Translator: Cinder Translations
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While the northern lands of Aldor were covered in snow and ice, the southern regions remained lush and vibrant.
The city of Five Goat Fortress was especially so—warm and pleasant, with no sign of winter in sight. The Pearl River, abundant with water, flowed from the interior westward, entering the sea just south of the fortress. The alluvial plain created by the river was extremely fertile, making this region the most prosperous in the south.
TL/N: "Five Goat Fortress" in Chinese is 五羊城 (Wǔ Yáng Chéng), a name linked to Guangzhou's folklore about five celestial beings riding goats to bring prosperity.
Such favorable conditions made it the natural center of power in Aldor's southern regions, as well as the greatest advantage for the Giles family to dominate the area.
In the luxurious castle located in the eastern part of the city, a grand birthday banquet had been underway for two days, and by this night, it was still continuing.
Giles, the Duke of the South and known as the "Greedy Wolf," was celebrating his forty-sixth birthday on this warm winter day.
Countless vassals had been summoned to Five Goat Fortress, where they reveled in fine wine and delicacies.
The Duke, seated in the highest position, had somewhat drooping eyes. His cheeks were flushed from the abundant alcohol, but his posture remained straight, as his long-held habit kept him upright with an air of authority.
"Ha!" He let out a deep breath and steadily stood up, weaving his way through the guests and slowly walking toward the hall's exit.
Upon stepping out of the towering doorframe, a large open terrace, about a hundred feet wide, greeted him.
The Duke straightened his chest and strolled along the terrace, his luxurious silk robe billowing in the wind. The decorations on it produced a series of crisp sounds as they clinked.
The castle stood at the highest point in the city, and from the terrace, one could see several miles of surrounding land.
The densely packed buildings stretched as far as the eye could see.
"My kingdom! This is my kingdom!" he exclaimed, gazing down at the city below with a sense of immense pride, his well-groomed beard trembling slightly.
His sharp gaze swept past the city walls, over the checkerboard-like farmlands, and through the lush forests, all the way to the distant north.
The darkened distance seemed to hold a vast temptation, causing Giles to linger, captivated.
"Your Grace, what brings you here?" A voice from behind broke his reverie, and he turned to see two of his most trusted subordinates approaching.
"Samal, Wendell, you both came? I was just out here to get some fresh air. Sigh, I'm getting older, and after just a little drinking, I'm already feeling a bit light-headed."
"A little drinking?" Samal laughed, "There's enough empty wine barrels around your table to build a wall."
"Hmph, if I were younger..." Giles' voice trailed off as he noticed Wendell holding something.
Wendell stepped forward and handed over an envelope.
"This is the reason we came to find you. Just now, the church gave this to me, requesting it be passed on to you."
"Oh?" Giles took the envelope with a puzzled expression, tore it open, and quickly skimmed the contents of the letter.
"Hmph... heh heh..." A low, dark chuckle escaped him.
"Who would have thought that the mighty church would come asking for my help."
Samal and Wendell exchanged looks, puzzled. "The church?"
"Yes, the church!" Giles tucked the letter away, "They're asking me to send troops to assist them in attacking the northern part of the Horn Bay."
"This…" Both of his vassals were quite surprised.
Aldor's southern region bordered the northern Horn Bay, and attacking from here would indeed be convenient. It was well known that the church's army had suffered a major defeat in the northern Horn Bay.
Samal looked cautious. "So, what is your opinion, Your Grace?"
"Well, it's worth considering…" Giles smiled faintly, "They've offered quite a lot."
He handed the letter to them, and the contents made Wendell and Samal's eyes light up.
"But what about the situation in Crystal Glare?" Wendell voiced his concern, as they were still nominally vassals of Aldor.
"Hmph! Why bother with those useless people!" Giles sneered, "I once thought the royal family still had some strength left. But to my surprise, they handed the northern kingdom over to the orcs without a fight! It's laughable."
"Do you know what I was thinking just now? I was thinking that our war might have drained the royal family's last bit of strength, leaving them weak before the orcs. I should have kept fighting until the royal family crumbled. If we had pushed northward, perhaps today's banquet would have been held in the Crystal Glare royal palace."
He wore a mocking smile. "Our new king is just a fool. He got rid of Catherine to secure his own power. Ha, just as I wanted. I swear to the Lord of Light, I will control the Fertile Plains before I turn fifty and crown myself king. By then, all of you will be founding heroes!"
Clearly, the wine had gotten to his head as Giles made grand promises to his subordinates.
"By the way, has there been any news from Crystal Glare lately?" He glanced at Wendell.
Wendell pondered for a moment. "Actually, there is one thing. Grayman has been sent back to the Northwest Bay!"
"Grayman? Our little marquis?"
A strange expression flashed across Giles' face.
Though he was a duke with a rank comparable to a prince, his position slightly below the king, Giles had effectively become independent and ignored any orders from Crystal Glare.
Even though his ambition was to wear a crown...
The mention of the marquis title, which had long since faded from prominence and was now somewhat legendary, still stirred something within him.
"Ridiculous, to so easily give such an important title to someone, and it's some brat who hasn't even matured yet!"
Giles had even less respect for Rodney XVIII, who now sat on the Crystal Glare throne.
"Why?" he asked.
"I hear it's because his reform proposals have met with much opposition," Wendell replied.
"Reforms? Hmph!" The Duke smiled heartily. "With the useless bunch over in Crystal Glare, the more they try to reform, the more they mess things up. Of course, the more they mess up, the better it is for us."
Giles then asked, "Before our little marquis left, didn't you have anyone try to contact him?"
Even though he ruled the south, Giles knew a bit about the man, Paul Grayman. Paul was quite adept at handling economics, and his territory was filled with goods from the Northwest Bay—good quality, cheap prices—so the young man must have made quite a bit of money.
Wendell nodded, "We did try contacting him a few times, but he always maintained a neutral stance."
The Duke snorted loudly, "In that case, don't waste your time! I just hope he knows better than to make an enemy of me!"
At that point, Samal interjected, "Regarding Horns Bay, it seems the New Faith Alliance has some involvement with wizards. If we agree to help the church, could it affect our relationship with them?"
Giles furrowed his brow. "We've only been using the Arcane Order. Besides, during the last stages of our war with the royal family, their support suddenly dwindled. It ended in a stalemate, and I've been thinking of how to repay that 'friendship.'"
He turned his gaze toward the south.
"If we can hitch a ride with the church, who needs the Arcane Order anymore? I've made my decision..."
(End of the Chapter)
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