- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 37
Chapter 37: Awakening
Inside the castle, within a spacious room, Niel Morton slowly woke from his deep slumber.
“Haven’t I already died?”
Niel Morton’s expression was filled with confusion. His last memory was of his body being overtaken by the Mandrake toxin. By all logic, without the intervention of a high-ranking priest or an immense amount of life energy, he should have died long ago.
Yet, here he was—alive, still able to feel his body and the world around him. He could even sense that he was inside a castle.
“Did someone save me?”
A trace of curiosity and bewilderment crossed his face as Niel Morton pondered this turn of events.
As he mused, he suddenly sensed something. His gaze shot towards the door.
Just as he looked, the door creaked open.
A young knight stepped into view. He appeared no older than eighteen or nineteen, with a tall, upright posture, a handsome face, and a calm demeanor.
“It seems you’ve finally awoken!”
“How are you feeling?”
A warm voice broke the silence as Thor, smiling gently, gazed at Niel Morton.
“Thank you for saving me. I owe you my life,” Niel Morton responded with a courteous bow. He could already guess what had happened by observing Thor’s demeanor and the surroundings.
“There’s no need for such formality,” Thor replied, still smiling.
“No, it’s not mere courtesy. Without your aid, I would have perished in the forest,” Niel Morton insisted sincerely, shaking his head.
As a Sky Knight, he was fully aware of the state he had been in. Without the intervention of this young man, he would have certainly met his end. Furthermore, he knew it must have cost Thor dearly. His own life seed had been nearly drained, and unless a significant amount of life energy had been used, it could never have been reactivated.
Niel Morton wasn’t the kind of person to ignore such a profound debt of gratitude.
Seeing the seriousness in Niel Morton’s eyes, Thor let out a small sigh of relief. It was clear that this mysterious old man wasn’t the type to disregard the favor that had been granted him. This was already a good sign.
“Sir, you can call me Thor. I’ve had some food prepared now that I’ve heard you’ve awakened.”
“I would be honored if you could join me,” Thor invited, maintaining his gentle tone.
“Thank you, Sir Thor,” Niel Morton replied after a brief hesitation, offering his thanks. He had already noticed that Thor bore no noble insignia, but as his savior, he treated him with utmost respect. Besides, after nearly two months without a proper meal, even with the life elixir sustaining him, hunger had begun to gnaw at him.
“It’s my pleasure,” Thor said with a smile before leading Niel Morton to the dining hall.
Once they were seated, the servants began to bring out various dishes.
“So, where are you from, Sir Niel?” Thor asked, casually eating while looking at Niel Morton with curiosity.
“I come from the eastern part of the Tulip Kingdom, far from here,” Niel Morton said, his voice filled with a sense of nostalgia. “It’s a place where Melanthi flowers bloom across the landscape,” he added, his thoughts drifting to his distant homeland and a figure he once knew, his expression turning slightly forlorn.
“My apologies if I brought up any unpleasant memories,” Thor quickly interjected, noticing Niel Morton’s demeanor.
“No, no, Sir Thor, it’s nothing unpleasant. You misunderstood,” Niel Morton replied, shaking his head with a soft smile. “I still owe you my thanks for your hospitality and saving my life.”
“If there’s anything I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to ask. I will do my best.”
Niel Morton’s tone grew more serious as he turned to face Thor, emphasizing his gratitude.
“You’re too kind, Sir Niel. Helping others is a knight’s virtue, is it not?” Thor responded with a smile.
“That’s true,” Niel Morton chuckled lightly, nodding in agreement.
With that, the conversation shifted back to the meal, and the two dined quietly.
Afterward, Thor and Niel Morton parted ways.
Thor had noticed that Niel Morton possessed great strength—so much so that he suspected the old man might even be a Sky Knight. Even if he wasn’t, he was undoubtedly a knight of immense power, comparable to Thor’s own father, the pinnacle of a Grand Knight. Thor naturally wanted to keep such a powerful figure around.
But he was careful. He didn’t just want repayment for saving Niel Morton’s life—he wanted something more. And if he wanted more, he couldn’t rush things.
From their brief interaction, Thor could tell that Niel Morton was a good person at heart, which only solidified his resolve to keep him around.
For now, Thor would play the long game.
What Eagle Ridge lacked most wasn’t resources or people—his father had already provided a vast amount of gold, and Thor had acquired a large iron mine. Furthermore, if he could establish trade routes, the territory would never run short on anything.
Nor was it a lack of population—once the trade routes opened and wealth began to flow in, people would come in droves.
What the territory lacked, more than anything, was top-tier combat power.
In the northern province, Thor’s power already exceeded that of most lords, even surpassing the strength of some baronial domains. But the real threat in the northern province wasn’t just other frontier knights or local lords—it was the province itself.
As former orc territory, the northern province was crawling with magical beasts and remnants of the orc tribes. Although large-scale orc forces had been wiped out, smaller groups still lingered, and their true numbers remained a mystery.
Among these orcs were weak creatures like the cowardly goblins, but there were also powerful races like Titans and Behemoths. Not to mention the many magical beasts that roamed the land.
Some of these high-level magical beasts posed a real threat to the territory.
Though Raine was destined to become a Sky Knight in the future, that future was still far off. For now, the strongest person in Eagle Ridge was Steve, a Grand Knight. He could handle second-tier magical beasts, but if a third-tier beast appeared, it would be a serious problem.
In the northern province, there were certainly third-tier magical beasts and orcs lurking about.
Faced with the chance to retain such a powerful individual, Thor couldn’t resist the temptation—especially after discovering that Niel Morton was a decent person. It only made his desire to keep him stronger.
(End of Chapter)