An introduction to the Ugoer people has already been covered earlier, so it won't be repeated here. Laine sat in the high tower of the Oliver Commerce Association, watching the performance of the Ugoer Circus. He frowned, sighed lightly, and smiled with some amusement: "How's the sale of these Ugoer people's goods going?"

"Generally, they can only be sold off slowly." Imperial tycoon Olivier sat opposite Laine, speaking rather humbly: "No one expected these damned Northerners to bring so much cargo. I suspect the shadow of the Tsarina and the Empire behind it."

"Hehehe, Kislev's perennial fight against Chaos invasion isn't easy, so let's be more accommodating. We can consider it helping them a little." Holy Grail Knight, and Laine's Standard Bearer, Armand looked relaxed. He lifted his big wooden cup but found his drink was finished, so a servant from the commerce association promptly came forward to refill it.

This drink was Kislev's famous vodka—tasteless upon entrance, light and refreshing, not sweet, not bitter, not astringent, only offering a fiery stimulus, paired perfectly with a plate of Brittania horse meat sausages by Armand.

Also present were Laine's trusted aides, Kingdom Knights Olivier and Hex, as well as his recently officially appointed female courtier—Lady Veronica. As for another female courtier, Teresa, she was still recovering from her injuries. Laine arranged her to rest in a guest room of his castle, where Amelia and Ollica alternately tended to her.

As for his wife Surya... she was now at the castle playing with a brown little bear.

Ugoer Bow Cavalry arrived at Laine's territory two or three days ago. To cover things up, Laine had them start performing immediately. It turned out that when these Kislev people arrived, Laine discovered they had taken the opportunity to smuggle no less than thirty-some wagons full of goods, almost including all of Kislev's specialties—various ores, animal skins, liquors, handicrafts, and textiles.

The Count soon understood that the Kislev people saw an opportunity to engage in large-scale trade. With the Empire's mediation and Laine's reputation, this trade only required paying extremely low tariffs (only Boldro's port duties), allowing the Kislev Kingdom to make full use of this Bow Cavalry group to load everything possible.

Laine felt both amused and helpless, but he couldn't say much more. The Kislev Kingdom is the Order Faction's first line of defense against Chaos, particularly the Ugoer Tribe, whose generations of mounted archers and hunting nomadic tribes have been fighting the northern Barbarian Tribes for nearly a millennium. They serve both as vigilant sentinels and scouts; constantly battling for survival, countless Ugoer Bow Cavalry fight the Barbarians until their death.

"Our sacrifices are so great that the Tsar keeps trying to forget."

—Ugoer people north of the Linsk River

The leading Ugoer Bow Cavalry Captain was named Mikhail Ivanovich Gavorov, who had extensive experience being hired by major factions, fighting for both the Empire and the Nord Kingdom, and even once being hired by dwarves atop the World's Roof Mountain Range. Laine thought the Empire was quite reliable; these mercenaries, who were constantly employed, tended to be obedient, understanding the regulations without needing Laine to overly emphasize.

As for why these people became mercenaries, it was actually quite heart-wrenching: Kislev's location in the Tazier Desert was basically unsuitable for farming, and the food acquired through nomadism was extremely limited. When the vast lands couldn't sustain themselves, mercenaries emerged.

"Worse than your mother being a Jialan Witch is your wife also being a Jialan Witch." Today, Veronica wore a light blue and peach-colored fish tail dress, with a blue bow tied in her black-brown hair. Her sweet face rested on her small hand as she laughed, spouting a famous Kislev saying. Beneath her gray coat, her pink long dress peeked out only an inch wide. Her ankle and foot arch were snugly fitted in skin-colored tights, her fire-red high-heeled shoes being a New Year's gift from Laine.

This was a noble joke from Kislev, as after years of meticulous planning, Katarina, the self-proclaimed Tsarina and an important member of the Jialan Council, had fully mastered the Northern Order faction of this world. The male nobles of the kingdom often married Jialan Witches or Ice Witches, and with the help of magic and pillow talk, the Ice Element Witches led by Queen Katarina had completely seized control of Kislev's military and political power.

Laine glared at Veronica in exasperation. He knew the Jialan Witch was mocking Teresa, and indirectly mocking him for having chosen an Ice Witch as a female courtier.

As if she wasn't a Jialan Witch herself.

"Does Lady Veronica know the Ugoer folks well?" Holy Grail Knight Armand curiously asked, considering Veronica had now acquired official female courtier status. The knightly nobility within the domain were rather courteous to the two witches.

"Actually, not that well." Veronica shook her head: "I've had encounters before. Ugoer Bow Cavalry enjoy privileges in the Kislev Kingdom; for instance, when they pass through a village, they can directly ask villagers to provide them with a sumptuous dinner and women, or else they could complain to the Tsar about the villagers neglecting their duties."