Capítulo 47: Reforged Chapter 47: The Pearl Route
Following Duke's rise to fame in Stormwind City for slaying Hogger, he became known once again for another matter—the Pearl Route.
The impact and scope of these two events were vastly different.
Hogger, no matter how formidable, was still a monster in Elwynn Forest. For the upper class of the Stormwind Kingdom, Hogger was just a local issue.
The emergence of the Pearl Route not only shook the entire Stormwind Kingdom's nobility but also alarmed King Llane Wrynn himself.
At the heart of the Stormwind Kingdom, within the fortress of Stormwind City, the luxurious white marble floor reflected the morning light from the rising sun. In the octagonal royal reception hall, the royal guards held sharp halberds and stood as straight as pines. They wore bright armor, had sharp eyes, and resolute expressions, their vigilant gaze proving they were prepared for any danger. They were the elite trained by Anduin Lothar.
Since entrusting the Royal Knights to Lothar, his childhood friend's performance had never disappointed King Llane.
Twenty years had passed since he ascended the throne at the age of 20.
With black curls mixed with brown, a chiseled, masculine face, and kind yet authoritative eyes, the prime of his life made Llane appear incredibly heroic.
Sitting on the white, gold-rimmed throne, with the blue and gold lion banner of Stormwind Kingdom behind him, Llane was reading a report.
"A Pearl Route in Westfall? Archmage Duke Marcus wants exclusive rights to the route he opened? Ten years... Anduin, where have I heard this name before?" King Llane tilted his head, casting his gaze upon his closest friend and most loyal subject.
Lothar had a handsome face, with determined light always shining in his eyes. Every curve of his face was perfect, exemplifying the word "masculine."
His long, black, curly hair—on anyone else, it would look messy, but on Lothar, it exuded a unique masculine charm. The most significant difference between Anduin and Llane might be their skin tones.
Anduin, who spent years training soldiers outdoors, appeared a bit darker and healthier, while Llane's skin seemed somewhat pale, lacking sunlight.
As King Llane's childhood friend, Lothar was also in the prime of his life—full of energy and experience, the perfect age for accomplishing great things.
Anduin Lothar took the report, quickly scanning it and nodding, "Indeed, it's him. I just submitted a report to Your Majesty not long ago. Duke Marcus is the second Rank 9 mage apprentice in our country's history and became an Archmage on the day he entered the academy. He is a once-in-a-century genius and belongs to the Royal Mage Corps."
Llane smiled warmly, like the spring sun, "If this Pearl Route is real, our kingdom's finances will improve significantly. Monsters run rampant in Elwynn Forest, making it difficult to collect taxes. You've been urging me to repair the walls of Stormwind City, and it seems the funds have found their way. But I have a question..."
"My king, please ask," Lothar bowed gracefully.
"My domestic advisor always tells me that unless I spend half of the annual treasury income to maintain a fleet comparable to one-third of the size of Kul Tiras' naval force, I shouldn't even think about conquering the seas. How can this Marcus guarantee the safety of a single route?"
"The application doesn't provide an explanation. However, I will thoroughly investigate," Lothar replied.
...
King Llane's fingers lightly flicked the report: "I appreciate this ambitious young man. If he can bring stable tax revenue to the kingdom every year, I can charge him only 10% tax. Lothar, while you're at it, warn those shortsighted fools for me. I don't want to ruin the kingdom's seedlings."
"Understood, Your Majesty!" Lothar saluted and stepped back.
Duke didn't know that he had attracted the joint attention of King Llane and Anduin. At this moment, he was on a deserted island off the coast of Westfall, quietly listening to Vara's report.
The naga female leader seemed to have adapted to her new role, and her submissive attitude made Duke comfortable.
"Master, we have collected more than 3,300 various pearls, including 31 gold pearls and 125 black pearls. Shall I ship them all at once?"
Duke waved his hand: "No need. Leave a tenth of them here. I'm going to use scarcity marketing."
"Scarcity what?"
Duke sighed inwardly, "Never mind, it's something you wouldn't understand. But remember, do not conquer the three murloc tribes closest to Stormwind City. Only send escorts to the ships with my magic mark. From now on, the trading point will be here. When humans come to the island, just leave a male naga for the handover."
"I understand, Master."
"You may leave now."
"Yes!"
In the distance, three small cargo ships entered Duke's view.
Beyond Marco, an unexpected figure entered Duke's line of sight.
"Huh?" As the ships drew closer, Duke was sure what he saw was not an illusion.
A lady with her blonde hair tied behind her head, dignified and noble, stood at the bow of the ship. She wore a long, light blue dress, completely different from the world of Marco and those young sailors in dirty shirts and shorts.
The 30-ton ship did not require a special dock; parking on the sandy beach was not a big issue. Taking advantage of the approaching low tide, the newly hired captain pushed the ship onto the beach. After loading the cargo, they could easily launch the ship at high tide.
Almost as soon as the ship stopped, the lady excitedly jumped off.
The middle-aged woman couldn't be called a beauty. Beneath her flat forehead were a pair of slender eyes that darted around, her eyebrows slightly raised, her eyes clear but shrewd. Her small, pointed nose indicated a strong, independent character.
Yet she had a unique temperament, the keen intuition of a merchant, and a refined ladylike demeanor that made one feel comfortable.
With quick steps, she approached Duke and politely curtsied.
"Hello, I presume you are Duke Markus?"
"I am Duke. May I ask who you are, ma'am?"
"My name is Elizabeth Jones, the only jeweler supplier in Stormwind City. I heard you have a large number of pearls, and I think we can have a pleasant cooperation."
Elizabeth Jones was a name Duke didn't know. But he did know of an Isabelle Jones who, in the future, would become the jeweler supplier in New Stormwind City. .
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