Barbarians Attack

Allen sat on a stone bench in the garden, looking at Yorkshire with disdain.

Yorkshire, with his mature and handsome face, was full of flattery and looked expectantly at his Lord.

Sakre was not far away, holding two broken swords and practicing half-heartedly, his ears perked to eavesdrop.

"My Lord, could you spare a little more of your precious time to help us?" Yorkshire took out a small glass bottle from his embrace and offered it to Allen.

Allen unscrewed the cap, took a sniff, and sneered, "You're trying to fool me with this junk?"

"No, no, this is my treasured vintage wine from the Royal City. I haven't even taken a sip myself, I've saved it all for you."

Yorkshire, who had never given gifts before, had long since abandoned his past reserve. He felt that giving gifts to Allen was no big deal because Allen was worth it.

Ever since he arrived at Outpost County, especially after the recent events, Yorkshire's opinion of Allen had changed greatly, and he was willing to call him Lord.

Allen pulled out a stack of papers from his embrace, sighed, and placed them in front of Yorkshire.

Yorkshire treated them like treasures and showered Allen with praise. Holding the papers, he couldn't help but lament how the people in the Royal City had lived for decades in vain. Baron Allen was truly a pearl hidden in the dust, being assigned to the barren Outpost County.

Several accompanying officials behind him crowded around, their praises incessant, even though many of them didn't understand what they were looking at.

It turned out that not long ago, the General Affairs Hall was destroyed, and many documents were lost. Yorkshire had to gather his subordinate officials to try and restore the civil affairs documents and various other files.

After Allen noticed this, he, being bored, wanted to show off. He drew up a table, arranging the citizens by the first letter of their names, similar to the tables of later generations, and scientifically created a framework for civil affairs.

At first, Yorkshire and the others couldn't understand it. Their previous documents were completely unscientific, just a person's name, followed by income and expenses, a complete mess.

Later, Allen made an account book as an example and explained it in detail.

This made Yorkshire panic, and Sakre panicked too.

They had never heard of such a concise and clear recording method. On the Saint Cassis Continent, which was still in the Middle Ages, even the writing system was not unified. One could imagine how shocked they were by the tables Allen had created.

It wasn't just Yorkshire who understood the importance of this table and recording method; Sakre, who had received various noble educations since childhood, also understood.

However, what shocked them the most was Allen's Arabic numerals and his seemingly profound calculation methods.

But their shock was useless. The main person involved was just bored at the time, so he showed off things like linear equations and quadratic equations.

Feeling very proud of himself, Allen couldn't stop showing off. As a result, when Yorkshire pestered him relentlessly to learn, Allen regretted it.

Because Yorkshire and the others severely infringed upon his noble rights and disturbed his pleasant life of eating and sleeping.

After throwing a stack of papers to dismiss Yorkshire and the others, Allen, holding the wine, was about to leave when Wood, with a fawning face, came over again.

Allen looked at this charlatan with great displeasure, his nose not his nose and his eyes not his eyes.

Wood carefully took out a children's book from his embrace and said in a humble tone, "Baron, I have already read your masterpiece."

Logically speaking, a clergyman like Wood should not read such children's books that were based on the Holy See and the Overgod. However, no one knew how devout this Bishop truly was.

Moreover, completely captivated, Wood no longer remembered which onion the Holy Father and Overgod were. His mind was filled with the mighty image of the Vajra Red Ape defeating all false gods. Perhaps the greatest wish of such an old loner was for a brash young man to appear and constantly deal with so-called authorities and important figures.

"And then? What about it?" Allen said impatiently, "Are you looking for trouble? Don't try to frame me, and don't forget we're in the same trench."

Allen knew that these clergymen were masters of framing. He had written this thing out of boredom just to please Dina, but the content subtly satirized the Holy See.

"No, no, how could that be? I just wanted to ask, that fire-elemental magical beast, the incredibly powerful Vajra Red Ape, the book says he encountered the high-level magical beast Man-faced Spider, and the reincarnated Pope was also captured by the other party. What happened next? What happened after that?"

"Direction? What direction? Oh right, it's Old Sun, no, it's the Vajra Red Ape, and the reincarnated Pope. They were all stewed by the Man-faced Spider." After speaking, Allen left Wood dumbfounded with a cool back and went to find something to pass the time.

It had to be said that Yorkshire's ability to accept and learn was very fast. Within three days, the citizen files of Outpost County were re-organized. Moreover, these officials, uncharacteristically, applied the same logic and used the account books and tables in many other areas.

Bishop Wood of the diocese, while half-heartedly teaching Dina theology, had his mind filled with the majestic figure of the Vajra Red Ape wielding a fine steel dragon-slaying spear.

Allen looked on in amazement, never expecting this old charlatan to be a potential fan of fantasy literature.

As for Dina, it was even worse. She was already muddled-headed, and now she still couldn't distinguish whether the Pope or the Cardinal was higher in rank, and she even thought that the Holy Father and the Overgod were two different deities.

Old Laixi's temperament had also changed drastically. He always boasted about defeating a Magus without exerting any effort, completely disregarding Allen's feelings as a human bomb. He no longer crept around the old castle like a ghost, but still sat in the garden every day, muttering things no one could understand.

However, while Sakre supported his uncle, he also secretly curled his lips. He had a strange premonition and confidence that even if Magus Hels wasn't ambushed to death, he might not be his uncle's opponent, although he didn't know what level Old Laixi had reached.

Allen noticed that Old Laixi seemed to be getting younger. The wrinkles on his face were decreasing, and if one ignored his lewd old face, one could feel an inexplicable aura and pressure.

Allen, who had some knowledge of various magical books, recalled a term – magical pressure. It was the subtle elemental ability of high-level mages that would affect mages with lower cultivation.

Allen knew that after consuming the Dragon Egg, his Mental Power should be considered that of a Magus. This meant that this old butler, who chatted with his great-nephew all day, might have already reached the level of a Magus.

Besides Allen, Wood also noticed Old Laixi's abnormality. Every time he met the old butler, he adopted a very humble posture. It should be known that Wood, who cultivated the Holy Light system, was at least a senior mage according to the Mage Association's standards.

In the past few days, realizing that Sakre truly had no more money to extort, Allen became bored again. As a result, Old Laixi, quite proud of having tricked Magus Hels to death last time, forced Allen to start reading and meditating, preparing to harm another unsuspecting peer next time.

Meanwhile, in the Royal City's Council Hall of the Kingdom of Locke, hundreds of high-ranking officials, each holding a stack of papers, frowned and read intently.

King Manrosal lightly tapped his palm with his scepter, while Grand Duke Kerlai, on his right, remained silent.

"Ministers, what do you think, can these whimsical ideas be popularized?" Manrosal continued, raising the papers in his hand, "Whether it's the recording method or the policy loopholes and measures for various aspects of the kingdom proposed by Baron Allen, you must read them carefully. Especially after you return, you must diligently study these symbols."

An old man in noble attire walked respectfully before Manrosal, then glanced at the Grand Duke with difficulty before speaking, "I and a few of my subordinates have already studied them carefully. This recording method and the method of training basic infantry can indeed be called novel. However, whether it is a whimsical idea or a wild fantasy, we cannot conclude yet. Moreover, the details are too vague..."

Seeing that the minister, who came from a noble family, had not finished speaking, Manrosal gave a hum and waited for the rest.

"The main question is, are these things truly conceived by Baron Allen?" Minister Kota's tone clearly carried disbelief.

The King and the Grand Duke remained silent.

Many ministers below began to whisper to each other, but their words were all filled with doubt towards Allen.

Kota noticed the Grand Duke hadn't spoken and continued, "So I think we shouldn't issue the Royal City commendation order for now. Everyone knows what kind of person Baron Allen is— no, what his personality is like. I think we should wait a few days for feedback from below before deciding."

Remembering how his plump granddaughter had confessed her feelings to Allen, only to be kicked into the moat, Kota became more animated as he spoke, completely failing to notice Grand Duke Claire's darkening expression. He continued to criticize Allen: "It's not that this old minister doesn't trust Baron Allen, but when it comes to strategies for strengthening the nation and its military, Baron Allen has never studied them since childhood. These are all his own ideas, and I absolutely don't believe them. However, if he were talking about how to prank others, or to swindle..."

Before Kota could finish, Claire kicked him squarely in his old face.

With a kick that sent the white-haired Kota flying, the Grand Duke scanned the chattering officials below with a somber expression, gritting his teeth. "I will have that idiot Allen return to the Royal City immediately. If this matter is true when he gets back, I'll have that brat smash your mansions."

Sitting on the throne, Manrosal was unfazed. He recalled the scene of Allen causing chaos in the imperial palace when he was younger, a complex smile appearing on his stern face.

"Urgent report from the border!" a warrior with a banner on his back burst in. After saluting the kingdom, he shouted, "Flame urgent report from Magus Gatt of the Second Legion stationed at the border: Nearly a hundred Barbarians from the wilderness have broken through the border defenses and are heading straight for Outpost County."

Everyone in the council hall was greatly alarmed. Kerlai walked over and asked suspiciously, "Nearly a hundred? The Second Legion can't even stop a hundred Barbarians?"

The armored warrior replied, "The Second Legion has left only two Maguses and the logistics department behind. The rest of the legion's cavalry and infantry have been completely withdrawn under the guise of an exercise by the Earth Dragon Legion Commander, and there's a letter as proof, approved by the Minister of Military Affairs, Lord Kota."

Kota, who had just stood up, ready to cause a scene, turned deathly pale.

"Despicable!" Kerlai's face turned as dark as water, ignoring Kota.

He knew Kota had also been tricked by Xiulunte.

As the father, Kerlai had been paying attention to everything happening in Outpost County, including the conflict between his foolish youngest son and Xiulunte. He hadn't expected Xiulunte to be so base.

Most of the Griffin Knights of the Earth Dragon Legion served as scouts. Xiulunte couldn't possibly not know about the nearly hundred Barbarians emerging from the wilderness. It was too coincidental that the Second Legion was completely withdrawn at this very moment; it was clearly a plan to kill with a borrowed knife.

But it was too late to say anything now. There were no armed forces on the northern side of Outpost County. The dozens of Faith Guardian Knights protecting the Bishop of the Diocese were no match for nearly a hundred Barbarians.

It was easy to imagine that these Barbarians were all elite barbarians, and they were definitely heading for Dina.

Recalling the tragic fate of the maid beside his youngest son, Claire's face grew even more somber.

"Xiulunte, if my son and Dina suffer any harm, I will make you and the Earth Dragon Legion pay with your lives." Kerlai made no effort to hide his rage, speaking such words in public.

There were many high-ranking officials among them who believed in the Overgod, but they all wisely remained silent. Sometimes, their faith in their deities was useless when compared to the absolute power before them.

Manrosal, on the throne, threw the King's scepter into Kerlai's hands and said expressionlessly, "Go. Besides the Royal City Guard, mobilize the First and Third Legions from the north. Hopefully, it won't be too late. I still haven't settled old scores with that brat Allen."

Kerlai took the scepter, cast a grateful glance at his elder brother, and hurried away.