"Annie, are you thinking of using the wealth from the treasure to trade?" Perry immediately guessed the fox-eared girl's intention.
"Yes," Annie nodded affirmatively. Although she didn't know what was in the treasure, taking out a portion of it would be enough to buy some weapons.
"Is that really a good idea?" Perry hesitated. She knew the purpose of their father giving them the treasure map; it was for the future restoration of their kingdom.
"Big Sister, establishing a kingdom on the grasslands is the same thing," Annie pointed out opportunely.
"That makes sense." Perry thought about it and felt it was very reasonable. Using the treasure to expand her forces seemed to serve the same principle.
Click!
Annie opened the box, took out half of the treasure map inside, and handed it to Perry, saying, "Big Sister, see for yourself."
After saying that, she sat to the side. It was better for as few people as possible to know about the treasure map. If she knew about it, she was afraid she might not be able to resist blabbing about it later, which would make her feel guilty.
"Alright." Perry didn't decline. She spread out the half of the parchment treasure map, pieced it together with the half on the table, and then examined it carefully.
Over ten minutes passed. Perry compared the treasure map with some locations in her memory, but her face was filled with bitterness.
"Big Sister, what's wrong?" Seeing the lion-eared girl's expression, Annie couldn't help but ask curiously, "Do you not recognize the place?"
"No, see for yourself," Perry said bitterly.
"Could the treasure map be a fake?" Annie stood up and looked down at the map. A few minutes later, her eyes widened as she cried out involuntarily, "How could it be in this place?"
"The Rocky Mountains. The treasure is actually in the Rocky Mountains." Perry shook her head, full of helplessness.
The Rocky Mountains were a mountain range within the Valtoria Kingdom, and also its highest peak. Hiding the treasure in the Rocky Mountains wouldn't have been an issue, but that was in the past.
Now, the other side of the Confinement Mountains was covered in ice and snow. How could they possibly go back to find the treasure? They would probably freeze to death within a few days of going over, let alone find the treasure.
"What was that old man thinking?" Annie grumbled fiercely. She had thought the treasure would be hidden within the Confinement Mountains; only then would they have a chance to retrieve it.
But who would have known it was actually in the Rocky Mountains? How were they supposed to go get it? Just walking there would take dozens of days; they'd likely freeze to death long before arriving.
"Forget it. Let's just pretend we never saw this treasure map." Perry shook her head. She had originally harbored some fantasies about the treasure, but now they were all completely frozen over.
"If only we weren't afraid of the cold." Annie sighed in frustration, wondering if the Master might have a solution.
She hadn't forgotten what the Master had said back when they were in the hot air balloon—that he could take her back to her homeland for a look. Perhaps the Master really did have some way.
She didn't voice this thought. After all, it hadn't been put into practice yet, and she didn't want to pressure the Master.
"If we weren't afraid of the cold, we wouldn't have had to leave back then." Perry couldn't help but laugh. It was precisely because of the freezing cold and food shortages that they had crossed the Confinement Mountains to come here.
"I'll go talk to the Master and see if there's any way." Annie stood up; she had to help her Big Sister out somehow.
"I'll go with you." Perry put away the treasure map and said softly, "There are some things that are better said by me."
"Alright." Annie nodded, taking the lead as she brought Perry and Sally toward the study.
"..." Perry followed silently. She wasn't holding out much hope. Without offering any benefits to others, how could anyone just give them weapons for free?
Step, step, step...
The three of them quickly arrived outside the study. Annie raised her hand and knocked on the door. "Master, may I bring some people in?"
The next second.
"Come in."
"Let's go..." Annie's lips curled up slightly as she pushed the door open and entered.
Creak!
"Welcome, you two." Lucas set down his documents, not looking surprised at all to see Perry and Sally.
What had happened at the castle gates had long since been reported to him.
"Pardon the intrusion," Perry said elegantly.
Sally followed behind with a cold face, merely giving Lucas a nod.
"How is it that Miss Perry is personally escorting the goods this time?" Lucas asked with a faint smile.
He genuinely didn't know why Perry had come. The soldier who came to report only mentioned that Perry happened to know Annie. Although it was a bit of a coincidence, he hadn't thought too much about it.
"Uh..." Perry felt a bit awkward. She hadn't come to escort goods at all.
"Master, Big Sister has a favor to ask," Annie spoke up to help her out.
"Oh? What is it?" Lucas perked up a bit. Could something have happened on the grasslands?
His layout on the Sahara was crucial to his plans for the next few years; nothing could be allowed to go wrong.
"Lord Lucas, I would like to purchase a batch of weapons," Perry said in a deep voice.
"Weapons?" Lucas blanked for a moment before realizing the situation. It must be that their expansion was too fast, causing their military strength to fall behind.
"Yes, I can buy a small batch of weapons first." Perry changed her mind. She planned to use the coins from selling sheep and warhorses to buy weapons, getting as many as she could afford.
"By how many people have you expanded?" Lucas asked curiously.
"This..." Perry hesitated for a moment but still revealed it, "Almost three thousand people."
"And nearly half of them don't have weapons?" Lucas deduced based on his intelligence.
"Yes," Perry said bitterly.
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You can read advance chapters and view R-18 images of the characters on pat reon page.
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200 power stones.
Top 100. All time.