Arknightcraft Modpack

“Win-win deal?”

Carmen clearly didn’t expect Steven to suddenly bring up such a topic out of nowhere, leaving him unsure of what this unpredictable young man was up to. Given Steven’s erratic tendencies, Carmen wouldn’t even be surprised if he suggested selling back the two pork chop rice the Inquisition had just provided him.

“Yes, a very good deal. One that could be significant not just for you and the Inquisition, but for your entire country,” Steven said with a mysterious and confident smile.

As a Minecrafter, Steven prided himself on one particular skill—leveraging unique advantages. And now, he had found a way to exploit a tiny loophole to gain more World Acknowledgement Points.

“You all go check on the Penal Battalion’s situation. Let me have a private conversation with Mr. Steven,” Carmen said, dismissing Dario and Eline, clearly taking this matter seriously.

Once the unnecessary personnel had left, Steven and Carmen entered an empty room to continue their conversation.

“Now, Mr. Steven, can you tell me what kind of deal we’re talking about?” Carmen asked, his tone cautious.

As a Saint of the Inquisition, he couldn’t afford to ignore anything that might benefit Iberia, even if it came from someone as unpredictable as Steven.

“Don’t worry, Carmen. I know you’re in a hurry, but let’s take it one step at a time,” Steven teased, showing no signs of haste. After all, the most he’d need to deal with was making Kal’tsit wait a little longer for his arrival.

“Before we begin, I need to confirm something,” Steven said, turning serious. “Can you, as a Saint, make decisions on behalf of the entire Inquisition or the Iberian government?”

“A Saint’s authority doesn’t extend that far,” Carmen admitted. “To act on behalf of the entire Iberian government, I’d need the agreement of the other Saints.”

“That’s fine. It’s not a big problem—these things take time anyway,” Steven said understandingly. “Now, Carmen, let me ask you this: in the Sea Breeze Village, how many villagers were found to have ties with the Church of the Deep?”

The question seemed unrelated to their deal, but Steven’s serious demeanor told Carmen otherwise.

“…More than half. Except for the elderly and children, most of the villagers have some connection to them,” Carmen answered, his expression grim. His tone was devoid of emotion, as if the villagers were no longer people in his eyes.

“And how many villages like Sea Breeze Village are there in this country? Hundreds? Thousands?” Steven pressed, pretending to count on his fingers as though the number was too large to grasp.

“Mr. Steven, what are you trying to say?” Carmen asked, his frown deepening. He wasn’t eager to hear what would come next.

Unfazed by the interruption, Steven continued. “I don’t know what happened to your country, but I’ve seen enough to understand the situation here in this village and its surrounding waters.”

“With the sea no longer a viable resource, how many more villages like Sea Breeze Village will follow the same crooked path?”

Shrugging, Steven sighed. “Carmen, if my assumptions are correct, doesn’t that mean your country is steadily marching toward its own demise? Sure, the Inquisition might root out and destroy every last follower of the Church of the Deep, but as long as the root cause remains unaddressed, you and I both know it’s a never-ending cycle.”

Carmen’s lips tightened, and he said nothing. Steven’s words hit too close to home. As one of the country’s highest-ranking officials, he was painfully aware of these truths.

“Life always finds a way, even in the face of despair—even if that path leads to hell,” Steven said cryptically.

Realizing he was sounding overly dramatic, he scratched his head in embarrassment and cleared his throat to snap out of it.

“My point is, if the villagers’ survival issues aren’t addressed, they’ll eventually take desperate measures. Sure, those actions might violate Iberian law, but who cares about the law when it’s a matter of life and death?”

Steven recalled the words shouted at him by the Sea Breeze village chief. While he would not make the same action as him, he could understand why he would do so.

“I understand… But the problem with the sea is beyond even the Inquisition’s capabilities to solve. And Iberia, in its current state, can’t possibly care for every village,” Carmen admitted. His voice was heavy with resignation, and he seemed to age further as he spoke.

“Well, that’s where my proposal comes in. Just because you can’t solve it doesn’t mean I can’t,” Steven said with a mischievous grin.

“…What?” Carmen raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m not just a traveler, you know. I’m also a merchant,” Steven said, pulling something from his backpack and casually tossing it to Carmen.

It was a small, fist-sized object.

“I may not be able to fix your Church of the Deep problem, nor do I know the Inquisition’s internal struggles, but this little thing can help you address a critical issue,” Steven declared, pausing for dramatic effect.

“I believe that as long as most people have enough to eat to keep their families and loved ones from going hungry, they won’t be so quick to risk everything. Don’t you agree?”

Carmen looked at the object in his hand—a plain, unremarkable potato. His wrinkled face twisted slightly in confusion and disbelief.

“So, this is what you want to trade?” he asked slowly.

“A potato?”