Intimidation, House Arrest

When it comes to cooking Dragon Heart, the Count Clayton is undoubtedly the best.

Obtaining Dragon Heart doesn't mean you can use it. Only ruthless people, like Frost Giant, would directly consume Dragon Heart Dragon Heart. Ryan doesn't have their brutal physique and appetite. As a refined human, he still needs auxiliary tools.

Extraordinary potions—a set of Magic Potion used to help human knights devour Dragon Heart would cost no less than the potions used to help a knight become Sky Knight from Golden Knight.

Because Dragons are so rare, they are both expensive and unavailable.

Ryan needed the Clayton Family's extraordinary resources to assist in using the Dragon Heart, so he wrote a letter to the South.

Of course, besides resources, Ryan also wanted to ask Count Clayton about the legends of Dragons he knew.

He sent a Dragon Scale to his count father, belonging to the terrible Isabella. He wondered if the Flame Dragon would know that such a being existed in their race.

The Dragon Scale were found on the shore. Surtr's power was terrifying. Even Isabella, that incomparably powerful Tidal Dragon, was constantly being defeated. The flames over there were reigniting this world.

Before Ryan could send his letter to the Calais Province, Viscount Melendez, his father-in-law, had already given his response to the previous question about ships sailing the seas.

As Ryan's value and status became apparent, both Count Clayton and Viscount Melendez saw Ryan as a worthy ally.

Given their relationship, the father-in-law did not refuse Ryan's request and sent his sons and a group of craftsmen to the Northlands.

This is inevitable. The shipbuilding technology mastered by the craftsmen is the knowledge that Melendez Family relies on for survival and to pass on. It is something that cannot be passed on to outsiders, not even to Ryan.

The arrival of the craftsmen will help Ryan build, but the people of the Frozen Earth Territory will not see it. The guarantee is that the children of Viscount Melendez, true members of the Melendez Family, will be there.

Why are we talking about true members? Doesn't Avril count? Well, she doesn't. Avril is now the mistress of the Ryan Family, and her surname has become "Ryan."

"Is it Gabriel?"

Avril said with some surprise, her expression not very happy.

"My relationship with him is not very good."

Avril said that the relationship between the offspring of nobles is not very good. First of all, the eldest son is naturally the heir to the Noble Title.

However, the nobles did not show more love and education to their children below the eldest son. This was to make them understand that their relationship with the eldest son was not just that of an older brother and younger brother and sister, but also that of a monarch and his subjects.

To ensure that hereditary power would not be stained with too much blood, it was also a way for nobles to protect their children.

It can only be said that every rule has ancient and long historical lessons behind it.

This was the relationship with the eldest son, but there was competition among the other children.

Especially after the arrival of the Northlands, the nobles remained in the South third of the land, where there were more wolves than meat.

The other children of the nobles had to fight for what they wanted.

Do women have no value in this process? No, they do. The daughters of nobles are themselves bargaining chips for marriage alliances, and they need to be won over. At the same time, the sons of nobles also need to win the help and support of their sisters.

After all, once a woman gets married, her son might be able to gain more opportunities through his married sisters or cousins with whom he has a good relationship.

Just like Avril, if Melendez Family has someone she's on good terms with, then she can naturally rely on Baron Ryan to get a meal.

If they were even better, they could make a fortune from the resources connecting the Northlands and the South.

There is no pure kinship among nobles; connections based on interests are commonplace.

However, it is clear that Avril and Gabriel do not get along well, nor do she get along well with Viscount Melendez's other children. As Mages, she has detached ideas.

"That's a despicable guy."

Avril said this, and a few days later, Ryan also met this despicable Melendez Family bloodline.

"The Northlands is so cold. How could Father allow Avril to marry Baron from such a remote place? Just because he's Clayton's son?"

Deep ruts left distinct marks on the frosty ground. Gabriel peeked out from inside the carriage by lifting the curtain, then shuddered and withdrew his hand.

"It's so cold, damn it! Avril used so many of the Melendez Family's resources; she should have married an earl's heir, not a Baron from the Northlands!"

Gabriel said through gritted teeth, "Those peasants outside have no idea about the responsibilities that we noble bloodlines bear."

"Father invested at least 100,000 Gold Coin in Avril, more than all of us children combined, and yet she selfishly came to this wretched place in the Northlands."

"The only answer I can think of is that my father needed to make a political deal with the Count Clayton, otherwise how could he have allowed the family's shipbuilders to come to such a cold place?"

In his eyes, only the great nobles were worthy of his attention, and only the bloodline of the viscount family was qualified to be his equal. As for those weak Baron, they were merely a trench to help the viscount bloodline stand in front of knights and commoners.

Gabriel believed his status was above those Baron, Baron earned only a few Gold Coin a year, but as Melendez Family's son, Gabriel could help Melendez Family acquire at least three thousand Gold Coin a year.

Melendez Family amassed a fortune by relying on the river that led to the West Coast.

"Stop!"

A loud shout brought the convoy to a halt. Gabriel, who had been deep in thought, was jolted awake and then became furious.

"Damn it, can't you see this is a nobleman's carriage?"

He angrily rushed out of the carriage, only to see rows of armored figures, exuding a chilling black aura in the sunlight, blocking his convoy and the sun itself.

At this moment, the world made Gabriel feel the cold of the Northlands, on these icy armors.

"What are you doing? We are a group of viscounts and nobles from the South!"

Gabriel shouted loudly, but the knight in front remained unmoved.

"Ahead lies Lord Ryan's hunting grounds. You may choose to take a detour or wait."

The knight said coldly, then turned away and stopped looking at the frail team standing in the cold wind.

"Ryan? Ryan Clayton?"

"We were invited here by him, and now he's trying to stop us?"

The nobleman roared loudly, Ryan finally arrived a moment later, smiling as he looked at Gabriel.

"Mr. Gabriel, you've finally arrived. I've been waiting for you here for two days after receiving the Viscount's letter, and I got a little itchy when I didn't see you."

Looking at Ryan in front of him, Gabriel snorted coldly, his first impression of Ryan after arriving in the Northlands was not good.

"Now that we're here, let's hurry back to the Frozen Earth Territory. Avril misses you, her brother."

"Her? At least she still has some conscience."

Gabriel said this, making his carriage run alongside Ryan on the road, then lifted the curtain and asked Ryan was riding beside him on his warhorse:

"You're hunting here? There are so many prey in the Northlands, yet you've ventured into human territory."

He scoffed, saying that in the South, wild beasts and Magical Beast could only hide in the deep mountains and forests.

"The Northlands has its own unique game."

Ryan said meaningfully, then glanced behind him. Gabriel walked quickly alongside Ryan, so he naturally didn't see that the shipbuilding team he brought was already trembling with fear.

The sides of the knights' warhorses brought by Ryan were covered with bloody and grotesque heads, which were still fresh and retained their ferocity and muscular activity from when they were alive.

The shipbuilding craftsmen following the army were all pale-faced and dared not even lift their heads.

Only Gabriel, unable to turn back, couldn't see this horrifying scene.

"This place seems quite nice. Is this the governor's city of the Northlands?"

Looking at Zero Crossing City, Gabriel nodded scrutinizingly.

"I've heard your territory is in the Northlands, where snowstorms have buried everything. How far is it from here?"

As the hospital of the Melendez Family, Gabriel is quite capable; it's clear that nearby territories will benefit from it.

"After passing the Swamp and walking through the Mountain Forest, you will see the Frozen Earth Territory."

"Ah--!!!"

Gabriel's horrified scream made Ryan frown slightly. He rubbed his ears and looked at Gabriel, who was getting off the bus in the Frozen Earth Territory.

"Mr. Gabriel? What are you doing?"

The latter pointed in terror at the dense array of Orcs heads behind him, his mouth agape, unable to close, and unable to utter a word.

"This is prey. Didn't I tell you before? We have unique products from the Northlands here."

"I got bored while waiting, so I went hunting and told them the reward was one Gold Coin for each head, and these guys were quite excited."

Ryan shrugged and said, then looked at Gabriel in surprise.

"Are you scared? Didn't you see it before?"

"I can't believe it," Ryan asked. Gabriel's legs trembled. He wanted to move them and tell Ryan that it was nothing, but he couldn't lift them no matter what he did.

After a long while, the man was lifted up by the servants who had come to their senses.

"This road is indeed difficult to travel."

The warhorses traversed the narrow mountain path, which led directly to the Frozen Earth Territory below, moving as if on flat ground.

Ryan smiled, Gabriel, with his sharp eyes, noticed.

"You damned bastard, how dare you scare me! You'll never get me to build you a ship!"

"And this godforsaken place, where you can't even walk, you still need a boat?"

Gabriel didn't think these words in his mind; he shouted them out loud, and everyone could hear him.

Ryan frowned slightly, then looked at Gabriel.

"Are you a shipbuilder?"

He paused for a moment, then said:

"It seems not. Since you're not a craftsman, what does it matter to you whether the ship can be launched or not?"

Ryan shook his head and then waved his hand. The surrounding soldiers were already forcing the servants to send Gabriel to Rhino Horn Mountain.

"Avril really wants to ask how your Viscount Melendez, is doing this year? You should go to the castle first; it's so cold outside. That's how it is in the Northlands. I imagine you can't stand the cold. How about I give you a deerskin coat as a gift?"

Gabriel was already far away, but there were still many soldiers around. None of the craftsmen, who had been frightened all the way, dared to move.

"Look at that glacier, could we build a ship there?"

Ryan led these people to the north side of Rhino Horn Mountain and pointed to the river that had been frozen for hundreds of years.

"This..."

The craftsmen exchanged glances, then one of them gritted his teeth and said:

"Sir, without Young Master Gabriel's orders and supervision, we cannot build any parts."

Looks like he wasn't scared enough along the way...

Ryan hesitated for a moment, and the next moment a tremendous force descended from the sky, directly pressing the artisan who had spoken down beneath him.

The enormous, mountain-like wild boar roared as it charged forward, followed by hundreds of dark-skinned boars that viciously brandished their tusks. After the frenzy, the only thing that disappeared was the craftsman who had spoken.

"I remember Gabriel just told you to build the ships properly, didn't he?"

Ryan frowned and asked, somewhat uncertain, then glanced at the craftsmen again.

Hilarious! They've come to the Frozen Earth Territory, and they actually think one Gabriel can stop Ryan from building ships?

Gabriel is cooperative, but if he doesn't, Ryan won't be so lenient.

If he had been more direct, it would have been fine, but right now Ryan desperately needs ships that can sail on the Nidhogg Ocean, so he doesn't have time for Gabriel's deterrence game.

Even if his father-in-law came in person, he would still have to help Ryan build the ship as quickly as possible.

"We can't build a ship here, here..."

Finally, one of the craftsmen spoke up in fear. Although they were craftsmen with exquisite and unique skills, they were still slaves and did not gain more status or respect because of their skills.

Fear is an instinct.

"Why?"

"A boat needs water. Without water, we cannot determine whether the boat is intact. Only in the water can we know the boat's balance."

These craftsmen used to build ships on the water.

This made Ryan frown. These craftsmen didn't seem very reliable; their skills were lacking.

Ryan waved his hand, the Planar Gate opened, and then he said to Brandt:

"Keep an eye on them, just focus on getting the ship built."

On Rhino Horn Mountain.

Gabriel was still cursing when Ryan returned to the castle, somewhat puzzled, before he finally understood.

"You didn't even go to see him?"

Ryan said with a smile, and Avril winked at him without explaining.

"If you don't want to go, then don't go. This guy doesn't seem to be very bright. Could he be the Viscount's illegitimate son?"

"Hiss~ Honey, is Viscount Melendez really that classy? There's no such thing."

"Let's leave this guy out for now. I'll have Egil take him hunting in a couple of days."

"The people of the Northlands are kind and honest; your brother will definitely like them."

That's what Ryan said at night.

(End of this chapter)