Free Web NovelChapter 1: Chapter 1: A Not-So-Friendly Start
The light fixtures on the walls gave off a bright glow, illuminating the entire room.
Duane sat propped up against the headboard, studying the room’s furnishings before his gaze shifted to the light fixtures, a curious look in his eyes.
A few minutes ago, he was just a student working part-time jobs to cover his living expenses. When he opened his eyes again, he had transmigrated.
He recalled the original owner’s memories and discovered this was a fantasy world with a social structure similar to the Middle Ages, but one where Sword and Magic existed.
The original owner was named Duane Brian, born into a Knight’s family—the lowest rung of the Nobility.
His father, Carter, was a Celestial Tier Warrior. Immensely powerful and decorated with numerous military achievements, he had been granted the title of "Fearless Knight." While commanding the Kingdom’s Third Legion, he was also enfeoffed with the Lakefront Manor Fief.
As Carter’s only son, Duane was unable to become a Warrior due to being born prematurely and having a frail constitution. Thus, he could not attain a level of strength the King would recognize.
If Carter were to die, even if Duane could pay the inheritance tax, it would be very difficult for him to inherit Lakefront Manor.
However, after Carter’s last major achievement, the King granted a special concession allowing Duane to inherit Lakefront Manor for free—he would neither need to be assessed for strength nor pay any inheritance tax.
Under these circumstances, even though Duane lacked strength, he could still secure a sinecure and live a peaceful life.
But alas, the heavens are unpredictable.
Not long ago, a spatiotemporal passage appeared within Lakefront Manor—a Teleportation Gate connecting to a Secret Realm Space.
As the Lord of this Territory, Carter unhesitatingly requested permission from King Eric to mobilize the Third Legion and explore the Secret Realm.
After several consecutive days of investigation, they confirmed it was a developable Secret Realm, containing not only Fertile Soil but also a medium-sized mineral vein.
This was tremendous news for the Brian Clan.
According to the Kingdom’s laws, when a developable Secret Realm appeared within a noble’s Territory, aside from a ten percent share submitted to the Kingdom, the vast majority was to be claimed by the local Lord.
Only a small portion would be distributed among the other nobles who participated in the Secret Realm’s exploration and development.
Although the Brian Family was only the lowest rank of Nobility, this Secret Realm could allow them to accumulate immense wealth and become true landed nobles in one fell swoop.
But no one could have expected that a pack of Exotic Beasts covered in what looked like steel would burst out from the Secret Realm’s mine!
They were fierce and cruel, not only slaughtering a large number of soldiers, but even Carter himself perished, taking the strongest of the Exotic Beasts down with him in a fight to the death.
Of course, even though Carter was dead, the original owner, as his son, could still inherit the manor and the conquered Lakefront Secret Realm.
But the law is just the law; enforcing it was not so simple.
At the Secret Realm resource allocation conference in Cyan Snake Fortress, Earl Orlando accused Carter, the Third Corps Commander, of a grave dereliction of duty!
It was Carter’s negligence, he claimed, that led to the Kingdom Legion suffering heavy losses, with the heirs of several noble families dying in vain.
This accusation immediately received the support of several nobles. Survivors from the Third Legion even came forward to testify that Carter had recklessly pushed forward against their advice, leading to the disastrous casualties.
Not only did they demand the King revoke ownership of Lakefront Manor, but they also demanded the original owner pay compensation amounting to hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins!
The Brian Family had been part of the Nobility for less than ten years, rising entirely on the back of Carter’s personal strength.
Such a short period was not enough for a family to build a deep foundation or accumulate a sufficient and reliable network of connections.
What’s more, the original owner was facing a joint accusation led by a High Lord like the Count, backed by multiple nobles. With the King and his ministers remaining relatively silent, he had no way to refute the charges.
During the denunciation-like meeting at Cyan Snake Fortress, the original owner was so enraged that he coughed up blood and fainted on the spot.
The transmigrated Duane recalled the expressions on those people’s faces at the meeting. He, on the other hand, saw things crystal clear.
’Whether the accusations are true or not is beside the point. Their ultimate goal is definitely the resources and wealth within the Lakefront Secret Realm.’
’After all, if the original owner dies, the Brian Clan will be without an heir for two generations, and the Kingdom will naturally reclaim the manor.’
’That way, the resources in the Secret Realm will be redistributed, giving them a chance to get a larger share.’
Duane was certain that most of the Nobility, including the King, were basically aware of what was truly going on with these accusations.
’If Carter were still alive, as one of the King’s confidants and a top-tier master, they probably wouldn’t have dared to act like this.’
’But Carter is dead. The original owner had no power and no backer, making him completely incapable of shouldering such immense wealth.’
Duane thought of an old saying: discarding the loyal servant once the work is done.
Suddenly, his brow furrowed.
’This is bad!’
He was Duane Brian now, still facing the same accusations from the nobles. Was he really going to be driven out of Lakefront Manor and forced to pay hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins in compensation?
’It’s not just a matter of expulsion and debt—my life could be in danger!’ frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Duane took a deep breath, a sense of urgency rising in his heart.
He’d finally gotten a second chance at life, and in an Extraordinary World where Fighting Qi and Magic coexisted—a world he found fascinating. To die without getting to experience it properly would be a total waste.
’First, I need to figure out the current situation.’
Duane didn’t know how many days the original owner had been unconscious, much less what had happened during that time.
He looked at a rope hanging on the nearby wall and gave it a pull. The clear ringing of a bell echoed through the house.
This was how the original owner would summon his personal Male Servant, who rested in a room downstairs.
To his surprise, however, no footsteps followed. The floor below seemed empty.
But soon, he could faintly hear people talking.
"Mara, did you just hear a bell?"
The slightly hoarse voice belonged to the manor’s butler, Ralph. The Mara he spoke of was the manor’s head cook.
"A bell?"
Mara listened intently but heard nothing.
"You must have misheard. The Young Master is still unconscious!"
As she said this, her tone filled with sorrow. "Old Butler, what will we do if the Young Master... dies?"
"Don’t say such things!"
Ralph cut her off sternly. "With the blessing of Lord Carter’s heroic spirit, the Young Master will surely be fine!"
As they spoke, they arrived on the ground floor.
Duane heard them and rang the bell again.
"It’s the Young Master!"
"The Young Master is awake!"
The two cried out in delight and hurried up to the second floor, pushing the door open.
Ralph was the one holding the oil lamp.
The butler, who had followed Knight Carter since his youth, was now nearly sixty. His forehead was wrinkled and his hair was streaked with white, but thankfully, he was still in robust health.
The head cook, Auntie Mara, wore an apron and carried a food box. She was slightly plump with a broad face, and a yellow scarf was wrapped around her head, completely covering her hair.
"Young Master, you’re finally awake!"
Ralph called out as he approached. "I knew you would pull through!"
"Yes, yes!"
Auntie Mara placed the food box on a nearby table. "Young Master, how are you feeling? I’ve made some soup that will be very good for your recovery. Would you like some?"
The original owner must have been unconscious for a long time; Duane certainly felt hungry.
"Then I’ll trouble you, Auntie Mara."
As he spoke, he looked toward Ralph. "By the way, how long was I unconscious? And what’s the situation outside?"
Ralph’s joyful expression faded slightly. "You were unconscious for a full half-month! As for outside..."
He couldn’t bear to say it, afraid the news would hurt Duane.
"You can’t hide from what’s coming. Just tell me."
’Half a month is a long time. Many things have probably already been decided.’
Ralph sighed, his voice heavy.
"While you were unconscious, the King, Earl Orlando, and many other nobles argued for several days before finally reaching an agreement."
He paused, then said, "Because of the grievous losses the Kingdom suffered due to Lord Carter’s mistake, the King has agreed to their proposal. He will reclaim Lakefront Manor, and you have one month to move out!"
Duane had expected as much, so he wasn’t particularly surprised.
"What about the debt?"
’I can move out, that’s fine. With the Brian Clan’s savings, I might still be able to survive.’
’But if I’m saddled with a debt of hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins that I could never repay, I’d be finished.’
Ralph’s tone softened slightly. "His Majesty the King still holds some affection for Lord Carter. He spoke up for you and refused to impose the debt."
"At the same time, while Lord Carter was at fault, he also played a crucial role in conquering the Lakefront Secret Realm. So, although His Majesty has reclaimed Lakefront Manor, he has granted you a Fief so that you may live out your life in peace."
Hearing the first half of the sentence, Duane’s anxious heart settled. Not having to pay a huge debt was a huge relief.
But when he heard the second half, his eyes lit up.
’The King is that generous? He’s even giving me a Fief?’
However, when he saw the unpleasant expression on Ralph’s face, his heart skipped a beat.
"What Fief?"
Ralph said, "His Majesty originally wanted to make you the Baron of a small town, but he was met with joint opposition from several nobles. I heard they argued for a long time and eventually compromised. You are to be the Baron of Black Forest Island."
"Black Forest Island?"
Duane murmured the name, and information about it soon surfaced in his memory.
It was an island, isolated far out at sea.
Although it wasn’t small, most of its area was contaminated by an "undevelopable" Secret Realm. Humans could only live in the area around Broken Wave City on the northwestern corner.
If Black Forest Island were compared to a ninety-square-meter apartment, then eighty square meters were common area, leaving only ten square meters of usable space.
The Pruck Royal Family had occupied Black Forest Island for over thirty years and had tried sending people to develop it in the past.
But these pioneers either gave up because the investment was too great and the returns too small, or they died unexpectedly at the hands of Demon Beasts and Exotic Beasts after being too aggressive in their efforts.
Gradually, the King and the Nobility lost interest in Black Forest Island.
Without a Lord, there was no order.
Black Forest Island gradually became a haven for criminals and bandits. Some nobles, too lazy to guard their prisoners, simply abandoned them on the island.
And so, the place also came to be known as "Exile Island."
Making Duane the lord of Black Forest Island was, in a sense, tantamount to exile.
"What a... ’great’ place!"
Duane wanted to curse.
Ralph hesitated. "Young Master, I’ve heard Black Forest Island is extremely dangerous. Do you... have to go?"
Duane rubbed the space between his eyebrows.
’Can I not go?’
’This was a decision made after negotiations between the King and those nobles. My only role is to carry it out!’
’If I really refuse, I’ll probably face even more trouble, maybe even death.’
’No matter how bad it is, at least I’ll be a Lord, right?’
Duane comforted himself.
Just then, Auntie Mara brought over a bowl of soup. "Ralph, stop asking so many questions. Let the Young Master drink his soup first. He can think about all these troublesome things after he’s recovered some of his Spirit!"
"My apologies!"
Ralph stepped aside apologetically. "Young Master, please, drink your soup!"
"Thank you."
It was the first time Duane had ever been waited on like this. He quickly took the bowl and took a sip.
The broth was rich and mellow. It had a slightly gamey taste at first, but that quickly gave way to a faint sweetness. The texture was pleasant.
With one swallow, he felt a warmth spread from the tip of his tongue down to his stomach, and then throughout his entire body.
"This tastes amazing!"
He had never drunk a soup with such a unique flavor before, but from the memories, he could tell the original owner had drunk it many times.
The soup was called Fire Source Beast Bone Soup.
Its main ingredients were a *jin* of Fire Source Beast Bone, a small handful of Magic Potion White Crystal Fruit to neutralize the "Burning Qi," and a carrot for sweetness, all simmered over low heat for about an hour.
The original owner’s chronically weak constitution from childhood had been treated with Fire Source Beast Bone Soup, which was what helped him recover to the level of a normal person.
Just as the recipe for Fire Source Beast Bone Soup ran through Duane’s mind, something unexpected happened.
A line of text suddenly appeared before his eyes:
[You have preliminarily grasped the recipe for Fire Source Beast Bone Soup. Skill Level +3]
"Huh?" Duane froze for a moment.
Before he could fully react, more information flooded into his mind.
