Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 20 Almsgiving
Logically speaking, Cangmu Town is in dire need of reconstruction, and Su Mu should be stationed there to develop it, but he had a compelling reason to accept the invitation.

The letter, delivered by Baron Eugen and bearing the eagle emblem of Longlit Castle, was the most legitimate invitation from a lord. This process was unavoidable if Sumu desired administrative control of Kuraki Town.

Of course, he could seize the mountain and become king, refusing to obey orders. But the Kingdom of Elton is still alive and powerful, controlling the earth spirits and the four boundary markers. If he forcibly takes over the land and refuses to be granted a title, he will soon be rejected by the ley lines, and the magical power of the forest will decrease, which would be a loss for him.

The journey was a bit bumpy, but everyone was in good spirits. These archers, who had been stranded in the refugee camp, had successfully advanced to the Earth Bow and were honored to be able to travel to Longlet Castle to witness the lord's appointment.

Oling leaned closer: "It seems that Longlitburg thinks highly of you. Now that war is imminent, everyone is watching and waiting, but you alone stepped forward and defeated the enemy. You must be trying to set an example."

But if I may be so bold, don't have too high expectations of them; in fact, you should be wary.

Su Mu glanced at Ouling, knowing that the other party had been tricked by Langlitburg before, so it was normal for him to have such remarks, which coincided with his own thoughts.

“I wrote to them asking for soldiers, but they refused. Now that we have won the battle and I have become the de facto lord of Cangmu Town, they summoned me and gave me some empty titles.”

With log prices soaring so rapidly and forest output so high, what do you think they're up to?

It was rare for their lord to be so clear-headed, so Ouling didn't need to persuade him much, but he was still quite worried: "I'm afraid they won't let this go. Right now, Longlit Castle is leaderless, and everyone wants to jump out and grab some benefits. They're all eyeing such a big pie as Kuraki Town."

As the war continued, especially with the burning of the Far Forest, the price of logs in the kingdom skyrocketed. The previously overlooked Cangmu Forest Farm was now highly sought after. Even though Su Mu had won against the centaurs and gained fame, he was still seen as lacking a solid foundation by the nobles.

Su Mu nodded: "Tell me about the current situation in the Marquisate. You come from there, so you should know more than a country bumpkin like me."

After a moment's thought, Orling began to explain: "This fertile land in eastern Shilin has been the fiefdom of the Garfield family since ancient times. Through numerous battles and marriages, they have expanded their territory to its present state. Longlet Castle is a formidable fortress built by the Marquis, and it is quite famous even among the kingdom's castles, possessing level 4 Crusaders and a level 2 Magic Guild."

They are particularly skilled at breeding royal griffins; their family crest is an eagle, solely because the griffin is the emblem of the Royal Guard, but it also speaks volumes about Garfield Sky's strength.

"Of course, that's all in the past. Ever since the unexpected death of the current Marquis, leaving behind only his underage daughter Maggie Garfield, Longleat Castle has been in chaos. Everyone wants to seize the power of the vacant position, and no one will submit to anyone else, which has led to the chaotic situation we see today."

"The most stable conservative faction is Maggie's mother's side. Lady Garfield is weak-willed and listens to her brother Rex, who manages many barracks and buildings. Rex is the regent of Longleat Castle, with supreme command, and has promised to protect Maggie until she comes of age."

The remnants left behind by the Marquis consisted of the Storm Griffin Trainer, the Market Trade Director, the Magic Guild Master, and others. They had connections with the lords of all sizes in the fiefdom, were loyal only to the Marquis, and had no interest in Rex.

The two sides have been locked in a fierce battle for many years.

Su Mu clicked his tongue and chuckled, feeling sorry for the young master Garfield.

One is a regent uncle who has ruled the territory for so many years, and it's getting more and more chaotic. Maggie is almost an adult and there's still no sign of him returning power. On the other hand, there are the former officials who claim to be loyal to the Marquis, but it's obvious that Maggie has no way to inherit power. So who are they really loyal to?
Nominally, Maggie already possesses the title of Marquis, awaiting only the royal bishop's investiture upon her coming of age. But now, it's clear no one recognizes her, considering her insignificant.

Knowing Su Mu's doubts, Ouling explained, "Rex intended to marry Maggie to his son, but the lords disagreed and wanted Garfield's collateral descendant, Heim, to marry Maggie. The two sides were at odds, and there were even several assassination and kidnapping incidents."

It turns out that Ouling was caught up in the conflict between the two forces, no wonder he was in such a terrible state.

"So, you were originally a supporter of Rex?"

"We were sent by Baron Lille, and we only obey Garfield!"

Judging from Orling's dejected expression, Garfield had hurt him quite badly.

"Since you know this is muddy water, do you still want to wade in?"

“I trust you, and I want to prove my innocence!” Su Mu nodded. He understood the faith of old-school soldiers like Ouling, who had a high degree of protection for chivalry and noble traditions, but there must be a deeper reason behind it.

Su Mu stared into Ouling's eyes and said, word by word, "What do you want from Garfield? Don't spout those empty lies; you know you can't fool me."

Oling's gaze darted away, and after a long silence, he finally replied, "Lady Garfield has promised me the position of archer leader, and will also grant me land and a title."

Believe it or not, I don't really care much about the position and land at Longleat Castle, but I want to help the real Garfield.

That's an interesting point, and it contains a lot of information. If Orling wasn't interested in Garfield's position, why would he help him? Throughout the whole thing, Orling didn't seem to mention his original master, Baron Lille, much, but that man must have had a profound influence on him.

Having discussed this further, Su Mu decided against pressing the issue. He reiterated that everyone has their own secrets. As long as Ou Ling didn't betray him, he would let him be.

Just from the mention of it, it seems that Ouling has a great need for a title.

"To prove yourself, you must first have the corresponding strength. Being a leader is not enough. Are you ready?"

Su Mu put his arm on Ouling's shoulder, and the Earth Bow Commander immediately felt a surge of heat rising within him. The prisoner's brand on his arm turned bright red, as if blood was overflowing.

Oling gripped the bow tightly, his eyes blazing with fury, as if he were back on the day he was humiliated.

In truth, Orling had long met the requirements for becoming a hero. Having experienced two major wars and benefited from the enhancements of the mountain fortress, his foundation was far more solid than Forrest's. Did he lack potential? If he didn't have potential, he wouldn't have been able to comprehend the will of the earth from 300 meters away on the archery range.

The reason he was trapped was actually because the curse had already affected him. He was obsessed with proving himself, but little did he know that those who truly valued him didn't care about such things.

In his early twenties, with unparalleled archery skills and command of the Earth Bow, he was just one step away from becoming a hero. His resume was truly illustrious.

Su Mu withdrew his hand: "In that case, you'll be the main character on this trip to Langlitburg!"

Ouling awoke from the chaos, his eyes vacant: "Me? How could I..."

Su Mu took out the letter, which contained a message from Eugen, and even a magical portrait depicting a dignified and beautiful lady smiling demurely at them.

“Langlitburg wants to win me over. They found an illegitimate daughter from a collateral branch of the family. Eugen hopes that I can marry this woman so that I can better control the forest area and make it easier for them to send troops to assist me!”

Ouling looked on in astonishment: "They...they're going too far! Isn't this a blatant attempt to take a share of the forest farm's profits? Besides, you're a promising young man, not necessarily a noblewoman, but at least someone of status. What does it mean to just pick an illegitimate daughter like this!"

Su Mu laughed heartily: "What illegitimate daughter from a collateral branch? She might just be someone's mistress."

But it wouldn't be good to refuse outright, so I'll just pass the buck to you for now. Please hold off for a few days, and then I'll try to sell it to you.

Ouling opened his mouth wide again, almost big enough to fit an egg: "I..."

"That's right, the savior of Kuraki Town, the leader of the Earth Bow, the hero who defeated Isildur."

As Su Mu spoke, his expression turned serious.

"This time, I'll show you what the so-called charity of nobles really is!"

(End of this chapter)