Enlightened Empire

Chapter 270

A violent cough assaulted Atau, which caused him to drop the cup in his hand, and the drink with it.

Ever since he had experienced his first sip, the admiral had been a big fan of coffee. So when the dark-skinned foreigner had pushed a cup with a steaming, brown drink into his hands, he wasn't shy and accepted it without a second thought. It turned out to be a terrible decision.

Seconds later, a fire burned in his mouth and all the way down his throat. Somehow, he felt like the drink had solidified on its way down and dropped into his stomach like a stone. To the background noise of a laughing local, Atau wheezed and coughed. In the meantime, his crew scrambled around to get him a drink that wasn't poison and could wash away the pain. Only after a good while did his mouth calm down enough for him to regain his senses. Though even then, his entire mouth still felt numb, inside and out. And in the meantime, the foreigner had long moved on, disappeared into the crowd so he wouldn't be punished.

With a grim look, Atau sipped the water he had received from one of his men while he watched the market from the shade of a tree he had never seen before. Again, things weren't going the way he had imagined. In fact, after they had passed the Cape of the Beast, they truly hadn't experienced any one event worse on their journey. Still, their travels had been an endless struggle ever since.

Past the cape, they first had to travel back down along the Amsalew lands. While the western side of the landmass wasn't as barren as the east, that could hardly be called a good thing. After all, more people lived along the western shores as a result, and as far as Atau had experienced, at least four out of five of them were pirates.

Now that he saw the market here, he realized that these pirates had picked the right profession. From their safe havens in western Amsalew, they would row to the rich trade centers in the far southwest for their raids. However, the pirates had been glad to see that for once, food had been delivered straight to their doorsteps, and they had been glad to accept it. Unfortunately for Atau, that food had been his fleet.

Once they had smelled blood, the countless pirates of the continent bit into the fleet's heels and wouldn't let go. With their superior ships and experienced crew, they somehow managed to fight their way through and once more reached civilized lands.

However, much had changed on their continued circumnavigation of the continent. No longer were his men motivated, no longer were they strong and optimistic about their goals. While Atau couldn't exactly blame them, he was still vexed. After all, that sort of attitude helped none of the get home.

In the end, they managed to return to civilization, but their troubles still hadn't ended. On their first shore leave in safety, another dozen sailors disappeared into the night and never returned to the ships. It was the second instance of mutiny after their rest in Borna, though not quite as bad as the first time.

These guys had simply had enough of the cutthroat life aboard their ships. Though they had mutinied, at least they weren't spies this time. When his second-in-command had asked Atau if they should pursue them inland, the admiral had only sighed and let them go. Maybe they would have happier lives without the hardships of the sea. At least Atau hoped so.

Though if they could see the scene right now, maybe they would regret their decisions. As the fleet traveled further west, they had soon found the lands along the shoreline more prosperous with every day they sailed. Where Amsalew shores were dominated by small fishing villages and pirates, now the cities were surrounded by ancient stone walls, covered in strange runes.

Yet despite their sturdy walls, they were also port towns, one and all, which collected the many different goods from inland and from the many islands that lay further out at sea. Compared to the pirates, the people who lived here also had far more welcoming attitudes, not that that was much of a surprise.

As soon as he had come off the ship today, Atau had been greeted by an extensive – though temporary – market right along the harbor. With wares laid out on blankets all along the shores in front of the walls, it stretched as far as he could see. Not even the great markets in cities like Whiteport or Arguna could compare to this splendor.

With reckless abandon, the foreigners laid out wares of incredible value like they were nothing. Though Atau couldn't communicate with the strange foreigners, he could still smell well enough. The sharp mix of scents in the air made it clear that there were plenty of spices on offer, both those familiar and those new to Atau. In all vibrant colors one could imagine, there were plenty of powdered dyes as well. And most of all, an entire half of the market was devoted to fruits, vegetables, and animals.

Since Atau had started his journey, much had changed, most of all he himself. However, the booklet his cousin Corco had given him had been his constant companion ever since he had started his first expeditions many years ago. Within its pages were hidden names and descriptions for all kinds of strange plants, stones and animals. Corco considered all of them valuable additions to their future kingdom. Atau, for one, was determined to make good on his promises and return home with treasures for Medala. Thus, he had thrown himself into the market and flailed about with hands and arms to make himself heard and strike some deals. Though in the end, all it had brought him was a sore throat and a persistent cough. While he was still struggling to get his bearing, an unexpected voice surprised him.

“You really shouldn't be drinking the spicy caocao of the Sadrasta people, friend in foreign lands. They like it hot enough to light a fire in your stomach.”

“You speak Chutwa.” Astonished, Atau stared up to the man who had suddenly appeared next to him. Both his dress and his features were familiar to the admiral, even though he was sure they had never met before. After all, the young man looked like someone from the south-western continent, from the area around the Verduic Sea. This region from Medala in the east to Chutwa in the west was where Atau had spent most of his youth, the place he called home.

“One would hope so, since I was born there.” The other chuckled, but Atau was only more flabbergasted.

“You're from the Chutwa Empire,” he realized in utter shock.

“Born and raised. Is that a surprise? I thought you were as well.”

For a second, Atau stared at the stranger with wide eyes, before he began to laugh uncontrollably. Finally, after years of darkness, he could see the light of dawn on the night sky. If Chutwa merchants were here in this port, didn't that mean that they were once again close to Chutwa? Didn't that mean that they were almost home? Encouraged, Atau turned to the merchant, only to see him back away with a wary face.

“Wait!” he called out and raised his hands, realizing how scary he must have looked, just laughing like that by himself.

“Please wait,” he repeated in a calmer tone.

Although the Chutwa merchant stopped, he still looked at him with suspicion.

“As you might have seen, neither me nor my people know the local language,” Atau continued. “I would like to ask if you could play translator and help me strike some deals with the local merchants. I can make it worth your while.”

“I doubt it would be worth it for me. I could spend that time better by finding my own deals, rather than help you find yours,” the merchant replied. “Even more, I have my own people, and my own boss to answer to. I don't have the time for anything else.”

“Don't reject my offer so quickly,” Atau said. “Your position isn't as great as you claim it to be. Just from here, I can see other people who dress and look like you all over the market. Those are your people, right? The fact that you're not traveling with them tells me that you're not valued by them, or at least you're not a proper part of their group. I'll tell you now, you'd be better off making some money with me, rather than running around here all by yourself.”

“Astute, for a foreigner.” The merchant's eyes glittered. “Indeed, I travel with them out of necessity, and I aim to fill my pockets with gold on this trip and strike my own path once we return home. The question is: What can you offer me that is worth more than the time I will waste?”

Without another word, Atau opened a small box he had been carrying around. Inside, he revealed the purple dye he had brought along for trade. “Don't believe that I'm poor just because I don't understand the locals. I'm probably the richest man in this place.”

“This is...” Lost for words, the foreigner reached for the dye, but Atau snapped the lid shut before the Chutwa man's hands reached. A bit apart from them, two of Atau's men also came closer to make sure no one tried anything bold and stupid around the valuable dye.

“...worth more than your entire ship, I bet,” Atau finished the man's sentence. “You can get some if you can act as a competent guide and translator for my stay here. Do we have a deal?”

“Deal.” With a refreshed smile, the Chutwa merchant shook Atau's hand.

For the rest of the day, the Chutwa merchant would lead Atau around the market and introduce all the local goods to him. It seemed like the Chutwa had semi-regular interactions with the local people here, so he knew most of the local goods by heart.

“This is clove, a spice used for preserving meats around these parts, but in Chutwa it is used for all manner of things. It only grows on the islands to the north-west, so it is very valuable.” The strange spice looked wooden, like tiny trees in a basket. Atau wondered if they would be ground up or used whole, but he didn't doubt their effect. Even from a distance, he could smell the powerful, pungent odor.

“This ugly thing here is a cassava, a stocky root the people here use for food when times are tough. It is quite bland, so I am unsure why they eat it in the first place. I would rather stick to rice like a civilized person.”

Although his words were harsh, Atau had to agree with the merchant. Some of the locals had stacked the ugly vegetable high in several baskets. They would have been a dirty brown even if they hadn't been covered in dirt. Even so, Atau bought a few, since they were on his list.

“These are caocao beans. You just tried the drink made from them, if you remember. In these regions, they are considered a delicacy, and some more primitive folk to the east even use them as currency. But anywhere outside of their sphere of influence, they are almost useless. While the taste is unique, they are hard and bitter. I am sure you would agree that a proper Chutwa tea is far preferable.”

“This is caocao? Then why would Laqhis want this stuff?” Atau mumbled to himself while he looked at the small, dark-brown beans.

“Oh, you've heard of them before?” the merchant asked in curiosity.

“I have them on my list,” Atau said.

In truth, many things in this market were on the list. If the route from the west of Medala and around Chutwa wasn't too far, he was determined to return here after his circumnavigation to buy even more. Although the merchant wanted to ask Atau what he meant by 'list', the admiral had already moved on, because for the first time since his arrival here, he had met something he didn't need an explanation for. And he was drawn to it straight away.

By now, they had come right next to the animal market, another place Atau planned to search thoroughly. After all, there were many animals on Corco's list. And among them, there was one particular creature that his cousin had put special emphasis on, something of more importance to Medala than almost anything else.

“These are-” The merchant followed Atau's gaze and began to explain, but the Yaku interrupted him.

“Horses!” the admiral shouted, and observed the strange animal in detail. The beast stood on four legs and was hairy and scruffy all over. With a dumb face, it stood and gazed into nothing while it chewed on who-knew-what with its giant teeth. On four legs, it stood taller than a man was on two. On its back, the herders had fastened leather straps similar to carrying bags for llamas or donkeys. Indeed, the creature looked quite similar to both, but much larger in size.

“Despite their bizarre appearance, they are impressive creatures.” The merchant nodded. “Since they are so useful, they have begun to get popular even in northern Chutwa. However, their spread is slow, since the riders of the central plains protect them with their lives. After all, the rider people have used their speed and mobility to become unmatched warriors in the steppes and deserts of the central lands, despite their lack of cultivators.”

“Incredible.”

It had only been a few hours since he had met the Chutwa merchant, but Atau's mood had completely turned. By now, not only was he sure that he could return home soon, he had even found many of the things he had been searching for all this time. Just like Corco had said, the world was a treasure trove. They only had to open the right door and they found more riches than they could possibly carry. Now it was time for him to collect as many treasures as he could and bring them home, to the glory of him, his crew and all of Medala.