The lord of Grasshawk Fief
The walls of Grasshawk Fief are not high, and several sections of the bricks and stones were gnawed and pitted by Magic Creature during the last Blood Moon Season.
The cold wind, carrying withered grass and ice shards, howled as it swept across this low defensive line.
The newly appointed lord Ryan, 24, stood behind the city gate, clutching a scroll of Governor's documents.
Ryan comes from a marginal branch of a Viscount family in the Inland.
He had no prominent resources, no powerful backers, and no passion to fight to the death for glory.
In the first round of the Blood Moon Season, Grasshawk Fief wasn't completely destroyed by the Magic Creature, not because it was particularly powerful, but because Grasshawk Fief had open terrain, deviating from the main attack route of the Magic Creature.
Later on, he quickly benefited from the joint defense formed by the Blackpine Fief and the Blackiron Canyon defense line, and barely survived by relying on the edge of that massive firepower network.
Ryan knew better than anyone that he was only alive because of luck.
But luck is the least reliable thing on the Eternal Night Wall.
So when he received the document from the Governor's Mansion and learned that Grasshawk Fief had been officially placed under the jurisdiction of Blackpine Fief, he felt no humiliation at the loss of his territory; instead, he breathed a sigh of relief.
To Ryan, that thin parchment stamped with the Governor's wax seal was a ticket that would allow him to survive until the next Blood Moon Season.
He didn't care who he had to bow to, as long as that person could truly stop the monsters outside and allow him to live a little longer.
"Sir, they've arrived."
From the gray fog outside the city came a series of deep, rhythmic hoofbeats.
The convoy of troops from Blackpine Fief gradually came into view amidst the wind and snow.
Ryan took a deep breath and quickly went to meet him.
In his mind, the Blackpine Fief was the one who could turn Blackpine Fief into a meat grinder and force the Governor's Mansion to grant him wartime command authority as an exception.
He should at least be a tough military leader who has spent half his life surrounded by corpses.
However, when the dozens of elite Holy Knight at the very front of the caravan, radiating Third Tier Platinum Battle Aura, parted to the sides, revealing the Black Horse surrounded in the center—
Ryan froze.
The person on horseback wearing a dark, windproof cloak was actually a silver-haired boy who looked no more than fourteen or fifteen years old.
The boy's face was pale in the cold wind, and there was even a trace of lingering fatigue in his eyes.
His stature appeared somewhat slender compared to the towering, heavily armored Holy Knight around him.
The first thing that popped into Ryan's mind was absurdity.
Is this the kind of child he is?
He turned Blackpine Fief and its surrounding areas into a monster fortress capable of devouring an entire Magic Creature Legion?
Did he obtain the overall coordination authority personally signed by Governor Yasol?
The thought had barely formed when it was suppressed by the details of the next moment.
Those dozens of high-ranking Holy Knight, the core force of the Church who usually looked down on everyone and wouldn't even bother to glance at the counts of the Inland regions, now stood guard beside the boy, their eyes filled with vigilance and obedience, showing no contempt whatsoever.
Even the high-ranking Special Envoy Priest riding a gray horse maintained a subtle level posture when looking at the silver-haired boy.
The boy didn't deliberately put on airs of superiority; he simply raised the riding whip in his hand casually.
The next instant, the entire massive and menacing convoy came to a sudden, complete halt, as if a mechanism had been caught.
"Swish"
A synchronized sound of reining in the horses rang out, without a single extraneous noise.
All eyes were on that slender figure, waiting quietly for him to speak.
Ryan's Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, and a cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.
The Blackiron Sacred Flame Proxy Ring worn on the boy's finger, the Governor's wax-sealed document, and even the high-ranking Cleric accompanying him could not explain the sense of control in front of him.
In a position where everyone is waiting for him to speak, you can't fake it.
Ryan completely suppressed the last trace of contempt that arose in his heart due to his age.
Without hesitation, he strode forward and, three steps away from the Black Horse, decisively knelt down on one knee on the cold, Frozen Tundra.
His voice trembled slightly in the wind, but his words were clear. "Lord of Grasshawk Fief, Ryan Havel, greets Your Excellency, Commander."
Ryan lowered his head, adopting a very humble posture.
"This is the population of Grasshawk Fief, 1,112 people, with 700 soldiers, 40 warhorses, and enough provisions for half a month."
0
He left no room for maneuver, laying bare all his meager cards.
"From this day forward, the city gates and warehouses of Grasshawk Fief, and even my life, are entirely at your disposal, sir."
The wind swept across the open space in front of the city gate.
Shien sat on horseback, his icy blue eyes fixed quietly on the young lord kneeling in the mud and snow.
He didn't immediately reach out to take the roll of parchment, letting the silence pause for a few breaths in the wind and snow.
In Shien's Karmic Sight, the Canon of Grace and Righteousness silently unfolds.
The numbers above Ryan's head remained a stable light green.
"Rise, Lord Ryan," Shien said kindly.
Ryan immediately stood up, but still kept his head slightly lowered, not daring to look directly at the boy on horseback. "There's not much we can offer from the city, but the main hall has been prepared. Please come into the city and rest for a while, sir."
The lord's hall in Grasshawk Fief was very simple, even somewhat shabby.
The stone walls, open on all sides, hadn't even been plastered evenly, and the cold wind seeped in through the cracks in the bricks, causing the rusty brazier in the corner to flicker.
Ryan has brought out the last of his territory's supplies.
On the rough wooden table were only a few pieces of hard, dark bread mixed with wheat bran, a small dish of sour pickled Snow Rabbit, and two bowls of meat soup with a few drops of oil floating on top.
--
The Blood Moon Season has just ended, Inland supplies haven't arrived yet; this is already the highest level Grasshawk Fief can offer.
Shien remained calm as he sat down at the wooden table, without even taking off his dark cloak, which was still damp with snow.
He picked up the rough-edged wooden bowl, took a sip of the broth, and then turned his gaze to Ryan body was tense across from him.
"Don't be so nervous, Ryan. I can probably guess what you're worried about."
Ryan's Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't dare to reply.
Shien reached out and pulled the frozen parchment map onto the table, spreading it out.
"You're afraid I'll come with the Governor's orders to drain Grasshawk Fief dry and use it as a shield for Blackpine Fief? I won't do that."
Lightly dab the charcoal pencil on the area Grasshawk Fief is.
"The Grasshawk Fief cannot be lost, nor is it possible to lose it. In this network, if the Blackpine Fief is the heart, then this place is the artery."
Ryan's previously tense shoulders finally relaxed a little.
Shien continued, "The terrain here is open, and the city walls can't withstand a strong defense, so we won't put too much effort into the high walls for now."
First, repair the roads, expand the stables, and renovate the warehouses. What Grasshawk Fief needs to do next is to collect and distribute grain and fodder, facilitate the transfer of horses, screen Refugees, and receive wounded soldiers.
As he said this, he looked up at Ryan.
"This is just the first step. Large-scale construction will have to wait until the necessary resources and personnel arrive before we can begin."
Shien changed his tone and added casually, "If you're not sure, you can pack your things tonight and move to the Inner Fortress Blackpine Fief Territory. The walls there are thicker and more secure. I'll take over this place."
Ryan looked up abruptly, his expression changing instantly. According to Church rules, this was not allowed.
He subconsciously glanced at the Special Envoy Priest, Emon, who had been sitting in the shadows.
Emon kept his head down, slowly poking at the charcoal in the brazier with his Ashwood Staff, as if he hadn't heard anything.
It seems that this young lord has gained considerable autonomy from the Governor.
Ryan took a deep breath, suppressing the chill in his eyes. "Thank you for your kindness, Commander. I will remain in Grasshawk Fief. As long as the defensive line doesn't reach the point where we must retreat, I will stay here."
He paused after speaking, then looked up to meet Shien's gaze. "However, since Grasshawk Fief will be used as a transit and logistics hub from now on, I definitely can't support it with this bunch of rotten wood and this small number of people."
Ryan gritted his teeth and put it more bluntly. "I want to take care of this for the adults, but I also need confidence."
After those words were spoken, the hall fell silent for a few moments.
Shien looked at him, and finally a genuine sense of approval appeared in his eyes.
Ryan didn't pledging allegiance or say anything fancy; he simply integrated himself into the system and, incidentally, took the power and people he was entitled to.
Shien gave a direct answer, "It's good that you understand this. I will give you the overall command authority over Grasshawk Fief and the surrounding post roads."
After he finished speaking, he beckoned to the accompanying quartermaster and immediately made a decision. "From the supplies and people delivered today, allocate five hundred able-bodied laborers, two carts of Refined Steel ingots and Holy Silver, and three carts of cold-weather rations to Grasshawk Fief."
Shien looked at Ryan, his tone turning cold again.
"First, you should pave the basic post roads leading to Blackpine Fief and the Inland, and also set up the hay storage and Wounded Soldiers' Camp."
Don't rush into large-scale construction. In another week, the rest of the population and resources will arrive. We'll officially start construction once that batch arrives.