Chapter 772: The Arrival of the Relics


    Trantor: Transn Editor: Meh


    With the help of a Sigil of Listening, Rnd received the result for thest holy duel, including everything that happened in the Land of Fire, by that afternoon.


    Instantly he summoned Maggie, Lightning, and Nana to his office.


    "There is a severely wounded witch in the Iron Sand City who needs your treatment." Rnd looked at the three energetic girls—no, two girls and one legal girl, and said, "Prepare tonight and leave tomorrow. No need for haste as long as you arrive at Fallen Dragon Ridge by tomorrow evening and reach Iron Sand City the following day. Ashes will be there to receive you."


    "Do both of us need to go?" Lightning asked, indicating Maggie and herself.


    "Yes. I feel better when you’re together," Rnd said, nodding. "Besides, Maggie needs to be assisted when tying Nana onto her back, doesn’t she? Remember to wear more clothing, it’s hard to fly in freezing weather."


    Nana couldn’t help but shiver when she looked out the window at the falling snow.


    "Understood. I promise, she will be delivered on time!" Maggie said as she raised her hand.


    "Flying there is not a problem..." Lightning pouted, "but, if you want to start exploring the snow mountain, please wait until Ie back! Missing it would have me in tears."


    "Um... the moment when a great explorer cries... that’s definitely a scene worth recording." Noticing the serious expression on Lightning’s face, Rnd couldn’t help butugh. He knew that since the news about the possibility of a relic on the snow mountain had spread, Lightning had been looking forward to it. "Of course, you’re all crucial members of the expedition. I can assure you of that."


    "That’s settled then." Lightning patted her chest in relief as she said, "You can counting on us, we’ll cure the wounded sister."


    "You can also tend to other Sand Nation civilians along the way. But, don’t stay for too long." Rnd kept on going, "You should return on the day Nana has exhausted her magic power and take the same route when you return. Understand?"


    With the relocation of Taqu survivors drawing to an end, he should start an expedition to the snow mountain. However, without Nana staying in Neverwinter, he did not dare to hastily send the witches to that unknownnd.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    "Alright."


    "Coo!"


    The three of them answered simultaneously.


    After they had left, Rnd leaned on his chair and let out a sigh of relief.


    Nightingale stuck her head out from behind Rnd as she asked,"Does this mean that you’ve sessfully taken over the Southernmost Region?"


    "I’d say we’ve only taken the first step," Rnd said, smiling. "There are still many things to do."


    After over a month of fighting, the Desert Mission hade to a temporary truce.


    Unfortunately, the following migration was going to be the challenging task.


    Rnd fetched the map from the corner of his desk andid it out. His sightnded on the southern territory of Graycastle. He had conveyed his n to offer the Sand Nation civilians a new oasis before Iron Axe had departed. The preferred location would be the border area that had lost a lord and most of its popce. It had been sessively struck by civil wars, that had been started by Timothy and Garcia. The main cities like the Port of Clearwater and Eagle City had been turned into ruins. The surrounding small towns and farnd had also been destroyed..


    With the refugees flowing into Neverwinter, the southern territory became a deste wastnd. Rather than leaving them to ruin, Rnd decided to let the Sand Nation reim them. They could start at the junctions, between the desert and greennd, and gradually rebuild the Port of Clearwater.


    By doing this, workers who were exploiting ckwater could start off at the Port of Clearwater, and reach the southern point of the desert by sea. ording to Iron Axe’s report, most of the underground Styx’s Riversy to the south of the Land of Fire, mostly under the Endless Cape. In that area, ckwater tributaries flowed close to the ground and near the coastline. Whenpared to the danger-riddennd route, traveling along the coastline was much safer apparently. Given the present technology level of Neverwinter, the coastline was undoubtedly the preferred exploitation location.


    It would take some time for these events to take effect in the Southernmost Region. ns that heard the news might not leave for the Southern Territory immediately. Regardless, the temptation of an oasis would be irresistible to the Sand Nation civilians. Even if only a few ns move there in the beginning, eventually more would follow and ultimately be Rnd’s subjects.


    Thus, not only would he gain argebor force and prevent thend from going to waste, but the revived residence would also stop the roving bandits that traveled ind. This made it so Rnd didn’t need to deploy arge force of manpower to work in the desert and the subjects that wanted to live in the Southern Territory would also find an abode.


    Of course, there were hidden dangers as well.


    One challenge would be merging his people with the Ironsand people of the Mojin n.


    Yet, Rnd wasn’t overly concerned.


    Leaving aside the unawakened democracy, this world’s religions were thought-provoking enough—they didn’t require one to be too religious, but more like a pure nature worship. Both of the nations used the samenguage; the Sand Nation’s lifestyle and customs were not so much a special culture, but more of an adaption to the desert. Iron Axe and Echo were perfect examples. The two of them had roamed all the way to Border Town, and fit in well without too much difficulty.


    As long as hisw enforcement was strict and the punishments and rewards were fair, Rnd believed that the Ironsand people of the Mojin n would also be qualified workers.


    Just in case there was a rebellion, the First Army that had been stationed in the Southern Territory and Fallen Dragon Ridge happened to be more than mere ornaments.


    The more pressing issue Rnd cared about was following up on the hybrid demonic beasts Iron Axe mentioned, that had attacked the witches. If his recollection was urate, it sounded like an unavoidable ident had caused the desertification of the Southernmost Region. Geographically speaking, this piece of pointynd adjacent to the maind was not far from Graycastle, which made such an abrupt change happening highly unlikely. Unfortunately, for the moment, he was too short-handed to explore the Southernmost Region, so he would have to ignore this quandary temporarily.


    While what the demonic hybrid did was inconceivable—this abnormal lifeform owned a modicum of intelligence. Rnd had learned this from his own experience, so, what had driven it to attack the witches despite the risk? If the ind demonic beasts had sieged the human cities under the influence of the relics of gods, then the Four-winged Eagle had obviously attacked witches for some other reason.


    While Rnd was thinking hard, Wendy and Phyllis knocked on the door before they walked in. "Your Majesty, thest batch of facilities that had been shipped from Taqu will arrive at the Third Border City soon. Pasha invited you to meet her underground."


    "Finally they arrived." Rnd became excited when he heard the news. The so-called Third Border City was actually an underground bunker that had been built under the Impassable Mountain Range. This ce functioned simr to a city and essentially served as a secret stronghold. Thest batch of facilities was the Instrument of Divine Retribution and the relics of gods. To ensure their safe arrival, the First Army that had been stationed at Neverwinter provided the escort.


    "What about the demonic beasts? Any movement?"


    "No sign of a massive gathering for the moment."


    "Is that so..." Rnd stood up and said, "Let’s get started then."