Oli Crison

While Nord waited, the guard who had left the grain shop hurried back to the castle and nervously reported the situation to the steward. Crison Fort's steward was named Barry. He was thin, with a hooked nose and a somewhat gloomy appearance.

"Bad news, Lord Barry! A noble lord has brought a group of people to buy grain from the shop. He says he wants a large amount. Manager Harry sent me to inform you and Lord Ollie."

"Do you know who he is? What is his name?"

"This lowly one did not hear his name clearly, but he seems to be a Viscount like our lord. He looks very young and has brought a group of country bumpkins with him."

"A group of country folk." Barry curled his lip in disdain. Without even noble guards of his own, what kind of Viscount could he be? Besides, none of the nearby Viscounts would come to the grain shop to buy grain, and he had not heard of any young man inheriting a Nobility Title. Perhaps he was an impostor. Barry intended to have the guards arrest those audacious peasants. Impersonating a noble was a serious crime.

But on second thought, Barry felt that something was off. No fool would dare deceive the Crison Family. That would take extraordinary nerve. Lord Ollie was no one to be trifled with; he did not even blink when killing people. Could that man truly be a noble?

"You, take some guards and wait here. I'll inform Lord Ollie."

Barry did not dare make the decision on his own. After giving the guards his orders, he turned and headed toward the castle's main hall. Lord Ollie was in a good mood today. He had just returned from Twain City and was handling accounts in his study.

Barry entered the study and saw that it was furnished with refined elegance. The desks, chairs, and bookshelves were all made of high-quality mahogany. The desk faced the window, and sunlight streamed into the room, making it brightly lit. A maid stood not far from the desk, ready to await her master's commands.

Oli Crison was enormously fat and dressed in white, lace-trimmed noble attire. His oversized clothes somehow looked tight on him. Sitting before his desk and reading the territory's financial report, he felt rather pleased. In his narrowed eyes, Gold Thalers seemed to flash one after another.

Barry approached Viscount Ollie and reported the situation, along with his own analysis that the people outside might be impostors.

A smile appeared on Ollie's chubby face when he heard this.

"That is no country bumpkin. He is a great noble from Beron City, unlike us people from this backwater. Yesterday, I heard people talking about him in Twain City. They said the kid is Beron City's famous wastrel. He gave up prosperous Beron City and insisted on coming to these remote mountains to become a Minor Noble. Heh heh, how interesting."

"Then shall I send him away?"

"No need. I'll go meet him myself. We're neighbors now, after all. I hear the kid spent a great sum to acquire that territory. He certainly spends freely! He has come to deliver Gold Thalers to me, so why would I drive him away?"

Ollie set down the financial report in his hand and gazed out the window with interest. Then he turned to Barry beside him. "Go call Commander Bill. I have something for him to do. Hurry!"

Barry turned and left at once. Ollie watched his retreating back, his fingers unconsciously tapping against the desk.

Before long, Barry returned with a bearded middle-aged man clad in Chainmail. The man was powerfully built, his face covered in flesh, his eyes fierce, looking as though he might devour someone alive. After bowing to Viscount Ollie, he asked in a deep voice, "Lord Ollie, what are your orders?"

"Notify the hyenas outside the city. A group is carrying a large amount of grain northward. Also, take a small squad of cavalry and wait outside. When the time comes, then..."

A vicious glint appeared in Oli Crison's eyes. He rose to his feet, and the fat on his body trembled with the motion.

"Come, let us meet this Viscount who has traveled so far."

Inside the grain shop, Nord was still waiting patiently. Before long, a group emerged from the distant castle. When Harry saw them, he hurriedly reminded Nord.

"Lord Nord, our lord has arrived. Please wait here while I go greet Lord Ollie."

After signaling Nord, Harry walked toward Ollie's group. Nord carefully sized up the newcomers. Viscount Ollie, walking toward him, looked remarkably similar to the Crison Family crest—a charging wild boar. There was not the slightest trace of the Crison Family's former martial valor in him. The guards behind him carried spears and wore Leather Armor. They did look more capable in battle than the town guards.

Harry walked up to Viscount Ollie and exchanged a few simple words with him. Ollie nodded, then led his group toward Nord.

"Greetings, guest from Beron City. I am Oli Crison, Lord of Crison Fort. We shall be neighbors from now on, so we should interact often."

Oli Crison wore a sincere smile. His plump face and tiny eyes gave him a very dependable impression.

"Greetings, Viscount Ollie. I am Nord Isaac, Lord of the northern Isaac Territory."

"I came to Crison Fort today to purchase some grain and tools. I hope Viscount Ollie will be willing to sell them to me. Nord would be deeply grateful."

Nord placed his left hand over his right chest and nodded respectfully to Ollie, his gaze calmly fixed on him and his men.

"I have grain and tools here, but perhaps you do not understand. Arable land is extremely scarce around here, so grain has always been in short supply and prices have remained high. I heard that you wish to purchase two thousand jin of grain at once. That puts me in quite a difficult position!"

As Ollie spoke, he wore an expression of helplessness, as if he were truly troubled by the matter.

Though Nord had never done business before, he came from an era where knowledge had exploded, so he understood such tricks well enough. Although Ollie looked conflicted, both his tone and expression conveyed one meaning: grain was precious, and Nord would have to pay more if he wanted it.

Nord smiled faintly to show that he understood and that Viscount Ollie need not trouble himself.

"I understand that grain is very precious. Viscount Ollie, sell me however much surplus grain you have first, and I will find another way to obtain the rest. The price is negotiable."

"Viscount Nord has come from so far away. How could I refuse to help you in your difficulty? We are neighbors now and should support one another. I can still squeeze out two thousand jin of grain. Let us say fifty Copper Be per jin."

Nord cursed inwardly. This fat man was truly ruthless. He looked amiable on the surface, yet he was so greedy. Grain in Beron City cost only ten Copper Be per jin, which was already expensive. Buying grain from the Himan Kingdom cost only five Copper Luo, which converted to merely four or five Copper Be.

Moreover, Nord had previously asked Colin about it. Grain in Twain City cost no more than twenty Copper Be per jin. But because grain was monopolized in Crison Fort, coupled with Oli Crison's greed, the price there exceeded forty Copper Be. In the past, the villagers had always gone together to Twain City to buy grain. However, Nord had considered the distance to Twain City and the many bandits on the road, so he decided to buy from Crison Fort instead. He had not expected Oli Crison to be this ruthless. Nord suppressed the anger in his heart. Let this dead fat pig profit for now. Once the territory develops, I'll settle accounts with him slowly.