- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 130
Ruby felt his life energy churning inside him as he fought to dispel the intense chill Thor’s attack had left. Only after a few moments did he manage to shake off the cold.
But inside, Ruby was undeniably shaken.
He was a genuine Earth Knight, far stronger than Deghuri, who had used forbidden potions to reach the same rank. Ruby’s life energy and physical strength were far superior, yet Thor’s life force had still managed to affect him. This spoke volumes about the power Thor wielded.
While Ruby was processing this realization, Deghuri, who had been knocked to the ground, got up, his face dark with fury.
“Ruby, what do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, his eyes glinting with anger. “Are you trying to shield your Dressrosa family member?”
“We don’t even know the full story yet, Deghuri. But if I find out that you tried to frame a member of the Dressrosa family, you’ll have me to answer to,” Ruby warned, his eyes glinting with menace as he stared down Deghuri.
Deghuri’s body stiffened under Ruby’s glare. Though both were captains in the Pat Knights and, technically, Deghuri had an edge due to his connection to the Pat family, he knew he was no match for Ruby, who was a true Earth Knight, having reached his rank before turning fifty—a feat that set him apart as a prodigy.
As the two faced off, Thor watched with growing curiosity, studying the formidable middle-aged man before him.
He hadn’t expected to find another member of the Dressrosa family here—and one who was also an Earth Knight.
It made him wonder since when there were so many Earth Knights. Two in one place seemed extraordinary.
At that moment, Morris and Anna approached.
“Master, are you alright?” Anna asked cautiously, casting a healing spell on Thor to mend any internal injuries.
Morris leaned in, speaking quietly. “This is Cousin Ruby, one of our kin and a captain in the Pat Knights.”
Morris’s words helped Thor make sense of the situation, though he couldn’t help but feel a bit more surprised.
This man was his cousin.
“Are you alright? Do you need medical attention, Thor?” Ruby turned from Deghuri, his tone now filled with concern for Thor.
“I’m fine, Cousin Ruby!” Thor replied, smiling. “He couldn’t hurt me.”
At Thor’s words, Deghuri’s face darkened even further.
But it was clear that neither Ruby nor Thor had any intention of paying him any more attention.
“Excellent! You make the Dressrosa family proud, Thor,” Ruby chuckled with approval. “Uncle will be thrilled to hear of this.”
Thor scratched his head, chuckling bashfully.
“All right, let’s head to the city center. It’s nothing serious. As long as we confirm that Emor attacked first, the worst that’ll happen is a small fine,” Ruby assured them, offering a bit of advice. “Try not to start fights in the city; not all nobles are as understanding.”
“I understand, Cousin Ruby,” Thor nodded, though he then pointed at Emor. “But this time shouldn’t be an issue. I doubt he’s a noble, right?”
Ruby snorted in disdain. “Him? A noble? Hardly. He’s just some wretch the Emerson family squeezed in here.”
Ruby certainly had the right to look down on him.
His family had served Marquis Pat since his father’s time, and he himself had reached Earth Knight status before fifty, with a promising future of at least reaching the peak of Earth Knight rank. Marquis Pat held him in high esteem and had even promised him an opportunity to gain noble status in the upcoming kingdom wars.
By comparison, Emor, though a Grand Knight, was reliant on an excess of life potions and unlikely to ever ascend to Earth Knight.
When Thor heard Ruby’s assessment, a smile appeared on his face.
“In that case, no problem.”
“Several months ago, I was officially made a baron. According to kingdom law, he should be compensating me. Provoking a noble and sending a beast to attack me is a serious crime. I’d be within my rights even to have killed him outright,” Thor said with a calm, confident tone.
As a noble, he had a higher legal standing than non-nobles, meaning that even injuring Emor was justified. If anything, Emor owed *him* compensation.
“You’re a baron now?” Ruby’s eyes widened with delight. “Excellent news!”
“Yes, here’s my noble insignia from the kingdom,” Thor confirmed, showing his emblem.
Seeing the emblem, Deghuri’s face paled, while Emor’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“No way! There’s no way you’re a noble!” Emor protested in a panicked tone. “You know impersonating a noble is a serious crime, right?”
“Indeed,” Ruby laughed heartily, admiring the emblem. “Looks like we have another soaring eagle in the Dressrosa family.”
“Cousin Ruby, I think that for his reckless assault on a kingdom noble, disturbing the peace, and neglecting the control of his pet, 5,000 gold coins would be an appropriate settlement, wouldn’t you say?”
Ruby’s eyes brightened at Thor’s suggestion.
“No, no, dear cousin. A kingdom noble’s honor is worth far more than 5,000 gold. I’d say 10,000 coins, at least. I’ll notify the Emerson family,” Ruby responded with a gleam of amusement in his eyes.
“This is madness! How could it be 10,000 gold?” Emor’s voice trembled with outrage, but the knights wasted no time in gagging him as he was led away.
After Emor was out of sight, Morris turned to Ruby, expressing some concern. “Cousin Ruby, will the Emerson family actually pay that amount?”
“Probably not,” Ruby replied with a slight smile. “But that’s the price we’ll start with.”
The two brothers understood the strategy: quoting a high price would allow them to negotiate down, squeezing as much as possible from the Emersons, who were clearly at fault in this matter.
Thor, however, seemed hesitant.
“What is it?” Ruby asked, noticing Thor’s expression.
“Cousin Ruby, will this cause any issues for you? I mean, you’re a knight of the Pat family, and technically, Emor is tied to them,” Thor explained, his voice filled with concern.
Ruby laughed, waving off the worry. “Not at all. Emor may be from the Emerson family, but he’s only loosely affiliated with the Pat family. Even if the marquis hears of this, it won’t be an issue.”
Listening to Ruby’s words, Thor still felt a bit hesitant.
After all, there was still some connection between Emor and the Pat family.
At that moment, Morris chimed in.
“Haha, Thor, you don’t know this, but Brother Ruby is one of Marquis Pat’s most trusted men. He even promised to let Ruby participate in the kingdom’s upcoming war to earn a noble title. Emor is insignificant compared to that.”
Morris explained with a smile.
Thor’s eyes lit up as he realized the implications.
This was a world where extraordinary abilities held real value. His cousin’s loyalty to the Pat family, coupled with his remarkable talent, made him far more valuable than someone of mere family bloodline. Emor, being from the Emerson family, or even a Pat family member, couldn’t compare to Ruby’s worth.
“I was overthinking it!” Thor shook his head, smiling with a sigh. “Thank you for helping us, Cousin Ruby.”
“No need to thank me—you’re my family!” Ruby replied with a hearty laugh, clapping a hand on Thor’s shoulder. “Come, join me at my home for a drink! You haven’t even met your two nephews yet!”
“It’d be my pleasure,” Thor said, nodding with a smile, having no reason to decline.
Their group followed Ruby, leaving the cleanup to others. As for Deghuri, Ruby didn’t pay him any mind.
Deghuri watched them leave, his expression shifting from frustration to resignation. Ultimately, he let out a sigh, knowing that while he might be able to intimidate the average Dressrosa family member, this one was out of his reach.
Of course, Thor and the others were unaware of Deghuri’s thoughts.
Following Ruby, they first stopped at the outpost, then walked for half an hour until they reached their destination—a spacious estate.
Inside Ruby’s family home, Thor met Ruby’s wife and children. His wife was a graceful middle-aged noblewoman with an air of dignity, a direct descendant of the Pat family and the third daughter of the current Marquis Pat.
Their two sons, Sol Dressrosa, aged seventeen, and Kirby Dressrosa, aged sixteen, greeted them with polite smiles, evidently familiar with Morris, as they lit up at his arrival. They also regarded Thor with curiosity and respect.
Thor, noticing they weren’t much younger than himself, retrieved two small wooden boxes he had picked up earlier and handed them to the boys.
“Thank you, Uncle Thor!” they responded, expressing their gratitude.
“Thor, you’re too generous!” Ruby laughed, shaking his head before leading Thor and Morris to join the feast.
The banquet was grand, and as the family conversed, Thor became more intrigued by his cousin, just as Ruby was equally curious about him.
“Thor, my word! You’re incredible!” Ruby exclaimed. “The Northern Province is truly a remarkable place.”
“It really is,” Thor agreed. “So many opportunities await there.”
The three of them talked and laughed, enjoying each other’s company well into the night.
After the banquet, they all stayed at Ruby’s home.
While they enjoyed a night of celebration, things were not as cheerful elsewhere.
“I’m afraid I have bad news. Master Emor’s arm muscles are nearly entirely frozen and damaged. Mid-grade life potions likely won’t be enough to restore them. Only a high-grade life potion could heal this,” a healer reported respectfully, his face tense with worry.
“What?” Deghuri’s expression changed upon hearing this.
If mid-grade life potions couldn’t heal him, then Emor’s right hand was likely permanently damaged.
Deghuri’s face fell, and Emor, lying on the bed, turned ghostly pale as he heard the report.
“Uncle Deghuri, are we just going to let this go?” Emor’s voice quivered with anger after his initial shock. “This is my right hand! What am I supposed to do now?”
He could barely accept such an outcome, overwhelmed with fear.
A single arm was critical, even to a Grand Knight.