Chapter 395 - 320: The Threat of the Ratmen (2)

Chapter 395: Chapter 320: The Threat of the Ratmen (2)

For now, the Ratman Kingdom resided only in the west and had yet to expand this way. On one hand, the Darren River prevented them from digging their tunnels any further. On the other, humans were probably a tastier meal than goblins.

However, the Savoy Kingdom was already taking strict precautions against the Ratmen. It was anyone’s guess whether these hole-digging creatures would risk crossing the Darren River and attacking his territory.

If the Ratmen did cross the river, the Tree-man Race would be the first to suffer. The connection he had established with the Mother Tree could be completely severed if the Tree-man Race were wiped out.

’I have to say, these fried Tree-man Fruit Cakes from the Shape-shifting Monster are actually pretty good.’ Shire licked his lips. Based on the amount of fruit Buck Teeth and his people had collected before, the yield from these five hundred-some Tree-men would be a major food source for the tribe. And that wasn’t even counting his [Blessing of the God of Earth and Life], which could increase the fruit’s yield and harvest frequency.

’Besides, the western part of the forest is sure to have vast quantities of medicinal herbs and other resources, not to mention the underground Relic and the undiscovered Rune Speech. No matter what, I can’t give up that area.’

With this in mind, Shire raised the wine glass before him and took a slow sip under Count Jean’s expectant gaze.

His movements were so slow it felt to Jean Mulete as if an entire night had passed.

"Mr. Jean, regarding your proposal, my answer is..." Shire looked up at the man and, after a few seconds, said, "I accept."

"Excellent," Jean said, his voice filled with excitement as he clenched his fists.

"But I have conditions." Shire held up three fingers. "First, I’m hoping for a discount on our upcoming collaboration to exchange for Silver Coins."

"Not a problem. I’ll give the order as soon as I return. We won’t charge any additional fees this time," Jean said, cutting Shire off and immediately making a better offer.

"Hm? No fees at all? Not even for labor...?" Shire raised an eyebrow. "Aren’t you afraid I might be tricking you?"

Jean glanced at Herbert and chuckled. "I imagine that old bat told you that I’m a Werewolf—or rather, that my whole family are Werewolves. We have a powerful sense of smell, which allows us to tell if someone is lying by their scent. You see, a person’s emotional state causes subtle shifts in their body odor. For instance, just now when you agreed, all I caught was the scent of greed."

"Er," Shire froze. He hadn’t expected that was how the man could tell. He looked at the bearded Count Jean before him. The man had a perfectly straight nose, no different from an ordinary person’s. Shire couldn’t help but mutter under his breath, "It’s not even that much bigger than a normal person’s."

But that was just a minor interlude. He quickly lowered one finger and continued, "Second, keep an eye out for any news regarding goblins in Savoy and the western forest. If you can, I’d like you to help me acquire some of the goblins enslaved by the nobility. They are, after all, still goblins."

’Goblins kept by nobles might know a few unusual things, which would be of some use to a tribe short on talent. As for whether those nobles would be willing to give up their "playthings," Shire wasn’t too sure. Of course, this condition was also meant to bolster his image in the eyes of the two men, to show them he was a "partner" worthy of being their equal.’

Before Jean could respond, Shire raised his last finger and stated his final condition. "And third, I can’t do anything about the western forest for now, but I can promise you that one day, I will lead my subordinates to reclaim the entire western Nightmare Forest. When that time comes, I will need you to provide supplies and logistical support."

"No problem," Jean nodded. "Just... could it be done a little sooner...?"

"In a hurry, Mr. Jean?" Shire tilted his head, watching him with amusement.

"No, no, not at all," Jean said, waving his hands dismissively.

"He has a silver vein right on the edge of the forest. The entire mine is sealed off right now. It’s a rather high-quality silver deposit," Herbert said, leisurely sipping his Blood Wine as he ratted out his old friend. "He’s afraid the Ratmen will dig through into the mine shafts. If that happens, they’ll be able to pour out of the forest, which would be fatal for his domain."

Hearing his old friend sell him out, Jean said nothing, merely shooting him an irritated glare.

"So, our deal...?" Shire asked, looking at the Silver Wolf Count across from him.

"Don’t worry, it won’t be a problem. The Mulete Clan has three other silver mines in Savoy," Herbert said, holding his glass while raising three fingers on his other hand.

Shire was delighted. ’With the Vampire Count helping out, I’m really getting the better end of this deal. If this goes through, I can use the ’principal’ from the merchant bank to exchange for one hundred and fifteen percent in Silver Coins. Using the Teleportation Gate eliminates transportation costs, and the Silver Wolf Clan isn’t even charging handling or labor fees. It’s pure profit. I wish I could get deals this good more often.’

"In that case, we can sign the contracts," Shire said, producing several paper contracts and placing them on the coffee table. "Did you bring a pen, Mr. Jean?"

The Silver Wolf Count laughed heartily, then drained the Blood Wine in his glass in a single gulp. He shoved the contracts on the table aside and held out a hand. Before Shire’s eyes, his fingernails visibly grew long and sharp.

"The Mulete Clan trusts a more... traditional method over contracts." With a quick swipe, he used his sharp nails to slice open the palm of his other hand. He then clenched his fist, letting crimson blood drip, drop by drop, into an empty glass on the table.

"I knew you’d do something like this," Herbert said with an exasperated sigh. He snatched the glass and did the same, letting his own blood drip in. "As the witness, I must also take part."

"A Blood Oath?" Shire frowned. ’This Border Count of Savoy is just as traditional and stubborn as they say, still using such an archaic method.’

"Just drink this, and our agreement will be sealed," Jean said, pointing to the glass.

"I won’t be affected by your blood, will I?"

"No, you won’t. As long as we have no intention of turning you, the blood is harmless. Besides, turning someone with our blood isn’t done by..." Herbert smiled and mimed taking a drink. "It’s not done that way."

"Alright then." Shire smiled. This was the first time he’d ever used such an ancient method for a negotiation. He pulled a small knife from behind him, nicked the tip of his finger, and let a few drops of blood fall into the glass. "There’s, uh, no minimum blood requirement, is there?"

"Not at all, not at all," Herbert said with a laugh, taking the glass and topping it off with some Blood Wine. "As the primary witness, I must drink one-quarter of it."

After drinking his share, he placed the glass in front of Jean. "The rest of this Blood Wine is to be split evenly between you two."

Without the slightest hesitation, Count Jean raised the glass, downed half of its contents in one gulp, and set it back on the coffee table, pushing it toward Shire.

Shire stared at the glass, examining the mixture of blood and wine. Then, under the intense gazes of the Vampire and the Werewolf, he reached out, took the glass, and drained it in a single, silent motion.

"Well, the taste is certainly... something else," he murmured, smacking his lips as he processed the flavor.

"And now, the partnership is official," Herbert said, turning to Jean. "See? I told you that you should become one of his suppliers."

"Hmph," Jean grunted. "Your little vampire whelp has been ’visiting’ my castle again recently."

Herbert just smiled, then said to Shire, "The Blood Wine only has an unusual taste; it’s not harmful to your health."

"I see." Shire nodded with a smile. What the other two couldn’t see was his personal status panel, where a strange notification had just appeared.

’[Mysterious Pact of the Vampire and Werewolf]?’