Chapter 31: Right of First Negotiation

While the doctor examined the pot, the clan members watched anxiously from behind, clearly waiting for the old man to confirm that it was Silask. After carefully inspecting the leaves and examining it from all angles, the doctor finally declared:

"It is indeed Silask."

"Damn! Unbelievable!"

"Thank you, Lord!"

"Then hurry, let's prepare it! Hey? Sir Wincen is struggling to breathe!"

A short cheer erupted at the doctor's words. They embraced each other, offering prayers of gratitude to the gods. The only ones standing in the center were the chief, Kakantir.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. Compared to existing records, it is definitely Silask. The number and thickness of the leaves, the color, the scent, and the shape of the roots all match our expectations. Moreover, as the foreigner testified, the flower has not withered since it bloomed."

The most important characteristic had already been confirmed through Wincen, so there was nothing more to add. The chief nodded and urged them on.

"Then hurry and prepare the medicine."

"However..."

A very slight hesitation. But it was enough to freeze the atmosphere in the tent.

"The quantity is the issue."

"Quantity?"

"The records state that boiling three roots is necessary for a complete cure. Sir Wincen is already very weak, and there are only two roots in this pot. It will likely only alleviate the immediate crisis."

The quantity was insufficient. But they decided to focus on the positive reality.

"Even alleviating the immediate crisis is a blessing. Prepare the decoction quickly. Start with one root."

"Yes, Kakantir."

"And bring Ian from outside..."

The man hesitated as he gave the order. Everyone looked at him curiously, wondering what was going on. Kakantir pondered for a moment before correcting the title.

"Bring Sir Ian Brats."

Regardless, he had brought the Silask to help the chief. Whatever his intentions, it was a clear act of goodwill, both as a chief and as a member of the Tianli people. They had an obligation to keep their promise.

* * *

Ian calmly entered the tent. He seemed to have already heard the commotion inside from outside. He looked at the pot on the table and smiled.

"Do you know that this is the last one? It seems especially red today."

"Sir Ian Brats."

He placed his hand on his chest in greeting, the same etiquette he had shown at the mansion in Nersarn. When Kakantir greeted him, his subordinates also bowed their heads.

"I sincerely thank you for your help."

"I heard the quantity is insufficient."

"Still, your help was invaluable. While we're on the topic, I have a question. Would you like to sit down first?"

His attitude had clearly changed. As the chief of the Tianli clan, he was not showing complete respect, but his words were filled with respect.

"Please speak."

"Can more Silask be obtained from Brats?"

If Wincen dies, someone in the clan will take her place. This is an unchanging truth. And over time, that person will also need Silask. In the long run, cultivating the red flower is essential for the Tianli clan.

"I cannot be certain."

"Please explain in more detail, so I can understand."

"The pot is indeed mine. But more precisely..."

Ian hesitated for a moment. To explain the exact origin of the pot, he would have to mention Filia, which would imply that he was not a full member of the Brats family.

It was something he would reveal eventually, but whether now was the right time was another matter. As Ian fell silent, everyone in the tent watched his mouth as if their lives depended on it.

"Sir Ian?"

"I apologize. I've had it since I was young, but I don't know how it came to me. There is someone who might know, but I can't meet them right now. I can only contact them in about a fortnight to a month."

To obtain Silask, Brats, which could be reached within a few days, was more advantageous than the uncertain journey to the southern kingdom.

"Does that mean Lord Derga doesn't know about Silask?"

"There was no one in the Brats mansion who knew about the flower. I only learned about it after coming here."

He had intended to formally request it as a trade item, but it was difficult since it wasn't circulating even within Brats. Kakantir tapped the table, lost in thought.

"...Why does it take a fortnight to a month to contact them?"

It was a distance that could be reached in four to five days if one really wanted to. Was the person who knew about Silask somewhere else? Kakantir's guess seemed correct as Ian nodded.

"There are some circumstances that make it difficult to see in Brats."

"Can I ask for more details?"

"...Actually, I would like to, but I need one more promise from you."

What could it be this time? Was he going to ask to be sent back to Brats?

'That would be a bit difficult.'

"Give me the right of first negotiation over the Brats family."

"The right of first negotiation?"

Ian's words caused a stir among those in the back. Weren't they all bound to the Brats family? The right of first negotiation between father and son? That implied an internal conflict.

Kakantir frowned and asked.

"Do you intend to challenge your father?"

"The strongest should lead, isn't that true for the Tianli clan as well?"

Yes, he couldn't really argue with that. The Tianli clan embodied the law of the survival of the fittest. Kakantir realized that this conversation was becoming increasingly interesting.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot grant the right of first negotiation. You can't immediately mobilize the Brats soldiers, nor can you increase the grain supply to us, can you?"

It meant, 'Why should I trust you, a nobody, with such a promise?' But Ian noticed the smile on Kakantir's lips, which suggested he was curious about what Ian would reveal.

"Fine. I'll tell you first. In return, if you think this information is significant enough to warrant the right of first negotiation, swear to the gods to keep your promise to me."

"I swear."

There was no risk in it. Kakantir leaned back in the soft wool chair, urging Ian to speak. But his body stiffened immediately at Ian's next words.

"The imperial army will come down with the inspection team. The charge is treason due to tax evasion. The name Brats might be completely erased within a month."

"What? Treason?"

"What did he just say?"

"The imperial army is coming?"

The tent was in an uproar, everyone disbelieving the bombshell. Kakantir's deep brown eyes stared intently at Ian. Even without the abilities of a fortune-teller like Wincen, he could tell Ian was telling the truth.

"Is it true?"

"I swear to the heavens it is true."

"How do you know this?"

"People from the central government came down before the peace ceremony to assess my suitability. I heard it from them."

"If Brats is destroyed, you won't be safe either, will you?"

"That's why I came here. If Brats is destroyed, the Tianli clan will also be in trouble, won't they?"

The Brats family and the Tianli clan. They shared a border and maintained a precarious relationship. They were not friendly, but they respected each other's territories.

But if Brats disappeared and the emperor's central army stationed there? Would the emperor of the empire really be as hesitant to deal with the barbarians on the frontier as Derga? Even if a new lord was appointed, would they engage in trade?

It would be a tremendous event that would completely change the situation.

"What about Lord Derga? Does he know?"

"I don't think so. Even if he did, it would only lead to unnecessary bloodshed. Treason is punishable by beheading, regardless of the emperor's leniency. I came here to protect my territory to the best of my ability."

"What do you mean?"

"After my father dies and the territory is left empty, I would like you to lead your warriors and enter the Brats territory with me."

"That's absurd! Kakantir!"

An old man listening from behind gasped in shock. But unlike him, Kakantir and Nersarn's eyes gleamed with sharpness. They had noticed that Ian was hiding something else.

"If Derga dies, the emperor's central army will take over the territory. We would be in trouble if we faced them."

"I understand. But they will try to avoid conflict with you."

Because they are preparing a real rebellion. They won't risk fighting the barbarians on the frontier, especially an unverified enemy.

"Why?"

"You are asking a lot from me, Chief."

It was a refusal to reveal more.

Kakantir's tapping on the table grew faster, indicating his complex thoughts.

"The Tianli clan only needs to stand behind me. It would be great if you could add a statement like this: 'From the perspective of our long-standing alliance with Brats, the Tianli clan stands with Ian Brats, who has become part of our family.'"

"Then, the empire might turn their swords on us?"

"Against the vast desert and the strongest warriors? I doubt it. It would be the opposite."

From the central government's perspective, they would think Ian is the best person to manage the territory and effectively deal with the Tianli clan. Ian could also hint that he might go to war for the territory's independence.

If the territory becomes independent, all the efforts to eliminate Derga would be in vain.

"The empire's wars don't always require swords. They will