Fantasy Lord: Starting with Daily Information

Chapter 83: Return, The First Maine Conference

In the Lawrence Castle, Baron Graton and Baron Valmy gathered once again. However, compared to a few days ago, their anxiety had deepened significantly.

"Baron Pape, has that person not returned yet? And has the Eagle Ridge truly not retreated?" Baron Graton couldn't help but speak first.

"The Minotaur tribe is now only two hundred miles away from the Maine Valley. They’ll be here in at most three days," Baron Valmy added.

Both men were noticeably more worried after the passage of several days.

"Indeed, he hasn’t returned yet," Baron Pape Lawrence replied with a similarly worried expression. "But the Eagle Ridge has indeed not shown any signs of retreating."

Baron Pape was on edge. If it weren't for the certainty that the Eagle Ridge hadn't changed, he too would have lost patience by now. But with the Minotaurs getting closer, this was no longer just a matter of patience—it was a crisis they would soon have to face.

"Let's go and see for ourselves. We can’t wait any longer. If the Minotaur tribe arrives and we don’t have enough strength, we won’t be able to hold them off. It’s better to start preparing for a retreat now," Baron Graton suggested after a brief silence.

"Yes, this situation is beyond what we can handle," Baron Pape Lawrence agreed after a moment of hesitation, with Baron Valmy quickly concurring.

The three swiftly headed towards the Eagle Ridge.

A day later, they arrived once again at the Eagle Ridge, but the outcome was still unsatisfactory.

"Has Lord Thor not returned yet?" Baron Pape Lawrence couldn't help but ask again.

"No, Baron Pape. It might still take some time. The Lord said he would definitely be back within ten days," Ryan replied with a solemn tone. Even he was aware of the impending danger and couldn’t help but feel tense.

"Ten days? But…!" Baron Valmy began to speak but was quickly stopped by Baron Graton.

"Thank you, Knight Ryan," Baron Graton said, thanking Ryan before they departed.

After leaving the Eagle Ridge, Baron Graton spoke bitterly, "Ten days? The Minotaurs will likely arrive in just three."

The other two exchanged frustrated glances but eventually nodded in defeat. The Minotaur tribe wasn’t something they could deal with, and they didn’t have ten days to wait. At this point, they had no choice but to abandon their territories and pay the kingdom a redemption fee—it was better than losing everything.

However, just as they were about to leave, dust began to rise in the distance, and the ground trembled. The entire Eagle Ridge grew tense. But as the figures in the distance approached, the three barons were the first to recognize who it was.

"It’s Lord Thor! He’s returned!" Baron Graton exclaimed in surprise, with the others quickly sharing in his relief. The guards in the Eagle Ridge also began to relax as the unicorn mounts carrying Thor and his group arrived at the gates.

"Greetings, Lord Thor!" The three barons quickly moved forward, bowing in the knightly manner. But as they did, their eyes widened in shock.

"Y-you’ve broken through! Lord Thor!" Baron Pape Lawrence exclaimed, hardly able to believe what he was sensing. His reaction caught the attention of the other two, who were equally stunned by the change in Thor's aura. Just a short time ago, he was still a reserve knight, but now he had become a official knight.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting," Thor said with a smile, unfazed by their reactions.

"Not at all, Lord Thor! Not at all!" the three quickly replied.

"Let’s skip the formalities. The Minotaurs are about to attack. We should go inside and discuss our plans," Thor suggested as he dismounted, handing his unicorn to a guard and leading the three barons into the Eagle Castle.

The three barons quickly followed, and once inside, Anna went off to prepare while the four of them took their seats.

"Lord Thor, do you know the scale of this Minotaur attack?" Baron Graton couldn’t wait to ask once they were seated.

"Yes, I’ve learned that the Minotaurs used a secret technique to increase their numbers. There are now about six to seven thousand of them," Thor replied thoughtfully.

"Indeed, even though these numbers mainly consist of ordinary Minotaurs, they’re still far stronger than goblins. Ordinary humans cannot withstand them; at least a regiment of reserve knights would be required. But our total number of reserve knights isn’t enough, and without a earth knight among us, we won’t be able to fend them off," Baron Valmy added, his worry deepening.

"Lord Thor, can we handle this crisis, or should we abandon our territories and pay the redemption fee to the kingdom?" Baron Pape Lawrence asked directly, his words reflecting the grim situation.

In the Tulip Kingdom, any knight could become a pioneer knight, but they were required to defend their territory. Abandoning it would mean paying a hefty redemption fee to the kingdom to atone for the loss, a cost none of them wished to bear unless absolutely necessary.

All three barons turned to Thor, their expressions a mix of anxiety and hope. Thor knew that he needed to reassure them. Without their support, even with his newfound strength, it would be difficult to face this crisis alone.

"Gentlemen, please listen to me," Thor began, and the room fell silent as the three barons focused intently on his words.