Chapter 1079: The Mule-and-Horse Army of Eight Peaks

From a height perspective, Queen Ariel of the Wood Elves was a giant. She was even taller than two Ryans combined. As a demigod, Ariel was an incarnation of the Elf Mother Goddess Isha, but one couldn’t simply equate an incarnation with the deity itself. There was an indescribable connection between them. According to the Lady of the Lake and Olica, there could be many incarnations (provided they were carefully prepared), and only if a deity was possessing an incarnation and was killed by mortals would the deity truly die.

After lecturing his two sons, Ryan and Sulia met with Queen Ariel. Her towering stature made doors seem too short and rooms too cramped, so Ryan met the Wood Elf Queen in the courtyard.

As usual, Ariel stuck to her absolute isolationist diplomacy. She stated that nothing outside concerned Athel Loren and repeatedly emphasized that Ryan should ensure his subordinates didn’t enter Athel Loren’s forests, or else the Asrai would unleash their wrath.

However, the Wood Elves still needed Ryan’s help. Ariel mentioned that if news of Morghur’s appearance emerged, she and Orion would personally lead their armies to assist. If Bretonnia encountered significant trouble and urgently needed to use the Worldroots, they could discuss it.

Overall, the Wood Elves had been quite generous to Ryan. Thus, the two sides signed further cooperation and mutual aid treaties. The Wood Elves would continue to provide Ryan with jewelry, silk, medicine, and elven warhorses, while Ryan would supply sufficient grain, timber, various ores, salt, and livestock.

Some might ask, why would the Wood Elves need so much timber?

The answer was simple. Athel Loren Forest was never the sole property of the Wood Elves. Essentially, the forest belonged to the treemen and dryads. With the three ancient treemen facing issues, the forest spirits and treemen had grown extremely resentful of the Wood Elves. The only reason they still tolerated the Asrai was that Durthu, the Sword King of the Forest, knew that the treemen and forest spirits alone could no longer protect the entire forest. Additionally, the ancient treeman Adanhu had wished for peace between the Wood Elves and the treemen before his death, preventing a civil war.

Therefore, the Wood Elves could only obtain timber from Athel Loren in a very conservative manner that didn’t harm the trees. Yet, the Wood Elves were major consumers of timber, and much of what they needed had to be imported from outside.

As for forests outside Athel Loren… those weren’t the Wood Elves’ home, nor were they magical forests with forest spirits. They didn’t care.

"I hope you live a long life. The Asrai haven’t seen a king as reliable, capable, and disciplined as you in a long time," Queen Ariel said impatiently before leaving. "I hope you live as long as Trunks."

"Trunks?" Sulia was puzzled. Who was that?

"Trunks is our liaison in Marienburg, responsible for contacting the Forest of Saint Loren in Nordland… oh, you humans call it Laurelorn Forest. He was born in the 76th year of the Imperial Calendar and is now considered an Asrai elder," Ariel explained. "He’s qualified to attend the Council of the Forest."

Ryan: "..."

Born in the 76th year of the Imperial Calendar? That meant this Wood Elf was over 2,400 years old?

No wonder, compared to the Wood Elves, the High Elves were short-lived. This lifespan… Ryan thought to himself, if you’re comparing longevity, you’re still too young. You’ll die before I do! The Sun King spread his hands: "Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I’ll definitely outlive Trunks!"

"I hope so." Ariel was surprised that this human dared to make such a bold claim, but considering his demigod brothers and his own unique abilities, she didn’t press further. The Wood Elf Queen clapped her hands, and a group of legendary Wood Elf units—the Sisters of the Thorn—along with a few Eternal Guards and Wildwood Rangers, brought the Wood Elves’ gifts to Ryan. "In recognition of the many problems you’ve solved for us since your ascension, these are tokens of our friendship. Please accept them."

The Wood Elves’ gifts were incredibly generous.

Twenty-five purebred elven warhorses.

One hundred mixed-blood elven warhorses.

Two hundred Starfire Leaf Bows.

Three hundred Leaf Spears.

Five hundred mixed-blood elven mules. These strong mules, a hybrid of elven warhorses and Athel Loren gray donkeys, could carry up to 2,000 kilograms, travel 40-45 kilometers a day, and maintain maximum load for three days! Below 1,500 kilograms, they could transport goods over long distances. They could pull carts weighing seven to eight tons without issue, though their daily food intake was staggering—about 8 kilograms of corn, 15 kilograms of straw or bran, and preferably some fine feed and sweet fruits.

Four hundred and fifty barrels of Wood Elf fruit wine.

Over one hundred boxes of various medicinal herbs.

Countless other gifts, including jerky, elven jewelry, silk, ornaments, pottery, and handmade items.

Large quantities of goods were exchanged outside the castle, making the Nuln nobles drool with envy.

This was Wood Elf trade?

Love it, love it!

However, to the great disappointment of these Nuln nobles, no matter what they said, what conditions they offered, or how they tried to negotiate, the Wood Elves coldly shook their heads, stating that they only traded with the Oliver Merchant Company, the sole authorized distributor.

The Wood Elves were very sincere with Ryan. The Sun King smiled without saying much and clapped his hands.

The Knight Kingdom also presented its gifts.

Twenty sets of master-crafted dwarf rune full plate armor.

Two hundred sets of finely crafted dwarf armor.

One hundred various dwarf rune weapons.

Over two thousand finely crafted dwarf weapons.

Tens of tons of ores.

Three million kilograms of grain, primarily barley, rye, and wheat, along with various agricultural byproducts (the Wood Elves didn’t farm, relying mostly on foraging, hunting, and herding for food).

One hundred tons of sea salt.

Twenty tons of white and brown sugar.

Twelve thousand livestock and thirty thousand chickens and ducks.

Five hundred barrels of Bretonnian wine.

Ten thousand cubic meters of timber, with more to come.

And finally, the most precious gift—one hundred pieces of amber, collected from across the Old World.

"Working with you is always a pleasure, Sun King," Ariel said, clearly satisfied with Ryan’s gifts. "If you ever face human civil strife, the Asrai will stand by your side."

"I hope that never happens," Ryan nodded.

Ariel left with her entourage, having completed her visit. She would return directly to the King’s Glade in Athel Loren. This trip had been quite fruitful. The Wood Elf Queen, accompanied by the Twilight Sisters and two units of Sisters of the Thorn, escorted a large quantity of goods and departed under the cover of night.

Similarly, the goods brought by the Wood Elves prompted Ryan to pull Sulia close and plant a firm kiss on his wife’s cheek: "My lady! So many wonderful things, all for you!"

"Really, everyone’s watching!" Sulia still wasn’t used to public displays of affection with her husband. The knightly lady blushed and swatted Ryan lightly.

"Ew! Mom and Dad are showing off their love in public!" Devonshire popped up out of nowhere, squinting at his parents and deliberately calling out: "Dad loves to bully Mom, especially when he makes her blush. What a bad dad!"

"Hahahahaha!" The Old Guard and knights around them burst into laughter, while Sulia shyly hid behind her husband, burying her face in Ryan’s back.

"Mom, you should kiss Dad too!" Frederick was even more enthusiastic. The young baron, the eldest son, clapped his hands and shouted in front of everyone: "Mom, prove you’re not inferior to Aunt Sulia!"

"You brat, what are you saying?!" Emilia was so angry she wanted to smack her son’s head.

"Mom, I’m doing this for you!" Frederick continued loudly, drawing everyone’s attention. The eldest son shouted: "Mom, go kiss him! Aunt Sulia kissed his cheek, you can kiss his lips! We can’t lose! Mom, go for it! Your son will always cheer for you!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The entire castle grounds were filled with joyous laughter.

"Ahhhhh!" Emilia was on the verge of a meltdown. How had she raised a son who was so eager to sell out his mother? The Imperial Baroness motioned for her son to come over for a spanking, but Frederick ran off with a mischievous grin: "Mom, stop pretending! In Nuln, you often call out Dad’s name in your sleep, and you frequently take out the love letters he wrote you to read!"

"You, you, you, you, you! Ryan!" Emilia was so embarrassed she couldn’t face anyone. The Imperial Baroness stomped her foot and called out to Ryan in distress: "Look at your son! You deal with him, I’m leaving!"

With that, the Imperial Baroness lifted her skirt and hurried away.

I need to find something for these two sons to do, or else I’ll have to give them a good spanking! Ryan’s forehead was covered in black lines.

Boys have two ages when they’re most annoying. The first is around 6-9 years old, when they’re daring and willing to try anything. The second is around Devonshire and Frederick’s age, right in the middle of their rebellious phase.

That night, both sons were lectured by Ryan again, and he threatened to ground them until the Everqueen left if they kept acting up.

They quickly said, "Dad, I won’t do it again," making Ryan’s head steam with anger.

He truly didn’t understand why his sons were so captivated by the Everqueen.

What? You say my harem also has pointy-ears?

That’s true, but I wasn’t the one captivated by them. Clearly, I’m the one who captivated them!

Ryan didn’t have much time to dwell on this. He had a lot to do the next day.

Early the next morning, the energetic Devonshire and Frederick got up early and, accompanied by a few attendants, went to Cheong Wa Dae to see the Everqueen.

Alarielle’s attitude seemed to have shifted slightly. The Everqueen appeared more polite and willing to converse today. She expressed a desire for Devonshire to show her around Guisoreux and the Earldom of Glamorgan, where King Ryan had risen to power. Seeing that the Everqueen had chosen him, Devonshire eagerly agreed.

Frederick was a bit disappointed, but Alarielle gave him a charming smile, and the eldest son immediately had no objections, quickly tagging along: "I’m familiar with this place too, Your Highness."

After touring the area around Guisoreux, Alarielle noticed the Old Guard barracks in the distance. The sizable barracks were conducting their routine drills.

From afar, the entire structure seemed to radiate a special, glowing energy.

"Do you see that power, Torondil?" White Tower Archmage Alarielle said to the Dragon Prince. "As a prince of Caledor, you should be familiar with it."

"The soul of a strong army," the Dragon Prince’s expression was uncharacteristically serious. He murmured: "An army that’s only been around for a little over a decade has already cultivated something like this. These mon… humans are truly living in a good era."

The opportunity had arrived. Alarielle gave Devonshire a faint smile and politely asked, her beautiful emerald eyes filled with curiosity: "I’ve long heard of the Old Guard’s majesty, Mr. Devonshire. May we visit the barracks?"

Frederick immediately frowned.

Devonshire was momentarily stunned. The Sun King’s eldest son’s eyes flashed with something, and the baron pretended to think for a moment before reluctantly saying: "Your Highness, I’ll need to ask Marshal Bertrand and Sir Raymond. Please wait a moment."

"Alright." Alarielle’s eyes sparkled. The ethereal Everqueen gently held the sides of her skirt, took a step back with her right foot, and bowed in a flawless gesture.

The secret to the Sun King’s rise to power seemed to lie with this baron.

---

While the Everqueen and her entourage toured the Old Guard barracks, Ryan was having breakfast with King Belegar of Eight Peaks. Belegar’s son, young Thorgrim, was also present.

Since his last visit to Bretonnia, Belegar hadn’t gone far. The King of Eight Peaks had traveled around the southern realms and the northern coast of Araby, partly to see if any dwarves were willing to join Eight Peaks and contribute to its great revival, and partly to purchase rare metals for the repair and construction of dwarf statues.

Belegar had indeed found two groups. The first was the pirate crew of Long Drong. Originally a dwarf merchant company, they had been caught in a storm at sea, losing all their cargo. Unable to repay their debts, Long Drong and his men chose to become pirates, shaving their heads and beards to become dwarf slayers.

Belegar offered them a chance to return to dwarf society. As the King of Eight Peaks, he had the authority to do so. The dwarf pirates naturally wanted to return to dwarf society, and the two sides quickly reached an agreement.

The second group was a dwarf prospecting team on the northern coast of Araby, numbering about two to three hundred. They had been idling after mining their site, as their homeland in the Old World had long been overrun by Skaven. Hearing that the King of Eight Peaks, who had slain Queek Headtaker, had arrived, they were willing to join the Angrund Clan. Belegar smoothly recruited them.

Of course, whenever Ryan and his brothers called, Belegar would immediately come with his men.

Breakfast was laid out on the table: toast, Thuringian sausage, fried eggs, two slices of bacon, two slices of tomato, a small bowl of well-stewed green beans, and a steaming cup of goat’s milk.

Belegar ate heartily as if he were at home, praising the human chefs while asking the dark elf for more. Olica smiled sweetly and complied, arranging for the maids, led by Sylvia, to work overtime.

"Brother Belegar, I’ve prepared two hundred mixed-blood elven mules and four hundred ordinary mules for you," Ryan handed a list to Belegar, whose white beard was smeared with sauce and goat’s milk.

"With these mules, I can follow your plan and transform Eight Peaks’ elite dwarf army into a mule-and-horse force," Belegar took the list and glanced at it, nodding in satisfaction.

The mobility of dwarf armies had always been a significant issue. Dwarves were adept at long marches but slow in short, rapid movements. Their logistics and artillery transport still relied on outdated and primitive methods—human labor and handcarts. Only Zhufbar had invented steam locomotives, but they were limited to the roads around Zhufbar.

Thus, Ryan proposed the concept of a mule-and-horse army, where dwarven weapons and soldiers would be transported by mules, while infantry would still march on foot. Artillery would also be mule-drawn, ensuring mobility and rapid transport during battles.

However, all dwarf kingdoms rejected Ryan’s mule-and-horse army concept, citing "the ways of our ancestors cannot be changed." Even King Rorek Stonefist of Karak Hirn considered it an insult. How could noble dwarves ride in carts pulled by mules? Were these humans looking down on them?

Only Belegar and his Eight Peaks dwarves were willing to give it a try. For the Eight Peaks dwarves, they had fought side by side with the Bretonnians. Eight Peaks had been reclaimed with the help of Ryan and his Bretonnians. In this context, Belegar and his dwarves believed Ryan wouldn’t deceive them. Moreover, the awakened Valaya had vouched for Ryan, so the argument of "the ways of our ancestors cannot be changed" didn’t hold.

Why not try Brother Ryan’s idea?

Perhaps this could bring a revolutionary change to the dwarves, who weren’t known for their speed!