Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 459 - 459 215 Expanding the Army and Preparing for War

459: Chapter 215: Expanding the Army and Preparing for War 459: Chapter 215: Expanding the Army and Preparing for War In the corridor leading to the conference room, Eriv spoke while walking: “I thought you were dissatisfied with the profit-sharing from the previous negotiations, and that’s why you made a special trip to discuss it again.

It seems now, however, there are other matters.”

“…Profit-sharing?” Leon, who was following the Sealing Lord, couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

Eriv turned his head: “Yes, wasn’t it you who sent Azeryan to negotiate about the iron ore with Archers?”

Leon suddenly realized and explained: “I have been out of town for nearly half a month, and I have just returned.

I haven’t been back to Avalon, and all affairs of my domain are now managed by Azeryan.”

Upon hearing this, Eriv laughed: “Oh, then you can rest assured.

Azeryan, that boy, is respectful but unyielding when it comes to money at the negotiating table.

I, as his Lord, haven’t been able to get any advantage from him.

With the 60/40 split, conservatively estimated, you will have an income of over four thousand gold crowns per year.”

How much?!

Leon was surprised, raising his eyebrows.

He knew the iron mine was of great value, but to have such a profit, and that was only 40% of it…

According to the statistics, even the full collection of theorized taxes in his Baron Domain wouldn’t amount to that much money…

The castle servants opened the doors to the conference room for the two, and Eriv entered, motioning for Leon to take a seat at the table.

The Thorny Flower Earl, recalling the matter of the iron mine, asked casually: “Speaking of which, I have long heard of the unparalleled craftsmanship of dwarven artisans.

It has been centuries since they were last seen in the lands of Orland.

I would like to commission some high-quality plate armor and weapons from the master dwarves in your city.

I wonder, will this affect your arrangements with them?”

Leon hurriedly shook his head: “Please feel free to send someone to place an order with Master Adya.

There’s no need to consult me, as they are not my employees.

I simply lease the workshop within Avalon Castle to them.”

Leon had the intention of befriending these exceptionally skilled dwarven craftsmen, and naturally would not force them to become servants attached to his own power.

Otherwise, if it angered the dwarves enough to leave and settle elsewhere, not to mention anything else, the people of “Silver Mountain City,” if they knew that after several centuries, dwarves had come to the Orland Kingdom again, would definitely force their heads in excitement to welcome this group of ancestral craftsmen as honored guests of the city of craftsmen.

The nine dwarves remaining in Avalon Castle are now operating under the name “Eder Guild,” registered as an independent association of craftsmen and a major taxpayer, not subordinates who take orders from him.

Leon also did not obstruct the ‘short masters’ from accepting external orders, as them making money also meant significant tax revenue for him.

“Oh, I see.

But even you don’t know where that dwarven mission that discovered the ancient mine for you has gone?” Eriv asked with some curiosity.

Leon trotted out the half-true, half-false excuse for public consumption: “I’ve only heard them say they’re heading north, seeming to want to reach the mountains north of Orland, perhaps to visit other dwarf kingdoms.”

“So it’s true, the ancient legend that the barren mountains in the north of Orland hide a dwarf kingdom…”

Eriv felt somewhat sentimental: “It’s just a pity, that dwarven mission did not pass through Archers Castle.

Otherwise, I would have liked to entertain them properly, and if possible, establish contact with the rumored Dwarf Kingdom.”

After finishing, he waved his hand: “All right, we can continue this conversation during the dinner banquet.

You’ve rushed over so hastily – what news do you have for me?”

Leon promptly spoke seriously about his purpose: “It’s a long story, my Lord.

Eight days ago, using the convenience of a Griffin, I flew to the eastern part of Kantadar to see the current state of my homeland, which has fallen into the hands of Kantadar people.

Little did I know that halfway through, I encountered an area shrouded in dark clouds…”

…After a meticulous report on the severity of the disaster, Leon continued: “The situation in the east is currently very grim, and the person likely responsible for this calamity might be the Imperial Mage of Athias Empire, who incited Kantadar people to invade Seryan.”

He recounted his journey in as much detail as possible, omitting unnecessary specifics as well as Lola’s magic knowledge interpretations, and discussed the actual situation he investigated solely in a conjectural tone.

Eriv, listening with a serious demeanor, couldn’t help but get up halfway through, spread out the giant map of the Western Continent, and paced back and forth at the table with a grave expression, contemplating the situation.

After a long moment of reflection, the Thorny Flower Earl sighed, looking at Leon with a bitter smile.

“It seems that every time you come to see me, you always have unexpectedly astonishing news, Leon.

I don’t know whether to cry or laugh…

Such horrifying and shocking news, if it didn’t come from your mouth, I wouldn’t believe a word of it.”

…Hundreds of thousands, or even millions…

even more Corpse Ghosts sweeping across the land…

you wouldn’t expect such wild talk even from a drunkard in a tavern.

Eriv recalled the population scale of the kingdom he learned in his youth at the “Briarans,” the city of scholars.

In the entire Orland, even if all the Lords were to exhaust their wealth and unite, how many troops could be assembled across the nation?

Two hundred thousand?

Three hundred thousand?

What kind of earth-shattering war would that be?

Even in the bloody civil war over the crown more than a decade ago, the combined forces of the east and west did not exceed a few hundred thousand soldiers slaughtering each other.

And now, potentially facing enemies in the millions…

Eriv felt it far exceeded the limits of his imagination.

He could not gauge, nor did he ever imagine, that mankind could organize and support an army of a million strong.

But the Undead Corpse Sea Leon spoke of, which required no supplies or maintenance costs…

the only limits to their numbers were the quantity of souls and bodies.

Is this a divine disaster sent by the God of Death to the Mortal World to punish humanity?