- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 45
Chapter 45: Return to Loren City
Three months ago, the manager of the Habs Trading Company had informed Thor that there would be an auction in Loren City, where a rare and valuable life potion would be sold. This piqued Thor’s interest, as auctions always seemed to present opportunities for valuable discoveries.
This was especially true for Thor, given his access to the Daily Intelligence System.
As soon as the latest update came through, it confirmed his anticipation. The information about the boy named “Allen” and the Thunderstone both excited him.
Thus, over the next two days, Thor began to actively prepare for his trip to the auction.
Two days later, Thor set off in person, bringing with him Raine, Niel Morton, five full knights, and thirty squires. Due to the division of forces between the mine and the trading company, his number of squires had dwindled, but with his recent expenditures, the reserve knights had seen a resurgence.
In the past few months, ten more squires had condensed their life seeds and broken through to squire status, bringing his total number of squires to over 120. Mobilizing thirty squires for this trip was no problem at all.
Along with his men, Thor also brought several resources to Loren City, such as black iron armor and silver armor. Despite having accumulated a decent amount of gold coins over the past few months, it was uncertain whether it would be enough to purchase both the Thunderstone and the boy Allen, as well as other essential goods.
He knew he needed to be well-prepared.
As for Niel Morton, he had volunteered to join the journey. Having a powerful bodyguard like Niel Morton was something Thor could hardly refuse. Over the past few months, Thor had grown increasingly certain that Niel Morton was, without a doubt, a sky knight.
In the entire Northern Province, there was no greater protection than having a sky knight by your side.
Even if a massive orc invasion were to occur, Thor would feel secure with Niel Morton around.
Sky knights were the elite of the kingdom, truly standing at the pinnacle of power. The entire Tulip Kingdom officially had only five sky knights, and even if there were hidden ones, the total number couldn’t exceed ten. Each one was of immense importance and formed the foundation of the kingdom’s strength.
With such a guardian, Thor felt completely at ease.
Their journey from Eagle Ridge to Loren City was uneventful. To ensure the smooth running of the auction, Loren City had dispatched many knights to clear the surrounding areas.
Even if some hidden threats remained, they were forced to stay quiet.
Thor’s party moved swiftly, and despite carrying supplies, they reached Loren City in just four days.
As they approached the city gates, Niel Morton couldn’t help but shake his head.
“The lord of this place is truly incompetent. How could the most important city in a province be in such a state?” he said, his tone filled with disdain.
Having seen the rapid development of Eagle Ridge, Niel Morton had assumed the rest of the Tulip Kingdom was similar, but now he realized that Eagle Ridge was an exception.
The rest of the kingdom was not nearly as well-developed.
Thor simply smiled, choosing not to respond to Niel Morton’s comments. He knew better than to speak ill of Marquis Raymond, the ruler of Loren City.
The group rode forward at a steady pace toward the city.
Compared to Thor’s previous visits, Loren City was now far busier and more bustling than ever before.
Crowds gathered at the city gates—merchants of all kinds, pioneering lords with their entourages, and even nobles wearing their family crests.
Not far away, Thor spotted a large retinue of knights, numbering in the hundreds, with a prominent banner flying high, revealing the identity of its owner.
“Dolton,” Thor muttered quietly, a bit confused, as the name didn’t seem familiar to him.
However, he quickly pushed his curiosity aside. The Northern Province was a wild and untamed land, which also meant it was a land full of opportunities.
It was rich in magical beasts, orcs, resources, and ancient ruins from long-lost civilizations. Unlike other provinces where most ruins had already been excavated, the Northern Province remained largely untouched.
Anyone had the potential to rise to power here.
In fact, of the 56 barons granted titles by the kingdom, more than half had risen from commoner backgrounds, many starting as wandering knights.
This “Dolton” likely followed a similar path, which wasn’t all that surprising.
“So many people!” Raine whispered, his eyes filled with wonder as he looked around.
“Haha, Raine, the Imperial City of Canaan is far more crowded than this, and it’s even home to beautiful elves!” Niel Morton laughed heartily.
“Teacher!” Raine responded, a bit embarrassed by his mentor’s teasing.
“Haha, I’m just kidding!” Niel Morton quickly added, feeling slightly awkward.
“Let’s go. Our lodging has been arranged. The auction starts tomorrow afternoon,” Thor said with a smile, not paying too much attention to their banter.
He led the group toward the noble’s entrance.
In this world, social hierarchies were strict.
Commoners and nobles didn’t use the same roads. Nobles had their own, more spacious routes that allowed them to bypass security checks.
Thor and his men followed Dolton’s retinue and slowly entered Loren City.
Even as they entered, the crowds outside the city gates continued to swell.
But Thor no longer concerned himself with them.
Upon entering the city, Thor could feel the sheer vibrancy of Loren City. Compared to his previous visits, the city’s population had increased tenfold. The streets were packed with people.
There was a distinct shift in the atmosphere as well. Where there had once been a sense of weariness and indifference among the people, now there were smiles. Many freemen were setting up stalls, selling various goods.
Knights patrolled the city in greater numbers than ever before.
Thor even spotted several nobles wearing badges of honor, some of which bore symbols unique to the Northern Province.
This indicated that these nobles weren’t just any aristocrats—they were nobles specifically enfeoffed within the Northern Province.
There was a significant difference between these two statuses.
A noble’s badge merely indicated their noble heritage, but without a title, their noble status could be revoked three years after leaving their family. Only those who obtained a title could retain their noble identity.
For example, Thor’s current status was temporary. If he didn’t achieve the rank of baron within three years, the Dresrosa name would be stripped from him, and he would no longer be a noble. Only by earning a title would he be granted the Dresrosa name once again.
(End of Chapter)