Chapter 517: A Man Like an Eagle (Part 2)

Chapter 517: Chapter 336: A Man Like an Eagle (Part 2)

No one would call him stupid Pitius anymore. From now on, it would be the clever Lord Pitius!

Pitius hopped and skipped through the snow, his figure gradually disappearing over the horizon.

The heavy snow was undoubtedly a harsh environment for others, but for the Rabbit People, with their powerful jumping ability, it not only cushioned each landing but the vast expanse of white also provided them with cover.

…

Kemish sat on a shabby chair that had just been dusted off. He took off the bearskin cloak draped over his shoulders and placed it by the central fire to warm. This revealed the gold-threaded, silver-inlaid silk robe he wore underneath. Pinned to his chest was a Golden Whip Badge, engraved with an exquisite pattern.

Any scholar with some knowledge of the Seven Kingdoms would have no trouble recognizing this as a Noble Badge from the Eastern Persian Gulf Kingdom.

Kemish was from the Persian Gulf Empire, east of Debei. In terms of military strength alone, this nation ranked third among the Seven Kingdoms—weaker than Talisi, but somewhat stronger than Debei.

As a direct grandson of one of the Empire’s eight great families, his aunt was even a Royal Salama—a Princess, in Debei terms. He was from a truly noble and distinguished house. Labels like “born noble,” “boundless future,” “revered status,” and “above the masses” were practically synonymous with people like him.

Unfortunately, things were far from as glamorous as outsiders imagined.

Thanks to his father being a robust Blood and Qi Warrior, he had seven or eight full brothers alone. With only so many fiefs to go around, some would inherit a rich Earl’s Domain, while others would be stuck with a godforsaken borderland where not even birds would shit.

And Kemish was the unlucky one.

His older brothers were all granted rich territories with countless slaves to command. Only he was sent to a godforsaken place facing the sea.

The moment he received the letter of appointment from his father, he knew the family had given up on him.

Reality was cruel. Even though he was of noble birth, the family still needed some people to spend their entire lives in mediocre positions.

He was clearly the hardest working, and his Blood Qi Cultivation was the highest among his peers. He once thought that if he just worked hard enough, he could make people see him in a new light and direct more resources his way. But the prejudice in people’s hearts is like a mountain.

Just because his mother was a common freewoman of the Empire, no matter how hard he tried, a man like him, with commoner blood in his veins, was destined never to attain a high position.

But Kemish wasn’t one to simply curse fate. Being stuck in a remote corner meant he was doomed to be nothing more than a country lord for the rest of his life.

Therefore, he began to actively train slave soldiers, develop his territory, and build up his military. The moment war broke out, he could earn vast amounts of land, slaves, and honor.

His dream was to become the greatest Slave Master of all, just like the first King of the Persian Gulf Empire.

This wasn’t some baseless fantasy; it was grounded in solid, practical reality.

For the past few years, the borders of the Seven Kingdoms had been extremely tense. After all, internal resources were nearly depleted, so they had no choice but to expand outward. No one could say when war might erupt.

When that time came, even a country Slave Master like him could soar into the sky and become a Giant Dragon—a renowned and powerful Slave Master in the Persian Gulf Empire.

But there was just one problem. Whether it was elite warriors, high-quality weapons and equipment, or ample supplies, none of it was possible without one thing—money!

Although he was a legitimate scion of a noble family and periodically received some money or provisions for his slave soldiers from home, it was nowhere near enough to feed the gold-devouring giant beast that was the military.

So, he also started capturing slaves everywhere to sell.

Whether they were desert savages, forest Beastmen, or even those Blood Elves, they were all among his targets.

Unfortunately, problems quickly followed. The Persian Gulf Empire was a nation composed almost entirely of slaves and Slave Masters, so within its borders, it was a case of too many wolves and not enough sheep. All the high-quality slaves were already claimed by others well in advance.

Just as his plans stalled, he happened to see the neighboring Debei Kingdom on a map. If he remembered correctly, that vast expanse of Wilderness in their north had always been Unclaimed Land, like a New Continent just waiting to be plucked.

He felt as if he were looking at a blueprint of immeasurable value.

So he began building a port on the coastal part of his territory and constructing ships capable of sailing the high seas.

Once everything was ready, he led his elite slave soldiers across storms and through surging waves to a place in Debei called the God-Forsaken Narrow Sea. Fortunately, the Persian Gulf Empire was the strongest nation in maritime trade, possessing ships and sailors superior to the other Seven Kingdoms and the most accurate nautical charts. As a result, they reached their destination with almost no losses.

He built a simple port here and had his soldiers establish a garrison, preparing to make this place his personal backyard.

“Master, why didn’t you let me cut down that damned Rabbit Person just now?” the brawny, braided man asked, confused, as he leaned his Two-Handed Sword against the wall.

Kemish was roused from his thoughts and explained lightly, “This Tribe has at least several hundred Rabbit People. Are you sure you could kill them all without letting a single one escape?”

“Our soldiers have received word and should arrive tonight. We’ll kill them all then. We can drag the female Rabbit People back home and sell them to the brothels.”

‘Though I don’t care for these Rabbit People, there’s no guarantee those perverted nobles back home won’t like them. In any case, I brought plenty of merchant ships this time; it’s not even certain I’ll be able to fill the slave holds.’

“What about that Baron of Exploration he mentioned?” the braided Black Person asked.

At the mention of this, Kemish couldn’t help but chuckle. “These country bumpkins describe him as someone incredible, a man like a hawk, as if a god descended.”

“But back home, don’t those slaves describe one of my tax collectors the same way?”

“Still, we’ll find out the truth soon enough. We’ll interrogate a few of the Rabbit People later.”

In the end, Kemish was cautious by nature. In his view, the title “Baron of Exploration” all but screamed that the man’s military strength was pathetic—a few hundred country Guards at most. But in war, the greatest taboo is underestimating your opponent.

Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit.

…

To celebrate their Lord’s wedding, High Cliff Castle was holding a wedding banquet of unprecedented grandeur.

The people had swept all the snow from the entire High Cliff Castle territory. With Buji’s help, even the corners were blooming with fresh flowers, making the place a stark contrast to the icy world outside, like a fairyland isolated from the rest of the world.

A five-colored ribbon, thousands of yards long, was hung across the sky of High Cliff Castle using icicles. It fluttered loudly in the cold wind, as dazzling as a rainbow.

Whole oxen and sheep were put on roasting spits, dripping fat as they sizzled over the charcoal fires.

Cask after cask of ale was opened, pouring like water—GULP, GULP, GULP—down the throats of High Cliff Castle’s pot-bellied men.

It was the most festive of days. Both the High Cliff Castle blacksmiths and the Kas Mountain Range iron mine had shut down for the day. Even the slaves were given a cup of cheap ale, and they all excitedly cheered for their Lord’s benevolence.

The great hall was filled with High Cliff Castle’s leaders and soldiers, and outside, the common folk surrounded it so tightly that not even a drop of water could get through.

All of them fixed their excited gazes on the two people standing on a temporary wooden stage.

Their Lord was dressed in a ridiculously flashy tuxedo. The rough brutes, used to seeing their boss in Leather Armor and Armor, felt it was far too effeminate and hadn’t stopped complaining about it in private.

As for the future lady of High Cliff Castle, she wore a blue-and-white, strapless long dress that, combined with her waist-length, snow-white hair, made her look as beautiful as the Northern Territory’s own daughter.

Since High Cliff Castle had no Priest, the Lord had decided on a fusion of traditions.

Earth Goblins Leiden, dressed in a Debei formal robe, acted as the master of ceremonies in place of a Priest, simply reciting the rituals of this world.

First, naturally, came the vows that made the Lord’s head spin. At least there weren’t any of the ridiculous vows from his previous life, like promising to do all the laundry and cooking, handing over all his money for her to manage, working hard to get ahead just to spend all his earnings on her cosmetics… and so on. At most, they were just about mutual love and the like.