Chapter 4: 4 A Territory Beset with Crises

Chapter 4: A Perilous Fiefdom

Roning pondered for a long while before finally picking up his quill to write his new surname upon the appointment decree—Wildfire-Storm.

Wildfire and storm; the words conjured imagery of fierce, sweeping grandeur, where wind abetted the blaze and flame borrowed the tempest’s fury, an endless cycle of utter devastation.

By claiming this phrase as his family name, Roning not only symbolized his own rebirth but also harbored the hope that his future conquests would be as fierce and unstoppable as a raging wildfire.

After all, having become a minor lord in an alien world, who wouldn't aspire to become a grand sovereign?

"Pray inform my father, Butler, that I have chosen 'Wildfire-Storm' as my surname, and I hope the Wushan Fiefdom, along with my own lands, will flourish like a roaring fire fanned by the wind."

Holwart nodded repeatedly, thinking it a magnificent name indeed.

"Rest assured, Young Master, I shall convey your thoughts to the master!"

He sensed that the notoriously disreputable eldest grandson of the Marquess standing before him was different from before, perhaps having grown considerably after surviving the sudden upheavals of the past two days.

A mature, steady family member was of paramount importance to the current Wushan Fiefdom; even if this man no longer bore the Wushan name, the bloodline endured.

No matter where he went, the signature black eyes and silver hair of the Wushan family would always remain.

Roning blew upon the ink of the appointment decree to dry it, then placed it back into the box.

Glancing at the map unfurled across the desk, and figuring that the butler before him likely knew a great deal, he inquired:

"I am about to become the Baron of Shanlin Town, yet I know absolutely nothing of the place. Holwart, do you possess any knowledge of Shanlin Town?"

As a butler, Holwart possessed far greater insight than ordinary domestic servants.

Moreover, serving at Wiggins' side year-round allowed him exposure to bits of intelligence.

"Young Master Roning, your servant does indeed possess some knowledge of Shanlin Town."

He began to introduce it: "Shanlin Town is situated to the north of the Wushan Fiefdom. To its west lies the tail end of the Wushan Magical Beast Mountain Range, while its eastern and northern frontiers are hemmed in by vast woodlands and rolling hills; it is said that the sea lies just beyond them. Only the southern side connects to the outside world, yet even that path is obstructed by undulating hills, making transportation rather poor."

Roning frowned slightly; this place truly was a remote frontier, and from the sounds of it, seemingly fraught with peril.

"Surely the magical beasts within the Wushan Mountain Range won't raid Shanlin Town?" he asked, a tinge of anxiety creeping into his voice.

"That is indeed a possibility, Young Master."

The butler noted: "I recall that over the years, the master progressively dispatched barons or pioneering knights to manage Shanlin Town, but they seemingly perished in the depths of winter during confrontations with those magical beasts."

Roning’s countenance turned a shade paler. Holy hell, wasn't this essentially a cursed land of ultimate doom?

No wonder Wiggins had claimed that those who earned merits wouldn't object much to Roning being enfeoffed as the Baron of Shanlin Town.

It was a place both treacherous and isolated, likely with little to no wealth to bleed; who would ever want such a territory as their fiefdom?

Seeing Roning’s complexion alter, Holwart knew his description had frightened the young man, and quickly offered words of solace:

"In truth, Young Master, there is no need for excessive worry. Magical beasts are accustomed to descending the mountains to forage only during the winter when snow blankets the ground and sustenance is scarce. When that time comes, you need only reside within the castle and rarely venture out, and you shall be perfectly safe."

Roning flashed a bitter smile. "My gratitude for your counsel; I find it immensely useful."

"I thank you for your validation."

Holwart continued his briefing: "In fact, it is not merely the magical beasts; within the mountain ranges to the north of Shanlin Town, there are also certain savage tribes that pose a degree of threat."

"Over twenty years ago, the Marquess dispatched men to encircle and suppress these savage tribes. Though we lost a few guards and knights, we thoroughly crushed those fellows until they could no longer form a cohesive force."

"What!" Roning gasped, utterly shocked. "There are savage tribes as well?!"

Magical beasts were one thing, but what on earth were these savages? Hairy, humanoid monstrosities?

Through Holwart's explanation, Roning gained a basic understanding of the savage tribes inhabiting the woodlands north of Shanlin Town.

The savage tribes were not actually sub-human savages, but rather the remnants of defeated soldiers who had fled into the deep mountains two decades ago to escape the Marquess's purge.

Initially, the suppression army marched in and out of the mountains numerous times, slaughtering the opposing forces until they were no longer a threat.

Later on, because Shanlin Town was so isolated and supply lines were inadequate, the campaign was shelved before a complete eradication could be achieved.

As time wore on, those remnants absorbed bandits, brigands, and refugees fleeing into the deep mountains, gradually coalescing into the savage tribes of today.

Though it sounded terrifying, their actual combat prowess was not particularly high; otherwise, a leaderless Shanlin Town would have long since been swallowed whole by them.

Yet Roning remained deeply anxious; he had to make preparations to ensure his own safety.

"Mr. Butler, did the Count arrange any bodyguards or elite family troops for me?"

Theoretically, when a child left home to carve out their own destiny, the family would provide some measure of resource support.

It was just that Wiggins was an unpredictable man.

"Err..."

Holwart hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "My apologies, Young Master, the master did not arrange any bodyguards or elite troops."

As expected, his predecessor's father offered Roning no pleasant surprises whatsoever.

"Then what of coin? Grain? Horses?"

Holwart merely shook his head once more; evidently, Wiggins had offered not a single shred of resource support.

"Very well, I understand!"

Roning adopted an air of utter despondency, slumping his weight into the chair.

To make any preparations, he had to secure resources or monetary backing from others—especially coin; with money, Roning could simply go out and buy what he needed.

He had to devise a way to acquire some gold.

"It seems I can only swallow my pride and beg for it."

Having made this resolution, Roning prepared to begin his performance.

He knew from his memories that Wiggins had been deeply in love with his predecessor’s mother, Fatima; had it not been for her accidental death, he wouldn't have a stepmother named Dianne Hyde.

"It seems the Count truly does not view me as his son in the slightest. Has he forgotten the solemn vow he once made to my mother?"

Roning wore an expression of profound grief. "He promised my mother that he would protect the safety of my sister and me with his very life. Yet look at things now—I am about to venture to a place as perilous as Shanlin Town, and he denies me even a single guard, a single gold coin!"

"He clearly wishes for me to perish in Shanlin Town!"

Roning stared directly into Holwart’s eyes, holding the gaze until the butler's eyes darted away, not daring to meet his look. Only then did Roning speak, his tone laced with three parts weeping, three parts grievance, and four parts fury:

"Should an accident befall me upon the road or within my fiefdom, I shall surely tell my mother in heaven that the man she so deeply loved was nothing but a heartless scoundrel who broke his word!"

"I truly feel my mother's devotion was entirely wasted upon him!"

"Young Master, please... please do not agitate yourself so."

Holwart was thrown into a state of flustered confusion; he had merely come to deliver an appointment decree, never anticipating such a scene would suddenly unfold.

The Count’s son, the newly minted Baron of Shanlin Town, was weeping and lamenting right to his face.

A nobleman crying and complaining to a mere butler—this was an absolute first.

He hastily fabricated a justification to soothe him: "Perhaps, perhaps the master was simply too occupied and forgot. Once I return, I shall immediately remind him."

Roning touched the corner of his eye, mimicking the action of wiping away tears, though in truth, his eyes were bone dry.

"Then I am most grateful to you, Mr. Butler. Pray convey my words to the Count as well, and ask him if he still remembers a woman named Fatima Sari."

"Yes, of course, absolutely!"

Holwart hurriedly assented, and then, with a polite yet rushed demeanor, beat a hasty retreat from the chamber.

After seeing the steward leave, Luo Ning heaved a long sigh of relief.

In just half a day, he had already performed in two consecutive scenes. Though not a professional actor, he felt quite exhausted.

Returning to his attribute panel, Luo Ning used the single attribute point he obtained from today's sign-in, applying it to his level.

【Level】： Mortal (0/10) → (1/10)

In an instant, Luo Ning felt the weariness on his body vanish. Simultaneously, he sensed a certain strengthening in his physical stamina and mental energy.

"Adding points at the mortal stage should be a process of shedding the weak constitution of my previous body."

He cast a very satisfied glance at the other four interfaces.

Sign-in was automatic, requiring no action from him.

The seven-day login and achievement tasks were also automatically completed, but rewards needed to be claimed manually.

Now he could claim the reward for the first day: obtaining a subordinate with the potential to become a 6th-level Gold Knight.

However, it wasn't the right time to claim the reward yet.

A sudden addition of an unfamiliar person in the Marquis's residence would inevitably raise suspicions.

Luo Ning certainly didn't want this matter exposed.

"Not urgent. Claim it when leaving. The most pressing matter now is to get money!"

Where to get money?

Luo Ning tapped his fingers on the desk.

In the entire castle, wealth was controlled by just a few people—Grandfather Marquis Rulance, Father Earl Viggins, Stepmother Diana, and younger brother Bretin.

Viggins had already been informed through steward Halward, and Diana might also be present.

So these two, Luo Ning could set aside.

His younger brother Bretin was currently away at the Transcendent Academy in Wushan City, not at home. The only one remaining was Rulance.

But after just being stripped of inheritance rights and then graciously granted the title of Baron, would it be appropriate for Luo Ning to go to Rulance again to ask for resource support?

Someone with thin skin might hesitate, but Luo Ning felt indifferent—his skin was slightly thicker.

Following his memory, Luo Ning hurried to the old Marquis's standalone small building outside.

He could hear Rulance coughing inside and the busy movements of a few servants.

"Grandfather~"

Luo Ning called out, then entered the room.

(End of Chapter)