"Well, well, well," Zaira commented in a light tone, "I can't deny this whole..." she pointed at him and traced an imaginary outline around his body with her index finger, "Your getup fits you, but you know it isn't very courteous in our land to attend official business with your face hidden."
The tallest of the three bowed slightly, "Forgive us, Madam. We are helpless in this matter."
His voice sounded metallic, like it was coming through a mechanical box instead of a throat.
"Explain," Zaira instructed in a cold voice.
"Of course," the tall one nodded, "The thick fog that surrounds our homeland is not just in one spot. It covers all our islands. We grew up used to it, just like our animals, plants, and birds. To us, it feels completely normal- just like sea creatures find water normal."
He paused to catch his breath, then went on, "When we finally sailed past the veil into open water for the first time, most of our people collapsed and died right away. After two such fatal trips, our wise men realized our bodies couldn't handle your air. So, they designed these special devices- these masks and robes- to protect us from the outside and the inside."
"Well, we get it," Kenneth MacAlpin, the neophyte from Sylvana, nodded, "But why go to all that trouble to leave your homeland if it is this dangerous?"
"A very wise question," the tall one replied, "You see, even though our wildlife adapted to that environment, it cannot feed our whole population. Whenever our numbers grew, we faced famine, and people died right in front of us. Our previous rulers accepted it as nature's way. But this time, our ruler decided enough is enough. We needed more food. When all else failed, we had only one option left- venture out, and…. "
"Settle a new land?" Marcus smirked.
"No," the metallic voice sounded a bit annoyed, "If you think about it, making these expensive suits for everyone is impossible. Settling here is not an option for us. So, we came for a different purpose- to trade. Why take the heavy risk of war and fighting when you can peacefully get what you want in exchange for what you have? That is much more profitable, right?"
Marcus smirked. He wanted to say something, but stopped himself and looked at the others.
Lorian stayed quiet for a long time before speaking up, "Why did you choose Solara to land in first?"
"Well, we wanted to land in Veridia at first, but there was a huge battle on the shore, so we avoided it!" the tall one replied.
"Fair enough," Zaira remarked, "Valoria is next, but Valoria has no landing dock. Then comes Port Azure. Why didn't you approach Port Azure?"
"We did land in Port Azure, actually…" the tall one replied.
Zaira leaned forward from her relaxed pose, "You mean to tell me three of you were walking around my city, and I had no idea?"
"Well, I cannot comment on that. That is up to you and your guards…" the tall one said.
"Maybe we didn't look suspicious," the short one chimed in, "Your city is full of traders and merchants from everywhere, so nobody paid attention to us."
"Oh, it speaks!" Borin blurted out in full surprise.
The three seemed to ignore him, "We heard Solara is a city of knowledge, and we thought its leaders would be the best ones to hear us out and introduce us to everyone else. So…"
"You have a ready answer for every question," Selena smirked.
"That is why the three of us were chosen to represent our home!" the tall one answered.
"Last question," Selena said, "If you sailed blindly, you would reach the Orc Lands. Why make a straight line right to our seven cities? Pure luck?"
"No," the muscular one replied in a very shrill voice, "We had maps!"
"MAPS?" Selena was surprised.
"When we ventured out, we found many broken ghost ships," the tall one answered for him, "We searched them and found notes, charts, and maps of your lands."
"What are your names, and what is your land called?" Lorian asked.
"I am Xylo," the tall one said. He pointed to the short one, then the muscular one, "He is Boro, and he is Vrak. And we come from the Xal-Teth."
Xylo stepped forward, "As we said, we do not ask for land to conquer. But we do not seek charity either. We are proposing a permanent trade alliance. We want to establish a single, secure trading enterprise- a factory and warehouse complex run by our people, serving the entire Accord."
Zaira narrowed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, "Go on. What do we get out of letting foreigners build fortified settlements in our cities?"
"Monopolies," Xylo replied simply, "Our archipelago is rich in resources your continent has never seen. We have deep-sea silk that is lighter than linen, completely fireproof, and tougher than tempered steel. We harvest glowing resins that burn for decades without fuel, and rare minerals that can double the durability of any blade or armor forged, even in Glimmerfall."
He paused, letting the weight of his offer sink into the greedy lords.
"If you grant us the charter," Xylo continued, "we will not sell these goods everywhere. We will choose two specific cities for our main manufacturing and distribution factories. Every single pound of our silk, resin, and rare metals will flow exclusively through those two ports before reaching the rest of the continent."
With drop of the proposal, tension spiked in the room instantly. Every lord at the table knew what that meant- the two chosen cities would become the wealthiest, most powerful economic hubs in the region, holding a near-total monopoly on luxury and military goods.
"And which two cities do you propose?" Gauthier asked in a sharp, suspicious voice.
"Port Azure and Solara," Xylo answered promptly.
Zaira raised an eyebrow, a flicker of real interest showing through her cold manner, "Port Azure. Naturally. You want our shipping lanes and merchant fleets."
"Precisely, madam," Xylo nodded toward her, "Your port has the finest fleets and deepest docks, making Azure Port the undisputed maritime capital of the world. And as for Solara," Xylo turned his masked face to Gauthier, "we know this is the city of scholars, intellect, and neutrality. It sits right in the center of the seven cities. A factory here gives us a central post to reach you all, with our trade routes regulated by the finest minds on the mainland."
Marcus Ironclad spoke in a deep voice, "And what about Aethelgard? And Valoria? You expect us to sit back while Azure Port and Solara get rich off foreign trade?"
"Aren't you all on the same team?" Vrak, the muscular delegate, stepped forward with a shrill, sharp voice, "You are free to buy from them at a markup- unless your military pride prefers to refuse us entirely. But the loss will be yours. While your friends get rich on deep-sea silk and unbreakable steel, your armies will fight with ordinary iron and cloth."
Selena stared at the three visitors. She felt a thrill, recognizing the offer as a masterclass in manipulation. It pitted the city-states against their own greed, making a refusal nearly impossible.
"And the cost?" Lorian asked quietly, breaking his silence, "Nothing in this world is free. There is no free lunch. What do you want from us in return for these factories?"
"Only two things, Sir," Xylo bowed his head slightly, "First, the legal charter to build and operate our compounds without interference from local laws or jealous rivals. And second..." Xylo's metallic voice dropped to an eerie, calm and composed tone, "...a steady supply of basic food- grain, dried meat, and simple provisions- to feed our starving islands through the famine."