Ryan's words hit Farrell's sore spot, and the Legendary Commander couldn't help but take a deep breath before he calmed down.
Has anyone ever told you that you'll have no friends if you talk like that?
Farrell tried to remain calm as he spoke, and then answered Ryan's question.
" His Majesty the Emperor told me that he could grant me the title of a Lordship, and as for land, he would allow me to choose an estate anywhere in the Empire, with farms and the Forest."
"I haven't agreed yet."
Promotion to Noble Title is very difficult. Often, whatever your initial status is, you may hold that same Noble Title for generations to come.
Farrell couldn't guarantee that his descendants would all become Legendary like him, so having a high starting point was very important.
Like Otis, whose family had fallen into decline and was no longer worthy of being called nobles. However, because their family had once started from such a high point, even after losing their land and power, they were still able to come into contact with figures of high status like Emperor Flor, thus gaining the opportunity to restore their family's glory.
In short, the nobles who led the Winged Gorge army to support the Andara Kingdom could not possibly be Descendant of a fallen Baron family.
Farrell wanted to start at a high level, not even as Baron, but at least as a Noble Title. His Legendary status and Commander status already put him in a position no less than that of a great nobleman. But status is status, and identity is identity; one represents strength, and the other represents glory.
However, he was unlucky to encounter a good time. The emergence of the Baronet System not only brought more nobles, but also made the promotion and emergence of noble Noble Title more than ten times more difficult.
"This is not surprising. I sent His Your Majesty the head of a Werewolf Monarch, but I couldn't get a viscount in return. If you don't agree, you can't drag this out to get a fifth-rank noble."
Ryan's voice echoed, causing the two women beside him to fall into deep thought.
" Noble Title are no longer something that the emperor alone can decide."
"Furthermore, with the emergence of the Baronet System, Noble Title were no longer something that could be decided by nobles and Monarch within an empire or a kingdom."
Ryan said, using himself as an example.
"There are now nine Lordship in the Frozen Earth Territory, and they can appear in many places dressed in noble attire and receive respect."
"This is what I gave them."
After Ryan finished speaking, he didn't continue the topic. He couldn't control which path Farrell chose, nor could he offer any advice. Although both of them understood that the special Legendary blessing they had received made Farrell instinctively trust Ryan, their relationship wasn't that close.
"Recently, the wealth of Zero Crossing City has increased once again. One of your streets has been sold for 150 Gold Coin per house."
"Let's not sell the rest. There will be even more noble offspring coming to Zero Crossing City."
Farrell nodded. He had also come to ask Ryan's opinion, but he was still curious.
"Why are all these little ones thinking of becoming adventurers in the Northlands?"
Ryan looked at Farrell. As far as he knew, the Commander in front of him should not have come from a high social standing, so how could he not understand the reason behind this?
"They want to become Legendary too."
"However, I dare not take them in."
Registering as an adventurer with the Northern Kingdom's Braveheart Guild is inherently risky. Ordinary people might just want a status to show off, but these noble Descendant won't be content with such a low-level identity; they want a real reputation that can be spread.
Just like Lynn.
However, Ryan knew very well that he had put in a lot of effort to bring out an Ashen Knight, and the knight escort was the cheapest price to pay.
When the next Ashen Knight emerges, countless people will die.
Their parents were not peasants, but nobles, and the resentment brought by nobles was far more serious than Gold Coin.
Those people can die in the Northlands for any reason, but if they die because of the Northern Kingdom's Braveheart Guild, it will greatly hinder the expansion of the Braveheart Guild.
Ryan didn't want this to happen, but he also wouldn't waste such a huge amount of resources.
" Commander Farrell, as an army Commander, do you know what is most important for a complete army?"
This problem is no challenge for the Commander of Winged Gorge.
"Logistics."
"So, do you know any way to perfectly avoid all the problems that logistics can encounter? Including but not limited to food rationing and transportation."
This question made Farrell hesitate, not because he couldn't think of an answer, but because there were too many answers, each of which was indispensable.
"If too many problems arise from people, then the solutions must also lie within people."
"If you can't solve the problem, solve the people who are causing the problem. Once you solve the people, everything will be solved."
"Therefore, if an army inevitably encounters logistical problems, then the problem must lie with the people involved."
"There is an army composed of certain types of people that will never have logistical problems."
"Knights, nobles, rulers, combined, make up an army of soldiers with noble blood."
"It will have a proud story."
"You think I'll have no friends if I expose people's shortcomings? Maybe... I'll have many friends."
The Frozen Earth Territory, the Wilds Avenue, is anything but wild; on the contrary, it is filled with sweltering air and deafening noise.
The hammer struck the crimson liquid, and slowly, the outline of a sword emerged.
But this is not the whole story. It takes a long time from the embryo of the longsword to its completion. Even the most skilled craftsmen here need five days to complete it. In addition, due to quality assurance, all the weapons and equipment produced by this blacksmith shop are not mass-produced.
However, Brock is not in this category. The tireless Brock can keep forging until a sword is transformed from a metal ingot into a sharp Knight's Greatsword.
Retrieving the scalding hot longsword from the icy snow water, Ryan was satisfied with Brock's skill, while the latter, unfazed, looked at him and asked:
"What name do you plan to give it this time?"
Ryan looked at the slightly bluish longsword in his hand, then suddenly laughed and said to Brock:
"How about we call it Frostmourne?"
"The winds and frosts of the Northlands are endless and seem Eternity, but before them, even the endless snow is destined to mourn its own decay."
"It doesn't sound like a good name."
"Brock said skeptically," Ryan smiled but didn't explain. He wasn't sure if the name "Future" was really cursed.
"But..."
As Ryan's power increased, flames on his arm gradually formed the outline of blurry Dragon Scale. The next moment, accompanied by a crisp cracking sound, the longsword shattered and fell to the ground.
"That's not enough."
Ryan was satisfied with Brock's craftsmanship, but the material of the sword was subpar and did not meet his requirements.
"You want three hundred of them. If you use even more Supernatural Materials, you won't be able to afford the cost."
As the forger, Brock knew exactly how many precious materials were mixed into this sword, and he looked at the broken longsword with heartache.
"Hahaha, Brock, do you still think I won't recoup my costs?"
"So how much are you planning to sell it for?"
"I'm not selling it; I plan to give it away as a gift."
"What's free is often the most expensive."
Two days later, Ryan went to Zero Crossing City again. The Elector had already left, and Meyers ' successor Chrysus, had also gone to the location of the Miracle of Light. Watching the nobles bickering with Count Pascal, Zero Crossing City was still bustling, and there were no nobles left to restrain Ryan's status.
In recent days, due to the departure of the nobles, more noble bloodlines have come to Zero Crossing City, angrily blocking the front of the Northern Kingdom's Braveheart Guild, questioning why they refused to register as adventurers.
The steward here handled things quite smoothly, showing no fear of these people's identities, as he himself had once been a nobleman.
"You've finally arrived, Lord Ryan."
Young Rhode bowed, a noble etiquette instilled in him by his family since childhood, and he breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Ryan arrive.
Ryan's orders were to refuse those people outside, but he wasn't told when it would end.
"Ignore those guys. Let the Northern Kingdom's Braveheart Guild continue operating normally. Oh, and train more people so we won't run out later."
Ryan did not settle here, but went to his other mansion. As for the original one, he had already given it to the Elector.
Give me the list.
As Ryan finished speaking, Apia emerged from the shadows, a small notebook in his hand.
The education provided by the nobility is already the best in the world, but Ryan still has to admit that there is a great deal of good and bad among people.
Butler Bilder continued to lead the caravan through the Northwind Province, in order to bring back more people and observe the members of those noble families.
"What skills do these people have besides being lucky?"
Ryan shook his head. Lynn was not an option. He was already very good, and the Hatton Family's upbringing had not resulted in any problems with the eldest son.
But the people Ryan sees now are a diverse bunch, all they do is eat, drink, and have fun.
This doesn't mean that there aren't real elites among those noble families, but rather that those people are all working diligently and practically, unlike these people who flocked to Zero Crossing City and have nothing to do, appearing very free and unrestrained.
Of course, Ryan didn't expect everyone to be qualified; he just wanted to find one among hundreds of people.
" Lawrence Xavier, the second son of Baron Xavier of Dragon Mountain County, was one of only two children. Lawrence also enjoyed the love of his noble father and lived a life of luxury. However, no matter how much love or conditions he received, he could not become the heir to the Baron."
"With the arrival of the Second Orc War, Baron Xavier fell ill due to his fear of the Orcs during the war, and his eldest son gradually began to take control of the territory, formally entering the transition of inheriting the Noble Title and territory."
" Lawrence, as the second son, has to face more choices. Sometimes, having no choices is actually a good thing."
"In their past experiences, the two children inevitably competed with each other. In the face of power, affection could only guarantee that they would work hard for the family, but it could not guarantee that they would recognize each other."
" Lawrence is working too hard, and the two of them are in stark contrast. If nothing unexpected happens, the eldest son will inherit the Noble Title, and in the future, Lawrence will grow into the Xavier Family's military leader, just like the relationship between Count Winter and Lord Horla."
"It's hard to say whether they complement each other, but it's clear that Lawrence is not a traditional person; he has his own thoughts and ideas about his future."
"After all, Baron Xavier is still alive, so the eldest son has no right to decide his younger brother's choice. And Baron Xavier's love for his two children is not biased, which gives Lawrence the confidence to make a choice."
In Ryan's view, this Lawrence was simply the epitome of hard work paying off.
The Transcendent Knight Path doesn't have high requirements for talent, but that doesn't mean it doesn't require any talent at all. People who are born with poor physical condition and can faint even when walking can't possibly withstand a knife attack and still be alive and kicking.
Lawrence had some, but not much; hard work became his only driving force.
" Lawrence, well done!"
Roars erupted around the square, and the crowd cheered wildly. In the square, a strong, bare-chested youth let out a deep, beast-like growl before charging forward, knocking several slaves off the platform.
"Victory!"
Lawrence roared, stepped down from the platform, and, with the help of his servants, wiped the blood off his body.
"How dare they steal a nobleman's Gold Coin! Lawrence, why don't you kill those bastards?"
"Theft is not punishable by death, and a knight should not wield his sword against such a crime."
"They have received the punishment they deserved."
"This is no small matter."
While the people around were still arguing, a servant came over and said something to Lawrence's servant.
"Young Master, Young Master Lynn requests your presence."
Lawrence nodded. Everyone was of noble blood, but there was still a big difference between heirs and non-heirs. The former would inherit the Noble Title and become nobles, while the latter could only be dependent on others. Moreover, after two generations, they would become members of a noble family and would have no direct relationship with the Noble Title.
The hierarchy of contempt is quite straightforward: the heirs consider themselves nobles, while everyone else is merely a vassal.
Lawrence composed himself until his blood and qi calmed down, and his expression returned to its kind state. He walked towards the magnificent house with the composure of a nobleman.
" Lynn..."
When Lawrence saw Lynn, he was about to bow when he noticed Ryan sitting next to Lynn.
His eyes widened, and then a long sword was thrown at him.
Bang bang bang bang bang!!!
Ryan kept attacking, and even though it was just the power of Apprentice Knight, it was enough to suppress Lawrence, who had only recently awakened his Life Spark, and Lawrence was unable to move. His whole body soon began to ache.
With each relentless suppression and attack, Lawrence was powerless to retaliate. However, Ryan gave him a chance to catch his breath. Lawrence, his blood boiling, tried to draw his Knight's Greatsword, but every time he raised his hand even slightly, Ryan would bring down an even greater force, slapping the longsword and his hand back.
He wanted to say something, but Ryan's fierce attacks prevented him from opening his mouth to speak; otherwise, the collapse of his blood and qi would have defeated him in an instant.
"Ah!!!!"
Lawrence withstood more than a dozen attacks from Ryan on his shoulders, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He finally freed his hands, and as his longsword was drawn, the dazzling ice-blue light shocked Lawrence. It wasn't until he turned and slashed down that he realized the person in front of him was someone he couldn't look directly at with his sword, but by then it was too late.
Ryan gripped the blade and returned to his seat, while the other two in the room kept their eyes fixed on the magnificent Knight's Greatsword.
" Ryan... this sword."
Lynn swallowed hard. Only a knight knows what kind of weapon is powerful, and the sword before him was the sword of his dreams.
" Brock's new works will not be numerous due to limitations in materials."
"You want it?"
Ryan looked at Lynn, who kept nodding, but Ryan refused to listen.
"It's not about the money. If you can ever achieve the feat you brought back to Zero Crossing City on your own, I can choose to give you a weapon. But I think Mr. Haton will definitely overturn my Rhino Horn Mountain."
Ryan smiled and looked at Lawrence again, his voice calm and authoritative.
"You seem rather dissatisfied with the future your father chose for you? Become the first knight of the Xavier Family, protect the family's honor and heritage, and uphold the Xavier Family's dignity."
"No, I am of the Xavier Family bloodline, and I swear to defend the honor of my bloodline to the death."
Lawrence said that Ryan's words were too absolute, but Ryan wasn't wrong either; he didn't want to live that kind of life.
The Baron Xavier family's territory consists of only two mountains, one of which has Iron Ore and the other is surrounded by farmland and a small town. He has been watching those two mountains for more than a decade.
Like many children, Lawrence longs to go out and see the world. Even with the love of her parents, she inevitably wants to break free from the confinement that is supposed to be love.
Or rather, ambition— Lawrence harbored ambitions within himself that he couldn't fully comprehend.
"You came to Zero Crossing City hoping to be loved by thousands like him, thereby increasing your prestige?"
Ryan's words made Lynn a little embarrassed, but Lawrence nodded firmly.
"I admire Mr. Lynn very much. If I could, I could also bring back an Orcs's head from the Wilds all by myself."
"I've killed Orcs, just not that many, but I know how to kill them."
Lawrence's eyes remained fixed on the longsword in his hand; he couldn't put it down.
"You've gone too far."
Ryan's words puzzled Lawrence.
"For commoners, going on an adventure in the Northlands is indeed a good choice, but you are a nobleman, and the Xavier Family blood flows in your veins. If nothing unexpected happens, your father or grandfather must have come from a great noble family."
"The nobility deep in one's bloodline is dignity, but if you want to abandon this dignity, then your starting point is destined to be lower than that of ordinary people, because you will bear more responsibility."
"Responsibility is like the spirit of chivalry."
"You have to carry this responsibility to achieve your goals, but ordinary people don't have such a heavy responsibility. There is no essential difference between a family and a clan, but the pressure is different."
"So, they can take one step to become adventurers, but you need two."
"Do you want this sword?"
Ryan looked at Lawrence and said, "This sword is the finest weapon that Brock forged, besides the Legendary longsword."
"Let's go to the Northlands, like the people Meyers brought, and enter the real Northlands, not the Wilds of Northwind Province."
"And then come back alive."
"I will pay the price for your death and Baron Xavier's wrath. Although my army helped him clear the Orcs, I believe that if his son dies in the Northlands because of my instigation, all the previous favors will be for naught. Your father will declare war on me for your sake. He is not strong enough, but Meyers will help him deal with me."
"This is what I have to endure. If you die, I will send people to retrieve this sword. It is very precious, so precious that if it is lost, I will spare no expense to send people to find it."
"So, if you come back alive, I hope you can take the first step."
"To become a soldier."
"This is a deal. You're betting your future, and I'm betting all my efforts over the past few years to gain the Xavier Family's approval."