novelnext Chapter 91 Attacks and Maritime Trade Routes
Chapter 91 Attacks and Maritime Trade Routes
Chapter 91 Attacks and Maritime Trade Routes
Ron and Geralt left the workshop and walked back the way they came. The street was usually quite crowded, but today it was unusually quiet.
Geralt stopped, his pupils contracted slightly, and his hand fell to the hilt of his sword.
Ahead, several witch hunters wearing brown leather armor emerged.
The leader held a crumpled portrait in his hand, compared it to Ron and Geralt, then threw the paper on the ground and drew his sword.
"It's them, the dirty witcher and that big guy the priest mentioned. Purify them."
Ron glanced at Geralt, who raised an eyebrow at him, drew his sword, and continued walking without pausing.
The lead witch hunter raised her sword and slashed down fiercely with a whoosh. Ron slightly turned to the side to avoid the blade, and then the hilt of his sword slammed heavily into her chest. The sound of bones shattering was clearly audible. The witch hunter's body was sent flying backward by the force of the impact, rolled twice on the ground, and lay still.
The witch hunter, who had circled around, was about to stab Ron in the waist, but before she could draw her sword, Ron had already turned around, grabbed the helmet with his left hand, and lifted him off the ground.
"Too slow!"
The witch hunter's sword slipped from her hand, her legs kicked wildly in the air, and she desperately tried to pry Ron's hands off. Ron tightened his grip, and the helmet made a sharp, deforming sound in his palm. With a crisp crack, the helmet collapsed, and her struggle came to an abrupt end.
With a flash of sword light, the throats of two enemies attempting to ambush from the side were ripped open simultaneously. The remaining witch hunters had already fallen to Geralt's sword, their bodies lying across the alleyway entrance, dark red blood seeping into the cracks in the stone slabs.
"The Eternal Flame is utterly rotten. I'll settle this score with them sooner or later."
Geralt glanced at the corpses on the ground. "These men are wearing the insignia of the temple guards; they must be the priest's personal bodyguards."
"The power of the Eternal Flame has expanded to this extent; it seems that Novigrad, this powder keg, is not far from exploding."
Geralt was silent for a moment, then nodded. The two continued walking back along the road, turning the corner, and the roof of the Kingfisher Inn drew ever closer in the sunlight.
On the second floor of the Kingfisher Tavern, Erwin sat at a table, a heavy ledger in front of him, intently calculating.
"Ron, yesterday's opening ceremony was a great success." A slight smile appeared on Erwin's lips.
"We've received at least double-digit new orders. Dandelion has a special talent for product packaging and creating unique selling points; perhaps that's one of the reasons he became a renowned bard. Maybe he'll also have the title of successful businessman in the future?"
"Very good, this is a good start." Ron leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping out the window.
"In addition, the territory's messenger has brought the latest intelligence: Kazimir Bashi, the dwarven demolition master you mentioned, has arrived at the manor and is currently conducting mineral exploration in various areas of the territory, accompanied by a standing army squad."
"Yes, I will meet with him in person when I get back." A sharp glint flashed in Ron's eyes. "Besides the minerals, there is another important matter that needs to be verified."
Erwin's expression gradually turned serious. "In addition, Hans of Hidalis has arrived in Novigrad. This morning he went to see the mercenary group's base, which is Hawthorne's old stronghold in the dock area. Hans is very satisfied with this job and asked me to thank you for your trust in him."
He said that building was many times better than his camp in Bullburg. He had already taken two men to the Golden Sturgeon Tavern to recruit mercenaries. I've arranged a standing army squad and a clerk at the base to assist him and provide regular progress reports.
Erwin flipped open the notepad. "Oh, right, regarding the recruitment of personnel for naval operations, Hans mentioned that he is very experienced in this area and will build an elite naval force for you as soon as possible. I don't doubt his words. After all, Hidalis is famous among nations for its powerful naval fleet. When he talked to me about naval warfare, from the timing of boarding to the adjustment of the ballista's elevation angle, he talked for a full three hours. It's clear that he has experienced many naval operations and is very experienced."
"The Hidaris are indeed skilled at this; their capital city, Hidaris, is said to have a busy port and many docks."
Ron rubbed his chin as he spoke.
"The city of Hidalis builds and overhauls hundreds of ships every year. Perhaps in the future we can send Hans to Hidalis for liaison. We will have to develop a naval fleet sooner or later. This is an unavoidable link in trade, transportation, and warfare. Novigrad's warships are strictly controlled by Redania and cannot be sold. At present, we can only purchase civilian merchant ships as a substitute."
"Skellig's shipbuilding skills are also quite good," Erwin chimed in.
"Their warships are known for their speed and sturdiness, and the islanders are not strict about technology control. We should try to recruit Skellige craftsmen to build our own shipyard, which would make shipbuilding and maintenance much easier."
"Hmm," Ron's gaze fell on Erwin's notepad. "How's the maritime trade route you and Dudu planned coming along?"
Erwin pulled a map from the whiteboard and spread it on the table. The map showed a route that started from Novigrad and extended south along the coastline. More than a dozen place names were marked along the way, with varying shades of ink, indicating that it had been completed in many attempts.
"It's settled. This route is very risky, but the profits if it succeeds are terrifying."
Erwin pointed to the location of Novigrad, and said, "We used the trade fleet registered in Novigrad to load up with special goods from the north, such as anti-magic gold from Kovir, various monster materials, equipment from Mahakam, etc. We traveled south, passing through Hidaris, Skellige, Cintra, Nasser, Metina, Ebin, and Etoria, and finally arrived at the capital of Nilfgaard, the Golden Tower. On the return trip, we traveled along the Silt River in Metina to Toussaint to purchase wine and other goods, and then returned north, traveling along the coastline the entire way."
His hand paused on the Skellige Islands. "Of course, as I said, there are considerable risks involved. The most troublesome part is that we have to pass through the Skellige Islands. The islanders are all pirates. It would be best to reach a trade protection agreement with Skellige."
We can also trade the looted goods they plunder, but I have no clue how to do it right now. The islanders only trust their own people or the old captains they've worked with for many years. If we can get the archipelago under control, our trade risks will be greatly reduced. The profits from a well-established sea route will be enough to support tens of thousands of troops.
Geralt looked at the Skellige Islands circled by Erwin on the map. "Skeliger, that's exactly where I'm going."
Ron turned his gaze to the Witcher. "Geralt, you should be quite familiar with Skellige. Is it possible for you to make contact with the lords there? We need someone who can speak on the islands."
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Geralt remained silent for a moment.
"Skellig is jointly ruled by several large families, including House Quit, House Drummond, House Turseker, and King Bran. I have dealt with Klatz, the patriarch of House Quit, who wields considerable power in the archipelago. Perhaps we can reach an agreement through Klatz."
But this can't be rushed. The Skelliges won't sign a trade agreement with you just because you're my friend. They value strength, credibility, and those who fight alongside them.
"Let's start by establishing contact. Geralt, do me a favor. When you get to Skellige and meet Kratz, tell him that a lord in Velen is willing to do long-term business with the Skellige family. Also, tell him my stance on Nilfgaard. If he can provide information on Nilfgaard's supply lines, we can increase our trade."
"We'll plan this in detail once we return to the territory. Elwin, how's the intelligence gathering on the nobles of Novigrad coming along?"
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