Lord: Starting with Biological Modification

Chapter 65: Chapter 61: War Clouds

Shiyan Town’s castle was less a nobleman’s residence and more an oversized pillbox.

Massive, crude, sturdy, and impoverished.

The main hall had no tapestries, no chandeliers, only smoke-blackened stone walls and a few flickering braziers.

Ola Stonebeard was bare-chested, his bronze muscles gnarled and solid as rock.

His signature auburn beard was braided into two thick plaits that swung with his movements.

And at this moment, he was "amusing himself" with two of his Warriors.

"ROAR!"

Two burly Warriors clung desperately to Ola’s waist, clearly using every ounce of their strength. Veins bulged on their necks, and their faces were flushed beet-red.

Ola let out a low growl, grabbed one of the Knights by his belt and collar, and used him as a weapon, swinging him around to send the other one flying!

THUD. The Knight who had been used as a weapon slammed solidly against a stone pillar. As he slid down, a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

But he paid it no mind, instead grinning proudly, as if it were the greatest of honors.

The other Warrior, who had been sent flying, scrambled back to his feet and shouted to the Knight at the pillar, "Fuck! Fernan, the Baron has his eye on you today!"

The surrounding Knights erupted in bestial howls and the thunderous din of shields being hammered, the atmosphere fervent and raw.

They looked at their lord, their eyes filled with worship.

In Shiyan Town, might was the only truth.

Ola smugly picked up a metal goblet and was about to drink when he suddenly froze.

The smooth surface of the cup reflected his image.

His rock-hewn jaw was indistinct, but his eyes—far too delicate—were piercingly clear. They were the only legacy his human mother had left him.

In the world of Dwarves, such eyes were a symbol of weakness.

When he was a child, pure-blooded Dwarf children would point at his eyes and mock him, calling him a "half-breed."

In a daze, he was pulled back into his bleak childhood, and his breath caught for half a second.

SCREECH—

With a grating shriek of twisting metal, the goblet in Ola’s hand was crushed out of shape, its ale spilling all over the floor.

He was like a wounded bear, letting out a low roar. "Bring me a wooden cup! In my domain, I won’t have any of this junk that reflects a pair of sissy eyes!"

However, the state of the barony did not reflect the bravado Ola displayed.

They did have a few wooden cups left, at least.

But a look around the hall revealed that most of the Warriors’ leather armor was heavily worn and frayed at the edges, and their weapons were covered in nicks.

In the corner, several wooden barrels that should have been filled with grain were so empty you could see the bottom at a glance.

Ola’s gaze swept over it all, and a flicker of irritation flashed in his eyes.

’Maintaining an army is so fucking expensive.’

Just then, the Knight captain, Glenn, hurried in, still covered in dust, his face alight with an excitement he couldn’t contain.

He walked straight up to Ola and knelt on one knee.

"Lord Baron, I have returned."

"Get up and speak." Ola grabbed a cup of ale and handed it to him. "That Newly Town, what’s the situation?"

Glenn took the cup and downed a large gulp, deliberately raising his voice so everyone in the hall could hear him loud and clear.

"My lord, that place is practically a promised land flowing with milk and honey!"

"I saw it with my own eyes! Convoys from the Golden Sail Commerce Association, wagon after wagon, hauling things to that pretty boy Velin! A complete Alchemy Workshop, and mountains of materials! The ruts in the road were deep enough to swallow a horse’s leg!"

"That rich? Where did he get so much money!" a Knight couldn’t help but interject, his eyes full of greed.

Glenn scoffed, his face full of disdain.

"Where do you think? From that female captain of the Golden Sail Commerce Association, of course. I did my homework. That Velin is just a softie who mooches off a woman. He got shit-lucky and ended up with this pioneer territory."

He glanced around the room, continuing to embellish his story: "And the best part is, his defenses are a complete joke! A bunch of mud-legged peasants who can barely hold a sword. I took just five men and beat their entire ten-man patrol senseless!"

"They don’t even have a single real Warrior!"

"HAHAHAHA!" The hall once again erupted in uproarious laughter, this time filled with contempt.

In the eyes of these warriors, who lived by the sword, a rich man without martial power was just a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

"What are we waiting for, my lord?"

"Yeah, let’s just go rob him! The brothers’ axes are getting rusty!"

"I swear on my father’s battle-axe!" Ola slammed his cup on the table, splashing ale everywhere. "This mongrel Velin dares to flaunt his wealth on my turf, yet he doesn’t even come to pay his respects to me, the Baron!"

His eyes were bloodshot with fury, like a goaded bull.

"This is a fucking insult to me! An insult to the name of Stonebeard!"

"My lord! Please quell your anger!"

A steady voice cut through the fervent atmosphere in the hall.

An old Knight with graying hair stepped out from the shadows. His armor was old, but polished to a spotless shine.

He was the second-in-command given to Ola by his father, and the only person in Shiyan Town who dared to speak to him frankly.

"My lord, have you forgotten that the Golden Sail Commerce Association stands behind Newly Town?" The old Knight’s voice was calm and measured. "That man, Velin, regardless of who he is personally, has received their investment. That is tantamount to receiving the Association’s protection."

"If we act rashly, I fear we will invite retaliation from the Association. They might not wage a war over a single Pioneer Knight, but their methods are not limited to warfare."

The old Knight’s words cooled the heated atmosphere in the room somewhat.

The Golden Sail Commerce Association. The name itself represented immense wealth and an intricate web of connections.

"Ha!" Ola reacted as if he’d heard the funniest joke in the world.

He shot to his feet, his broad frame casting an intimidating shadow.

"Protection? A bunch of merchants who only recognize Gold Coins—what do they know about real protection?"

He walked up to the old Knight, getting right in his face, and snarled, "Are they going to try and reason with my battle-axe over some pretty boy they just started keeping? No! They’ll send some steward to haggle with me! To measure the lives of my brothers in Golden Suns!"

"When has Ola Stonebeard ever had to bow to the will of merchants!"

He could not tolerate any form of disrespect, even if it was only imagined.

The old Knight wanted to say more.

Ola clapped him on the shoulder. "It’s the same as always. I’m just collecting a small ’protection fee.’ Don’t you worry, old man. As long as he’s smart about it, things won’t get out of hand."

The old Knight opened his mouth, but it ended in a sigh. He retreated back into the shadows.

"Glenn!" Ola turned, his voice like thunder.

"Here, my lord!"

"You’ve done well." A vicious smile spread across Ola’s face. "You’ve softened up that fat sheep for me. Now, it’s time to let him know who the true master of this land is!"

"Relay my orders!"

"All Warriors, check your weapons and armor!"

"You have one week to prepare. We’re going to Newly Town to ’visit’ our wealthy new neighbor."

He needed a victory, a satisfying plunder to fill his granaries and soothe his anxious, insecure heart.

As for the Golden Sail Commerce Association...

’Just a bunch of merchants. What’s the worst they can do?’

He firmly believed that in this world, the sharpest thing would always be a battle-axe, not a Gold Coin.