- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 154
The God Ruin.
This was truly a surprise, one that filled Thor with immense anticipation.
However, with three months remaining until the event, there was no need to rush. After summoning Rachos to assign him the task of monitoring the Autumn Leaf territory, Thor set the matter aside temporarily.
For now, his immediate priority was the development of the Eagle Trading Company.
—-
As days passed, news from the western regions began trickling in.
Thus far, 27 prominent lords had confirmed their withdrawal. This group included 14 barons and 13 pioneering lords, all of whom controlled a staggering 70% of the resources in the Maine River Valley and 80% of the western territories’ total output.
For Thor and the Eagle Trading Company, these 27 lords presented a golden opportunity. Gaining access to their mines and resource points would establish dominance over the region.
Time, however, was running out. The continued calm in the Northern Province had only heightened the departing lords’ anxiety. Several were already preparing to leave at a moment’s notice, unable to endure the looming uncertainty.
Recognizing this tipping point, Thor decided it was time to convene his allies for negotiations.
—-
Shortly after the message was sent out, Thor received word from Baron Pape and Baron Joz Abibi: both sought to increase their stakes in the company.
Pape had initially considered nominating others to join but ultimately decided otherwise. Instead, he paid a hefty sum to his family and secured the support of two additional great knights.
Joz Abibi went a step further, presenting three great knights for consideration.
Thor, though pleased, adjusted the stakes to reflect the company’s expanded power.
The previous terms for shares had been:
–1% per great knight,
–0.05% per official knight,
–0.01% per trainee knight.
Under the new terms:
–0.5% per great knight,
–0.01% per official knight,
–No shares for trainee knights.
Although the reduced terms drew sighs of regret from Pape and Joz, both ultimately agreed.
Pape’s investment brought him an additional 1% share, while Joz gained 1.5%, further cementing their positions within the company.
—-
Five days later, Thor turned his attention to the reservoir and fisheries while awaiting the arrival of his allies.
By evening, the first group arrived: Baron Tonno and Baron Baburus.
Their reactions upon seeing the flourishing Eagle Territory were priceless.
—-
“My goddess, Tonno—are you sure we didn’t wander into the wrong place?” Baburus exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment.
“Baburus, I assure you, this is indeed the right place.” Tonno smirked, his own amazement barely concealed. “And yes, it’s shocking. This transformation took less than two years!”
“Unbelievable… Thor is a born leader,” Baburus muttered, his voice filled with awe.
As the two marveled at the fields and bustling settlements, Steve arrived to greet them.
“Welcome, Baron Tonno and Baron Baburus,” Steve said warmly, bowing deeply.
“Steve, where’s Thor?” Tonno asked with a laugh.
“The lord is currently inspecting the new territories. He’ll be back tomorrow,” Steve replied.
“Busy as ever, I see. Well, he owes us a grand feast tonight!” Tonno quipped, grinning.
“Of course. The banquet is ready and waiting,” Steve assured him as he led the visitors into the heart of Eagle Town.
—-
By nightfall, Baron Byrne, Baron Radon, and Baron Moss had also arrived.
Like Tonno and Baburus, the new arrivals were left speechless by the thriving settlement.
—-
“Thor’s territory…” Radon murmured, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Byrne and Moss shared his sentiment. They had heard tales of Thor’s impressive achievements, but witnessing the flourishing lands firsthand was a different matter altogether.
When Steve led them into Eagle Town, their astonishment deepened.
Everywhere they looked, there were signs of vitality.
Even the slaves, typically despondent and resigned, moved with energy and purpose, their faces adorned with smiles.
“This… this is incredible,” Byrne muttered, unable to tear his eyes away.
—-
As they wandered the town, something unusual caught Radon’s attention.
“Uncle Byrne, Moss—look over there!” Radon exclaimed, pointing toward a group of laborers.
Following his gaze, the two men stiffened in shock.
“Goblins!” Byrne whispered. “Goblins being used as slaves!”
The sight of goblin slaves, a rarity in the Northern Province, left them reeling.
—-
Steve noticed their reactions and chuckled knowingly.
“Gentlemen, the lord has authorized the sale of goblin slaves within Eagle Territory. If you’re interested, please contact Mr. Pelos. Prices are very reasonable.”
Byrne’s jaw dropped.
“You mean to say… Thor has access to goblin slaves?!” Byrne stammered, his mind racing.
This revelation confirmed one thing: Thor had the backing of at least a Tier-3 mage—a level of power almost unheard of in the Northern Province.
Byrne exchanged a glance with Radon and Moss.
The implications of such a connection were staggering.
“Thank you, Steve. Please convey our gratitude to the lord,” Byrne said, his voice steady despite the excitement bubbling beneath the surface.
Steve smiled, bowing respectfully. “Of course, Baron Byrne.”
As the group continued their tour, their excitement only grew.
For Thor, the potential of the goblin trade wasn’t just a financial boon—it was another tool to solidify the Eagle Trading Company’s dominance in the region.
The usefulness of goblin slaves required no further explanation.
More importantly, they were cheap.
While the Habus Trading Company and the three powerful lords possessing Tier-3 mages didn’t openly trade goblin slaves, choosing instead to use them for their own purposes, that didn’t mean these creatures lacked value.
For the right price, there was nothing better suited to mining operations than goblins.
At that moment, the three barons couldn’t help but think of their own mines.
Replacing their existing workforce with goblins would free up a significant number of their human slaves, allowing them to redirect manpower toward expanding farmland and undertaking other essential tasks. This, in turn, would further increase their estates’ productivity and income.
—-
As these thoughts occupied their minds, the three barons were guided into the castle.
By the next day, the remaining lords began arriving, turning the Eagle Territory into a hub of activity.
Every lord marveled at the territory’s development, visibly awestruck by its innovations.
Thor’s initiatives were unlike anything they had ever encountered. Though many of his methods were unfamiliar, their effectiveness was undeniable.
Several lords even started taking notes, hoping to replicate Thor’s practices back in their own domains.
—-
Meanwhile, Thor was at the dam.
Recent intelligence had suggested that the tilapia population in the reservoir had been disturbed, leading to a significant decline in spawning rates. After dealing with other pressing matters, Thor personally visited the site to investigate.
Despite spending the better part of a day there, he found no obvious cause.
“Still no leads on what’s causing this?” Thor asked the man beside him.
The man, a freedman named Berg, had previously been a slave. His expertise in fish farming had earned him his freedom through the merits system, and Thor had subsequently assigned him to oversee the dam and fishery.
“No, my lord. The spawning rates dropped sharply for a while, but recently they’ve started to recover,” Berg replied, his tone filled with both anxiety and uncertainty.
He hadn’t expected such a sudden issue with the fish and couldn’t help feeling tense.
“No need to worry,” Thor reassured him with a calm tone. “Keep monitoring the situation, and report immediately if anything changes.”
With that, Thor dismissed the man, intending to leave.
—-
Just as Thor was about to mount his steed, Nia, and depart, his expression abruptly shifted. His sharp gaze locked onto the dam.
“My lord, is something wrong?” Berg’s voice wavered as he noticed Thor’s sudden movement.
Without answering, Thor leaped toward the dam with startling agility.
“My lord!” Berg exclaimed, startled by the action.
Thor landed lightly atop the dam, and with a surge of ice energy, the water beneath his feet began to freeze.
—-
A chilling aura radiated from Thor, and the reservoir’s surface rapidly turned to ice. The freezing effect spread outward, accompanied by a misty fog that caused the surrounding temperature to plummet.
Thor’s power had reached the pinnacle of mid-tier Great Knight, and he was only a step away from breaking into the next level. Even more astonishing was the enhancement of his ice-aligned life energy, which had seemingly grown alongside his progression—or perhaps due to the maturing of his ice elemental spirit.
The aura he exuded hinted at the ability to manipulate the environment, a trait typically exclusive to Sky Knights. Though no high-ranking knight was present to witness this feat, anyone watching from the shore was left in awe.
—-
Thor advanced steadily across the ice, the water beneath freezing solid with each step.
As he neared the reservoir’s center, his movement stopped abruptly.
From beneath the ice, a shadow shot past with alarming speed, disappearing into the depths in the blink of an eye.
—-
“So fast!” Thor muttered, visibly taken aback.
Despite his advanced abilities and heightened senses, bolstered further by his symbiotic contract, he couldn’t clearly track the creature’s movement.
For something to evade the perception of a Great Knight with superior senses was a feat of terrifying magnitude.
Thor’s gaze lingered on the icy expanse, his mind racing as he contemplated the potential of this unknown presence lurking beneath the reservoir’s surface.
(To be continued…)