There are a few days left before leaving Cyprus, and Komer and Pubilot are both busy preparing their belongings. The five thousand golden shields given to Komer by Lord Ramla were unceremoniously confiscated by Puber who, although not yet in office, was already thinking of various ways to make money.
There are two routes to reach the Caucasus from Cyprus. One is the sea route, setting sail from Cyprus, circling around the Corner of the Nether Sea's lighthouse to the south, and after three hundred nautical miles, one can arrive at Natway Harbor, the important seaport second only to the capital city, Cyprus City, in the Homer region.
Although the city is small in scale, it is the southernmost seaport of the Kingdom of Nicosia. Further south past the Mouth of Nissai River is the area known as the Devil's Triangle of the sea—the Bermuda waters.
These waters are rife with reefs and violent undercurrents, haphazardly dotted with dozens of islands, which pirates use as a haven from the wind. The headquarters of the Nether Sea area's largest pirate organization, Gray Skull, is said to be on one of the islands in the Bermuda Islands.
If one can safely pass the pirate-controlled area, they can reach the Catania Estuary. From there, sailing upriver will lead into the heartland of the Caucasus.
Past the Bermuda Islands, one can continue sailing south into the Storm Ocean, but following the coast of the Storm Ocean, one will reach the warmer regions south of the Wilderness inhabited by the Barbarians, an exotic world filled with the beauty and wealth of the southern region of the Blue Continent.
Of course, this route is fraught with great risk, with the possibility of pirate attacks at any time, and dense reefs and sudden undercurrents could lead to the destruction of ships and loss of life, especially with the rise of the Gray Skull, adding many risks to this sea route. Many merchant caravans from the north are forced to disembark at Natway and then cross the southern part of the Homer region by land before entering the heart of the Continent, making a detour toward the south.
The other route is naturally by land, heading southwest from Cyprus City through the fertile Busen Plain, then crossing the Greenland Forest and the Nissai River to enter the barren Leon Region, which is the territory of the poor and backward Count Boninski. Finally, passing through Darman Pass will mean entering the Caucasus Region.
Although this route seems to be less dangerous at first glance, due to Count Boninski's territory being impoverished and backward with fierce social customs, it has always been a breeding ground for uprisings. Slaves make up over eighty percent of the entire territory's population, mostly consisting of conquered Indigenous People as well as hybrids of Half-Beastmen and native people, making social order quite chaotic.
The road and traffic conditions are also quite appalling, which is why the last time the Barbarians came to Cyprus to trade, they preferred to make a detour through the Rosenborg Kingdom rather than take this road.
Komer naturally could only take the land route, but thinking of its dangers, he was also worried. After all, even Count Boninski was not keen on staying in his own territory, which speaks volumes about the situation there. Fortunately, there is an important pass on the north bank of the Nissai River, where the Duke has stationed troops, crucial for anyone coming from the south wishing to enter the north side. Otherwise, if the mob caused a disturbance, it could endanger the entire Homer region.
"Boss, are you really planning to buy two slaves? It would be better to buy them in Leon, where I heard the prices for slaves are much cheaper."
Ylot chewed carelessly on some mint, a refreshing oral herb that had become the latest fad among the nobility in the city. It's said to be in vogue to cater to the social elites who frequently wander through banquets and social gatherings.
"Hmm, my father supported me with five thousand golden shields. Puber took four thousand, saying he was going to buy some goods to take to Leon to make a profit. With the remaining one thousand golden shields, I plan to buy a servant, and Puber needs one too, so we might as well buy two; one thousand golden shields is just right."
Komer nodded. The Ylot family had already gifted him with two horses and a slave, which he naturally did not need, so Komer and Puber would have to select from the population market.
"One thousand golden shields? That's a shame. If you bought at the market in Leon, you could probably get three slaves, maybe even four."
Ilot seemed to have some knowledge of the prices at the slave markets, especially the market in Leon, which puzzled Komer greatly.
Caught under Komer's suspicious gaze, Ilot became utterly embarrassed. It was only after stuttering for a long time that he managed to explain that his mother had secretly given him two thousand golden shields as pocket money. Perhaps too eager to play the role of an officer, Ilot intended to use this money to buy a few robust slaves as training targets, forming a small infantry squad.
Upon hearing Ilot speak of this, Komer found it both amusing and touching. He couldn't resist teasing him, "But Ilot, even if you can buy a few slaves in Leon, being a warrior isn't just about having a few people. What about weapons? Armor? Their future expenses? Can you afford it all?"
A flushed and exasperated Ilot finally erupted, gesticulating wildly as he protested, "For crying out loud, Komer! Here I am using my last stash to buy some slaves to fight for you, and now you even want me to pay for their armor and weapons? Aren't you being a little too heartless?"
Komer laughed as he retorted, "Ilot, I dare say your mother gave you more than two thousand golden shields. Why don't you take the remaining thousand and exchange it for weapons? That way, they can start training as soon as they're bought, satisfying your bizarre desire to become a mentor in the shortest time possible. Isn't that right? I must be speaking the truth, am I not?"
With his mouth gaping in dismay, Ilot couldn't fathom how his tiny secret had been seen through by Komer. He was incredulous at how Komer could so clearly understand his thoughts and even know every last bit of his secrets with such certainty, as if he was standing naked before a crowd, compelled to cover his lower half.
"Bizarre desire? Is wanting to selflessly share my valuable military experience from battling beastmen on the Deccan Plateau with others considered bizarre? I think the one with such thoughts is the truly bizarre one!" Ilot muttered furiously, his voice lowered. They had arrived at Cyprus's bustling and lively population market.
"Alright, Ilot, I suggest you give your private savings to Puber. From Cyprus to Leon, this journey of a few hundred miles, caravan leaders are reluctant to travel this route. I suspect there must be much business potential to make Puber so eager to jump at the chance. Why not entrust your three thousand golden shields to him? Who knows, perhaps by the time you reach Leon, it might have turned into five thousand golden shields," Komer advised.
Seeing Ilot's awkward demeanor, Komer patted his shoulder firmly, "Come on, Puber's got a sharper mind than anyone. Just look at how many hairs he has left on his head, and you'll understand."
The population market of Cyprus was located near the harbor on the eastern side of the city. Although officially called the population market, it was in fact what was commonly referred to on the Continent as a slave market. Even though the nations of the Continent had gradually abolished the system of debt slavery, the trading at the slave market had not declined. With the situation across the Continent becoming increasingly tense, the market had even begun to flourish more.
War was the best creator of slaves; war prisoners and captured common people became the largest source of debt, especially the captured common people. Since no one was willing to redeem them, they usually ended up as slaves on the market.
As for war prisoners, the warring parties were responsible for redeeming their own captives, the chances of them becoming slaves were not high, unless one side was utterly defeated or destroyed.
Walking into the slave market, Komer and Ilot entered a whole new world. The bustling crowds made it hard for Komer to see why those who professed to save the world in the name of God – the priests – called it the source of ugliness: the slave market.
Rows of shops, large and small, lined up neatly along the streets. The people coming and going were mainly gentlemen and merchants, and many were nobles with titles. Inside the shops, which showed no sign of their true purpose, furniture was arranged neatly, some people inside discussing matters. From the outside, there was nothing out of the ordinary—except for one or two shopkeepers or stewards greeting customers—it seemed no slave could be seen.
It was Komer and Ilot's first time in such a place; they had imagined the market as a space where slaves were grouped here and there waiting for buyers to come along. They were quite surprised that upon entering, the market was nothing like what they had envisioned.
Exchanging glances, unsure of how to proceed with purchasing servants, Komer and Ilot had no choice but to steel themselves and walk forward. Fortunately, the streets within the slave market were quite spacious, and following the people ahead, they could move forward without raising any suspicions.