[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-city-of-desire-kingdom-building":3,"chapter-city-of-desire-kingdom-building-city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-697":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","City of Desire [Kingdom Building]",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1846867,2449,"Chapter 700: Agreement","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-697",697,"\u003Cp>Proofread by Thomas F\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reja Harbale, Dustorn Fortress\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You will become a duke, formally after you reach Blackwell, but I will be forward and address you as your grace, Duke of Blackwell,\" said Count Westerhall as Marquess signed the agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took nearly a month to negotiate a comprehensive agreement, but it is now complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the agreement signed, our days here are numbered. We will leave in twenty-two days, in stages, with the first part of our army leaving in a week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We would have liked to go immediately, but there are some challenges; besides, the person who is replacing us also needs time to gather his armies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, we will be staying for twenty-two days, with Marquess and me leaving with the final group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Marquess would do, till it formalised Count Westerhall,\" he replied. The smile on the man's face dimmed a little, but it returned just as bright a moment later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The celebration lasted for a few minutes before the Marquess walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have you informed them?\" he asked. \"Yes, I had sent the note to all the cities in the region,\" I replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I informed them all, including the undead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good, also inform Grimvale that I want the first batch of his men here within a week,\" he ordered. \"It will be done,\" I replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We walked in silence, before a small smile appeared on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am glad its Grimvale. He will not let this region fall,\" blurted Marquess. \"It's a tall task, given Tabes and the undead. I would have been more sure if he had a bigger army,\" I replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't worry, I have a feeling. He will not be bearing the load of the region alone; others will stand with him,\" he said, but I shook my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The strength of the undead is too high. If those two enter the battlefield, even Grimvale will need every ace he has to survive,\" I replied, but the man only smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Greltheaven\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Three weeks,\" said Bell suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, I couldn't help but sigh. Yesterday, we were informed of the date by which the last forces of Marquess Gats will leave the region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day they leave, the undead would attack like they attacked Panar when the protection expired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The time we have is often perceived as insignificant in preparation for the dangers that are coming, but it has been a great blessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We have accomplished a great deal, from recruiting and training more soldiers to acquiring additional weapons, among other things, which has significantly increased our preparedness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are still three weeks more, and a lot of things could happen in that time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few hours passed when Bell returned to the office, holding thick dossiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The information has arrived.\" She stated and placed the stack in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stack is divided into three dossiers. The first one is the thickest, measuring larger than the other two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't immediately touch them. Instead, I finished the work I was doing, which took me nearly an hour, before I turned to the stacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stacks contain detailed information about the three people who will be my new neighbours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I first took the thickest dossier and opened it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It contains information about Marquess Lazren Grimvale of Tasalin; he will be the new commander of Dustorn Fortress and the Lord of Peguexe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is a Lv. 40+ powerhouse and a rich man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is maintaining a large army despite losing his territory over a year ago. It is wealth that he had gathered from fertile territory, which had also been endowed with mines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His territory was one of the first to be conquered by the Geim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is not a standard noble, but a warrior who has proved his mettle in battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also has another Lv. 40 under him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's surprising that he is coming to the barren wasteland. Given his prowess, I thought he would keep fighting in the front,\" said Bell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The man is smart; he understands very well that it will be tough for him to get his old territory back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It will be very hard to get even a quarter of the territory through merit. So coming here is a better choice, where he will control a far larger territory than his original,\" I replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Renwell region is the size of an average kingdom; although it is a wasteland, it is not without potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An intelligent man like him could accomplish a great deal here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flipped through page after page, reading through the information from his childhood to adulthood. Every battle he fought, every notable thing he had done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is a standard noble, born knowing he will be Marquess, and he is revealed in that role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more I read about him, the more serious I became. He may be good news for the region, but he might not be much good news for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it?\" asked Bell. \"The man is ambitious and has the will and ability to accomplish it,\" I replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His ambitions will not change once he arrives in the region. The region might fuel it even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will worry about him after we survive the undead,\" I said, and focused on the reading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Insightful reading is an amazing skill. It not only lets me read the texts, but also understand them. It is my most-used skill, and because of it, I was able to push it beyond its original capabilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't easy, but I was able to do that, and right now, I am using aura to enhance it even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is why I finished the thick document quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, I turned to the second dossier. It is half as thick as the first. I turned the blank page and read the name of the person whose information it belongs to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countess Elaetha Velaniel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She is not a warrior, but just as impressive as Marquess Grimvale. She is from a small noble family and was married into the House Velaniel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her husband died at the start of the war, but she was still able to maintain the title and hold over the army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few members of House Velaniel attempted to claim the title, but they had mysteriously ended up dead. She will now be a Countess of Brimbale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finished with her information, becoming more impressed with her than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took the last dossier and opened it. It belongs to just as interesting a man as the other two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baron Robard Haldraven\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A year ago, it was Robert Hald, but he changed it to Robard Haldraven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the emperor died, he was a moderately successful businessman—a self-made one, not from any established merchant house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He kind of reminds me of you,\" said Bell, to which I smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I was saying, he was a semi-successful businessman before the war, but as the war began, things rapidly changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man took risks, massive ones. He made risky bets, did everything from supplying the weapons to trading prostitutes. There is even a rumor that he paid for a few assassinations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He made connections and money, buying a lordship, which was later elevated to a Barony, two weeks ago. I heard that, along with a lot of money and resources, he also gave an artifact to obtain the new title and territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is the new Baron of Wildhelm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like Countess Valaniel, he too is allied with the Marquess Grimvale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Marquess himself is powerful enough; these two are going to make things even more difficult.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As I had said, the undead are priority,\" I replied as I closed the dossiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, I do not care about Marquess Grimvale and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had read the information because I wanted to know what kind of people would be my new neighbours and be prepared for any moves they might make.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chances of that happening are small, before the undead arrive, but I need to be prepared, in case that happens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven minutes later, I walked out of the office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hours passed, and soon, it was eight in the evening. I had just come back, finishing the last meeting; it was a pretty important one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door of my office opened, and Valentina walked inside. She didn't say anything and just waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, I turned to her with a stack of files.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These are the things you will need to focus on in my absence,\" I said to her and forwarded the files toward her before getting up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am leaving for Fort Renin at midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is not a function to which I am going; I am attending that, but the primary purpose of my visit is my meeting with the council of the Nakar Baronies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dane had flatly declined to send any reinforcements. Leaving only the Nakar baronies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is hope there. So, I am personally going. It will be dangerous, but I need to take the risk. Even getting ten thousand soldiers would help me a lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you for trusting me with this responsibility.\" She said softly in an almost inaudible voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to her and saw her looking at me with misty eyes. \"There is no one I trust more with this responsibility,\" I replied and walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Usually, I hand the responsibilities to Robin, but he isn't in the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is in the merchant states.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, I walked out of the city hall and sat in my carriage. I watched the streets for a while, feeling a sense of sadness, before focusing on the aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been weeks, but things are the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could form the fractal at a very fast speed, but I didn't make the slightest progress in the essence. Now, I have only three weeks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I want to learn the method. It will increase my chances against the undead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, the method couldn't be learned based on my want, but through my efforts and a little bit of luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, I reached the mansion and quickly went to my room, freshened up, before coming back for dinner. The children are waiting for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only three of us today, since Carla had gone to attend an event with the Ambassador of Kalgha dominion and wouldn't be returning for a few days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want to come with you,\" said Josie suddenly. It surprised me. \"You can't; there are too many risks,\" I replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would have taken her, but as I had said, there are too many risks. People, monsters, and some, I don't even know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why are you going?\" she asked. \"Because I have to,\" I replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl looked at me, and it seemed she understood. She is a child, but I am trying to make her understand the harsh realities of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If something happens to me, she will be the Lady of Dominion of Greltheaven. The responsibility of protecting hundreds of thousands of people will fall on her shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How is school?\" I asked them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the battle of Panar, I was too busy to focus on them as I should. I feel bad, but I will make up for that after I deal with the undead problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap the Patreon link below to unlock50 Advanced Chapters, or join Free to enjoy character art, maps, and more exclusive content!\u003C\u002Fp>",1893,"2026-06-09T06:55:04.513Z",1,"novelbin.me","13d39441e1cdcb78159725612115b3206119faa6e25a606ce8088544b4bd6773","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-698","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-696",917,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcity-of-desire-kingdom-building-cover.jpg"]