When he realized what Emperor Crora wanted, Minos was surprised at first, as he hadn't expected a leader of a high-ranking state to want to do business with him.
But when he stopped to analyze his and the world's current situation, Minos realized that he could be considered as important or even more important than some high-ranking powers!
No matter how weak he was, he had allies who could guarantee his operations. As the leader of the Black Plain Empire, he had such a large arable land that his state could be one of the top food producers in the Spiritual World!
Even though the Black Plain Empire still had to improve a lot to be able to compete with the top-level empires, and even though he, as a ruler, was far away from people like Zac due to the approaching ice age, Minos could already sit at the table with experts like this emperor in front of him.
He hadn't received an invitation from the elves, but he could be considered one of the most important people at this meeting, which had as its crucial point the plantations around the world during the ice age.
'That is true... My agricultural fields are the largest in the entire Central Continent! I have more to trade than states like Evergreen Empire, Sista, Lusmait, Eastern Empire, etc.' Minos thought about how to answer Emperor Crora's question.
"My state currently produces about 8 billion tons of food per year. In normal times, I can provide 40% of that. During an ice age, I'm not sure. I don't know how much my harvest will be affected."
"8 billion tons?" One of the two men behind Emperor Crora asked in surprise, not expecting the production of the Black Plain Empire to be that high.
But these three men didn't understand the current food reality of the Central Continent. At present, more than 70% of the continent is fed by resources planted and harvested in the Black Plain Empire!
The empire Minos created was now the largest agricultural breadbasket in the world!
No one knew this because of the lack of information and contacts between the various players in the market, but that was the case.
Hearing Minos' words, the men of the Crora Empire and those behind him were amazed at Emperor Stuart's production capacity.
But Minos had lowered his estimate of how much he should be able to offer now.
With the expansion of the marine part of his empire in the northeast of the Ancestral Sea, his underwater plantations would increase such production significantly. He was sure that in a few years, he could significantly increase the amount of food at his disposal.
Minos replied. "Yes, that's right. I can trade about 3.2 billion tons of food with my allies."
"And how much will you be able to store until the ice age begins?" Emperor Crora asked.
Minos thought for a moment and answered. "Currently, my reserves are no more than 5 billion tons. But I will try to reserve about 3 to 4 billion tons from now on. So when the Ice Age begins, I'm confident I'll have about 75 billion of food."
Emperor Crora almost turned pale when he heard that because if those words were true, Minos alone could feed the entire Spiritual World for a couple of years.
But as impressive as that was, an ice age could last for thousands and thousands of years. Not only that, but when the disaster began, it was expected that in less than 50 years, crops worldwide would lose between 40% and 70% of their yield.
That could worsen throughout the disaster and also depending on the measures taken before and during the crisis.
In other words, as fabulous as Minos' figures were, they alone would not guarantee the entire world's survival for the duration of the ice age.
But knowing that someone in the current generation had that much capacity was good news for these people, especially since they had been the first to approach Minos with the intention of doing business.
"How much of that number would you be willing to pledge to my state?" Zac asked, looking seriously at Minos. "I intend to pay in high-quality medicine and also in crystals."
"We can make a deal for 3 billion tons of these reserves, with the potential for an increase of 2 billion, depending on how my production performs during the crisis," Minos replied.
That amount of food would be worth between 1.5 and 2 billion high-grade crystals or the equivalent of about 500,000 high-grade medicines.
That was an astronomical value, even for the mighty Crora Empire!
However, this would not be an agreement that would be fulfilled in the blink of an eye, but over the course of the crisis, something that could be paid for with crystals, medicines, and who knew what else.
Aware, Zac said. "That figure sounds good to me. Let's make a deal. I'll pay you when my state gets this food."
"Okay. I'll have your reserve in 20 years. When you want to use it, just let me know before you send your ships to the Black Plain Empire." Minos said, already making it clear that the transportation job would be this man's, not his.
Minos already knew that there would be fights for food as the crisis worsened. To better protect himself, he wouldn't transport food outside his state, and he already intended to make arrangements with his allies to prevent powerful beings from looking dangerously at his state.
Zac saw no problem in making the transport, and soon, he and Minos would discuss the numbers and how the payment would be made and quickly come to an agreement.
The Crora Empire would pay for half of the food it bought from Minos with King or Saint grade medicines, while the rest of the debt would be settled with high-grade crystals. If the Minos state wished, they could negotiate other forms of payment later.
As Minos and Zac detailed their agreement, Julian's nephew sighed, seeing nothing problematic would happen after all that had been said.
'Uncle Julian, Minos is making a deal with the Crora Empire. That's all the Emperor wanted to talk to him about.' He said to the level 97 guy in another part of the tent.
'Oh? That's not bad. Keep up with him.' Julian told his nephew.
Meanwhile, Minos' companions reconsidered their partnership with him, seeing that their tribes had to communicate with such an emperor about this food.
"Tell Minos that I am going to the envoys of my empire. I will return as soon as possible." Said the level 92 woman of the Sea Folk to the mercenary and the Dragon before leaving to search for her people.
Nymmas didn't hesitate to do the same, leaving only Julian's nephew and the level 92 mercenary in Emperor Crora's business area.
...
