Chapter 180: Great Nobles Do the Strangest Things!

Such an excuse, Gervas could never believe.

"Manager Cooper, are you certain?" Gervas then gave him a look as if granting one final chance to reconsider.

"Uh… Baron Gervas, this is still the Baron Kain's territory!" Cooper, though slightly uneasy, did not yield.

For a noble's true authority only holds sway within his own lands.

Beyond his territory, if Gervas dared lay a hand on him, it would be no different from banditry.

"Pfft!"

Before Gervas could speak, Migen and the others burst out laughing.

Clearly, Cooper and his men had no idea that Baron Kain's territory had changed hands.

They simply couldn't hold it in!

"What's so funny? Isn't this still Baron Kain's territory?!" Cooper frowned, feeling that both Gervas's party and Baron Kain's domain were filled with strangeness today.

"Manager Cooper, how long have you been traveling deep into the Chaos Wastes?" Gervas asked.

"Baron Gervas, we set out roughly two months ago—what's the issue?!"

"Manager Cooper, that's why it's no surprise. Baron Kain now belongs to me, Gervas—he's become part of Stormhold!"

Cooper froze. "How is that possible? How could Kain have given up his territory…?"

Seeing Gervas's serious expression, Cooper opened his mouth to question—then stopped mid-sentence.

Wait.

Cooper suddenly remembered the dismantling of Baron Kain's castle.

Any noble with half a brain would never tear down his own castle.

But what if a baron had two castles?

"How is that possible? Where is Baron Kain now?"

As Cooper connected the dots, his heart sank.

Could Baron Kain have been quietly eliminated by this noble scion from a great family?

Just to seize this territory…

And such things had happened before in the kingdom.

Cooper instantly broke into a cold sweat and instinctively stepped back several paces.

Gervas didn't know what Cooper was thinking, but from his expression and posture, he guessed it was something terrible.

Not wanting to stir up trouble, he immediately explained: "Manager Cooper, don't jump to conclusions. Baron Kain died heroically in this year's kingdom campaign."

"You must know about the recent barbarian tribe invasion—every noble along our southern border participated!"

"Baron Kain fell in battle, and I was luckier—I earned some merit. So, Baron Kain's territory was granted to me."

"This news should be known throughout the kingdom by now, yet you've been deep in the Chaos Wastes for two months and didn't hear it!"

"This… is it… really true?" Cooper was skeptical.

"Of course it's true! Would I lie about territory?!" Gervas snapped.

"So, Manager Cooper, can you now sell these barbarians to me?"

"Y-yes… I suppose so?!" Cooper's smile looked worse than crying.

He never imagined that even after detouring, he still couldn't escape Gervas's "claws."

In the end, Gervas bought the fifty barbarians at two gold coins each.

According to Cooper himself, the price wasn't high—even just a baseline.

Because barbarians' strong physiques were highly sought after in major cities within the kingdom's heartland.

Especially in cities with arenas, the price could rise further.

Of course, Gervas buying them all at once counted as wholesale, saving them other costs, so selling to him wasn't a loss.

"Baron Gervas, I'm selling you these barbarians, but I need to take back these common slaves…"

"No problem!"

Gervas now had no shortage of people—or rather, no shortage of common serfs.

So, aside from the barbarians, he didn't force the purchase of any other slaves.

"Manager Cooper, will you pay for these with luminescent pearls or gold coins?"

"Baron Gervas, are luminescent pearls still one gold coin per pearl?" Cooper asked cautiously.

"Of course!"

"Then luminescent pearls it is!"

Last time, if he hadn't used luminescent pearls to pay, he would've been punished.

After all, a twenty percent tax—if he brought back luminescent pearls, he could avoid it entirely, so the shortfall fell on him.

Gervas didn't waste time—he began counting the luminescent pearls.

"Manager Cooper, based on last time's experience, Stormhold now collects taxes—you understand that, right?"

Cooper's face dropped instantly.

How could he not? The twenty gold coins last time had hurt him deeply!

"Here, ninety luminescent pearls. Since this is our second transaction, I, Gervas, recognize your slave caravan—future trade taxes will be one in ten!"

"And for all transactions between you and me, I'll pay in luminescent pearls."

Saying this, Gervas handed over ninety luminescent pearls.

Now that he traded with the fish-people, luminescent pearls were no rarity to Gervas.

So paying with them was still a profit for him.

Once nobles later discovered luminescent pearls had flooded the market, gold coins would become more valuable.

Also, one in ten was for long-term consideration.

The quality of slaves Cooper brought was excellent.

Gervas hoped for lasting cooperation—after all, he couldn't rely on daily intelligence to buy slaves forever.

Cooper was stunned and delighted. "T-thank you, Baron Gervas! Baron Gervas, how generous!"

He'd been exempted from ten gold coins in tax—and still paid in luminescent pearls.

He'd effectively gained ten gold coins extra.

He'd surely be praised upon returning.

"If you find better slaves in the future, come to me. If I like them, I'll negotiate the price."

"Also, don't call me Baron Gervas anymore—I'm now a viscount!" Gervas clapped Cooper on the shoulder.

"V-viscount?!" Cooper's mouth gaped wide enough to swallow an egg.

…

"Boss Cooper, didn't Gervas the baron… I mean, viscount… get promoted too fast? Only half a year, and he's not only gained a new territory but also risen to viscount!"

"Isn't that the truth! But those from great noble families have foundations we can't imagine!"

"Indeed, it's unimaginable. Boss Cooper, which great family do you think Gervas Viscount comes from? Why would someone from such a family risk the frontier—especially Stormhold?"

"What kind of family? At least a marquis! Only marquises or dukes have the guts to rise from Stormhold, this land of death!"

"Besides, I heard some great families like to send their scions into hardship for training—called trials. If they succeed, they return to the family and get promoted!"

"Trials? There are really such things? Great nobles do the strangest things! But Boss Cooper, our kingdom doesn't have any marquis or duke families named Gervas, does it?"