- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 141
Thor was unaware of the kingdom’s actions, nor did he know if his own decision was right or wrong.
Even with only a glimpse of the true scope, he understood the terror of Divine Revelation. With his current strength, if he became entangled in such an event, he had no doubt that not even a Sky Knight like Nier Morton could protect him.
After all, if Divine Revelation could be contained by Sky Knights, the kingdom would not face such turmoil. While there were at least a dozen Sky Knights in the kingdom, a single uncontrolled Divine Revelation would still bring unimaginable devastation.
It was obvious, even without much thought, that only a Holy Knight or someone above that level could quell such a catastrophe.
Yet beyond this fearsome aspect, there was something else Thor could trust: the kingdom had successfully subdued every Divine Revelation in the past. Even the most chaotic instances had been contained before a full divine descent occurred. This fact alone revealed much.
This understanding ultimately solidified Thor’s resolve. Otherwise, relying solely on his intelligence system would have left him too hesitant to proceed.
With this new insight, however, it seemed worth the risk.
This could very well be his territory’s chance to rise significantly.
The rougher the seas, the greater the catch.
And, with his ability to weather such storms, why not try?
The night passed gradually, and morning sunlight spilled across the land.
In the days that followed, Thor waited patiently.
Two days later, Earl Engel had gathered all the supplies and personnel Thor needed.
Thor returned to the study.
“Thor, I’ve arranged three alchemists for you, all under thirty, along with ten clerks. As for knights, I’m assigning you twenty formal knights and fifty apprentices,” Engel said with a heavy expression. “Marshall will accompany you again, but remember, if you encounter danger, retreat immediately.”
Thor met his father’s gaze and nodded solemnly.
“Understood.”
Engel almost spoke further, a look of hesitation in his eyes, but seeing Thor’s unwavering resolve, he refrained.
“Very well, I’ll make my preparations. I’ll leave tomorrow,” Thor said with a respectful bow.
“Alright,” Engel replied with a nod.
As Thor took his leave, Engel turned to the window, his gaze drawn to an eagle soaring high above, its sharp call echoing as it rose into the sky.
Watching it, Engel’s heart gradually found some calm.
Thor, meanwhile, began making his departure arrangements.
He first went to meet the three alchemists.
There were two men and one woman, all appearing around twenty-four or twenty-five. Clearly, each was quite talented.
“My lord,” they greeted him with polite bows, observing Thor with a mix of curiosity and awe. Earl Engel had already informed them that they would be under Thor’s command from now on.
Given Thor’s legendary status as a young baron, they were naturally intrigued.
When they finally saw him, they were surprised by his youth—his determined features still retained a touch of boyishness.
“No need for such formalities,” Thor said with a calm tone. “As my people, I’ll provide you with opportunities. From now on, you’ll work under Anna’s guidance. I look forward to the day you become mages yourselves.”
Unlike when he first arrived in the northern province and had to win over knights by offering tangible rewards, Thor no longer needed to prove himself.
But to secure their loyalty early, he presented a tempting prospect.
For any alchemist, becoming a mage was the ultimate dream—a nearly impossible one without magical lineage. But now, Thor was offering them that chance.
“My lord, are you serious?” The female alchemist’s voice quivered with disbelief, and the others looked at Thor with wide eyes.
“Anna is a mage and will soon advance to the third tier,” Thor said simply.
At his words, a wave of magic emanated from Anna, filling the room.
“My lord!” the woman exclaimed, dropping to one knee in reverence. “Christine pledges her service to you.”
“My lord, I, Entos, am at your command,” echoed the other two, also kneeling with fervent expressions.
“Work hard, and you’ll have your chance,” Thor said with a wave, indicating for them to rise.
“Yes, my lord!” They stood, glancing at Anna with awe in their eyes.
Anna, however, remained calm, ready to follow Thor’s wishes and teach them as he directed.
After meeting with the alchemists, Thor continued with his preparations.
The day passed quickly, and the following morning, Thor’s entourage gathered early.
“Brother Thor, are you really leaving?” young Clay asked, his eyes brimming with reluctance.
The other children looked on, their eyes following Thor’s every move.
“Haha, I’ve been away from my territory for too long, and my people need me,” Thor said, ruffling Clay’s hair. “One day, when you’re a lord, remember that your people should always come first.”
“Of course I will!” Clay pouted but nodded reluctantly. “But promise you’ll come back, Brother Thor.”
“Of course, I’ll come to visit. And you, Clay, remember to keep training so that one day you’ll become a strong lord yourself.” Thor smiled, nodding at him.
Thor then turned to Il, standing nearby. “Il, keep up your training. You’re close to forming your life seed.”
Il nodded firmly.
“Keep at it, everyone. I look forward to the day you all become knights,” Thor said, waving to the young eagle trainees as he walked toward the castle gate.
At the training field, Carter silently watched Thor’s departure, his gaze following him until he disappeared from sight.
“Carter, why didn’t you say goodbye to Thor?” a friend asked.
Carter shook his head, remaining silent. Deep down, he’d made up his mind—he would one day follow Thor.
Thor had changed his life, and Carter’s heart was set on repaying him.
But for now, he kept this thought to himself. He hadn’t yet formed his life seed and wasn’t qualified to follow Thor as he was.
Seeing that Carter was lost in thought, his friend shrugged and let the matter drop.
Meanwhile, Thor had reached the outskirts of the castle.
This time, his entourage was smaller than before.
Thor was unaware of the kingdom’s recent actions. And as for his own decision, he wasn’t certain whether it was right or wrong.
Even having glimpsed only the tip of the iceberg, he understood the sheer terror that Divine Revelation could unleash. With his current strength, should he become entangled in such a matter, he knew that even Nier Morton, a Sky Knight, might not be able to protect him.
After all, if a Divine Revelation could be quelled by Sky Knights, the kingdom would not be thrown into such upheaval. The kingdom had a dozen Sky Knights at minimum, yet even so, a runaway Revelation could still result in unimaginable devastation.
Clearly, only a Holy Knight or someone of an even higher realm could handle it.
But despite the risks, he also knew one thing for sure—the kingdom had always been able to handle these events. Even the most uncontrollable Revelations had ultimately been subdued before a full descent could occur. This knowledge underpinned Thor’s final resolve.
Without this assurance, even his daily intelligence network wouldn’t be enough to sway him entirely.
With these thoughts, it seemed worth taking a chance.
After all, if he succeeded, this might just be the opportunity for his territory to soar.
The night gave way to morning, sunlight spilling over the landscape.
In the days that followed, Thor continued to wait patiently.
Two days later, Earl Engel completed the arrangements, assembling all the supplies and people Thor needed.
This time, Thor didn’t take as many people with him. Aside from the knights and specialized personnel that Earl Engel had prepared, there was no need for a large retinue or equipment.
“Father,” Thor said, giving a slight bow before swinging himself onto Nia’s back.
“May the Goddess of Life watch over you, my child,” Engel replied.
“And may she protect you as well,” Thor said in return.
With a quick tug of the reins, he set off on the road back to the northern province.
Engel watched until Thor disappeared from sight, only then turning back to the castle.
Above Thor, an eagle soared across the sky, its silhouette filled with life as it glided in the morning sun.
The sun rose, then set, as time passed.
The journey back to the northern province went smoothly. There were no disturbances, and within a month, Thor reached the border of the northern province.
Once again, he chose a different route back, though his intelligence system yielded little new information.
“Milord, we’re approaching the checkpoint!” one of the knights reported respectfully.
“Understood,” Thor replied, leading his retinue to the inspection station.
Seeing Thor’s group approach, the officials responsible for inspections quickly stepped forward.
“Apologies for the inconvenience, Baron,” said the officer, offering a respectful knight’s salute.
For a baron, he was extremely courteous, even motioning for the guards to expedite the search.
Within half an hour, the inspection was complete, and Thor’s party safely passed through the checkpoint under Marquis Lyman’s watchful eye.
Of course, this wasn’t surprising. The thunderstone he had acquired had already been transported back to his territory via Lachos’ channels, while the single vial of high-grade life elixir remained secured on his person.
As a baron, he was exempt from personal searches, a courtesy afforded to nobility.
After crossing into the northern province, Thor’s next destination was his territory.
In about twenty days, he would reach home once more.
Although he had kept up with developments through correspondence, he hadn’t been there for months, and he couldn’t deny a growing curiosity about his land’s progress. In fact, he even increased his pace a little.
Within just nine days of entering the northern province, Thor and his entourage arrived at Loren City.
Upon entering the city, he was taken aback.
Loren City appeared more desolate than when he’d left, its former vibrancy diminished.
There were fewer knights on the streets, and parts of the city lay empty and eerily quiet.
Seeing this, Thor’s expression grew serious.
“Peros, find out what’s been happening,” he instructed. “And gather information on the northern province’s recent affairs.”
“Yes, milord!” Peros nodded, hurrying off.
Meanwhile, Thor and the rest of his group returned to the residence where he’d previously stayed to rest and regroup.
It was already getting late, so continuing on that day wasn’t possible. Thor decided to spend the night in Loren City, taking the opportunity to gather information about the current state of the northern province before resuming his journey.
As the administrative hub of the northern province, Loren City held information that couldn’t be found elsewhere. Even though Raine had been updating him from Frostmoon Province, there was always a delay in communication.
He was eager to hear the latest news from the region.
The evening passed, and an hour later, Peros returned.
“How did it go?” Thor asked.
“Milord, I’ve learned what’s been happening,” Peros reported. “The northern defensive line has stabilized, and some noble lords have paid their reparation fees to resume developing their territories. Other pioneer lords have joined the northern defensive line.”
He continued, “According to kingdom regulations, sufficient military merit can offset the reparation fees required for abandoning one’s land. So, with the north now secure, many nobles in Loren City have set out with their forces.”
Thor raised an eyebrow at this news. He hadn’t expected so much to change in just a few months.
Then again, it made sense.
For many lords, their territories represented years, sometimes decades, of hard work and were not easily abandoned.
With the northern front stabilized, the risk had lessened, and many lords were determined to reclaim their lands, despite the dangers.
The more stable things became, the less reluctant the lords were to leave their holdings.
(End of Chapter)