Chapter 39: Special Agreement
Ocean Temple.
Soon after Soren left, the figure of the noblewoman appeared. She looked up at the Naga Priestess, whose expression was not very pleasant, and said, “Is it him?”
The Naga Priestess’s face still looked a bit grim because she found that Soren was like an elusive loach; no matter how hard she tried to entice him, it seemed like he always remained just out of reach. Sometimes it even felt like she was hitting air with her fist, leaving her insides feeling uncomfortable. She glanced at the charming noblewoman in front of her and said slowly, “It’s not certain yet. This human is too cunning. Unless he fully joins us, you’re just bait in front of him.”
“We have invested too many resources in you. Without our help, your father’s territory would have been swallowed up by others long ago.”
“And.”
“Watch your virginity; I find this seems to have a great allure for human males. Until you identify a real prospect for us, you must not get too close to any male creatures. Your task remains to continue expanding your influence, and if necessary, instigate a war among the southern coast nobility! Only war can break the established power barriers and allow us to penetrate our influence into humanity!”
The noblewoman’s expression stiffened slightly, with a hint of anger in her eyes, but she still reluctantly nodded and said, “Yes.”
No woman would feel satisfied being treated like a pawn, yet it was clear that she held a deep respect for the Ocean Temple and that it had control over many aspects of her life, forcing her to bow her head even in the face of such blatant humiliation. No one knew what agreement Soren and the Naga Priestess ultimately reached, but judging by the Naga Priestess’s current demeanor, she seemed to have gained little advantage.
This made her regard Soren with a newfound respect. To play tricks with the Ocean Temple required courage and strength.
…
Soren left the Ocean Temple.
His expression was not much better; from the moment he exited the temple, his face was ashen. He turned towards the port and gestured for a pirate to come over, saying in a deep voice, “Get Adele to come see me.”
Soon.
A red-haired female pirate dressed in tight leather armor appeared before Soren, cautiously glancing at his expression. She then said, “Your Excellency? What are your orders?”
Soren glanced at her, his face expressionless, and said, “From today on, 50% of the profits from the Taro Port shipping route will be handed over to the Ocean Temple. You will personally control the smuggling trade along the Shipwreck Bay route; you must ensure that no one else touches this line. From now on, whether under official sanction or privately, any slave trade that passes over the sea must be under our control. Anyone wanting to profit from the slave trade must gain our approval!”
Slave trade.
This is the major trade for the Southern Coast. Because there are many mines in the surrounding lands, a large workforce is needed for extraction. Hiring civilians is virtually impossible, as everyone knows that mines are places with little chance of return. Therefore, labor can only be sourced from criminals and slaves. Moreover, the nobility in this region possesses numerous estate economies, making slaves, from any angle, the cheapest labor source.
Slavery is a pervasive issue.
Even deities cannot change this reality. In fact, many deities support and endorse the institution of slavery.
Even in the memories of Soren’s past life, the abolition of slavery was postponed until modern times; in this world, it is deeply entrenched and has persisted for countless years, almost reaching the level of being ingrained in people’s hearts. The vast majority of ordinary people long to possess a piece of estate land and buy some slaves to work the fields while they live leisurely, free from worry. If it weren’t for many virtuous individuals and certain churches that despise the institution of slavery, it might become quite rampant in the Southern Region.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
The red-haired Adele nodded and replied, “I will arrange for the manpower immediately.”
Soren silently watched her for a moment and then said, “Do you know a woman named Monica? She shares the Isabella surname with you and is the only daughter of an earl.”
The red-haired pirate looked puzzled for a moment, then thoughtfully replied, “Your Excellency, the Isabella surname is found in the southern and western regions. She might have some relation to my mother, but because of our different backgrounds, I am quite unfamiliar with those people. My mother seems to have a cousin on the Southern Coast who holds the title of earl, but his family has long since declined. If she is the only daughter of an earl, she should be my mother’s cousin; there aren’t many with the Isabella surname near the Southern Coast.”
A declining noble?
Indeed, it would be a good investment and also easy to control.
Soren nodded gently and said, “Go on. Your focus should remain on the slave trade; you must ensure that this line is firmly in our hands.”
Adele slightly bowed her head, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke, “Your Excellency… You place such great importance on the slave trade; are you planning to use slaves to expand overseas?… I do not mean to question your decision, I am simply curious!”
At the end, a hint of reverence flickered across her face.
Soren looked a bit surprised, but he had no intention of answering her question. He simply said in a deep voice, “Do your own thing. You’ll know in due time.”
Slaves are the cheapest labor and the easiest group to satisfy.
They have been driven to the brink of desperation by life; as long as they are given a glimmer of hope, a little right to live, and a desire for freedom, they can become a very useful card. Soren’s needs go beyond their labor; he also requires them as a foundation. It’s very difficult to relocate a population overseas, and the continent hasn’t fallen into complete chaos yet. The risks of attracting pioneers and adventurers are too great; slaves are a critical part of Soren’s plan.
Soren walked in the direction of his residence.
Adele Isabella remained in place, gazing in the direction Soren had left. The longer she spent with him, the more she felt that this nobleman harbored great ambitions, as he had readily given up a significant portion of pirate profits. Someone willing to forgo so much benefit must be pursuing something of even greater value.
What does this man want?
She felt a vague excitement, a strong urge to understand his plan.
Unfortunately, she could only deeply hide this thought in her mind.
…
Soren returned to his residence.
As soon as he entered the room, he saw a petite figure rush towards him, then hang directly on him. Vivian wrapped her arms around his neck and twisted, saying in a high-pitched voice, “Brother is finally back! I was so bored all alone!…”
Soren smiled and picked her up, then set her on the edge of the bed.
He then sat down, a serious expression on his face, and said, “Vivian? How have you been lately? Have you felt unwell at all? Why did you call yourself the Fear Witch Lilian last time?”
The little girl clearly stiffened for a moment, her eyes flickering slightly, and then she whispered, “I… am okay! … But I’ve remembered a lot of things! … Including the knowledge of that Lilian! … And then I learned many spells and became stronger than before!…”
“Um!… Brother won’t dislike Vivian because of this, right?…”
At this point, the little girl suddenly looked pitiful.
Soren felt a pang of pain in his heart and leaned down to kiss her forehead, then said, “Silly girl!… I will always be by your side!…”
Is that really the case?
Soren’s heart jolted, secretly speculating, “If I hadn’t come, and Soren had died like this, would Vivian have become Lilian?”
“I hope it won’t leave any hidden dangers for her!”
“No!”
“I must find a way to eliminate the other Demon Sons of Fear and completely erase the consciousness of the Demon God of Fear! Otherwise, as long as his consciousness exists, it presents an invisible threat. Even when I resist the consciousness of the Demon God of Fear, I might be influenced, and Vivian would be even more susceptible to that influence.”
Soren seemed to be deep in thought.
The little girl looked a bit unnatural, but she still sat obediently beside him.
After a while.
Soren appeared to remember something and said in a serious tone, “Vivian! Brother has a method that can help you check your body; it might be a little uncomfortable, are you willing to try?”
The little girl looked a bit puzzled but obediently nodded.
Soren revealed a slight smile.
Then a glint appeared in his eyes, which made Vivian feel somewhat uncomfortable, like she was fully exposed to his gaze, displaying a mix of rejection and shyness.
A series of data appeared:
“Would you like to perform a data scan on the target?!…”
“Attention!”
“This target is extremely powerful and dangerous!… Potential hostility may arise!… The data scan requires 16,000 points of Killing Experience!…”
“May I proceed with the scan?!…”
It actually requires such a large amount of Killing Experience?
Although Soren felt some pain in his heart, after glancing at his accumulated over 70,000 points of Killing Experience, he silently chose to confirm it. He needed to understand exactly how much Vivian had been enhanced and whether she had been influenced by the will of the Demon God of Fear. Killing Experience could be earned back later, but Vivian’s safety was far more important in Soren’s eyes.
…(To be continued ~^~)
