Hosting a Banquet, Part Three

"Little Donald, what is this red beverage? Is it maple syrup water?"

Hearing the inquiry from the Baron of Red Maple, Donald smiled and explained:

"Lord Ernest, this is a type of beverage from our mages; I call it black tea. It was originally just a material for alchemical potions, and consuming it has certain benefits for the body. This method of preparation is something I researched myself; the two of you might as well give it a try!"

The Baron of Red Maple hesitated slightly upon hearing this and took a small sip, whereas Sir Jesse drank it without any reservations.

After the black tea entered their mouths, a faint bitterness arrived first, causing both nobles to frown slightly, but soon their mouths and taste buds were occupied by a refreshing and unique flavor. Half a cup of black tea down, their entire bodies felt warm and comfortable, and even their spirits were invigorated.

"Truly a fine thing!"

"Indeed! It is worthy of being a mage's beverage!"

Sir Jesse and the Baron of Red Maple praised it one after another. The former realized the extraordinary nature of this drink; this was a beverage exclusive to mages, and if it were to spread to the Royal Capital, it would surely be sought after by the royal family and nobles of all ranks.

The middle-aged merchant, meanwhile, immediately thought of the business opportunities within it. His expression shifted, and he asked Donald with an amiable smile:

"This beverage seems to have a certain economic value. I wonder if you have considered selling some, little Donald? I could handle the sales for you, which would also give you enough time to delve into your mage cultivation!"

Donald was not surprised to hear the Baron of Red Maple ask this. He had already planned to introduce black tea as a drink back when the Moonlight Wine was a success. In his past life, tea was a major pillar of East-West trade; according to the impressions from his middle school history textbooks, the annual trade volume of tea was at least over a hundred million taels of silver during the 17th and 18th centuries.

In this world, he intended to craft black tea into a luxury beverage essential for the noble and wealthy merchant classes. Although he was not a student of economics, he knew the profits would be immense.

Therefore, when the Baron of Red Maple spotted the business opportunity, he certainly would not yield the chance to an outsider, so he replied with a slightly apologetic tone:

"I am very sorry, but although I invented this beverage, its sales rights, just like the Moonlight Wine, have already been handed over to the Mage Association in Giant Stone City. If Lord Ernest is interested, you can go and negotiate with Madri, the mage in charge of this matter!"

"Is that so! Then never mind. Mage Madri is also a very shrewd businessman. I suppose with him as your agent, you shouldn't be at a disadvantage, little Donald!"

What a pity! Ernest sighed inwardly. He had a long-standing acquaintance with Madri, the merchant mage, and had dealt with him many times. He knew Madri was a cunning merchant whose business acumen was no less than his own; negotiating with him would surely result in little profit.

The other party's stance also indicated that he would be unable to obtain a share of the Moonlight Wine through him.

Donald knew this noble merchant was not genuinely concerned about him; all he valued were the massive profits his products could bring. Thus, he changed the subject and asked his other guest.

"Jesse, what is your take on this Orc invasion?"

Sir Jesse's expression brightened at the mention, and he said with a touch of longing:

"The small-scale raiding parties of Orcs over the years have always been a golden opportunity for us collateral noble descendants to advance further! Unfortunately, I lack both military talent and powerful personal strength. You, however, Donald, as a powerful mage, should find it quite easy to establish merit on the battlefield!"

Donald shook his head and said: "I do have the heart to participate and earn military merit, but there has been no news from the royal side, which is truly anxiety-inducing. Perhaps by the time the Orcs arrive, they will have already been repelled by the border garrison!"

Sir Jesse patted Donald on the shoulder and laughed: "Don't you worry, Donald! I expect there will be news soon. Regarding such opportunities for merit and promotion, even if the royal family doesn't make a statement, the noble descendants in the Royal Capital won't give up. The big figures behind them will certainly stir the pot, and His Majesty the King cannot ignore the opinions of those powerful nobles and the council elders."

It seemed that although this Sir Jesse had left the Royal Capital, as an official in charge of local noble affairs, he likely still had reliable friends in the capital, and his information remained well-informed.

Having received confirmation, Donald was pleased and turned to ask the Baron of Red Maple:

"What are Lord Ernest's plans? Do you intend to further the honor of the Red Maple Territory?"

The middle-aged merchant was stunned for a moment, then laughed:

"I am quite adept at managing a territory, but marching to war is another matter; I shall leave that to you young people. Besides, I only have one daughter, and I cannot have a lady like her on the battlefield. However, if I could select a son-in-law from among the young nobles who have earned military merit to inherit my Red Maple Territory, I would be very pleased!"

As he spoke, he glanced at Donald intentionally or otherwise. Regarding the Baron of Red Maple's almost blatant hint, Donald simply acted as if he hadn't seen it.

Not to mention that he currently had no suitable partner in mind, even if he were to pick an arbitrary woman as a lover, there were plenty of noble ladies in the entire North Shire; it would never be the turn of this old cunning merchant's daughter.

Ever since the Baron of Red Maple ignored the plea for help from House Merlinar back then, Donald had no desire to get involved with him again. He didn't go so far as to hate him, but at the very least, he would not deepen his association with a merchant and his family who prioritized profit above all else.

The subsequent conversation quickly fell into a stalemate. The old and shrewd Baron of Red Maple realized he could not keep up with the topics discussed by the two young men. After offering some praise for the banquet, he tactfully took his leave.

After seeing the Baron of Red Maple off, the two young nobles returned to the reception room, looked at each other, and smiled, both feeling much more relaxed.

Donald initiated the conversation first:

"Jesse, I wonder how many Orcs usually invade in previous years, and how is military merit calculated? Since you come from the Royal Capital, you must be very familiar with these matters. Could you explain them to me?"

"You are too polite, Donald. These situations are known to all nobles; they are hardly secrets."

Sir Jesse organized his thoughts and then recounted everything he knew.

"According to the situation over the years, small-scale Orc raiding parties are generally composed of one or two Orc tribes, with numbers roughly between several thousand Orcs. These Orcs cross the mountains and hills to reach our Kingdom's borders, then disperse to plunder grain and supplies from border villages and towns before regrouping with the main force to return to the Northwest Wasteland."

After Sir Jesse finished speaking, Donald immediately asked:

"Then what is the combat strength of the Orcs?"

"Based on past experience, each Orc squad has about ten to fifty Orcs. Generally, it takes more than three times as many human soldiers to defeat those savage brutes!"

"Truly formidable. It seems the individual combat strength of an Orc is at least three times higher than that of an ordinary human."

"Of course. Orcs have strong reproductive capabilities and are physically robust. If it weren't for the fact that they aren't very bright and have lost the protection of their true gods, there would be no room for other intelligent races to survive in this world!"

After Sir Jesse sighed, he continued:

"Under normal circumstances, killing a single Orc only yields a bounty, not military merit. Participating conscripts are only credited with merit after wiping out an entire Orc squad. Eliminating about five Orc squads is enough to earn the title of a non-hereditary honorary knight. If Donald wants to obtain a title or a fief, you would need to slay at least a thousand Orcs to have a chance."

"Most nobles and Professionals who enlist will not have their merits withheld. As for the civilian Adventurers who participate, the requirements for earning merit are much stricter, which is why it is rare for commoners to obtain noble titles, unless they are powerful Professionals."

"Of course, Donald, if you are confident, you could also choose to hunt the spellcasters—the Shaman Priests—within the Orc units. The head of a low-level Shaman Priest is worth more than the merit of wiping out a thousand ordinary Orc warriors, perhaps even more! And if you could kill or capture a mid-level Shaman Priest, that would be enough for a commoner to become a hereditary landed noble!"

Sir Jesse sat in Donald's manor until evening before setting down his empty teacup, bidding farewell to his host, and boarding his carriage to return to Giant Stone City before the gates closed.

The conversation with Sir Jesse made Donald's thoughts and plans more complete; now, he only awaited news from the Kingdom.

However, before heading to the battlefield, Donald had to consider the safety and development of his manor after his departure.

Once the Kingdom's conscription order arrived, he would leave the manor for the border battlefield, and the manor would be left completely empty.