"A fledgling can soar not because its wings are fully grown, and a fruit falls not due to its weight exceeding its burden." Laine suddenly said out of the blue, then motioned for Teresa to follow.
The female sorcerer was slightly taken aback, but soon a ripple of a feeling called joy stirred within her heart.
This man.
Was that a roundabout way of saying I've matured?
Laine was a Kingdom Knight of repute, and his request to meet was quickly accepted. Villarld, the lord of Kaltenhaven, agreed to see him, though he had some matters at hand, initially having the steward attend to them. The steward led Laine and Teresa to a side hall, seating them, and personally filled their cups with warm apple cider: "Apologies, my lord is occupied with some tangled affairs."
"It's all right." Laine, very courteously, placed his left hand on his chest and gave a knight's salute, while Teresa simply nodded as acknowledgment, meanwhile, the female sorcerer began inspecting the room's fittings.
The decor in the side hall was rather luxurious, with the fireplace warming the room. Above it hung a Kite Shield adorned with a white bear's head. The wooden walls were finely painted with white lacquer, the floor covered with animal furs as rugs. The bench on which they sat had thick cushions, and the wall ahead was mounted with various animal head specimens: wolf, deer, boar, and even a bear, evidently a display of one's martial prowess.
"Mr. Steward, might I ask what sort of people are entangled?" Laine, noticing the steward occasionally glancing towards the main hall, wondered who could be entangled with the lord.
"It's those Druids." The old steward said helplessly: "I heard the master say it's a Druid named 'Tree Planter' Elldrad. Because the master recently went outside the town for large-scale logging, so he came to hassle the master saying he disrupted the natural balance. These annoying Druids are truly the least welcome here."
Laine and Teresa exchanged glances, the female sorcerer's mature and enchanting eyes subtly shifting, choosing not to speak, while Laine chuckled lightly and said: "If possible, I'd also like to make these people go away, it's just not doable."
"Indeed, indeed!" The old steward echoed repeatedly and began narrating the antecedents.
The lord of Kaltenhaven, named Villarld, was likewise a military nobility, renowned for his bravery on the battlefield. He always wielded a War Axe and shield, and after repeated reckonings of military merit, he was granted the Kaltenhaven lordship.
Villarld earned the moniker "Lumberjack." This fellow was adept at felling trees, organizing logging teams repeatedly over the years to construct towns. On one hand, this was useful for town development; on the other, the quality of these northern conifer woods was decent for exports, benefiting finances.
In principle, Villarld's actions should not be criticized. From Laine's Celestial Dynasty perspective, one lives off the mountain and water; Kaltenhaven is dense with forests. Instead of letting Beastmen and Goblin Tribes wreak havoc in them, better to cut down the timber for profit.
But not everyone can accept such conduct.
Which would be the Natural Church's Druids.
Druid origins are widely debated, inconclusive, as the God of Nature Tal is an extraordinarily ancient deity. Human historical records only became clearly divided by eras and documented after Charlemagne established the empire. Previous history, due to the "Great Calamity" caused by the Wizard Empire's destruction, saw records lost. Historical fragments from the Great Calamity and prior can only be gleaned from Dwarf or Elf accounts.
Druids appeared even earlier, and they are not exclusively human. These people advocate harmonious coexistence with nature and strive for balance between the two.
It sounds akin to the Life Church, doesn't it?
In truth, entirely different.
The Life Church's perspective focuses on "human-centric." The Natural Church's perspective is "protecting nature from human harm."
Thus, Druids always roam the Continent, making appeals. Whenever humans engage in "disrupting natural balance" actions like logging, mining, or fishing, they perpetually emerge to protest. In their view, even herding and planting disrupt the natural balance, merely yielded to due to the multitude involved.
In fact, outside of Wood Elves, no one embraces their theories. Dwarves even forbid Druids from entering their towns. Humans fare no better. As for why they're not expelled...
Mainly Druids are too strong. These children of nature often at Elite Tier. In normal conditions, they can cast Nature Element spells. When necessary, some Druids can transform into formidable beasts like bears, eagles, wolves, and ravens, fighting with claws and fangs.
These transformed beasts are far stronger than human warriors of the same tier. A bear-transformed Elite Tier Druid faces little pressure against two or three humans of the same tier.
Generally, lords wouldn't want clashes with them, barring unexpected incidents. Laine assumed this protest would end with the lord muddling through.
As he guessed, soon, a tall figure, draped in wolf fur, crowned with flowers, and wielding a tree-branch staff, descended from upstairs. His face brimming with anger yet helplessness, he sighed heavily. Seeing occupants below, the Druid asked: "Who are you?"
"Greetings to the teacher of Harmony." Laine greeted seeing Teresa with no intention of addressing.
Upon hearing "Harmony," the Druid's expression slightly improved, but his gaze soon targeted Laine's Knight's Badge: "Merely another human who harms life. I am 'Tree Planter' Elldrad. I warn you, continue destroying the forest, and you shall be cursed; your soul will...
"Enough, you filthy mud trash, get out, you're not welcome here!" The old steward cursed in fury, the Druid disdainfully glanced at him, then turned to leave.
"Mr. Laine, and you, lady, this way please." The steward immediately switched to a smile upon the Druid's departure, inviting the pair upstairs to meet the lord.
"You seem not to dislike them?" On the ascent, Teresa queried curiously.
"I've always respected those willing to sacrifice everything for their ideals." Laine answered.
The two ascended together. The second floor housed the lord's office and residence.
The lord's usual office chamber was simply arranged, with wooden floors covered in animal skins, walls adorned with various collections: swords, paintings, and shields. A wooden long table positioned inside, Valard, the lord of Kaltenhaven, sat behind it. On the wall behind him hung a musket and a War Axe, evidently his favored weapons.
Such a layout would be considered suburban back in Laine's previous life; in this world, it already implies affluence.
The Nord Kingdom was often mocked as bumpkins by Imperial people, not entirely unfounded. In Nord, only the Grand Duke of Nord (self-styled King of Nod, although the true rank is Duke, an imperial appointee) and a few post-Old Empire Counts administered major cities. Apart from them, all Nord nobles lack hierarchization, uniformly regarded as lords; unlike an Empire or Brittania, with subdivided ranks, a manor lord is a lord, a whole port city overseer likewise called lord, thus Nord is oft ridiculed by Imperial people for not discerning noble ranks.
"Please come in, my lord awaits inside."
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