Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Rock Salt Diplomacy
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"No, normally they would. Even a chieftain would. But a human chieftain wouldn't shed tears in front of others. They have their pride to uphold."
"Pride?"
"Well..."
Hwi let out a small sigh.
There were concepts between different races that were hard for each other to grasp.
'We speak the exact same language, and it's still like this.'
Fortunately, Hwi didn't need to explain further.
Owen had encountered plenty of humans as a wanderer.
"No, I know about pride. It's not hard to understand. You're saying that if the chieftain shows weakness, his warriors might think he's feeble, right? But don't say that to the other lizardmen. They won't get it."
"Why?"
"Because we value something more than pride."
Owen and Hwi watched as tears rolled down Rakrak's chin and dripped onto the ground.
Just as Hwi was about to ask what it was, Rakrak turned to look at Owen and Hwi.
Rakrak wiped away a tear with his thumb and said casually,
"Oh, isn't this Owen?"
"I'm late."
"No, you're late, but... not too late. You made it in time to see off the Star Reader."
The two approached Rakrak.
"Hearing you say that eases my heart, Chieftain."
"Who's the human friend by your side?"
"I met him on the way here. Hwi, errand runner from Automaton City. He says he's here to relay a message from the city lord."
Hwi bowed deeply in respect.
"I'm Hwi of Automaton City."
Rakrak looked down at Hwi, then beckoned Owen over with a hand gesture.
Rakrak and Owen exchanged a few quiet words.
Hwi, with ears as sharp as his eyes, tried to eavesdrop, but couldn't make it out.
'This feels bad.'
Rakrak spoke.
"You must be tired from the long journey, but unfortunately, we have to stay up through the long night too. So, I'd like to hear your business first. What do you say, Hwi?"
"That works."
"Good. Follow me."
Hwi had steeled himself to some extent.
He wouldn't be surprised even if lizardman warriors burst out from both sides of the tent or if Rakrak drew his sword.
But nothing like that happened.
Hwi was able to enter the largest tent alongside Rakrak.
"So, what's your business?"
Hwi kept a low posture as he untied one of his pouches and handed it to Rakrak.
"First, please accept this gift."
"Hm."
Rakrak took the pouch and opened it.
Inside was something that looked like a dark white stone fragment.
Rakrak recognized it immediately upon holding it in his hand.
"Rock salt."
"Yes."
"Is this the gift from Automaton City's lord?"
"Yes."
He knew it wasn't a simple gift.
Salt itself was valuable, but handing a fist-sized lump of rock salt to a chieftain as a gift would be an insult.
Rakrak knew the lord of Automaton City wasn't trying to insult him.
This rock salt had context.
For one, Automaton City possessed genuine stone walls that couldn't be found in this era.
Farming tribes might fortify their villages with wooden palisades, but those were flimsy. Earthen walls required constant maintenance and manpower, so they weren't much better.
Until proper architecture and fortification techniques developed, these defenses fell short in protecting farming tribes.
In contrast, the ancient ruin of Automaton City was an earthen wall over five meters high, and mysterious to boot.
The earthen walls had mud soldiers that could self-repair if damaged, slow and dull in combat but usable as defenders in emergencies.
Moreover, Automaton City had a geographical advantage.
To go northwest from the peninsula's north, there were two paths: one across the wasteland, the other through the rugged mountain valley below it.
Neither was ideal for wanderers, but those who knew both generally preferred the mountain valley.
First reason: less risky than the wasteland where you could easily get lost. Second: much shorter distance. Third: Automaton City.
In the wasteland, you'd pray for a miracle spring if water and food ran out, but Automaton City provided at least drinking water for wanderers.
'In other words...'
Automaton City effectively blocked the path to the continent.
It didn't completely seal the mountain valley, but with sufficient troops, passing by would always leave your back exposed.
Even though Automaton City maintained neutral relations with the black-scaled lizardmen, Rakrak believed its humans could betray them for profit in a heartbeat.
'Whether we'll expand into that vast land ahead is unknown... but the Blue Insect God is wary of the continent and the north. So we need to secure the safety of the mountain valley path.'
Exiting the mountain valley led to the northern and northwestern continent roads.
'And there's an even more critical issue with this path.'
Automaton City wasn't just some remote ancient ruin.
It had a salt mine inside.
'Salt.'
The human tribe inside wasn't that strong, so production wasn't high, but it was salt.
Especially essential for herding.
Carnivores and omnivores could maintain sodium through prey, but herbivores couldn't. Plants alone didn't provide enough.
Wild herbivores licked mineral-rich salty stones or ate dirt, but domesticated livestock on long journeys lacked such opportunities.
Sodium-deficient herbivores could suffer vomiting, diarrhea from hyponatremia, and eventually kidney failure and death. Pregnant ones needed even more.
The black-scale tribe's herds, once on track, would require steady, large quantities of salt.
Even without herding, salt had countless uses.
Seasoning food, of course. As the black-scales grew, basic smoking couldn't preserve all meat, so salting developed. Also dyes, leather tanning, preservation, cleaning, funerals—though not for them—fertilizer, and currency.
'And I know a good portion of our salt trades come from Automaton City.'
Coastal salt was expensive inland, lake salt limited. Automaton City was the largest nearby producer.
'Sending a lump like this from there means...'
Hwi said,
"This is the first rock salt the lord of Automaton City offers with no strings attached."
"If it's the first, there'll be second and third, right?"
"There will be more after."
Hwi grinned beneath the leather hood covering his head, his face thick with stubble.
"Please accept it."
Rakrak nodded and gripped the rock salt.
He clenched his fist, crumbling it, the grains spilling between his fingers.
Rakrak shook his hand and said,
"Tell them I received it well."
Hwi gritted his teeth.
"What was that?"
"Ah, you humans have no gods, so you wouldn't know. It's just... part of a ritual offering. Scattering a small lump on the ground... makes the god happy. Something like that."
Humans of Automaton City had no gods, but Hwi knew it was a blatant lie.
"It was a gift from the lord of Automaton City."
"Just a small lump. And I used it well. Isn't that what matters?"
"You know that wasn't the intent. Besides, didn't I tell you the lord mentioned second and third lumps? Not tiny ones like that."
"I've heard the lord of Automaton City is wealthy, but sending a lump like that via a person is wasteful. You're right. Next time, bring more trade goods. Good thing it's not the rainy season."
Hwi nearly lost his temper.
But this wasn't a failure of communication due to racial differences.
Rakrak had severed the context of the single lump Hwi offered.
A bit rough, but he'd diplomatically concluded without outright rudeness.
Appearances-wise, Rakrak had accepted the salt and used it.
The lord of Automaton City couldn't complain.
'Sly lizard.'
Hwi held back his anger.
"Let's talk properly. Why refuse? Don't you need salt?"
Rakrak sat indifferently, gazing outside the tent. Seemed like at the stars.
"Not thinking of heading back yet?"
"I can't go back empty-handed."
Rakrak turned.
"...Fine, human from Automaton City, Hwi. Let's talk. Truth is, I'm not good at human-style facades... digging for hidden meanings in words. What's it called?"
"Diplomacy?"
"Yeah. Not my thing. I prefer straight 'talk'."
"...Alright, Rakrak. Let's talk. Why refuse?"
Rakrak, arms crossed, extended one finger.
"First, I don't pick up proposals others have rejected."
"...What?"
"If someone else refused, it means the offer lacks value. It might be better for me, but it bears second thought."
"...That's not it. This proposal is from the lord specifically for you..."
"No. Do you really think Owen 'happened' to meet you and 'luckily' brought you here?"
Hwi hissed.
Rakrak continued.
"Owen said you came from the north, not the west. Not from Automaton City, but across the wasteland. Beyond the wasteland are the cropped-ear tribe. Bet you made the same offer to Salkait. And got refused."
"...You're right."
"Probably for the second reason I'm about to say."
Hwi listened silently to Rakrak.
Rakrak said,
"Second, there's no such thing as a 'gift with no strings'. I don't fall for that. Even greedy Salkait has that much sense."
"...Not that. The lord of Automaton City wants to give salt. With no conditions."
"No."
Rakrak shook his head.
"If we take your salt, we have to protect you. Right?"
"......"
"Whenever you're holed up in Automaton City under siege, we'll worry about our salt supply, fretting. Even if you stir up trouble with your 'diplomacy', we'll have to pay attention to fights that aren't ours."
Hwi spoke slowly.
"Rakrak, that's what diplomacy is."
"I know."
"It's not a free gift, but a fair trade."
"I know that too."
"Then why refuse for the second reason?"
Rakrak laughed.
"You really don't get it? You must've heard it from Salkait?"
"......"
Hwi silently noted how Rakrak's answer matched the grumpy troll chieftain's response.
"Why can't we take Automaton City? Kick out the humans, and the salt mine—not to mention the city itself—is ours. Isn't it?"