Recaps

Velin Ex chose to leave the Ex Family and become a Pioneer Knight, despite his father Angus’s doubts. With two months before he must leave Windsor Castle, Velin rode to Silver Prosperity City to save two youths identified by Guidance of Fate.

• Velin learned that his father wanted him to choose whether to serve as the heir’s Guardian Knight, leave as a Pioneer, or join a royal knight order.
• Velin told Earl Eagle Angus that he would become a Pioneer Knight, and Angus gave him two months to leave Windsor Castle.
• Angus revealed that Velin’s information had spared Silver Prosperity City serious losses, then ordered a Shadow Stalker to end the investigation and destroy its records.
• Velin decided to consult Elder Miller about possible destinations, but first rode to Silver Prosperity City to act on Guidance of Fate’s warning about a transaction involving two gifted youths.
• Velin reached Silver Prosperity City, where the predicted transaction was due to take place in two weeks.

Velin led a squad of security officers to break up a gang’s sale of two enslaved boys, then brought the boys back to Windsor Castle. He left them asleep in his room and went to the Underground Fortress to seek Elder Miller’s advice on his pioneering efforts.

• Velin borrowed Ackerman and fifteen security officers from Constable Beck to raid a gang’s transaction in Yinxing City.
• Velin killed the two black-robed strangers after the gang members surrendered, and Ackerman recognized a Black Clover Mark on one corpse.
• Velin took the two boys, who had Slave Marks on their foreheads, and let the security officers keep the confiscated gold coins.
• Velin carried the boys to Windsor Castle, left them asleep in his room, and headed to the Underground Fortress to visit Elder Miller.
• Velin waited quietly beside the sleeping Elder Miller in the archive room.

Velin asked Miller for advice on where to expand and learned about three possible destinations. He recruited the twin brothers Orlando and Hebrew as his Guardian Knights, removed their Slave Marks, and ended the day weighing his choices.

• Miller told Velin that the Graylight Wasteland, the Leya Great Forest, and the Northern New Lands were promising expansion destinations, each with different risks and support.
• Velin returned to his room and caught Orlando and Hebrew attempting to ambush him, then demanded that both brothers become his Guardian Knights.
• Orlando and Hebrew agreed to serve Velin, and he gave them food and explained how they should address themselves.
• Velin applied medicine to remove the brothers' Slave Marks, arranged for them to stay nearby, and planned to teach them the Knight Awakening Method.
• Velin reviewed his notes on the Gray Mang Wasteland, the Leya Great Forest, and the Northern New Lands as he considered where to expand.

Velin trained Orlando and Hebrew as Guardian Knights and received substantial resources from the Ex Family to begin developing his territory. After the Guidance of Fate warned him of an ambush on his route, he considered changing his travel plans and went to meet the knights assigned to him.

• Velin taught Orlando and Hebrew the Advanced Knight Awakening Method, and both awakened Battle Qi in two and a half hours.
• Velin selected Knight Breathing Methods for Orlando and Hebrew, completed their Guardian Knight oath ceremony, and watched them reach Bronze Low-Tier Knight in half a month.
• Velin received the Ex Family's assistance list, including 80,000 Gold Coins, magic crystals, horses, armor, and a squad of twelve High-Bronze Tier Knights.
• The Guidance of Fate warned Velin that death warriors planned to ambush the road to the West River Province Capital at Sahaklos Mountain Ridge, so Velin considered leaving early and taking a detour.
• Velin arrived at Training Ground Number Three, where Belder and the twelve knights waited to serve him.

Velin swore in twelve Bronze High-Tier Knights, gave them weapons and mounts, and said farewell to his family before leaving Windsor Castle. After a safe journey through Forest Territory, he arrived with his convoy at West River Province Capital.

• Velin and twelve knights completed an oath ceremony, binding their fates, and he gifted them Excellent Grade Knight Longswords and Red Phosphorus Horses.
• Earl Eagle watched the ceremony and approved of Velin's generosity toward his new subordinates.
• Velin told Elisa he would leave the next day, embraced her, and received a silk handkerchief before bidding farewell to his parents.
• On April 3rd, 9720 of the Radiant Calendar, Velin led six carriages, twelve knights, and two Guardian Knights out of Windsor Castle toward West River Province Capital.
• Velin detoured through Forest Territory to avoid hostile forces, and his group arrived safely at West River Province Capital more than ten days later.

Velin let a slave trader join his convoy in exchange for two mysterious orbs and one thousand Gold Coins, then entered the West River Province Capital and arranged teleportation to the Carrod Provincial Capital. He left the chapter with his convoy preparing to travel through the Magic Array.

• A merchant asked to join Velin’s convoy and offered two half-elves, but Velin refused them and demanded something that interested him instead.
• The merchant gave Velin two orbs and one thousand Gold Coins, and Velin allowed his eight-carriage convoy to follow his through the nobles’ passage.
• Velin’s convoy passed through the West River Province Capital gate without inspection because the guards recognized the Ex Family’s eagle banner.
• Velin declined to rest in the capital and led his convoy to the teleportation facility, where he paid six thousand Gold Coins for travel to the Carrod Provincial Capital.
• Velin exchanged the remaining payment for Gold Notes worth five thousand Gold Coins and a bag containing two hundred Gold Coins.

Velin’s party arrived in the rundown Cadro Province Capital City, where he registered as a pioneer and confronted the governor’s guards. After leaving the city, Velin headed toward Baron Olcott’s territory and decided he needed someone to handle internal affairs during the pioneering effort.

• Velin and his party arrived in the Cadro Province Capital City and were shocked by its filth, disorder, and poverty.
• Velin went to the provincial administrative building to register and was insulted by a guard, prompting Belder and the knights to draw their weapons.
• The governor ordered the guard handed over, and Velin killed him before completing his registration.
• The governor warned his knight that the Ex Family was dangerous, then instructed him to maintain order and compensate the dead guard.
• Velin left the city and explained to Belder why he had avoided escalating the confrontation, deciding that he needed to find someone suited for internal affairs.

Velin visited his granduncle Baron Olcott in Gute Territory, where Olcott welcomed him and provided resources for his pioneering efforts. After three days, Velin departed with two hundred serfs and continued gathering information before choosing where to settle; on May 1, 9720, he waited by a campfire for a familiar voice.

• Olcott verified Velin’s identity and went with Cowell to welcome him to Gute City.
• Velin gave Olcott and Cowell three Intermediate Magic Crystals, and Olcott offered him serfs, grain, spears, and a map of Cadro Province.
• At a banquet, Velin refused advances and told Cowell that premarital sex violated his principles as a Loyal Knight.
• Velin discussed pioneering with Olcott and learned that the Southwest of Graylight Wasteland was promising but crowded with low-level monsters.
• After three days, Velin left Gute Territory with two hundred serfs, whom Belder organized into twenty squads.
• On May 1, 9720, Velin waited beside a campfire until a pleasant female voice sounded.

Velin’s convoy was ambushed by bandits while traveling through Cadro Province, but his knights quickly defeated them and captured survivors. One prisoner revealed that a noble was behind the attack, leaving Velin and Belder to investigate which family had targeted them.

• Velin learned that a Goblin King was uniting goblins southwest of Graylight Wasteland, so he ruled out traveling there for now.
• Belder warned Velin that the road ahead was infested with bandits, and Velin ordered the convoy to prepare for an ambush.
• Kuk led more than a hundred bandits in an attack on Velin’s convoy, but the eleven knights overwhelmed them and killed Kuk.
• Belder reported that forty-three bandits had died and fifty-seven had been captured.
• A captured bandit captain revealed that a noble had ordered the ambush, and Belder proposed identifying the culprit by investigating the region’s noble families.

Velin reached Baron Brian’s territory, met Brian and Alick, and weighed their advice about where to establish his territory in the Graylight Wasteland. He chose the northwest as the safest direction and went to sleep resolved to expand later.

• Velin and his convoy crossed the wilderness without further bandit attacks and reached Ridge Mountain, Baron Brian’s territory.
• Brian welcomed Velin, and Velin gave him Excellent Grade Knight Full Plate Armor before they traveled to Brian’s fortress.
• Velin saw Brian’s defenses and militia, then met Alick, who was staying at the castle.
• Velin and Alick spoke cordially during Brian’s banquet while both remained guarded.
• Velin compared Brian and Alick’s recommendation of the northwest with Baron Olcott’s advice and chose the northwest for safety.

Velin secured supplies and equipment from Brian and Ake as he prepared to expand into the Yellow Stone Area. After studying Ake’s map, he chose Toxik as the site for his initial expansion and assessed the resources available to develop it.

• Velin gave Ake a Red Phosphorus Horse, and Ake offered sixty cartloads of grain, farming tools, and a detailed map in return.
• Brian gave Velin iron armor, leather armor, and swords, which Belder then began preparing to use in training two hundred men.
• Velin studied the Yellow Stone Area and chose Toxik, where nearby monsters were relatively weak, as his expansion target.
• Velin listed his people, money, equipment, and incoming supplies to assess the resources for developing his territory.

Velin began expanding into the Toxsic Region and decided to attack the strongest nearby goblin tribe first. As he prepared for battle, the Boulder Tribe's chief learned of the human force and summoned neighboring tribe leaders to defend their territory and salt mine.

• Velin left Ridge Territory with his people after secretly leaving Brian three hundred Gold Coins, which Brian accepted.
• After reaching Toxsic, Velin ordered scouts to investigate the area and learned that more than twenty goblin tribes lived nearby.
• Belder proposed attacking the largest goblin tribe first, and Velin approved the plan for the following day.
• Velin told Orlando and Hebrew they would join the campaign, then Orlando warned Hebrew to speak carefully around others.
• The Boulder Tribe's chief heard that several hundred armed humans had arrived and called nearby tribe leaders together to defend their territory and salt mine.

Velin led his forces toward the Boulder Tribe, where he planned to defeat the Goblins with a cavalry charge and motivated Armed Serfs. The chapter ended as Velin and eleven knights charged the enemy line, while Goblin slingers hurled stones at them.

• Velin marched with thirteen Bronze Knights, two Apprentice Knights, Armed Serfs, and Slave Cannon Fodder, promising the serfs freedom and silver for killing Goblins.
• After scouts reported that the Boulder Tribe had gained about one hundred Goblins, Velin kept his plan to lead the knights in a charge while Belder commanded the infantry.
• Gry told six Goblin leaders that human Pioneers had appeared, but the leaders argued over fleeing until a messenger reported the humans approaching.
• Gry ordered the tribe to prepare for battle and forced the six visiting leaders and their guards to the front as cannon fodder.
• Belder halted the human infantry, and Velin led eleven knights in a charge toward the Goblin line.
• Gry ordered twenty Goblin slingers to throw stones at the charging knights, who relied on their armor for protection.

Velin defeated the Boulder Tribe, then ordered his knights and Armed Serfs to attack six nearby goblin tribes whose leaders had been killed. That night, he reviewed the casualties and spoils with Belder and Hebrew, and ordered a search for a possible nearby Salt Mine.

• Velin and his knights broke through the goblin formation, killed Boulder Tribe Chief Gley, and routed the goblins.
• Belder let the Armed Serfs fight freely, while Velin watched Orlando and Hebrew adapt to their first battle.
• Velin assigned the remaining knights and Orlando to lead Armed Serfs against six leaderless goblin tribes, while Belder organized the camp and battlefield cleanup.
• Belder reported that twelve Slave Cannon Fodder had been lost and listed the captured coins, supplies, weapons, ore, magic crystals, and staffs.
• Velin ordered Belder to investigate whether a Salt Mine was nearby, then reviewed the battle with Belder while Hebrew recorded and listened.

Orlando led serfs in a night raid that destroyed a goblin tribe, and Velin rewarded the serfs who met his promised requirements. After the ceremony, the serfs searched for a Salt Mine while Velin considered where to establish his first territory.

• Orlando led fifty serfs in a night raid that razed a goblin tribe, then ordered them to gather supplies and return to the Boulder Tribe.
• Velin learned that seven serfs had died and eleven were injured, and that seventy-nine had killed enough goblins to qualify for freedom.
• Velin offered Kyle a choice between training to become a Knight Squire and receiving freedom with Silver Coins; Kyle chose the training, and Velin assigned him to Orlando.
• Velin pardoned seventy-nine serfs and distributed Silver Coin rewards to twenty-four of them.
• Belder sent the remaining serfs to search for a Salt Mine, promising a Goblin Warrior's head as credit for whoever found one.
• Velin studied a map and considered where to build his village and establish his first territory.

Velin discovered a rich Salt Mine and chose a lake-side site for his first settlement, while nearby Goblin tribes began fleeing the human pioneers. He returned to Boulder Tribe to prepare for development, still lacking an administrative talent to help manage the work.

• Velin selected a site near a large pool as the location for the initial settlement.
• Velin and Belder inspected a Salt Mine, found its ore highly pure and abundant, and decided to conceal it and guard it until mining began.
• Velin surveyed the lake and mapped plans for a castle, farmland, a military camp, and waste storage.
• Goblin tribes across the area began migrating west, and Velin's arrival drove more than a hundred tribes and over ten thousand Goblins from the Yellow Stone Area's fringes.
• Velin returned to Boulder Tribe, explained the development plans at a meeting, and felt the need for an administrative talent.

Velin surveyed and organized the development of his territory around Lake of Star Prayer, assigning farmland, villages, fish ponds, and a defensive castle in his plans. After a week of work, his people reported progress and he set ambitious goals for construction, farming, and population growth before the year ended.

• Velin named the lake Lake of Star Prayer and planned farmland, villages, and a castle, while deciding to focus development on the southern shore first.
• Velin planned a flowing channel around a floodplain to support fish ponds, and Belder accepted that the knights would dig it due to the shortage of manpower.
• Belder trained thirty professional soldiers, while eleven knights dug the channel and the other workers reclaimed farmland; Orlando and Hebrew taught Kyle the Knight Awakening Method.
• At the June 1 meeting, Belder reported that thirteen soldiers had awakened Battle Qi and that 2,750 mu of farmland had been reclaimed.
• A knight reported that 800 meters of the river channel had been dug, and Orlando reported that the territory held 85,200 jin of grain, enough for about 160 days.
• Velin announced plans to start the next construction stage in half a month and, before year-end, build two villages, reclaim 18,000 mu, drive Goblins from the area, and grow the population to 1,200.

Velin learned that monsters would threaten Lake of Praying Stars in six months, so he resolved to strengthen the territory rather than abandon it. After advancing in strength and assigning Kyle to Orlando for training, he oversaw the distribution of farmland and prepared to travel to Cadro Province.

• Guidance of Fate warned Velin that a monster attack led by Gnolls would threaten Lake of Praying Stars in six months, and he decided to fortify the territory.
• Velin broke through from Mid-Bronze Tier to High-Bronze Tier and welcomed Kyle, who had awakened Battle Qi and become a Knight Squire.
• Velin gave Orlando seven Intermediate Magic Crystals and instructed him to train Kyle and accelerate the knights’ cultivation.
• Velin distributed 3,260 mu of farmland among Freemen and serfs, while the Bandit Slaves were assigned to lifelong labor.
• Velin learned that enough Bean Potato seedlings had been prepared for three thousand mu and ordered Andrew to tell Belder to manage the territory during his trip to Cadro Province.

Velin visited his cousin Brian to buy weapons for his territory and then traveled to Bagamoio to purchase serfs. He entered a secluded slave market with Orlando after a boy guided them there, while the boy secretly collected a payment from someone behind the merchant association.

• Belder watched Velin depart and resolved to prove his worth by managing the territory efficiently.
• Velin met Brian, explained his need for weapons and slaves, and bought one hundred sets of leather armor and three hundred longswords for 17,000 Gold Coins.
• Velin left twenty-three Bandit Slaves at Brian's castle and, eleven days later, reached the territories near Cadro Province.
• Velin entered Bagamoio with Orlando and two knights, hired a boy as a guide, and asked to be taken to a market with strong slaves.
• Orlando threatened the boy when the group reached a deserted market, but the boy insisted the slaves inside were varied and worth seeing.
• Velin entered the slave market, and the boy secretly collected a bag of coins from behind the merchant association.

Velin bought workers and an architect Half-elf from the Bashak Merchant Guild, despite Orlando’s suspicion that the guild had a problem. The Half-elf had been coveted by Kazak, a governor’s son, but he backed down when he learned Velin belonged to the Ex Family.

• Velin bought three hundred strong slaves, skilled craftsmen, and one hundred boys from Bark.
• Velin paid 3,500 Gold Coins for the Half-elf architect and ordered Bark to send his purchases outside the city.
• Orlando questioned Velin about trading with the Bashak Merchant Guild, and Velin suspected local nobles had fought over the Half-elf.
• Kazak learned that the Half-elf had been bought and erupted in anger before his Butler warned him that the buyer belonged to the Ex Family.
• Kazak remembered his father’s warning and hesitated, while one of his cronies offered to seize the Half-elf for him.

Velin returned to Lake of Star Prayer with hundreds of people, supplies, and the Half-elf Eunice, then organized the new arrivals and set conditions for them to earn freedom. He left the territory under Belder’s management and began building its workforce and military.

• Kazak let Velin go, withdrew the blockade against the Bashak Merchant Guild, and caused Bark to realize Velin was someone Kazak feared offending.
• Velin fed Eunice during the journey, promised her freedom after ten years of service, and learned her name.
• Velin returned to Lake of Star Prayer on June 21, collected armor, weapons, and prisoners at Ridge Castle, and found Belder had kept the territory in good order.
• Belder reported that Goblin tribes had relocated and wild beasts were increasing, so Velin ordered continued vigilance and assigned Eunice a room.
• Velin formed a 150-man infantry unit from soldiers and slaves, promised the slaves ways to earn freedom, and assigned Orlando and Hebrew to train the hundred youths.

Velin organized artisans to develop a ballista and approved Eunice’s castle plans, but the five-month construction deadline left him short of workers. He began opening a salt mine to bring income to the territory and left a camp under guard as mining preparations started.

• Velin tasked twenty-five artisans led by Joseph and Smith with building a ballista, offering freedom and other rewards for completing it quickly.
• Eunice presented a castle plan for up to five thousand people, and Velin assigned her to begin construction with the two hundred workers available.
• Eunice divided the workers and masons into groups for quarrying, hauling materials, and building while Velin considered how to find more labor.
• Velin led two knights, soldiers, and sixty bandit slaves to the salt mine twelve kilometers southeast of the Lake of Star Prayer.
• Velin ordered Andrew to supervise construction of a mining camp, then patrolled nearby with soldiers to drive away wild beasts.

Velin discovered a valuable Mithril Ore deposit near Lake of Star Prayer and brought Belder and his troops to mine it in secret. The chapter left Belder organizing the excavation and transport while Velin personally oversaw the operation.

• Velin inspected the Salt Mine, returned to Lake of Star Prayer with salt ore, and approved Belder's plan to train twenty Apprentice warriors in iron armor.
• On July 1, Guidance of Fate revealed a Mithril Ore deposit east of Lake of Star Prayer, and Velin decided to mine it before anyone else found it.
• Velin led 110 men to the deposit, ordered Belder to build a camp, and secretly told him about the Mithril Ore.
• Belder divided his troops into guards, miners, and transport workers, while Velin took charge of overseeing the operation and transportation.

Velin’s Mithril Ore mining operation attracted the attention of Brandon Hodgson, lord of the neighboring Barony of Cleveland, and Belder’s patrol caught a reconnaissance squad sneaking toward the camp. After learning of the intrusion, Velin suspended mining and prepared to reinforce the camp and ambush the Barony of Cleveland’s forces.

• Belder and Velin unearthed Mithril Ore, and Belder reported that the camp could mine two tons a day but would need about five months to finish.
• Brandon Hodgson learned that Velin’s soldiers appeared to be mining near his territory and ordered a closer investigation.
• A six-person reconnaissance squad from the Barony of Cleveland approached the camp at night, but Belder detected them and wounded one with a thrown spear.
• Belder checked the warehouse, confirmed the Mithril Ore was safe, and reported the infiltration to Velin the next morning.
• Velin ordered the miners to stop work temporarily, summoned six more knights from Lake of Praying Stars, and prepared to ensure the intruders would not return.

Baron Brandon Hodgson led an army of more than a thousand to seize the Mithril Ore mine, but Velin lured his forces into prepared traps and launched a counterattack. Velin personally fought Brandon, who began to tire as their duel continued.

• Brandon gathered his knights, soldiers, archers, and serf levies and marched toward the mine camp.
• Velin learned that Brandon’s army was approaching, confirmed Belder’s traps were ready, and assembled his ninety troops to meet the attack.
• Velin waited until Brandon’s infantry entered the trap zone, then signaled the hidden soldiers to collapse the ground and kill many of them in spiked pits.
• Velin led his knights and infantry in a charge against Brandon’s panicked forces, killing serfs and striking down infantrymen.
• Brandon charged Velin, but Velin knocked him from his mount and fought him with a longsword until Brandon began to run out of strength.