Chapter 137 The Fearful Galos: Why are you forcing me?!

The Duchy of Raymond, the Thorn Territory, bathed in the bright moonlight.

Viscount Ironthorn stood on the castle terrace, his short, grey hair gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

He stood tall and straight like a sword, the years etching a few imposing lines on his sharply defined face, yet without diminishing his aura in the slightest. His cold gray eyes narrowed slightly, scrutinizing the night outside the window like two unsheathed daggers.

That was the look he had in his eyes during a border war when he was young, and it had now become his instinctive reaction when facing any threat.

Viscount Ironthorn is nearly fifty years old this year.

However, he is a high-ranking warrior, and his title is not entirely inherited from his family. Moreover, he takes good care of himself and looks as if he is not even forty years old.

"A pack of wild beasts, they're more cunning than I thought."

Viscount Ironthorn sneered and said.

Edmund, the Viscount's eldest son, was also present.

The young spellcaster stood in the shadows behind his father, his silver-grey mage robes swaying gently in the castle breeze.

He inherited his father's tall stature, but his skin was not the bronze of a warrior; instead, it was the fair complexion characteristic of a scholar, and his eyes occasionally gleamed—a feature formed from long-term study of magic.

Beneath her short, light golden hair, a pair of light blue eyes gleamed with a dangerous thirst for knowledge and the pride of youth.

"Father, why waste your time with a bunch of monsters?"

Edmund's voice was laced with disdain and contempt: "Just send your army to crush them. Do you think they can stop your private army?"

Viscount Ironthorn narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the training ground outside the window.

There, many knights were training, the thorn patterns engraved on their armor gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Further away, several alchemical golems stood silently, their massive bodies blocking the moonlight and casting long, thick shadows on the ground.

"Edmund, you must remember—"

The viscount spoke slowly, saying, "War is not our goal; do not act rashly."

"However, to deal with wild beasts, you must first make them understand who their master is."

He turned around and pulled a roll of parchment from his desk, which was covered with densely packed data on the trade of the Scaled Earth Rift.

“Behind these monsters is a so-called ‘lord’ who can unite barbarians such as the War Lizardmen and Ogres, and even knows how to trade, can restrain and regulate them, and has counter-surveillance awareness.”

The viscount tapped the parchment with his fingertip: "This shows it's not simple."

Edmund said, "Even the smartest person is still a beast."

The young spellcaster raised his hand, a leaping flame appearing in his palm, and said, "The Sky Academy's admissions not only require wealth, but also a spell test. I need a trial, and the journey through the wilderness can make my spells more powerful."

Viscount Ironthorn looked at his son, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

True nobles are not fools who hide in castles and revel every night, but warriors who dare to challenge themselves, face danger, and fight.

He was very satisfied with his eldest son.

"Very well, then you can go and negotiate, taking your private army with you."

"If they know what's good for them, squeeze every last drop of their wealth out of them."

“If they don’t know what’s good for them,” the Viscount’s voice turned cold, “then let them know what the iron fist of civilization is.”

Edmund gracefully performed a standard aristocratic curtsy.

“I will make them kneel and offer up the treasure, Father.”

He said that.

The eldest son's voice couldn't hide his excitement as he stepped back, preparing for the upcoming wilderness adventure.

“Bane, you go with Edmund and stay by his side.”

"The Viscount said in a low voice."

A gentle breeze swept by, and from the shadows beside him appeared a simply dressed, rough-skinned middle-aged man who looked as if he had weathered many storms.

He is a traditional style of Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) monk.

Generally speaking, monks are not too concerned with personal vanity or wealth.

They believe that life itself is a test for oneself.

No matter how many obstacles lie ahead, the monks are happy to use all their skills to overcome difficulties, not to show off, but to test themselves.

Bain is also undergoing this trial called life.

He was born weak and was constantly sick from childhood. His already poor family could not afford to support him and abandoned him when he was seriously ill. He was then adopted by Viscount Ironthorn's father and sent to a monastery to study.

Bain lived up to expectations.

Although he was born weak, he had an exceptionally strong will. His childhood injuries forged an iron will in him, and he gradually grew into a powerful monk who served the Ironthorn family and later followed the current Viscount Ironthorn.

They are master and servant, but because they grew up together, they are like brothers.

However, for Viscount Ironthorn, there were many such 'brothers'.

"Um."

Bain nodded heavily in agreement, then vanished in a flash.

Meanwhile, in the Sel Wilderness, north of the scree slopes.

Five dark figures, each three meters tall, gradually emerged from the rain. Their skin was like dried mud, covered with cracks, and their deformed long arms hung down to their knees.

Behind them followed a number of smaller, dark figures, totaling about twenty.

The outposts that were destroyed in the previous attack by the Behemoth have been rebuilt, and the number of guards stationed there has increased and their strength has been enhanced.

They detected the trolls' approach in advance; the trolls were approaching the territory belonging to the Ironforge clan.

Not long after.

The defenders rallied and launched a preemptive attack, surrounding the troll with a large number of monsters.

"A horde of trolls came from the permafrost?"

Galos looked at the Iron Dragon.

"Yes, they called themselves the Steelback Clan and had lived in the permafrost tundra for a long time. However, as the war between the White Frost Alliance and the War Cry Clan intensified, their territory was caught in the aftermath of the war and destroyed by the White Frost Alliance."

"The warlocks in the clan were uneasy about the future, so they led the clan to migrate to the Wilderness of Sel. Originally there were about a hundred trolls, but they were gradually lost during the migration, and eventually only about twenty remained."

Sorog explained in detail.

Such a thing would not normally be something that would be specifically announced to Garus.

However, due to the recent events involving the Scaled Earth Rift, Garos was planning ahead and devising an escape route for himself. The permafrost in the north was one of his options, so he asked Iron Dragon to explain the permafrost to him.

"How are the Bristleback trolls doing now?"

"Captured and imprisoned at the gravel beach camp."

Immediately afterward, before the topic of trolls could continue, Garros and Iron Dragon both paused, then pulled out communication stones from their scales.

An urgent message has arrived.

Viscount Ironthorn sent his eldest son, requesting that the lord of the Ironforge clan come forward for more formal negotiations.

In the wilderness surrounding the Lin Tu Lie Dao (a road with a cracked surface), a half-collapsed ancient stone pavilion was temporarily cleared out and used as a negotiation venue.

Led by Karu, the monsters of the Ironclad Clan are already here.

Fully armed ogres, knights of various races riding ferocious beasts, and sorcerers all stood silently, their eyes gleaming with suppressed danger.

Heavy footsteps echoed on the horizon.

The Thorn Knights appeared first, clad in dark red armor with the Ironthorn Clan's thorn emblem engraved on their breastplates. Each of them wore a mask shaped like a howling wolf's head, and a fine alchemical longsword hung at their waist.

They were not as tall and strong as the ogres.

However, the aura emanating from him was not much weaker than that of the ogre warrior.

Next came five alchemical golems.

One of them was the Fearless, while the other four were completely different in model and appearance, but without exception they were all tall and majestic steel creations that caused the ground to tremble with every step they took.

Finally, Edmund himself was brought in to anchor the operation.

He rode on the shoulder of a frost giant, his silver-grey mage robes fluttering in the wind.

The frost giant's skin was as pale as a corpse, its body was shriveled, and its eyes glowed with an unnatural blue light. It was clearly not in a normal state and was deathly still.

“It seems our ‘beast friend’ takes this meeting very seriously.”

Edmund glanced disdainfully at the ogre formation: "Unfortunately, numbers can't make up for the gap in civilization."

Tax official Brent smiled obsequiously and nodded repeatedly: "Young master is right, young master is right."

Not long after.

The young spellcaster, riding a frost giant and escorted by knights and golems, walked into the stone pavilion.

The Gluttonous Demon Karu, disguised as a lord, sat across from the stone table.

Its entire body was covered in Samantha's specially made black iron armor, with only two flickering red lights visible in the slits of its eyes, exuding a primitive and savage aura.

"Doesn't your father even have the courage to show his face in person?"

Karu said in a gruff voice.

Edmund elegantly flicked non-existent dust from the corner of his robe: "Negotiations with you beasts don't require Father's personal involvement."

This person exuded a sense of superiority and pride many times more than the tax official, as if he were the chosen one of heaven, the darling of the world.

That is indeed the case.

Edmund is twenty-four years old this year. In the first twenty-three years of his life, he was addicted to playing games and indulging in all kinds of pleasures until a year ago when he suddenly became interested in magic and began to learn it.

He started learning magic at the age of 23, which is quite late, and magic is not easy to learn.

Many people thought he would give up soon.

However, Edmund displayed astonishing magical talent.

In just one year, he started from scratch and achieved what ordinary people take decades or even centuries to accomplish, earning him the reputation of a magical genius that the Ironthorn family sees only once every five hundred years.

Those obscure incantations and difficult-to-understand magical principles were remarkably simple to Edmund.

Throughout the year, he was surrounded by countless flowers and praises. He believed that he would succeed in whatever he wanted to do, and he felt that he was the chosen one.

Once he arrives at the Sky Academy and has access to more resources, he will surely become a legendary spellcaster.

His future is bright and limitless.

He used to be proud of his family.

But in time, the family will be proud of him.

Edmund gestured for the golem behind him to step forward: "Let's get straight to the point—three thousand gold coins per month, and the back taxes for the year."

Not a single bit less.

He raised his head and said firmly and unequivocally.

"Where did this idiot come from? Are you dreaming?"

Karu stood up and asked.

“It seems our negotiations ended as soon as they began.” Edmund shook his head and said, “Father is right, a beast is still a beast. You need to understand who the master is.”

He stared directly at Karu, his gaze intense.

He wants to start a war here and begin fighting directly.

First, subdue these monsters with your fists; then things will be much easier.

The knights drew their longswords, and the roar of the golem engines roared fiercely, drowning out the wind and rain.

The rain poured down, and Gluttony was about to roar in fury, but as if he had received some message, he forcefully suppressed his roar.

It displayed anger, yet also fear and helplessness, before finally bowing its head in humiliation.

"Humans, you have won."

“We will pay the taxes, and the taxes will be paid in full in seven days and brought to your location.”

Karu added in his mind, "If you're still alive by then."

The two sides did not engage in battle and retreated in the rain.

Meanwhile, in the conifer valley.

Why are you forcing me?

"All I want is a peaceful life."

Galus spread his wings, his majestic body straightening inch by inch, braving the wind and rain.

He realized that these humans had no intention of having a proper conversation, and that Garos could not meet their demands.

Since that's the case, let's not discuss it further.

(End of this chapter)