Excavating the Salt Mine, Learning of the Mithril Ore

After patrolling the perimeter of the Salt Mine, Velin spotted numerous wild beasts, many of them on the verge of evolving.

"I need to find time to clear them out. Otherwise, if these brutes grow stronger, it'll be another big problem," Velin muttered to himself as he wiped the bloodstains from his Knight Longsword after killing a few wolves.

It was the third day at the Salt Mine, and with the first batch of mined salt being excavated, the camp had gradually begun to operate in an orderly fashion.

The camp's outer perimeter was formed by sharpened wooden stakes driven into the ground, designed to prevent beasts from entering.

Numerous traps were set near the wooden fence, intended both to prevent the Bandit Slaves from escaping and to deter wild beasts.

On the last day of June, with three carts of salt, Velin, accompanied by a troop of soldiers, returned to the Lake of Star Prayer along the road.

After today, it would be the first day of the new month, and he was somewhat looking forward to what important news the Guidance of Fate would provide, hoping it could resolve the difficulties in constructing the castle.

Upon returning to the Lake of Star Prayer, Velin had the soldiers store the mined salt in the warehouse and then began to inspect the territory, checking the construction progress of the past few days.

"My Lord, I have some ideas and would like your permission," Belder said, stepping forward to greet Velin as his lord arrived at the training grounds.

"Tell me," Velin replied, nodding with satisfaction as he watched the soldiers training diligently on the field.

"My Lord, the number of Apprentice warriors in the troop has already exceeded thirty, reaching thirty-seven. I wish to select twenty of them, equip them with Iron Armor, and train them with even more rigorous methods to stimulate their potential and develop them into sharp swords for you."

"The twenty sets of Iron Armor stored in the warehouse are just gathering dust; why not put them to good use?" Velin patted Belder on the shoulder and left the training grounds with a smile.

"Thank you, my Lord."

Belder was greatly excited; his plan had succeeded.

Meanwhile, Velin was well aware of Belder's intentions. Orlando was training a hundred children aged twelve or thirteen, cultivating a force centered around him. Seeing this, Belder would naturally choose a different direction for advancement and prove his worth.

He was very pleased to see such healthy competition.

On the evening of July 1st, a pleasant voice sounded in Velin's ear once more.

[Ten kilometers east of the Lake of Star Prayer, there is a small Mithril Ore deposit thirty meters underground, with a reserve of two hundred tons.]

"What? Mithril Ore?"

Upon hearing this news, Velin's eyes lit up. This was far more valuable than the Salt Mine.

Mithril, a rare material, was silvery-white in appearance, stronger than steel yet very lightweight. It had good energy conductivity and the ability to penetrate shields.

Incorporating a small amount of Mithril during weapon forging would enhance the weapon's grade by one or two levels.

These two hundred tons of Mithril Ore could conservatively yield three thousand catties of Mithril.

Based on current market value, one gram of Mithril was worth four Gold Coins. This small Mithril deposit was valued at six million Gold Coins, equivalent to the Ex Family's tax revenue for two years.

Even so, this was a hard currency, available in name but not in supply.

"I must arrange for people to excavate it as soon as possible, to avoid any unforeseen complications or discovery by others."

Taking out a map, Velin discovered that ten kilometers east of the Lake of Praying Stars was a border area of a Baron's territory, only fifteen kilometers from the border.

He was currently in the pioneering stage. According to the Kingdom's regulations, Pioneer Knight territories had no defined borders. This meant that if the other party discovered this location and sent troops to occupy it, they would bear no legal responsibility.

Although he had the backing of his family, that was only because there wasn't enough benefit for others to take such a risk.

With this in mind, Velin decided to dispatch personnel the next day to excavate this Mithril Ore deposit fifteen kilometers away and to personally oversee the work until its completion.

The night passed, and as soon as dawn broke, Velin ordered Belder to leave two squads of soldiers to secure the Lake of Star Prayer, while the remaining one hundred and ten men followed him.

Upon receiving such an order, Belder was quite puzzled. However, as a loyal Knight, he did not question the reason. He left two squads of soldiers under the command of two Knights to maintain the territory's order and safety, and then led the rest of the troops to follow Velin.

After three hours, Velin located the site using the detailed map of the Yellow Stone region provided by his cousin Ake.

"Belder, you and your men set up camp first. We'll start mining tomorrow," Velin said, putting away the map and instructing Belder.

"Yes, my Lord."

Belder's confusion deepened, but he accepted the order without hesitation.

With the efforts of one hundred and ten warriors, a camp covering three hundred square meters, equipped with defensive features, was established.

At night, Velin summoned Belder to a tent alone and had the sentries guarding outside retreat ten meters away to maintain vigilance.

"Belder, can I trust you?" Velin asked sternly, fixing his gaze on the Knight his family had assigned him, speaking in a low voice.

"My Lord, as a Knight who has sworn allegiance to you, I am willing to die for you," Belder replied, standing up, adjusting his attire, and kneeling on one knee with a solemn and serious demeanor.

Velin looked at Belder for a long time before speaking, "What I am about to tell you, for now, besides you and me, must not be known by a third person."

"Please tell me, my Lord," Belder responded without hesitation.

"Thirty meters beneath us, there is a small Mithril Ore deposit with a reserve of three hundred tons."

Belder's expression turned to shock, and he incredulously asked, "My Lord, is this true?"

"It is absolutely true," Velin nodded. "The subsequent excavation of the Mithril Ore will be handled by your troops."

"Please rest assured, my Lord. If a third person learns of the existence of the Mithril Ore, I am willing to offer my head," Belder solemnly declared, giving Velin his assurance.

Most of the soldiers outside were from the ranks of Serfs and slaves. Although they were currently learning to read and write, they were unaware of rare minerals like Mithril.

As long as secrecy was maintained during the excavation, these soldiers would only believe they were mining some kind of rare ore.

The next morning, feeling the weight of his responsibility, Belder divided his soldiers into two groups.

The first group, consisting of thirty men, was responsible for the camp's security and vigilance, and for scouting suspicious individuals.

The second group of fifty people was responsible for excavating the Mithril Ore.

The third group of thirty people would serve as the transport unit, tasked with moving the Mithril Ore from the camp back to the Lake of Praying Stars, and then transporting supplies from the Lake of Praying Stars. During their free time, they would assist the soldiers in the second group with excavating Mithril Ore.

Velin decided to personally oversee the operation, primarily focusing on the transportation work.

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