Arrival at Northwind City
Victor stood on the boat, looking at the coastline where there was still a lot of ice floes. Even though it was springtime and the Great Fish River had thawed, the ice floes that covered the nearshore waters still affected the efficiency of the waterway. If a ship were to accidentally hit a large piece of ice, it could easily be damaged.
However, the boat Victor was currently on was well-equipped to handle these situations. It was reinforced with a large amount of Iron Birch Wood, had a steel ram added to the bow, and its center of gravity had been adjusted. While it didn't yet possess icebreaking capabilities, as its power still relied on sails, these improvements allowed the boat to navigate relatively safely on the Broken Ice Sea.
Today is April 2nd. Victor has just left Sea Song Town and is preparing to sail south to Northwind City to visit the Count Colt family and Viscount Benjamin in Iron Birch Territory, and to meet his fiancée.
Although the entire territory of North York County belongs to the Iron Birch Territory, and Northwind City is also the county seat of North York County, the Iron Birch Family should reside in Northwind City. However, perhaps considering that Northwind City is too convenient for transportation and has smooth waterways, making it unfavorable for defense, the Iron Birch Family has always set up their residence at Iron Mountain Fortress, 30 kilometers away from Northwind City.
Victor planned to go to Northwind City first, and then travel overland to Iron Mountain Fortress. This time he did not bring many people, only half of his guards and a small squad of soldiers. The ship was loaded with key parts for Bed Crossbow, crossbows, and Catapult to be delivered to Alex, as well as gifts to be given to the two noble families.
The route from Sea Song Town to Northwind City was familiar to the fleet of the Two Rivers Territory. With favorable winds, they arrived at their destination, Northwind City, in just two days. The ships docked at the Northwind City pier at 3 p. m. on April 4.
Vidoc had already arranged for someone to go to Iron Mountain Fortress to inform him of his visit, and planned to rest in Northwind City for one night with his men before setting off for Iron Mountain Fortress early the next morning.
Unexpectedly, Alex found him with his men at 8 p. m.
"Victor, I didn't expect you to arrive so early. I thought you would be a few days away. My uncle's family hasn't arrived yet." Alex was very happy and hugged Victor.
"Spring came earlier than I expected this year. As soon as the ice on the Great Fish River melted, I set off immediately. The journey went smoothly, and I arrived a day earlier than agreed." Victor was a little unaccustomed to Alex's enthusiasm.
Alex looked at the temporary accommodation Victor had found and shook his head. "Victor, as a newly appointed viscount, you should be more careful when you travel. Even a baron would find this place too shabby. Even if it's just temporary accommodation, you should find a place more befitting your status."
After saying this, Alex was about to leave with Victor. Victor had no choice but to tell his men to stay there for the time being, and that Victor would send someone to inform them early the next morning so they could go to Iron Mountain Fortress together.
Victor, accompanied by several guards, left with Alex. Alex led Victor to a villa area in the Northwind City. They entered a villa, which was elegantly decorated and had servants to manage it. Alex invited Victor to the study to enjoy some wine.
"This area is full of villas that various Northern Frontier nobles have bought in Northwind City. My family also owns several properties here. This villa is mine. The environment here is also much better than other districts in Northwind City. Why don't you just buy a property here in the future? I can arrange it for you."
"No rush. My family is small, and my younger siblings still need to live with my parents. I also need to be in charge of the work in the territory all year round. I really can't leave. I'll buy property here when I have more time later."
"You are indeed a born Northern Frontier nobles. I've heard my uncle tell stories about my maternal grandfather. Back then, my grandfather would travel by camping in tents and wouldn't even stay in a hotel. He devoted all his energy and resources to expanding his territory and advancing his rank. My father also thought that my grandfather was the most pioneering Northern Frontier nobles. I didn't expect you to be just as good."
"I'm not exaggerating. I think a little enjoyment can help relieve mental stress and allow me to better focus on my work. So I care a lot about food. This time I brought my kitchen team and I'm really looking forward to the food at Iron Birch Territory."
"That's wonderful. Ever since you treated me to the delicacies of your territory last time, I've been craving them. I'm so glad I can taste them again. Our Iron Mountain Fortress also has its own specialties, and I'm sure they won't disappoint you."
"Victor, how long do you plan to stay this time? Do you have any other plans?"
"We'll see. I'm planning to go back to Boler County to visit my family. After seeing Viscount Benjamin and his family, I might stay for a day or two before leaving."
"It seems there's still plenty of time. My uncle and his family should also be setting off on the 2nd. They're taking the Blackwater River waterway, which requires a detour. In previous years, it would take at least four days, and sometimes five or six. After I take you back to visit my father, I'll show you around Iron Birch Territory."
"I couldn't ask for more, but it's only two or three days, I probably won't be able to see all of Iron Birch Territory."
"The Iron Birch Family's territories in North York County and Bria County total nearly several square kilometers. It would take a month to walk through the entire area, but I can lead you around the core area of Northwind City and Iron Mountain Fortress in two or three days."
Seeing that it was getting late, Alex arranged for Victor to go back to his room to rest, and they agreed to return to Iron Mountain Fortress together the next morning. Then he also went to prepare for bed.
After Victor returned to his room, he immediately called out to Number One in his mind, "During this time, Number One, you need to record all the geographical information and the routes I have taken in real time. Of course, we can't waste the opportunity to obtain a high-precision map of the core area of Iron Birch Territory."
"The task has been established. The basic map of the entire Grand Duchy of Vera has been generated. Only 10% of the area has reached medium accuracy, and the high accuracy area is only square kilometers, which is less than 5% of the total map area. The remaining areas need further on-site investigation or data supplementation."
"Take it slow. Once we complete the Basic Education 2.0 phase and cultivate a few talents who can master drawing, I will arrange a caravan to travel the whole country and take them all over the Grand Duchy."
"Okay, Victor, we have plenty of time, we can just take it one step at a time."
"Yes, time is on our side. The population census in Two Rivers Territory has been completed. With this data, many of our tasks this year can move to the next stage."