Lord: Starting with Summoning the Regular Army of Earth

The Kingdom of Augustus, capital city, Holy Light Castle.

The hall was resplendent with gold, and incense filled the air.

King Robert Augustus reclined languidly on a long chair covered with deep purple velvet, enjoying tropical fruits from the kingdom's southern provinces while listening to the report from the Minister of the Interior, Laureen.

Upon hearing the news that "news has come from Ironrock City," a playful smile appeared on his lips as he interrupted Laureen: "Is it news about that bastard?"

Laureen bowed slightly, a fawning smile on her face: "Your Majesty's foresight is unparalleled. The news is confirmed; Matthew Augustus and his party have arrived at Emberstone Ridge. The situation there is worse than we anticipated. The population is less than a hundred, mostly the elderly, weak, and disabled waiting to die. The land is completely barren, and now even their only water source seems to be in trouble. The news also says that Matthew tried to visit Earl Kress of Ironrock City, but was turned away and received no assistance or supplies. They probably... won't last long in that godforsaken place."

Hearing this, Robert narrowed his eyes in satisfaction and popped a berry into his mouth: "Hmph, if it weren't for that old geezer Conrad protecting him, this bastard wouldn't have survived to Emberstone Ridge. But a frail, lame old knight, plus the stupid pig-like trash of the Blackwood family, they're quite a perfect match."

His expression gradually turned cold, and a deep disgust flashed in his eyes.

In fact, Robert's hatred for Matthew stemmed largely from his mother, the late Queen Angela, a noble and jealous duke's daughter.

Matthew's mother, Anne, though merely the daughter of a fallen noble family, possessed an unparalleled beauty and gentle temperament that captivated every man in the capital.

King Arthur fell in love with Anne at first sight during a tour, and they had a son named Matthew.

Annie's appearance shattered all of Angela's pride, especially her beauty, which made Angela extremely jealous and hate her to the core.

Robert, having grown up surrounded by such things, was filled with contempt and hatred for Matthew, his "illegitimate son," and his mother.

Moreover, the old King Arthur was quite fond of the wise and kind Matthew, and even secretly drafted a will to grant Matthew the rich "Golden Valley" in the South.

This seriously infringed upon the interests of Robert and his supporters. Although it was eventually dropped under pressure, the incident served as a thorn in Robert's side, making him see Matthew as a potential threat.

However, the real reason Robert hated Matthew so much was almost identical to that of his mother, Angela.

Miss Hathaway, the youngest daughter of the Grand Duke of the North Sea who is betrothed to Robert and is now the Queen, is a lady known for her beauty and wisdom, but she has a strong liking for Matthew, who perfectly inherited Anne's appearance.

This directly exacerbated Robert's resentment towards Matthew.

If it weren't for the strict prohibitions of royal laws and the Holy Church against harming blood relatives, especially at the beginning of the new king's reign when it was necessary to stabilize the people's hearts, Robert would have wanted to get rid of Matthew on the day of his coronation.

His exile of Matthew to the desolate land of Ember Ridge was a plot to kill him with a borrowed knife.

He paused, his face revealing utter contempt and cruelty: "But it's for the best. Letting him be slowly consumed by despair, torn apart by those filthy goblins, or eaten piece by piece by wild beasts, is more gratifying than ending him with a single blow."

Meanwhile, in the southern district of the royal capital, at the Blackwood family's mage tower.

In stark contrast to the opulence of Holy Light Castle, the interior of the Blackwood family's mage tower is ancient and solemn.

The atmosphere was heavy in a study filled with magical books and shimmering crystals.

The matriarch of the family, Madam Alicia Kuroki, a still-attractive but haggard noblewoman with a sorrowful expression, hurried in, clutching a letter tightly in her hand.

"Vargus!" Her voice trembled slightly as she walked toward the middle-aged man sitting behind the desk, engrossed in reading a huge ancient book—her husband, Vargus Blackwood, the current head of the Blackwood family and a high-ranking mage.

His face was serious, his eyes were sharp, and he exuded a powerful magical aura and a cold sense of authority.

"Will... our son, he's already arrived at Emberstone Ridge with Prince Matthew." Alicia's voice was filled with anxiety. "You should know that the situation there is terrible; I've heard it's practically a wasteland. Will, that boy, he's never suffered hardship, and his health isn't good... Can we... can we send some money and provisions there? At least... at least don't let him go hungry..."

"Shut up!" Vargas slammed the ancient book shut with a dull thud.

He raised his head, his gaze piercing his wife like an icicle, devoid of any concern for their son, only filled with anger and indifference.

"Don't you think he's good-for-nothing enough? So young, yet as fat as a pig! It's all your fault, your arrogance that has brought shame upon the Blackwood family!"

His words were like a cold whip, lashing Alicia's heart.

"I've already said it: from the moment he decided to follow that bastard son rejected by the king and chose to betray the family's honor, he was no longer the heir of the Blackwood family. This is his own doing!"

"I'm warning you, Alicia, don't cause trouble for the family. You should be well aware of the King's hatred for Matthew. Don't try to oppose him; it won't do our Blackwood family any good."

"But he's your son! Can you really bear to watch him die there?" Alicia asked, tears welling in her eyes, trying to evoke even the slightest bit of pity in her husband for Will.

"I wish he wasn't my son!" Vargus shouted, his complex emotions ultimately replaced by utter indifference. "If he really died there, it would be a relief for the future reputation of the Blackwood family. At least no one will constantly remind me that I, Vargus Blackwood, once had a lazy and good-for-nothing eldest son."

Upon hearing this, Lady Alicia closed her eyes in anguish, tears silently streaming down her haggard and pale face.

She knew that compared to her husband's extreme obsession with his magical talent and family honor, the life and safety of their son Will was as insignificant as a feather.

There is even a kind of shame that needs to be relinquished.

In the study, only Alicia's suppressed sobs and Vargas's cold voice as he reopened the ancient book remained.

……

At this moment, Will was carrying a thick stack of rosaries made of rough straw paper. His chubby face was flushed with excitement, and beads of sweat were still on his forehead. He rushed into the dilapidated lord's mansion with light steps and ran straight to the brightly lit council chamber.

He couldn't wait to share his "gains" from the evening with Matthew and Conrad.

Inside the council chamber, Matthew had just told Conrad about his plan to summon a hundred goblins to build fortifications the next day, and also gave a brief introduction to the abilities of his magical pendant.

Of course, he didn't go into too much detail or specifics, since some things were too complicated to explain and there was no need to let Conrad know everything.

Conrad was thrilled to learn that Matthew could summon so many goblins at once, and immediately felt much less pressure.

Based on what happened to Tommy not long ago, Conrad was convinced that the goblins Matthew summoned were extraordinary.

They are not those savage and brutal "beasts," but magical creatures with extraordinary abilities and wisdom, beings capable of bringing miracles to Emberstone Ridge.

Although individual goblins are weak, the labor force and fighting power generated by a hundred goblins should not be underestimated.

At least for the current situation of Emberstone Ridge, it can be considered a blessing from heaven.

However, this only strengthened his resolve to raise start-up capital for Matthew at all costs.

Although a group of goblins provided both labor and fighting force, tools and weapons were still indispensable for production, construction, and combat.

Moreover, with so many more mouths to feed all at once, the need for food has become even more urgent.

Therefore, he needed money to buy enough food and iron for building fortifications and for forging weapons and tools.

Fortunately, I no longer need to spend money to hire labor, which saves me a lot of gold coins that I can use more effectively.

……