The Lord of the Rings: Lords of Middle-earth.

Chapter 641 Going south!

"Come back alive!" Lance sincerely wished. After all, they weren't worried that Apophis Breo went out to explore because he carried the inheritance of the Grand Dukes of King's Landing and his own bloodline contained hidden power. As long as he didn't go looking for trouble with the orc fortress, no one could kill him before he gave up. But Ismir was what really worried everyone, because he really might die!
"I'll try my best!" Ismir's carefree smile suggested he had taken life and death in stride; ambition needed to be nourished by blood...

……

"Take care on the road! Have a safe journey!" Lance said earnestly.

Without alerting anyone, Ismir led his small convoy onto an unknown road at dawn.

"He's gone?" Roland suddenly blurted out.

"...Your Highness, you can scare people to death!" Lance said to Roland earnestly.

"It's alright, I believe in your courage and bravery!" Roland said calmly.

"...So, are you serious about agreeing to Ismir's expedition to the Dark Forest?" Lance asked silently.

“Since he is unwilling to be inferior to others, he needs to put in more effort than others and walk the thorny path that others cannot walk... Nothing comes without hard work. If there is, it is only the legacy of his ancestors!” Roland said meaningfully. Like Apophis Breo and the others, they were born in Rome simply because the hardships their ancestors endured generation after generation had made sweetness for their descendants. Nobles who leave the protection of their families are not even as good as dogs.

This is why countless noble sons, even those born out of wedlock, flock to the army and pioneering teams. Without a "throne" to inherit, they can only fight for one themselves, and then their descendants repeat the cycle endlessly! The Lagrange Empire has a high degree of social mobility. Apart from the very top group of nobles, new nobles are constantly being promoted while old ones are falling into obscurity!

“Sigh…” Lance sighed. He respected Ismir’s choice but was still worried about him. After all, once he crossed the Swift River, the kingdom’s reach would be too far to extend, and the King’s Landing family, far away in the Misty Mountains, would be even less able to help him. He would have to find his own way on this path, just like the ancestors of the empire who had pioneered it.

"Instead of worrying about things that are like the sky falling, you should be thinking about how to settle the people at the gate with Yunfeng. Have the houses been built? Have the food been distributed? Instead of worrying about Ismir, you should worry about the common people below. They are the foundation of the empire!" Roland shook his head. Whether he became a dragon or a worm was Ismir's own choice. They had already done their best. Instead of worrying about that, they should do something worthwhile.

"Hiss... Your Highness, how dare you, a mere figurehead, say such a thing?" Lance stared wide-eyed in shock at the shamelessness of this unscrupulous king! How could someone as idle as him dare to speak to the kingdom's two most powerful beasts like that?

"Ahem! I'm going back to catch up on my sleep. You can have fun by yourself!" Roland chuckled and made his escape, as it was still embarrassing to be accused of slacking off by his underling.

……

"Lord, which way do we go now?" The pioneer team recruited by Ismir looked at Ismir, hoping he could make a decision.

“Of course we’re heading south!” Ismir said cheerfully. Leaving the center of the vortex, Swiftstream City, made Ismir feel much more relaxed.

“Alright!” The attendants nodded knowingly, then led Rune’s warhorse south.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for laying this official road! Otherwise, traveling would be too difficult!" The pioneer team members chimed in, clearly very satisfied with the paved stone road beneath their feet.

"It's good, but it's not connected to Palembang yet. It's probably only been laid for a dozen miles!" someone said. "We should be able to reach Palembang before tonight. We'll rest there tonight!" Ismir said, looking at the sky and calculating the time.

"Yes, sir!" everyone replied in unison.

"Let's keep going. Our conditions will be tough from now on, so I hope everyone can overcome the difficulties!" Ismir once again mentioned the hardships of pioneering to everyone.

"Hahaha! Can it be more difficult than going hungry?"

"Yes! As long as you feed us, sir, we'll take care of everything, not just orcs, but even Ringwraiths!" The hearty Lagrange man patted his chest and assured him. Ismir had no doubt about the truth of these men's words, after all, the Lagrange brutes, who valued honor as their lives, were known for their bravery!
"No need to be so dramatic..." Ismir shook his head with a smile. If they really encountered Ringwraiths, everyone would be lying on the ground. Let alone twisting off their heads, they would be lucky to survive even one move!

……

"My lord! It's getting completely dark!"

"Speed ​​up! We should be close to Palembang!" Ismir encouraged, since the wasteland was still dangerous at night, and their small force should avoid traveling at night unless absolutely necessary.

"I see a light! My lord! It's the walls of Palembang!" A follower pointed to the faint light illuminating half the sky in the darkness ahead, where a wooden and stone wall lay dormant on the earth like a giant beast.

"Yes! It's Palembang! We've arrived!" Ismir's eyesight was better, and he could already see a squad of Lagrange City Guards walking towards them!
……

"Who are you...?" The Lagrange City Guards looked at Ismir with confusion at the Lagrange Dragon Banner and the Roaring Bear Banner fluttering on the convoy. After all, only nobles were entitled to use square banners, and they had never seen the Roaring Bear noble square banner before.

"I am the newly promoted Lord Ismir! I am going to the south to explore! Tonight I would like to rest in the city with my retainers!" Ismir explained and took out the exploration order issued by Roland, which could prove Ismir's status as a pioneering noble.

"Welcome, Lord Ismir!" The guards of Lagrange City immediately greeted with smiles and dispersed to both sides of the convoy to provide protection. The people of Palembang knew that a new lord had been created during the development and construction of Palembang, but they never expected to encounter him!

“It’s alright, my home has always been here!” Ismir shook his head with a smile.

"Thank you for escorting us!" Ismir thanked the Lagrange City Guards who escorted them into the city gate.

"It's our duty!" The city guards politely shook their heads.

"Lord, I am Bor, the butler of the Mordland family. The head of the family has specially arranged a banquet to welcome you! I wonder if you would do me the honor of attending?" The Mordland family's butler suddenly appeared in front of Ismir and handed him an invitation.

"Hmm? Very well! Please tell Count Mordland that I will be attending the banquet shortly!" Ismir smiled.

Requesting monthly tickets and tips—from the author who's eating dirt (a Chinese idiom for financial hardship)