Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 890: Chapter 686: Neverwinter’s Ingratitude

Hill indeed had no intention of engaging with Princess Asberi; he was pondering on his way back: Is Neverwinter here to seek aid?

If that’s the case, the Undead Tribe might choose to go to war first, and Lynn’s grand farming plan might slow down... There are bound to be some undead willing to take on construction tasks, but most people still want to fight.

What a pity for the intricate and perfect water network he had envisioned!

Hill felt a bit regretful... Such work could only be completed simultaneously in a day as he imagined by the Earth Mages among the undead.

There’s no other way, it can only be transformed segment by segment.

However, he soon received notice from Lynn: it’s not about seeking aid, this princess is here to buy food.

Neverwinter is very wary of the Undead Tribe, and this princess implied throughout that she doesn’t want Agleya City’s influence to stretch into their territory.

Lynn’s tone wasn’t very good; he probably resented being treated with such distrust.

Hill could discern that Neverwinter initially thought that since Agleya City had collected so much food in recent years, if it weren’t for the Undead Tribe, they would have let people go directly to that agricultural store to buy it.

But ever since the undead arrived, Neverwinter feared their vast numbers would quickly deplete Agleya City’s food supplies, so they hurried to buy in bulk.

Hill guessed that the scene of the undead indulging in feasts in Neverwinter had scared them.

Actually, the undead could completely buy high-tier food to replenish their energy, but... as players! Although there are numerous gourmets, there are also many who’d rather chew 10 rough bread or rye bread than eat a piece of high-end cake.

At worst, they just reduce their sensory system to the lowest level.

Hill’s cheap goods were always limited in purchase and couldn’t support the consumption of the undead.

And as for the food in Neverwinter... although the level of replenishing energy was almost the same as rye bread, the taste was fresh! The price was almost the same as the black bread provided by the Space-Time Shopping Mall.

Maybe it’s because there are more warriors in Neverwinter, they’re very good at making meat dishes, much better than Deepwater City, which prefers fish soup.

Of course, I’m referring to the kind of commoner food costing several or dozens of copper coins per serving.

The Undead Tribe, of course, included some food enthusiasts, who would always choose to dine at the highest-end restaurant in any city they visited.

Actually, the key lies in the sheer number of undead; if purchase limits weren’t in place, they could empty an entire city.

During that period, Hill suspected that the rewards Neverwinter paid to the undead were at least half earned back by selling food.

If it were Hill, he would think this was a good thing, allowing the city residents to earn enough to sustain themselves without his need to subsidize more... but according to this world’s noble mindset, they simply can’t tolerate days that don’t cost them money.

So that King probably didn’t see any other benefit from employing the undead apart from spending money and creating trouble, right?

Hill sneered; it’s just that the Undead Tribe had cleaned the pirates in Sword Bay, including Moonshadow Island, too thoroughly, giving Neverwinter the illusion that they could rely on themselves to resist Luskan?

Soon Lynn asked Marsha to convey more information: besides wanting to buy food, Neverwinter also hoped Princess Asberi could marry someone of high status in Agleya City...

They didn’t dare to reach for Hill, but if Lynn was willing, Neverwinter was, too.

Although Lynn rejected outright, he felt that Neverwinter hadn’t given up, and the person who said this to him waited until the princess herself left Lynn’s office and went to the warehouse to store the food before approaching him, which Lynn found a bit odd.

If Princess Asberi had such an idea, she wouldn’t have left so quickly; she would have at least exchanged a few more words.

So Lynn thought that the princess was actually interested in Hill... it made sense, as Agleya City was entirely Hill’s domain. Although he, the municipal officer, had a good relationship with Hill, he wasn’t exactly irreplaceable.

A sane person wouldn’t place the idea of marriage on an official who could be dismissed at any time.

Lynn thought there was something very wrong with the people of Neverwinter.

He warned Hill not to give that lady any chances to approach, as it’s likely that the princess believed she had a method powerful enough to captivate Hill to be so determined; otherwise, according to the style of noble ladies here in Toril, they wouldn’t treat a backup so coldly.

Seeing this, Hill couldn’t help but furrow his eyebrows; if he remembered correctly, this princess had a mage lover.

Not that unlucky guy from that boring story, but one who was closely tied to the Mage Society of the Cloak of Stars in Neverwinter.

They were the true uncrowned kings of Neverwinter, and it was only with their support that King Aragonda could secure his position.

Such a lover... how could Princess Asberi dare to discard him casually?

Indeed, the Magicplague was very detrimental to mages, but mages weren’t without combat strength!

Wait... Hill suddenly recalled that Lord Nasir was a pure adventurer. Although he ruled Neverwinter for a long time, he had always refused to wear the crown until he realized he was dying...

And his son, also named Bane, naturally inherited the throne.

But now, the Mage Society of the Cloak of Stars was busy with their own problems; could it be that his throne was unstable?

Hill remembered that Neverwinter had a standing army known as the Grey Robes, primarily composed of longbowmen and adventurers. They were always loyal to Nasir, and fought bravely; they shouldn’t have any objections to Bane’s succession.

As for the temples in Neverwinter, the paladins of Tyr and Heim have always refrained from intervening in these matters.

Then there’s only one possibility... Have the forces of Naesreiel already invaded Neverwinter?

The Magicplague has created a vacuum among the arcane professions in Neverwinter. After discovering that the Origin Power is stable but the Weave is still broken, have those arcanists decided to target the power structure of Neverwinter?

So... the one who doesn’t want the Undead Tribe to provide support, is it that Prince Ban or someone else?

Hill glanced coldly in the direction of the city: Princess Esberi, if you don’t make a decision soon, you might end up losing your lover.

Indeed...

Hill recalled the Neverwinter game he once played, and at the time, he only felt there were no good people in Neverwinter, and the city’s destruction was well-deserved.

But in reality, the root of it all was the power struggle during the transition of power!

The losers were sent to the stake...

Hill tapped his finger on the table. Given Prince Ban’s style, abandoning the kind-aligned mages who had once greatly aided their family was quite normal.

And Esberi, if she resolutely refuses to abandon her stand with the Cloak of Stars Society, being expelled from Neverwinter along with those mages or even being killed makes too much sense.

”Marsha... tell Lynn to communicate with that princess. If she encounters any unbearable troubles, Agleya City’s University Town is willing to accept mages of the kind alignment.

We are in great need of teachers willing to research the Weave from scratch.”

”Yes, sir.”

As for that Prince Ban who easily sold his sister... if Neverwinter truly sides with Naesreiel, it would be understandable for the faith in Tyr and Heim to suddenly diminish.

At this stage, divine arts simply cannot be used. It’s a prime time for arcanists to shine. As long as there’s enough profit, it’s conceivable that the Toril people would switch faiths quickly.

Naesreiel...

Hill seemed to suddenly understand why, after the Magicplague, the Sun God Amanata would resurrect.

He is the eternal faith of the Netherese.

Under the constant attacks from pirates, the temple paladins who can only rely on their combat strength, lacking healing abilities, even needing Neverwinter to provide supplies, would naturally see their status decline.

Tyr and Heim, doing so many irrational things during the Magicplague, even falling, probably also had to do with the loss of faith being too rapid?

Hill was silent for a moment before instructing List, ”Inform the Demi-God Paladin at Tyr Temple that Neverwinter might have issues. Remind him that if anything goes wrong, quickly withdraw the Silver Shield.

Agleya City is also willing to accept the believers of Tyr from Neverwinter.

If the paladins cannot leave, send their families over first.”

Otherwise, if a revolt really breaks out and they kill the paladins’ families while they’re fighting on the city walls, Hill can fully understand why those paladins would ultimately lose their beliefs, even directly fall.

The Demigod Captain of the Silver Shield responded quickly, expressing their willingness to send families over but requiring a suitable opportunity.

Apparently, they’ve already noticed something amiss about Prince Ban’s inclinations.

These stubborn tin cans... clearly feeling something abnormal but sticking to their doctrine... Hill sighed helplessly, so does it make the fall even more severe?

Hill smiled as he looked at the outside undead tribe, who have already started construction tasks.

Seeing people scattered across the mountains, Hill estimated that this work could be completed in three days, at which point they could set out for Deepwater City.

No matter how dissatisfied the people there are with the arrival of these Teraxil Elves, no one in Deepwater City would dare refuse them entry.

The title of Deepwater City’s ”City of Radiance” comes from their open-armed stance toward all visitors.

In a place where even the Lich Demon can enter, of course elves can enter freely... even if their purpose is to kill in Deepwater City... they originally used adventurers to control gangs that went overboard.

The adventurer tasks issued by Hill under the lord’s name are not something Deepwater City dares to deny.

Hill stood on the terrace and looked in the direction of Deepwater City: If those noble officials in Deepwater City tolerated this cleansing of the gangs, it doesn’t matter.

The idle undead tribe can entirely be sent to fight Luskan.

Hill watched as Princess Erebys, with an angry expression, strode out of the municipal building followed by a group of attendants. He coldly laughed.

Hopefully, Neverwinter does not fail to appreciate the courtesy.