Create Destiny?

Chapter 1: Create Destiny?

The weather was clear, the snow had yet to melt, and the clouds in the sky were arranged like large fish scales.

For Mol, the agricultural official of Sigg Town, today was not a good day.

He was directing a large group of slaves to laboriously clear a flat area on the hillside far from Sigg Town.

These forty to fifty slaves were all he could muster.

It was the beginning of spring and the busy farming season, so even as the agricultural official, he couldn't pull all the farmers away for temporary labor.

Thus, only these slaves were working.

Some were weeding, some were chopping wood, and some were moving stones. Watching these slaves, who appeared busy but were actually slacking off, Mol cursed them as useless good-for-nothings. He kicked a few slaves' butts and urged them on repeatedly, but their efficiency didn't improve. Mol was both angry and anxious.

When Mol learned that Grand Duke Armor-Splitting had granted this wild territory as a fief to one of his descendants, and that this descendant was about to arrive at Sigg Town, Mol began to sweat profusely.

After all, Sigg Town hadn't had a proper lord for decades.

The Grand Duke likely didn't think much of this land.

It was understandable...

Firstly, this was the edge of the Black Iron Kingdom, primarily consisting of high mountains and rugged terrain. Sigg Town was located in a basin, with blocked transportation, extremely poor environmental conditions, and the presence of magical beasts.

Secondly, the original Sigg Town was a gathering place for escaped slaves and thieves.

After the Grand Duke Armor-Splitting had conquered this place in his youth, he had only dispatched an agricultural official to manage it for tax collection.

Mol, as a descendant of that agricultural official, felt that the Grand Duke had probably long forgotten this poor place every time he submitted the land rent and various agricultural products annually.

That was until he suddenly received news that Romain Armor-Splitting would be arriving to govern as the lord. It was rumored that this illegitimate son of the Grand Duke was possibly exiled.

Even worse, the moment Mol received the news, Romain Armor-Splitting had already set off.

Mol's heart sank when he heard this.

Sigg Town had been poorly managed for years, relying on guards to maintain order, and there wasn't even a single knight.

Without any specific instructions, Mol couldn't possibly order these unruly villagers to undertake major construction to build a manor or castle that they might never use in their lifetime.

This meant that the descendant of Armor-Splitting would have nowhere to live upon arrival.

The thought of letting the lord temporarily stay in Sigg Town?

This idea was immediately dashed.

As the agricultural official, Mol's home was the most luxurious place in Sigg Town, but to the Grand Duke's illegitimate son, it was still a country dwelling.

More importantly, how could the lord stay with these common folk?

If these unruly villagers offended or slighted the lord, it would be a capital offense.

It wouldn't matter if the commoners died, but Mol didn't want his own head to be taken along with them; that would be too unfair.

Therefore, Mol quickly gathered a group of slaves and prepared to start construction on the spot.

However, he was already far too late.

As he was busy, he saw a convoy approaching from a distance.

Most striking was a banner fluttering in the wind atop one of the carriages, bearing the emblem of a powerful bow.

The family crest of the Armor-Splitting family!

Romain Armor-Splitting had arrived in his territory!

Mol's face immediately turned pale.

Grand Duke Armor-Splitting was one of the three Grand Dukes of the Black Iron Kingdom, second only to the King of Black Iron.

The first Duke Armor-Splitting had followed the Conqueror Emperor to conquer vast territories.

He used a longbow as his weapon and had once pierced the impenetrable crimson scales of a fire dragon, nearly slaying it in a single battle, thus becoming a legendary figure.

The Armor-Splitting family had continued to thrive to this day, relying on the legacy of their ancestors and the inherited Armor-Splitting Archery.

That the illegitimate son of Grand Duke Armor-Splitting would be enfeoffed in this territory, which outsiders considered barren land, the only possibility was exile.

This was Mol's first time meeting a member of the main family.

He had heard how difficult nobles were to serve; they were truly ruthless individuals!

Coupled with the background of this descendant of Armor-Splitting, who seemed to have accepted the enfeoffment but was actually suffering exile, it was possible he was currently seething with rage and ready to kill a few people to vent his anger!

Mol sprinted down the hillside, his plump body rolling down the slope, and stopped before a carriage.

The carriage halted, and before Mol could catch his breath, the curtain was lifted, and a rather heroic-looking young man emerged.

He had dark brown hair that curled naturally at the ends, falling thickly over his shoulders. His crimson eyes were focused and intense, his face rugged, with well-defined features that belied his youth. His expression was remarkably calm.

"Esteemed Lord Romain Armor-Splitting, welcome to Sigg Town..." Mol, recognizing the identity from the fiery red eyes, stammered.

After Romain Armor-Splitting jumped off the carriage, Mol realized that this young lord possessed a considerable presence. He stood well over six feet tall, with a robust build, well-nourished and solid, developed like a capable adult warrior.

Mol had heard that the newly appointed lord was only 16 years old, barely considered an adult, yet he was a head taller than Mol, who was 25.

Mol dared not look directly at him, keeping his head down. Cold sweat streamed down his pale face, dripping onto his cheeks. With his other hand, he tightly clutched a handkerchief, afraid to wipe away the sweat.

As the agricultural officer, he held a high social standing in Sigg Town.

However, all this status and honor came from the Armor-Splitting Family.

If his performance failed to earn their approval, Romain Armor-Splitting could have his position or even his life erased with a single word.

And now, his insufficient preparations might have already displeased them.

"Who are you?"

Romain sized up the plump, fair-skinned fellow before him, inexplicably recalling the idiom "a brain full of mush and guts full of fat."

"The agricultural officer of Sigg Town, Mol Bass..." Mol replied nervously. This was his first time hosting a member of the main family. He had only ever interacted with tax collectors sent by the Armor-Splitting Family before, so it was impossible to say he wasn't scared.

In fact, he was quite terrified of this lord who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Is Holo Bass related to you?"

"He's my father's uncle," Mol answered instantly.

"Oh." Romain nodded.

Holo Bass was an old steward of the Armor-Splitting Family, diligently holding his post for decades without change.

Romain guessed that Mol's father or grandfather was a disappointment but still had some connections, so they had sent him here to work.

In Romain's view, Mol was also in a steward-like position, managing the family's properties in Sigg Town.

Although it was a form of exile for him, for ordinary people, this should be considered a good position.

With this thought, Romain looked up curiously towards the hillside. Slaves were toiling away, completely unaware of their impending fate.

He had been born into a good family.

When the first Grand Duke Armor-Splitting entered the territory with the Conqueror Emperor, he had completely absorbed all the hardships of the Armor-Splitting Family, leaving none for his descendants.

The Armor-Splitting Family's influence was still strong. Romain was an illegitimate son, and although he had no claim to inheritance, he wasn't like the second sons of some lower-ranking nobles who, upon reaching adulthood, would only receive a severance fee and be kicked out. Even worse, some received nothing and had to serve the eldest son like beasts of burden.

Having this fiefdom was already an excellent starting point for him.

Without this status, he might have taken much longer to grow and develop, and he might have perished midway. This was something he could not accept.

Romain asked, "Is that where I'll be living from now on?"

Mol began to sweat even more. "Respected Lord Romain, the time was too short, we... this..."

He couldn't be blamed for this. If he had been notified six months in advance, even if a castle couldn't be built, they could have at least constructed a decent, presentable, and spacious manor.

But with only two days' notice, they could only expect the cold wind.

These uncivilized peasants were useless, but that was only if there was no wall for them to lean on.

Romain knew he had arrived abruptly, so he wasn't angry.

He had come here purely to be a local emperor.

He looked at the hillside covered in weeds and scattered with rocks.

The terrain was flat and vast, making it easy to cultivate.

In the distance, the mountains were lush with forests, and there was an even vaster riverbank where silvery-white water flowed ceaselessly.

Romain was very satisfied.

This was his ideal environment for farming.

At the same time, a virtual panel gradually appeared in his vision.

[Game loading complete]

[Establishing neural link]

[Initiating consciousness awakening]

[1%, 2%... 99%, 100%----]

[Awakened]

[Create Destiny?]