- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 135
The two entered the study, Morris having excused himself, and Thor handed the wooden box to Earl Engel. When he saw the purple-gold herb inside, Engel couldn’t contain his excitement and joy.
With this herb, along with the life fruit Thor had brought and the starmoon fruit stored within the family’s vault, he could finally request the royal alchemist to prepare a high-level life elixir for him. While the elixir wouldn’t guarantee breaking through to Sky Knight, it would give him at least a 50% chance—more than enough to drive any Earth Knight to the edge. Even Engel felt his heart racing.
“Thor, I’m truly grateful. If I manage to reach Sky Knight, I promise to fulfill any request you have,” Earl Engel said, his gaze full of gratitude and pride as he looked at his son.
Thor’s actions had eased a burden he’d carried for years. He had never thought his worries would be resolved so easily by his own son.
“Father, you’re too generous!” Thor replied with a smile. Then, as if a thought struck him, he asked, “With a high-level life elixir, what are your chances of becoming a Sky Knight?”
Engel responded thoughtfully, “With the resources we have, I’d say a little over 50%, perhaps close to 60%. But our family’s Soaring Eagle breathing technique holds us back a bit. With a higher-level technique, I might have an even better chance.”
Engel didn’t find Thor’s curiosity unusual; with a starmoon fruit, life fruit, and purple-gold herb, it was clear what his intentions were. Engel didn’t hide the facts; he was direct with his answer.
The high-level life elixir could indeed increase the odds for an Earth Knight to break through to Sky Knight, but it was never a guarantee. On his own, with his experience and training, he had perhaps a 30% chance; the added resources and preparation raised it to 50-60%.
Thor nodded, then reached into his satchel and handed Engel a memory crystal. “Father, see if this might help.”
Engel took the memory crystal, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. He channeled his life energy, activating the crystal. Immediately, the images captured by Thor appeared before him—visions recorded during the Starmoon Festival, showing the sequence of the Silver Moon Breathing Technique.
At first, Engel looked on, puzzled, but as he continued, his eyes widened in realization. His breathing grew heavy. “This… this is…?”
He stared at Thor, his mind reeling.
“Father, this is the Silver Moon Breathing Technique, something I found by chance in Pat City. It’s incomplete, but it’s clearly superior to Soaring Eagle. With this, your chances of breaking through might be even higher.”
Thor’s words were calm, but they were enough to leave Engel speechless. Ever since high-level techniques had been mentioned in the daily reports, Thor had considered giving this to his father. After all, the Dresrosa family was his strongest support. Without their resources, his ventures in the northern provinces, and his rank of baron, would be nothing more than dreams.
For Thor, the stronger the Dresrosa family, the stronger his own foundation.
Engel exhaled, his gaze now filled with a mix of pride and awe. Since the appointment of Rayne as a guardian knight, he had sensed that Thor was blessed by the goddess of life. Otherwise, how could someone find such a skilled protector in a group of ordinary citizens?
But he never imagined that Thor’s good fortune was only beginning. In the northern provinces, Thor had accomplished one feat after another, and now he had brought back a vital life fruit and the much-needed purple-gold herb. If that weren’t enough, he had now brought back something he never thought possible—a high-level breathing technique.
After a long silence, Engel finally spoke, struggling to control his emotions.
“With this breathing technique, my odds of reaching Sky Knight are at least 80%.”
The calm he was known for gave way to a smile, and the joy in his voice was unmistakable.
“Eighty percent!” Thor’s face mirrored Engel’s joy. He had not expected a high-level breathing technique to raise the odds by so much, from 50-60% all the way to 80%.
Seeing Thor’s astonishment, Engel explained, “Thor, a knight’s breathing technique is the most essential thing. To advance past certain levels, a knight must have a technique that matches that level. For instance, one cannot become an Earth Knight without an Earth Knight-level breathing technique. The same is true for Sky and Domain Knights.”
“However, high-level breathing techniques are mostly monopolized by the kingdom. Only the three ducal families and a few others have access to them. For ordinary families, Soaring Eagle is often the limit of what they can obtain. Even two of the three dukes acquired their techniques from ancient ruins.”
Engel spoke with a sigh. Only he, as head of the family, knew how much effort had gone into acquiring such a technique. Yet, despite hundreds of years and countless resources, they had gained almost nothing.
The higher a knight ascends, the more closely guarded these advanced techniques become. In this extraordinary world, a few strong figures can make or break entire families. A single Sky Knight could obliterate a count’s estate, or even a marquis’s, with ease, and Domain Knights wield power beyond imagining.
Naturally, this power was closely controlled.
The kingdom provided a path for knights to reach nobility, but once there, the way to the upper echelons was closed, ensuring that true power remained consolidated.
Thor listened thoughtfully. He now understood that this world’s opportunities were not as fair as they seemed, and it made him think of the ancient imperial exams back in his previous life. But unlike the exams, which had a real path to success, here, the door only opened so far.
A marquis’s title was the ceiling for all but a chosen few. The three dukes were exceptional, with two of them gaining their titles by chance, and the other a member of the royal family.
“Alright, Thor, these are things you needn’t worry about for now. I’ll be heading to the capital in a few days. Watch over the family while I’m gone. Once I return, there are matters we need to discuss.”
“Understood,” Thor said, nodding. Engel’s instructions made sense. Although he had been away from his lands for some time, the daily reports had shown no warning signs of danger, so a short delay would do no harm.
“I’ll return within a month,” Engel promised. “If there is a pressing matter and you can’t wait, the steward, Charles, has something I’ve left for you. Bring it with you.”
Thor agreed, understanding the importance of being prepared.
With that, they parted ways. Engel took one last look at the memory crystal and the purple-gold herb before finally allowing himself a smile.
His son, whom he’d once overlooked, had proven himself beyond all expectation, bringing back resources that could solve his greatest struggles.
Thor returned to his quarters, the familiar voice of the daily report filling the air, though tonight it held no surprises.
“Alright, for now, you don’t need to worry about these matters. I just wanted to give you some context. I’ll be heading back to the capital in the next few days, so I may need you to oversee things here for a while. If it’s not urgent for you to return to your lands, you could wait until I’m back. There are some things I’d like to discuss with you,” Earl Engel said once again, interrupting Thor’s thoughts.
These matters were still far removed from Thor’s current goals, as his main focus was securing a viscount title.
“Understood,” Thor nodded. He accepted Earl Engel’s request without hesitation.
Although he had been in Frostmoon Province for quite some time, his daily reports hadn’t signaled any imminent dangers, so it wouldn’t be a problem to delay his return a little longer.
“I’ll try to return within a month,” Engel added. “And if you can’t wait, you can go see Steward Charles. He has a gift I’ve left for you; you can take it and depart whenever you need.”
Thor nodded, showing his agreement. A month wasn’t overly long, but if any risks arose, he would certainly head back early—now was no time for formality.
“That settles it, then. Let’s discuss everything once I return. You’re probably tired; go get some rest,” said Earl Engel, gesturing for Thor to leave.
“Yes, Father. I’ll take my leave now,” Thor replied, bowing before departing.
Engel watched Thor exit, then glanced down at the memory crystal and the purple-gold herb inside the box. Shaking his head in awe, he couldn’t help but smile.
This son of his, whom he’d once barely noticed, had become a constant source of surprises, solving some of his greatest challenges.
With a smile, Engel reflected, while Thor returned to his room. Nightfall settled over the estate.
The familiar sound of the daily report rang out, though it brought no new surprises tonight.
Early the next morning, Engel, accompanied by Michael, set out once again for the capital.
Meanwhile, Thor remained behind to continue training the younger knights.
In the month he had been away, these young Dresrosa trainees had undergone a striking transformation, brimming with new energy and making tremendous progress. Thor could already sense the life energy flowing in several of them, indicating they were on the verge of breakthroughs.
One in particular, Carter, had seen a dramatic strengthening of his once-weak life force in just a short month. Where once it seemed nearly impossible for him to form a life seed before the age of eighteen, he now had a real chance. If he managed to maintain his top rank, he’d be almost guaranteed to form a life seed.
And it wasn’t just Carter; many others had made substantial improvements. After a month of intense training, these “young eagles” of Dresrosa had transformed, inside and out.
Thor felt a deep sense of satisfaction watching their growth. As the family’s younger members became stronger, so too did the family itself. This growth would ultimately reflect back onto him, creating a positive cycle of mutual support.
In the days that followed, Thor dedicated himself to instructing the young trainees.
The days passed steadily, and soon, a month had flown by.
The month was relatively calm, without any major incidents, and the daily reports offered little of interest. It seemed clear that staying within the family estate didn’t bring many new opportunities.
Yet, despite the lack of significant news, Thor’s personal progress was exceptional. On the second day after his return, he broke through to the middle stage of Grand Knight, even though his journey back had somewhat slowed his advancement. Now, after a month, he was steadily approaching the late stage of Grand Knight.
(End of Chapter)