- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 152
Life potions were pivotal to Thor’s upcoming plans, serving not only to strengthen his forces but also to expand the influence of the Eagle Trade Association.
For a knight’s training, life potions were almost indispensable for rapid progress.
For those of average talent, without the aid of life potions, it might take 40–50 years to condense a life seed and become a squire. With the use of even low-grade life potions, this time could be halved, or even reduced to less than 20 years.
For those with exceptional talent, the acceleration was even more dramatic—like Rein’s earlier meteoric rise.
While that was thanks to mid-grade life potions, even low-grade ones could cut training time significantly. For those with high potential, it could reduce the time needed to break through by as much as 90%.
Low-grade life potions were also invaluable for squires transitioning to full knights, significantly accelerating this process and, by extension, shortening the path to grand knight status.
This potential to accelerate advancement, especially in the competitive Northern Province, made life potions a sought-after commodity among nobles. It wasn’t surprising that, at auctions in Loren City, ten bottles of low-grade life potions could sell for as much as 3,000 gold coins.
For the Eagle Trade Association to establish a robust trading network in the western region, life potions were the perfect product to spearhead the effort.
Silver armor, on the other hand, was far less in demand. Recent oversaturation of the market due to large-scale liquidations by fleeing nobles meant a surplus. Until the next conflict depleted the supply, weapons and armor would likely remain in low demand.
—-
To successfully use life potions as a key product, Thor needed to ensure a stable output. After nearly a month of production, Thor was eager to assess the progress of the three alchemists.
In his study, Thor observed Christine growing visibly nervous under his questions.
“Go ahead, speak freely. Don’t worry—it’s still early days,” Thor reassured her, shaking his head to dispel her unease.
“My lord, our current production success rate has reached about 10%.”
“I… can barely manage a 20% success rate myself.”
“As for output, with sufficient materials, I can produce one bottle every two days. If given more time, I believe we can improve further. Previously, in the Frost Moon Province, we used crystal flowers as a key ingredient. Here, we use Nao. Adjusting to this change has taken some time, but I’m confident we’ll adapt soon.”
Christine spoke hesitantly, her face slightly flushed. She felt embarrassed.
Thor had not only provided them with ample materials but also granted them opportunities to study magic. Yet their progress seemed underwhelming. Producing just one bottle every two days felt inadequate to her.
“One bottle every two days?”
Thor’s brow arched in surprise.
Judging by Christine’s expression, he had lowered his expectations. Yet her report exceeded his estimates.
One bottle every two days might not sound like much, but considering the adjusted formula, it was impressive progress.
Low-grade life potions had multiple recipes, with Nao being a specialty of the Northern Province. The Frost Moon Province had used crystal flowers instead. Christine’s ability to adjust to the new formula in under a month was commendable.
Thor had braced himself for a production rate of one bottle every 10–15 days.
At auction prices of 200–300 gold coins per bottle, even a modest output promised significant returns. With a monthly output of 15 bottles, income could reach 3,000 gold coins. Even accounting for resource constraints, generating 1,000–1,500 gold coins per month—over 10,000 per year—seemed entirely feasible.
——
Christine misinterpreted Thor’s contemplative silence as dissatisfaction.
“My lord, we’re close—just a few more days, and we should be able to produce one bottle per day!” she added hastily, her face determined.
“You’re saying you can achieve a daily output?”
Thor’s gaze sharpened, a glint of danger flashing in his eyes.
Christine hurriedly explained. “I’ve been meditating, but I can pause my training to focus entirely on production. I believe we can meet that goal.”
Thor’s expression softened, and he exhaled in relief.
“No, that won’t be necessary. Continue your meditation. They’ll adapt soon enough,” Thor said, shaking his head.
Christine’s magical talent was promising, and Thor wouldn’t sacrifice her potential for short-term gains. Every mage was a potential master alchemist, but not all alchemists could become mages.
A mage’s presence in the territory would yield far greater benefits in the long run.
“Thank you, my lord!” Christine said, visibly relieved.
Though she had been prepared to follow Thor’s orders, the prospect of abandoning her magical studies had weighed heavily on her.
—–
“Ensure you have all the resources you need,” Thor added.
“If you know any skilled alchemists who might be interested, invite them. I’ll make sure their contributions are well rewarded.”
Christine’s eyes lit up with excitement.
“My lord, I know someone—a friend with exceptional alchemical skills. I can write to them, but I can’t guarantee they’ll come.”
“Try. If they do, I’ll have Anna personally guide them for a time. The same offer applies to any others you recommend,” Thor replied, his tone encouraging.
“Thank you, my lord!” Christine said, her joy evident.
After addressing a few more matters, Thor dismissed Christine, who left the study with renewed enthusiasm.
—–
“Seven bottles already?”
“That should suffice.”
Thor tapped his fingers on the desk, lost in thought.
With seven bottles of low-grade life potions already prepared, and the expectation of producing 15 by the end of the month, he had enough to establish a foundation for the Eagle Trade Association’s expansion.
As for the potions needed for his knights’ training, that could wait for subsequent batches.
As time passed, the skills of the three alchemists would improve rapidly.
When that happened, production would naturally increase, likely within just a few months—a manageable delay with minimal impact.
Thor’s thoughts churned, weaving through various scenarios and plans.
—-
His musings were interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Thor called, looking toward the entrance.
Pelos entered, his demeanor respectful.
“My lord,” he greeted.
“What is it?” Thor asked, his curiosity piqued.
“My lord, the inventories of Baron Gratton’s and Baron Sachi’s territories have been completed. Would you like to inspect them?” Pelos inquired.
“They’re already finished?” Thor asked, surprised. “Alright, let’s take a look.”
He rose from his seat and followed Pelos out of the study.
—-
Baron Gratton’s and Baron Sachi’s territories were located in different areas. Thor decided to visit Baron Gratton’s lands first.
For one, Gratton’s territory lay upstream on the Maine River, making it an excellent opportunity to inspect the dam there. Second, Baron Gratton’s territory was more established and larger in scope.
Accompanied by Pelos, Thor set out.
Though they didn’t rush, it took them nearly a full day to reach Gratton’s territory.
—-
Compared to the Eagle Territory, Baron Gratton’s land was equally impressive, with its wide expanse and vast farmland. The endless fields of grain caught Thor’s attention, his eyes bright with interest.
It was evident that Baron Gratton had recently expanded his territory. Farmland had nearly doubled, promising a bountiful harvest for the year—a harvest that now belonged to Thor.
—-
Walking through the fields, Thor noticed the uneasy demeanor of the local populace.
The abrupt abandonment of the territory had left the people behind, anxious and uncertain.
Fortunately, Eagle Territory’s administrators had already been dispatched, maintaining order and minimizing unrest. Still, Thor could sense the unease in their glances, their apprehension toward their new lord palpable.
—-
Thor’s gaze swept across the crowd, noting the timid and cautious looks in their eyes.
In this extraordinary world—or rather, this feudal era—territorial residents, whether serfs or slaves, were considered property.
Thor felt no need to soothe his “property’s” emotions.
His priority was integrating the territory into Eagle Territory.
Thankfully, his recent return to his family had secured ten additional administrators. This reinforcement made managing the expanded lands significantly easier.
Without their help, absorbing three baronial territories would have been a monumental task, potentially leaving Thor overwhelmed for months.
This acquisition had effectively tripled his domain, bringing challenges that were not trivial.
—-
With ten skilled administrators in place, however, the workload became manageable.
Thor toured Gratton’s territory, inspecting its key areas, before heading to the castle to meet with the three administrators assigned to oversee it. After addressing some logistical questions, Thor proceeded to Baron Sachi’s land.
—-
In contrast to Baron Gratton’s holdings, Baron Sachi’s land was smaller in size but similarly expanded.
Even without factoring in other gains, the combined grain output of these two territories alone would double Thor’s annual harvest.
Including the anticipated yield from Baron Valmi’s land—likely also expanded—Thor was poised for a bumper harvest, enough to sustain the planned growth for the next year or two.
This prospect left Thor highly satisfied.
—-
The population boost was equally significant.
–Gratton’s territory: 12,000 residents,
–Sachi’s territory: 7,000 residents,
–Valmi’s territory (estimated): 8,000–9,000 residents.
Altogether, Thor’s domain now encompassed over 40,000 people.
This made his territory one of the largest in the Northern Province, ranking among the top three.
If he successfully absorbed and stabilized these acquisitions, his domain’s strength would see a substantial increase.
—
Thor’s journey continued as he moved to consolidate his control, preparing for the challenges and opportunities that awaited in his rapidly expanding realm.
(End of Chapter)