In the year of the Red Moon, the war in the Northland of Norgo is like the weather in the southern province of the kingdom, Xhosa-

In that kingdom near the sea, the rain always flows continuously during the rainy season of the year.

Sometimes, when you look up from the window to see the bright clear blue sky and the beautiful rainbow, and you are about to run out into the street for a good walk, you will always find that it will not be long before the rain will come quietly under the sunshine like a child's temper.

"What the hell!"

The strangers who had come to Xhosa for the first time were indignant and made a similar emotion after being drenched in soup, and then these people fled to the eaves of nearby buildings and stood in a daze, looking at each other with big eyes and little eyes without saying a word—

Locals who are familiar with this scene tend to smile strangely, and some seasoned businessmen may be able to forcibly suppress their silence.

But more often than not, the street vendors began to come forward to sell umbrellas made of oilcloth -

A stingy stranger and a peddler were bargaining over the price of an umbrella, and their voices were as loud as if they were arguing. In the afternoon of this day, the rain falling from the eaves or rain terraces is connected into strings of crystal clear beads.

It was an old building, leaning against the window on the side of the street, and there was a wooden table covered with grease, and two middle-aged men dressed as merchants sat opposite each other, chatting from time to time over a pot of warm ale.

Even in Xhosa, the kingdom's bustling commercial territory, there are many cheap taverns in the city, but at this time there are few customers, and the waiters in the taverns are lying on the counter and dozing off.

"Hell! An umbrella like this would only cost a maximum of eight soles in my hometown......"

"Eight sols? Even eight soles, in the countryside of Lazis, are an unacceptable price. ”

"It is said that the merchants of Xhosa are very ...... in the dark"

"I see? Hey, dear guests, but this is the capital of the southern province of the kingdom, Kolocol. Every umbrella I sell is very reasonably priced. ”

The sound outside the window was clearly heard in the ears of the two guests. One of them chuckled softly, and he took the flask, and poured a glass from the spout of the glass, but he was not in a hurry to sip, but pressed the palm of one hand on the wooden table, and said to the other man:

"The merchants of Lazis have also come to Xhosa."

"But they seem to be more frugal than we are."

The man who answered him added an accent to the word "thrifty" - people in other parts of the kingdom were accustomed to using "thrift" to describe the merchants of Xhosa, but they knew very well that most of the time it was not a compliment, but a mockery with bad intentions.

And he and his companions seem to be giving back the old taunts.

However, as a senior businessman, these vindictive behaviors did not make him pay too much attention, and after the atmosphere was silent for a few seconds, he raised his wine glass and drank a small sip of slightly bitter ale wine, and raised his eyelids:

"Rai hasn't come back until now."

"I know that he caught up with Baron Alpha Collins of Karthas, and business is doing very well."

"Alpha Collins? He seems to have forgotten about us after he got on the line of the lord's family. ”

The two merchants sighed with emotion as they drank the liquor they sold.

"That's how we Xhosa merchants work, Rael supreme. There are good things that few people would like to bring their companions to share. ”

"Oh, Siphenis, but you know what? Why have so many merchants from Lazis come to Xhosa lately? ”

The merchant turned the glass in his hand, and the subject changed suddenly—the companion whom he called "Siphenis" paused for a moment, and then quickly replied:

"Because of the noble war of Nogo?"

Although Sifinis's sentence structure is a standard interrogative sentence, the tone is almost full of affirmation-

The merchants of Xhosa have a nose far more sensitive than the finest hounds, and war may mean pain and misfortune for the local soldiers and civilians, but for the merchants it is closer to an opportunity to make a fortune.

"But I remember that the three lords of the northern land of the kingdom are not short of iron ore and military workshops."

Sifinis went on to add that it was true that the war would have caused the price of these supplies to rise dramatically, but the increased transportation costs of the long journey from Xhosa to Lazis would more than offset most of the profits, so even when the local merchants learned about it, they did not react much.

"Looks like you're not well-informed enough, Siphenis."

"Huh?" Sifinis looked up in confusion.

"Those Lazis have come to Kolokol, of course, not for tourism, in fact, these days, they have been quietly purchasing medicines, magic energy crystals, and a large amount of holy water."

"A lot of holy water? The undead have appeared in the kingdom? ”

In addition to weapons and equipment, medicines and magic crystals have always been considered consumables for war, and although holy water has the same effect as medicine, in most cases, because of its special effects, its cost and price are not as cheap as ordinary medicines-

In the eyes of the Xhosa merchants, the group of divine sticks of the Holy Radiance Church, under the sanctimonious appearance, completely concealed a greedy heart, even those devout believers had to pay a lot of money to get holy water from the hands of the gods.

A lot of holy water?

The cost of Rael can be imagined - but the corresponding thing is the face of the Lazis downstairs.

"Not bad."

Another merchant observed the change in Sifinis's expression, and after a while, finally spoke, "Sifinis, it seems that you have also thought that the Lazis are making a big deal in Kolokol. ”

"So, Vuitton, what you mean by telling me these things is that you plan for us to do this business together?"

"That's true. I remember that distant uncle of yours was not the chief priest of the church? As long as he is willing to transfer his share of the holy water from the damned Lazis to us, we can provide him with the necessary remuneration. ”

"Well, not a bad idea. Those northerners don't have enough holy water on hand, so the price will naturally be up to us. ”

……

Talen, the Lord's Palace.

Count Wolf Savaren Wolf sat at a Nanmu desk, quietly listening to the reports of the officers and knights, since the outbreak of war with the Ensada Lord, such things have become his daily routine-

And this recent week, information about the undead haunting and attacking towns and villages has been flying like snowflakes from all over the territory—

The scene of the "Fog Pine War" five years ago seemed to reappear in front of his eyes again, and the earl was also nervous and busy because of this, and the breath of war was like a dark cloud, which began to envelop the territory under his rule all the time.