Chương 1321: [1237] - Y06.137 - Arisa V

"You weren't kidding, this wine is pretty good," Adam admitted, tasting the fruitiness, the sharpness of the alcohol dancing on his tongue.

"Arisa was known for its wineries throughout history," Dunes said, sipping the wine lightly, which activated the spice of the food in a way that caused him to wince lightly, for his food was far more fiery. He glanced aside towards Laygak, who sipped the wine, a wide smile upon his lips as the burning cooled the Iyrman's mouth.

'It is good the Gaks still appreciate Aswadasad.'

"This is the capital of Northern Aswadasad, isn't it?" Adam asked.

"That is right."

"Though, I'm trying to recall the mental map that I had, and isn't it really far west?"

"Yes. It's territory stretched along this peninsula all the way to the strait, but the northern territory stretches along the forest, wrapping all the way around the forest to the mountains, or, it once did. Now the towns further to the east are under Aswabayad."

"How much territory did they lose?"

"Almost the size of Floria." Adam's mouth gaped open, his eyes darting to his brother in shock, before returning back to Dunes.

"What? That's crazy, man! Almost the size of Floria? Holy!"

"It is a great loss, though Arisa holds more people than the entire region," Dunes admitted.

"The people of Manamgabba were always more independent."

"No one expected them to defect," Jurot added. Dunes bowed his head lightly.

"The Shen must have made a great offer, for to hear that the Manammi joined Aswabayad, it was when I understood the war was not going well for Aswadasad. I do not wish to think what would have happened to Aswadasad if King Merryweather did not rise up to assist."

"Whoa," Adam whispered, glancing between Jurot and Dunes, unsure of just how important that was, but considering that even Jurot knew how shocking it was, it must have been terrible news for Aswadasad.

"It is a shame, for if the forest was still under Aswadian control, they would have no worries, but Aswabayad can now challenge them upon the sea to the north and to the south."

"Everything always comes back to the military, eh?" Adam joked.

"Though…" Dunes thought for a moment.

"Laffscale is still an ally of Aswadasad." Jurot narrowed his eyes, recalling the dragon. He furrowed his brows towards Dunes, still uncertain of what he meant.

"Laffscale lives upon the Aswabayad mountain range near the north, near the Manammi. She was very close with the royal family. Many generations ago, the royal family watched over an egg that they had found, and it turned out to be a child of Laffscale. As thanks, she settled upon the mountains nearby, and gifted the royal family three magical weapons, a spear, a sword, and a bow." Dunes grew more and more confused about the situation as he spoke.

"What?" Adam asked.

"It makes no sense," Dunes said, shaking his head lightly.

"Laffscale is one of the few dragons that no one dislikes. She is considered weaker than most of her peers, and though some may covet her treasure, there is no reason to fight a dragon like her. She has allied herself with Aswadasad, but outside of once instance, she is a mediator to the lands. She is close with the Manammi, offering them advice, but she wouldn't allow them to leave, not when she is so close with the royal family?"

"She could have mediated the terms between the Manammi and Aswabayad," Jurot said.

"There was a great amount of death in the region due to the war, Laffscale would not wish for such."

"That is most likely the case," Dunes said.

"She still makes her home in the mountains, but if the Shen was smart, he would leave her be."

"He would not make a move, for the nearby dragons would not wish for her death, and if he has pacified the dragons around his capital, he would not choose to cause trouble for her," Jurot said, though the conviction in his voice was tempered by the folly of mortals.

"If something happens to Laffscale, I cannot imagine what could happen to Aswadasad," Dunes admitted. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"If she's weak, they might want to fight her?" Adam said.

"No, no, she's not weak, she is weak compared to her peers, those roughly within a hundred years of her. She is still considered among the strongest dragons in Aswadasad or Aswabayad, even Veisswing would need to be wary."

"The three magical weapons are great weapons," Jurot said, his eyes meeting Adam's gaze.

"Only…" Adam paused, noting the look within Jurot's eyes.

"Legendary Enhanced," Jurot confirmed.

"Who do you think you are, Jaygak?" Adam smiled wide.

"Anyway, I know we were talking about dragons and everything, but what kind of wood is in Manamgabba?" Dunes smiled, throwing a look to Jurot, who nodded lightly.

"There are many woods in Manamgabba, but it is the dreamwood which is prized."

"Manamgabba means… dream forest?" Jurot asked.

"Yes. They are able to shape dreamwood into weapons and thanks to Laffscale, they are soaked in acid to strengthen them. They are weapons that are designed not to kill as effectively compared to steel weapons, but they hurt far more. They are popular for Priests who do not wish to kill, and I know Life's Rose sometimes orders such weapons."

"Oh? I might need to grab some for my wife then," Adam said, the half elf thinking of the woman, flushing lightly as he thought of her smile.

"Should I order more fruit for Kizwolima?" Dunes asked, noting the girl was almost done with her fruit, chewing noisily with her molars, her hands covered in the juices of various fruits, her eyes so full of delight from eating the sweet fruits.

"Yeah, and you know what, it's so strange to see fruits being so cheap. I mean, I expected them to be worth a lot, more than this anyway."

"Is fruit expensive from your land?"

"No, ridiculously cheap actually," Adam admitted.

"You could buy, I don't know, an entire bunch of bananas or apples for a copper, we're talking anywhere between four and ten of each depending on, you know, factors. I mean, they can get way more expensive, but they were about a pack or two for a quid, a copper."

"Why would you think they would be expensive here, in the land of gold and fruit?"

"I don't know, you know, back in the day, a pineapple was really expensive, you know? It would cost about a year's salary or something. Here… I mean, a silver for an entire platter? That's so cheap."

"There are luxury fruits too. Mangos are expensive, and those from Manamgabba are…" Dunes gave a look.

"How much?"

"I have heard that a mango was auctioned off for a hundred gold."

"One mango?" Adam asked, his mouth gaped open as though he had learnt that Northern Aswadasad had lost land almost the size of Floria.

"That's insane man! Even I have to work more than two months to buy a mango like that."

"You can buy cheaper mangos from what is now the Diyyabayt Ejirate, but it is the paper we wish for," Dunes said.

"Is that the place that became it's own independent, ejirate is it?"

"Yes."

"Paper and mangos? No wonder it could gain independence."

"It lost much of its territory to its west, to Western Aswadasad and Central Aswadasad, though Southern Aswadasad was always such," Dunes informed, recalling what he knew about what now the Diyyabayt Ejirate.

"It was fortunate it was rich, and its navy was considered the best. It still is."

"Paper, mangos, navy. Yeah, that checks out." Adam slowly nodded his head.

"So there's no Southern Aswadasad. Western Aswadasad and Central Aswadasad gained territory. Northern Aswadasad lost territory. Well, I guess Central Aswadasad technically lost some territory, since the Shen lost all of East Aswadasad?" Dunes chuckled lightly, shrugging his shoulders.

"So, the closest capital to us is currently going through some issues, and might need some help militarily?" Adam whispered, raising his brows.

"It does not, for it still has the halfzers," Dunes reminded the half elf.

"Are they really that strong?"

"Yes."

"Damn," Adam whispered.

"I mean, good for it, but-, Kizwolima, careful now!" Kizwolima coughed lightly, having not chewed the watermelon enough, Adam patting her back lightly, before bringing a glass of milk to her lips.

"Seriously, you don't have to rush, no one's going to steal the fruit from you, and if they do, I'll beat them up, or I'll just buy you some more! If you want more, just tell me, and I'll buy you some more, since I'm rich!" Dunes wasn't sure what the half elf was saying, but he was certain he was speaking like a noble, perhaps not in manner, but at the very least with such an ego.

"Man, I really want some mangos."

"The mangos in the capital are great," Dunes stated.

"I can't wait to get to the capital then!" The group eventually retired for the night, when Adam sent word to the Prince, figuring something out for Kizwolima.

'Seriously! They think they're so special, huh?' Adam thought, laying upon his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had sent Kizwolima to sleep in the same room as the merman, though asked Bael to watch over her, just in case. He then thought of his own children, his sweet children who would soon travel the world in only ten years, or twenty if he was sly enough.

'I need to make sure no one can flex on them like that,' the half elf thought.

'Should I raise them into Masters before they leave the Iyr? What am I saying, they won't ever leave the Iyr!' The half elf, full of spice and fruit, groaned lightly. He reached down to his stomach, rubbing it gently, before his eyes darted back up towards the ceiling, which was all grey in the darkness, but he could still see it with his keen fae eyes.

'Two Paragons?' Adam thought.

'I can't face two Paragons at once, especially if they're Rage Dancers. I need to reach Level 20 for something like that, right?' Bael continued to glare at his sword, wondering how much of his Spark he should burn to deal with whatever remained within his sword, and just how much he was willing to cripple himself. The two youngsters thought such terrifying thoughts, thoughts which should not have been displayed so early upon their arrival in Aswadasad, the land of gold, fruit, and dragons.