NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 41: The Arrival of Rachos Assad
Chapter 41: The Arrival of Rachos Assad
Thor eagerly anticipated the arrival of Rachos Assad. In this state of expectation, time flew by. The month quickly ended, and a new one began. As the new month arrived, a caravan appeared on the road from Loren City to Eagle's Ridge.
Of course, there was no road initially.
However, after Thor and his men traveled back and forth a few times, a path gradually formed.
Rachos Assad followed this path slowly.
At this moment, his entourage was not large, only about fifty people. There were just over a dozen knights, but they carried several heavily laden carts. The deep ruts in the road clearly indicated the weight of their cargo.
At the front of the convoy, Rachos Assad rode a snow-white steed.
"My lord, we should reach Eagle's Ridge by tomorrow," said Ram respectfully.
"I understand!"
"Speed up; let's try to arrive by noon tomorrow. I believe my friend will give us the best welcome."
Rachos Assad spoke with a smile.
However, after speaking, a hint of worry and anxiety flickered deep in his eyes.
This anxiety was not only for his own situation but also for the uncertainty surrounding Eagle's Ridge.
That day, inspired by a conversation about a brighter future, he had sold flammable oil to Thor Dresrosa.
But as time passed, doubts began to creep in regarding Thor's promises.
The Dresrosa family was weaker than the Assad family. Could they really provide such substantial support to one of their scions?
It involved a grand knight and dozens of official knights. Even for a count, this was considerable strength.
From what he knew, his second brother, who also chose to become a pioneer knight and earned their father's favor, had only received twenty or so official knights and over a hundred apprentice knights, along with some gold—about ten thousand coins.
Thor Dresrosa's words seemed hard to believe.
So, after some hesitation, Rachos decided to come and see for himself.
On the one hand, he wanted to confirm everything. On the other hand, he wanted to see how Thor's territory had developed and if it could indeed fulfill his plans.
If not, he would have to consider other options.
"Maybe I should try other territories."
"But my strength is still too weak, and I don't have many goods that could impress other lords. This would be quite risky."
Rachos murmured to himself, lost in thought.
Time quickly passed.
Before he knew it, a day had gone by.
When the midday sun rose, Rachos and his party finally saw the Maine Valley ahead. They also saw fields and buildings.
However, when he saw Eagle's Ridge, Rachos couldn't help but widen his eyes and subconsciously rubbed them.
The territory before him defied his expectations.
Instead of the imagined chaos, ruin, or wilderness, everything was orderly and unified. Fields of wheat dotted the landscape, and a massive castle stood tall at the center, majestic and imposing.
It was utterly unlike a newly established lord's domain.
If Rachos hadn't been sure this was Eagle's Ridge, he might have thought he had arrived at a baron's land.
"My God, he's actually built this place up like this."
"A castle, there's even a castle."
Rachos spoke in disbelief, his heart full of shock.
He knew Thor Dresrosa had become a pioneer knight less than four months ago.
The sight before him seemed impossible, even for a typical pioneer lord after two or three years.
In his shock, a hint of joy crept onto his face.
At this moment, several knights rode swiftly from afar.
Seeing the newcomers, Rachos's smile grew brighter.
He quickly dismounted.
The approaching figures also dismounted swiftly.
Thor approached quickly.
He and Rachos embraced.
"Welcome, my friend!"
Thor's warm voice carried a sincere smile.
"I've been looking forward to meeting you, my friend!"
"Honestly, you surprise me. In just four months, your territory has grown so much."
Rachos marveled.
"Thanks to the goddess of life, everything has gone smoothly."
"Come, I've prepared a lavish dinner for you, my friend. You must be hungry."
Thor invited with a smile.
"It's my honor."
Rachos smiled and nodded.
Thor then led Rachos and his party into the territory.
Upon entering, Rachos was even more amazed.
The territory was better than he had imagined: clean, spacious roads, and people filled with smiles.
Rachos saw no apathy, despair, or lifelessness typical of other territories, only hope, aspiration, and reverence for Thor Dresrosa.
It was incredible.
He knew these people were slaves just months ago.
When had slaves ever been so lively?
This realization made him see Thor in a new light.
As they approached the castle, his eyes widened again.
Knights walked by, many of them official knights.
Even though Thor had mentioned having over forty official knights, seeing them in person was still shocking.
These were official knights.
With its current scale, Eagle's Ridge was genuinely on par with any barony.
In some ways, it might even be better developed than some baronies.
It was unimaginable.
In his astonishment, Rachos's smile grew brighter.
The better Eagle's Ridge developed, the better it was for him.
His earlier anxiety, nervousness, and unease vanished completely.
Instead, he felt a sense of expectation.
An expectation for the future.
With Eagle's Ridge's current scale, he was almost certain Thor would become a baron, and with the support of a barony, his trade could truly flourish.