The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows of the Lords Manor guest room and onto the floor. Balin sat up in bed, rubbing his temples with a headache from the hangover. The strong aroma of the liquor from the previous night still seemed to linger in his nose— Alda's distilled spirits were much stronger and more alluring than he had imagined.
Before long, a servant knocked on the door and respectfully informed that Paul was waiting in the study. Balin straightened his dwarven clan attire, took a deep breath to suppress his nervousness and calculations, and followed the servant through the corridors of Lords Manor. He couldn't help but secretly admire the stone pillars and murals hanging on the walls along the way.
Entering the study, Paul was sitting behind his desk reviewing documents. Seeing Balin enter, he put down his pen, smiled, and gestured with his hand: "Sit down. How was last night's drinking? You seemed quite drunk, but I hope it didn't affect your spirits this morning?"
Balin sat down in the chair opposite the desk, a slightly awkward smile on his face: "Thank you for your hospitality, Marquis. The wine here... is indeed a strong liquor that I have never tasted before. I was rude last night."
After a moment's thought, he cut to the chase and stated his stated purpose directly: " Marquis, I have come here on the orders of the Iron Hammer Clan. I have a request to make. The Iron Hammer Clan intends to establish trade relations with Alda and would like me to first examine the economic situation of human society to see what cooperation is possible between the two sides. I hope you can grant this small request."
As he said this, Balin's fingers subtly clenched the hem of his clothes. He knew very well that investigating the economy was just an excuse; his real purpose was to take this opportunity to travel throughout Lakeheart Town's workshops, markets, and military camps to ascertain Alda's productivity and military strength, so as to bring back accurate intelligence to Iron Hammer Clan and the other dwarven clans.
Paul's eyes lit up instantly at the mention of trade. He leaned forward slightly, his voice brimming with joy: "Trade? That's wonderful! When Mr. Dain came to Lakeheart Town last time, we brought it up with him. We said that there are many areas where humans and dwarves can cooperate. For example, you are good at mining and forging, while we Alda have advanced textile and iron-smelting technologies. Exchanging goods would benefit both sides. But nothing came of it. I thought you dwarves weren't interested in trade."
As he spoke, a look of doubt appeared on his face, and his gaze fell on Balin: "Speaking of which, you dwarves have always preferred to live in seclusion, spending your days in the Rocky Mountains and rarely having contact with the outside world. Why are you suddenly willing to break with tradition and take the initiative to communicate with humans this time?"
Balin had already prepared his answer in his mind, and upon hearing the question, he calmly replied, " Marquis may not know, but the recent series of events by the Stonemason Clan has had a significant impact on the dwarven society of the entire Rocky Mountains. The elders of the clan are reflecting on the fact that the Stonemason Clan has fallen into such a predicament not only because they are weaker than others, but also largely because they are too ignorant of the outside world. They know nothing about human technology, armies, or the ambitions of the orcs, which is why they have gradually come to a passive position."
He deliberately emphasized the words "don't understand," and continued earnestly, "Now there are many 'enlightened' members in the clan who are urging everyone to stop being so closed off and to engage more with the outside world and learn more about other races. Only then can we understand our own shortcomings and avoid repeating the mistakes of the Stonemason Clan. So, the Stonemason Clan's proposal to explore trade is actually an attempt to set an example for all dwarves. I think commerce is the best way for two groups to communicate."
These words were half true and half false, both reflecting the dwarves' current anxieties and cleverly concealing their true purpose of gathering intelligence. After Balin finished speaking, he quietly looked at Paul, waiting for his response.
After listening to Balin's explanation, Paul nodded slightly, his eyes showing a hint of agreement: "You're right, the enlightened ones in your clan are very farsighted. Working in isolation will never work; more contact and understanding are needed to find a way for us to coexist."
He said readily, "Since Iron Hammer Clan is interested in trade, it is only right that they investigate our economic situation. I agree that you can walk around Alda and see our markets and workshops, so as to lay the foundation for future cooperation."
Balin's face immediately lit up with joy, and he quickly stood up to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Marquis! I will certainly report your generosity back to the clan and let everyone know the sincerity of mankind."
"No need to be so polite, this is a good thing for both of us." Paul waved his hand, then called out to the door, "Someone, go and ask Viscount Helson to come over."
Not long after, Viscount Helson entered the study. He had recently returned from handling handover matters in the Stonemason Clan territory and still looked a bit travel-worn.
Upon seeing a dwarf present, he paused for a moment, then bowed to Paul: "Sir, you were looking for me?"
Paul introduced, "This is Balin, an envoy of the Iron Hammer Clan. He has come to Alda to assess the economic situation and prepare for future trade. I intend to have you accompany him on the tour, since you have dealt with the dwarves before and are familiar with Lakeheart Town. With you there, it will save a lot of trouble."
Viscount Helson immediately replied, "Yes, sir, I will cooperate fully."
Balin quickly said, "So you are Viscount Helson. I've heard of you before. Our clan also knows about your work in the Stonemason Clan. I feel more at ease with you by my side. When can we begin our tour? I'd like to learn about Alda's situation as soon as possible."
Viscount Helson smiled and said, "No rush, I need to plan the tour route carefully so as not to waste your time. How about this, I will take you out by tomorrow at the latest, starting with the wholesale market in the south of the city, which best reflects the daily economic situation."
"Okay! Okay! May I go back to my room to rest first? I'm sorry, I still have a bit of a hangover."
"Please go ahead."
Balin bowed expectantly to Paul and Helson, then left the study with light steps. He could finally legitimately inquire about Alda's true situation, and he was already eager to do so.
After he left, Viscount Helson's smile faded, and he turned to Paul, asking, "Sir, where do you think I should take him? Should we just see the market and ordinary workshops, or..."
Paul tapped his fingers lightly on the table, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Anywhere you can go on a normal business trip, like markets, textile factories, and ironworks, you don't need to deliberately avoid them. But I have a suggestion: you can arrange the route using an 'increasing deterrence' approach."