- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 115
**Chapter 115: Dividing the Spoils, a Staggering Increase in Revenue**
“This… this!”
“It’s real!”
Babrus stood up suddenly, his eyes filled with shock and barely contained excitement.
Based on their initial understanding, a large iron mine, a small copper mine, and one “Naur” source could bring in an extra 2,000 gold coins per year. Even split three ways, each of them would be looking at about 700 to 800 gold coins annually.
Then, as Tono explained that Thor had a group of goblins, Babrus realized that the income could increase further, possibly reaching 1,500 gold coins or more each year.
But now, there was an unexpected windfall.
Not only had they found an additional copper mine, but also a second Naur source. The territory’s value had doubled instantly. It was entirely possible they could reach 2,000 gold coins per year or more.
Two thousand extra gold coins a year were enough to make even Tono and Babrus breathe heavily. Thor, too, was visibly pleased—not because of the copper mine, but the additional Naur source.
For others, an extra Naur source might mean an additional 200 or 300 gold coins annually, but for Thor, it represented thousands of gold coins in potential value.
“My lords, Lord Thor, Lord Babrus, these are the records from the castle,” the steward reported respectfully, his own excitement showing.
At this, the three men calmed their excitement somewhat.
“Very well, continue your inventory,” Tono instructed. “Babrus, Thor, let’s verify these findings ourselves!”
With Thor and Babrus nodding in agreement, they quickly set off.
First, they inspected the iron mine, located just under two miles from the castle. The site showed signs of extensive mining operations, although now only dried blood and broken bodies remained—the miners had clearly been killed and devoured by the Goatmen.
“Charles, take a team and assess the reserves,” Tono ordered.
“Yes, my lord,” replied a stout, middle-aged man, who quickly led his team to survey the mine.
With the team dispatched, Tono led the others to the copper mine on the left side of the territory. He left another team to evaluate the copper mine’s capacity as well.
“The other copper mine is near the second Naur site. Let’s check the Naur site first,” Tono said, directing them toward the Danube.
The three men arrived at the first Naur site, which showed signs of considerable development, including processing facilities. Yet, as with the mines, the area was littered with bloodstains and wreckage.
Tono motioned, and a team quickly approached to investigate. A few moments later, a man returned, visibly thrilled.
“My lord, the monthly yield from this Naur site should exceed 100 pieces, potentially reaching 1,200 annually,” he reported, barely able to contain his excitement.
With each Naur piece valued at roughly one gold coin, a yearly yield of 1,200 pieces meant at least 1,200 gold coins, possibly more depending on market conditions. Just this site alone represented a substantial income.
Thor, Tono, and Babrus all smiled with satisfaction.
“It seems the Assad scion wasn’t much of a manager!” Tono chuckled, smiling broadly.
In his research, Tono had learned that this site yielded only 900 pieces annually. The increased yield suggested either inefficiency or embezzlement by the former managers.
“Or perhaps he didn’t want to flaunt his wealth,” Thor suggested, shaking his head. He had met the Assad heir before, and it seemed unlikely that they were simply careless about their finances.
“True enough!” Tono agreed, nodding thoughtfully.
“Let’s check the other site!” Tono said, leading them onward.
After another five or six miles, they arrived at the second Naur site as night fully settled. This site was less developed than the first, suggesting it was recently established.
“Send a team to locate the second copper mine and evaluate this site as well,” Tono ordered, directing more teams to the task.
Soon, the team returned with an estimate. Though the second Naur site was less established, they projected an annual yield of 400 to 500 pieces. Even at this lower yield, it was still a valuable find, worth around 500 to 600 gold coins.
These earnings might seem modest individually, but as continuous income, they added up significantly over time. Each share could bring in nearly 200 gold coins a year, totaling close to 2,000 gold coins over a decade. With proper management, this could sustain their families for generations.
Unlike mines, Naur sites didn’t deplete over time; they could continue producing indefinitely.
Their smiles grew wider as the news kept improving. When the team examining the second copper mine returned, they reported that it was nearly a medium-sized deposit, capable of generating at least 500 gold coins in annual ore sales.
Considering all sources, the first Naur site alone could yield 1,200 gold coins yearly, the second Naur site an additional 500 to 600 gold coins, and the two copper mines could collectively bring in around 900 gold coins. These assets collectively represented over 2,000 gold coins annually, potentially reaching 2,400.
If they confirmed the iron mine’s status as a large deposit, it could add another 3,000 gold coins to their income, bringing the total to a staggering amount.
Three thousand gold coins, even split three ways, would provide each of them with a substantial income.
And this was without considering Thor’s goblins. With them, the copper and iron could be forged into weapons, increasing their profits to 5,000, maybe even 8,000 gold coins annually.
“Even more.”
Just imagining the potential made their breathing grow heavy.
Tor’s eyes flickered as an idea began to form in his mind.
While he was lost in thought, Tono and Babrus both turned their gazes toward him, even licking their lips in anticipation.
“Thor, how many sets of black iron armor and brass armor can you produce each month?” Tono asked, his voice carrying a slight tremor he didn’t even notice.
His question immediately made Babrus tense up as well. After all, this would directly impact how much income they could earn.
“Currently, I can produce about three hundred sets of black iron armor and three sets of silver armor each month. As for brass armor, I could make around twenty sets if needed,” Thor replied after a brief pause.
Over the past few months, the goblins’ production had stabilized, and these numbers had significantly increased since the beginning.
“This much?” Tono and Babrus couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise. Their faces showed disbelief. When they had learned about Thor’s goblins, they’d expected some decent output, but they hadn’t anticipated this volume—especially the silver armor.
Silver armor was in a league of its own, incomparable to black iron and brass. It was a truly extraordinary item, with a market price of over 500 gold coins per set nowadays, far exceeding the value of black iron armor, which only fetched around fifty silver coins, and brass armor, priced at around ten gold coins.
More importantly, their large iron mine produced mithril, meaning they wouldn’t need to sell it as raw ore; they could forge it directly into silver armor. They could either sell it at a premium or keep it to enhance their forces.
Each set of silver armor was worth over 500 gold coins, and the mithril alone could be valued in the thousands. The value of the entire iron mine had transformed once again.
Tono and Babrus were visibly thrilled, a blush of excitement on their faces.
“Excellent, excellent!” Tono exclaimed. “Thor, my brother, this is quite a surprise!”
“Lord Thor!” Babrus echoed with enthusiasm.
“Brother, Lord Babrus, let’s not get too excited,” Thor replied calmly, though he couldn’t hide a slight smile. “While the production can reach these numbers, I’ll need to forge some weapons as well. I can only commit to half of the output—say, one set of silver armor, one hundred and fifty sets of black iron armor, and ten sets of brass armor per month.”
Though his words tempered the excitement, Thor’s frankness was appreciated. He had his own mines and responsibilities, so he couldn’t allocate all his resources to Tono and Babrus, even if they shared a stake in this venture.
“No problem!” Babrus responded quickly. “Half is more than enough, Lord Thor.”
Tono looked slightly surprised but nodded knowingly, clearly guessing some of Thor’s reasons. He didn’t press the issue, but his gaze held a new level of respect for his brother.
After a brief hesitation, Thor spoke with a serious tone, “Brother, Lord Babrus, I actually have another idea that might be even better.”
Tono and Babrus were immediately intrigued.
“Oh? What are you thinking, Tor?” Tono asked curiously.
“Yes, Lord Thor, please share,” Babrus urged.
“Well, considering the Northern Province, the western region is much more prosperous than the east or north. In these turbulent times, the demand for armor and weapons will likely increase, and I suspect that the price of silver armor has become almost irrelevant.”
Tor’s expression turned serious as he explained his thoughts.
“That’s true. Although silver armor is priced at around 500 gold coins per set, it’s almost impossible to find these days. Even in Loren City, we haven’t seen a set in months,” Babrus admitted with a sigh.
Tono nodded, his eyes glinting with interest.
“Are you suggesting…” Tono began, looking at Thor intently.
“Brother, Lord Babrus, rather than holding on to the armor, why not sell it and establish a market presence?” Thor suggested. “With silver armor, I’m confident that most western lords would be eager to trade with us.”
The two exchanged glances, and Thor took a deep breath, explaining the idea that had come to him.