Finally, after reaching some agreements, the Wood Elves were the first to speak of their demands. They wanted to designate a small piece of land as their outpost outside the forest, where they would station a garrison to establish their own observation post. Humans wouldn't be allowed to enter unless invited, but in return, the Wood Elves would assist in repelling potential invasions and also pay rental fees for their observation post.

Simultaneously, the Wood Elves would trade with humans, needing extremely scarce minerals and amber, as well as very scarce wood and food from them.

In return, the Wood Elves would provide fine wine and exquisite gemstones, along with abundant handicrafts, for trade with humans.

The prices offered by the Wood Elves were very fair, perhaps even too fair, but Laine understood that Wood Elves were such stubborn people. They didn't mind suffering a small loss, as they cared more about stable and trustworthy trade partners. The Wood Elves hated playing tricks and deceit with humans, possessing an innate distrust towards them. When a human trader spent two or three decades finally earning the trust of the Wood Elves, he might already be grayed, but to the Wood Elves, with lifespans of at least eight hundred to several thousand years, human lifetimes were just too short.

Therefore, Holy Grail Knights, who had relatively long lifespans and integrity you could rely on, became their ideal choice.

Laine handed over the negotiations to his steward Kasenberg, as the terms proposed by the Wood Elves were very favorable, and only a few minor details needed to be discussed between the two parties.

Laine and the Demon Hunter Abel sneaked out. Laine curiously asked, "So, Mr. Abel, are you about to start preparing alchemical materials?"

"Yes, I'm not alone; I have a friend named Ju Le, also a Demon Hunter, who is waiting for me in the tavern." Abel said he needed to get back to the tavern first: "Regarding the issue of some vampire creatures appearing, I also need to confirm that."

"Alright, I have some things to do as well." Laine thought to himself, Ollica is waiting for me at home, so the Baron didn't stay long.

After saying goodbye to Laine, Abel returned alone to the inn.

This was a small inn consisting of two floors, a type very common in the Old World, with a small yard, fence, wooden tables and benches, and simple furnishings, which were the most frequent places for Demon Hunters to rest during their travels.

"Abel, you're back? How's it going?" A young Demon Hunter sat in the inn's hall, having his meal with malt beer.

This Demon Hunter seemed to be less than thirty years old, but his body was also covered with scars. He carried two longswords on his back, and when he saw Abel, he waved to signal he was there.

Abel sat down and shouted to the innkeeper, "Sir, please bring us another plate of horse meat sausage and a cup of barley wine!"

"Alright, Demon Hunter." The innkeeper responded, not very warmly, but without any obvious sign of hatred.

"How did it go?" The two Demon Hunters began to whisper.

"Pretty well, I found Lord Laine. Fortunately, he still remembered me." Abel couldn't hide the joy on his face.

"My god, when you first saw Lord Laine, he was just a five or six year old kid, wasn't he? So, what did he say?" Ju Le continued to ask.

"He agreed to help me ask, but he required us to complete our current tasks first." Abel said, lowering his head. "Time is running out, let's finish our meal quickly and get going."

"Alright!" So the two Demon Hunters continued their meal.

In just a few minutes, a new group of guests came from outside: "Boss! Six people! Big table, the best Kislev Vodka, and horse meat sausage!"

Most of them were rough big men, mostly bald, with thick beards, their skin somewhat pale, dressed in chest armor and leather clothes, weapons slung on their backs.

"It's the Kislivites!"

"What are they doing here?"

There was whispering within the inn, and the two Demon Hunters found the situation odd and whispered among themselves: "Strange, why would the Kislivites appear in Brittania?"

"I don't know, maybe these Kislivites are here for tourism? No matter, let's focus on our own business." The two Demon Hunters continued speaking.

Kislev, located in the northern part of the Old World, east of the Nord Kingdom in the Tazier Desert, is a semi-vassal state belonging to the Empire.

About a thousand years ago, these nomadic tribes from the other side of the World's Roof Mountain Range settled in the Old World, located in the Empire's northeastern part, and just south of the Chaos Wasteland, making it the northernmost civilized country in the Old World. The current ruler of Kislev is a female monarch called the Ice and Snow Queen, Katarina.

This is also a very interesting country.

The Tazier Desert is a genuine barren land, cold all year round, where the land is subjected to the dual oppression of alchemical pollution and severe cold, almost growing nothing. Food mainly relies on trade and hunting, and the entire territory, which covers a considerable area, has only three cities.

This also causes the Empire to have no intention of conquering them and incorporating them into its territory. On the contrary, this country is always the first to suffer during Chaos Invasions, serving as an outpost, which is why the Empire continues to tolerate their existence.

During the Great Holy War, confronting the second Chaos Eternal Divine Chosen Anointed, Aisakuval, Kislev was, of course, the first to suffer, with its land falling and its cities destroyed. The so-called King of Kislev (who self-proclaimed as Tsar, yet no one recognized it) led the people and fled south while fighting, bringing news of the Chaos Invasion.

After the Great Holy War, Kislev was rebuilt. Realizing their military insufficiency, King Bokaha of Kislev made a stunning decision. He spent immense funds rebuilding the kingdom's army and paid a high price to introduce artillery and muskets from the Empire and the Dwarves. The famed "Winged Cavalry," renowned in the Old World, was also established during this time, which nearly bankrupted the entire kingdom's finances.

Humorously, the Winged Cavalry Legion, consisting of about two thousand great noble offspring from across the kingdom, was established. After its creation, the initiator of this legion, the Kislev Kingdom, was utterly incapable of sustaining this expensive cavalry unit. Hence, the Winged Cavalry has always served as mercenaries, earning their maintenance costs, only returning to Kislev to defend the kingdom during its most difficult times.

Currently, the Winged Cavalry Legion is under the command of Emperor Karl Franz of the Empire, serving as mercenaries.

"Quick, come! Innkeeper! Bring the wine!" Several big men muttered complainingly: "Damn Imperial people, haggling over prices, our bear pelts can't sell! And the idiots here in Brittania are even more annoying; they actually told us they don't need bear pelts!"

After saying this, these big men kept grumbling, furiously drinking wine, cup after cup, barrel after barrel.

"We should finish our meal quickly. These Kislivites love getting drunk and then causing trouble." The two Demon Hunters had rich experience with such matters, quickly gulping down the remaining bread and downing their malt beer, wanting to leave.

Too late.

Several big men were already red-faced and neck-veined from alcohol. When they saw the two Demon Hunters stand up, one of the big men immediately slammed the table: "Brothers... hiccup~ there are two Demon Hunters here!"

"Hah! Imperial bastards!"

"They... want to duel us!"

"Then beat them! Beat them!"

Abel frowned and said, "Gentlemen, we have not provoked you; we have no intention of sparking a conflict..."

"I couldn't give a damn! We were just... hiccup~ talking about that losing business from a few days ago, and you stood up; if this isn't provocation... then what is?" One of the big men, his face flushed, even his nose turned red, instinctively drew the scimitar from his waist.

The remaining four or five big men quickly drew war axes and scimitars, surrounding Abel and Ju Le: "We'll show these Demon Hunter bastards how tough we are!"

"Do it!"

Abel and Ju Le drew the steel swords from behind them, and two threw themselves into the fray.

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