Free Web NovelChapter 132: Chapter 127: A Letter from Bailiu City
The cold season would soon descend upon the Northern Wilderness. It was a time when the entire land became a vast expanse of ice and snow. The bone-chilling wind, sharp as a steel blade, was enough to keep even the thick-furred brown bears huddled in their dens.
For the tribes that relied on hunting for their food, this was nothing short of a catastrophe.
Forget the smaller tribes; even some of the larger ones might not survive. Because of this, they often chose to raid the villages of Debei to the south.
Levi had preemptively dealt with these threats, preventing them from forming a massive Alliance Army.
The effect of the past few days’ sweeps was that there were no longer any other powers within a fifty-li radius of High Cliff Castle.
"Boss, is it raining?"
Zat suddenly touched his bald head. Something cold had just landed on it, and when he reached up, he realized it was water.
"No." Levi shook his head, gazing up at the darkening sky. "It’s snowing."
He’d long heard that the seasons in the Northern Wilderness were notoriously unpredictable. Just yesterday, the weather had been pleasantly cool, but today, a distinct chill had settled in the air.
Compared to southern Debei, winter in the north often arrived several months earlier and lasted much longer.
Now, as October approached, the Wilderness was greeting its first cold snap.
What gave Levi a slight sense of relief was that the special winter wheat seeds he’d purchased had all been planted a few days ago.
He just had to wait for the harvest in May or June of the following year.
When the party was only about an hour away from High Cliff Castle, a Jackal Wolfman with a High Cliff Castle banner on his back came sprinting toward them.
Levi had some impression of this young wolf who was always by Hog’s side. He seemed to recall his name was Scarface.
"My Lord, the Steward sent me with a letter for you." fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
When he was still about ten paces from the Lord, he dismounted his wolf and trotted over, kneeling on one knee with eyes full of adoration.
His admiration for the Lord needed no explanation; it was safe to say that there wasn’t a single Warrior who didn’t worship him.
Being chosen for this task had made the entire journey feel like an unreal dream.
"Oh? A letter from whom?"
Levi asked, somewhat curious.
’Knowing Baisitina’s personality, she wouldn’t bother me unless it was something troublesome. She usually handled things herself. To send someone specifically to find me meant this letter was important.’
’Racking his brain, the Lord couldn’t think of anyone who would be so concerned about him as to send a special letter.’
Handing over the sealed letter, Scarface explained respectfully, "The Steward only said it was a letter from a friend of yours in Bailiu City."
"Lorina? Miriel?"
Two names surfaced in Levi’s mind, but he quickly shook his head.
’The former was just a business relationship, a mutually beneficial arrangement, hardly a friendship. The latter was, at best, a casual acquaintance I got along with and whose life I had once saved.’
’For instance, when the Giant Dragon Corps attacked, after her advice went unheeded the next day, the Half-Elf had bolted for Bailiu City.’
’Of course, I’m not blaming her. The fact that Miriel had even tried to persuade me was already more than enough.’
’But by any measure, neither of them could be called a friend.’
However, when he saw the name signed on the envelope, Levi knew who it was.
The letter was from Liya, the Duke’s granddaughter whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. In fact, she was also his nominal Feudal Lord.
’Back in Kolon, I played a little word game. Thinking back now, I realize I hadn’t yet transitioned from the devil-may-care attitude of a Mercenary to that of a nobleman.’
’If it had been any other Feudal Lord, an act like that would have probably gotten my noble status revoked long ago.’
’On second thought, I was the only Knight the Duke’s granddaughter had personally invested. I was practically her only reliable Vassal, so she had no choice but to tolerate my behavior.’
’The last time I wrote to Liya, the implied meaning was that I intended to uphold the oath I had sworn.’
’After truly becoming a nobleman, I’ve come to realize the importance of reputation. The image of a Vassal who is trustworthy, keeps his promises, and is unfailingly loyal is obviously crucial.’
’So now, I subconsciously work to maintain that reputation.’
’After all, a just cause attracts much support, while an unjust one finds little.’
’No one would want to befriend a fickle and dishonorable man.’
Opening the envelope, Levi began to read at a leisurely pace. He had to admit, Liya’s handwriting was elegant and a pleasure to behold.
But the meaning contained within made Levi’s brow furrow. He then shook his head and muttered to himself, "It’s truly one thing after another!"
Aside from a tediously long greeting, the actual message of the letter consisted of just two points, but their content was important enough to make the Lord’s eyebrows shoot up.
The first piece of information was that Miss Liya was preparing to come and see how her Vassal was faring. The second was... the Wilderness was about to descend into chaos!
His earlier relaxed and leisurely demeanor gone, the Lord rushed back to High Cliff Castle in a great hurry.
First, he had Baisitina arrange for people to occupy the Wind Surge Tribe’s Maple Forest and begin regular production of maple syrup.
With so many things happening one after another recently, the Lord had actually forgotten about that place. It wasn’t until he saw Beim hard at work in the blacksmith shop that he remembered the Wind Surge Tribe, which had been wiped out by the Giant Dragon Corps, owned a Maple Forest.
The sap from these maple trees could be boiled down to make maple syrup, which was a hot commodity in Debei and would have no trouble selling.
It could bring in at least a thousand Gold Coins a year, a welcome source of extra income for High Cliff Castle.
The second matter was to begin tidying up High Cliff Castle’s appearance. Any children caught running around naked from now on could expect to receive a joint thrashing, as ordered by the Lord.
Some of the uglier houses were torn down, to be replaced by more attractive, single-family earthen houses built by the Feder Craftsmen.
Next to the Lord’s hall, a tall, fine wooden house began to rise, its furniture to be made as exquisite as possible.
"It would be best to fill it with candles, so it’s as bright as day even at night. And add some fresh flowers for decoration," the Lord instructed, guiding the arrangements step-by-step. "Tulips would be even better, if you can find them."
"What about Maids?" Baisitina asked from the side, inquiring about the details.
"The Goat-man girls are, after all, of an Alien Race," the Lord said after a moment of thought. "Aside from our King, most Debei People are prejudiced against them. It would be better to choose some clever girls from your Tribe."
With Liya’s impending arrival, they couldn’t afford to do a slapdash job, whether for the sake of keeping up appearances or for the honor of High Cliff Castle.
They absolutely had to show that they were taking this with the utmost seriousness.
The more importance he placed on his Feudal Lord, Liya, the better it would be for High Cliff Castle’s reputation. It was clearly a beneficial and harmless endeavor.
"Miss Liya is about your age, so you should understand a girl’s mind better than I do. I’ll leave these matters to you. I’ll buy you a drink tonight."
Finally, the Lord rubbed his temples and said with a sense of helplessness.
A pile of troublesome matters had converged, giving him a headache. First, he had to fully process the spoils from the victory against the Giant Dragon Corps, such as the slaves, loot, and so on.
Second, he still had to spare the energy to manage Sophia, the Silver Dragon.
Third, with Liya’s arrival, he had to start preparing High Cliff Castle. If nothing else, a proper guest room had to be set up.
And fourth was the worst news of all... Fulina’s negotiations with the Kexianri Tribe had collapsed!
Liya hadn’t gone into detail in her letter, only hinting that the Wilderness might fall into chaos, and that she would explain the specifics when she arrived.
’In truth, I had never expected negotiations with a bunch of stubborn mules to succeed. A clash of blades, a true test of strength—fighting it out was always the most effective way.’
Therefore, just after the battle with the Giant Dragon Corps had ended, High Cliff Castle once again entered a state of high alert.
The Warriors began their drills with great fervor, and the blacksmiths started working at full capacity to forge equipment for High Cliff Castle’s own forces.
