Knights of Tezoth

Alaria harbored no illusions that at least part of the gold spent would not go toward promoting some cunning Sithian schemes. She also had no doubt that at least some of these masterpieces could have come from the hands of slaves whose minds were befuddled by false magical adoration for their pointy-eared oppressors. These were the facts of life one had to accept when dealing with the northern bloodsuckers.

But it would be strange for her to pretend that she had never before in her life enjoyed benefits that concealed the suffering and oppression of innocents. So it was in Tanarsis, where she happened to be both oppressor and oppressed. So it was in Reim, again not without her direct involvement, which turned Areid into its raw material appendage and even before that actively exploited the snake-men. So it was in Velfern, whose prosperity was built on a history of bloody conquests. So it was in Calcite, whose economy was built on the same slaves. And even now, in Tezoth, Catharsis had no certainty that the souls of the enemies she had vanquished were not heading straight into the feathered embrace of the Raven of Dawn. To some extent, it was all already taken for granted. The realities of the world that one had to accept.

However, today's transaction did have its own strategic subtext. Of course, she could have come up with some excuse and sent Malik packing, refusing the services of the foreign merchant. Strike a proud pose and give him a firm "no." An ordinary person, not vested with power, could probably even afford something like that. But now she was a private individual no less than she was a representative of Cortina. She held no particular love for the children of Elvielphiria and the order reigning in their lands, but antagonizing representatives of Sithia would be a foolish decision. A rash decision. They would hardly ever become friends to humans, but it was also not worth making them a direct enemy prematurely. Expressing a willingness to trade, while simultaneously lulling the Sithians' vigilance, seemed to her a more pragmatic solution. The main thing was to exercise reasonable caution herself.