Brothers Reunited

"Master, the eldest young master and the second young master have arrived."

Upon hearing the servant's ambiguous remark, Hudson almost thought two sons had suddenly appeared. He then realized that the "eldest son" and "second son" the servant was referring to must be his elder brother.

The appearance of such a jumbled mess of names is most likely due to habit. After all, these are the names we've always used back in our hometown.

However, after arriving in the Mountain Territory, Hudson was automatically promoted to sir, while the servants clearly still followed their deepest-seated habits when addressing their two elder brothers.

He doesn't have time to worry about so much, so it's normal that he's not very bright; otherwise, why would he be a servant?

If he had any intelligence, he would have been promoted to a more important position long ago, based on his years of service to Hudson.

"Make arrangements for hospitality first, I'll go over after I've washed up."

Hudson said with great delight.

This joy, which came from the depths of his heart, seemed to be an instinct. In the memories left behind by the original owner, both of his older brothers took good care of him.

As the heir, Hudson was not averse to these feelings. Humans are, after all, social creatures; if one had no feelings at all, life would be too tiring.

If I hadn't felt a bit lost and unsure how to face it, I probably wouldn't have even needed to wash up before rushing over to meet them.

There's really no need to be so formal with your own brothers. As long as there are no outsiders present, whether you're being impolite or not doesn't really matter.

After quickly washing up, Hudson adjusted his mindset. He should just follow his heart; there was no need to overact.

The more you try to hide something from people you know well, the easier it is to leave a trace. Anyway, we've been apart for several years, and so much has happened in between; it's normal for things to change.

"Nelson, Evola, long time no see!"

Last time, Father said he would write to summon you two back. I thought we should have met long ago, but I didn't expect it to be delayed until now.

Hudson remarked with considerable emotion.

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye. It has to be said that in the world of the nobility, people are often separated.

If the Coslo Family hadn't gained so much this time that they needed to concentrate their strength to deter villains, the three brothers probably wouldn't have been able to meet again for a long time.

Let alone thousands of miles away, even a few hundred miles can feel like two different worlds. Unless there's something important to discuss, few people would travel hundreds of miles to visit someone.

Even correspondence was rare. After all, the cost of writing letters was high these days, and there were no dedicated postal services, so people had to send their own people to deliver them.

"It has been quite some time, but Hudson, the changes in you are truly remarkable!"

When I received my father's letter that day, I thought it was someone's prank. Who could have imagined that in just three short years, the boy who used to slack off during knightly training would rise to become the renowned Mountain Baron?

Nelson responded with a chuckle.

It was clear that he was genuinely happy for Hudson. As the eldest son in the family, the title of baron was already tied to him from birth.

According to the inheritance law of the Alpha Kingdom, as long as Nelson doesn't do anything reckless and isn't a cultivation idiot, he can smoothly inherit the title.

Born with a silver spoon in their mouth, they naturally have no reason to be jealous. The brothers' abilities and the family's growing strength benefit everyone.

In this regard, Nelson undoubtedly set a good example, laying the foundation for "brotherly love and respect" in the family.

In his memory, Hudson's childhood knight training was all completed under the supervision of his older brother. Simply put, he got a lot of beatings.

However, aside from being strict with his younger brothers in terms of spiritual practice, he took great care of them in terms of daily life.

As the eldest son and first in line to the baron's throne, Nelson obviously enjoyed more resources. Nelson shared these benefits quite often.

Even after his stepmother entered the family, the fact that he was able to behave so well was actually partly due to his older brother's influence.

As the heir, he still enjoys many privileges. Servants might dare to slight a second son like Hudson, but they would never dare to offend the heir.

In any case, Hudson remembered that his elder brother had warned all the servants in the mansion before he left.

Especially those who sought refuge with the Baroness, were beaten so badly they were practically paralyzed. Truly paralyzed, they were gone in less than a month, and now they were facing the Lord of Dawn.

The subsequent turn of events was most likely due to Baron Redman's intervention. His son and servant were clearly not on the same level; an unstable element could obviously not be allowed to remain.

The effect of establishing authority was very obvious; even after two or three years, the servants in the mansion remained very well-behaved.

Everyone knows that the young master can really kill someone when he's angry, even if it's a confidant of the Baroness; if he dies, it's all for naught.

"That's really true. Nelson has been away from home for three years, while I've been away for less than two. The changes in you are truly unimaginable."

But Hudson, you weren't very kind. If we hadn't gone home, we wouldn't have known about all the changes that had happened inside.

You're too soft-hearted, aren't you? Lesur dared to steal your Life Essence, and you didn't even beat him up?

Don't worry, I'm an expert at beating up my younger brother. We've spoken to Pastor Quinn; he won't receive any treatment for the kid. He'll need to stay in bed for at least another two weeks."

Upon hearing Evola's words, Hudson's expression changed, as if he had been reminded of a painful past.

"You should discipline your younger brother early, or you won't be able to beat him."

This classic line was a childhood nightmare for Hudson. If this guy hadn't been so carefree and mediocre in every way, Hudson would have suspected he was possessed by some senior.

"Enough, Evola! If you can't speak, then don't open your mouth. No one will think you're mute."

Hudson, you did a good job. There's no need to argue with a useless person; we're from different worlds. Ignoring him is the best option.

Nelson reprimanded him sternly.

It's no laughing matter when brothers fight amongst themselves. They're too busy trying to cover it up to bring it up themselves.

However, Hudson understood the implication. It was simply that Lesur had been abandoned by his family and would likely be sent away once he came of age.

It's highly likely he can't even use the surname Coslo. After all, someone who isn't even a knight would only bring shame to his family if he went out bearing the family name.

Hudson knew the reason very well: his rise to power was too rapid, and the family members felt that keeping Lesur would be detrimental to family unity.

Of course, it's also possible that the family is short of resources and unable to support the development of so many children at the same time, so they simply give up on the one with the worst character.

It's all Hudson's fault. Baron Redman went to great lengths to support the development of the Mountain Territory.

In the early stages, the expenses of sending gifts and pulling strings to secure the territory were considerable, and the support continued uninterrupted in the later stages.

Not only did none of the serfs who had come with Hudson return, but their families were also sent along. In addition to people, hundreds of thousands of pounds of grain were also sent.

The increased expenses didn't stop there. The tense situation in Laite and Huaidun counties also forced the various branches of the Coslo Family within the province to expand their military.

Out of concern for the current situation, Baron Redman expanded his guard to five hundred men. Although the soldiers were all serfs, which saved a lot of money on military pay, military expenses still skyrocketed.

The ever-increasing expenses were bound to strain the family's finances. Knowing Lesur as he did, Hudson figured his clueless younger brother was probably already trying to make a bad impression on their father again.

With other family members egging him on, it's not surprising that Baron Redman, who had many sons, decided to abandon his least promising son in a fit of anger.

In a sense, this was also a trap Hudson set before leaving home, creating an image of "fool" for Lysour in front of Baron Redman.

Once deeply ingrained beliefs are formed, any mistake will be magnified. Over time, the bond between father and son will be exhausted, and then it will come to an end.

"Don't worry, Nelson. Arguing with an idiot would only lower our standards."

Let's not talk about these upsetting things. It's a rare opportunity for us to get together, so let's chat about how you've been doing all these years.

Hudson said magnanimously.

This time, he genuinely wasn't going to hold a grudge. He'd ruined someone's noble status; even if they survived, they'd spend the rest of their lives in agony.

In Maple Leaf Territory, in order to complete the autumn planting task as soon as possible, Baron Katerley was forced to have his soldiers take off their armor and work in the fields with him.

This kind of thing is common throughout the Aslant Continent. They conduct military training during the off-season and return home to farm during the busy season.

While there are military units that are 100% dedicated to their professions, they are extremely rare. Most soldiers take on farming jobs as a sideline, and everyone has gotten used to it.

Looking at the bustling scene, Baron Katerley was already immersed in the joy of the harvest.

Maple Leaf Territory is full of fertile land, with grain yields that are 70-80% higher than those in the Northern Frontier. In terms of "profit," one acre can be equivalent to several acres.

But his joy was short-lived. Divided only by a small stream, the autumn planting on the other side was already complete. Only a few scattered women remained in the fields, carrying baskets and continuing to sow seeds.

Happiness is always relative. When it comes to tilling the land, livestock can never match human strength. Even the strongest soldier can't plow the land as well as a slow horse.

Baron Katerley wasn't without horses, but the ones he had were all precious warhorses; he couldn't very well use them to plow the fields.

While warhorses aren't entirely incapable of plowing, the cost is quite high. If he accidentally ruins one, he'll be heartbroken.

Since leaving the north, his number of warhorses has been steadily decreasing. If the losses continue, he fears his cavalry will eventually be reduced to infantry.

Having abandoned this unreliable idea, Baron Katerley frowned and asked, "Uncle Holman, are there no oxen or horsemen available around here?"

Whoever owns the land, should be responsible for it. At the current rate of cultivation, it's difficult to complete the cultivation of Maple Leaf Territory alone before the seasons change, let alone the enclaves outside.

Wasting even a season is a loss, and Baron Katerley couldn't bear to watch the wealth that should have been his slip away.

If everyone were the same, that would be fine. But his good neighbor had already finished cultivating his territory.

"Let alone buying livestock, no one would agree to rent them. The only ones with livestock now are local nobles, and even if we offer a high price, no one will rent them to us."

Knight Holman said with a helpless expression.

He had truly done his best to find livestock. Unfortunately, these means of production were controlled by nobles and were rarely seen on the market, let alone now.

Local nobles could rely on their connections and ask relatives and friends for help, but these outsiders were at a loss.

Having money is useless; people would rather use it to gain favors than earn a few extra gold coins from them.

"What about that greedy vampire next door? He'll do business with anyone!"

"Baron Katerley asked indignantly."

He had been badly ripped off when he tried to trade people for grain with the Hudson. Because he couldn't deliver enough people, Baron Katerley was severely punished by Count Pierce.

The extra fines far exceeded the value of the grain he received. He was especially furious when he learned that the Governor's Mansion was selling grain at a discounted price.

Regret is useless; business is business. No one expected that due to the unexpected changes on the mainland, Count Pierce would use swift and decisive measures to suppress the conflict between the two counties.

Logically, Count Pierce, as the ruler of the Southeast Province, only needed to watch the show, fan the flames from behind the scenes, and observe their infighting.

Even if they were to take action, it would only be after all sides had decided who would win. By picking on a few of the big winners and giving them a good talking-to, they could then play the good guy in front of the losers.

Information asymmetry led to a misjudgment, causing Baron Katerley to make a losing deal. But Cattell was not one to be a sore loser.

It's just asking him to treat his good neighbor who wronged him with a normal attitude; that would be asking too much. Acting is fine in front of outsiders, but continuing to pretend in front of family is too exhausting.

"I went there myself to ask, and Baron Hudson is busy organizing people to clear land and doesn't have any extra livestock to rent out."

Knight Holman's words fueled Kateley's envy and jealousy. They were struggling to complete their own autumn planting, while the other side had the resources to organize manpower for land reclamation.

However, it is also true that the Mountain Territory has little arable land. The tens of thousands of acres of land on the plains alone cannot support the tens of thousands of people in the territory.

If they didn't want to purchase large quantities of food from outside, they had no choice but to seek land from the "mountains." The continuous Salam Mountain Range were the land reserves of the Mountain Territory.

Of course, Hudson's family wasn't the only noble family with the means to claim land from "the mountain"; the three knights nearby could do the same.

Unfortunately, these three unfortunate children had not yet completed their initial capital accumulation. They were too busy managing their ancestral businesses to organize manpower for land reclamation.

"He got off too easy! The vast Salam Mountain Range have become his backyard, without a single competitor."

"Baron Katerley rather annoyed."

They chose the territory first. If they had known that the Salam Mountain Range were a treasure trove, they would have gone to seize it no matter what! Why did they choose Maple Leaf Town?

He was misled by the "mountain range". Although he knew that there were mines in the Salam Mountain Range, he chose the wealthy Maple Leaf Territory because he was afraid that his food supply would not be self-sufficient and that his competitors would blockade it.

Of course, if he really chose the Salam Mine Area, his territory would probably only consist of the mining area.

Although they chose the location first, the power to demarcate the specific boundaries rested with the Governor's Mansion.

Hudson was able to get a bargain because the Coslo Family had many relatives and friends, extensive connections, and good public relations in the early stages.

If it were Kateley, no one would dare accept a gift, not even if they wanted to. Not being deliberately targeted would be considered a favor, let alone helping him gain benefits.

"Kateley, you don't need to envy them. Judging by the timeline, the family should have received news of the situation here by now."

In other areas, it's difficult to offer you much help. However, your family certainly doesn't lack ordinary Beastfolk slaves.

All we need to do is give the slave-catching teams a heads-up and tell them to take them along on their next mission.

But can you really tame these Beastfolk into competent farmers? If you fail, then all your efforts will have been in vain!

Knight Holman changed the subject. He didn't want to see his nephew invite powerful enemies out of jealousy; that would only ruin him.

"Don't worry, Uncle Holman. Not all Beastfolk races are incorrigible; there are many cowardly ones as well."

Back in the North, I tried to tame them. Most attempts failed, but there were times when I succeeded.

If it weren't for the fact that it was too close to the Orc Empire, and people were worried about provoking the Orc Empire, the Beastfolk slaves in the North would probably be everywhere by now.

Let's not forget that the Orc Empire also has agriculture. Although the crops they grow are different, that proves they have the potential to become farmers.

Even if farming doesn't work, they can still be taken out to fight, so they won't lose everything.

I have a feeling that this conflict between the Kingdom and the Church won't escalate into a full-blown war. I estimate that after a year or two of heated discussion, both sides will back down.

"I'm very confident," Kate said.

Many people turn pale at the mention of Beastfolk, assuming Beastfolk are all powerful. Only those who grew up in the North know that Beastfolk are actually a group with a very wide range of strengths and weaknesses.

The Beastfolk race is powerful, with each member possessing exceptional combat abilities. Behemoth Clan, for example. Any adult Behemoth would be a formidable force on the continent.

The weak races, such as the Ratmen, Pigmen, Goblins, and Rabbitmen, are all cowardly and their fighting strength is even less than that of ordinary people.

The Orc Empire's power primarily stemmed from the strength of its Five Great Royal Families. The countless races beneath it were characterized by extremely polarized internal power dynamics.

If all Beastfolk were as powerful as the legends say, the Alpha Kingdom would have been destroyed long ago and would not have been able to survive until now.

"Well, it's good that you have a plan in mind. But those races that are too lazy are not worth wasting time on. Even if you can tame them, it's just a waste of food."

Knight Holman reminded him.

"Don't worry, Uncle Holman. I'll keep an eye on things like that. I wouldn't dare hire those good-for-nothings who only know how to eat dirt."

As he spoke, Baron Katerley still seemed somewhat shaken, as if some disgusting memory had been awakened within him.

The world is vast and full of wonders.

In the orcish Orc Empire, a diverse array of races exist. After countless years of natural selection, each race has evolved its own unique way of survival.

The variety of styles is so vast that there's nothing they can't do, only things you can't imagine.

Those who live by farming and hunting are normal living beings. Those who live on leaves and weeds only show that they have retained primitive lifestyles.

But there are always some unusual races that have evolved all sorts of strange talents. For example, they can survive by eating dirt.

---Aside---

The update is a little late, please forgive me, dear readers, for the sake of word count.