Chapter 98: Iron ore discovered! Traces of dwarves?

Zewen stood up, walked to the center of the hall, his voice resonant and powerful.

"I, Zewen Brick, swear in the name of my family."

"From today on, the Red Leaf Forest Territory will be the closest ally of Vanguard Valley."

"Within ten years, both sides will share resources and exchange information."

"If there is an invasion by an external enemy, we will defend together."

"May heaven and earth witness this oath!"

His voice echoed in the hall, full of unquestionable determination.

Roko looked at Zewen, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes.

This young man, although he had experienced hardships, truly had some mettle.

"Very well." Roko stood up and reached out to Zewen.

"I hope our alliance can be as long-lasting and passionate as the maple leaves of Red Leaf Forest."

Two hands gripped tightly together, representing the formal birth of a new alliance.

Fula watched this scene, and a rare hint of softness appeared in her heterochromatic pupils, where deep blue and shattered gold intertwined. Her master had taken another big step toward his goal.

A few days later, Roko returned to Vanguard Valley with Fula.

Mike and Falco remained in Red Leaf Forest temporarily, on one hand to assist Zewen in stabilizing the situation, and on the other to familiarize themselves with the situation there.

Inside the Lord's Mansion, Martina had been waiting for a long time.

"Roko, your harvest this time is not small."

Martina shook the intelligence she had just received, a hint of cunning laughter on her lips.

"Not only did you take the trade rights of Red Leaf Forest, but you also got an ally for free."

Roko sat in the main seat and picked up the hot tea served by a maid.

"This is just the beginning."

"The geographical location of Red Leaf Forest is very important; it can serve as a fulcrum for our development to the east."

Martina nodded and handed a document to Roko.

"This is a preliminary development plan I formulated based on the information you sent back."

"I have already sent a survey team, led by Zewen's old subordinates, to Red Leaf Forest to survey the specific distribution of mineral and timber resources."

"At the same time, the first batch of craftsmen has also set off to join Zewen's soldiers to accelerate the construction of trade route stations connecting the two places."

Roko flipped through the plan and nodded from time to time.

Martina's efficiency was as high as ever.

"What about safety?" Roko asked.

"Red Leaf Forest has just changed hands, and the nobles in the surrounding territories are probably not going to be that settled."

Martina smiled confidently.

"Rest assured, I have already made arrangements."

"Hart has drawn thirty Storm Knights from his side, plus seventy newly recruited Knight Reservists, to form a hundred-man knight team."

"Led by Falco, they are temporarily stationed in Red Leaf Forest."

"They will not only assist Zewen's guards in establishing joint defenses but also provide collaborative training to Zewen's soldiers,"

"improving their combat effectiveness."

Roko was very satisfied with this arrangement.

Although Falco was young, he was highly gifted and had S+ grade potential; leading a hundred-man team was sufficient.

"Scout Captain Bake's side needs to keep up as well."

"I need to extend the intelligence network to Red Leaf Forest and its surrounding areas to closely monitor the movements of those nobles."

"Naturally." Martina replied.

"Bake has already set off with his men; I believe news will be sent back soon."

Just as Roko expected, the news of Red Leaf Forest changing hands spread quickly among the surrounding noble territories.

For a time, there were various reactions.

Some nobles were wary of this suddenly rising Vanguard Valley force and adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

They did not understand how a small baronial territory could help Zewen take back his territory in such a short time.

Some nobles who had a better relationship with Anlinna were secretly on guard and even sent spies to probe the truth.

Of course, there were also some nobles with keen senses who saw the business opportunities in it.

They took the initiative to send people to make contact, hoping to establish trade relations with Vanguard Valley and Red Leaf Forest.

Regarding this, Martina dealt with them one by one, neither humble nor pushy, firmly grasping the initiative in her own hands.

In addition to military and economic cooperation, the two sides also conducted a certain degree of talent exchange.

Zewen sent a batch of potential young knights to Vanguard Valley to learn more advanced training methods and combat techniques.

And Roko also sent several experienced administrative assistants to Red Leaf Forest to assist Zewen in handling various affairs in the territory, helping him stabilize the hearts of the people and restore production as soon as possible.

Not long after, the first batch of timber and herbs from Red Leaf Forest was continuously transported to Vanguard Valley through the newly built trade route.

These materials greatly alleviated the shortages in Vanguard Valley regarding infrastructure construction and potion production.

The progress of various projects in the territory accelerated significantly, presenting a scene of prosperity.

The development momentum of Vanguard Valley became even more rapid.

The construction of trade route stations was in full swing.

Timber and herbs from the Red Leaf Forest Territory were continuously pouring into Vanguard Valley.

In the study of the Lord's Mansion, Roko tapped his fingertips lightly on the table.

His gaze fell on a preliminary report on territorial resource exploration that Martina had just submitted.

"Martina, do you think there are any other resources worth mining in our territory besides the ones we already know?"

Roko's voice was calm but carried a hint of imperceptible expectation.

Martina's snow-white fox ears twitched slightly, and those clear white eyes looked at Roko.

"Roko, surprises may be buried under any piece of land."

"The terrain of Vanguard Valley is complex, with continuous mountain ranges; who knows what good things might be hidden in the deep mountains and old forests."

Her voice carried a bit of laziness but also revealed a calm sense of being in control.

"I recently let Bake take a small team to conduct more detailed exploration in several newly developed areas."

"I hope there will be some discoveries."

Roko nodded slightly.

"Hmm, I trust you with professional matters."

He picked up the hot tea at hand and took a sip.

The tea leaves were newly sent from Red Leaf Forest, carrying a unique fragrance; compared to the coarse tea local to Vanguard Valley, the taste was much more delicate.

"By the way, you mentioned last time that we might try to make contact with the Dwarf Mountains."

"The dwarf race is famous for forging; if we can establish a connection with them, it will be of great help to the improvement of Vanguard Valley's weapons and equipment."

Martina heard this, and a faint smile curled the corners of her mouth.

"The dwarf race has a strange temper and is xenophobic."

"Dealing with them is not an easy thing."

"However, their forging skills are indeed peerless."

"If we can bring out things that make them excited, it's not that there's no chance."

Roko put down the teacup.

"Things that make them excited?"

"Gold coins?"

Martina shook her head gently, her snow-white long hair swaying slightly with her movements.

"The dwarf race's interest in gold coins is far less than their interest in rare ores and strong liquor."

"Especially those special minerals that can help them improve their forging skills, or top-tier fine wines that let them drink to their heart's content."

Roko was thoughtful.

"Ores and strong liquor..."

"We in Vanguard Valley don't seem to have any special advantages in these two aspects."

Martina stretched out her slender fingers and tapped lightly on a certain area of the exploration report.

"This area is located in the mountains in the northwest corner of Vanguard Valley."

"The terrain is steep and inaccessible."

"Bake and the others reported that the color of the rocks there is a bit peculiar, very different from what we usually see."

"I suspect there might be special mineral deposits there."

Roko's gaze was immediately attracted to it.

"Oh?"

"Let Bake focus on exploring that area."

"If we can really discover some rare ores, it might be the stepping stone for us to make contact with the dwarf race."

"Good."

Martina replied.

"I will give the instructions."

"However, Roko, you also need to be mentally prepared."

"Even if a mineral vein is discovered, mining it is not an easy thing."

"What's more, we have to guard against the dwarf race."

Roko's eyes became sharp.

"I understand this."

"Any resources in Vanguard Valley must be firmly grasped in our own hands."

"If the dwarf race wants to cooperate, then they are naturally welcome."

"If they want to seize by force..."

"Hmph!"

A cold snort made the temperature in the study seem to drop a few degrees.

Fula had been standing quietly behind Roko; hearing this, a hint of cold murderous intent flashed in her heterochromatic pupils, where deep blue and shattered gold intertwined.

Her silver-gray cat ears stood up vigilantly.

As long as her master gave the order, the thin sword in her hand would strike at any enemy without hesitation.

In the following days, the exploration team led by Bake devoted most of their energy to the northwest mountainous area pointed out by Martina.

The mountain roads there were rugged and difficult to traverse, and poisonous insects and fierce beasts often appeared.

The exploration team members suffered a lot, but not a single one backed down.

Because they knew that every effort might bring huge wealth to the territory.

This evening, the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky a magnificent orange-red.

Bake rushed back to the Lord's Mansion, covered in exhaustion and dust.

However, there was undisguised excitement on his face.

"Young master!"

Bake's voice was a bit hoarse but full of energy.

"We have a major discovery!"

Roko and Martina were discussing other matters in the study; hearing this, they stopped immediately.

"Bake, what discovery?"

Roko asked.

Bake's dark face was glowing red.

"Iron ore!"

"We discovered an iron ore vein in that mountainous area!"

"And, according to preliminary exploration, the reserves seem quite considerable!"

"Iron ore vein?"

Roko and Martina looked at each other, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

Iron is the foundation of weapons and equipment.

If Vanguard Valley could possess more iron ore veins of its own, it would mean they could get rid of their dependence on external iron ore.

Even, significantly reduce the cost of weapon manufacturing and mass-produce high-quality standard equipment.

"How much are the reserves? What is the quality?"

Martina quickly calmed down and asked the most critical question.

Bake scratched his head.

"The specific reserves need further exploration to determine."

"However, judging from the ore samples we collected, the iron content is high, and the quality should not be bad."

As he spoke, he took a dark brown stone from his bosom and handed it over.

Martina took the ore and examined it carefully.

Her fingers brushed lightly over the rough surface of the ore, and a thoughtful light flickered in her white eyes.

"It is indeed high-quality iron ore."

"If it can be successfully mined, it will be a huge boost to Vanguard Valley's military strength."

Roko's mood was also a bit excited.

"Bake, you have made a great contribution this time."

Roko patted Bake on the shoulder, not sparing his praise.

Bake smiled honestly.

"This is what a subordinate should do."

"By the way, young master."

Bake seemed to remember something, and the expression on his face became a bit strange.

"We also found some, some strange traces near where we discovered the ore vein."

"Strange traces?"

Roko raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of traces?"

Bake recalled and said.

"They are some wreckage of tools, looking like they were used for mining."

"But the style of those tools is very peculiar, completely different from what we humans usually use."

"And, we also found some footprints buried deep in the mud nearby."

"Those footprints are very wide but very short; they don't look like humans, nor do they look like orcs."

Martina's fox ears stood up abruptly.

"Dwarves!"

She and Roko said this word almost at the same time.

Bake was stunned for a moment.

"Dwarves?"

"Lady Martina, are you saying that those traces were left by dwarves?"

Martina's expression became solemn.

"Very likely."

"The Dwarf Mountains are in the northwest direction of Vanguard Valley; although there is a vast no-man's-land in between, it is not impassable."

"And, the dwarf race is born with a keen sense of smell for mineral veins."

"They very likely discovered this iron ore vein earlier than we did."

Roko's brow also furrowed.

This news diluted the joy of just discovering the iron ore quite a bit.

If the dwarf race had already set their sights on this iron ore, then things would become complicated.

"Did they leave any other clues?"

Roko asked in a deep voice.

Bake shook his head.

"Except for those tool wrecks and footprints, there was nothing else."

"We searched the surroundings carefully and found no signs of any camp or human activity."

"It seems they only came to explore and didn't intend to mine immediately."

Martina was thoughtful.

"Perhaps they also just discovered it."

"Or, for them, the scale of this mineral vein is not large enough to make them decide to mine on a large scale."

"After all, the dwarf race possesses quite a few rich mines."

Roko's gaze flickered.

"In any case, this is an opportunity."

"An opportunity to establish contact with the dwarf race."

He thought of his previous conversation with Martina.

The dwarf race possesses advanced mining and smelting technology, as well as high-quality weapon forging craftsmanship.

If they could reach cooperation with them, Vanguard Valley's military industry would usher in a qualitative leap.

"Martina, what do you think we should do?"

Roko looked at Martina.

In dealing with such matters of interacting with other races, Martina's experience was clearly richer than his.

Martina pondered for a moment, and a sharp light flashed in her white eyes.

"Although the dwarf race is xenophobic, they are not unreasonable."

"They worship strength and also value reputation."

"If we can show enough sincerity and strength, and bring out benefits they cannot refuse, the possibility of cooperation is still very high."

"Benefits..."

Roko repeated this word in a low voice.

"What we possess now is this newly discovered iron ore vein."

"And, trying to brew some strong liquor they like."

Martina's eyes lit up.

"Strong liquor is indeed a good idea."

"The dwarf race is addicted to alcohol, especially those strong liquors that are spicy and have a long aftertaste; they are their favorites."

"If we can brew strong liquor that satisfies them, it will be very favorable for the negotiations."

Roko nodded.

"The matter of brewing can be left to the craftsmen in the territory to try."

"As for the iron ore vein..."

A hint of determination flashed in his eyes.

"We must firmly grasp it in our own hands as soon as possible."

"We cannot leave any opportunity for the dwarf race."

"Bake, starting tomorrow, mobilize manpower to set up warning posts in that mountainous area."

"Closely monitor the movements around, and report immediately once any traces of dwarves are discovered."

"Yes! Young master!"

Bake replied loudly.

"At the same time, accelerate the exploration and preliminary mining preparations for the mineral vein."

Roko continued.

"We must grasp the initiative as much as possible before the dwarf race sells again."

"I understand."

Martina replied.

"I will arrange for people to draw a detailed map of the mining area and formulate a preliminary mining plan."

"However, Roko..."

Martina's tone carried a hint of worry.

"If we really want to make contact with the dwarf race, who is suitable to send?"

"The dwarf race has a violent temper; if the language is inappropriate, it is easy to trigger a conflict."

Roko fell into deep thought.

This was indeed a problem.

Although he had quite a few capable subordinates, in terms of diplomatic rhetoric, there didn't seem to be any particularly outstanding talent.

Fula looked at Roko silently; she really wanted to share her master's worries, but she was clearly not good at this kind of thing.

Hart was steady, but his personality was too rigid; he was probably not suitable for dealing with dwarves.

Falco and Mike were still too young and lacked experience.

"Perhaps."

Roko's gaze fell on Martina.

"Martina, what do you think about you going there yourself?"

Martina was slightly stunned, then smiled bitterly.

"Roko, you really know how to find trouble for me."

"Although I have some understanding of the dwarf race, I am not of the same race after all."

"And, in the eyes of many stubborn dwarves, this face of mine is probably not that welcome."

The beauty of the fox race might become a sin in the eyes of some races.

Roko smiled.

"I believe in your wisdom; you will definitely be able to deal with those stubborn dwarves."

"And, your status is my Chief Administrative Officer; representing me in negotiations also shows our sincerity."

Martina sighed gently.

"Alright, since you've said so, I'll reluctantly make the trip."

"However, you must prepare enough fine wine for me."

"Otherwise, I can't guarantee how to drink those dwarves under the table."

"Hahaha, no problem!"

Roko was in a great mood.

"Fine wine is enough!"

With the preliminary plan for contact with the dwarves finalized, the atmosphere in the study also became much more relaxed.

If they could successfully establish a cooperative relationship with the dwarf race, the development of Vanguard Valley would surely step onto a new level.

Not only the improvement of weapons and equipment, but more importantly, they could contact a broader world through the dwarf race and obtain more resources and information.

This was crucial for an emerging territory located in a remote corner. ===== CHAPTER 99 =====

This was crucial for an emerging territory located in a remote corner.