Chapter 35: Signing the Contract! Morris Delivers Compensation!

Martina's words were soft, yet every word struck at the heart.

Baron Carter was trembling with rage, yet he was powerless to refute.

He looked at Roko, then at Leo and Ban En.

All three had the appearance of being uninvolved, leaving everything to Martina.

Baron Carter knew that if he didn't bleed heavily today, there would be no easy end to this.

The subsequent negotiations became almost a one-woman show for Martina.

She was logical and sharp-tongued.

At times tough, at times cleverly exploiting Baron Carter's eagerness to redeem his son, she pressed forward step by step.

Although Baron Carter was cunning, he retreated steadily before Martina, who was well-prepared and held the absolute advantage.

Finally, after intense haggling, both sides reached an agreement.

Baron Carter would compensate Roko with thirty thousand gold coins and provide a batch of weapons, equipment, and grain worth about ten thousand gold coins.

At the same time, a contract with the legal force of the Kingdom would be signed, acknowledging Roko's pioneering rights to Vanguard Valley and the surrounding thirty-mile territory.

And he guaranteed that for ten years, Baron Carter would not invade the area for any reason.

Once a Black Kingdom contract was signed, it would be supervised by the Kingdom's Code.

If one party violated it, the other could appeal to the Kingdom, which would enforce it; the violator would face severe punishment, and could even be stripped of their title.

When Baron Carter pressed his family crest onto the contract, his face was so gloomy it was almost dripping water.

The contract was signed.

Morris was brought up; seeing his father, he lowered his head in shame.

Baron Carter gave him a cold look, said nothing more, and led his troops, along with that humiliating contract, away in a dejected manner.

Watching Baron Carter's retreating back, everyone at the valley entrance breathed a sigh of relief.

Baron Carter's farce had come to an end.

The two uncles did not leave immediately but accompanied Roko to his core territory, Vanguard Valley.

Compared to the territories his two uncles had managed for years, which were already quite substantial, Vanguard Valley appeared exceptionally rugged and immature.

Wooden fences barely circled the camp, with tents mixed together with budding wooden houses and stone houses.

The clanging of hammers was incessant; that was the dwarf craftsmen and the conscripted freemen working hard on construction.

The air was filled with sawdust, dust, and a hint of sulfur drifting from the distant mine.

Baron Leo looked around and couldn't help but say.

"Roko, this place of yours is truly... full of primitive vitality!"

Baron Ban En observed in silence.

His gaze swept over Martina, who was directing slaves to move stone materials.

He then looked at Fula, who was following Roko and curiously sizing them up.

Finally, his gaze fell on the outline of the castle being built in the distance, and he nodded slightly.

Roko led his two uncles to his largest wooden house, which served as the temporary Lord's Mansion and council hall.

Fula timidly served some clear water.

Martina, clutching a scroll of animal-skin map, squeezed over without ceremony, her snow-white fox ears twitching.

"Baron Leo, Baron Ban En."

She bowed slightly as a greeting, her attitude neither humble nor arrogant.

Baron Leo looked at Martina with great interest.

"Little fox, you are Roko's butler? You look quite sharp."

Martina hummed, didn't answer, but instead looked at Roko.

"Roko, this is the gold mine defense map I've redone, take a look."

She didn't put the two barons in her eyes at all.

Roko felt somewhat helpless, took the defense map, and said to his two uncles, "Martina is very smart; I've left the daily affairs of the territory to her."

Leo laughed heartily, and Ban En also rarely raised the corners of his mouth.

For the next few days, the two uncles stayed in Vanguard Valley.

Leo enthusiastically visited the mine and the blacksmith shop.

He even watched Hart train the new recruits with great interest, occasionally offering a few pointers, which left the soldiers incredibly excited.

Ban En did more observing; he carefully inspected the territory's defensive fortifications and offered Roko some pragmatic suggestions.

Such as which parts of the wall to reinforce, adding a few arrow towers, and so on.

They also reconfirmed the gold mine distribution plan: Roko would take fifty percent, and their two families would each take twenty-five percent.

For the two barons, this was already an unexpected joy.

Before leaving, Baron Leo patted Roko on the shoulder.

"Lad, work hard! Don't lose face for our Raymond family!"

"If you need anything, send someone to Whispering Hills to find me at any time."

Baron Ban En's words were more concise.

"Guard this place well."

"If anything happens, come to Rock Territory."

The two uncles each left behind twenty elite knights, led by an experienced Great Knight, to be stationed long-term in Gold Mine Valley to assist Hart with defense.

Watching his two uncles leave with the main force, Roko felt much more settled.

The family's support was his greatest confidence in establishing himself in this chaotic borderland.

A few days later, rolling smoke and dust rose on the dirt road outside Vanguard Valley.

A line of heavy carriages, escorted by dozens of knights, slowly drove over.

Leading them was Morris, Baron Carter's son.

His face was pale, his eyes darting around, completely devoid of his previous arrogant air.

The previous crushing defeat and capture had clearly left him with deep trauma.

Seeing Roko standing at the camp gate with Hart and the others, Morris dismounted reluctantly, his movements stiff.

"Young Master Roko..."

He struggled to spit out these words, his voice dry.

Roko nodded, his gaze sweeping over the carriage train behind him.

"Did you bring everything?"

"Brought it, thirty thousand gold coins, and weapons and grain worth ten thousand gold coins, all here."

Morris waved his hand, and the servants he brought immediately stepped forward, carefully unloading the heavy boxes from the carriages.

Box after box filled with gold coins was opened, the golden light somewhat dazzling in the sun.

Beside them were several other carriages piled high with brand-new weapons.

Longswords, spears, crossbows, and a large amount of heavy grain.

Martina ran over clutching an account book, her short legs moving fast, her snow-white fox ears standing alert.

She carefully counted the number of gold coins and checked the quality of the weapons and grain, her small face full of seriousness.

【Favorability: 55】

【Loyalty: 35】

Looking at the mountain of gold coins, Martina's eyes almost turned into the shape of gold coins, her pure white eyes flashing with excitement, and the tail behind her couldn't help but sway gently.

After confirming the count was correct, Martina nodded to Roko.

"The quantity and quality are both correct."

Only then did Roko look at Morris.

"You can go."

Morris, as if granted amnesty, climbed onto his horse and fled with his men without looking back.

Watching Morris's pathetic retreating back, a hint of disdain flashed in Hart's eyes.

Roko calmly ordered, "Move everything into the warehouse; Martina is responsible for registering it."

"Yes, Young Master!"

"Understood, Roko!"

Martina clutched the account book that was taller than her and ran off in a flash to direct the slaves and freemen to move the supplies. ===== CHAPTER 36 =====