Chapter 41
Chapter 41: Adding a Stroke on the Map
NOTE: Chapter 40 was intentionally skipped. So, you did not miss any chapters.
Sivey gazed at the radiant little maid, surprise filling his heart as he sensed a gentle, vibrant power emanating from her.
It seemed to be the hidden ability of Lori’s bloodline.
Stroking his chin thoughtfully, Sivey speculated that this must be a restoration-type power. Could he be about to gain a personal healer?
He imagined himself as invincible among the Players, his health nearly depleted, only to be restored to full strength by a petite maid with a mere wave of her hand. A cruel smile spread across his face as he indulged in this fantasy.
Moments ticked by, and the glow surrounding Lori gradually faded until it vanished completely. Sivey knew that this revelation had reached its end.
After a moment, Lori opened her light red eyes, looking somewhat dazed at Sivey, as if she was seeing an incomprehensible being.
“M-Master… you?”
“Cough, um—let me reintroduce myself now. My full name is Si-Wild Source-Vey Golden Lion. And as for you, what you just felt is the power of Breath of the Wild,” Sivey said solemnly and seriously, then winked at the little maid in his arms.
Lori chuckled, her face blushing, and once again threw herself into Sivey’s arms, burying her little face in them. She didn’t understand why she could perceive the power of nature from her master’s body, nor what kind of change was happening to her.
She only knew that her master was her master, and as long as she could follow him and hug him so recklessly, that would be enough.
“M-Master, Lori is a bit tired, suddenly feeling so tired, so sleepy…”
Before she could finish her words, her body softened, and she fell into a drowsy sleep in his arms.
Sivey’s heart tightened, fearing that something might be wrong with Lori. He carefully sensed her body with a trace of Qi and found that she was simply a bit tired, which relieved him.
He speculated that using her innate skills to perceive the Breath of the Wild had been mentally exhausting for her.
Furthermore, the Breath of the Wild within him was different from the natural sceneries; his was the purest essence, unrefined. This overwhelming exposure very likely contributed to Lori’s fatigue.
Sivey gently laid Lori on his bed and covered her with a blanket. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he noticed that the girl’s hand was still tightly grasping his pants.
The problem was, he couldn’t pull free…
Sivey didn’t dare use too much force, afraid of waking Lori, so he reluctantly took off his trousers.
“Y- Lord!! My Lord…”
Gudbay rushed to Sivey’s room in a panic.
Then he looked up and saw Sivey, who was only wearing a pair of briefs, and the little maid lying on the bed. Instantly, he felt like a duck with its throat being grabbed.
Oh no, the pants and socks need to be washed for a year!
“Hush—!”
Sivey shot Gudbay a fierce look, motioning for him to be quiet, then pointed to his desk, signaling for Gudbay to come over.
“What’s the matter?” Sivey asked, sitting in his chair and staring coldly at the sweaty Gudbay, clearly indicating that there would be consequences if he didn’t explain himself clearly.
“My Lord, some peasants have found an iron mine!” Gudbay tried to calm himself but soon became excited again.
Since coming to Winterfell, he had completely integrated himself into the lord’s entourage, seeing the lord’s interests as his own. The more he understood, the more anxious he became for Eagle Territory, and the more concerned he felt for the lord.
Eagle Territory was impoverished, with a small population and few resources.
How much gold could they earn from just barley and sour beer? Now, with an iron mine in sight, how could he not be excited?
“An iron mine was found?!” Sivey exclaimed in pleasant surprise. This was excellent news.
Many superior forging materials were made from iron combined with other metals. It could be used to make armor, weapons, arrows, and siege weapons.
As the most widely used metal on the Cain Continent, having enough iron mines meant having the potential for war. Sivey hadn’t expanded his army primarily due to a lack of equipment.
Most importantly, iron mines were incredibly valuable. Though Sivey currently had over ten thousand gold coins, this money could be quickly spent on developing the territory.
“Where is the iron mine, and how far is it from Winterfell?”
This was the question Sivey was most concerned about right now.
But when Sivey asked, Gudbay hesitated. He stammered, struggling to find the right words.
“Are you tongue-tied? Speak up!” Sivey demanded.
“Well… Lord, that iron mine isn’t far from us, but it’s not within Eagle Territory. It’s at the border between Eagle Territory and Button Territory.”
“And…” Gudbay added reluctantly, “it’s even closer to Button Territory. It’s said that they’ve already heard the news about the iron mine.”
Sivey frowned at the news. Button Territory was a Viscount’s domain within the Andor Empire, which had different rules compared to the Cologne Empire. Button Territory was protected by its superior Count territory.
Currently, the relationship between the Andor Empire and the Cologne Empire could be described as “no major friction, but plenty of minor frictions.”
According to the rules, this iron mine located in the border area should belong to the party closer to it. But Sivey had no intention of abiding by this rule.
After studying the border map on the table for a while, he fell silent for a moment. Then, he made a mark on the map and grinned at Gudbay.
“Now, this iron mine is ours. Hand this map to Viscount Button. If he disagrees…”
Sivey paused, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his deep blue eyes, and then said coldly:
“Then we go to war!”
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