After a few more days, during the height of the mass research sessions, some people from Limestone Valley, including Vanessa and Juni, had finally arrived.
They were armed and ready to fight. Well, Juni at least, Vanessa was finding ways to get closer to Garan while his wife was busy in the Research Center.
She managed to join in the training, but Garan always managed to avoid her, as if she didn't exist.
Amos had also come in, though he did not dare to check out his family who were one of the very few prisoners of war in Alterra.
As the letter author Mr. Jeremiah—who was apparently just Beany—said, it was better for them to learn their lessons. Seeing him now would simply make them misunderstand he was there to help them.
Anyway, while the Research Team was calculating, some mid-level personnel had gone to Shrao to spy, and also to determine its rules and regulations. They were also sent to check the status of the slaves, and if they were being treated with decency.
There were also some who went openly as Alterrans. This was led by Loki and Chris, and with their levels, the lord should know where they came from, so they didn't bother to hide it.
After all, they were there to buy slaves, and they naturally ought to 'check the products'. In addition to their strengths, they were customers with whom the territory could earn 10 Gold for each transaction, so they were treated amicably.
Initially, this was a very good deal for Shrao. Although the cost of freeing a slave was 5 gold, selling normal human slaves was not as lucrative and some would even sell for a couple of silver.
After all, there were so many humans that entered 'market circulation' considering almost every village went through a war at least once a month. The supply was never lacking and there was rarely any incentive to free slaves at all.
Alterrans also watched a few aborigines who had come to study the territory. This was mostly done through the reporting system, wherein they also had the citizens as their eyes.
A few days after sending Chris's team to Shrao, the group returned without an accident.
Chris and Loki went forward to report as soon as they arrived, and the mathematicians added the info to create a better picture, calculation-wise. They did add, however, that the price was increased to 15 Gold, after finding out all of them were elementalists.
Shiro said he was being kind because elementalists could sell for more, and asked not to make things hard for him.
Shiro was taking a risk this time, but the price was indeed fair. He was not lying when he said the elementalists could sell for more, and even higher if he took them in cities.
Had he been an idiot, he'd go above their heads and sell the slaves, but he did not do so. However, he did decide to increase the price a bit to gain a bit more.
The territory really needed that gold, after all; they had lost too much during their migration.
He was hoping that Alterra would find them too small or nonthreatening to do anything about his demands. Anyway, it was rare for a master territory to attack a subsidiary because there was little to no advantage to do so.
The territory would be paying tribute every month, weakening it would just lower their income in the long run.
Shiro had no idea what Alterra was literally planning as he thought this.
Chris and Loki ended the report with what had changed in the territory's infrastructure—which was none.
This made sense as Shraos seemed to have immigrated as a territory and therefore unlikely to have a lot of money. It was understandable he increased the price as soon as he saw his chance to do so.
Not that they'd be paying at all, of course.
The rough conservative estimate of the Math Team was that they could (conservatively) send fifty mid-level elementalists or a hundred and fifty normal fighters, and they would not trigger a formal war.
"That's… not bad," Ansel whistled, and the rest of them nodded in agreement. After all, they had superior equipment, techniques, and items. Their 'comprehensive strength' should be much higher than other villages.
"Alterra is very strong compared to other villages."
"We can crush weaker territories without triggering wars then?"
"They're still the same rank with thousands of citizens. We can still easily lose a few people," Althea corrected, as if her brother would become a war-monger (which he was not, Ansel would argue). "Besides, they have Terran slaves. How confident are you to get rid of them if they attacked?"
This made everyone pause.
They really wouldn't be able to bear it. They didn't want to experience that time with Fargo.
"How are they, the slaves?" Althea asked. If they were being treated worse, then they might expedite their attack.
However, fortunately, things seemed better than they thought.
"Life there… wasn't so bad?" Chris said after looking at Loki, who also had a complex expression on his face. He then proceeded to tell more of what he saw, and everyone's shoulders slumped.
It was understandably complicated to get so fired up for a volatile rescue, only to find out things weren't as bad as they thought.
"As long as they didn't go against the ruling party, the Terran citizens there were mostly just ignored.
"They had slaves but they weren't treated too harshly, compared to what we've seen," Chris added. "They would live tightly in the houses, but it had our bathroom and good design. They were also rarely abused."
"There are a few exceptions, of course, especially men trying to take advantage of women, but we already talked to the lord about it and he seemed amicable."
Melissa's eyes reddened at the word, and Eugene held her hand.
Not far from them, Juni gripped her fists. "Whatever happens, I just want Cain dead."
Althea watched as doubts casted over the group. They were not doubting their chances of winning, but they were doubting their reasons for attacking.
Besides, even if they were strong, they had to keep their forces within the conservative limit. This meant that people would still get hurt, or maybe worse.
To be honest, she was willing to buy off the slaves, though they'd have to work to pay it back when they signed a bond to the territory. It would become more like an advanced payment rather than just the territory's alms.
Unlike other lords, if there was a choice to avoid injury to her people, even if it cost a lot, she'd take it.
The thing was… there were people there who truly deserved heavy retribution.
Little Horus had nightmares every day now. Seeing the poor thing's state was depressing.
He had just recovered and started to act like a proper child with the other kids' help… and it was heartbreaking to see him return to his somber self.
And Melissa and Juni… they definitely wouldn't be able to rest properly until she had exacted her revenge.
Althea massaged her forehead.