Chapter 233: Gathering Info

Chapter 233: Gathering Info

What are the food resources that Leggiadra is lacking the most? I ask Licinium.

We have a lot of wheat, but we are low on fruits. Meat, maybe. Fruits are probably the resource that we lack the most. Any spice, I guess. We struggle to find salt. But mostly, seeds to have our own trees would definitely help.

He doesnt pay too much attention to the question. Ive been making a list of things I need to know and I plan to ask him everything but mixing it with different questions.

And is there any food the Vanedenis exported? Or what is their culture generally famous for, food-wise?

Oh, thats very interesting. And which merchants and companies, in particular, refuse to trade?

The Human city of Keveiz, he says distractedly. They have all the companies and people who basically cut off the trade with us. Half-giants have even considered attacking them. They are around two weeks from Leggiadra. On foot.

How good is a [Mage]s shield against an arrow compared to a blow from a sword?

Most [Mages] and wands make shields that are one big clump of Mana. The distribution of resistance is perfectly even, which makes most shields extremely weak to small projectiles like arrows.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

How do [Merchants] transport all those things? Do they use bag of holdings?

What? No. They use chests of holding.

Have you ever heard of nitric or sulfuric acid?

The ones [Alchemist] use and burn your skin if you touch it with bare hands?

A large smile appears on my face as I nod.

You can find a lot of it among the [Glassworkers].

Are there half-giants who want to fight? I mean, Id be pretty angry all the time. Doesnt anyone want to try and establish the trade routes once again through force?

Sure, some youngsters always think like that. But we did go to war. And we lost. We had more than one city in this region. The city of Keveiz was ours, and they still have many of the building we built there. They are also very close to a mine that we used to own. Now, its in the hand of a [Merchant] consortium.

Is the mine still mineable?

Sure is. They dont have the levels nor the classes necessary to deplete it fast. It was probably barely even touched since we left it a few hundred years back.

I didnt mean to

You did. And theres nothing wrong with it. Its just another story to read, or to listen to. But its definitely not worth a [Bard]s voice and rhymes. Family feuds are one of the most common subjects of fiction

Licinium goes silent, seemingly older compared to the last time I saw him the day before. Hes drumming his fingers on a little table by his chairnot on a book. Never on a book.

I tried. I really tried. I wanted to teach them how marvelous this world can be when you read through what has already transpired. A handful of people can become something more, [Heroes]. And even less among all the half-giants wholl ever live. But I wanted to teach them the stories, to have them learn from the mistakes we already made in the past. It was my attempt at bottling wisdom and spooning it to their mouths little by little.

Parents can only influence their children so much, Licinium. My father tried to pass onto me the art of baking. But Im no baker.

But can you bake?

Yes, but

That would have been enough. If they did not want to manage my store, but did share some love for books, that would have been enough. I would have given them my books to read, not to safekeep. All the books in the world will have one last receptacle, one final destination. And if that had to be my children, and their children after, it would have been fine with me. I didnt ask much of them. Never. I

Licinium erupts in a fit of cough.

We cant control what other people do, I say regretfully, we can only build with our hands and hope that others will follow in my steps.

The old half-giant doesnt answer. He simply stares at all the books around him, wondering what their end will be, their demise. What destiny awaits them. Will the children of [Merchants] rip the pages to blow their noses or wipe their asses?

When I see that the old half-giant is not answering, it's not responsive to what I have said, I contemplate harder. What can you say to a man who is about to lose everything? Is there anything that you can say that will make him happier? Or maybe, not happier, just give him peace?

Peace.

Listen, Licinium. What if I buy all your books? I'm about to conduct some important business. I'll be back in the month. Do you think you can hold out for me?

There is no happiness in the gaze that washes over me.

Cassandre, I know. Im not sure But I do have an idea of what you are planning.

A cold shiver runs down my back. I have no idea what he knows.

My classes deal with information. You tried to hide it, but I know you are planning something. Whatever it is, I suggest you don't do it.

Licinium, I dont think you know. I think you might have the wrong idea. Or if you do have the right idea, you are not placing enough faith in me.

The old man just waves a hand, shushing me.

I'm old. I don't care. But whatever you're going to do, just take this. Wait a second.

He gets up and starts searching among the sea of books lying around the shop. It takes a few minutes and him disappearing behind the tall columns of stacked books. But at last, he comes back with a small volume in his hands.

This is a collection of poems. A Vanedeni [Bard] put them together even though their people are not fond of this type of recollection. They often narrate the deeds of their heroes to their children right after they are born. They barely keep any record. But a [Bard], a high-levelled one, gathered stories and put them together in this anthology. He didnt want them to go to waste.

He looks at the battered book, kept in surprisingly terrible conditions for Liciniums standards, and smiles.

This is a copy he made himself. I have copies from [Scribes], but this is the genuine item. Wherever you go, I fear that the madness of Vanedenis might be a good companion for yours.