Chapter 702: Trade Resumes

Senar's expression darkens, but Henwell continues. "The man has already been handed over to me."

"What I do with him is my affair now. I assume I don't need to report it to you."

"Why?"

"Are you pleading for leniency and asking me to spare the criminal who plotted against me and my country?"

"Or would you rather discuss how I should torture and interrogate your former strategic aide?"

Senar's face turns grim, and his hand settles on the hilt of his sword.

Graham says nothing, as though he has not heard their exchange.

Killing intent rolls off Senar. Henwell carefully puts the letter away, then speaks without hurry. "Think carefully before you draw that sword."

"You'd be betting that my wounds truly haven't healed, and that the weakness you see isn't an opening I left on purpose."

"Win that bet, and the rewards will be considerable. Your standing in the Church will soar."

"Lose, and matters become much simpler. It will only cost one life... No, two lives."

Henwell turns toward Graham, who is staring up at the sky. "My lord, if Sir Senar attacks me, will you help him?"

Graham smiles. "How could that happen? I mean, how could he possibly attack you? We all serve the Church."

"You and Senar are both leading figures of the Church's younger generation. I would never allow such a thing to happen."

Henwell gives a slight nod. "As long as you do not help Sir Senar. Otherwise, I will have to kill three people."

"We have gotten along well enough. Killing someone I know would weigh on my conscience."

His meaning could not be clearer: even if Graham and Senar attacked together, Henwell could kill them both.

For a moment, the atmosphere grows tense.

Graham cannot tell whether Henwell is bluffing or has truly recovered from his wounds.

One of Graham's main tasks on this trip is to find out how far Henwell has recovered.

He had planned to let Senar test Henwell in a spar, only for Henwell to arrive in a wheelchair.

That makes a friendly match impossible, and Henwell's position is now unmistakable.

Henwell will tolerate no probing. Unless they are prepared to fight to the death, he will not make a move. Once he does, someone will die.

In the end, Graham gives Senar a subtle hand signal, warning him not to act rashly.

Henwell abruptly changes the subject. "Since the Church can't return my cousin, it ought to offer something else in compensation."

"My aunt and my cousin's wife are not extraordinary professionals. They age like ordinary people and need extraordinary potions to preserve their youth."

"You can't expect my cousin to come home only to find his mother dead and his wife's hair gone white."

Graham asks, "You want the Church to send you extraordinary materials?"

Henwell shakes his head. "Not send them. I dislike taking things for free. I will pay, and trade between our two sides will resume."

"The church and the empire will stop obstructing Peace Haven's access to extraordinary materials, and my caravans will not be harassed in the Western Regions."

Graham frowns. "The Western Regions need weapons for ten legions. Will Peace Haven accept that order?"

Henwell nods. "Yes, but not yet. You may be eager to expand eastward, but you should wait a while."

"You also know that the earlier incident will cause the Northern Mountain Raiders to erupt ahead of schedule."

"For the next three years, Peace Haven's weapons and equipment will go first to domestic forces."

"Still, since you have personally asked, I cannot refuse you outright."

"Let us do this."

"At the beginning of next year, I will set aside enough equipment for one legion and deliver it to the Church. The rest will have to wait until Peace Haven increases production."

Graham asks, "How long will that take?"

"Starting next year, we will deliver equipment for one legion annually for three years."

"After that, we will provide equipment for two legions each year. No matter how much the Western Federation wants, I will sell it."

After considering the offer, Graham says, "Agreed. Peace Haven's fleet can begin trading with the Western Federation next year."

"There is one more thing. The Church is very interested in the weapon Peace Haven calls the Heart-Piercing Lotus. Can you sell it to us?"

Henwell refuses without hesitation. "No. It is one of the foundations of my survival."

Graham asks, "I have not even named a price. Are you rejecting me already?"

Henwell replies, "How high could that price be? Is it worth more than my life and everything I possess? If not, there is no point wasting time on the question."

Seeing his resolve, Graham lets the matter drop.

The Heart-Piercing Lotus is an excellent weapon. The Church can produce something similar, but only at an absurd cost.

What they want to know is how Peace Haven manufactures it so cheaply and on such a large scale.

As Henwell said, however, it is one of the foundations of Peace Haven's survival and will never be offered in a trade.

The two sides settle several other areas of cooperation before returning to their respective groups.

Harry is handed over to Henwell as part of the bargain.

Inside the carriage, Harry watches Henwell rise from his wheelchair without the slightest attempt at concealment, and his heart begins to pound.

Henwell flips through administrative documents and says, "You seem nervous."

Harry answers immediately, "I devised the plan against you. Dramatist Jeremy represented Veil."

Henwell looks up at him. "You confessed rather quickly."

Harry smiles bitterly. "Because I do not want to die. Many people in Peace Haven want to kill me."

Henwell lowers his gaze to the documents again. "Then I will give you three sentences to convince me not to kill you."

"The Church knew the Northern Mountain Raiders would erupt ahead of schedule, and it was involved."

"Two sentences left."

"...I know where to obtain high-quality, inexpensive extraordinary materials in the Western Federation. I can make the introductions."

Henwell finishes marking one document and picks up another. "I know those channels too, but I can't use them."

"Peace Haven's trade in extraordinary materials with the Western Regions is not conducted on equal terms. It is a seller's market."

"I must surrender part of the profit to the Western Regions' dignitaries. Otherwise, they will sever Peace Haven's only large-scale supply channel for extraordinary materials."

"You have one sentence remaining. Think carefully before you speak."

After a long silence, Harry sighs. "I am Senar's elder brother."

Henwell sets down the document and smiles. "Good. That interests me. Go on."

Harry shakes his head. "Do not imagine you can use me to threaten Senar. Neither of us will submit to coercion."

Henwell hands him a cup of water. "I don't need threats, and I don't like them. Why not cooperate instead? We can both benefit."

"That would mean betraying the interests of the church and the empire."

Henwell wags a finger. "It does not matter who suffers, as long as it is not either of us. That is enough, is it not?"

"Senar and I are not related by blood."

"Now that is something I am even more interested in hearing."