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Ronan immediately understood. "Okay, I'll write a letter. You take it to the capital and find Noah. That should be enough to give her magical talent." Antoro himself was a high-ranking mage. Don't let his old appearance fool you; he was in excellent health and could maintain it for a long time, since he wasn't much older than Ronan. But his wife wasn't a mage, and she would age quickly, something he absolutely couldn't accept.
"Don't you have the means to transplant magical talents into people?" Ambrina asked. When Antoro was still the emperor, he had a group of young, fearless people under his command who were not high-ranking. These were all his achievements.
“The transplant method I used to have was very dangerous for the recipient, and it became even more unstable after Heath left,” Antoro said. When massing troops, it was fine if several casualties were reduced to one, but it was a big problem to use it on his wife.
The technology of the Kingdom of Fas is already very advanced, and they also have Noah, a highly skilled individual.
Moreover, the original body used for transplantation in the Kingdom of Phos is a secondary talent. A secondary talent is one that also reacts between the ages of six and eight, but fails the test. Even if one tries to learn it by force, there is a 99% chance that one cannot even reach the level of a novice mage. There is probably only one such talent in about twenty people.
This is precisely why, over the past thousand years, almost no poor people were willing to gamble and borrow money to get tested. After all, if a reaction occurred, there was a one in five chance of passing and becoming a magician; if it failed, it would be a debt that was very difficult to repay.
Although a secondary talent is used, the surgery ensures that the transplanted person will be just like someone with a normal talent. As for how far they can go afterward, that depends on themselves. After all, most talented people can only stop at the level of a novice mage and cannot advance to the proper rank to become a true user of magic.
"Wait for me a moment, I'll go get the fragments of those historical documents."
With that, Antoro went into the inner room, and after a short while, he came out with an exquisite and beautiful wooden box and handed it to Ronan.
Ronan then quickly wrote a letter and handed it to him.
After finishing the letter, Antoro took out another item, a long-handled warhammer with a hammerhead on one end and a spike on the other, covered with inscriptions and patterns. "There's nothing else suitable, so I'll give you this griffin warhammer. It's suitable for that person."
The one who deserves it is Dinia, as only she prefers to use such violent melee weapons.
With their belongings in hand, Ronan and Ambrina bid farewell and left. On the way, they ran into Astrid, who had left earlier. Ronan tossed her the box, saying, "Lily, here's what you wanted."
Astrid looked through it, then ran over and kissed Ronan on the cheek. "Daddy, I love you."
“If there’s a benefit, he’s my dad; if there’s no benefit, he’s just a dead old man,” Ronan said, taking the opportunity to push away his daughter, who was now as tall as him.
Astrid laughed shamelessly, held out one hand, and made a sickeningly sweet gesture with her fingers, "Make a heart shape with your hands."
"Get out!" Ronan roared angrily.
Ronan and his two companions did not miss their journey, because the original plan was for the other men under the bearded Qasim to do some small business at this time.
The idea that traveling merchants simply transport something from its origin to its destination, sell it, buy something else, transport it back, and sell it again, without doing anything in between, is a complete misunderstanding of the role of a merchant.
Normal traveling merchants would generally make some plans in advance at every town along the way where they could do business, and do some business, more or less.
If you can earn money but don't, then you're not a businessman.
On this trip, Qasim himself was acting strangely, but his subordinates were. Of course, they all tried to do some small business and make a little money along the way, but it wouldn't take too long.
The group set off again.
A few days later, the group left Osteria and arrived in the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula, within the Balkan Province under Suleiman.
The first thing to do, of course, is to register their identities. This is not necessary for the bearded Qasim and his group, but it is necessary for Ronan and his group.
But in a feudal country, the control over entry is just so-so.
After spending a little money, Ronan and his group all registered as Svets mercenaries, but instead of getting full mountain mercenary gear, they all got Suleiman-style clothing.
Although Suleiman was a green country, it was actually a very open one. Wealthy men would never wear a monochrome robe; they would all wear silk robes with intricate patterns and vibrant colors. Many women didn't even wear hats, let alone headscarves or veils; their hair was simply tied up casually.
Even the Suleimanians were dressed in the fashionable attire popular in the Kingdom of Fas, which was incredibly "trendy".
This completely shattered some of the group's preconceived notions about Green.
Of course, it's possible that the majority of the inhabitants in the Balkan provinces are pagans, and no one cares about the Suleimans living there. But if they went to the capital, the men would say nothing, but the women would most likely still have to wear a headscarf or a hat when they went out on the street.
As for heretics like Ronan and his group, there were basically no requirements regarding clothing, and they could wear whatever they wanted, including Suleiman-style clothing. As long as they had the money, they could buy it and wear it.
On the way, in the carriage, Ronan asked Qasim about something. The female slave he mentioned looked like a mature woman in her thirties and possessed magic, so she was probably older than he was. And this was given to a Pasha?
"There are frequent battles here, and many local young men are conscripted and never return. Lord Aziz is kind-hearted and especially likes to take care of their widows."
"That's how the bearded Qasim explained it," he said.
Got it, Cao Cao, this is exactly what you like.
“This Pasha is indeed kind-hearted,” Ronan echoed.
After another long journey, Ronan and his group followed the bearded Qasim to a place that was roughly the same location as Bulgaria in another timeline, where Aziz's governor's mansion was located.
In Suleiman, the state or province was the first level of administration, and the next level was the banner. After Qasim gave gold and silver to a banner lord, he successfully met several close advisors of Aziz. He then gave these advisors the gifts he had prepared and finally had the opportunity to meet Aziz.
Qasim did not intend to bring Ronan and his party along; instead, he went to see Aziz alone, accompanied by the female slave who was presented as a gift.
He even specially arranged his men to be among Ronan's group, saying that if there was anything he needed to do, he could give them orders, but in reality, it was to keep an eye on them, so that Ronan would not send people to follow and monitor him.
It can only be said that Qasim still knew nothing about this group of people. Ronan called Isabel, Golan, and Ashley into the room. Ashley turned into a black shadow and instantly swam out of the wall. Qasim's men couldn't even notice her.
Listening to the sounds from inside the room, they assumed Ronan was taking on three opponents at once.
Ashley's mission, of course, was to track down Qasim and see what he was up to.
Chapter 636 Green Luo is also Luo, Envy, Jealousy and Hatred, The Speculation is Confirmed
The place where Ronan and Qasim's two groups were temporarily staying was a typical Suleiman-style house, not particularly luxurious, but not a poor family's small house either.
The entire building is based on the colors blue, white, and green. The entrance is a standard arched doorway with mosaic tiles on both sides of the door frame. After entering, there is an open space in the middle, with rounded rectangular flower beds on both sides, planted with trees. Further on both sides are rows of whitewashed columns and round beams supporting a long corridor. The floor is covered with blue and white checkered tiles. The entire building is U-shaped, two stories high, with a total of sixteen rooms including bedrooms, living rooms, guest rooms, studies, chapels, kitchens, bathrooms, and more.
There's no bathroom.
It's not that the Suleimans didn't like bathing; on the contrary, the Loess were also Loess, and they especially loved bathing, wishing they could bathe every day and for an entire day at a time. However, they didn't bathe at home, but in large bathhouses. There were completely open public bathhouses, as well as high-class bathhouses that were only open to a few nobles and dignitaries, and there were also special services available to them.
In truth, the Suleimans were far cleaner than the vast majority of people in most countries of the Western Continent.
Overall, this place is not big, covering an area of only about 300 square meters.
Therefore, it was inevitable that Qasim's group of bearded men would hear the noise.
"This guy, he's started again. He's been messing around for half an hour already."
"Damn nobleman, monopolizing so many women by himself."
"What an animal."
A group of people looked on with envy, jealousy, and resentment. Ronan, that guy, has so many women, and they're all beautiful and different.
"No worse than me."
"You? Everyone knows you can't last more than ten minutes."
"Nonsense, that woman was different last time, otherwise I would have definitely lasted an hour."
A group of people started talking about a topic that no man would ever show weakness about.
"Wow, these three women look so proper, I didn't expect them to be shouting so loudly."
"Tch, aren't all women like that?"
"damn it."
Of the three members of the spy gang, Isabel had the reserved and aloof air of a noblewoman, Ashley was also cold-faced when she wasn't joking and revealing her true nature, and Gloria, needless to say, had an aura that made strangers want to stay away.
But at this moment, this sound, this contrast.
The bearded group had no idea that Ashley wasn't actually there; her voice was being played by Golan. Although Golan's acting was off, how could the group possibly tell the difference? They could only sense that there were three voices.
"I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now. You guys stay here."
"Me too."
"Bullshit, everyone knows what you're up to."
"Draw lots, leave half of the people here, and wait for the other half to come back before switching shifts."
A group of bearded men decided to draw lots. They had no choice; they had been holding back for a month or so without touching a woman, and the sound of her voice was too much to bear. Fortunately, Chief Qasim was away on business and wouldn't be back until tonight at the earliest, or maybe tomorrow. Why not take this opportunity to find a place to relieve their pent-up desires? However, the mission still had to be completed, so they had to leave someone here to monitor Ronan and his group for any unusual movements.
Ashley returned shortly after the second round ended.
She followed him all the way, but did not approach to monitor or investigate Aziz. This Pasha was a hereditary nobleman, but the Balkan Province was the front line where the war with the Western Continent was most intense. The governorship of this place was not hereditary, but was selected from the banner lords in the province. He was a very capable person with a high level of magic.
Ashley didn't want to get too close, lest she be discovered.
However, she had already obtained the crucial information.
Aziz ordered all his attendants to leave, but Qasim didn't get to see Aziz at all. Instead, he waited outside the door. The so-called female slave went in to see Aziz and came out shortly after. After she came out, she showed no signs of being... well, you know.
This confirms their previous suspicions that she was not a female slave at all, but rather someone of higher status than Qasim.
Confirming this is enough for now.
That evening, Ronan and his group had a meal with Qasim's men. There wasn't a single Muslim among them, yet the meal was undeniably Muslim. It wasn't elaborate, but it had its own set of rules. First came soup, oxtail soup, but for some reason, they added saffron. There were two appetizers: a salad with olive oil and pickled cucumbers with salted cheese. Then came the main course and staple food: flatbread and naan bread, which could be rolled up with lamb. The lamb selection was varied: roasted lamb chops, boiled lamb, and extra-large lamb skewers. The lamb was quite good, juicy and tender, but the accompanying sauce was slightly sweet, slightly salty, and very sour—Ronan couldn't stand it and absolutely refused to dip his finger in it.
The most amazing thing was the baked buns, filled with onions and beef—absolutely divine.
Next came dessert: yogurt, fruit, and a type of sweet cake called "qiegao" (切糕). It should be called "nut cake," but Ronan just thought it was "qiegao." No joke, Suleiman's "qiegao" was really delicious. Ronan thought it was better than the cloyingly sweet French desserts.
Not long after dinner, Qasim returned, bringing with him another female slave in addition to the previous one. This time, she was a real female slave, as she was a Rag person with skin slightly darker than wheat, as smooth as silk, naturally curly black hair, large eyes with long eyelashes, amber eyes, a high nose bridge, full lips, and a figure that rivaled Elena's.
However, what truly piqued Ronan's interest was not this, but the Lagren female slave. Her strength exceeded the third tier. As everyone knows, the Lagren totem enhancement and the witchcraft of the New World natives are easy to learn. They do not require mastering a lot of knowledge or having sufficient logical thinking ability. As long as you have talent and can survive the ritual, that's enough. If you survive, you're good; if you don't, you go to see the gods. But there is basically no follow-up. It is almost impossible to find someone who can break through the second tier limit.
But the Rag woman in front of me broke through.
"It seems the rumors are true," Ronan thought to himself.
The Suleimans' combination magic undergoes some modifications, and then the Rag people's totem enhancement is further modified; combining the two will raise the upper limit.
In Suleimani, led by the current Sultan, those who aspire to change are trying to use this to create another slave army to replace the already powerful Royal Guard, who are unwilling to even fire three shots in battle, register themselves as disabled veterans, only want to do business in the capital, and even live off the state's dwindling resources with their families.
Why still need a slave army?
Because Suleiman's high-ranking magicians were capable of interfering in politics, they were nominally scholars within the church, but in reality, they controlled the magician community within the country. For over a hundred years, the Sultan had been unable to command these magicians within the country. What else could he do but use slaves?
"Not only did Lord Aziz not accept the female slave I sent, but he also gave me one. Really, hehe." The bearded Qasim laughed smugly, but Ronan and his group all knew that he was acting. This female slave was probably given to that "female slave" and had nothing to do with him.
Ronan replied cooperatively, "Really? That's great. It seems things will go very smoothly for us."
Chapter 637 Mutual Acting: Even a Blind Man Could See the Strange-Named Empress Dowager
After a round of casual conversation, with each person playing their part, they returned to their respective rooms. As for the large mess on the dining table, that was taken care of by the servants, whose expenses were included in the rent.
Back in his room, Qasim summoned his two trusted confidants. He was now a stray dog, and although he still had about ten men following him, he could only truly trust two. One was Hussein, an old man with white hair and beard, bronze skin, and a height of over 1.9 meters. He was very strong, but despite his age, he was not steady at all. Instead, he was frivolous, reckless, and fond of fighting. He was also inseparable from women. The other was Fahd, a lean young man with a short beard and a hooked nose. Despite his youth, he was a steady man and Qasim's strategist.
The two men reported on Ronan and his group's movements during the day.
For most of the day, only Ronan and three other women were out of sight for an extended period of time, and that happened to be the time he went to Aziz's place.
"Are you sure he didn't leave halfway through?" Qasim asked again.
Old man Hussein was somewhat displeased, feeling that his good-for-nothing second son was questioning his abilities. "I'm quite certain that Ronan went in first, followed by the three women, and when they came out, all four of them came out together."
Qasim remained expressionless until Fahd nodded, at which point he breathed a sigh of relief. "Very good, you did a good job."
Fahd had some doubts, but he had no evidence to back them up. Standing up to question Hussein at this point would only cause their already weak group to lose unity. After all, most of the others were willing to follow Qasim, who had already lost power, because of Hussein.
"By the way, Qasim, who exactly is that woman?" Old Hussein asked. He had been holding this question in for two months. From the beginning, he had seen that the woman was not someone who had become a slave because of her husband's crimes.
Before meeting Ronan and his group, Qasim treated her somewhat like a female slave, albeit with a slightly strange attitude. At that time, old Hussein only felt that she didn't quite seem like a female slave. But after meeting Ronan, everything changed. Anyone who wasn't blind should be able to see the problem.
“Never mind who he is,” said the bearded Qasim.
Old Hussein looked at the bearded Fahd, who shook his head. "How could I possibly know things that you don't know?"
He didn't know for sure, but he was certain that this woman was not only not a female slave, but also an important person.
“Everything is proceeding according to plan,” Qasim said, not wanting to dwell on the matter any further.
Meanwhile, Ronan and his group did not gather together; they remained in their respective rooms.
Ambrina and her five companions, and Dinia and her five companions plus Kate, each group stayed in two large guest rooms. Ronan played Texas Hold'em, which he had brought, in Dinia's room for a while, and then returned to his own room. He stayed alone in the small room that was originally for the servants.
After resting for a while, Ronan prepared to go to the restroom.
As I said before, even a green building is still a building, so this two-story villa naturally has toilets, more than one, and they are all well-maintained. It's just that this city doesn't have an underground pipe system; it's just a pit. The only city in Suleiman with a sewer system is the capital, Constantinople.
It's normal that urinals and latrines are separated in toilets. Urine is a strategic resource; it's essential for gunpowder. But dung is not. Animal husbandry is well-developed in the Western Continent, so animal dung is generally used as fertilizer, rather than human excrement as is the case in Seris.
But the toilet was not for servants, so Ronan saw a roughly made wooden toilet and chamber pot in his room.
Suleiman was indeed a feudal state where slavery was rampant; even going to the toilet was divided into different classes.
After circling around, Ronan went to the toilet, relieved himself, and then prepared to go back to sleep.
Just then, Ronan ran into the "female slave." She stood there looking at him without greeting him, but she didn't seem to be ignoring him either.
For a moment, Ronan fell silent. He was about to make a call, but he didn't know the other person's name or how to address her, since she wasn't a real female slave.
“Hello, Mr. Ronan,” the woman greeted.
Ronan changed his surname but not his given name. Although Ronans are not as common in France as Louis, they are still quite numerous.
“Hello, ma’am,” Ronan replied.
The woman smiled slightly. "I like the title 'Madam'." Her figure was mature and voluptuous, very alluring, with fair skin and a beautiful face. At this moment, she looked much younger than before, like she was only in her early twenties. Her features were typical of an Aryan beauty: a high nose, deep-set eyes, thick dark brown eyebrows, long and curled eyelashes, but she also had rare emerald green eyes and Slavic golden-brown hair.
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