Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 102 Baron Vera
"Besides offices and reception rooms, this building is basically all bedrooms." Mike pushed open a door, revealing an empty interior. "But it's not decorated yet. Would you like to design it yourself?"

The rooms were much larger than those on the second floor, clearly intended for important people or guests in the territory, especially Louis's master bedroom, which was ridiculously large.

Louis waved his hand dismissively: "There's no need to make it too complicated. As long as it's habitable and functional, it's better to keep it simple."

Mike nodded: "Alright, I'll go by the standards of the Northern nobles."

As they were talking, Louis suddenly turned to Sif beside him and said, "By the way, you'll be coming here often for work, so why don't you just move in? That way you won't have to travel back and forth every day. We'll save you an empty room on the third floor."

Sif paused for a moment, instinctively wanting to refuse.

But what she said was, "...Alright."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was very clear, and a faint, unnatural blush crept onto her cheeks.

She tried to justify it to herself: it's just for the convenience of work, and... it's really warm here... that's not for any other reason.

Mike coughed nonchalantly and quietly looked away.

The group then continued up the stairs.

The wind from the fourth floor immediately hit me, carrying the unique chill of height and a sense of openness.

"This is the last line of defense for our Red Tide Territory." Mike patted the stone wall next to him with a smile, his tone full of pride. "No matter who comes, they'll run into trouble here."

He pointed to the top of the wall, subtly flattering the archer: "These arrow slits are the angled structure you designed, so the archer can't be seen from the outside."

Our view was crystal clear. The enemy was hit by an arrow before they even got close. It was a truly ingenious design!

Louis simply waved his hand slightly, but his eyes clearly showed pleasure.

"This way." Mike led the group around the corner and pointed to several wooden frames. "These are the designated locations for the catapults. They're not installed yet, but I've already prepared the slots. Once they're in place, we can start firing immediately."

After saying that, he walked to the edge of the roof and pointed to several pipe joints hidden under the eaves.

"These are the boiling oil inlets you designed in your blueprints. Once the enemy gets close enough to climb the wall, we'll pour hot oil down and let them know what regret is."

Louis glanced at the inconspicuous pipe openings, a hint of satisfaction appearing in his eyes: "The effect is good, more exquisite than the original drawing."

“In addition,” Mike pointed to the wooden beams beside the stone wall, “this place can also be used to temporarily install crossbows, or even to place rolling stones.”

Then he pointed downwards: "Look down there, the mountain road to the south and the treeline to the north are clearly visible."

If it gets windy and snowy, we can put up windproof curtains and cold-weather covers. People can stay here for ten days or half a month without shivering.

He turned to Louis one last time, his tone proud: "Rest assured, Lord. As long as a hundred men guard this building, even thousands won't be able to break through."

The wind whistled through the stone walls.

But those standing on the top floor of this fortress felt as secure as a mountain.

After walking around for a while, Louis already had his answer.

The new fortress was even better than he had expected.

Safe and comfortable.

It has a stable heat source in winter and good ventilation in summer.

The sturdy walls and sentry posts form a complete defensive line, while the inner living area is warm and peaceful, like a sanctuary in the snow.

Moreover, the aesthetics of this fortress were just to his liking: simple yet not crude, substantial yet not dull.

Louis strolled slowly along the high ground of the earthen fortress, his gaze sweeping over the layers of thick stone walls, the surrounding hot water pipes, and the sentry posts gleaming coldly in the distant woods.

These arrangements demonstrate the dedication that Mike and the other craftsmen put into their work.

“Very good, very good, safe, comfortable, and just my taste,” Louis praised sincerely.

Mike stood beside him, anxiously awaiting his evaluation. Hearing this, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "It is my greatest honor to meet your expectations. We were merely doing our best to follow your vision. What is truly remarkable is your blueprint and your thought process."

From the diversion of hot spring water to the geothermal temperature regulation, and then to the overall layout, it's simply a genius design.

Louis smiled and patted him on the shoulder: "Don't be too modest. Without you leading the team to build it brick by brick, even the best ideas are just empty talk."

“It’s what I should do.” Mike straightened his back.

Louis then said in a serious tone, "Don't let your guard down on the final touches; polish the details. I plan to move in in a few days."

Mike nodded repeatedly: "Understood! I will personally oversee the work and check it again, leaving no room for error!"

…………

Autumn is deepening, and the wind carries a biting chill.

A group of dozens of riders rode along the winding dirt road through the forest, their hooves moving at a steady pace.

Leading the way was a young knight wearing a black cloak.

He had a handsome face, but a hint of smugness lingered on his lips.

He is the newly appointed Baron Villa.

He was originally the third son of the Vera family, and he was born out of wedlock.

He was never invited to banquets in the territory, and the family servants treated him as if he were invisible.

So Vera simply gave up and went to Frostspear City to live a carefree life.

Who could have predicted the outcome?
The great battle in Snow Eagle City killed my father, and my two older brothers also died; their bodies couldn't even be found.

This would be a devastating blow to others, but for him?

It's like a dream.

The title, the fief, the clan, and the treasury all fell into his hands.

"Hahaha! Heaven has truly opened its eyes!" Vera suddenly burst into laughter, startling even the horse beside her, which snorted.

He was so excited that he couldn't help but pat the wine flask at his waist, and then turned around and shouted to the group of knights behind him: "When we get back, I will appoint you few as territory knights. It's a lucrative job, and you'll get to drink and sleep with people—you won't be short of anything!"

"Oh, I must thank you for your help, Baron!"

"Hahaha, then we'll each have our own house, and we'll have meat to eat and women to sleep with every day!"

Laughter filled the air; some were drinking, some were bragging, and some were cursing—it was quite a lively scene.

"Hey, Old Wei, is your dad's concubine still around?"

“Hehe, I don’t know…” Baron Vera’s lips curled up, his gaze shifting. “That woman…tsk tsk, she’s a real stunner. Slim waist and long legs, she makes your skin crawl.”

"You're really ruthless, even eyeing your own father's?"

“My father is dead, what do I care about him? He’s dead, it’s my duty as a filial son to take care of my stepmother.”

He laughed lewdly, his body tensed, and he couldn't hide his thoughts about his "stepmother" at all.

A burst of laughter erupted behind him, accompanied by a flurry of vulgarities.

But no one noticed that deep within that inconspicuous grove of trees, several figures quietly swept past.

A slight breeze rustled through the leaves, causing them to flutter and dance.

(End of this chapter)