Ch. 19
Chapter 19. The Black Ravens Return to the Roost
The rebel army entrenched in Lucerne City was like the Sword of Damocles hanging overhead, and its scale far exceeded what Obsidian Territory could contend with at present.
To rely on reckless personal bravery would only ruin the hard-won foundation he had barely begun to build.
So after returning to the lord’s tent, Eli immediately spread out a sheet of rough papyrus, picked up a quill, and organized the key intelligence he had pried out of the mine captives.
Baron Grumm, the Falai rebels, occupation of Lucerne City, a force of more than a thousand men, divided bands carrying out raids—he sorted each crucial point into a clear and orderly secret report.
At the end, he solemnly pressed onto it the black raven wax seal that represented his identity as the lord of Obsidian Territory.
“Est!” Eli called for the young servant.
“Young Master!” Est answered at once as he hurried inside.
“Immediately select two Western knights from among my personal guards!” Eli handed him the sealed confidential letter.
“Have them ride for Thorn City at once and place this letter directly into Marquis Marcus’s hands.
Remember, it must be delivered personally either to the marquis himself or to Lord Lucius! They are not to stop on the road!”
“Yes, Young Master! I guarantee the mission will be completed!” Est turned and ran out at once.
With the intelligence sent out, it was as though a great stone had been lifted from Eli’s chest, yet the urgency in his heart did not lessen in the slightest.
At present, the Western army’s main objective was still to stabilize the defensive line. Until its strength had recovered, it likely would not take the initiative to attack.
So the only one Eli could rely on was still himself.
Well... perhaps there were other pioneer knights as well...
Ten days flew by in the blink of an eye.
At dawn, the violet glow of his routine “card draw” arrived right on schedule.
【Purple Intelligence: The registration office for pioneer knights in Thorn City is already overflowing.
Dozens of scions from families of the Royal Domain, the Eastern Realm, and the Southern Realm have arrived one after another, including your old friend Clark Graham of the Royal Domain (high Silver-rank knight).】
Clark Graham?!
The Graham Family of the Royal Domain, known as “Rose and Sword.”
That name was like a boulder crashing into the still surface of a lake, instantly stirring up the memories left behind in Eli’s original body.
On Champs Avenue, the most prosperous street in the royal capital of Orlandia, two extravagantly dressed youths had once thrown their arms over each other’s shoulders.
They galloped through the streets with utter disregard for anyone else, startling pedestrians into scrambling out of the way while leaving behind a trail of wild, unrestrained laughter.
Inside a lavishly gilded opera-house box, the two of them had once whistled frivolously at a famous performer singing passionately below.
They had poured priceless red wine as casually as water over the bald head of an old nobleman seated stiffly downstairs.
In the lecture hall of the noble academy, the two had once snored like thunder, infuriating a pedantic old scholar so badly that his beard nearly stood on end.
And there had also been that night when they climbed into the back garden of a certain count’s estate just to steal a few “golden apples” rumored to improve virility—
Only to be chased by more than a dozen vicious dogs and forced to leap into the moat, becoming the greatest laughingstock in the capital the very next day...
“King of Bad Ideas” Eli, and “Man of Action” Clark!
This pair of rotten-souled, lawless “Twin Stars of the Royal Domain” had once been the favorite topic of countless noble banquets.
Their endless stream of bizarre and unbelievable pranks had become legends within the capital’s world of aristocratic wastrels.
Eli rubbed his somewhat swollen temples, and the corner of his mouth lifted into an involuntary, complicated smile.
What was that guy doing here in the Western Realm as a pioneer knight too? Had his family exiled him?
Or... had he stumbled into some other shocking adventure?
And he was a high Silver-rank knight too. Maybe he could poach that brat over and turn him into a useful enforcer.
Casting aside the jumble of memories, Eli stepped out of the tent.
Ten days had passed, and the construction of the lord’s stronghold was progressing wonderfully.
On the chosen high ground, the huge outline of the foundation had already been laid with polished rough stone, buried deep underground and made exceptionally sturdy.
Although the main structure had not yet risen, in accordance with Eli’s principle of “function first,” the council hall at the core of the foundation had already been mostly completed.
It was a relatively spacious rectangular hall made of both stone and timber.
Though the interior was still crude, with walls of exposed stone and logs and a floor of nothing more than packed earth, enormous wooden pillars supported the lofty roof, and several broad windows ensured sufficient light.
At the center stood a long conference table pieced together from heavy logs, along with more than a dozen equally rugged wooden chairs, already giving the place an air of authority.
This would become the true heart of decision-making in Obsidian Territory.
At that moment, Eli stood in the empty council hall, his fingers brushing across the rough tabletop.
In his mind, he was already sketching the future sight of this place filled with people, all gathered together to discuss the territory’s development.
He already had a preliminary list of council members in mind: the head steward Brandon, the three slave overseers, three representatives of the free folk, the construction officer Old John, the agriculture officer Hardy, the mining officer Leon, the affairs officer Est, the knight captain Bol, and Wolfgang as the representative of the wolfkin.
Of course, the most important seat would be his own—that of Eli Black, lord of the territory.
As for the mithril mine, the location marked by the intelligence system had already been found several days earlier by Leon’s team.
It lay deep within an extremely concealed canyon fissure on the outskirts of Nightsong Forest.
But when it came to extraction, the news Leon brought back was far from encouraging. Mithril veins were often found together with a special layer of rock that was extraordinarily hard and saturated with chaotic energy, making extraction unbelievably difficult.
It required special tools, precise detection techniques, and specialists who understood how to seal and channel that chaotic energy in order to prevent mine disasters.
Though Leon had been so excited that tears filled his eyes, they were utterly helpless in the face of it.
Eli could only order them to keep the matter secret.
Fortunately, when he had tried to persuade Captain Buck to remain, he had also sent three letters with the raven.
The core message of the letter to his father had been this: he had discovered an extraordinarily important rare mineral deposit in Obsidian Territory.
But the extraction faced severe difficulties, and the family urgently needed to dispatch its finest master craftsmen, family scholars, and experienced administrators to assist him, with all actions to be carried out under his command.
He had promised to share the mine’s profits with the family, but the authority over its extraction had to remain firmly in his own hands.
At the same time, the letter sent to his second brother Royce requested that he use the family merchant caravans to open a stable trade route as quickly as possible from the Royal Domain, through Thorn City—the capital of the Western Realm—and straight to Obsidian Territory.
That would solve the problem of importing supplies, as well as the future transport route for goods and mithril exports.
Meanwhile, on the drill ground at the edge of the camp, the shouts of training shook the air.
Buck was leading his five Black Raven Knights like the harshest of drillmasters.
They were training Bol, Aika, and the other knights, along with a number of carefully selected elite soldiers.
Formations, charges, coordination, the basic use of aura... every single element was demanded to an almost brutal standard.
With a Gold-rank knight personally instructing them, even simple foundational training was an incomparably precious opportunity for men like Bol.
Though the soldiers were being drilled until they were drenched in sweat and groaning in misery, their eyes were full of joy.
The horn signaling the end of training sounded.
Buck gestured for the men to disperse and rest, then led his five subordinates directly toward the lord’s tent area.
They had already packed their simple luggage, and the horses had been saddled and bridled.
When Eli received word and hurried back from the council hall, he happened to meet them just outside the tent.
“Captain Buck, gentlemen, are you setting out?”
Seeing them fully prepared for departure, Eli immediately understood.
“Yes, my lord.” Buck placed his right hand over his chest.
“The marquis is still waiting in the capital for our report. We have already delayed here for many days, so we must return as quickly as possible.”
The five knights behind him also saluted in unison. They too had acknowledged Eli.
Eli said with a smiling expression, “That is fine. Give my greetings to Father. Perhaps... we may be seeing each other again very soon.”
At those words, a helpless smile touched Buck’s face.
“If... that ‘truly’ is the marquis’s order, then this subordinate will naturally obey.”
He had clearly understood Eli’s implication—if they came again next time, it might be with some kind of “support” or “arrangement” from the marquis.
After a brief pause, his gaze swept across the camp, over the wooden houses that were already taking shape, over the bustling construction scene,
and over the vigor in the soldiers’ faces, so different from the numbness they had worn when he had first arrived.
“Young Master, please rest assured. After this subordinate returns to the capital, I will report the true situation in Obsidian Territory to Marquis Black in full, without omitting a single detail.
This subordinate believes that Marquis Black... will be very pleased to see your growth and transformation.”
He deliberately emphasized the words “true situation” and “very pleased.”
Then his tone shifted.
“Of course... after your mother, Lady Livia, hears this news... her mood likely will not be nearly so pleasant.”
Eli’s gaze sharpened slightly, and he nodded. “Thank you for the warning, Captain. I understand.”
“Then, Young Master, this is where we part!” Buck said no more and offered a solemn farewell.
“I had people prepare a banquet to see you off...” Eli tried to keep him.
“There is no need, Young Master.” Buck refused crisply, then swung himself onto his horse in one clean, fluid motion.
The five knights behind him mounted in perfect unison as well.
“Hyah!” Buck gave a light shout and snapped the reins.
The six powerful black horses burst forward like a black whirlwind.
They galloped toward the eastern royal capital, their hooves kicking up a trail of dust as they swiftly vanished beyond the wasteland horizon.
In the distance, Buck looked back toward Obsidian Territory, and he had to admit that Eli truly possessed an incomparable personal charisma.
Perhaps, just as he had said, they really would meet again very soon.
“Hahahaha!” Buck suddenly let out a hearty laugh.
The accompanying knights looked at their captain in confusion after hearing that abrupt outburst of laughter.
“Did the captain take the wrong medicine?”
“Mm, maybe.”