Hughes watched Jeremiah’s changing expressions with amusement.
He didn’t even have to guess to know what Jeremiah was imagining.
His title of Frontier Count was indeed quite intimidating. In fact, its greatest function was precisely that—intimidation.
The Empress tacitly allowed them to use this title to seek benefits, and naturally, the Empire could take a share of the profits.
But Hughes never expected to solve all his problems with just a title.
"Steel and timber are, of course, out of the question, at least not openly. But I can get you something that will satisfy you." Hughes casually flipped through the account book. "Of course, you could continue collecting your sea tax. Let me see... fifteen baskets of fish? Thirty crates of sweet fruit wine?"
He shook the account book with a smile. "You can barely collect any golden rum, so you have to settle accounts with goods instead."
Jeremiah’s expression darkened as he glanced at the account book in Hughes’ hand.
What he said was indeed true. Castel was a poor place, or rather, all the islands in the Storm Ocean were generally impoverished.
It was precisely because of this barrenness, coupled with the storms that could suddenly descend and destroy everything at any moment, that the Storm Ocean had become a paradise for pirates.
And Hughes’ so-called "choice"—damn it, was that even a choice? It was an outright threat.
He was definitely retaliating, retaliating for them making a move in his territory, retaliating for the tattooed man’s actions against his Scribe.
But the terms he offered were completely irresistible for Gem Bay. No wonder he was so confident.
Could Gem Bay refuse those scarce resources?
Absolutely not. Others might not know, but Jeremiah was well aware of just how desperate the pirates were for ships and armaments.
The Dark Sail Fleet roamed the Storm Ocean undefeated, winning every battle, yet survival had become increasingly difficult it had reached to the point of near stagnation.
Ships were hard to replace, and resources were embargoed by the Empire on land.
They were like rats trapped in a boiling pot, forced to watch as the Empress coldly smirked and let the water evaporate.
As long as Hughes could provide the resources, Gem Bay would immediately carve out a space for him. It would be higher than even Jeremiah himself.
"What are these resources, and how soon can they arrive?" Jeremiah asked stiffly.
"You’ll see them at the port in a month."
Jeremiah’s face twitched. The other party wasn’t even willing to tell him what exactly they were, showing not even a shred of sincerity.
But he really had no choice. He stole a glance at the tattooed man not far away.
That man had come with him, but he only took orders from the Pirate King, he was also there to keep an eye on Jeremiah.
There were many pirate captains. If Jeremiah sabotaged this deal, the Governor would simply replace him and then feed him to the devil fish.
Taking a deep breath, Jeremiah removed the curved blade from his waist, scabbard and all, and solemnly placed it on the table in front of Hughes.
This was pirate etiquette. After reaching an agreement, both parties would exchange an item. Gifting one’s weapon symbolized sincerity and a threat.
If the other party failed to honor the deal, Jeremiah would hunt him down for the rest of his life until his head hung from the ship’s mast.
Hughes casually picked up the curved blade, then nonchalantly pulled a small seashell tangled with sand and mud from his hair and handed it over.
An insult, it was a complete and utter insult!
Jeremiah took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and took another deep breath.
Then, he grabbed the seashell without saying a word and turned to leave.
A month later, he would personally bring his fleet to collect the goods. No, starting tonight, he would begin deploying men at sea to watch, ensuring that this damned lord didn’t sneak back to the mainland.
If, on the delivery day, Hughes couldn’t produce the goods, the Dark Sail Fleet would make sure his head hung from the highest mast.
‘If you have the ability, take your whole island and fly away.’
At the dock, watching the skiff carrying the two pirates leave the island, Alexei looked at Hughes with a complicated expression.
Today had completely shattered his impression of this lord.
To be honest, he hadn’t interacted much with Hughes before. Previously, Hughes had practically left the territory in his hands, rarely showing himself in the manor.
He had thought Hughes was just another useless noble, but he was terribly wrong.
Falling out with pirates was easy, but forcing them to negotiate under pressure was no simple task.
Alexei knew he couldn’t have remained so composed under the tattooed man’s presence.
Just thinking about that eerie man still sent chills down his spine.
And the bargaining chips Hughes had thrown out truly impressed him.
These scarce resources precisely targeted the pirates’ weaknesses, forcing even the arrogant Jeremiah to compromise.
As for whether Hughes could deliver on his promises, Alexei wasn’t too concerned.
A month from now, anything could happen.
With his connections, he could secure some covert support from the royal family. Moreover, this Count was Duke Cohen’s illegitimate son, he just might be able to produce the goods.
Besides, since Hughes was enfeoffed here, a confrontation with the pirates was inevitable.
A month wasn’t a long time, but it was enough to prepare. Alexei didn’t know what cards Hughes held, but as a graduate of the Royal Army Academy, he could certainly contribute.
Alexei realized he was starting to admire his lord.
At the academy, he had been a hawk, naturally drawn to strong-willed leaders. Hughes’ methods resonated with him.
Indeed, as a Frontier Count, none of them were weaklings. It was he who had been too arrogant.
If that was the case, then back when Hughes sent him to negotiate with the pirates...
Alexei smacked his lips.
He had assumed Hughes was too cowardly to face them himself.
But now, he realized how utterly mistaken he had been. Hughes had dared to refuse the sea tax, why would he be afraid to negotiate?
And yet, Alexei had thought he understood Hughes’ intent, bringing money to the pirates...
Alexei clenched his teeth.
Thinking back on today, Hughes had personally intervened, not just to save him, but also to give him a demonstration.
Not only had he avoided losses, but he had also put pressure on the pirates and gained a month’s reprieve.
Shame welled up in Alexei. He lacked Hughes’ cunning and failed to use force to suppress the pirates.
Alexei had climbed from orphan to a seventh-rank official not just through effort, but also by admitting his mistakes and correcting them.
He had done poorly, and if Hughes reprimanded him, he wouldn’t complain.
Alexei straightened his posture.
But then, to his surprise, his lord handed him a curved blade.