- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 132
Seeing Thor present the Gold Card, both Ruby and Morris couldn’t hide their shock. They had just been talking about how rare the card was, only for their younger brother to casually pull one out.
“Thor, you never cease to surprise me!” Ruby remarked. “An Assad Gold Card, and you managed to get one?”
“Haha, Thor, that’s incredible!” Morris added, excitement in his voice. “Just hand that card to a servant and have them deliver it to the manager here.”
Although having the Gold Card didn’t guarantee they’d secure the Violet Gold Grass, it certainly made it easier. Before, their chances had been slim, but now there was real hope.
“Is that how it works?” Thor nodded at Morris’s explanation, then motioned for a servant nearby.
Seeing Thor gesture, the servant quickly approached them.
“Gentlemen, how may I assist you?”
“Take this to your manager,” Thor instructed, handing over the Gold Card.
“Yes, sir. One moment, please,” the servant replied. He glanced at the card and instantly looked more serious, understanding the importance of the Assad family’s Gold Card.
The servant quickly left, and Thor and his companions waited.
Not even a quarter-hour later, a middle-aged man with blond hair hurried over.
“Gentlemen, pardon the intrusion,” he greeted them respectfully. “I’m Derry Assad, the manager of today’s auction. How may I be of service?”
Derry’s tone was courteous, though inwardly, he was curious. The Assad and Dressrosa families weren’t exactly friendly, so he was surprised to see them with the Gold Card.
“Here’s the thing,” Thor began. “I’d like to confirm whether there’s a Violet Gold Grass up for auction today, and if so, whether it can be reserved for a private transaction.”
After a brief consultation, Thor had learned about the Gold Card’s perks from Ruby and Morris. Not only did it offer discounts, but it also allowed the holder to reserve certain items for private bidding, which meant only competing with other Gold Card holders rather than the entire auction.
With an item like the Violet Gold Grass, public bidding would be intense. Though it wasn’t as valuable as the Life Fruit for breaking through to Sky Knight, it still held some potential. More importantly, it was a primary ingredient in high-grade life potions, making it highly sought after by most count families.
Without reserving it, winning the Violet Gold Grass in open auction would be difficult.
“This… I’ll need to check on that,” Derry said hesitantly.
“Is there an issue?” Ruby’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Derry.
“No issue, Lord Ruby, but the Violet Gold Grass in question is not in prime condition and has a preservation period of less than six months.”
Derry, somewhat embarrassed, explained further.
“Six months?” The group was taken aback. Typically, magical plants could be preserved for decades or even centuries with the right techniques.
“Yes, just six months. This particular plant was harvested by a freeman who handled it poorly, which has significantly reduced its shelf life. That’s why the Assad family decided to auction it off,” Derry clarified, glancing at the group.
“If you wish to reserve it, I’ll need to obtain approval first. Are you certain?” Derry asked politely, looking to the group for confirmation.
The three exchanged glances.
Ruby and Morris looked uncertain. A Violet Gold Grass with only six months of usability would be of limited value.
“Yes, we’re sure. Please go ahead and get the approval,” Thor spoke up decisively.
For other noble families, a Violet Gold Grass with only a six-month shelf life might be less valuable, as it typically needed to be combined with the Life Fruit and Star Moon Fruit to create high-grade life potions. The limited timeframe could make it hard to sell or use effectively.
But for the Dressrosa family, things were different. Thor’s father already possessed a Life Fruit and Star Moon Fruit. Even if they couldn’t create a life potion, the Violet Gold Grass could be used as-is, with no risk of it going to waste.
“Understood. I’ll be back shortly,” Derry replied, bowing and then quickly heading out.
“Thor, are you sure this is okay?” Ruby asked curiously.
“It’s fine, Brother Ruby,” Thor said with a reassuring smile.
Seeing Thor’s confidence, Ruby’s curiosity only grew, though he didn’t press further.
Meanwhile, Derry made his way to the upper-level offices, where a blond middle-aged man was savoring a glass of wine, waiting for the auction to begin. He was the current head of the Assad family, the current Count Assad.
“A shame it only has six months left. If we could wait until the Life Fruit arrives, Father would have another chance at the Sky Knight breakthrough,” he murmured with a sigh, resigned to the situation.
Six months wasn’t nearly enough. The Life Fruit wouldn’t arrive in time, nor would the Star Moon Fruit ripen soon enough. By then, the Violet Gold Grass would lose its potency. Instead of letting it go to waste, they had decided to auction it off for a good price.
*Knock, knock.*
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
“Come in.”
The blond man frowned slightly but gave his permission.
Derry stepped inside, moving quickly but maintaining respect.
“Lord Assad, a Gold Card holder is requesting to reserve the Violet Gold Grass,” he reported, quickly explaining the situation.
“Oh? Someone is actually interested?” Assad raised an eyebrow, a slight smile forming. “Which family?”
“The Dressrosa family, sir. I’m not sure how they acquired one of our Gold Cards,” Derry replied, offering the card in question.
“My son Lachos’s Gold Card?” Assad chuckled, recognizing the card. “It seems my son is feeling generous.”
“Lord Lachos’s card?” Derry looked momentarily surprised.
“Very well,” Assad mused. “This is likely Count Engel Dressrosa seeking to make a Sky Knight attempt.”
“Here’s what we’ll do: reserve the Violet Gold Grass for them, and tell the young man he can have it for 20,000 gold coins, skipping the auction entirely,” Assad decided with a smile.
“Sir… very well,” Derry responded, a hint of hesitation in his voice.
“Go on,” Assad waved him off. “Consider it a token of goodwill. That young Dressrosa eagle seems promising.”
“Yes, sir,” Derry replied, still puzzled but obedient as he left the room.
After Derry departed, Assad shook his head with a slight smile.
It was no great loss. A Violet Gold Grass with only six months of potency would barely interest anyone, even at auction, likely fetching between 15,000 to 20,000 gold coins at most. If the Dressrosa family agreed to 20,000 gold, it would be a fair deal for both sides.
For the Dressrosa family, it meant acquiring the plant without the risks of open bidding.
Under normal circumstances, this sort of win-win arrangement would be unlikely, as the Assad and Dressrosa families weren’t particularly friendly.
But thanks to Thor, Count Assad was willing to show a gesture of goodwill.
He had learned quite a bit about recent developments in the Northern Province, hinting at the rise of a powerful noble family there.
As a shrewd businessman, Count Assad saw an opportunity. Making investments in promising prospects often yielded the best returns, and this might just be the first of many such investments.
“Thor Dressrosa,” Count Assad murmured softly.
He shook his head, taking another sip of his wine. This was merely a casual investment, and there was no need to dwell on it.
Meanwhile, Thor and his companions were greeted by Derry’s swift return.
“The Count has agreed to let you acquire the Violet Gold Grass directly for a payment of 20,000 gold coins,” Derry announced respectfully.
“What?” Ruby and the others looked surprised, especially Ruby himself.
He knew how the Assad Commerce worked. Even if an item was reserved, it would still typically go through private bidding—there was rarely an option for direct purchase.
Thor, however, couldn’t help but smile. Things were going more smoothly than he had expected, and the Assad family had even agreed to the private transaction.
As for the 20,000 gold coins, the price was indeed steep, but the real question was not the cost but the ability to secure it.
“That works,” Thor replied. “When can we make the payment?”
“Anytime, sir,” Derry nodded, speaking quietly.
“Good.” Thor nodded back, producing two distinct gold cards and handing them over.
In this world, banking and currency systems were well-established. The two main empires had created a financial system that used copper, silver, and gold cards to handle significant transactions. A copper card represented 10,000 copper coins, a silver card represented 10,000 silver coins, and a gold card represented 10,000 gold coins.
“Understood. Please wait a moment,” Derry said with a nod, stepping out.
A short while later, a servant returned with a small wooden box and presented it to Thor.
Thor carefully inspected the box, then had Ruby take a look. Once they confirmed it was genuine, Thor nodded in satisfaction.
“Thank you,” Thor said quietly.
“You’re very welcome, sir. If you have any further requests, please don’t hesitate to call on me,” Derry replied with a polite smile before taking his leave.
As Derry left, Ruby and Morris stared in disbelief at the box in Thor’s hands.
“Thor, you’ve made connections with the Assad family too!” Ruby said with surprise. “Given the South Moon Province matters, there’s always been some tension between the Assads and our Dressrosa family, even if it hasn’t caused any major issues. They certainly haven’t always been welcoming toward us.”
“Exactly! Last time I visited the Assad family, they didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet,” Morris added, curiosity evident in his tone.
Thor gave a somewhat sheepish smile as his cousins looked at him with interest.
“It was just luck. I happened to meet an Assad family member while I was in the Northern Province,” he explained with a laugh.
“I see,” Ruby nodded, understanding.
The Northern Province was indeed unique. As a newly developed frontier, each pioneering lord there was both a competitor and a collaborator, especially since their common enemies were the orcs and magical beasts.
Under these circumstances, the small conflicts between the Assad and Dressrosa families didn’t matter as much, and occasional cooperation was quite normal.
“Thor, the way you talk about it makes me want to try my hand at pioneering in the Northern Province,” Morris said, a bit enviously.
Ruby chuckled. “Morris, the Northern Province isn’t so easy to conquer. Thor’s success is a testament to his own strength. Others aren’t so lucky—take that fool from the Emerson family, who lost his territory and had to crawl back home.”
As a knight commander for the Pat family, Ruby knew the reality. Though his younger brother spoke as though pioneering was a breeze, he was well aware of the grueling hardships involved. This understanding was also why he hadn’t yet decided whether to send his own son to the Northern Province.
After all, few could achieve success like Thor. Countless pioneers from the Dressrosa family had ventured out, but barely one in ten ever earned noble status.
“Thor Dressrosa!”
Count Assad murmured softly, then shook his head, continuing to savor his wine. This was merely a casual investment, and there was no need for undue attention.
Meanwhile, Thor and his companions soon saw Derry return.
“The Count has agreed to sell the Violet Gold Grass directly for 20,000 gold coins,” Derry announced respectfully.
“What?” Ruby and the others were taken aback, especially Ruby.
He knew how the Assad auctions typically operated: even if an item was reserved, it would still go through private bidding. Direct sales like this were unusual.
Thor, however, smiled. Things were going smoother than he had expected; the Assad family had agreed to a direct transaction.
As for the 20,000 gold coins, while it was indeed a high price, the question was not the price but securing the item itself.
“That works,” Thor replied. “When can we arrange the payment?”
“Anytime, sir,” Derry confirmed with a nod.
“Alright,” Thor nodded, handing over two distinct gold cards.
In this world, well-established banking and currency systems used cards to handle significant transactions, with copper, silver, and gold cards for respective amounts. Copper cards represented 10,000 copper coins, silver 10,000 silver coins, and gold 10,000 gold coins.
“Understood. Please wait a moment,” Derry nodded and departed briefly.
A short while later, a servant returned with a small wooden box and presented it to Thor.
Thor examined the box carefully, then passed it to Ruby for a second look. Once verified, Thor nodded.
“Thank you,” he said with a smile.
“It’s my pleasure, sir. Should you have further requests, don’t hesitate to ask,” Derry replied, bowing and stepping out.
After Derry’s departure, Ruby and Morris stared at the box, still somewhat astonished.
“Thor, I didn’t expect you’d have connections with the Assad family!”
“Considering past conflicts over the South Moon Province, the Assads have never been particularly welcoming toward our family,” Ruby remarked with surprise.
“Exactly. Last time I visited, they barely acknowledged me,” Morris added with a laugh, his curiosity evident.
Thor shrugged modestly.
“It was just luck. I happened to meet an Assad family member while in the Northern Province,” he explained.
“Ah, that makes sense,” Ruby nodded, understanding.
The Northern Province was a unique frontier. Each pioneering lord was a competitor but also an ally in fighting common threats like orcs and magical beasts. Under such conditions, minor conflicts between families were insignificant.
“Thor, hearing all this, I almost want to try my hand at pioneering in the Northern Province,” Morris said enviously.
Ruby chuckled. “Morris, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Thor succeeded because of his strength, but not everyone is so fortunate. Look at that fool from the Emerson family—he lost his territory and scurried back home.”
As a knight commander for the Pat family, Ruby knew the reality. Though his younger brother described pioneering as if it were simple, Ruby knew the challenges were immense. This understanding was also why he hadn’t yet decided whether to send his own son to the Northern Province.
After all, only a rare few achieved success like Thor. Of the many Dressrosa family members who ventured out, barely one in ten earned noble status.