Chapter 163: The Coastal City (2)
Aquaz spoke calmly, steering the conversation back to the purpose of their visit. "Perhaps you could explain the situation now, my lord?”
"Ah, yes, of course," Lord Bulkan replied, hastily collecting his thoughts. He began with renewed thanks. "First, allow me to express my gratitude once again. Thank you sincerely for traveling such a great distance to offer us aid. I assure you, we will ensure you are appropriately rewarded for your efforts in the future."
Regardless of the circumstances, these individuals had come to help him, and for that, they deserved his thanks. Wiping away another bead of sweat, the lord delved into the heart of the matter.
"Near our city, within the sea, there existed a city of merfolk. Our two communities have maintained exchanges for generations, dating back a long time,” Lord Bulkan said.
"Were there never any troubles between you?" Aquaz inquired.
"Absolutely none!" the lord asserted emphatically. "Antagonizing the merfolk while living in a coastal city? Only a complete fool would do such a thing, and a fool like that could never survive by the sea."
"Hm?" Ketal’s eyebrow twitched slightly. There was a peculiar undertone to the lord's words, a distinct implication that one absolutely must not displease the merfolk.
His curiosity aroused, Ketal asked Lord Bulkan, "It sounds like you maintain a positive relationship with the merfolk, then. You don't try to enslave them or anything of that sort?"
His question drew stunned expressions from everyone else present.
"What could you possibly mean by that?" the lord exclaimed, his face aghast, as though Ketal had uttered something truly unthinkable. "Where on earth would you find a madman capable of such a thing?"
"Is that so?" Ketal mused aloud. "I had heard instances of elves being captured as slaves, so I simply assumed merfolk might face a similar situation. Apparently, that's not the case."
"O-of course not!" the lord sputtered. "Merfolk are entirely different from elves."