Awakening

Inside the castle.

Within a spacious room.

Neil Morton slowly awoke from his slumber.

"Wasn't I dead?"

A trace of confusion appeared on Neil Morton's face.

In his final memory, his body had been infected by Datura Poison.

Theoretically, without a High-Tier Priest or a massive replenishment of Life Source Power, he should have died long ago.

Yet at this moment, he did not seem to have returned to the embrace of the Goddess of Life.

He could still feel his body, feel everything around him.

He could even tell that this place was likely a castle.

"Was I saved?"

As the question arose, Neil Morton was filled with curiosity.

His expression also became thoughtful.

Just as he was puzzled.

He suddenly seemed to sense something, and his gaze instantly turned toward the door.

At the very moment he looked toward it.

"Creak!"

The wooden door let out a soft sound, and the next moment, a figure entered his sight.

It was a young knight, seemingly no more than eighteen or nineteen. He had a straight, upright frame and handsome features, with an air of calm composure.

"It seems Your Excellency has awakened."

"How do you feel?"

Thor spoke gently with a smile, his gaze resting on Neil Morton.

"Thank you, Your Excellency, for saving me. I cannot thank you enough!"

"I am much better already!"

Neil Morton gave a slight knightly salute.

Hearing Thor's words and taking in his expression and the surroundings, Neil Morton naturally understood what had happened.

"You are too polite, Your Excellency!"

Thor smiled and shook his head.

"No, no, this is not mere politeness. Without Your Excellency's help, I might already have died in the forest."

Neil Morton shook his head and spoke earnestly.

As a Sky Knight, he knew very well what condition he had been in. Without the help of the man before him, he would certainly have died.

Moreover, he could imagine that the other party had likely paid no small price.

The Life Seed within him had nearly withered away. Unless it received a massive infusion of source power, there was no way it could be reactivated. Yet in the end, his Life Seed had been reactivated. The conclusion needed no further explanation.

Neil Morton was not someone who disregarded favors.

Seeing the earnest look on Neil Morton's face, Thor could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Clearly, this mysterious old man was not an ungrateful person.

That alone was already a very good outcome.

"Your Excellency, you may simply call me Thor. Upon hearing that you had awakened, I had my servants prepare some food."

"I would be honored to invite you to join me!"

Thor spoke gently as he extended an invitation to Neil Morton.

"Then I thank you, Knight Thor!"

Neil Morton hesitated slightly, but ultimately nodded in thanks. By then, he had noticed that Thor wore no noble insignia. Still, as his lifesaver, Neil Morton treated him with great respect.

As for food, after nearly two months without eating, even with Life Potions, Neil Morton felt intensely hungry.

"The honor is mine!"

Thor smiled and nodded, then led Neil Morton toward the dining hall.

Once the two were seated.

Plates of food were soon brought out.

"May I ask where Lord Neil is from?"

Thor spoke gently. He draped a napkin around himself and elegantly dealt with the food before him, his words directed at Neil Morton with curiosity.

"I come from the east of the Tulip Kingdom, not from here."

"It is a beautiful land covered in Melandy."

Neil Morton spoke wistfully, his thoughts drifting toward his distant homeland and that figure he remembered, leaving a trace of loneliness on his face.

"My apologies. I was too presumptuous and brought up unpleasant memories for you!"

Seeing Neil Morton's expression, Thor hurriedly spoke.

"No, no, Knight Thor, it was not unpleasant. You misunderstand!"

"I have yet to thank you for saving me and for your hospitality!"

"Is there anything you need help with? If it is within my ability, I will certainly do my utmost."

Neil Morton shook his head, then changed the subject. He looked at Thor and spoke earnestly.

"You are too courteous, Lord Neil. Saving others is the virtue of every knight, is it not?"

Thor said with a smile.

"That is true!"

Neil Morton paused, then nodded with a soft laugh.

He did not bring it up again.

The two continued their meal.

After the meal.

Thor and Neil Morton parted ways.

Neil Morton was very strong. Thor even suspected that he might be a Sky Knight.

Even if he was not, he was certainly a peak Earth Knight like Thor's father. Naturally, Thor wanted to keep someone like that.

Repayment.

It was not that he did not want it.

It was simply that he wanted more.

Since he wanted more, he could not rush things.

Especially after interacting with him, Thor found that Neil Morton was actually quite a decent person.

That gave him many ideas.

For example, keeping this man here permanently.

What did Eagle Ridge lack most right now?

It was neither resources nor population.

In terms of resources, he currently had the large amount of gold coins his father had given him, and he had also obtained a Large Iron Mine. Once the trade route opened up, Eagle Ridge would lack nothing at all.

As for population.

That was even less of a concern.

Once the trade route opened, the endless flow of wealth would allow his population to grow rapidly.

By comparison, what Eagle Ridge truly lacked was high-end combat power.

Located in the Northern Province, his strength was indeed already formidable compared to that of other lords, even surpassing ordinary baronial territories.

But the true danger in the Northern Province was not the Pioneer Knights and lords, but the Northern Province itself.

As land once occupied by the orcs.

The Northern Province was not only filled with countless magical beasts, but also home to a vast number of orcs.

Although the large-scale orc forces had been cleared out.

That was only on a large scale. No one could estimate how many orcs still remained throughout the Northern Province.

Among these orcs were weak species such as Timid Goblins, but also powerful races such as Titans and Behemoths.

Not to mention the countless magical beasts.

High-level magical beasts among them posed a very real threat to the territory.

Although Ryan would certainly become a Sky Knight in the future, that was the future, not the present.

At present, the strongest person in all of Eagle Ridge was only Steve, a Great Knight.

He could only deal with second-tier magical beasts. If he encountered a third-tier magical beast, he would likely struggle badly.

And there were certainly third-tier magical beasts and third-tier orcs in the Northern Province.

With such a supreme powerhouse before him, Thor would be lying if he said he did not want to keep him, especially after discovering that this man seemed quite decent.