Free Web NovelWillis did not look back when he left his father's study.
The heavy wooden door slowly closed behind him, but he had no intention of leaving.
He just stood quietly in the sunlight at the end of the corridor, his eyes slightly lowered as he looked at the sky, contemplating what he should do next.
His brother, Pal, stood a few steps away. The two exchanged glances, but neither spoke.
Although they both shared the same father, they weren't close.
Especially within the vast Calvin Family.
There were many brothers, and factions were numerous.
And Willis had no so-called faction or foundation.
His mother was a commoner, or more precisely, a maid his father had taken a fancy to on a whim.
She was beautiful and gentle, but of low status.
She received few privileges within the family and was not involved in any family affairs.
Therefore, Willis had no full siblings and few family resources; even at meals, his seat was quietly tucked away in the least conspicuous corner.
Furthermore, his mother had passed away from illness when he was twelve.
Since then, he had become even more taciturn, simply obeying orders and completing tasks silently within the family's knight order.
Willis's goal had always been simple.
He didn't want to meddle in the convoluted family disputes, nor did he want to participate in the infighting among his brothers.
He just wanted to be a dutiful general under the Calvin banner, fighting on the battlefield, steadily accumulating merits. Perhaps in this life, he could attain a minor noble title and live a peaceful life.
He had put in a lot of effort for this.
He quietly perused the Calvin Family's tactical notes in the library, delving into changes in battle formations and terrain warfare. He paid retired knights out of his own pocket to teach him, practiced horsemanship with them, and learned to lead troops. Gradually, Willis's efforts bore fruit.
He stood out in several family military examinations and finally began to catch his father's attention, with family resources slowly tilting in his favor.
He thought that perhaps in a few more years, he could truly make something of himself.
But he didn't expect this opportunity to "stand out" to come so quickly.
His father sent him to the Northern Territory to serve as a pioneering baron.
On the surface, it was a noble title, but he knew very well that it was actually an exile and a trial.
The Northern Territory was bitterly cold, surrounded by powerful enemies, and resources were scarce. Surviving there, even just "living," was an incredibly difficult task.
But Willis did not flinch; he understood that this was both a crisis and an opportunity.
He thought of Louis, his younger brother whose mother was also a commoner and who had always been silent in the family.
In just one year, Louis had now established a vast territory in the Northern Territory, ascended to the position of County Governor, and become the family's standard-bearer in the north.
He wasn't envious; instead, he felt invigorated. Welles Calvin would also carve out a true place for himself there.
From that day on, he never left the library.
He took down the topmost, long-faded copy of "Annals of the Imperial Northern Border Defense" and opened it carefully.
Then he picked up "Northern Grain Management General Rules," "Snowfield Military Uniform Records," "Border Warfare Tactics Briefing"— freēwebnovel.com
He only had one week, and he would never waste this sole opportunity.
And the other person destined for the Northern Territory—Pal Calvin—his eyes lit up the moment he heard the order.
"Is it finally my turn?" He could barely suppress the smile on his lips.
The chance to be granted a fief, bestowed with a noble title, and unify the desolate frontier—
This was the stage he had always dreamed of!
From a young age, Pal had always been one of the most promising children in the family.
Intelligent and diligent, especially in tactics and military strategy, he was almost a "genius"-level existence.
All his tutors had marveled behind his back, "This boy, his future is boundless."
Not to mention, his mother hailed from the renowned Ailantuo Family in the Southeast.
Although not among the Empire's Eight Great Families, they controlled two important ports, making their status far from insignificant.
His two elder sisters had long since married into other powerful and noble families.
And his full brother, Seldon Calvin, now managed nearly 30% of the family's businesses, a truly influential figure.
With such an upbringing and background, Pal had never once bowed his head.
When he heard that Louis had now become the Northern Territory's County Governor, he merely snorted, "Louis? That guy whose presence is so thin you forget him? Heh, he just got lucky."
He was completely unconvinced.
He had even mocked Louis when he was first sent to the Northern Territory, saying it was nothing but a death mission.
And the result?
Now, that "invisible man" he had always looked down upon had actually become a rising star in the Northern Territory.
To say he wasn't jealous would be a lie; to say he wasn't bothered would be even more so.
Pal had always felt that, apart from the few truly powerful elder brothers, the other brothers in the family were simply not worth mentioning.
Louis? Even more of a joke.
However, arrogant as he was, Pal wasn't a fool.
He knew what kind of place the Northern Territory was; it was no comfortable imperial capital.
Even he clearly understood that once he went there, without some real skills and preparation, he would be swallowed whole by that icy, snowy land, leaving not even a trace.
So Pal quietly sought out his second brother, Seldon, and his mother, intending to secure some "startup funds" for himself.
In the study, the firelight was warm yellow, and the flames in the fireplace licked at the logs, making the family crest on the wall flicker in and out of view.
Pal held the order, his face excited as he reported to the two, "Father is sending me to the Northern Territory to open up territory!"
His mother's face immediately changed, and she sat up sharply, "The Northern Territory? You're not joking, are you?"
Pal nodded, his eyes gleaming.
His mother frowned, her voice trembling, "That place is a hellhole! It's freezing cold, full of lunatics everywhere—you're going to your death! No, I have to go find your father and have someone else go."
Pal immediately retorted, "If that useless good-for-nothing Louis can become a County Governor there, then I certainly can too."
Seldon leaned back in his chair, his long fingers rhythmically tapping the armrest, his gaze fixed on his younger brother, his brows slightly furrowed.
When the name Louis came out of Pal's mouth,
what appeared in his mind was no longer the taciturn, almost invisible eighth son of the family.
When Louis first went to the Northern Territory, he had arranged for someone to eliminate this inconspicuous potential opponent.
When it didn't succeed, he hadn't cared; it was just a casual move.
But who would have thought that the scene he least wanted to see still occurred? That fellow, neglected by the family for many years, had risen rapidly in an incredible way.
Seldon narrowed his eyes slightly, and the rhythm of his tapping fingers stopped.
He even wondered now if Louis's "incompetent performance" in the family all these years might have been entirely faked?
Was that guy just waiting for an opportunity?
Waiting to break free from the family's constraints, waiting to find a battlefield where he could go all out?
Although Louis's current strength wasn't enough to threaten his own bid for the ducal title, he could no longer be treated as casually as before.
His gaze returned to Pal before him, his full brother.
Ambitious, with high aspirations, and ability—well, he had some, but nowhere near enough to manage a situation.
In short, he was a typical case of "aiming high but having low capabilities."
Seldon knew very well: with Pal's limited abilities, if he blindly rushed into the Northern Territory, he would most likely go and never return,
dying without a trace.
He took a breath, staring at Pal: "Listen carefully. When you get to the Northern Territory, don't show off. Stabilize first. Be low-key and pragmatic. If you really run into trouble, don't be ashamed; cooperate with Louis.
He's managed to get where he is now, so he must have his ways. Don't underestimate him, but be wary of him."
Pal nodded, saying, "Understood, Second Brother."
But his expression showed no sign of taking it to heart; there was clearly a hint of defiance in his eyes.
Seldon saw it clearly, snorted coldly, and tapped the table again: "I'm not joking. Don't gamble with your life. The Northern Territory isn't like here."
Pal pursed his lips defiantly, still with some stubbornness on his face, but he didn't talk back in the end.
Seldon glared at him, then turned to his red-eyed mother.
He sighed: "Mother, you know Father's decision. No one can change it. Once he's decided, he won't alter it.
All we can do is quickly prepare resources for Pal so he can stabilize and avoid any real trouble."
At these words, Pal's eyes immediately lit up.
He had called them here precisely for ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) this sentence; he didn't care about anything else they said.
His mother wiped her tears and nodded, her voice trembling: "Yes, yes—hurry and prepare. Give him everything we can. A little more confidence is always good."
After speaking, she personally returned to her bedroom and had a knight bring two heavy chests, pushing them in front of Pal: "Here are eight thousand gold coins, and a batch of fine rice and dried food from the Ailantuo port. I will send people to deliver them all the way to the Northern Territory."
Seldon continued: "I've chosen five Old Butlers to go with you. They are all our own people, skilled in logistics and supply. You should interfere little with their affairs; as long as you treat them well, they can ensure you don't starve to death.
And I'll assign thirty official knights from my guard to you. Combined with the support Father is giving, that should allow you to gain a foothold in the Northern Territory."
He paused here, looking at Pal: "The unfortunate thing is—"
His mother interjected with a sigh, "In the Northern Territory, you have no trusted confidantes, no foundation. Everything will depend on you."
Pal looked down at the chests, a slight, disdainful smile playing on his lips: "Depending on myself is enough."
He truly felt that way.
In his eyes, this was nothing at all.
The Northern Territory? Just a desolate, cold place.
Others might be afraid, but he wasn't.
Especially when he saw the pile of resources before him, all his worries completely vanished.
Eight thousand gold coins, a batch of fine rice and dried food, dozens of official knights, and five Old Butlers specialized in logistics.
This arrangement was already the best treatment the family could provide.
He couldn't help but sneer inwardly: That Louis fellow, wasn't he just incredibly lucky?
When he went north, he had less than a thousand gold coins and only about forty knights, yet he dared to charge in head-on.
And now, what did he have in his hands?
What his father gave, what his brother gave—combined, it was at least five or six times Louis's combat power, and several times more money.
If Louis could become a County Governor in the Northern Territory, wouldn't he, a genius with these resources, simply dominate the Northern Territory?
Seldon looked at his flippant demeanor, his brows furrowing inwardly. He still felt uneasy, but said nothing more.
