The Fall of Everything [Rewrite]

Corvus told his new teacher, Baral Durin, about his deal with Belisarius. "Your Majesty, I understand that you want to make this treaty," the merchant said, his voice calm and thoughtful. "But do you really need a treaty?"
The question echoed in Corvus' mind for a moment. He paused in mid-thought, his eyes squinting slightly, carefully weighing what the merchant had said. The merchant's implication was simple: Clearing the trade routes of the Rhazgord, announcing this security to the surrounding kingdoms and punishing a few greedy merchants would be enough to increase the volume of trade and ensure fair trade. There was no need to make special and privileged treaties with Belisarius or other countries.
But Corvus' goal was not just to protect the trade routes; it was to show the people of Rhazgord that great change was possible. If trade flowed quickly and uninterruptedly, he would soon be able to show the effects of proper trade. He wanted to gain the trust of the people, his soldiers and even his rivals. If he could do all this before Sanguinar arrived, success would be his. And for the trade to continue, all he had to do was to get Sanguinar's approval. After that, it would be as the merchant said.
After some more consultation with the merchant, he began to prepare for the second round of negotiations for the trade agreement. The merchant's help in this matter was unquestionably great. Corvus was not going to let this help go unrequited.
As the red light of sunset filtered in through the windows, both leaders sat down at the table with a stack of papers in front of them. Neither leader was alone this time. Baral was standing behind Corvus. Belisarius had an advisor with him. Silence reigned for a short time. Belisarius was watching Corvus and especially Baral carefully as he organized his papers, not at all expecting Baral to be here. After a short conversation, the meeting began.
Belisarius began with a serious expression. "I'm sorry, Corvus," he said, his tone diplomatic as usual. "But I cannot change the terms of the previous meeting."
Corvus responded to Belisarius' words with a silent nod. His expression, however, was not sad at all. In fact, there was a faint light of triumph in his eyes. With a calm gesture, he handed Belisarius the papers Baral had given him. They contained the names of various trade goods and the quantities demanded. Belisarius studied the list carefully. It was too neatly organized to have been prepared by a political newbie like Corvus. Then he handed some of the papers to his advisor to examine, and Corvus spoke up.
"I will clear the roads," he said, his voice as strong and authoritative as ever. "And you will bring at least half of the goods on this list here within a month. Of course, the incoming convoys can buy the goods they want here and sell them wherever you want. In two months I want all the goods on the list here, and after two months we can discuss tax exemptions or a trade union."
Belisarius paused for a moment as he flipped through the papers. His eyes widened in surprise for a moment. Corvus' proposal was not the kind of deal Belisarius had expected. This was not a trade agreement with complicated diplomatic terms; this was a straightforward purchase agreement. He stared at Corvus' face, searching his eyes for any sign of hesitation or indecision, but Corvus' expression was resolute. Baral waited, expressionless and silent.
"This is not a trade agreement, Corvus," Belisarius said, slightly surprised. "This is a purchase agreement spread over time."
It was Baral who answered Belisarius. "As Your Majesty said, it is a purchase agreement. And a very profitable one for you!" He was wary of Corvus, but seeing that Corvus did not react, he continued. "However, as my lord said, if the deal is successful and fulfills its purpose, we will meet again to discuss forming a trade union."
Belisarius' intention was to strike a more comprehensive deal, but the deal he was presented with was, as Baral said, a very profitable one. On top of that, the door was still open to sign the 'more comprehensive' agreement he was aiming for a few months later. The question was how and with what Corvus would pay for it. Inwardly, he wondered if Corvus had the financial resources to trade in such quantities.
"We can supply all the goods here, and I'm willing to make that deal. If you pay, it won't be a problem."
Corvus met Belisarius' questioning gaze calmly. He took a deep breath and leaned back. This was part of his plan with Baral; he expected Belisarius to be surprised. He was ready to make his first move to transform the Rhazgord's internal economic structure. Belisarius' doubts about whether he had enough resources at his disposal only strengthened Corvus' strategic advantage. Corvus responded confidently, lowering his voice a little.
"Payment will not be a problem," he said. "You will bring some of the goods on this list here as soon as we secure the roads. I will make the payment in return."
"Payment..." Belisarius asked, a slight mixture of curiosity and suspicion in his voice. "How will you pay?"
Corvus answered immediately, without hesitation. The single word echoed around the room.
"With the Lightstones."
For a moment, Belisarius could not understand what Corvus was saying. But he soon realized how logical the answer was. The Rhazgordians had already collected hundreds of Demon corpses from the battlefield, and each Demon corpse brought with it an enormous amount of Lightstones. It was a priceless fortune. Rhazgord's rich resource was a powerful lever that could support Corvus' trade moves. The Lightstone was not just a precious ore, it was a strategic resource. It was at the center of everything.
The Kingdom of Adler, though a semi-independent state, was crushed under the pressure of the Sizat Empire. They were denied access to strategic resources, especially the Lightstone. Therefore, for Belisarius, Corvus' offer was extremely tempting. It was the opportunity they needed to escape the tyranny of the Empire. But there was a problem: The amount of goods Corvus wanted. Such a large trade would require a large amount of stone, no matter how valuable the Lightstone was. Belisarius was quickly making calculations in his head when Baral interrupted his thoughts, causing his eyes to widen in surprise.
"We will give exactly 100 kilos of Lightstones," Baral said, his voice full of cunning. "Half now and the other half in two months, when we meet to make a new deal."
'100 kilos'. The amount that echoed in Belisarius' mind was almost surreal. So far in his life he had used less than half a kilo of Lightstone, and now Corvus was offering him two hundred times that. That amount could increase the physical strength of at least a thousand well-trained men several times over. For a powerless state like the Kingdom of Adler, it was almost the difference between survival and extinction.
Corvus' offer swept away any doubt in Belisarius' mind. 100 kilos of Lightstone would not only strengthen relations with the Rhazgord, but also provide the impetus Adler needed to break free from the clutches of the Sizat Empire. This strategic treasure could be an important step in achieving Belisarius' goals.
Faced with this opportunity, Belisarius approved the offer without a second thought. A look of excitement flickered across his face. 100 kilos of Lightstone could change the balance of power, could take him to his next step. Corvus' payment would be not just a trade, but a deal that would shape the future itself.
"It is an honor to work with you, Corvus," Belisarius said sincerely. His eyes suddenly lit up. "This trade agreement will bring great change, not only for Rhazgord, but for the Kingdom of Adler."
Corvus took Belisarius' excited response calmly, knowing in his heart that his plan was working perfectly. As the two leaders prepared to sign the papers in their hands, the agreement between them would be the first step in reshaping not only the economy of Rhazgord, but also the balance of power in the region.
With the deal finalized, diplomatic relations between the two were restored. For several days Corvus had paid no attention to Belisarius, his friend and guest. They were both working on the treaty. Using the signing of the treaty as an excuse, Corvus proposed a celebration. It was a very tempting offer for Belisarius.