Throne of the North.

Chapter 665 Northern Power (Part 3)

Land ravaged by war always tries to recover its strength after the war ends.

The Kingdom of Andara was no exception.

When the nobles from the Kingdom of Kolan entered the Kingdom of Andara, the first thing they saw was a large number of slaves, who were busy clearing the wilderness in the gradually whitening winter.

"What are they doing?"

The nobleman inquired about the bards in the group, who were the guides for the Coran nobles.

"They are clearing wasteland and turning it into farmland. The excavated soil and stones will be transported to the other side, where a road is being built from the Northwind Avenue to the Gerald Noble Territory."

"The Kolan Avenue that the Kingdom of Kolan is about to build is also an extension of the North Wind Avenue. That road will connect the capital city of the Kingdom of Kolan and the south of the Kingdom of Kolan."

"That will be the longest road on the continent of Norris, crossing an empire, three kings, a grassland, and a noble territory."

The nobles listened to the news with some bewilderment; it sounded so prestigious.

"Can food really be grown on such land?"

A nobleman looked outside in confusion. The reason why wasteland is called wasteland is because it is a luxury to grow food on such land, not only because of the land itself, but also because of human territoriality.

"The mage Yelena of the Frozen Territory has used the power of magic to cultivate new winter wheat and potato seeds that can adapt to colder soil."

"This wasteland is more fertile than I imagined, and it is close to the Andara Road, which is the name of the section of the North Wind Road within the Kingdom of Andara, making it easier to transport materials for road construction."

"This geographical environment has prevented this land from becoming barren."

"Furthermore, at Lord Ryan's request, the nobles of the Kingdom of Andara, including the king, will relocate slaves."

"It's them, they work very hard."

Although not as utterly indifferent to nobility as Bogeld, the bard was equally undaunted by the nobles' status, speaking with neither servility nor arrogance:

"Compared to slaves in other places, these slaves are very proactive and highly efficient."

When the bard finished speaking, the nobles realized that it was indeed true; in their own territories, the slaves could not be managed without the whip, their laziness was ingrained in their very bones.

But here, the slaves were very active, proactive, and efficient in clearing the wilderness.

"Because Lord Ryan promised them that villages would be built on the reclaimed wasteland, and good slaves would be eligible to lead their families to settle in the villages."

"The new village is located around Andara Highway, so it will not be remote, but rather very safe."

"At the same time, they will also be responsible for the labor of this reclaimed farmland, and will need to pay taxes to their nobles and His Majesty the King every year."

"Paying taxes? That's something only commoners are entitled to."

The nobles were shocked, for slaves were not entitled to pay taxes; they themselves were part of the wealth.

"Yes, but the slaves here will be provided with their own wealth after paying taxes, Lord Ryan will guarantee that they will retain their own wealth after paying taxes."

Is this why the slaves were so proactive and efficient?
Among the nobles, Galic Gelan, the heir to the Grand Duke and a student of Baron Ryan, representing the noble leader of the Kingdom of Coran, gazed at the slaves in the wilderness outside and pondered these thoughts.

He saw the slaves excitedly carrying stones heavier than themselves with their bare hands, clearing away the tangled weeds. In the Grand Duchy of Gelan, such stones would often require three or four people to move slowly.

He also saw that when the banner representing Ryan appeared in the front of the Bogeld Armored Bear Legion, all the slaves knelt down on their own initiative, and the ground quickly leveled the path for them to advance.

Galic felt the carriage beneath him was smoother than ever before, with absolutely no bumps or knocks under the wheels. The slaves were genuinely trying to make things easier for them.

Galic was puzzled.

"Is this the change he brought about?"

He and his father, Grand Duke Gelan, believed that the changes taking place in the Kingdom of Coran were already unprecedented, but they never expected that even more unbelievable changes were taking place in the north of the Kingdom of Coran.

"How did he manage to get the nobles of the Andara Kingdom to agree to let these slaves establish villages?"

Galic asked the bard riding outside the carriage, and the bard thought for a long time, seemingly not knowing the answer himself.

But that's alright, they are bards, and in some things, they are professionals.

The bard brings the story of a world to distant lands, true and accurate, but in Lord Ryan's case, 'principles' can take a back seat.

"Lord Ryan helped the Kingdom of Andara drive out the northern barbarians, and the nobles of this land respect and acknowledge Lord Ryan's will."

"The nobles of the Kingdom of Andara are also willing to follow Lord Ryan. His prestige in this land is no less than that of the king."

"Lord Ryan brought the people of the North a comfortable life, and even the nobles followed him."

"This is the will of a great being, and also the will of Lord Ryan. The great gods chose Lord Ryan, making him their successor to care for the world beneath the North."

"The Kingdom of Andara will not betray Lord Ryan's will. The value of these slaves is far less than the close relationship they have with Lord Ryan."

In the bards' words, Lane's image grew ever more magnificent.

"You are Lord Ryan's student, and this will be a source of pride for you. In the near future, you will also bear the responsibilities that come with this identity."

The bard spoke to Galic, who was somewhat puzzled.

"What responsibility?"

"Just like your senior."

"Mr. Kemon Gerald is currently studying Lord Ryan's military command methods in the Frozen Territory. In name, Kemon Gerald is already a noble general of the Gerald Noble Territory."

"His soldiers were the entire army of the Gerald noble family."

“And you will be the same in the future,” the bard said. They, the bards, were probably the ones who knew best what kind of system Ryan planned to establish this winter. The bards were passionate about it and had participated in an event that was destined to be written into a key chapter of history.

Galic still didn't fully understand, but he knew Kemon. It was Kemon who represented Ryan in reaching a cooperation agreement with his father. Later, his father regretted it and thought that cooperating with Ryan was a mistake, but by the time he realized it, the Kingdom of Coran had no way back.

"To become the commander-in-chief of the army?" Galick pondered this question, a hint of anticipation creeping into his heart.

The Baron of the North, who has never lost a war, has commanded an undefeated army; he is a legend on the battlefield.

When this group of nobles from Coran arrived at the capital of Andara, the road was no longer rugged, as the North Wind Avenue had long since connected to it.

The nobles paid a visit to His Majesty the King of Andara.

On behalf of his father and the King of Coran, Galik extended sincere greetings to His Majesty the King of Andara. His Majesty the King, with a smile, happily received the guest from Coran and expressed that the ancient friendship between Andara and Coran was sacred.

The two sides had a very pleasant conversation. His Majesty the King was very generous and presented the nobles with many gifts. The nobles were flattered and flattered. The King's friendly reception made them hold their heads high with pride, and they returned their family's precious treasures to the noble King.

Another day passed, and the nobles finally set off again. Among the group, some nobles looked at Galic with curiosity.

"Mr. Galic, what did His Majesty the King of Andara say to you?"

The king and Galic spoke in hushed tones for a long time. After they came out, Galic's expression was strange, and he remained silent.

Galic had no need to hide the nobles of Coran.

"His Majesty the King hopes that while we are in Zero Crossing City, we can stand together with the Kingdom of Andara against the competition from the Kingdom of Sera."

"Competition for what?"

"About the military."

"Why should the conflict and military ties between the Kingdom of Andara and the Kingdom of Sera be resolved in Zero Crossing City?"

The nobles were puzzled, and Galic shook his head; that was the strange thing about him.

Military command in both the Kingdom of Andara and the Kingdom of Sera is in the hands of one man: Ryan Clayton.

Furthermore, things seem to have changed now, and it's no longer just about military command authority.

“My father was very wary of Baron Ryan. He was indeed frightening and terrifying. Some called him the devil because he always managed to make people helplessly agree to his demands, just like the devil.”

Galic was somewhat nervous and apprehensive. He was about to arrive at the Empire, and his original confidence seemed to turn into unease.

He was merely traveling by carriage from the Kingdom of Coran to the Imperial City of Zero Crossing, but along the way, the closer he got to Zero Crossing, the more Galic could feel the power and influence of the name Ryan in this land.

The bard had said that no one in this land could question Ryan's will.

He remained skeptical, but at this moment he was not sure, as he had not heard any dissenting voices along the way.

Every place, every unique change, was brought about by the name Ryan. Whether nobles, commoners, or slaves, they all clearly recognized this fact.

Is he that powerful?
Galic's eyes flickered with confusion. If he remembered correctly, and if the nobles of this world remembered correctly, Ryan was just a baron. In terms of status, he was not even comparable to himself, the heir to the Grand Duke and the future super noble.

Is this really something a baron could do?

And why have I never heard of how terrible he is before?
This group, which had come from afar, finally entered Zero Crossing City. Like all the adventurers who had arrived, the nobles were also amazed by the prosperity of Zero Crossing City.

There are no beggars in Lingdu City, because any beggar who leaves Lingdu City will become a rich man.

The nobles did not linger in Zero Crossing City; they were heading to the Frozen Territory at the invitation of Baron Ryan.

Compared to the hustle and bustle of Zero Crossing City, Frozen Territory is much quieter, giving people a sense of paradise. They walked through the swamp, with golden ginkgo trees on both sides, and the fallen leaves gave the wide road under their feet a silent nobility.

The majestic Rhinoceros Horn Mountain, blessed with unique natural advantages, is planted with many precious and ancient trees. The magnificent and ancient castle makes Ryan, the founder of the Ryan family, seem to possess a long-standing legacy of honor.

Every carving on the castle's surface comes from a unique civilization in another world. On the gate, which is less than half-carved, there is a roaring stag, a howling bear, a ferocious and majestic dragon, and the gaze of an ancient serpent subtly fixed on the top of the gate...

This gate, with only half of its carving completed, already instilled a powerful sense of awe in the nobles.

The gatekeeper of the baron's castle is a half-grown blue lion, lazily lying on the ground yawning, seemingly protesting the injustice of child labor, making the solemn and imposing gate no longer so intimidating.

"It is a great pleasure for you to come to my territory, friends from the Kingdom of Kolan. You are my honored guests."

Ryan was dressed in a magnificent yet simple baron's attire. This outfit was not a traditional baron's robe, which would be cumbersome to walk in. However, Ryan's simple yet dignified attire accentuated his handsome features.

Galic remained silent. He represented the Grand Duke and the King, but he was also Ryan's student, and after all this journey, he didn't know what to say.

"Lord Ryan, will there be any problem if we just enter the Empire's territory like this?"

One nobleman said nervously, "As nobles, we should inform the emperor of our entry into the empire first."

Ryan looked at the badge on his chest and said with a smile:

“Viscount Norlin, you need not worry about this matter. I assure you in Ryan’s name that this land will welcome you to the Empire and will not be hostile to you.”

“No nobleman in this land would question my friend Ryan.”

Ryan spoke humbly, but his tone carried a strong sense of confidence. The nobles of the Kingdom of Coran had heard many stories about Ryan's authority along the way, and they were now at ease.

"In order to attract my friends, tonight's banquet will be made with the flesh and blood of a dragon. I hope you will all enjoy it."

"And, a special wine from a certain otherworldly plane, which can be found nowhere else on the entire Norris continent except on Rhinoceros Horn Mountain."

The nobles were flattered. Dragon flesh and blood were food? When had they ever heard of such a niche term?

"In addition, I am also very curious whether the Kingdom of Coran has a completely new look now. I think the nobles should not reject the arrival of Ryan's Treasury and the Northern Merchant Guild."

(End of this chapter)