FLDI Chapter 65

Chapter 65: War Begins, Chaos in Maine River Valley

Barons Valmy and Graton marched with their forces in full display, and with the symbolic participation of the Lawrence barony, the entire Maine River Valley was shaken to its core. The various pioneering lords became uneasy.

As the most powerful figures in the Maine River Valley, the three noble lords—Barons Valmy, Graton, and Lawrence—were the true rulers of the region. Now, with them “joining forces,” how could the other pioneering lords not feel concerned?

“My god, what are they planning?”  

“May the Goddess of Life protect us.”  

“Baron Valmy, Baron Graton, and even the forces from the Lawrence domain?”  

“Goddess of Life, someone tell me what’s happening!”

Voices filled with worry spread as unease rippled through the valley.

A few days later, the truth became apparent—the knights of the three baronies weren’t marching toward the other lords, but toward a newly established pioneering lord in the west.

This discovery brought a collective sigh of relief from the others.

Yet after their initial relief, curiosity grew among the pioneering lords.

Who was this lord? What had they done to provoke the wrath of all three baronies?

Knights were quickly sent out to investigate, and soon the entire region surrounding the Maine River Valley was abuzz with activity.

Even nobles from outside the valley turned their attention toward the unfolding events.

Still, most people, both within and around the valley, remained in the dark about what was happening.

While Barons Valmy and Graton had received some information, they kept it tightly guarded. As for Ope Lawrence, he certainly wasn’t about to reveal the truth—after all, the so-called large iron mine was just an excuse he had made up.

His plan was simple: deceive the two baronies and, more importantly, lure other nobles into attacking Eagle Territory.

In Ope Lawrence’s mind, as long as the lord of Eagle Territory learned of this, his father and brother would never make it out alive. Then, Ope would have no obstacles left in inheriting the Lawrence domain.

However, Ope Lawrence had no idea that Thor Dressrosa, the lord of Eagle Territory, wasn’t bothered by these plans. In fact, Ope’s actions only solidified Thor’s resolve in his decisions.

As night fell and passed, tension mounted in the Maine River Valley.

Five days later, the forces led by Barons Valmy and Graton were just thirty miles from the mine. In another day, they would arrive.

Meanwhile, numerous knights roamed the area, clearly scouts sent by the two barons.

Yet, as before, they were destined for disappointment.

Thor had once again recalled all his knights to defend the mine, leaving no traps or obstacles along the route.

Though Thor’s forces weren’t significantly weaker than the combined strength of the two baronies, missing only one great knight, he had decided not to engage them along the way.

Every ounce of strength was precious to him at this moment, and he wasn’t about to waste it on skirmishes.

When the scouts returned with their report, Baron Valmy and Baron Graton were both filled with uncertainty.

“Are you sure there were no ambushes near Eagle Territory?”  

Baron Valmy asked his knight, his tone full of disbelief.

“Positive!”  

“The area is completely clear of ambushes. They’ve either withdrawn to the mine or abandoned the area altogether,” the knight replied confidently, his tone relaxed.

“Alright, I understand,” Baron Valmy nodded, though his brow furrowed with doubt.

On the other side, Baron Graton received similar news, and like Valmy, he was left puzzled.

In their shared uncertainty, the two barons decided to meet.

Though tempted by the promise of a large iron mine, neither Valmy nor Graton were fools. They knew better than to underestimate the lord of Eagle Territory, a descendant of the Dressrosa family.

After all, this was the man who had defeated Baron Pape Lawrence.

Even though Thor’s forces had likely taken significant losses in the previous battle, caution was still warranted.

“Baron Valmy, you’ve received the same reports, I assume? No knights from Eagle Territory anywhere in sight. This seems… unusual,” Baron Graton remarked with a frown as he greeted Valmy.

“It’s not necessarily strange,” Valmy replied, frowning as well. “Baron Pape attacked this area not long ago. It’s possible that Eagle Territory sustained heavy damage. Learning of our arrival, they might have chosen to retreat.”

“That’s possible,” Graton admitted, “but let me remind you, we’re not dealing with ordinary pioneering knights. This is the Dressrosa family we’re up against. Those people are not weak. What if things aren’t as they seem? What if they’ve alerted the Dressrosa family?”

Baron Graton paused thoughtfully before continuing, “And what if their family has been informed?”

“It’s true that they’re different from us,” Valmy acknowledged. “But there are many descendants of the Dressrosa family, and it’s unlikely they’ll receive much support. Besides, Marquis Lehmann has prohibited the outflow of resources, and compared to the marquis, the Dressrosa family is merely an earldom.”

“That seems unlikely,” Valmy concluded. “Still, you’re right. We should be cautious. How about this: we’ll send in two knight squads to test their defenses first.”

“Agreed,” Graton’s eyes lit up. “Let’s test them.”

The two barons quickly made their decision—to probe Eagle Territory’s strength before launching a full attack.

No one knew for sure how strong Eagle Territory was.

And with Baron Pape Lawrence’s defeat still fresh in their minds, they couldn’t afford to be reckless.

A sudden, ill-prepared assault could lead to the same fate as Pape’s.

As pioneering lords who had been knighted, Valmy and Graton knew that if they fell in battle, their territories would collapse completely. Unlike the Lawrence family, they didn’t have the resources to hire mercenaries from the Habs Trading Company.

Soon, two squads of knights were dispatched.

Most of them were made up of knight trainees, with only two full-fledged knights and a dozen apprentice knights among them.

(End of Chapter)

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