side of the Northern Beastman Royal Court—traitors in their eyes. At that time, they will become our shield.”
“Third, and this addresses your concern: when their survival is inextricably linked to humans, it won’t be something they can break away from just because they want to. Once human resource support is cut off, their seemingly powerful development will collapse in a very short time.”
What Aililan didn’t say was that there was still a Jackal Tribe waiting in the wings!
The Jackal Tribe Chief had solemnly sworn before a [Memory Crystal] to join the Church and fight for the Church. He could be called the number one traitor in history.
One of her designs was to use these two tribes to conquer the surrounding Orcs.
It would seem like they were growing strong, but only their specific clans would be strengthening. Conversely, because of the constant internal strife among the Orcs on the Southern Plains, the overall strength would be weakened.
This would achieve the goal of eliminating a large portion of their population without using a single soldier, but rather through economic means.
Finally, she could perhaps indulge in one more fantasy: the two great Orc tribes of the Southern Plains inviting her to join forces to attack the Northern Beastman Royal Court?
Aililan called this her favorite fantasy.
***