FLDI Chapter 55

Chapter 55: An Excited Baron Pape Lawrence

Baron Pape Lawrence was filled with excitement and anticipation as he sent his eldest son to investigate. Meanwhile, a sobered-up Racios Assad completed his transaction with Baron Pape Lawrence, selling each silver armor set for 500 gold coins and each black iron armor set for 40 silver coins.

After the deal was done, Racios Assad left Pape Lawrence’s territory, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit uneasy.

Baron Pape Lawrence was no weakling. In the Maine River Valley and the surrounding areas, he was considered one of the strongest barons. Although Racios understood the implications of Thor’s plan, targeting such a powerful figure made him worry.

“I hope nothing goes wrong,” he muttered softly, casting a glance back at Baron Lawrence’s territory before quickly departing.

Five days after Racios left, Lawrence finally gathered some valuable information. This intelligence was promptly delivered to Baron Pape Lawrence’s chamber.

“There are no goblins left there!” Lawrence reported. “Moreover, there are over a hundred knights stationed at the site.”

Hearing his son’s report, Pape Lawrence’s eyes widened, and he shot to his feet.

“Yes, there are indeed over a hundred knights. I also counted at least ten formal knights among them,” Lawrence continued, his voice trembling slightly.

A hundred knights, along with ten formal knights—this was significant. Even Pape Lawrence, after many years of building his territory, only commanded around thirty formal knights. For a newly established pioneering lord to already have ten formal knights was astounding.

“Hahaha, the Life Goddess blesses us! It seems I was right—there must be a large iron mine there!” Pape Lawrence exclaimed. “Lawrence, prepare everything. We move in seven days.”

Pape Lawrence made his decision without hesitation. Even without absolute confirmation, the mere possibility of a large iron mine was enough to ignite his ambition.

A large iron mine, and possibly even a group of skilled alchemists—if he could seize these resources, his territory would undergo a rapid transformation before the next kingdom war. This could even secure him a promotion to the rank of viscount.

The thought alone sent a thrill through him.

“Yes, Father!” Lawrence, too, was excited but remained composed as he quickly acknowledged his father’s orders.

Soon after, preparations began in Pape Lawrence’s domain. Knights were mobilized, and more detailed information on Eagle Ridge was gathered.

Meanwhile, in Eagle Ridge, Thor received a familiar notification from his Daily Intelligence System.

[Daily Intelligence has been updated.]

1: Five hundred miles north of your territory, a group of boar beasts will pass through. Their leader seems to be on the verge of breaking through to Tier 3.

2: In the western part of your territory, in the domain of Baron Wills, a serf has discovered a way to graft fern roots onto fire spirit trees, increasing their yield.

3: In seven days, due to leaked information about the large iron mine, Baron Pape Lawrence will attempt to seize your mine and destroy your territory.

4: A minor conflict has arisen between the Rosen and Derlin families in Eagle Ridge.

5: A group of drakes will pass through the upper reaches of the Maine River Valley on the western side of your territory.

As the text flashed before his eyes, Thor smiled. This was exactly the information he had been waiting for.

His plan had been to lure the snake out of its hole. As a new lord, Thor couldn’t afford to launch aggressive attacks against others without provoking the ire of neighboring lords. Pape Lawrence, however, was located far too close to the iron mine—sooner or later, he would discover its existence. Rather than wait for the inevitable, Thor decided it was better to provoke an early confrontation, defeat Lawrence decisively, and secure his place in the Maine River Valley.

There would be no better way to establish his authority than by defeating a noble lord.

With a grin on his face, Thor began preparing for war.

First, he reinforced the defenses at the mine. While the mine was already well-manned, he wasn’t going to take any chances. Apart from leaving thirty trainee knights and a hundred reserve knights to defend Eagle Ridge, Thor ordered the rest of his forces to relocate to the mine.

As for Eagle Ridge’s safety, Thor had no worries. The real defense of the territory didn’t lie with numbers but with Reyn and Neil Morton. As long as Reyn held his ground, Eagle Ridge would be safe, even against a full orc assault.

“Reyn, I’m leaving Eagle Ridge in your hands,” Thor said solemnly, standing before his gathered forces, which included over a hundred knights and more than a thousand slaves. This represented nearly 90% of Eagle Ridge’s strength.

“Don’t worry, my lord. As long as I’m alive, Eagle Ridge will remain secure,” Reyn responded with firm resolve.

“Good!” Thor nodded, clapping Reyn on the shoulder. Then, with a pull of the reins, he led his forces toward the mine.

Meanwhile, Baron Pape Lawrence’s territory also began preparing for action. Knights and slaves were gathered, and the entire estate bustled with activity.

As the days passed, Thor’s forces reached the mine on the second day.

Steve, already aware of Thor’s impending arrival, had fortified the mine in preparation for the battle. With Thor’s reinforcements, the defensive lines were quickly strengthened, and positions secured.

It didn’t take long for Pape Lawrence, who had been keeping a close eye on the mine, to receive word of Thor’s arrival.

“You’re telling me that Thor Dresrosa has brought a large force to the mine?” Pape Lawrence asked with a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

“Yes, Father—over two thousand men,” Lawrence confirmed, though his tone carried a note of concern. “Do you think our plans have been leaked?”

“I don’t think so,” Pape Lawrence replied, shaking his head. For a moment, he recalled Racios Assad but quickly dismissed the thought. At this point, it was too late to worry about such things. The most important task was seizing control of the mine.

(End of Chapter)

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