Calamity Dragon, Starting with the Cultivation of Knight Families

Chapter 89 Viscount's Territory, Oracle's Summon (23)

[Family] (Expand)

Family: Smith Swamp Territory
家族功能：1、血脉强化（弱）；2、多子多福1级；3、家族图腾1级。

(Buff: Breeding rate +5%, Extraordinary bloodline activation rate +5%, Potential +5%, Feedback growth rate +10%)

Head of the family: Yorksmith (Third-tier Grand Knight)
Title: Viscount

Bloodline: Phantom Rabbit (Wind, Mid-tier)
Spouses: 3

[Wife: Lucia Callum (Tier 1 Pyromancer)]
Bloodline: Fiery Sand Scorpion (Low-Tier)
Lovers: 2 (omitted)

Offspring: 4.

1. Caesar Smith (approximately 4 years old, Flaming Wolf bloodline manifests, but not activated);

2. Willard Smith (approximately 1 year old);

3. Julian Smith (approximately 1 year old);

4. (Unborn)
Territory: Swamp Territory (approximately 124 square kilometers).

Population: 5368. (32 squires, 186 assassins, 640 soldiers.)
(Note 1: When the patriarch breaks through to the next rank, the player can receive a +10% growth feedback; one offspring's bloodline is prominent, but has not yet been activated, so the player does not currently receive any bloodline feedback.)
(Note 2: As the rank of nobility increases, the family crest can be upgraded, with a slight improvement in functionality. Players need to perform the upgrades themselves.)
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Lin Ke was very satisfied with the changes in the swamp territory.

Because of York's promotion, Viscountess Lucia, who was in charge of looking after the house, had already begun to expand the number of people in the territory on a large scale during the simulation day.

Compared to 500 years ago, the population of the Swamp Territory has now exceeded 5,000, and the entire town has undergone a significant expansion.

In addition, after the war, York only took three knights and ten soldiers to the capital to receive his title, so Lady Lucia also rewarded some of the soldiers who had returned early from the campaign with York.

Following York's instructions, Lucia promoted several battalion commanders among the soldiers.

They were then promised knights as squires.

Previously, the plan was simply to wait for York to return from the capital, at which point the Swamp Territory would officially have thirty-two knights-squires.

As for the majority of the extra knights and squires, many of them were actually selected by York from his territory before the expedition.

Half of them have completed the entry ceremony, while the other half are still waiting for the right time.

In this respect, York has been actively developing his squire retinue in strict accordance with Linko's instructions.

Now, York has returned to the Marshlands with the first group of church officials responsible for selecting church sites and residences, and it is time for the Marshlands to continue expanding its active territory.

After all, he's already a viscount, so no one will suspect anything if he expands his territory now.

With the presence of the Church of Truth, it would be reasonable for the Swamp Territory, the so-called land favored by God, to expand its territory dozens of times over.

With a larger territory, there's no need to worry about not being able to manage it.

Now that he's a viscount, York is also capable of expanding into several scattered villages and towns.

The management and governance of these small villages and towns could then be handed over to, or even bestowed upon, one's own knights and squires.

For example, the two knights-in-waiting who initially followed York's master, as well as Paul and the other five mercenary knights who were the first to follow York.

This is what is meant by a knightly leader.

Therefore, the Swamp Territory will be quite busy for the foreseeable future.

The expansion of the main city and the granting and construction of knightly territories all require a large amount of money.

Fortunately, York has plenty of money right now.

Not to mention the influence of the church, it is conceivable that in the West, given a few years, the Swamp Territory will be no less prosperous than the Duke's main city.

Furthermore, the name "Swamp Territory" should no longer be used after this incident.

As for what the name should be, Linke won't get involved; it's entirely up to York to choose.

The swamp is now the center of attention.

Before York returned yesterday, a large influx of newcomers had already entered the Swamp Territory in recent days.

Mercenaries, merchants, nobles, believers, and so on.

It's a mixed bag, with a floating population exceeding 50,000.

York and his wife Lucia have been extremely busy these days.

On one hand, he occasionally had to receive visiting nobles, and on the other hand, he had to oversee large-scale construction projects outside the city.

Fortunately, York's father, Eric Sr., arrived at that moment!

Old Eric brought a large number of men to help Lucia, while Lucia's family, her father Viscount Callum, also sent a lot of helpers. As for Callum himself? He was seriously injured on the battlefield and is still recuperating.

Therefore, the current swamp territory has a feeling of being carried by many people in a beautiful sedan chair.

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The Viscount's Mansion.

"To be honest, even now, I'm still a little skeptical of the miracles you, the Pope and even Your Excellency the Viscount, have described."

"But these were the words of Lord Tyr, which is why I chose to stand on the side of the kingdom."

"As for what Lord Tyr said earlier about how power and money corrupt the church, in my opinion, does acquiring power or money mean one does not have faith in our Lord?"

"Furthermore, when has the Church of Truth ever used its power to force others to believe in our Lord? That's utter nonsense. Even if it did, it was only due to the selfishness of a very small minority." "We are mortals, and mortals having selfish desires has absolutely no conflict with our belief in our Lord. If we didn't even have selfish desires, would we still be mortals?"

At this point, after several days of travel, the next day, the church leaders finally had the energy to discuss the miracle with York.

As for Pope Tyre, he still had to appease the believers in the various principalities along the way, so he was not in a hurry to return to the Swamp Territory.

The one speaking at this moment was one of the twelve chief bishops of the Church of Truth.

In this civil war in the Eagle Kingdom, the entire Church of Truth suffered a complete and devastating blow.

Of the original six cardinals, only Tyre remains, and of the original twelve royal capitals, only three remain.

As for the bishops of the various duchies within the kingdom, there are only six left.

At this time, only five bishops arrived as part of the first batch, while nearly three hundred other missionaries came.

In the conference room, a group of people sat together, all looking at York and Oleg beside him.

“Bishop Emon, are you sure you still want to question our Lord’s oracle at this point?”

"I think what you're saying is what those rebels also want to say, right? Are you still sympathizing with those rebels?"

"Think it through yourself. If it weren't for Lord Tyr pleading on your behalf, would you have been able to escape this turmoil?"

Oleg looked at Eamon Hawke, who was speaking, with a calm expression.

Upon hearing this, Bishop Eamon immediately gave Oleg a cold look.

"Oleg, what right do you have to criticize me here?"

"Don't forget how you managed to leave the capital alive back then? You're a complete idiot, your ideas are laughable. Even without that incident, you were bound to offend the royal family and nobility sooner or later. Hmph, I wouldn't be surprised if you suddenly died in the church one day, you moron!"

"So, what those people did to me before was all for my own good? And I should thank them?" Oleg remained unmoved and said calmly.

"And you say that selfish motives only apply to a minority, then tell me, why were the previous Pope and the five cardinals involved in such a massive black market transaction? And even defiled so many nuns?!"

"Even the holy sons and daughters, which one hasn't been oppressed by these so-called great figures? Such filthy and unsightly blasphemy, you're telling me this is just the selfishness of a small minority?"

"Let's not even talk about them. Even among those below, how many resident missionaries are still clean? Don't rush to deny it. My eyes have told me everything over the past few decades."

Oleg's words were like tearing open a stain on the church, making the other four bishops present feel somewhat embarrassed and awkward.

But as embarrassing as it may be, it's just a matter of not wanting to air one's dirty laundry in public.

The four bishops present, including the one who spoke, were relatively clean; otherwise, they wouldn't be standing here.

“Oleg, you don’t understand people’s hearts at all, and neither does Lord Tyr.”

"Secular society needs compromise and balance; it doesn't necessarily need to be so radical."

"But since things have come to this, I don't want to say anything more. After all, this is the end they deserve. It's just a pity that our Church of Truth has completely lost all say in the kingdom."

Bishop Eamon did not deny what Oleg said, and could only sigh in the end.

It has a sense of "what's the use of trying to ruin things" about it.

Bishop Eamon and Oleg were students of Cardinal Tyr during the same period, and the reason they could speak so frankly was precisely because they understood each other's character so well.

As he said this, he changed the subject and looked at York again.

“I believe in Lord Tyr, so I am willing to believe that this is a divine decree from our Lord, but I still want to confirm it with my own eyes.”

"Moreover, Lord Tyr himself promised that after the war, we can directly inquire with the Viscount upon arriving in the Swamp Territory."

“I don’t know what connection Your Excellency has with my lord, but since Lord Tyr has said so, I trust you, and of course I have reason to ask now.”

Eamon's statement was endorsed by the other four bishops present.

One of them said, "Indeed, although we trust Lord Tyr and believe in the existence of divine oracle and divine favor, shouldn't we also have the right to know the whole story?"

"I feel the same way. In particular, I am very curious about where the divine dragon that attacked the Green Vine Kingdom is. Since it was born into this world under the divine favor of our Lord and brought our Lord's divine decree, it should still be in this mortal world now, right?"

“I think we have at least a reason to meet this esteemed messenger of our Lord in person. Surely he hasn’t returned to our Lord’s divine kingdom?”

York looked somewhat helpless as he watched the bishops in such a state.

The identity of the 'Steel Dragon' is extremely sensitive, so Tyr initially referred to the bishops under his command as the Steel Dragon being a divine messenger sent by the God of Truth.

This is a plausible reason, and it also helps to better conceal His identity as a god, or even a god from another world incarnate.

Lin Ke had naturally agreed to this.

He was even willing to meet with these bishops of the Church of Truth later on, since he didn't need to pay attention to the other lower-level missionaries and believers, but he still needed these bishops.

After all, the lower levels of the Church of Truth will need them to appease them.

York had contacted the Rock Steel Dragon yesterday, but the news he received was that His Majesty's gaze had departed from this world two days ago.

What should he say about this?

Take them to see the mortal beings who lack the divine power of His Majesty?
This will certainly not convince these people, and may even threaten the safety of the Rock Steel Dragon.

Should we delay a little longer?
But each time Your Majesty is away, it's for a long time! At least a hundred days, sometimes a year or two.

Can this be delayed?
However, just as York was pretending to be calm and deep in thought, a familiar feeling suddenly came over him!
Yes, the oracle of Lin Ke has descended once again!
At that moment, York finally felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders! He was so excited that he even stood up for a moment.

(End of this chapter)