To birdkin who have lost their wings, regrowth requires an immense amount of nutrition. Judging by Amelia's previous condition, it was clear that most birdkin could barely manage to avoid starvation, let alone secure enough meat to facilitate regrowth.
"You don't have to follow this exact menu," Lucas said, his lips curling into a slight smirk as he watched the stunned expressions on Rhea and Mira's faces. "As long as there is a high intake of meat, there is a very high probability that wingless birdkin will grow their wings back."
"Haa..." Rhea let out a long sigh. More meat? If they tried to hunt more, her companions might actually end up with even less to eat due to the energy expended.
Mira glanced at the helpless Rhea and immediately understood her elder sister's concerns. She turned to Lucas and asked, "Lord Lucas, could you sell some meat to us? And... transport it for us as well?"
"I could," Lucas nodded, his tone casual. "But the price of that meat would be quite steep. You see, the meat in Sedona City is purchased and imported from the Sahara."
"That..." Mira trailed off, unable to continue. Meat was already expensive; adding the cost of importing it from the Sahara and then the high fees for air-lifting it up Stone Mountain made the idea completely unsustainable. They simply couldn't afford it.
"Forget it..." Rhea began coldly, wanting to end the topic. She was too poor; she would just have to find another way later.
"Lord Lucas, my sister wants to bring some of our companions here to live," Amelia interrupted again, cutting right across Rhea.
"..." Rhea nearly bit her tongue. When did I ever say I wanted to bring them here? She glared at Amelia. Since when did you start using my name to make your own demands?
"Oh? How many people?" The smile on Lucas's face grew even more pronounced. Amelia's assists were truly impeccable.
He understood exactly why Amelia was doing this. It was obvious that Sedona City was a better place to live; seeing her kin still hiding in a bitter, desolate land was something Amelia could no longer stand by and watch.
"Big sister, how many people can come?" Amelia turned her cool gaze toward Rhea. She knew her sister was too proud to ask for help, so she was forcing the issue into the light. She felt she couldn't let her sister keep running things into the ground; their people were at their breaking point.
"Hoo... hah..." Rhea took a deep breath, suppressing her irritation. She said icily, "I can send a hundred people over."
She wanted to see what this human would do. If one meal cost one silver coin, a hundred people would cost two gold coins a day just to feed.
"A hundred people? I'll take them all," Lucas said with a light chuckle.
A hundred people was nothing. Their meals wouldn't need to be as luxurious as the ones served in the castle; they just needed a steady supply of meat, and in return, these people could work.
Once those hundred people were in his hands, he had no intention of letting them go. According to his plan, the birdkin would become his Air Force. With birdkin guiding the hot air balloons, he could extend his reach significantly.
"You'll take them all?" Rhea frowned, skeptical that such a generous offer existed in this world. "What's the catch? What's the price we have to pay?"
After all, no one feeds a hundred birdkin for free unless they are family.
"They will work for me after their wings grow back," Lucas said, interlacing his fingers. "I will pay them wages and provide housing. If they don't want to live in the city, I can build houses for them in the Forbidden Mountain Range."
To Lucas, the birdkin represented speed. Those who travel on foot can never outpace those who fly. With their help, he would have a literal ace up his sleeve. He was more than willing to invest the resources.
"Why?" Rhea didn't understand. The conditions were far too favorable.
"Because those who can fly are treasures," Lucas smiled warmly. They were far more versatile than any glider he could build.
"Treasures?" Rhea blinked, silently nodding. Only the birdkin could claim the sky as their home.
She began to ponder. It wasn't that she fully trusted Lucas's words yet, but her few days in Sedona City had caused her resolve to waver. Amelia's sudden outbursts had completely derailed her original defensive stance.
"Don't worry about safety. No one can harm your kin in Sedona City," Lucas added, a sharp glint in his eyes. "We have a guard force made up of beastkin. If you don't trust us, Miss Mira is welcome to join the guards as well."
"Big sister, why don't we try it? Life on Stone Mountain is too hard," Mira said, clearly moved. On the mountain, they were essentially just waiting to die.
"Fine," Rhea said reluctantly. She had no other choice; some of her companions on the mountain were already at their limit.
She would use these hundred people as a test. If it worked, she would move the majority of the tribe over. Of course, she would still keep a presence at Stone Mountain—that place would always be their fallback point.
"Lord Lucas, how do you plan to get my companions here? Our base has been discovered by bounty hunters," Mira said quickly.
"I have a way." Lucas immediately thought of the hot air balloons. With enough fuel and birdkin guides, they could fly directly here. If they were worried about danger, he could even provide parachutes.
"What way?" Rhea's eyes widened. Stone Mountain was a long distance away.
"Amelia, take these two to the Air Force base. Give them a demonstration of the hot air balloons," Lucas instructed. He wanted to use his technology to impress Rhea and Mira—to let them know that birdkin weren't the only ones who could own the sky.
"Yes, father." A small smile finally played on Amelia's lips. She had succeeded; her people were coming to Sedona City.
Everything she had worked for was finally coming to fruition.
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