Chapter 189

— Wait laughing, but nobody has harvested this cedar for several decades. So, there must be cones and nuts! We could become barons in every sense.

Everyone abruptly stopped smiling. Olga's practical observation was accurate. The prospect of becoming local drug dealers did not please anyone.

— If we start pushing the wood to the market, we won't be able to shake off the trouble, — Gennady was visibly upset and didn't hide his mood, — and the first ones to come after us will be bandits…

— I'll have more workers, and the local scum will decrease, — Katerina saw no problems with the locals, — but dealing in drugs… I don't want to have anything to do with that.

— This is not up for discussion. But why didn't we hear anything about the nuts from the locals? — Alexander stared at the table in front of him, though he was actually searching his memory.

— Oh, that's for the "golden youth." It's too expensive for anyone here, and only the "trail" leads through Savoyardi. They sell it in the capital and the trading capital of the kingdom — Ure. Even in Kas, they only resell it.

— Then let's stop discussing the drugs. Anything else to add?

— I haven't even started! The nuts will certainly be a problem, but we'll deal with that later. I conducted reconnaissance around our area. There's plenty of black cedar and winter fern. Beastwort is still too early to bloom, and its stems can't be distinguished from St. John's wort, but there are no mushrooms. The most valuable substances are right next to us, so start planning how to prevent prospectors from coming here. — Gennady rubbed his hands together with joy, — We'll earn plenty of money! And salt too!

— And what about the salt?

— I plan to evaporate it from the ocean!

— And why do we need that?

— We'll make money! — The man was even surprised by the foolish question, — Winter is coming!

The reminder of winter made many vampires shudder. Blind kittens. That was the closest analogy they could find for themselves at moments when necessity forced them to be outside during the day. Clear weather and pure snow… nothing protected them from the rays of Demura, and they had to walk practically by touch.

Later, craftsmen made dense sunglasses, which made things much better. Although not all vampires used them, frightening the locals with their unusual appearance. But even such unpleasant memories did not make the gathered forget their direct duties. Arguments flared up with renewed vigor. The expedition to the ocean was almost approved when Yevgeny proposed a visit to the mountains. Following him, other proposals emerged.

Only by morning did everything finally conclude. It was decided that a small squad would raft down the river to the sea and scout its salinity and the prospects for salt extraction. A much larger squad would head into the mountains and inspect the abandoned dwarf cities with their own eyes.

A new plan for the castle was also approved, which was no longer convenient to call a castle. From now on, it would be a full-fledged fortress. It was decided to gradually relocate all the prisoners to the village itself, while the issue of the archmage, who remained unconscious, was unresolved, but no one demanded a solution immediately. He had been sleeping, he would sleep some more; turning into a sleeping beauty was not an option, and the floor wasn't suitable.

Everyone went to bed satisfied.

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