Chapter 189

The return of the lord and lady of the territory—now elevated to ducal rank—after a long absence was no small matter.

Even more so because they were accompanied by none other than the Crown Prince, the future sovereign of the empire. Just catching a glimpse of what the prince looked like had already stirred the curiosity of many.

The moment their ship docked at the harbor, the news spread like wildfire across the territory. Spectators came out in droves—wherever they went, crowds would gather to watch.

Fortunately, the natural reverence people had for nobles kept them from getting too close. Most only dared to observe from afar as the carriage bearing the Williams family lion crest rolled down the road. But even a distant glimpse was enough for them to brag to others later.

So barely had Felix and his party returned to the castle when the first wave of visitor's cards arrived.

The first to arrive was from the head of the merchant caravan from across the mountains—the neighboring kingdom Dolores had mentioned earlier.

Wei Wei knew a fair bit about the kingdom beyond the mountains since she had fabricated her backstory to claim she came from there. She had done some research early on.

That neighboring country was called Soria, a small nation whose total land area was even smaller than the counties Felix had just acquired with his new ducal title. Its national strength was weak, and for years it had relied on the protection of the mountains for security.

Although Sardinson and Soria technically bordered one another across the mountain range, they had never really had any interaction. One reason was the natural barrier itself. The mountain range was vast, stretching from the northern county of Sardinson past Melk Town and forming a large coastal bay. If mapped onto Wei Wei's modern world, it would correspond to the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The area stretching into Melk Town's waters aligned with what would be modern-day Greece.

In this medieval parallel world, the peninsula had not yet been named the Balkans, but the area still belonged to the Greek region. However, because of the impassable mountains, and the dangerous rocky waters off Sardinson's coast, ships rarely came through. In the past, not even Greek merchants—let alone Soria, which bordered the Black Sea but not the Mediterranean—had any dealings with Sardinson.

Greek merchants had traditionally sailed to the capital city, barely stopping in Princia, much less in a remote and formerly undeveloped place like Sardinson, which didn't even have a proper port. As for Soria, whose trade routes went through inland Pradi and had to circle the mountain range, they entered Pradi much further north—usually through Count Garcia's lands—and never approached Sardinson at all.

Of course, ever since Sardinson began to flourish, merchants from coastal nations had begun to arrive in droves. Greek traders, in particular, had become frequent visitors, especially after the port at Slot was completed. Their olive oil practically supported all of Sardinson's oil needs, and their goat milk cheese was also wildly popular.

But Sorians—this was their first time coming.

And that had everything to do with the structure of Soria's economy.

Soria was technically landlocked, though it bordered the inland Black Sea. One-third of its territory was forested, and its agricultural production was on par with Sardinson's early days. Its livestock industry was weak. The economy largely depended on fishing, and most Sorian merchants made their money selling seafood in Pradi's inland markets.

Inland demand for fish was high—due to the heavy influence of the Church, fasting days were numerous, and on those days, meat was forbidden. Fish became the only permitted alternative.

But Sardinson didn't need their seafood. Though its coastal waters were unfit for large ships, small-scale fishing was common. Moreover, several rivers and lakes ran through the county, providing an abundance of both freshwater and sea fish. It was completely self-sufficient in this regard.

That's why Felix had been so surprised to hear that a Sorian merchant caravan had risked the dangerous mountain crossing to request an audience and do business with them.

The mountain route was treacherous—steep, twisting, and populated by wild animals. While one passable trail existed near Sardinson Castle—the same one Felix had once used to investigate Wei Wei's origins—it was barely suitable for travelers on foot. Riding horses was already risky, and using wagons was out of the question. Transporting goods that way would be a logistical nightmare.

To make things worse, the mountain's deep forests were teeming with wildlife—not just boars, but wolves, bears, and even leopards. Some even claimed to have seen lions.

Though there were no confirmed sightings, Wei Wei didn't think it impossible. A large portion of the mountain range fell within Greek territory, where the now-extinct European lion—or Greek lion—had once roamed. Although believed extinct due to overhunting, some could have survived, having adapted to the remote mountain conditions.

Of course, this was only a theory. No one had seen one. But the danger of the mountains was undeniable.

That's why Felix and others had been so amazed when Wei Wei first arrived alone from across the mountains—completely unharmed. Now, the arrival of a Sorian caravan, laden with goods no less, was just as astonishing.

Perhaps aware that Sardinson didn't care for seafood, the Sorian merchants had brought mostly livestock instead. It wasn't a bad idea.

On the one hand, Sardinson indeed had a growing demand for livestock. As the local economy improved, people's purchasing power rose rapidly. Where once peasants starved through winter, even the poorest households could now store ample food. Meat consumption had surged. The meat-paste factory alone created a huge demand. Livestock, therefore, was in high demand—and fetched better prices here than elsewhere.

On the other hand, getting them here was no easy feat. Wild animals and rough terrain made the journey perilous. The Sorians had only succeeded because it was autumn when food was still plentiful for predators, and because they had traveled in a large, well-guarded group. In winter or early spring, when food grew scarce, such a caravan might not have survived.

After all, the wolves in those mountains were numerous—and fearless even when facing armed men, let alone merchants.

Still, since they were already here, and they'd sparked curiosity, Felix and Wei Wei decided to grant an audience.

Before the meeting, they gathered more details from Butler Barton.

The Sorian merchant caravan was led by a noble: Baron Stoichkov. His estate was located just on the other side of the mountain—technically making him Sardinson's closest neighbor. The entire caravan had been personally organized by him.

"He brought more than just cattle and sheep," Barton reported. "He also brought large quantities of roses and some wine, both of which sold well. Word is, he has even more rare goods, but he didn't put them up for sale—he said he wanted to show them to you personally."

Baron Stoichkov had heard that Wei Wei liked exotic and unusual flora, so he'd deliberately brought some samples with that in mind.

That piqued Wei Wei's interest. Based on Soria's geography—and comparing it to its real-world equivalent—she had a good idea of what kinds of plants and goods he might've brought. Her curiosity was well-founded.

Baron Stoichkov himself was a sturdy man, likely in his late 30s or early 40s. Though separated by only a mountain, his appearance was markedly different from the people of Pradi. His skin was darker, his hair was deeper in tone, and he wore the traditional attire of Soria—mostly black and white, with bright red embroidery. He even wore a triangular knit cap resembling an upside-down bucket, adorned on one side with a realistic fake rose. The contrast between the delicate flower and the burly baron made for an amusing sight.

Stoichkov, however, seemed to think nothing of it. He greeted Felix and Wei Wei with respect and got straight to the point.

He explained that the purpose of his visit was driven by necessity. Though only a mountain apart, the climate difference was dramatic. Sardinson had enjoyed a good harvest, but his territory had suffered from excessive rainfall. With most of his land being mountainous and unsuitable for large-scale farming, and with little proximity to the Black Sea, the few arable fields he had were now failing.

As a result, he was deeply worried about his people. Initially, he had planned to buy grain from neighboring Sorian counties, but they had suffered equally from the floods. Everyone needed grain—no one had extra to sell.

So grain prices in Soria had skyrocketed.

Being a minor baron with limited funds, he couldn't afford the inflated prices. Desperate, he had organized the caravan himself and led it across the mountains to Sardinson.

"You must have already bought the grain by now," Wei Wei asked, puzzled. "Why haven't you returned?"

Grain wasn't exactly easy to transport through the mountains, so she assumed he would've arranged for it to be shipped by sea or rerouted north. And yet, Stoichkov had lingered in Sardinson for twenty days, seemingly waiting for their return.

"I've already sent the grain back," he explained. "I stayed behind because I hoped to discuss a business partnership with the Duke."

He had come for grain, yes. But upon seeing how prosperous Sardinson was—on par with even the capital of Soria—he had begun to imagine a broader commercial relationship.

His territory was very close. Taking the mountain route, he could reach Sardinson in just two days. Having made the journey himself, he now believed that, with some investment, that path could be developed into a proper trade road. It wouldn't be easy or cheap, but once built, his lands could become a vital inland hub for merchants passing between regions.

However, Stoichkov didn't have the money for such an ambitious project.

If he wanted to fund the road's construction, he would first have to grow his wealth—and the fastest way he could think to do that was by entering into trade with Felix.

That's why he had saved his most unique items—not for random merchants, but specifically to show Wei Wei.

After explaining his purpose, Baron Stoichkov opened the chest he had brought and began laying out the samples one by one for Wei Wei to examine.

These were just samples—items he had specially chosen to demonstrate the types of goods his territory could offer. Everything was neatly packed into a single trunk.

Soria, being a small agricultural country reliant on fishing, had fairly average farming techniques for a medieval nation. But it was still known for a few distinctive products—especially roses and wine. The baron himself owned a small vineyard. Though the yield wasn't large, he had brought several dozen barrels of wine to Sardinson, which had been sold for a good amount of grain.

Believing that his region's roses and grapes would be attractive, he had included both in his sample offerings. Soria's textile industry was also relatively developed, so he had packed some fine cloth. Finally, he included a variety of unfamiliar plants not found in Pradi—many of them medicinal herbs and fruits or vegetables he had gathered from other parts of Soria.

To Wei Wei's surprise, she found something rather exciting among them.

She picked up a dried plant and sniffed it. The distinctive aroma immediately confirmed her suspicion—she recognized this plant.

Intrigued, she asked, "Where did this come from?"

Stoichkov thought for a moment before replying, "I bought it from a physician. He said it's a good herb for treating toothaches."

Oral health was a major problem in medieval times. Before Wei Wei introduced toothbrushes and toothpaste, even nobles rarely cleaned their mouths. So a toothache was a serious issue.

And this herb did have mild pain-relieving effects. But its real use… was something else entirely.

Though most people wouldn't recognize the dried plant itself, they would know it in its processed form—because this was tobacco.

According to some historical sources, tobacco was native to South America and was only introduced to Europe in the 15th century. But there are also Chinese records suggesting it was cultivated as early as the Han dynasty, supporting a theory that it could have originated in East Asia as well.

Either way, in this timeline, tobacco wasn't supposed to exist in Europe yet. But since this was a parallel world, history didn't have to follow the same path. Tobacco might have made its way to Soria through Mongol invasions or Persian traders.

Either way, the fact was that: Soria had tobacco.

While smoking is indeed harmful to health, medically, tobacco had many uses in historical medicine. It could be used as an insecticide, an anesthetic, a diaphoretic, a sedative, or an emetic. It has even been used to treat diseases like lupus and syphilis.

It had also been found effective against cholera and the plague. Historical records noted that during the Great Plague of London in 1665, many smokers—despite repeatedly entering infected homes or attending funerals—remained healthy. During an 18th-century cholera outbreak in Germany, out of 5,000 cigar factory workers, only eight fell ill. Before World War I, a French study found that 94% of healthy soldiers were smokers, while 75% of the sick soldiers with meningitis were non-smokers or rare smokers.

These cases suggested that tobacco had real potential for disease prevention.

And the Black Death, which swept through Europe in the 14th century and claimed 25 million lives—one-third of the continent's population—was something Wei Wei had always feared.

That pandemic officially struck in 1347, about 70 years from the current timeline. Wei Wei might not live to see it. If she waited until it hit, she wouldn't be able to save anyone.

Which meant: that any prevention had to start now.

She wasn't a saint. But in the face of something that could kill millions, she wasn't about to sit on her hands.

Seeing this plant stirred a storm of thoughts in her mind, but only a few seconds passed before she came to a firm decision:

She was going to promote tobacco.

Yes, smoking is bad for your health. She didn't like smokers either. But compared to the plague, the risks were minor. In her eyes, it was a small price to pay.

Besides, tobacco was going to become a global commodity anyway. She was simply jumping the timeline by two centuries. And in her homeland, people already smoked pipe tobacco—she wouldn't be introducing it to China.

Decision made, she immediately asked Baron Stoichkov, "Is this plant common in your region? Do you cultivate it?"

By now, Wei Wei's reputation as a skilled physician was well-known across the kingdom—and even beyond. Soria had heard about how she had saved the King of Pradi, and the story had spread as a curiosity. Knowing this, Baron Stoichkov had deliberately purchased local herbs that he thought might interest her.

So when she asked, he was ready. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "Only some doctors grow it for medicinal use. But if you need it, I can organize large-scale farming."

He didn't suggest selling her the seeds—and Wei Wei didn't ask.

Tobacco was a heat-loving crop sensitive to temperature. Though Sardinson was coastal, only the Melk Town area had a true Mediterranean climate. The rest of the county—especially near the castle—was too cold for large-scale cultivation. Their land was already stretched thin growing new crops; they couldn't afford to divert resources for tobacco.

But Soria, where tobacco already grew naturally, was more suited for it. They had the right climate and at least some experience with cultivation. If a tobacco trade deal could be struck, Sardinson wouldn't need to grow it themselves at all.

And now, Baron Stoichkov had clearly shown interest. Since he was already asking for cooperation, Wei Wei had no intention of letting the opportunity slip away.

"I do need this plant," she said directly. "The more, the better. If you can supply large quantities of good-quality tobacco, Sardinson will be happy to work with you."

"Tobacco…" Stoichkov repeated the unfamiliar name. He liked it—and decided he'd start calling the plant that too.

"Of course! If that's what you need, I'll return and immediately begin organizing large-scale cultivation."

Soria had a mild winter, and if not for this year's floods, food shortages wouldn't have been an issue. But having enough food and becoming wealthy were two different things. The warm climate meant they could even experiment with tobacco cultivation in winter.

Stoichkov was already making plans. Once back home, he would consult the physician who had sold him the plant. Ideally, he'd bring the man to his estate to teach his serfs how to grow it.

But first—he needed to sign the contract. Only with an agreement and deposit in hand could he confidently move forward.

So naturally, the negotiations were left to Felix. Since tobacco was an unfamiliar product, both sides had different expectations regarding pricing. But in the end, they managed to settle on a mutually acceptable rate.

Felix also signed a purchase agreement for the wine. After tasting it himself, he found it quite different from local Pradi wines—but delicious. And the price Stoichkov offered was lower than other merchants. Being a wine lover himself, Felix didn't hesitate to order a large batch, asking Stoichkov to bring it next time so he could share it with his subordinates.

Wei Wei, meanwhile, picked out a few other items of interest from the baron's sample box and requested him to bring more next time as well.

Contract in hand, Baron Stoichkov immediately decided to return home—buy another batch of goods, and make another trip to Sardinson before winter set in, turning another quick profit.

Since he had no goods left to carry back, he planned to hire mercenaries to escort him through the mountain path. Though hiring them wasn't cheap, the money he was about to make made the cost negligible.