Chapter 22

“Double?” Everyone thought they had misheard.

“Correct. As neighbors, helping each other is only right. Charging you double is my father’s teaching: nobles prioritize profit, never just emotion—otherwise, you’ll easily be manipulated!”

“So I charge only double—the extra portion is waived as a neighborly courtesy from me to your lord!”

The stewards had seen many noble types, but never one so upright, so ungreedy.

“Honorable Lord, your noble character is unparalleled in our lifetimes—we shall carry your kindness back to our domains and inform our lords!”

Then, the four ecstatic stewards were led away by Old John to meet the civil officer regarding the ducks.

After they left, Caroline also regarded Gervas with an unusual gaze.

Clearly, Gervas’s actions today had shattered her understanding.

Gervas, however, remained expressionless, maintaining his refined persona.

In truth, without the intelligence system, he would never have been so casual about over a dozen gold coins!

But with the intelligence system, using this sum to build his reputation and court neighboring lords was undoubtedly worthwhile.

After all, though they said nothing aloud, they surely remembered his duck purchases.

Now he profits, yet still earns their gratitude—why not?

…

“My lord!”

“Huh! You all seem different?” Arriving at the front courtyard, five knightly retainers had long been waiting.

With a thud, the five dropped to their knees the moment they saw Gervas.

“Thank you, Lord, for your grace—we’ve broken through and become full knights!”

It turned out that after consuming Dino’s Body-Refining Elixir, they had all advanced into full knights.

“So fast?” Gervas was astonished by the elixir’s efficacy.

Though full knights cannot generate aura, their strength can be verified.

A full knight’s hallmark is lifting a two-hundred-kilogram stone pillar with both hands.

Remon had previously said it would take Migen and the others one to three months to advance—but now, one elixir had done it in two hours.

This was truly miraculous.

“Rise! Don’t cry like children—others might think I’ve mistreated you. You’re full knights now—stand tall, show knightly bearing!”

“Yes, my lord!” Amid Gervas’s teasing, they finally rose, yet their expressions remained solemn and reverent.

After all, Gervas might treat this favor lightly, but to them, it meant everything.

“Migen, I have a task for you. Take two serfs to Baron Cain’s domain. There’s an adventurer named Baka at his square.”

“He’ll be selling Green Spirit Fruit—buy every last one. Remember: all of them!”

“Yes, my lord!”

Soon after, Migen selected two serfs and rode off in a cart toward Baron Cain’s domain.

Meanwhile, Gervas was no less busy.

He went straight to the village, ordered Thomas to gather twenty strong serfs, and spread a message.

He announced to the villagers that, to show his seriousness about recruiting guards, he would personally attend the selection this afternoon.

After giving his orders, Gervas departed the village with his guard unit and knightly retainers.

…

According to today’s intelligence, Tianehu remained the closest location.

Yet precisely because Tianehu was so near and safe, Gervas did not rush to search for Magic Fragrance Fruit there—he instead moved closer to the Death Mountains.

Whether the grassland where the Flame Horses appeared or the Black Stone Ridge where Dragon’s Blood Stone lay, both were very near the Death Mountains.

From days of system intelligence, Gervas had drawn a conclusion.

That such abundance of valuable items likely stemmed from this region’s extreme isolation.

Otherwise, if this were a bustling city, there would be far fewer demons and magical herbs—and far more gold coins, petty nobles’ affairs, and such.

“My lord, ahead lies the Black Stone Ridge!”

Captain Lawrence’s voice came from the front.

Looking ahead, they saw a stretch of hills, hundreds of meters long, extending from the Death Mountains.

But the hills were low and rocky, eliminating any potential threat.

“Let’s go up!”

Gervas immediately led the group up the ridge.

Up close, the terrain resembled karst formations from his past life—difficult to traverse.

Yet for Dragon’s Blood Stone, Gervas would not retreat.

After describing the stone’s features to his men, he ordered them to scatter and search.

Luck favored them: within twenty minutes, they found something.

“My lord, these reddish stones here—they’re warm to the touch, just as you described!”

Gervas hurried over to Lawrence—and indeed, within a two-meter radius centered on him, both earth and rock glowed dark red.

Touching them, the stones and soil radiated an unusual warmth.

The stones had become unnaturally smooth, like jade, starkly different from the surroundings.

Without doubt, these were Dragon’s Blood Stone—rock and soil soaked in dragon’s blood.

“Lawrence, well done. Have everyone gather these stones and soil into baskets—leave nothing behind!”

“Yes, my lord!”

The guards and knightly retainers worked swiftly, hauling all the dark red stones and soil back.

Altogether, the stones and soil weighed at least five to six hundred jin.

Fortunately, there were many men—even without carts, they could carry it on their backs.

Dragon’s Blood Stone secured, next came the Flame Horses.

Coincidentally, today’s advancement of Migen and the others made the Flame Horses arrive just in time.

Otherwise, having knights but no horses would have been embarrassing!

“Lord Gervas, this is the southwesternmost edge of our Stormhold—a vast grassland!”

“But because it’s so close to the Chaos Wasteland and Death Mountains, it’s extremely dangerous. Neither serfs nor our guard unit ever come here.”

“Perfect. Set down the baskets—we’ll walk the grassland.”

The system’s hint said the Flame Horses would come to graze—but gave no exact location, making capture difficult.

Yet difficulty was no excuse. Gervas needed to observe, search for clues, and find ways to improve capture odds.

Quickly, he found something.

By a puddle, he spotted Night Fragrance Grass.

In his past life, there was a saying: “Horses don’t grow fat without night grass.” The same held true here.

Moreover, this world had a herb beloved by herbivorous demons: Night Fragrance Grass.

Any herbivorous beast or demon, wild or magical, would be drawn to it.

Thus, its price had soared to one silver coin per kilogram.

Yet Night Fragrance Grass wasn’t rare—it grew in vast patches.

But its overwhelming popularity drove prices sky-high.

“So the Flame Horses will likely come here for this Night Fragrance Grass?!”