[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela":3,"chapter-exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-chapter-5":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Exiled from the Start and Dominating the Wasteland with an Intelligence System",{"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},1688605,2155,"Chapter 5 : Chapter 5","exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-chapter-5",5,"\u003Cp>Chapter 5. The Raven and the Butler’s Goodwill\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master—! My young master—!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scrawny figure in servant’s clothes came tumbling and scrambling toward the training ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was none other than the original Eli’s personal attendant—Estor!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Estor reached Eli, he dropped to his knees with a thud and wrapped himself around Eli’s leg without another word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face was a mess of tears and snot, and he was crying with utter devastation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master! Wuwuwu... my young master! Where did you go?! I searched the whole castle and couldn’t find you anywhere! Wuwuwu... how could you agree to go to that cursed place?! The Western Wasteland!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is that somewhere people are meant to go?! Aren’t you trying to kill me too?! Wuwuwu... if anything happens to you, how am I supposed to live?! Even Madam’s spirit in heaven will never rest in peace... wuwuwu...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The veins on Eli’s forehead began to throb. He shook the leg Estor was clinging to twice, but the man stuck to him like glue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a deep breath, then suddenly lifted his foot!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Estor was kicked away cleanly and efficiently, rolling twice across the ground and ending up covered in dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sobbing stopped on the spot. Clutching his backside, he stared blankly at his young master in stunned confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a dark expression, Eli walked up to him and looked down at him from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you done howling? If you’re done, then get up and get to work!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Estor scrambled to his feet. Tears were still hanging on his face, but he did not dare howl anymore. He only sniffled. “Y-Young Master...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Listen, Estor,” Eli said sternly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t have time to hear you bawling at a funeral. I’m giving you a few tasks right now, and you must get them done immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First, go to the ‘Sweetheart’ pastry shop in the eastern district and buy three boxes of their best almond pastries! I want them fresh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second, go to the black market in Mole Alley and find a stallholder nicknamed Limping Tom! Buy that map of Orlando from him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third, get me several doses of the best healing medicine you can find. Remember, I want the best.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eli spoke at rapid-fire speed, the string of orders crashing over Estor like a volley of arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Estor listened with his mouth hanging open. He forgot even to sniffle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you understand all that?” Eli fixed him with a stare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-Yes... yes, Young Master!” Estor instinctively snapped to attention, though the tearstains were still on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the look in his eyes had already changed. It was now filled with shock—and a strange sense of mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The money.” Eli pulled out another small coin pouch and stuffed it into Estor’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The money? But Young Master, you never pay when you buy things...?” Estor said in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm? Go, and come back quickly! If you ruin this, then you really will be coming with me to the wasteland to feed magical beasts!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Young Master! I guarantee I’ll complete the mission!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Estor gave a violent shudder, instantly forcing all the snot and tears back in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clutching the money pouch tightly, he spun around and dashed off as if his blood had been set on fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was moving even faster than when he had just come charging over, bawling his eyes out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Estor’s newly reinvigorated figure vanish around the corner, Eli finally let out a long breath of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rubbed his still slightly sore arm, then touched the gold coins remaining in his robe and turned his gaze beyond the castle walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Intelligence System’s “Novice Gift Pack” was being cashed in one promise at a time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And those ten knights, though only a beginning, had already gathered the first sparks of loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master! I’ve brought what you asked for.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time evening fell, Estor had finally returned with everything Eli needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eli nodded in satisfaction. Then he took out the almond pastries from among the items. So the old butler liked this sort of thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well done, my loyal Estor. Go get some rest now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eli patted Estor on the shoulder, then quickly left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master...” Estor stared after Eli’s back, feeling that he somehow seemed unfamiliar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And besides... the young master had never paid for things before...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrying the pastry boxes, Eli headed with a clear destination in mind straight for the depths of the castle—to the office of the butler, Sebastian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knocked on the heavy oak door, which was inlaid with the family’s raven crest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From inside came Sebastian’s unmistakable voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Eli pushed the door open, the smell of parchment washed over him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room was all cool tones, its furnishings so simple they bordered on severe. Sebastian was seated properly behind a massive redwood desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Eli,” Sebastian said in his usual distant, formulaic tone. “What can I do for you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Sebastian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eli put on a smile harmless enough to disarm anyone and gently set the three boxes of almond pastries on the corner of the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for the five hundred gold coins in start-up funds approved by Mother... following procedure, I would have to collect the voucher from you, correct?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I simply thought I should come early and get it all settled, so as not to delay your work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sebastian’s gaze swept over the pastry boxes bearing the “Sweetheart” mark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That rigid, hard-lined face showed the faintest loosening, so slight it was almost impossible to notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his voice remained as steady as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is correct, Young Master. Young Master Kaelus has already given instructions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He set down his quill, opened a drawer, and took out a gold-note voucher that had clearly been prepared in advance and stamped with the seal of the family treasury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The amount written on it was exactly five hundred gold coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as Eli reached out to take it, Sebastian’s fingers pressed down on the voucher instead of releasing it immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eli quietly put a little more force into his hand and pulled it free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sebastian raised his eyes and looked at Eli through the lenses of his gold-rimmed spectacles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Eli,” Sebastian said in the same flat tone, though his speech seemed slightly slower than before, “opening up the wasteland is no trifling matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, as if weighing his words, and in the end added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are also two things that may prove useful to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eli immediately put on an attentive expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First,” Sebastian said, his gaze sweeping over Eli, “that ‘raven’ you keep. According to family tradition, every member receives one upon coming of age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They are fed with your blood and share a connection with your mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It... may perhaps be able to carry information for you in the wilderness and warn you of danger. It can also briefly share its vision with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For once, he hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though it... may not be quite as... valiant as you might hope.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eli’s eyes lit up!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The World Intelligence Support System had not mentioned that! Even a useless bird was still a bird!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second, to establish a frontier territory, knights and the necessary craftsmen alone are not enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You will also need basic manpower. Farmers, craftsmen, even refugees... you will have to recruit them yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sebastian paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And one more thing... regarding your affairs, Lord Leon has long been occupied with matters in the royal capital, so perhaps...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He left the rest unsaid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Eli’s thanks were entirely sincere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Sebastian. I will make good use of the gold, I will take the raven with me, and as for Father...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knowing smile curved his lips, and he gave a little blink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll think of a way to handle it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he nudged the boxes of almond pastries on the desk a little farther forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Royce told me you liked these. I hope they suit your taste.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sebastian narrowed his eyes. He did not look at the pastries, merely gave a slight nod, accepting both the “bribe” and the farewell behind it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May the spirits of House Black’s ancestors watch over you, Young Master Eli.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eli said nothing more. He carefully put the voucher away and turned to leave that office steeped in order and restraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the door, Estor, who had been peeking about furtively, immediately came up to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master! Did it go well?” Estor asked in a small voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It did.” In high spirits, Eli patted the voucher tucked against his chest, then jerked his chin toward Sebastian’s office door. “I got it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm? Why are you still here? Didn’t I tell you to go rest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Estor’s face was full of admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe... I was worried about you, wasn’t I? That old— that very handsome Lord Butler has never liked you much! You were incredible, Young Master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eli gave a restrained nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone has a weakness.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1495,"2026-06-06T13:50:45.567Z",1,"novelbin.me","6ea9b29e5124875c11cb4dfa26d9bd284d92bc47ada61d3b3f0c7bf6ffb79506","exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-chapter-6","exiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-chapter-4",112,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fexiled-from-the-start-and-dominating-the-wastela-cover.jpg"]