Free Web Novel“Besides offices and reception rooms, this building is mostly made up of rooms,” Mike said, pushing open a door to reveal an empty interior. “But they haven’t been decorated yet. Would you like to design them yourself?”
The rooms were much larger than those on the second floor, clearly intended for more important people or guests of the territory, especially Louis’s master bedroom, which was ridiculously large.
Louis waved his hand indifferently, “No need to make it too complicated. As long as it’s livable and functional, simpler is better.”
Mike nodded, “Alright, I’ll follow the standards for Northern nobles then.”
As he was speaking, Louis suddenly turned to Sif beside him, “Oh, you’ll be coming here often for work in the future, so why don’t you just move in? It’ll save you the trouble of commuting every day. I’ll reserve one of the empty rooms on the third floor for you.”
Sif was slightly startled. She instinctively wanted to refuse.
But what came out of her mouth was, “—That’s fine.”
Her voice was soft but very clear, and a faint, unnatural blush crept onto her cheeks.
She rationalized in her mind: It’s just for convenience of work, and... it’s really warm here—it’s not for any other reason.
Mike cleared his throat as if nothing had happened and subtly averted his gaze.
Then, everyone continued up the stairs.
The wind on the fourth floor immediately swept over them, bringing with it the unique chill and expansive view of high places.
“This floor, well, this is the Red Tide Territory’s last line of defense,” Mike said with a smile, patting the stone wall beside him, his tone full of pride. “No matter who comes, they’ll hit a wall here.”
He raised his hand and pointed to the top of the wall, subtly flattering, “These arrow slits are the angled structures you designed. The archers can’t be seen from the outside, but we have a clear view from our side. The enemy will be hit by an arrow before they even get close. It’s simply a genius design.”
Louis merely waved his hand lightly, but his eyes were clearly pleased.
“Over here,” Mike led them around the corner and pointed to several wooden frames. “These are the pre-set positions for catapults. They haven’t been installed yet, but I’ve already left the slots, so once they’re in place, we can start fighting immediately.”
After speaking, he went to the edge of the roof and pointed to several pipe interfaces hidden under the eaves.
“These are the boiling oil outlets you designed in the blueprints. Once the enemy gets close and tries to climb the wall, we’ll pour hot oil down on them and make them regret it.”
Louis glanced at the inconspicuous pipe openings, a hint of satisfaction appearing in his eyes. “The effect is good, more ingenious than the original drawing.”
“Besides that,” Mike pointed to the wooden beams beside the stone wall, “we can also temporarily install bows and crossbows here, or even roll stones.”
Then, he pointed downwards, “Look below, the mountain path to the south and the forest line to the north are crystal clear.
If it gets windy or snowy, we can also install windproof curtains and cold-proof covers. People can guard here for ten days to half a month without shivering.”
He finally looked at Louis, his tone proud, “Rest assured, Lord. As long as a hundred men defend this building, thousands won’t be able to break through.”
The wind whistled through the stone walls, making a rustling sound.
But standing on the top floor of this fortress, everyone felt as stable as a mountain.
After a full tour, Louis already had his answer.
This new fortress was even better than he expected.
Safe and comfortable.
It had a stable heat source in winter and good ventilation in summer.
The sturdy walls and sentry posts formed a complete defensive line, while the inner living area was warm and peaceful, like a sanctuary in the snowy wilderness.
Moreover, the aesthetics of this fortress were exactly to his liking: simple but not crude, substantial but not dull.
Louis slowly walked along the high ground of the rammed earth fortress, his gaze sweeping over the thick stone walls layer by layer, the encircling hot water pipes, and the cold glint of the patrol watchtowers in the distant forest.
From these arrangements, one could see the dedication of Mike and the other craftsmen.
“Very good, excellent. Safe, comfortable, and perfectly to my taste,” Louis praised sincerely.
Mike stood beside him, having been nervously awaiting the evaluation, and finally let out a long breath of relief, as if a stone had fallen from his heart, upon hearing these words.
“It is my greatest honor to please you, and we merely tried our best to execute your vision. What is truly remarkable is your blueprint and ideas.
From the hot spring diversion to the geothermal temperature regulation, and then to the overall layout, it’s simply a genius design.”
Louis smiled and patted him on the shoulder, “Don’t be too modest. Without you leading people to build it brick by brick, even the best ideas would be empty talk.”
“This is what I should do,” Mike straightened his back. Louis then said seriously, “Don’t relax on the remaining finishing touches. Refine the details. I plan to move in in a few days.”
Mike nodded repeatedly, “Understood! I will personally supervise the work and re-check everything to ensure not a single oversight!”
Autumn deepened, and the wind carried a biting chill.
A group of dozens of riders rode along the winding dirt road through the forest, their hooves {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} moving at a steady pace.
Leading the way was a young knight in a black cloak.
He had a handsome face, but his lips held an undisguised look of triumph.
He was the newly appointed Baron Vera.
Originally, he was just the third son of the Vera family, and illegitimate at that.
He wasn't even allowed to show his face at territory banquets, and the family servants treated him as if he were invisible.
So, Vera simply gave up and went to Frost Halberd City to idle away his days.
But who could have imagined?
The great battle in Snow Eagle City directly killed his father, his eldest brother, and his second brother; even their bodies couldn’t be found.
This was a catastrophe for others, but for him?
It was like a dream.
The title, the fief, the clan, the treasury—everything fell to him alone.
“Hahahahaha! Heaven truly has eyes!” Vera suddenly burst into laughter, startling a horse beside him into snorting loudly.
He excitedly patted the flask at his waist, then turned back and shouted to the knights behind him, “When we get back, I, your lord, will make a few of you territory knights! Good positions, easy living, drinking and women—you won’t lack anything!”
“Oh, we must thank Baron for his promotion!”
“Hahaha, then we’ll each have a house, and meat to eat and women to sleep with every day!”
Laughter filled the group, with people drinking, bragging, and swearing, making it very lively.
“Hey, Old Wei, is your dad’s young wife still around?”
“Heh heh, I don’t know—” Baron Vera’s lips curled, his gaze wandering. “That woman—psst, she’s a real stunner. Slim waist, long legs, makes a man’s body tighten up just looking at her.”
“You’re really something, even coveting your own dad’s woman?” fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
“My dad’s dead, what does it matter? He’s gone, so taking care of my stepmother is what a filial son like me should do.”
He laughed lewdly, his body tensing, unable to hide his thoughts about his “stepmother.”
A burst of laughter erupted behind him, and vulgar remarks filled the air.
But no one noticed that deep within the inconspicuous forest, several figures silently glided past.
The wind grew tighter, and fallen leaves swirled.
