The First Legendary Beast Master

Chapter 1931 The Price For Alliance

"So, you are saying that you would accept our young into your Guild for training, and only ask that they remain as your Elders' First Mates for as long as the training? And then you would not force them to remain part of the Guild?" The Captain asked, making it perfectly clear.

"Exactly. Training takes some time, but you're Elves, even if you weren't Immortal a decade of training for the slowest of them wouldn't be a major setback in their plans.

Even after twenty years with us, they'll still barely be considered adults by Elven society, and they will be fully trained with advanced classes and Epic skills.

Think of all the benefits they could bring when they come back home."

That made the Elves pause.

"We will agree to your terms for the training of our students on one condition. You must not keep them away from the sea. Especially the shamans, they need to be on the water."

Karl considered the options, then nodded. "I believe that we have a way to make that happen. The Darklight Host might not have the naval fleet that the Elves do, but there is no reason we can't establish a fishing fleet to keep our trainees acquainted with the ocean's nature."

The Captains smiled at Karl's deduction. Fishing boats were where almost all their kids started out. First as hands, then as fishing boat captains, or as hands on the merchant vessels. Some without talent would remain as fishing boat captains and use their experience to help train the younger generation. Those with promise would move quickly to the larger boats.

If that was what the Darklight Host was planning to do, having them start out learning their skills on a fishing boat near the city, it would be perfectly in line with their existing culture.

"Then that is settled. Now, on to our next point. Those layered illusions that you are using for the guest rooms, we want them for our ships. But we need them at Supreme Ranked."

Karl gave the captain a curious frown. "You know that is going to be exceedingly expensive, right? Supreme Ranked rune work is not cheap by any measure."

The Captain sighed and nodded in acceptance. "Oh, we know. But we're willing to pay the price to get it. The Valalan League has been cracking down on our merchants lately, and their investigation teams often include Peak Immortal beasts."

Karl chuckled. "Oh? Bringing the drug dogs out to search for contraband on the ships? That's a bit rude of them. Everyone knows you don't bring the contraband to a major port."

The Elves gave a genuine laugh. "You understand. But apparently they have forgotten. They haven't found anything yet, but they do have a nasty habit of trying to charge us import tax on treasures we have no intentions of trading to them.

You can only carry so much in your inventory for safekeeping, which leaves too much exposed to their tax inspectors.

Worse, the damnable Golden Hounds can sense the total value of items in your inventory. So, if you hide all the valuables, they threaten you until you pay a tax on your inventory."

"See, that is something I'm glad you told me before I went. As a Beast Master, my inventory is much larger than usual, and if they can sense what's in it, my tax rate would fund a small Guild."

Perhaps not a small one, given the mountain of loot in Cara's space, and the value of the holy stones in Thor's.

"If you enter by land, it's not as bad. But they have them in the major cities now. They say that it's to search for wanted criminals after the incident with the Gathuzan Clan. But they're expanding the practice much further than just the region where the Clan was active."

The Elves noticed the recognition flash in Karl's eyes, and knew that he was familiar with the Gathuzan Clan in some way.

Odd for a Guild Leader on this side of the continent, but not entirely unexpected. The Darklight Host had branches in many worlds, and the Gathuzan Clan was said to come from a Divine War world.

"Alright, I will relay the knowledge, and see how long it will take for us to get one of our Supreme Ranked crafters to do the work for you.

We currently have two of them with the ability. However, one of them is injured, and in recovery with Clan Leader Nerissa of the New Home Merchant Clan."

The Captain snorted with stifled laughter. "I don't know about injuries, but I'm not sure if I would call what he's doing a recovery program."

Karl shrugged. "It makes him feel better."

That was the final straw. The Elves burst into raucous laughter, and the serious mood of the negotiation was lost. The Lycan Pack Leader and the Clan Leader had been all over each other at the party last night. It was obvious to everyone that they were an item, and still Karl had the gall to say something like that with a straight face.

Given their ages, it was actually rather adorable to the Elves that they had found an affection so pure that they were so loving in public, like youngsters seeing their first taste of love.

"What will it cost for us to get the enchantments for two vessels?" The Captain asked, bringing the conversation back to money, and not the Clan Leader's romantic life.

"As trade partners, I believe that we can standardize it. The runic array is forty thousand characters."

The Elves blanched a pale grey that reminded Karl that they had come from the Dark Elven lineages.

Forty thousand characters at Supreme Rank might as well be asking for an Epic Skill Book.

That was not something that could be purchased with mere coins, and they would have to trade resources to get it.

However, there were always options, when it was a long-term trading partner.

"We will offer you twenty percent below wholesale price for raw resources you purchase from us for the next two shipments."

Karl smiled, and the Elves began to think they had miscalculated.

No, this was fine They would take a hit, but no worse than many of the nations that taxed imports. They could afford this.