Chapter 3: The Call of the North
The morning sun over Marrowport was pale, barely cutting through the coastal fog. I sat alone in my office, the weight of the Black-Glass Steel sword leaning against my desk. To any observer, I was a grieving young man. In reality, my CEO mind was running at full capacity, navigating an interface that only I could see.
I pressed the Quest button. My vision blurred for a second before a new notification appeared.
[CURRENT QUEST: POLITICAL FOUNDATION]
Objective: Secure an Alliance with another noble family through a Marriage Contract.Reward: 1,500 Quest Points (QP).
I felt a sharp throb in my temples. "A marriage alliance?" I muttered. I was twenty, and Foalan was fifteen. In this High Medieval world, marriage wasn't about love; it was a merger of two corporations. But we were a fallen house. To a high-ranking noble, we were a "bad investment." To secure a marriage, I first had to increase our "market value."
I pushed the quest aside and focused on the Free Information tab.
[INTEL 1: THE EMPEROR'S AMBITION]An imperial decree will reach the City Hall this afternoon. The Emperor is calling for a Northern Expansion into the Dead-Winter Land. Nobles who volunteer to pioneer these frozen territories alongside Duke Cregar Hillard—one of the Eight Pillars—will be granted the title of Baron. This is the highest rank of the lower nobility.
[INTEL 2: THE HIDDEN INCENTIVE]The Empire has secretly allocated 5,000 gold coins for each pioneering household. This will not be announced publicly; it is only for those who register at the Capital, Dragonia City.
My heart skipped a beat. This was it. The Dead-Winter Land was a death trap for most, but for a man with an information system and a CEO's background in logistics, it was a land of untapped resources.
"Foalan!" I called out.
But first, I had business at the market. I hurried to the docks, my eyes scanning the crowd for a merchant named Steve. I found him near a stack of fish crates, looking frustrated with a crate of dusty, blue-glass vials.
"Fifty silver each," Steve grumbled when I approached. "Some traveler told me they were 'Energy Water,' but they taste like bitter herbs. I just want them off my hands."
I didn't haggle. I knew these weren't "Energy Water"—they were High-Grade Cultivation Acceleration Potions. I bought all ten bottles for five gold pieces. To Steve, it was a lucky sale. To me, it was the fuel for an army.
On my way back, I stopped by the City Hall. The clerk, a tired man in a stained tunic, confirmed the news. "The decree just arrived from Dragonia, Sir Fendric. It's madness. Who would want to go to the Dead-Winter Land? It's all ice and monsters."
"A man who wants a future," I replied, taking a copy of the parchment.
When I returned to the mansion, I found Foalan in the training yard, sweat soaking his tunic as he practiced his thrusts. I called him into the office, the air in the room thick with the scent of old parchment and the metallic tang of my new sword.
"Drink this," I said, handing him a blue vial. "Don't ask questions. Just meditate."
Foalan trusted me blindly. He downed the liquid and sat cross-legged on the rug. Within minutes, steam began to rise from his shoulders. His mana surged, cracking like a whip in the small room. [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Foalan Sylvrwynn has progressed to Squire Knight – Level 1.]
I drank my own vial next. The liquid felt like liquid fire sliding down my throat, settling in my core. I felt the "Squire" bottleneck shatter. My muscles tightened, and my senses sharpened until I could hear the heartbeat of a bird outside the window. [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: User Fendric Sylvrwynn has progressed to Ordinary Knight – Mid Level.]
"Now," I said, wiping sweat from my brow. "Call the leadership. We have a war council."
A few hours later, the three pillars of the Silver Group stood before my desk: Osmund, Karl, and Cedric.
"The Silver Mercenary Group ends today," I began, watching their faces. Karl looked shocked, and Cedric gripped his bow tighter. Only Osmund remained still. "I am dissolving the company to reclaim the Sylvrwynn Barony. I am going North to the Dead-Winter Land. I need to know if you are mercenaries following a paycheck, or soldiers following a House."
Osmund stepped forward first, his armor clanking. "I was the Chief Adjutant to your father. I have been the Guardian of this family since the old blood fell. I will follow the Sylvrwynn banner into the frozen hell itself."
Karl followed, his voice thick with emotion. "Your father pulled me from the gutters when I was an orphan. I may not have a title, but my sword has always belonged to your name. I am your Knight, Fendric."
Cedric, the Hunter, spat on the floor and grinned. "Look, your mother took in a former bandit and treated him like a man. I don't care about 'nobility,' but I care about loyalty. As long as the food is hot and the pay is steady, my hunters will kill whoever you point at."
I nodded and placed three blue vials on the desk. "Drink. If we are going to the North, I need my commanders to be strong."
The breakthroughs were violent and beautiful.
Osmund roared as his mana turned gold, breaking his five-year plateau to become a True Knight.Karl reached the rank of Elite Knight.Cedric felt his reflexes sharpen as he hit Elite Hunter.
"Pack everything," I ordered. "We leave for Dragonia City in three days. We aren't just mercenaries anymore. We are a Noble House on the rise."
As they left to prepare the men, I called for Barry, the house cook. He entered nervously, wiping his hands on his apron.
"Barry," I said, looking at the man who had served us since our flight from Celestia. "You are an Elite Cook, but I need more than a chef. I am appointing you as the Grand Butler of House Sylvrwynn. You will manage the household, the servants, and the logistics of our move. Do you accept?"
Barry bowed so low his forehead nearly touched the floor. "It would be the honor of my life, My Lord."
I looked at the map of Eldpiire on my wall. The North was cold, dark, and filled with death. But as a CEO, I knew that the greatest risks always yielded the greatest returns.