- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 145
Opportunity.
This was truly an opportunity.
The Western region held the most valuable resources in the entire Northern Province. However, after two decades of development, nearly all critical resource points were already monopolized by powerful nobles. For other nobles and pioneer lords, this meant that any further growth faced significant constraints.
Even for the Dressrosa family, their influence in the Western region was limited; they merely had a slightly better position than others.
This was a difficult situation to change. The siphoning effect meant that the strong grew stronger, while the weak struggled even more. Nobles and pioneer lords with greater resources became more powerful, further squeezing the space available for other nobles.
This cycle would only end when the Northern Province was fully developed, spawning a new hierarchy of count, viscount, and baron families, eventually establishing a stable order amid conflicts, as had happened in other frontier regions in the past.
However, with the arrival of the “Divine Revelation,” a new beginning emerged.
As information about the Divine Revelation spread, a large number of powerful nobles were opting to abandon their territories and withdraw. They could evacuate, but their territories were left behind, representing a vast wealth for anyone who could claim them and survive the Divine Revelation.
This was especially promising for Tono.
Only a few months earlier, his expansion efforts had already brought him significant gains, and now he saw another chance to build upon them.
After a brief discussion with Thor, Tono departed in haste, skipping even dinner to return to his territory.
Thor didn’t stop him; every minute was crucial.
So far, only a few individuals knew what was really happening. Those who did were already planning to leave, so they posed no threat. However, as time passed, other pioneer lords would inevitably notice something was amiss and begin their own moves. Any delay would mean missed opportunities and potential losses.
Thor also wanted more information. Since some of these departing nobles were leaving behind their holdings, there might be valuable assets he could seize, including slaves.
“Rayne!” Thor called to his right-hand man.
“Send someone to inform Racios and ask him to return as soon as possible,” Thor instructed.
“Yes, my lord,” Rayne responded with a swift bow before dispatching a knight to the Western region to retrieve Racios.
As Thor continued handling his affairs, he waited for news.
Seven days later, Tono’s report arrived.
In his study, Thor pored over the letter, his expression intense as he read.
After about half an hour, he exhaled a long breath, a faint smile appearing on his face.
The situation was just as he had expected.
According to Tono’s findings, over twenty-seven nobles had already begun taking steps to withdraw from the Western region, most of them being the more powerful lords. This was only a preliminary count; the actual number of lords planning to evacuate was likely even higher.
Additionally, the checkpoints that had hindered the Eagle Commerce Guild had been removed. The recent drop in revenue was due to these nobles liquidating their assets, which had triggered a rapid decline in prices across the region.
The price of silver armor had dropped back to 300 gold coins, while the price of aurum (a precious metal) had hit rock bottom. Previously, a single unit of aurum sold for around one gold coin or slightly more, but it had now fallen to less than 50 silver coins—and was still declining.
This drop wasn’t limited to goods. The price of slaves had also plunged sharply.
In theory, the Habsburgs in Loren City strictly controlled the slave trade. However, in a region as vast as the Northern Province, it was impossible to fully enforce a ban. As long as the slaves were local, the Habsburgs generally turned a blind eye.
Slave trading had always persisted in the Western region, albeit on a smaller scale and at similar prices to Loren City. But now, the price of slaves had plummeted significantly, with slaves costing less than five silver coins each.
Tono even asked if Thor wanted to purchase a batch.
Thor took a deep breath, his expression brightening.
The situation was better than he’d anticipated.
With current market conditions, he could not only solve the Eagle Commerce Guild’s issues but also capitalize on the Divine Revelation to reap substantial rewards.
Thor’s fingers tapped rhythmically on his desk as he contemplated his next moves. The knight who had brought Tono’s letter stood respectfully, awaiting further orders.
Finally, Thor spoke.
“Return to my brother with a message. Tell him not to rush on purchasing slaves; instead, have our people monitor the major aurum-producing areas and nearby large iron mines.”
He paused, considering, then added, “On second thought, I’ll put this in writing.”
Thor picked up a quill and swiftly penned a letter, sealing it and handing it to the knight, who bowed and departed.
As the knight left, Thor’s eyes glimmered with determination. He saw boundless opportunities in Tono’s brief report. If he could seize them, his territory could skyrocket in influence and power.
Lost in his thoughts, Thor was interrupted by a light knock at the door.
“Come in,” he called.
The door opened with a gentle creak, and the maid, Karine, entered.
“My lord, Lord Racios has returned and requests an audience.”
“Good, send him in,” Thor replied, nodding.
A few moments later, a dusty and weary Racios entered the room. He looked significantly more tanned and a bit more worn out than he had a few months ago.
“My lord, you requested my presence?” Racios asked respectfully, his tone now fully acknowledging Thor’s authority.
“Yes. I understand that the Eagle Commerce Guild has encountered some issues with its expansion,” Thor replied, observing Racios keenly.
Racios sighed, nodding. “Yes, we did encounter some interference. Several noble lords had set up checkpoints, making it difficult for us to expand. But about half a month ago, most of those checkpoints were removed.”
“However, now there’s a new issue—prices across the Western region are plummeting. The guild’s operations have been impacted too,” Racios explained, his tone laced with frustration.
“It’s been exhausting trying to manage this. Just when I thought the checkpoint issue was resolved, this wave of price drops hit. It’s hard to make any progress.”
“You don’t know yet?” Thor asked, surprised.
“Know what, my lord?” Racios looked at Thor in confusion.
“Haven’t you received any messages from your family?” Thor asked, intrigued.
“What messages?” Racios’s confusion deepened.
With a faint smile, Thor replied, “The Northern Province may soon experience a Divine Revelation. Those powerful lords are panicking and liquidating their assets to cut their losses.”
Thor’s tone was casual, but his words caused Racios to visibly startle, his eyes widening in shock.
“My lord… did I hear correctly?”
Racios stammered slightly as he spoke.
“The day of the Divine Revelation… My father deciphered some ancient Titan texts that revealed it. Some of the top nobles have likely discovered this too, but it seems the Asad family missed it.”
Thor nodded, explaining calmly, though a hint of surprise flickered across his face.
He wasn’t aware that while many had obtained this information, it was limited to a small circle—primarily the top-ranking nobles, especially those with a strong presence in the Northern Province. Although the Asad family was highly esteemed among the count houses, their influence in the Northern Province was relatively minor, so they hadn’t detected the matter.
“This… this…!” Racios’s face went pale as Thor confirmed the news, a flicker of panic surfacing in his eyes.
“Relax,” Thor said reassuringly. “The kingdom has been aware of this for some time now, and they won’t let it get out of hand.”
“But, if you’re concerned, you can leave if you wish. I’ll buy out your share of the guild for 5,000 gold coins.”
Thor observed Racios’s distress, offering him a way out. Racios had been a significant help to him recently, and Thor wasn’t about to force him to stay. Thor respected loyalty, after all.
“My lord, I…” Racios instinctively began, but Thor lifted a hand to stop him.
“Think it over carefully; there’s no rush. You have three days to give me your answer,” Thor replied gently, allowing him time to decide.
Racios stumbled out of the study, his thoughts a tangled mess.
Watching him leave, Thor felt no anger. This was human nature, after all. “Divine Revelation” wasn’t just another crisis. Its mention alone was almost synonymous with destruction, and panic was to be expected—he’d be more surprised if Racios hadn’t reacted this way. If he chose to leave, Thor would understand and keep his word about the buyout.
As night settled over the land, Racios returned to his room, wrestling with a storm of emotions.
Fear.
Worry.
Confusion.
More than once, he was tempted to take the 5,000 gold coins and leave. With that wealth and his family’s current standing, he could achieve things he’d never dreamed of before.
Divine Revelation—it was no trivial matter.
If it came to pass, survival would be nearly impossible. If Thor chose to stay, why should he stay and risk dying alongside him?
“Or… should I try to persuade him to leave?”
Yet the scenes of Loren City, the bustling streets of his territory, and the steadily rising status of his family all flashed through his mind. Gradually, the panic within him ebbed away.
In the end, the other thoughts vanished, leaving only a steady resolve.
Without Thor, none of this would have been possible.
Despite the risk, if Thor was willing to stay, he wouldn’t turn his back on him. He got up, sat at his desk, and picked up his quill, scribbling down his plans.
With a powerful business mind, Racios immediately saw countless opportunities even amidst the risk.
Time drifted by until morning arrived, bringing with it the light of a new day.
Once again, Racios stood outside Thor’s door and knocked.
“Come in,” came Thor’s calm voice.
The door opened, and an eager Racios entered. He hadn’t slept a wink, but rather than looking exhausted, he was full of energy and determination. In his hand was a sheaf of papers—the fruit of his labor through the night.
“Racios?” Thor looked up, a bit surprised to see him back so soon.
“My lord,” Racios said respectfully.
“You didn’t have to hurry back. I told you to take your time to consider,” Thor said thoughtfully after a moment’s pause.
“My lord, every moment is precious. This is an opportunity—if we seize it, both the Eagle Territory and the Eagle Commerce Guild will prosper quickly,” Racios replied, conviction shining in his eyes.
“Three days is too long to wait! Besides,” he continued, “without you, I would likely have been exiled from the Asad family. I have no intention of leaving.”