Even monsters aren’t fools – they know better than to trespass into these woods where elves would never let them roam freely. Yet these Lizardmen not only invaded but even attacked?
‘They must be confident.’
This wasn’t normal. It suggested the Lizardmen had multiplied far beyond expected numbers.
“Are there truly so many Lizardmen now?”
Ian knew war with them was inevitable – but years later. Why had it been accelerated? The reason confused him.
“Recently, the Greenskins disappeared in large numbers during their migration.”
Though “recent” by elven standards meant years rather than days.
‘A monster uprising.’
Ian immediately recognized this as referring to the Greenskin migrations that had occurred a few years back.
“And the Greenskins that left never returned.”
“……”
As Ian listened, something felt off.
“With their numbers diminished, the Lizardmen seized the remaining Greenskin territories. Then you humans claimed more lands, further shrinking their domain.”
‘Could it be…?’
“The Greenskins couldn’t recover their strength, allowing Lizardmen to rapidly multiply in their place.”
“……”
After a moment’s silence, realization struck Ian.
‘Did I cause this butterfly effect?’
The Elder’s words made him understand – his actions had accelerated the elven-Lizardman war by years.
Normally, expeditions would have been sent later after stabilizing the territory, giving Greenskins time to repopulate.
But establishing settlements early disrupted that balance.
‘A single decision of mine changed everything. No wonder I couldn’t predict this.’
What seemed insignificant had created ripples beyond imagination.
“Therefore, we wish to trade for as many of Olgrim’s weapons as possible. We intend to wage war against the Lizardmen soon.”
Knowing elves were suffering because of his actions made Ian feel guilty – but only briefly. After all, he’d fought the Greenskins desperately for lands crucial to his territory’s finances.
Before negotiations, one question remained: “Why specifically Olgrim’s weapons?”
“Because nothing else pierces their hides so effectively.”
Simple but sound reasoning. Lizardmen hides were famously tough – only Olgrim’s craftsmanship could penetrate them easily.
‘Weapons…’
Ian pondered. With permission granted, there was no reason not to sell.
Had this been inter-tribal conflict, he’d have refused to avoid future complications. But against monsters? This was ideal – they’d eliminate threats before his future expansions.
‘And we’ve got plenty in stock.’
The stockpiled arms from preparing for the Great Schrantz War now sat unused. With no major conflicts ahead, these extra weapons were becoming a burden.
“Very well. We’ll provide the requested quantity of Olgrim’s weapons. But what can you offer in return? After the food proposal, I’d prefer something else.”
“Name your terms. We’ll consider them.”
Despite their urgency, the elves weren’t rushing into any deal.
“How about materials from your forest? Herbs and wood – perhaps fallen branches or dead trees to avoid angering your people?”
“Herbs and branches?”
“If agreed, we’ll not only provide Olgrim’s weapons but additional arms from our stores – 500 extra weapons and shields, 20,000 arrows, no conditions attached. We’ll also fairly assess the materials’ value.”
“Can this be true?”
“The additional arms aren’t Olgrim’s work, but serviceable.”
To the weapon-starved elves, this was an unimaginably generous offer – especially with such quantities.
“But why give so much?”
The elders eyed him suspiciously at such favourable terms.
“We at Schrantz wish to learn from your great tribe. A small loss is acceptable for this opportunity.”
[High Elder Orphen’s Favorability +10]
[Elder Ludan’s Favorability +10]
[Elder Leveni’s Favorability +10]
[Elven United Tribes Relations +10 – They no longer regard you with complete wariness]
The honeyed words sent favourability soaring. While personal connection mattered, faction relations determined true alliances.
‘Though “loss” is overstating it.’
In truth, this was no sacrifice.
What elves considered common weeds were rare herbs beyond their woods, and firewood branches became precious bow materials in human hands. The true value lay in what each side undervalued.
The herbs from this forest will increase the lifespan of Schrantz’s citizens, while the branches can be used as weapon materials to strengthen our military power.
Moreover, this deal allows us to dispose of the problematic extra weapons stockpiled during the Great Schrantz Alliance War.
‘Disposal costs aren’t trivial, and we lacked proper buyers.’
What had been useful during wartime had become nothing but troublesome inventory. The only potential buyer was Duke Endran’s house, but they politely declined, saying they already had sufficient arms.
Selling to other territories was also risky since Duke Eaton might acquire them.
‘We clear extra stock, boost relations, establish ongoing trade! Plus, when developing our second settlement, they’ll handle the Lizardmen threat for us!’
By empowering the elves to exterminate the Lizardmen, we could establish the next settlement much faster with minimal effort.
‘A win for you, a win for me, a win for everyone!’
This wasn’t just killing two birds with one stone – it was hitting four targets simultaneously. Both sides getting exactly what they needed made it an immensely satisfying deal.
‘Father will be pleased when he hears this.’
There was just one problem – we lacked skilled merchants to handle the transactions.
‘We could use the Adoran merchant group, but that means sharing profits.’
While reasonable if they assisted, I’d rather not divide the spoils of my own achievement.
‘Only one solution then.’
We need to establish our own merchant company. I’d considered creating a Schlantz trade division eventually, but not this soon.
‘Given the shortage of skilled traders in our territory, I’ll need to scout suitable candidates.’
But this wasn’t much.
‘Let’s see… Which NPCs with merchant talent can we recruit immediately?’
My Meta Pangaea knowledge provided the answer – I just needed to find the right people quickly.
‘Part of me wants to establish a mutual defense pact too.’
But we’ve only just met. Early proposals might arouse suspicion. Currently, they only see me as “that human who speaks our language.”
‘No need to rush.’
This trade will naturally foster frequent interaction anyway, gradually building familiarity and dismantling prejudices.
I decided to table other considerations until returning to Rosen, focusing on finalizing the current deal.
“Understood. We accept those terms.”
The agreement was concluded that very day without further negotiation – a satisfying transaction where both parties gained exactly what they needed. Contracts were drawn up in both Elvish and Imperial script, signed and sealed by both parties.
“Whew!”
Grakin, who’d worked hard as interpreter, finally relaxed with a heavy sigh.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Not at all, Young Master.”
“Your efforts won’t be forgotten. I’ll recommend you for a reward from my father.”
“Th-thank you, Young Master!”
My corporate experience taught me that financial compensation is the best remedy for hard work. True to form, Grarkin’s face blossomed into a smile at the promise of reward, already drooling at the thought of all the ale he could buy.
“Ah, Grakin, one last thing to ask the elves.”
“Yes, of course.”
As if suddenly remembering, I turned to the elders:
“Elders, I have a question about an Elvish phrase.”
“What is it?”
“I’m unsure of the exact pronunciation, but…”
After some theatrical throat-clearing, I continued:
“ᚪᚾ ᛁᚾᚠᛖᚱᛡᚱ ᚻᚢᛗᚪᚾ ᛒᛖᛁᛝ. What does this mean?”
The elders’ expressions froze instantly. Grakin didn’t even attempt to translate – he didn’t need to.
The phrase, roughly pronounced “An inferior human being,” needed no interpretation.
“…Who told you that?” The High Elder’s face changed through shades of red and purple.
Grakin wouldn’t have taught me such an insult. The Elder clearly assumed some villager had said it.
“The warrior-chief used it frequently during his stay. He said it to me too – didn’t seem like a greeting or compliment. Quite memorable though.”
“I see. Pay it no mind – it’s meaningless.”
“If you say so.”
I played innocent, though I’d deliberately returned the exact insult delivered earlier.
‘You deal with the fallout.’
Insulting someone at formal negotiations carries consequences, whether they understood it or not. I smiled imagining Adin being summoned by the elders.
Grakin, observing my expression, realized:
‘He knew exactly what that meant and asked anyway.’
He finally understood – the Young Master holds grudges.
Grakin anxiously reviewed his own conduct for any missteps. Finding none, he remained uneasy nonetheless.
“Young Master… Have I ever offended you?”
“Hmm? Not that I recall.”
Though I looked genuinely puzzled by the question, Grakin found no reassurance. There might have been mistakes he didn’t remember.
‘He did promise a reward, so I probably haven’t…’
Grakin resolved to remain exceptionally careful around the Young Master until their return to Rosen.
