Chapter 18 - 18 – The Winter Solstice Festival

The world Magnus found himself in wasn't populated solely by humans. Besides humans, there were many other intelligent races—like the giants, fishmen, longarm tribe, and dwarves—collectively known as demi-human races. But ultimately, these races were minorities. In this world where feudalism and slavery coexisted, physical differences often led to discrimination. The more numerous regular humans frequently oppressed and enslaved these demi-humans—a tragic yet commonplace phenomenon in this world. Giants were one of these demi-human races. However, compared to the others, the giants were far stronger—even the World Government was reluctant to provoke the warriors of Elbaf lightly. Magnus sat on the ground with Harald. "Fish-Man Island is a member nation of the World Government. But because of humanity's deep-seated prejudice—and its geographical location—it exists in a very awkward position." "You mean pirates?" "Not just pirates. Slave traders too." Magnus clinked his massive porcelain bowl—larger than his entire body—against Harald's. "Humans despise fishmen. But among the upper-class nobles, owning a young female mermaid is considered a status symbol. On the black market, a single young mermaid can fetch tens of millions of Berries. With profits like that, kidnappings and raids on Fish-Man Island happen regularly." Fish-Man Island lay 10,000 meters beneath Mary Geoise, and should've been extremely safe. But with the advent of coating technology, pirates, marines, and all sorts of people could now descend into the deep sea with coated ships. "If Elbaf wants to establish trade with other countries, it needs to offer a unique product. And if you ask me, what could be more unique than Adam Wood?" In the outside world, even a single cubic meter of Adam Wood had a starting price in the millions of Berries. To build a full ship entirely from Adam Wood, just the material alone would cost hundreds of millions. And if there was one thing Elbaf had plenty of—it was Adam Wood. "But... I assume you won't give it up that easily." Seeing Harald's tightly furrowed brow, Magnus knew this path was a no-go. The only reason the giants were even offering some of the sacred tree's wood was because it had been cut down to prevent a forest fire. But actively felling the sacred Adam Tree? That was out of the question. "Besides Adam Wood, you don't have anything else of trade value. Handicrafts aren't worth much. As an agricultural nation, you can only export crops, but most agricultural goods spoil easily." "So after thinking it over... there's only one real option." Magnus grinned. "If your people are willing to work as bodyguards for the fishmen, I doubt the king of Fish-Man Island would refuse to pay a modest fee." Fish-Man Island was a chaotic place—frequented by every kind of shady character—but those same visitors were never stingy when it came to spending money. Fish-Man Island was rich. But despite its wealth, it lacked the strength to protect itself. Its position in the sea meant that anyone who could make it there—whether pirate or slaver—was already dangerous and backed by power. Even though Fish-Man Island paid the Heavenly Tribute faithfully every year, the Marines under the World Government still couldn't keep it safe. On Fish-Man Island, you could throw a rock and hit a dozen pirates with bounties over ten million Berries—and bounties over a hundred million weren't rare. In that kind of environment, ordinary marines couldn't keep order. But the giants were a different story. An adult giant's starting bounty was often in the tens of millions. If enough giants were stationed there, even infamous pirates wouldn't dare to act recklessly. If the giants were content with self-sufficiency, then Elbaf's lands were enough to sustain them. But if they wanted to move beyond that... To interact with the world and conduct international trade, they needed a signature product. "What's wrong, Harald? Do you really think giving up violence will bring peace?" Magnus shook his head. "This world only listens to power. Power isn't inherently good or evil—what matters is whether you use it to invade others or protect your own." "..." Harald wasn't naïve enough to believe that peace could be achieved by renouncing violence. He was simply struggling with the idea that this new role would make the giants no different from mercenaries. "There's a huge difference!" Magnus answered without hesitation. "Mercenaries do anything for money. But your giants would be protectors, not killers. Having a moral bottom line makes all the difference." "...I'll think about it." Harald had to be cautious—this concerned the future of the entire giant race. Magnus didn't press further. As long as he could get the Adam Wood, that was enough for now. "Take your time. That's all the advice I can offer. Or... maybe you could use Carmel's influence and become a member nation of the World Government. I bet they wouldn't mind if you offered manpower as collateral to pay the annual Heavenly Tribute." The World Government had coveted the giants for a long time. That's why they staged a whole play with Carmel acting as their "bridge" to Elbaf. But there's a world of difference between working for yourself and working for someone else. "Sigh~" Listening to the conversation, Arlur let out a weary sigh. The world was changing. And old men like him would eventually be swept away by the tides of time. The giants had once lived through plundering. But that didn't mean they could rely on it forever. What pleased Magnus was that after they left the castle, Arlur ordered the Adam Wood to be prepared for shipbuilding. According to him, no matter what path Harald chose, they might still need Magnus's help in the future. So it was better to be generous now. In a world lacking heavy industry, shipbuilding often took years. Most pirates either bought used ships or bought existing ones—few ever waited years to build one from scratch. But Magnus was one of those rare few. He knew the importance of a good ship after decades on the sea. A reliable ship was like a second life. That's also why Magnus agreed to stay in Elbaf for two years, helping train the giants' children. By the end of that time, his new ship would likely be finished. Time passed quickly. After meeting with Harald, Magnus spent most of his days in the giant village, playing with the children of the giants and Lamb's House. Sometimes, Magnus even wondered—if it weren't for the system that reignited his ambition—maybe spending the rest of his days in peace here wouldn't be so bad. Six months passed in the blink of an eye. And in Elbaf, Magnus and the others ushered in the Giant Winter Solstice Festival. (End of Chapter) [Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome] [Thank You For Your Support!]