"Lord Link, I have compiled all the information regarding the mineral deposits near Gray Valley County."
Lina gently pushed open the door and walked in with slightly hurried steps.
Fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead, shimmering in the dim light, and her eyes revealed an undeniable weariness, clearly having expended considerable effort on this compilation.
She panted softly and began to report to Lord Link: "Gray Valley County currently has a population of approximately ninety-five thousand people. However, Carter Zane has already conscripted five thousand Soldiers from this population. Therefore, among the remaining population, there are only about three thousand high-quality Soldiers suitable for conscription. Additionally, there is a large pig iron mine and a small mithril deposit within the territory."
"There's a mithril mine here?"
Link's normally calm expression instantly showed a hint of surprise, his brow slightly raised, his eyes full of unexpected wonder.
He truly hadn't expected such a precious resource to be hidden in this seemingly barren land.
Link remembered very clearly that in the game, mithril was an extremely rare and valuable resource.
Whether in forging weapons or crafting armor, simply mixing mithril into them could produce unexpected miraculous effects.
When mithril was incorporated into weapons, the weapon's texture would undergo a marvelous change, its hardness greatly increasing, and its edge becoming sharper. On the battlefield, every swing could unleash more powerful offensive capabilities, making it difficult for enemies to resist.
And if mithril was mixed into armor, the armor's defensive capabilities would also be significantly enhanced, able to better withstand enemy attacks and provide more reliable security for the wearer.
Weapons and armor crafted with mithril were undoubtedly the best choice for equipping elite troops.
With such equipment, the combat power of the troops would undergo a qualitative leap, gaining a greater advantage on the battlefield.
However, the effects of mithril were so powerful that after countless years of mining, most mithril mines had already been depleted.
Now, the remaining mithril deposits were regarded as rare treasures by the various Lords who occupied them, held tightly in their hands, and would not be easily sold.
Therefore, in the market, mithril simply couldn't be bought with gold coins. Only by exchanging it for mineral products of equal value, or other extremely precious treasures, was there a chance to obtain it.
Unexpectedly, there was mithril production in Gray Valley County, which truly surprised Link.
However, the only drawback was that the scale of this mithril mine was simply too small.
According to Lina, it could only produce two kilograms of mithril in a month.
Two kilograms of mithril, while not a large quantity, was just enough to be mixed into a set of weapons and armor, imbuing the equipment with powerful attributes.
Link's fingers tapped gently on the desk, making a rhythmic sound, as if he was thinking about how to make full use of this hard-won mithril resource.
"Besides this mithril deposit and pig iron mine, are there any other resources in the territory?"
Link looked up, his gaze falling on Lina, and continued to ask.
Lina gently shook her head, her expression a bit helpless: "No other resources have been discovered yet."
Link sighed slightly, pondering to himself: "It really is a barren land. However, since there's a mithril mine, it's still a considerable gain. With careful planning, perhaps this mithril mine can help the territory gradually grow and develop."
...At this moment, thousands of miles away from Winterfell City, deep within The Terror Duke's territory, The Terror Duke's magnificent mansion stood silently.
Stepping into this territory, what met the eye was a luxurious estate spanning several hundred acres.
In the estate, various flowers and plants bloomed profusely, some red like fire, some pink like twilight, some white like snow, all vying for beauty and exuding fragrance.
Teams of youthful and beautiful maids, dressed in uniform attire, gracefully moved along the estate's paths, like nimble butterflies, adding a touch of vitality and life to this splendid estate.
In the very center of the estate, a tall and magnificent ancient castle rose from the ground.
The architectural style of the ancient castle was ancient and solemn, its towering turrets reaching into the sky, and its sturdy walls showing the vicissitudes of time.
Compared to this ancient castle, the Lord's Mansion in Winterfell City was like a simple small house, appearing extremely shabby.
At this moment, the magnificent ancient castle was a hive of activity.
Male and female servants, like butterflies flitting through flowers, hurried back and forth.
Some were busy arranging exquisite tableware, some were carefully polishing candelabras, while others were cautiously transporting various ingredients. It seemed they were meticulously preparing a grand banquet.
An elderly man in butler's attire was orchestrating all of this in an orderly fashion.
His silver-white hair was impeccably combed, and his eyes revealed competence and authority.
He walked among the crowd with his hands behind his back, occasionally stopping and shouting loudly: "You lot, be quick about it! If anything goes wrong with Lord Gregg's banquet, watch your heads!"
Hearing the butler's reprimand, the servants' faces couldn't help but show fear, and their movements involuntarily quickened.
They knew The Terror Duke's temperament well; if the banquet went wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Thump—thump—!"
The dull sound of combat boots hitting the wooden floor echoed through the ancient castle.
Just as the servants had rushed to set up the banquet, a burly middle-aged man, with steady steps, entered the Lord's mansion.
He was two meters tall, covered in heavy battle armor that gleamed with a cold light under the illumination.
Behind him, more than a dozen fully armed Soldiers followed closely, each with a solemn expression and an imposing demeanor.
This middle-aged man had rough, short hair, a resolute face, thick, upward-slanted eyebrows, and eyes that exuded an intimidating aura without needing to show anger.
On his battle armor, there was even still un-dried blood, dripping through the armor's crevices onto the floor, leaving crimson traces, as if narrating the battle he had just experienced.
Upon seeing this middle-aged man, all the servants in the ancient castle immediately dropped to their knees with a "thud," their heads deeply bowed to the ground, not daring to breathe, much less look up.
Because this middle-aged man was the master of this territory—The Terror Duke, Norton Gregg!
"Your Grace, your banquet is ready."
The butler quickly reported respectfully, his head slightly bowed, not daring to look directly into The Terror Duke's eyes.
"No rush to eat, I want to relax first."
The Terror Duke twisted his neck, making a "crack-crack" sound, and a hint of fierce and brutal expression flashed in his light blue eyes.
"As you wish, the appetizer for your meal has been prepared."
The butler bowed respectfully, while also stepping aside to lead The Terror Duke forward.
Before long, led by the butler, The Terror Duke arrived before a beautifully decorated bedchamber.
Seeing this, the butler discreetly dismissed everyone, respectfully closed the door, and quietly stood guard outside.
He knew well that The Terror Duke absolutely did not wish to be disturbed while enjoying his pre-meal dessert; otherwise, severe punishment awaited him.
Soon, the cries of a woman echoed from within, a miserable and desperate sound, reverberating through the silent ancient castle, sending chills down one's spine.
The servants stood far away, heads bowed, not daring to breathe, fearing they would anger The Terror Duke.
It wasn't until more than half an hour later that the woman's wailing gradually subsided.
The door creaked open, and The Terror Duke strolled out of the bedchamber, a faint smile still lingering on the corner of his mouth, his eyes revealing a hint of satisfaction.
It was evident that he was quite pleased with this 'appetizer'.
"Go back and tell that brat Burton that I am very satisfied with this gift, and his tribute for this year will be waived," The Terror Duke commanded leisurely, his voice deep and authoritative.
"As you wish," the butler bowed slightly and replied respectfully.
Having enjoyed his appetizer, The Terror Duke strode into the enormous dining hall, which was nearly a hundred square meters.
The dining hall floor was covered with a scarlet, soft carpet woven from velvet, feeling plush underfoot and making no sound.
The furnishings in the dining hall were incredibly simple: a dining table over ten meters long spanned the center, and a high chair was placed at one end of the table.
The dining table was laden with various monster meats: golden-roasted, oil-dripping monster steaks, fragrant griffin legs, and tender, juicy unicorn sirloin... And two rows of young, beautiful, charming maids quietly served on either side, their heads slightly bowed, their eyes showing a hint of reverence, ready to obey The Terror Duke's every command.
The Terror Duke walked with steady steps and slowly sat on the high chair at the head of the dining table.
The high chair was carved with exquisite patterns, its frame made of superior mahogany, emitting a faint woody scent.
He gently adjusted his posture, then raised the gleaming pure silver knife and fork in his hands, and began to enjoy his lavish dinner.
On the dining table, monster meat was piled high like a mountain.
Each piece of monster meat was enticing in color and exuded a mouth-watering aroma.
It should be known that these monster meats were no ordinary fare; they all contained extremely rich energy.
In this world full of fantasy and danger, the value of every piece of monster meat could be measured in gold coins; some were even priceless and rare.
The Terror Duke ate at an astonishing speed, like a hungry beast.
The knife and fork in his hands flew up and down, as he quickly brought pieces of monster meat to his mouth, chewed a few times, and then swallowed them.
The maids on both sides of the table were all tense, dressed in uniform maid outfits, wearing exquisite hair ornaments, their eyes showing a hint of awe and fear.
They had to constantly place freshly roasted monster meat in front of The Terror Duke to barely keep up with his eating speed.
Each time they presented monster meat, the maids would bow slightly and softly say, "My Lord, please enjoy."
While The Terror Duke was feasting, the butler standing by his side was not idle.
He took a slight step forward, cleared his throat, and began to report various events that had occurred recently to The Terror Duke.
From the tax situation within the territory to the dynamics of surrounding territories, and then to some trivial matters, the butler reported everything in detail.
When the butler finished speaking, his voice paused slightly, and he said with a somewhat solemn expression, "Grand Duke, there is one more thing. One of your loyal dogs, Carter Zane, whom you personally appointed as the Lord of Gray Valley County, was killed not long ago."
"Carter Zane?"
The Terror Duke's eating speed paused slightly. He put down his knife and fork, a flicker of thought in his eyes, as if recalling the man's appearance and past.
"That... that fellow... whom I granted fifteen hundred barbarian Soldiers? Didn't I tell him to accumulate strength and not stir up trouble recently? What exactly happened? Tell me the detailed account of the incident."
The butler, who had already conducted a thorough investigation, bowed slightly and respectfully said, "Grand Duke, this is what happened. During his time in Gray Valley County, Carter Zane was always ambitious, attempting to expand his sphere of influence. After hearing that Winterfell City and the Elf Race had made some transactions, he became greedy and wanted to plunder their wealth, bringing Winterfell City under his control. Therefore, he led his Soldiers to Winterfell City to provoke them. However, Lord Link, the Winterfell City Lord, was no ordinary person; he was well-prepared and quite powerful. After the battle, Carter Zane's army was completely annihilated, and he himself was ultimately killed by Link in the battle."
The butler's investigation was very detailed; apart from an inaccurate estimate of Link's forces, the rest was almost identical to the actual events.
"Interesting, interesting."
Upon hearing that Carter Zane had been killed by Link, The Terror Duke showed no sign of anger; a faint smile even appeared on his face, as if only a dog unrelated to him had died.
He gently wiped the corner of his mouth and slowly said, "Carter Zane was a useful dog, but this dog had his own ambitions. Not long ago, I was thinking of finding someone to replace him after the royal succession, and I didn't expect someone to do me this favor now."
The Terror Duke carefully wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin, then placed the napkin aside and calmly said, "If one dog dies, just get another. Since this Winterfell City Lord has the strength to kill Carter Zane, he is qualified to be my dog."
His voice was deep and steady, as if discussing the most ordinary of matters.
"Oh, by the way, don't be in a hurry to disturb this little fellow yet."
The Terror Duke gently swirled the wine glass in his hand, looking at the red liquid within, and continued, "Since he could kill Carter Zane, he naturally has some strength. Everything should wait until after the royal succession is over before making any plans. If he agrees to be a dog then, his life will be spared, and he can still be used by me; if he doesn't agree, then kill him, to prevent him from becoming an obstacle to us in the future."
The Terror Duke spoke with utmost calm, as if in his eyes, Link's life or death was a trivial matter.
This matter, in his view, was merely a trifle, not worth worrying about at all.
In his long reign, such incidents had happened countless times, and he had grown accustomed to dealing with them in this cold and pragmatic way.
How many people in this world wished to become The Terror Duke's loyal dog?
Becoming his loyal dog meant possessing endless wealth, power, and status.
The Terror Duke believed that this young man named Link would surely make the correct choice.
After all, as he said, not everyone was qualified to be his loyal dog.
"Grand Duke, as you wish."
The butler bowed slightly, his eyes revealing absolute loyalty and obedience to The Terror Duke.
Like The Terror Duke, the butler also believed that the Lord of Winterfell City would be incredibly delighted to become The Terror Duke's loyal dog.
He could even imagine the other party's expression of tearful gratitude upon hearing that The Terror Duke was willing to take him as a loyal dog.