Seeing the dwarves' reactions, Kasi couldn't help but feel a myriad of emotions. Miss Dahlia's method was simply too brilliant; it instantly captured the attention of all the dwarves.
"I'm truly sorry about that," Kasi said apologetically.
"It's... it's fine," The leader of the dwarf knights hurriedly shook his head, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.
"That aroma just now was so rich, it's definitely top-tier fine liquor."
"A fragrance of that caliber is far better than any liquor brought by merchants in the past."
"I wonder if that liquor is for sale. I absolutely have to buy a few dozen pots to keep at home."
"..." The surrounding dwarf knights all began to discuss animatedly. To the alcoholic dwarves, the aroma of the Whispering Dawn was simply too tempting.
"Sir Knight, we have brought top-tier fine liquor and wish to conduct business in your esteemed kingdom." Kasi raised his hand, gesturing to the jars held by the boatmen behind him.
"Oh? Merchants selling liquor?" The dwarf knight leader asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A portion is liquor; the rest consists of top-quality linen, meats, and so on," Kasi said evenly.
"Is it all this kind of liquor?" The dwarf knight leader glanced at the jars in the boatmen's hands. Things like linen weren't the point; the liquor was what mattered.
"It's all this kind of fine liquor, and we even have better ones," Kasi said, tilting his head up slightly. He needed to display a bit of arrogance; this was what Miss Dahlia had taught him. Otherwise, people would look down on them.
"Oh? Better fine liquor?" The dwarf knight leader's eyes lit up. He took a step forward and asked nervously, "Even better than the jar from just now?"
The shattered jar of liquor was already top-tier in his eyes—better than even the liquor in the dwarf palace. Yet, they actually had something even better.
"Yes," Kasi said with certainty. "The jar from just now was merely the worst liquor we have."
"I don't believe it," The dwarf knight leader shook his head, a trace of cunning flashing in his eyes.
"It's true!" Kasi said anxiously. This reaction, too, was something Miss Dahlia had taught him to do.
"Come, let me see it," The dwarf knight leader said, waving his hand.
"This..." Kasi hesitated, though his eyes held a glint of joy. The dwarf had taken the bait.
"What's wrong? Are you lying?" The dwarf knight leader frowned and said angrily, "If you are scammers, then leave this place at once."
"Of course we aren't scammers..." Kasi said, sounding exasperated.
"Then hurry up and bring it out for me to see. As long as it's real, I will let you pass the checkpoint," The dwarf knight leader said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"This... I need to request permission from our steward first." Seeing the impatience on the dwarf's face, Kasi lowered his voice and said, "That liquor is incomparably precious. A single bottle costs over a dozen gold coins."
"What? A single bottle costs over a dozen gold coins?" The dwarf knight leader was dumbfounded. He thought about the fine liquors he had drunk before; the most expensive ones were only a hundred or so copper coins.
The alcohol dwarves usually drank was ale. The price for commoners was a few copper coins a bottle, and slightly better ones were a few dozen copper coins. Even liquor from the palace was, at most, a few silver coins a bottle.
But a liquor worth over a dozen gold coins truly frightened the dwarf knight leader.
"Yes, this is a liquor produced through hundreds of meticulous steps, and the quantity is extremely scarce. I must go and ask our steward for permission before I can bring it out for Sir Knight to inspect," Kasi hurriedly said politely.
"Alright, go quickly," The dwarf knight leader hurriedly urged, completely forgetting about his duty to inspect the fleet.
It wasn't entirely his fault for forgetting. Years of peace and comfort had made him forget much of his professional ethics, and he didn't believe anyone would actually dare to attack the dwarves.
"Please wait a moment," Kasi chuckled lightly. He turned and walked up the ship's ladder, arriving before Dahlia and the others.
"How did it go?" Dahlia asked with a smile on her lips.
"He took the bait," Kasi nodded quickly and said, "He wants to see the Bamboo Tube wine."
"That's fine. Go get a bottle and just give it to him," Dahlia waved her hand dismissively. As long as they could pass the checkpoint quickly, losing a bit of liquor was completely inconsequential.
Her scheme was an open one: pave the way directly with alcohol, tempt those dwarves, and bribe them with liquor.
"Yes," Kasi said respectfully. He went to the storeroom and retrieved an exquisitely packaged Bamboo Tube Wine.
Step, step, step...
Carrying the box with both hands, Kasi quickly descended from the large ship and arrived at the port. He saw that the dwarf was even more nervous than he was, deathly afraid that he might trip and fall again.
The dwarf knight leader was indeed worried about Kasi tripping again. Seeing that exquisitely packaged box, he knew that Kasi's claim of a fine liquor worth over a dozen gold coins a bottle had to be true.
"Sir Knight, this bottle is the absolute top-tier fine liquor," Kasi said, holding the box out with both hands.
"Open it and let me take a look," The dwarf knight leader said hurriedly.
"This... alright." Kasi feigned hesitation for a moment before nodding in agreement.
Step, step, step...
The surrounding dwarf knights all crowded around. They had also heard the conversation and knew this was top-tier fine liquor.
Click! Kasi opened the lid. Inside lay bamboo shavings, and a refreshing bamboo aroma wafted out, causing the surrounding dwarves' eyes to turn fiery with desire.
"When drunk, this bottle of liquor carries the fragrance of bamboo, completely lacking the bitterness," Kasi said proudly.
"Open it," The dwarf knight leader urged once more.
"Well..." Holding the exquisite liquor bottle, Kasi pretended to grit his teeth and said softly, "Sir Knight, I will give this bottle of liquor to you."
"Huh?" The dwarf knight leader froze.
"When I made my request just now, my steward saw how hard all of you work, so she decided to gift those seven or eight jars of liquor from earlier to everyone to drink," Kasi said, revealing a bright smile.
"This... how could I possibly accept?" The dwarf knight leader said he was embarrassed, but his hands moved with lightning speed to snatch the liquor bottle.
"..." The corners of Kasi's mouth twitched, and he felt a slight pang of heartache. That bottle of liquor really was worth over a dozen gold coins.
"Really? Those jars of liquor are all gifted to us?" A dwarf knight asked in pleasant surprise.
"Yes," Kasi nodded.
"Let's go, grab the liquor!" Immediately, some dwarves sprinted towards the boatmen on their short little legs.
The seven or eight jars of Whispering Dawn brought down by the boatmen were carried away by the dwarves, drawing off a large group of dwarf knights. This left the other human merchants waiting to pass the checkpoint staring in complete bewilderment.
"Sir Knight, does our fleet still need to be inspected? Could you let us pass the checkpoint now? We wish to bring this fine liquor to your esteemed kingdom's capital to sell," Kasi said softly.
"Go ahead, you've been inspected," The dwarf knight leader waved his hand. He was currently pondering whether he should offer this bottle of liquor to his superior in order to get a promotion.
"Sir Knight, we shall take our leave then." Kasi gave a formal bow holding his belly, then led the boatmen and soldiers back onto the ship.
The fleet quickly passed through the checkpoint and headed towards the capital of the Deepstone Dwarf Kingdom. This time, they were going to conquer the dwarf nobles and secure the export trade for iron ore.
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