0003: Finding A Territory
The first-generation Count Perast was a legendary knight who aspired to establish his own small principality while serving under King Salar.
He even prepared several locations for himself.
Unfortunately, there was an outbreak of beast waves at that time, which brought an end to the expansion of the Salar Kingdom.
The defense line was too far from the locations prepared by the great knight, and he never managed to become a Celestial Knight.
In the end, he had no choice but to give up reluctantly.
The Count always hoped that a Celestial Knight would appear among his descendants, so he hid the locations in his diary and left them for his legitimate heirs.
While the borders of the Salar Kingdom had gradually expanded over the centuries, unfortunately, his descendants had only a few great knights among them.
If it weren't for the Salar's requirement that nobles must be at least knight-level to inherit titles, Perast would probably have lost even his knighthood.
On the second day of becoming a sorcerer, Hill began analyzing these locations to determine where it would be suitable to build a mage tower.
Count Perast had many fantastic ideas, but his limited strength led him to seek out places with strong concealment, which suited Hill perfectly.
In the end, Hill chose a valley about a 15-day journey from the border of the Salar Kingdom, which included the surrounding mountains and was approximately the size of a Count's domain.
Count Perast believed that everything here was ideal, precisely because it was small.
After all, Hill had no desire to establish a principality; his pursuit was to become a legend.
Hill took out pen and paper and silently calculated his resources. He was about to have his own home.
After an unknown period of time, Bonn knocked on the window a few times. "Baron, it's time to rest and dine."
This is a camping site, and Bonn has already set up an alchemy tent.
Hill got off the carriage and stretched his body. Lena had prepared dinner for him.
Looking at the busy Lena, Hill said to Bonn before entering the tent to eat, "Buy a few maidservants on the way and let Lena teach them properly. A housekeeper shouldn't be doing menial tasks!"
Bonn smiled and said, "I know! It's just that Mom doesn't want to buy servants here. If she sees good ones, she'll consider it."
Hill gave him a disdainful look and said, "Then go help her! Tonight, let Lena take the children to sleep in the outer room, and you sleep in the carriage!"
"Okay, okay!" Bonn helplessly replied, "How could I let Mom sleep in the carriage!"
After Hill went inside, Bonn found Lena and said, "Mom, the Baron wants you to buy maidservants!"
Lena glanced at him and asked, "Didn't you say this place wasn't suitable?"
"Of course, I did!" Bonn replied, "He's worried about you being busy! Also, he wants you to take Dean and Sunny to sleep in the outer room."
"What do boys know!" Lena firmly said, "We're so close to the royal city, and all the good ones have been sent there! We can only buy servants when we're closer to the border. It's just the right time to add a few good horses. Okay, I understand. We'll wait until the Baron is asleep before letting Dean and Sunny go in to sleep!"
Lock approached and said, "Or maybe they can sleep in the carriage with me."
"Just take care of the horses!" Lena replied, "The Baron doesn't want the children to suffer either. Even if the carriage is comfortable, it's not a bed. The children are well-behaved and won't cause a disturbance. Resting well is the most important thing! We still have such a long journey ahead!"
"Mhmm!" Lock responded and went to feed the horses.
Hill smiled as he listened to the conversation outside and summoned two earth elementals to keep watch before immersing himself in meditation.
Hill entrusted everything to Bonn to handle.
He meditated and studied silently every day, and the journey went smoothly.
Hill was truly grateful that he wasn't some protagonist from an online novel.
He didn't want an eventful and turbulent life. A smooth and safe journey was his hope.
After a month of traveling, they finally arrived at the western border city of Fischer.
Lena had purchased around ten young servants in the previous cities and carefully trained them.
They were now useful for assigning tasks.
Lock chose two older boys for training, and they followed behind the caravan to help with the horse carriage.
Lena decided to buy some good horses in the border city.
During these days, Dean and Sunny stayed in Hill's carriage, and whenever Hill was bored, he taught them how to read.
Bonn had a disapproving expression every time he saw it.
Hill felt so happy. It had been a long time since he had seen Bonn with such a expression.
Inside the Count's castle, no one liked Hill. However, he was still the master.
The servants could only vent their resentment on Bonn, Hill's personal attendant.
During the four years in the castle, although Bonn tried to avoid it, there were still times when he was caught.
They didn't dare to inflict serious injuries on him, but bumps and bruises were unavoidable.
Although this toughened Bonn's will and made him mature quickly, even awakening a hint of magical power, Bonn felt a sense of accomplishment.
However, Hill still felt sad. Bonn used to have a cheerful and lively personality, but he became more and more silent and cautious.
The pain of being unable to protect his childhood friend made Hill yearn for power.
Perhaps this was one of the reasons he suddenly awakened as a sorcerer.
The farther they were from White Horse City, the more Bonn's hidden talents started to emerge, and Hill was genuinely happy about it.
They were going to rest in Fischer for a week.
Hill found his mage robe and put it on.
No one would easily offend a mage. Salar was a nation established on the edge of the wilderness, and one could only expand their territory if they were more than 20 kilometers away from the border.
Even if one was a Sky Knight, if they were unlucky enough to encounter several waves of beasts, they could only give up.
Salar is an emerging country that has just been established for a millennium.
There is still a lot of room for development within the country.
The minor noble families and new knights can establish their merits and receive titles by serving in the border defense forces.
Currently, most of those who establish territories abroad are like Hill, second sons from prominent noble families who have the ability and don't want to stay under the control of their older brothers in the homeland.
To the south of Salar lies the native land of the royal family, Haifasaldo.
To the east, there is a long coastline. To the north is the formidable wilderness, where several small duchies have been established beyond the borders of Salar.
Although the western region is also a wilderness, it is mountainous and desolate, unsuitable for establishing a nation.
However, it is well-suited for Hill, a small sorcerer who only wants to build a small territory and hide.
There haven't been many territories established near the western border of Salar, and the few that were built are fortresses constructed within the mountain ranges.
The primary purpose of Salar's border Great Wall is to prevent beast waves, so there aren't many illegal activities taking place within the city.
Merchants usually leave the city to deliver goods to the noble territories while also purchasing fur, horses, and specialty products.
Bandits enjoy robbing merchants who are on their way to noble territories.
However, both the merchants and bandits who can survive in such a place are undoubtedly supported by those in power. In a way, this also creates a balance.
Few mages dare to cause trouble outside the city. A mage traveling with servants abroad may be building a mage tower, but it's more likely that they have offended someone and have gone into seclusion for a few years.
After all, the lords are willing to invite mages to settle down by providing money and assistance.
Valuable items are kept in rings—they can't be trapped, and if an assassination attempt fails, the consequences can be dire, as the retaliation would directly target the instigator behind the scenes.
Moreover, if the person who pays the money encounters trouble once, they won't offer any further opportunities. There aren't many benefits to risking one's life.
Hill settled in the best inn in the city and didn't move. Lock took Bonn to buy horses, while Lena trained the newly purchased servants in the inn.
On the last day, they went out to buy enough food to fill a carriage.
Hill then took out two alchemical carriages, and those who were secretly monitoring them gave up.
A miserable mage going into seclusion again, and he even had two carriages in his ring!
Carriages are valuable, but anyone who tries to rob a mage for a few carriages must be out of their mind.
The western border Great Wall of Saral required a significant amount of manpower and resources from the Kingdom of Saral.
It was built between two mountain ranges that were 500 kilometers apart, using stacked giant stones to form a 300-meter-high and 100-meter-wide wall.
Both the inner and outer sides of the wall were covered in protective magic arrays.
Looking at the winding Great Wall climbing up the mountains from a distance, it appeared majestic and grand.
But when one reached the base and saw the massive wall stones shimmering with dark magical light, Hill felt overwhelmed with awe.
Inside the tunnel specifically designed for leaving the city, after presenting noble documents, Hill turned back to look at the path he had taken, knowing that upon his return, he wouldn't recognize it after several years.
Within 20 kilometers outside the city, it needs to be cleared periodically, but the roads outside the city are uneven and difficult to traverse.
Hill took out an alchemical map and handed it to Bonn, then turned to glance at the Great Wall.
There are a total of four border cities on the Great Wall.
He specifically presented the noble documents so that Fran would know where he was going and from where he was leaving.
Hill activated the alchemical array on the carriage, and Bonn drove the carriage at the forefront, setting off.
Hill placed a wood elemental in each of the four carriages. The magic power within them was sufficient to activate the levitation array. Each carriage had two horses taking turns to exert force, resulting in a fast speed.
The wood elementals could pacify the horses and restore their stamina, while the magic stones inside the carriage were enough to maintain the defensive array.
Hill sat in the carriage with confidence, waiting to see if there were truly some foolish individuals.
However, even after leaving the safe area, no one attacked.
Hill sighed with a mixture of relief and regret. He knew he was being cowardly, but he really didn't want to kill anyone.
Bonn was much stronger than him. Since he gained magical abilities and could go outside, Hill noticed that the scroll potions he provided to Bonn were being used up.
Hill knew that he must have encountered trouble while being out and about.
But he also knew that if Bonn didn't say anything, it meant he didn't want Hill to stop him from going out.
Hill could only silently prepare protective items for him and gave Bowen two of his four rings. One of them was filled with scrolls, potions, and alchemical bombs.
Hill had read many novels before.
The protagonists in those stories were also children raised in modern society's sheltered environment.
Many of them had never even experienced the harsh realities of society, yet they could immediately make decisive kills!
How strong and resolute their hearts must be!
After Hill graduated from university, he worked on construction sites for more than ten years.
He encountered numerous clients who made him want to beat them to death, and he hovered on the edge of anger and out of control every day.
But he never resorted to violence. He was a child raised in a modern legal society, and he didn't want to kill anyone.
But now he was living in this terrifying world where human life sometimes seemed so cheap.
Even someone as pure-hearted as Melanie, in his eyes, would casually burn a thief entering the estate with a fireball.
Even a lively Lena, and composed Lock, would mercilessly whip a servant who made a mistake without any mercy.
NOTES:
I want to start retranslating this novel because there are some parts that, in my opinion, feel a bit problematic and awkward to read.
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