Chapter 57

While Tang En was at home thinking about how to refine potions for the guard, Uncle Depp, who had already set off, did not stop for a moment, traveling day and night. A journey that would normally take five or six days was completed in just three.

Kaspari Castle is located to the north of Ellington, where the Radia Hills disappear, and to the west are the residual ridges of the Ambrose Mountains. Kaspari Castle sits on the slope of one of these ridges, with a castle several dozen meters high tightly enveloping the entire hilltop. Villages are scattered around, and farmers can be seen working in the fields.

Just by its appearance, it is clear that Kaspari Castle is much stronger than Ellington.

Generally, few barons own territories. Baron Hogg's possession of Ellington was because Ellington was originally an abandoned territory. Being sent here as a lord was usually a punishment for some noble. During the period without a fixed lord, the lords here were rotated. Because there was no fixed lord, Ellington never developed.

Baron Hogg's full name is Hogg Pop, and the Pop family is not a well-known family in the capital, Alinx. They are just a small family, and it is likely that Hogg got this cheap deal by following some major family.

Baron Duvier of Kaspari Castle is different. Duvier's full name is Duvier Cardiel, a member of the Cardiel family in Alinx, a powerful family. He obtained the territory of Kaspari Castle through family negotiations in the noble council.

Kaspari Castle has a very good location, situated in the northwest of the empire's heartland. To the west are the Ambrose Mountains, a natural barrier, and to the north is the Holy Sword Scar, where the empire's Third Legion is permanently stationed to ensure that the armies of the northern countries do not invade the Ilrus Empire through the Holy Sword Scar. In fact, those countries have been fighting among themselves in recent years and have no time to care about a declining Ilrus Empire.

Therefore, Kaspari Castle is very safe, a place suitable for noble children to develop and operate with peace of mind—of course, it is not a particularly good place, which shows that Baron Duvier's status in the family is also average.

But this is enough to make Baron Duvier live very comfortably.

Unfortunately, he did not know that he had reached into Tang En's pocket.

So his trouble came.

The butler pushed the door open, ignoring the few naked women beside Baron Duvier, and said seriously, "My lord! There is important news!"

Baron Duvier frowned, "How important?"

"Very important."

"Go to the bedroom and wait for me."

Baron Duvier had to dismiss the naked women, looking unhappy at being interrupted, "Cole, you had better have something really important to report, or I will deduct your salary for this month!"

The butler Cole pretended not to hear, "My lord, there is trouble at the mine."

Baron Duvier looked puzzled, "The mine? Do we have a mine?"

"Sir, the Brussels iron mine in Ellington..."

"Oh, oh! The Brussels iron mine in Ellington, the one I took over, I forgot about it. Speaking of which, Hogg that waste of space hasn't reacted yet, he must have given up completely."

Baron Duvier waved his hand, looking impatient, "What could have happened there? Could Hogg dare to try to take it back?"

"My lord, the mine was indeed taken back, but not by Hogg."

The butler Cole said, "A soldier was sent back by the people of Ellington with a message. Ellington now has a new lord, named Tang En."

"Another lord? I've been here for ten years, and Ellington has already had seven or eight lords. Hogg was the one who stayed the longest."

Baron Duvier frowned, "What is this Tang En's background?"

"He is an imperial baron, apparently bought the position of lord of Ellington, and we have no other information about him."

"Bought Ellington?"

Baron Duvier was stunned, "Is that guy a fool? To buy Ellington? Doesn't he know there's nothing there?"

"Sir, don't forget that Baron Hogg managed to squeeze out a lot of profit in three years..."

"That's not worth buying... How much did he pay?"

"I don't know... Sir, the key is that the iron mine was taken back by this Tang En."

"How is that possible?"

Baron Duvier said dismissively, "I know Ellington, it's a poor place with only a hundred or so people in a militia. How could they defeat the 150 elite soldiers I sent? And that manager... what was his name?"

"Sir, Rex."

"Right! Rex, and I also sent him a bodyguard—Eddie, that's right, the bodyguard is Eddie, and I pay him over a thousand gold coins a year!"

The butler Cole looked helpless, "Sir, Rex and Eddie are both dead... Sir, you should see the messenger. One of our soldiers is with him, so it's likely true."

"Sending a messenger? Fine, I'll see this messenger!"

Baron Duvier put on his clothes and went out with the butler to meet Uncle Depp and the soldier.

The soldier knelt down as soon as he saw Baron Duvier, "My lord!"

Baron Duvier ignored the soldier's cries and stared at Uncle Depp, "Are you the messenger from Ellington? What do you have to say?"

Uncle Depp, with the teleportation scroll given by Tang En, was not intimidated at all. He took out the letter and said loudly, "This is a letter from our lord of Ellington, Lord Tang En, to Baron Duvier! Are you Baron Duvier?"

"Bold! A mere farmer dares to call me by my name!?"

Baron Duvier's face turned cold, "For that, I can execute you!"

"I am the messenger of Ellington, you cannot kill me."

Uncle Depp sneered, "Come and take the letter."

"Go."

The butler Cole went over to take the letter, glaring at Uncle Depp, and then handed it to Duvier.

Duvier opened the letter and read it.

"To the Lord of Kaspari Castle, Baron Duvier, personally."

"Baron Duvier, this is our first conversation, but I am a lazy person, so I will not be polite. Let's get straight to the point."

Seeing this, Baron Duvier showed disdain, "This doesn't sound like an imperial noble, it reeks of a peasant!"

But he had no choice but to continue reading, pinching his nose.

"According to imperial law, the Brussels iron mine is the inherent territory of Ellington, and I have now reclaimed it."

"The mine manager Rex and Drum intended to incite the bodyguard to harm me, and they have been executed."

"The 150 soldiers you sent to guard the mine were defeated in battle, 49 were killed, and one is with the messenger. The remaining 100 soldiers are now in our custody. After consideration, I have decided to offer them to you at the low price of 100 gold coins per soldier, totaling 10,000 gold coins. The messenger is a free gift, please give a five-star review."

One hundred gold coins per soldier? One hundred soldiers for 10,000 gold coins?

Baron Duvier's eyes twitched. Does Tang En think his gold coins grow on trees? And what is this five-star review? Some kind of magic spell?

"Additionally, due to the cost of housing and feeding these 100 soldiers, which has consumed a lot of resources from Ellington, I must inform you that we will charge a lodging fee of 10 gold coins per soldier per day. The exact amount will be calculated when the ransom is paid, and no further notice will be given. For your sake, please redeem these soldiers as soon as possible."

"What a joke!"

Baron Duvier roared, "10 gold coins per soldier per day for food!? What are they eating?"

Even Baron Duvier himself only spends 10 gold coins a day on food. These soldiers are matching his standard? Isn't this insulting his noble status!?

Cole said, "Sir, please calm down, finish reading."

Baron Duvier took a deep breath and continued.

"Additionally, I have learned that you illegally occupied the Brussels iron mine for a long time, earning a large amount of wealth. The previous lord, Hogg Pop, did not pursue this wealth, which belongs to Ellington. Given my recent appointment and financial difficulties, I must demand compensation for the illegal gains."

"According to my calculations, you have occupied the mine for over three years. Since I am lazy, I will round it to four years, totaling 1,500 days."

Duvier almost spat blood. Ignoring the demand for compensation, what does it mean to round to four years? Is this how you round numbers!?

"1,500 days!? That's clearly more than six years! Where is the rounding! Does he think I can't count?"

Cole whispered, "Sir, 1,500 days is about four years and one month..."

"Shut up!"

Baron Duvier slapped him and roared, "My math teacher died early, so what!"

Cole held his face and stepped back, and Duvier, suppressing his anger, continued reading.

"Based on my analysis of the mine, your daily profit is estimated at 1,000 gold coins. Therefore, you should compensate Ellington 1.5 million gold coins—interest and late fees are waived by the benevolent lord."

"Please prepare this amount and come to Ellington to redeem the soldiers as soon as possible."

"Lord of Ellington, Tang En, on the 24th of the Joyful Month, 849th year of the Order Calendar, at the Ellington Lord's Manor."

After reading the letter, Duvier's face turned ashen, and he angrily tore the letter to shreds.

"Ridiculous! Arrogant! Outrageous! 1.5 million gold coins!? Is he insane!?"

Duvier roared, "He's demanding compensation!? Ransom!? Pursuing illegal gains!? Who does he think he is!?"

"Soldiers!"

Fully armed soldiers rushed in.

Duvier pointed at Uncle Depp and roared, "Drag these two out and execute them! Pass the order! I will crush Ellington!"

The soldier on the ground, who was kneeling, turned pale, "My lord!"

"Come over if you don't want to die!"

Uncle Depp shouted, grabbed the soldier, and yelled at Baron Duvier, "You will regret this decision! I swear by the lord's name!"

As the soldiers rushed forward, Uncle Depp tore the teleportation scroll, and a flash of light appeared, and the two instantly disappeared from Duvier's sight.

"Where are they!?"

"Sir," Cole was shocked, "The farmer used a teleportation scroll to leave!"

"Teleportation scroll!? How is that possible! I can't even get a teleportation scroll! How can a farmer from Ellington afford it!"

"Perhaps, it was given to him by his lord?"

"Impossible! A peasant lord can't afford a teleportation scroll!"

Duvier roared, "Regardless, pass the order! I will crush Ellington! I will make that Tang En kneel and lick my boots!"

"Your command!"

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