Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1435: Chapter 13: The One Thing Basia Has in Abundance Is Materials

Joshua’s eyes widened slightly... Even though he knew the other party was done with courtesy and didn’t plan to pay attention to someone like him, he still smiled and began, ”Respected Mr. Belfran, you chose to become an Earth Traveler, surely you want to experience the hustle and bustle of life and see how ordinary people live!

Our Basia City excels in this regard!

Basia Port has the lowest taxes in the entire kingdom... Even in the whole Western Sea region, such low taxes are rare.

If someone as powerful as yourself, an Alchemist, wishes to trade materials with the outside world, there’s no need to pay the City Lord’s tax.

You only need to pay a fixed national tax... Our Danboro Kingdom has always treated bulk trades equally, whether by price or quantity, only charging fifteen percent, capped at 1000 gold coins!

Then, a noble lord might add another ten percent or so.

But our lord only charges five percent even for ordinary materials.

If it’s alchemy items, sellers are completely exempted! Buyers only need to pay half their tax, no need to pay in full!

So, Basia City’s magic item trades have always been popular.

You see~ To celebrate our young lady’s promotion, even the tax on the buying side has been waived in the past half month.

Otherwise, our remote Basia City wouldn’t be this lively!

Not only have most domestic mages and merchants come, but many from other countries have also arrived!

You too noticed the movements of some mages and came to Basia City, right?

So... do you want to check out those trade shows?”

Hill listened for a while before understanding that the Guard Captain was asking whether he was willing to accept some invitation letters from auction houses or trade associations.

In a low-magic world, mages can still be quite dangerous... True, what countries and armies can handle doesn’t mean ordinary people can easily deal with it.

Hill certainly didn’t overlook that the Guard Captain only asked tentatively after seeing his carriage turn into a small house. But whatever the Guard Captain wanted from Hill, Joshua spoke cautiously yet clearly.

At least, he didn’t play those little tricks... Like sending the invitation regardless of the other’s attitude to see if they buy it or choose whom to favor, thus determining what stance to take in the future.

Anyway, when facing the powerful, regardless of their mindset, they won’t show it... Of course, if a tiger falls into a swamp, it’s understandable they’d take advantage; you didn’t respect them before!

However, those who become so strong that these so-called powerful forces must maintain awe are often born destined, reaching heights through their talents, but most people struggle and strive for it themselves.

Even Hill, to come this far, has experienced quite a bit. He isn’t oblivious to these social intricacies... He’s just too lazy to bother.

So, who can’t see that?

If a deeply secluded mage truly dislikes such secretive scheming, they’d choose to stay away, avoiding contact with anyone altogether... Mage Masters don’t care about anyone!

Or, if they’re here to stir trouble, they’d directly engage with opposing forces to play the deception game; it’s not impossible.

Joshua’s honesty makes Hill feel a bit fond of Count Stelter, whom the Captain always mentions.

Hill lightly nodded, ”I do want to have a look, although... over the years, the resources might not be as they were...”

Joshua immediately responded enthusiastically, ”Our City Lord’s trading place is right in the middle of Commercial Street at the Hall of Abundance.

Every day it starts at 10 AM and runs until 10 PM.

The ground floor hall is for stalls of ordinary city stores, the second floor for shops of major trading companies, and the third to sixth floors are for large trading companies from various countries.

On the seventh floor, auctions are hosted by our young lady every evening from 7 PM to 10 PM... Any official mage-level items can be sent to the auction.

Mr. Belfran, are you interested in taking a look?”

Hill nodded thoughtfully, ”Okay.”

”Then I’ll have the Earl’s Mansion Butler bring in invitations and entrance tickets after I return!” Joshua quickly said, ”However, a few commercial buildings near the Hall of Abundance are hosting similar events... Hmm... They’ll probably send invitations to you too.”

Hill straightforwardly replied, ”Don’t auctions have auction catalogues? Unless there’s something there that’s not available elsewhere and I’m interested in, I wouldn’t bother; I hate trouble.”

Joshua’s brown eyes brightened instantly, ”Of course! Absolutely! The Stelter Family will ensure your peace and comfort!”

Seeing no denial from Hill, Joshua was practically overjoyed... Although he didn’t know why this High-level Warlock seemed favorable toward the Stelter Family, when an opportunity arises, who cares how it came!

Seize it first!

Hesitant people can only chew on kelp!

Having lived by the sea for so long, Joshua, who had long learned the swift, ruthless, and precise lifestyle of the sea-dwellers, never missed an opportunity.

He immediately bade farewell to Hill graciously, pulling his horse backwards step by step... His horse was well-trained, able to face Hill’s carriage along with him, following Joshua with backward steps.

It wasn’t until he left the lawn and returned to the road that Joshua leapt onto the horse, clamped his legs against its belly, and left at the fastest speed.

”Hill?” Purwell, who had been observing, asked curiously, ”Why do I feel something’s off?

Is it okay for you to so directly choose to side with Count Stelter?

You seem to have a good impression of Count Stelter?”

”Of course not.” Hill spoke softly, ”I do find this Joshua somewhat agreeable, but it’s not enough to stand by someone’s side.

It’s just... As a High-level Mage, choosing the faction of someone who welcomes me due to a favorable impression is my natural right.

Doing this is not problematic at all.

But... if I don’t make a choice initially, I would either have to avoid all engagements or attend them all, otherwise, I might be seen as a threat by some fool whose head has been shot.

But why should I compromise for a group of dull political animals?”

Hill laughed: ”Unfortunately, I promised Aesces to try not to stir up any trouble. So... I had to avoid it from the start~

If despite my thorough actions, someone still insists, then... Aesces only asked me to try not to cause any massive destruction to the country or city, right?”

Joshua rushed toward North Mountain Castle at maximum speed.

Having received the news that he brought a particularly luxurious metal carriage into Mage Avenue, Count Stelter was already waiting for his sheriff in his study.

Although the nobles’ carriages were also very luxurious, they were mainly wooden, not because they couldn’t afford it, but because the weight of wood and metal are not on the same scale!

Although magic arrays could lighten some of the weight, even His Majesty the King would not waste so much weight on the carriage itself!

After all, some types of wood also have decent defensive power and, with a coating of specialized defensive metal liquid, it’s sufficient.

Such a conspicuous metal alloy carriage body... Count Stelter uneasily fiddled with his exquisite steel pen, worried that his idea of paving a unique path for his daughter, who had some alchemical talent, for their Basia family had displeased the Alchemy Tower in the Royal Capital.

After all, due to the smooth flow of various resources, Basia City was considered a very important source for the Alchemy Tower’s supplies.

But Count Stelter could not bear it, given that the materials were coming in and out from his place, yet he could only earn the least profit!

The people from the Alchemy Tower even looked down on him!

Originally, he wanted to send his daughter to the Alchemy Tower to study... Yet those mages, having earlier commented on his daughter Alitorman’s decent qualifications, still ruthlessly rejected his request!

Count Stelter clearly understood that his daughter’s qualification was just quite good but not excellent enough to incite the Archmages to compete for her... Yet, he had hinted that he was willing to pay a sum.

Clearly, they made so much profit from Basia City, but they weren’t even willing to assist with such a small matter!

Count Stelter gazed coldly ahead... Oh~ Is it not just because those few mage families behind the Alchemy Tower do not want the Stelter family to become true great nobility!

Their family reached where they are today by relying on successive generations of official warriors fighting bravely... His father, a 10th-level warrior who earned their current glory on the battlefield, left the world early due to grievous injuries!

Though the priests saved him, the consumed life force was irreparable.

Such warrior families like theirs do not fear following the King’s steps to partake in war, but who isn’t afraid of complete annihilation?

But if they have mages or priests assisting them... In the final moments of battle, they unquestionably live longer than the warriors.

Of course, if even then they face complete annihilation, it would mean that their country was defeated... Then survival loses all meaning.

Count Stelter constantly observed those historically rich families and discovered that their sustained legacy had a lot to do with having mages or priest descendants.

Cleric... was not something he could consider.

Deities have been disconnected from the ground for too long, their powers long solidified, no place where new nobility like them could reach.

But Mages, especially Alchemist who specialize in creating strange objects, were not beyond his consideration.

Wasn’t it just that the learning process requires burning money and materials?

Their Basia certainly doesn’t lack materials!