- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Count Engel’s First Lesson
“Father!”
Thor instinctively called out, glancing at his father, Count Engel Dressrosa. His expression was a mix of hesitation and surprise.
“Thor, you must understand that although Raine has become your guardian knight, being a guardian knight only means he won’t betray you. It doesn’t imply anything beyond that. As a capable lord, you must show your generosity, your compassion, and your authority!”
Count Engel Dressrosa’s voice was calm, carrying an underlying wisdom.
Thor paused for a moment, then his expression grew more serious.
It was clear that his father, Count Engel Dressrosa, was giving him an important lesson.
Thor didn’t resist this in the slightest.
As a count, Engel Dressrosa possessed wisdom and experience far beyond Thor’s own, even with Thor being a transmigrator.
Seeing Thor’s respectful attitude, Count Engel nodded in satisfaction. After a brief pause, he continued speaking.
“Thor, the path of a frontier knight is not an easy one.”
“To truly become a successful frontier knight, the first thing you must learn is how to win people’s hearts.”
“Right now, you are the young master of Dressrosa Castle, and the family’s influence protects you. But once you become a frontier knight, that protection will fade. You’ll need to rely on your own wisdom to build your territory and lead your people.”
“Raine is a rare talent. His potential is the strongest I’ve ever seen. If you can truly win him over, he will become your greatest ally in the future. Your own talent may not be exceptional, and I didn’t have high hopes for you. But, my child, you’ve surprised me.”
As he spoke, his tone shifted from serious to a lighthearted smile.
Thor was taken aback by his father’s words and was about to speak, but Count Engel raised a hand, stopping him.
“Everyone has secrets. I don’t need to know yours. After all, you are my son.”
“You are now, and always will be. Keep working hard.”
“I hope to see you soar like an eagle for the Dressrosa family.”
Count Engel chuckled softly, not prying into his son’s secrets. Instead, he gestured that Thor could leave.
“Yes, Father. I won’t disappoint you!”
Thor nodded, his voice serious.
Soon, servants came forward to help Thor put on the silver armor and pack up the Life Elixir.
As Thor left, Count Engel Dressrosa’s eyes gleamed, a smile playing on his lips.
“It seems I underestimated him.”
“A pleasant surprise indeed!”
“Charlie!”
He called out softly.
“Yes, sir?”
The butler, Charlie, appeared promptly, speaking with his usual respect.
“Go fetch the second chest from the first storage room.”
Count Engel’s mind returned to the present as he smiled.
“Yes, sir!”
Charlie nodded and quickly left to carry out the task.
“Thor, don’t let me down.”
Count Engel whispered as he turned his attention back to the book in his hand.
Meanwhile, Thor, unaware that Raine’s potential had prompted his father to invest even more in him, was already feeling quite happy.
Thor and his servants made their way to the training grounds.
Raine was still training.
Compared to two weeks ago, Raine’s physique had noticeably bulked up. He was no longer the scrawny boy he once was. His overall demeanor had changed as well, exuding a newfound energy.
Thor was pleased with what he saw.
After a few moments, Raine, still panting from his training, stopped. He didn’t bother wiping the sweat from his brow before rushing over to Thor.
“Master Thor!”
Raine greeted him with a respectful knight’s salute.
“Well done! It looks like you’ve been working hard these past days,”
Thor said with a smile.
“As a reward, I have something for you.”
Thor gestured, and two servants stepped forward, placing a large and a small box in front of Raine.
“Master Thor!”
Raine, overwhelmed, instinctively moved to refuse, but Thor stopped him.
“You’re my guardian knight now. You can’t stay in such a poor state. Go on, open them,”
Thor said with a grin.
“Thank you, Master!”
Raine, still hesitant, nodded and carefully opened the larger box first.
As soon as the lid lifted, a flash of silver caught his eye, and he was immediately drawn to it.
“This is a set of silver armor. It will serve you well, even when you become a Grand Knight in the future,”
Thor said with a smile.
“Thank you, Master!”
Raine’s hands trembled as he spoke, overwhelmed with gratitude.
He wasn’t naive anymore. Training under Michael had taught him the true value of the silver armor. It was incredibly precious.
And now, he had been given a set for himself. The emotions swirling within Ryan—his gratitude, excitement, and loyalty to Thor—were beyond words.
“Now, check the other box. That one is even more important for you at this stage.”
Thor gestured toward the smaller box.
“Yes, sir!”
Still nervous, Raine carefully opened the second box.
Inside was a small glass vial containing a green liquid.
At first, Raine was confused. But then, realization struck him, and his breathing grew heavy. His face showed disbelief.
The green liquid inside the vial was even more valuable than the silver armor. It reminded him of something he had heard of, but it was so rare that he struggled to believe it.
Because that item was simply too precious—so precious, it was beyond his imagination.
“This… is this Life Elixir?”
Raine asked, his voice trembling as he looked at Thor.
“Yes, this is a vial of mid-grade Life Elixir. Its value is nearly ten times that of a low-grade elixir. With this, you are guaranteed to become an Apprentice Knight.”
Thor replied, feeling a bit wistful as he looked at the elixir. Honestly, if it weren’t for his daily intelligence system, he might have kept the vial for himself.
After all, he had never tasted a mid-grade Life Elixir before.
It was true that the Dressrosa family provided each direct descendant with a vial of Life Elixir every year, but those were only low-grade. The mid-grade version was in a completely different league. With this vial, Thor knew he could confidently advance to the mid-stage of Apprentice Knight.
(End of Chapter)