- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 150
In the room, Laton, Moss, Bern, and Tono were overwhelmed with emotion. None of them had expected such exhilarating news.
Each of their faces was flushed, their excitement barely contained—especially Tono, for whom the news carried a deeper significance.
After all, it was his father.
To hear that his father had become a Sky Knight stirred a joy within him that was unparalleled.
“Everyone, this is our opportunity!”
“With Father advancing to Sky Knight, the Dresrosa family’s elevation to marquis status is inevitable. But if we seize this moment, the family’s rise won’t stop there.”
“The Northern Province is vast. It can accommodate more than one Marquis Leyman, and it can certainly see the rise of more than one count.”
“This is our chance. If we can consolidate these benefits and with the family’s support, we can fully digest them.”
As Thor spoke, his calm tone broke through the intense excitement in the room. His voice wasn’t loud, but it resonated deeply with the four other men, who had been momentarily lost in their emotions.
“This…”
Bern hesitated, his face showing a mix of contemplation and doubt.
Laton and Moss, on the other hand, were visibly intrigued, their eyes lighting up. Even Tono seemed somewhat swayed.
Previously, they had struggled with the risks and rewards Thor described.
On the one hand, the Divine Reckoning was a looming threat. On the other, Bern was pragmatic enough to know that the Dresrosa family alone couldn’t consume such vast resources in the Northern Province.
Even if they managed to take over resource points during the chaos, they would likely have to relinquish most of them once the crisis subsided—unless the reckoning caused significant destruction.
The risk-reward ratio didn’t favor bold action.
But everything had changed now.
Count Engel had become a Sky Knight.
With this, the Dresrosa family wouldn’t just become a marquis family—they would ascend to the top tier of marquis families.
The resources they consumed wouldn’t need to be surrendered.
No, it wasn’t just a possibility—it was inevitable.
A Sky Knight could ensure the family’s security and dominance.
Now, the only remaining consideration was the risk of the Divine Reckoning itself.
Though it was a significant threat, the rewards suddenly seemed worth the gamble.
“Uncle Bern,” Thor continued, seizing the moment, “the kingdom’s records show that destructive Divine Reckonings only occur when they are undetected beforehand.”
“Even during the Southern Moon Province reckoning, when the Divine Descent was nearly upon us, the kingdom resolved it easily. Aside from the common folk, was there any significant damage to the kingdom itself?”
Bern’s expression tightened as he considered Thor’s words.
The room was silent as the others exchanged glances.
Finally, Bern exhaled deeply.
“Thor, what’s your plan?”
His gaze settled on Thor, signaling his agreement.
Thor let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Convincing Bern had been far more challenging than he anticipated. For a moment, he thought he might fail. But now, the first hurdle was cleared.
“Uncle Bern, my brother and I have established a trade association called the Eagle Trade Association.
“With the Divine Reckoning forcing many powerful lords to flee, vast resource points have been left unclaimed. We can leverage the trade association to secure these resources.”
Thor then outlined his detailed plan, explaining the strategy to the group.
As he spoke, the others, including Tono, began listening with rapt attention. Even Tono, who had only a vague understanding of the plan until now, found himself impressed by the specifics.
When Thor finished, he looked to the others.
“Uncle Bern, Cousin Laton, Cousin Moss, Brother—what do you think?”
The room was silent for a moment as the four men fell into deep thought.
After a pause, Bern spoke first.
“This plan is sound. I must say, you’ve inherited the brilliance of the Assad family. But, Thor, your shares are too few.
“You should retain your own shares. With Tono’s 3%, Lord Bablus’s 2%, Rachos’s 2%, and the 9% from the departing lords of the Maine Alliance, you already have 16%. That’s more than enough to expand.”
Bern’s tone was thoughtful but firm.
Thor blinked in surprise, turning to look at his uncle.
“Don’t look at me like that, Thor,” Bern said with a faint smile. “Your talent surpasses all of ours. You’re the family’s best hope for another Sky Knight after Engel.
“The more opportunities you have, the brighter the family’s future will be.”
Hearing this, Thor was visibly moved.
The family’s unity and selflessness exceeded even his expectations.
“Uncle Bern, I understand.” Thor nodded, his voice carrying a note of gratitude.
“Good.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll help you convince the others. With this news, I believe the remaining lords will agree to stay.”
“Let’s hope this isn’t the wrong choice,” Bern added with a sigh.
Thor opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself.
While he was confident in his plan, not everyone shared his certainty. There was little more he could say to persuade them.
Better to let events unfold.
—-
Night fell, and a new day dawned.
The three remaining lords, delayed by various affairs, finally arrived early in the morning, accompanied by the northern uncle.
Altogether, four lords joined them—three barons and one senior pioneering lord.
When Thor saw them, he couldn’t help but be impressed.
Each of the three barons was a grand knight, with each bringing along another grand knight as their retinue. The senior pioneering lord was also at the late stage of grand knight, though older than Bern—nearly 60. Breaking through to Earth Knight at his age seemed unlikely.
The four men were a mix of uncles and cousins, all brimming with curiosity about Thor.
Even from their territories in the western province, they had heard tales of their younger relative’s exploits.
Meeting Thor in person only deepened their astonishment.
Despite their shock, the four greeted him warmly.
—-
After a welcoming banquet, the group convened in the meeting room.
“Tono, why have you called us together this time?” one of the barons asked, his tone curious.
The others turned their attention to Tono, equally puzzled.
This meeting had interrupted their schedules—particularly for the three lords who were already preparing to evacuate and had begun liquidating their assets the day before.
“Let me explain,” Thor interjected before Tono could respond.
All eyes shifted to Thor, their curiosity intensifying.
“Thor?”
They couldn’t help but murmur, intrigued by what he might say.
“Here’s the situation: as you all know, the Divine Reckoning has begun, and many powerful nobles in the western region have already started to evacuate.”
Faced with the curious gazes of the others, Thor wasted no time. He spoke directly, laying out his plan without hesitation.
The four men exchanged glances. Although they seemed poised to interrupt, they restrained themselves and waited for Thor to finish speaking.
Once Thor had concluded, Uncle Xieli furrowed his brows and spoke.
“Thor, the Divine Reckoning isn’t something to take lightly. If it erupts, there’s nothing we can do to stop it.
“Even if we claim these territories, if the Reckoning proves to be no real threat, the nobles will return. We won’t be able to hold onto what we’ve taken,” he said, his tone heavy with skepticism.
He hadn’t expected Tono to summon them for something like this, and the other three shared his concern, their brows also furrowing.
“Xieli, this is indeed our chance,” Bern interjected amidst their doubt.
“Bern?”
“What are you saying?”
Xieli turned toward Bern, his expression incredulous.
“Uncle Bern, you know as well as I do that the Divine Reckoning is unpredictable. Even if we seize those territories, the Dresrosa family doesn’t have the strength to hold them. The risks are too great, and the rewards are limited—perhaps only a few months of gains at most,” one of the cousins said, unable to hold back.
The remaining two fell silent, but their shared stance was clear.
“Thor, for the family to grow, taking risks is acceptable, but the risk-to-reward ratio here is completely disproportionate. Staying gives us little chance of success,” Xieli said again, his voice tinged with resignation.
“Leaving and abandoning our territories may require some reparations, but it’s far better than losing everything. I understand your reluctance, but knowing when to cut your losses is something every noble must learn.”
Xieli’s tone was laced with regret. He didn’t want to leave, but the stakes were simply too high, and the potential rewards negligible.
“Uncle Xieli, brothers, who says the Dresrosa family can’t handle this?”
Thor’s words cut through the heavy atmosphere, causing the four men to exchange incredulous glances before shaking their heads.
“Thor, our family isn’t weak, but we’re far from the strongest in the Tulip Kingdom. In the Northern Province, the three marquis families alone far surpass us, not to mention the two ducal families’ descendants. We can’t manage this.
“Even if we were a marquis family, without a Sky Knight, it would be impossible to hold on to such gains,” Xieli said with a sigh, trying to explain the situation clearly to his talented nephew.
Just as his words fell, Bern spoke again.
“Brother Engel has already broken through to Sky Knight.”
Bern’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear.
“Yes, Bern is right. With a Sky Knight, we could manage this. But for now—wait, what?”
“Bern, what did you just say?”
Xieli, initially agreeing with Bern’s logic, suddenly froze mid-sentence. He whipped his head around to face Bern, his expression stunned.
The other three also snapped their gazes toward Bern, their shock evident.
“Father has indeed broken through to Sky Knight,” Thor confirmed.
“Uncle Xieli, can we manage this now?”
Thor’s question made everyone’s eyes lock onto him, their breathing growing heavier.
Xieli instinctively licked his lips, his voice trembling.
“Th-Thor, what… what did you just say?”
The shock was so intense that Xieli’s body trembled, his words stuttering uncontrollably.
The other three were in a similar state, their hearts pounding.
The news hit them just as hard as it had hit Bern and the others the day before.
“When I left, Father had already achieved his breakthrough,” Thor said earnestly.
Crash.
The sound of chairs toppling over filled the room as all four men leapt to their feet, their pupils dilating in disbelief.
Elation, excitement, exhilaration.
Their faces turned red with the rush of blood, their expressions shifting rapidly as the full weight of the revelation hit them.
For a moment, it felt as though their heads might burst from the overwhelming rush of emotions.
It took several moments before the four managed to calm themselves, though the joy on their faces remained impossible to hide.
A Sky Knight.
Their family had a Sky Knight.
How could they not be ecstatic?
At that moment, their perspectives shifted entirely.
Just like Bern and the others, their outlook was transformed by this revelation.
When circumstances change, so too do decisions.
When the stakes and advantages are different, the mindset naturally follows suit.
(End of Chapter)