Upon hearing Count Witre’s words, Charlotte smiled:
"Lord Envoy, are you trying to deceive , suggesting I don’t understand the value of Regular Transcendent soldiers?"
"Ordinary conscripted soldiers aside, as far as I know, the monthly salary for an Apprentice priest in the Divine Hall starts at 15 gold tanas. While the compensation for Regular Transcendent soldiers may not match that of priests, their military pay is also above 7 gold tanas a month..."
As she spoke, her expression gradually turned cold:
"Do you entertain the thought of ransoming back Regular Transcendent soldiers with less than two years’ worth of their pay?"
Despite appearing quite young, despite the youthfulness, and even sowhat childlike tone in her voice, the mont the girl’s deanor grew icy, Count Witre felt as though the temperature in the entire Council chamber had dropped a few degrees.
Facing Charlotte’s cold eyes, Count Witre felt an indescribable pressure welling up in his heart.
Despite holding titles of equal rank, despite the vast difference in their ages, at this mont he felt as if a lower-ranked individual was in the awe-inspiring presence of a superior.
This contradictory sensation made him extrely uncomfortable, and yet his pressure multiplied.
Almost instantly, he realized that the girl before him was not rely a Lord with considerable reputation, but also a powerful Transcendent.
At least... her strength was far superior to his as a Silver Moon Mage, and only this could explain how she, with but a few words, could exert such imnse pressure on him.
The pressure didn’t co from those words, nor did it co from the tone in which they were spoken.
It stemd from the spiritual power contained within the words, and from the way the flow of magic power throughout the entire Council chamber seed to change with the fluctuations of her emotions...
She was a formidable Spellcaster!
Far surpassing a regular Silver Moon!
Count Witre imdiately ca to such a conclusion.
And this realization also brought him a greater shock...
Because he knew very well that this young girl before him was, just two years ago, a noble who had not even awakened her bloodline powers!
Divine Lord above...
Having obtained Transcendent power far exceeding that of a regular Silver Moon in just a span of two years, could it be that after His Majesty of the New Moon Kingdom, another Transcendent genius, seen once in a millennium, was about to erge?!
Count Witre’s thoughts tumbled, his spirit shaken.
Taking a deep breath, his deanor beca even more respectful:
"Count, a ransom of one hundred gold tanas per person is a long-standing custom. Even during the Star Moon War, the Falling Star Kingdom paid the sa amount to His Majesty the King for each Extraordinary Soldier..."
"If you are not satisfied with this, we can increase the ransom price by a quarter on top of this basis to demonstrate our sincerity."
"Additionally, for the nobles you have captured, depending on their titles, we are willing to pay from one thousand to ten thousand gold tanas for their ransom."
"Of course, if you are unsatisfied, you may also negotiate directly with their families..."
"Furthermore, this is rely the ransom price; we will also cover all the costs of food and accommodation during their captivity."
Charlotte furrowed her brows and turned to look at Viscount Lien Castel beside her.
The Old Viscount then leaned closer to her and whispered:
"Count, the ransom price offered for the soldiers by Duke of Violet is quite reasonable. One hundred gold tanas per person is indeed the customary ’going rate’ for ransoming Extraordinary Soldiers among nobles."
Speaking, he paused and then added with profound significance:
"Of course, this is only limited to the ransom of soldiers..."
Upon hearing the Old Viscount’s words, Charlotte had a slight movent in her heart and nodded.
To be honest, she didn’t have much use for those soldiers. Although she had been recruiting them for so ti, the results had been limited.
The majority of Extraordinary Soldiers have families and do not wish to leave their hos, and most are also loyal to their own Lords; it is difficult to sway them without significant expense.
And with that expense, Charlotte felt she might as well train her own Extraordinary Soldiers.
"Lord Witre, we can accept the ransom."
Charlotte stated.
Count Witre heaved a sigh of relief.
"However... we must keep those confiscated armants,"
Charlotte pivoted seamlessly in conversation.
"That’s impossible!"
Count Witre almost blurted out subconsciously.
"Oh? Impossible? Are you suggesting, perhaps, you want to redeem not only the people but even their armors and weapons with just one hundred gold tanas?"
Charlotte said with a light laugh.
Count Witre awkwardly scratched his head and said,
"No... of course not."
"As for the extraordinary equipnt you’ve confiscated, we are also willing to redeem it at a price twenty-five percent above market value..."
Upon hearing Count Witre’s words, Charlotte’s smile brightened:
"Lord Count, you jest again."
"How precious enchanted transcendent armants are, I am not unaware. On the black market, even the poorest quality enchanted gear can sell for three thousand gold tanas..."
"However, that’s just the price."
"Ordinary equipnt aside, as far as I know, only alchemists and mages are capable of forging enchanted transcendent equipnt, and more often than not, they are priceless."
"Lord Count, perhaps the transcendent equipnt we’ve confiscated could indeed sell for less than Violet’s ransom on the black market, but if we wanted to purchase these armants with the sa amount of gold tanas, it would be utterly impossible."
"In so ways, the value of these enchanted armors and weapons is even more precious than that of soldiers."
"Exchanging transcendent armants for gold tanas is already a losing trade, not to ntion... when has Castel ever lacked gold tanas?"
After listening to Charlotte, Count Witre furrowed his brow and said,
"My lord, from what you’re saying, could it be that you intend to keep the captured transcendent equipnt to form Castel’s own standing army?"
"Forgive my frankness, but each set of transcendent equipnt capable of forming a magic energy formation has its own maintenance system and upkeep thods, and activating the formations also requires specialized spell models..."
"Without these, even if you have obtained the equipnt, they are rely ordinary enchanted armants, completely incapable of forming a magic energy formation."
"Of course, if you are hoping to exchange the relevant technology with us, that’d be impossible too. The Duke would never agree. How to construct and maintain an extraordinary army is, after all, a noble family’s secret..."
Charlotte smiled and said,
"Lord Witre, I am well aware of this, and I do not expect that rely with the equipnt we’ve confiscated, we can build our own transcendent army for Castel."
Upon hearing Charlotte’s words, Count Witre breathed a sigh of relief.
Not having the intention to form an extraordinary army with the confiscated transcendent equipnt ant that Castel did not absolutely need to keep these enchanted items.
And as long as they didn’t absolutely need to keep the equipnt, there was room for negotiation.
The thousands of sets of transcendent equipnt Castel had confiscated were exceedingly difficult to create. The war had drained Bowat Linte’s savings accumulated over decades.
Before he left, Duke of Violet had emphasized, ti and again, to bring those transcendent armants back at any cost.
"My lord, then... what conditions are necessary for you to return that equipnt to us?"
"If you find our sincerity lacking, we are willing to increase the price by another ten percent. Additionally, we will unconditionally restore the territories still under occupation to Castel, as well as recognize Castel’s independence, and the sovereignty over Tulip Count Domain."
"We can also promise support for your side in the upcoming Noble Council of the Kingdom..."
"What do you think?"
Count Witre asked respectfully.
"No, I do not need gold tanas."
Charlotte shook her head.
Saying so, she looked at Count Witre and smiled,
"I want transcendent materials equivalent to the worth of those armants and... a reliable way to consistently obtain transcendent materials."
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