The noble district wasn't far from Fury Bear City — a fifteen-minute horseback ride through the city would get you there. Just past the East Gate moat, a straight, wide boulevard led toward the central lake of the noble district not far ahead, flanked on both sides by lush green lawns and fragrant orchards.
Due to demand far exceeding supply, the four noble districts originally planned had already been expanded to eight, making the noble district development the
In the final plan approved by
The estate plots in all four noble districts had already been sold out. While the fourth district still had half its manor villas under construction, those in the first, second, and third districts were all completed, and many nobles had already moved in with their families. The remaining workers were finishing decorative work on public facilities — the greenery along the roads, the oiling mechanisms for lampposts, the trimming of evergreen hedges used as fencing, and the installation of swing-style benches with rain canopies along the avenues.
Of the other four zones, one upscale residential area had been completed. This area consisted entirely of five-story premium apartment buildings, with units sold in a three-bedroom, two-living-room format. The buyers here were the managers of trading companies set up by nobles, senior staff of production workshops, accountants, and others of similar standing. A handful of titled nobles and merchants who had failed to purchase estate plots in the noble districts also temporarily resided here. Compared to the manor villas of the four noble districts, those living in the upscale residential zone seemed to occupy a lower social tier.
The premium commercial zone was the most attractive part of the entire noble district. Every shop here belonged to the Norton Family — available for rent only, never for sale. Whether it was clothing, hats and shoes, ingredients, spices, or exotic flowers and rare herbs, everything could be found here. Fatty Shi had once told Lorist that across the entire Northland there were around two hundred registered trading companies, large and small, and over a hundred of them had rented shops in the premium commercial zone to sell the finest goods from their inventories. Naturally, the prices were one or two times higher than the same goods sold elsewhere.
The comprehensive zone was considerably larger than the premium commercial zone. It required the construction of a full-sized horse racing track, a fencing hall, a court tennis facility, and other fitness amenities, as well as bars, a library, and a large restaurant. Progress was therefore not fast — currently only about half complete, with full construction estimated for around July or August of next year.
What gave Fatty Shi and Steward Speer headaches was whether to convert a plot originally earmarked for another upscale residential area into Noble District Five and sell estate plots instead, thereby avoiding the need to invest family funds in building premium apartment buildings. Selling estate plots would bring in large sums of cash immediately, while constructing premium apartments required significant family investment — though the eventual sale price far outstripped what estate plots would fetch. From a market perspective, many more nobles still wanted estate plots, and the two could not make up their minds.
Lorist rode hard with Schward and Genorio to the gates of Count Lowell's manor in Noble District Two. By now, the perimeter of the manor — which Count Lowell had named Nightingale Manor — had been surrounded by soldiers of the Guard Battalion. A large crowd of onlookers had gathered outside, milling about in small clusters and whispering among themselves. Lorist noticed that the balconies of the manor villas on either side of Nightingale Manor were also packed with people, quite a few holding mugs of ale or cups of tea. Were these people treating today's hostage crisis as a theatrical performance?
Lorist dismounted at the gates of Nightingale Manor and found Fatty Shi, his face red and neck flushed, surrounded by a group of people, as well as the furious Ovikis.
"All of you, shut up and tell me what's going on. What were you arguing about just now?" Lorist's voice cut through the clamor.
When the crowd realized that the Grand Duke of Northland, Lorist himself, had arrived, they bowed in respect and fell silent.
"Your Highness, Ovikis wanted to force an attack just now, and I stopped him. He's not happy about it," Fatty Shi said.
"Why force an attack? What about the hostages?" Lorist turned to Ovikis.
"Your Highness, it's like this — those mercenaries were incredibly insolent. They didn't take our Norton Family seriously at all, and I couldn't hold back my anger. I wanted to show them the might of our family's armed forces..." Ovikis explained hastily.
"Do you know the status of the hostages?"
"Your Highness, there are seven hostages in total — Count Lowell, his wife, two sons, and a young daughter, plus two maidservants who were also taken. A total of thirteen mercenaries entered the manor. They killed two manor servants, and the rest of the staff managed to escape," Fatty Shi answered.
This was indeed Ovikis's responsibility. As commander of the Third Guard Corps responsible for Fury Bear City and the southern region of the Northland, the security of the noble district was of paramount importance, and a Guard Battalion had been stationed there for patrols and vigilance.
"Your Highness, those mercenaries rode into the noble district in three carriages together with Count Lowell. The soldiers on duty at the district entrance assumed they were helpers the Count had brought to move goods and never suspected that Count Lowell had already been taken hostage... It was my mistake. I will take responsibility," Ovikis admitted honestly.
Lorist frowned. "Why would Count Lowell know these mercenaries? What was the dispute between them? And what are the mercenaries demanding now that they have the hostages?"
Fatty Shi had already investigated thoroughly. He answered, "Your Highness, here's the situation. These mercenaries belong to a group called the Red Flame, numbering nearly a hundred. They registered with our family seven years ago and had been active around Twin Peaks Town, later appearing in North Sea City as well. They frequently ventured into the Dark Dragon Mountains, the Barrens, and the Black Mud Swamp to hunt magical beasts and gather medicinal herbs. They also escorted cargo and guarded merchant caravans. Their leader — the mastermind behind this hostage-taking — is a Silver Three-Star swordsman. The group has twenty-three Silver-ranked mercenaries, putting them in the upper tier within our family's territory."
Lorist nodded. The Red Flame mercenary group was quite similar to the mercenary band his confidant and family knight
Fatty Shi continued, "The group's leader is named Linde. He used to make his living in the imperial capital and was an old acquaintance of Count Lowell. Five years ago, when Count Lowell relocated to our family's territory seeking business opportunities, he encountered Linde and began funding his mercenary group, hiring them to work for his trading company. Because Count Lowell's Wesde Trading Company dealt in furs and also operated a shop in the premium commercial zone specializing in high-end leather goods, he needed high-quality magical beast pelts for crafting premium leather products.
The Red Flame group and the Wesde Trading Company had been partners for five years. Because their leader Linde and Count Lowell knew and trusted each other, the Red Flame group had placed their accumulated reserve fund with the Wesde Trading Company for investment, hoping for good returns. Last year, Count Lowell took on a commission requiring the crafting of a batch of premium vests from the hides of Iron-Spine Bay Crocodiles from the Black Mud Swamp, and this task was likewise entrusted to the Red Flame group.
The Red Flame group ventured deep into the Black Mud Swamp to hunt the crocodiles and suffered considerable casualties. They barely completed the mission — out of nearly a hundred fighters, only fifty-seven remained. When they returned to North Sea City, they heard the news that Count Lowell's investments had failed. Panicked that their reserve fund had been lost too, they rushed to confront Count Lowell.
Unfortunately, their fears proved correct — their reserve fund was gone, converted entirely into a warehouse full of unsold daily goods. Count Lowell told them that the investment hadn't failed, it was just that the liquidation date was a long way off, possibly requiring ten, twenty, or even thirty years. Additionally, the bounty and compensation for their crocodile-hunting mission would also require some time to pay out — at minimum, they would have to wait until the commission was completed and payment received.
Count Lowell believed their years of friendship would lead the Red Flame group to understand his current predicament. But the mercenaries were enraged. They kidnapped Count Lowell and forced him to lead them into the noble district, seizing Nightingale Manor. After ransacking the place and confirming that Count Lowell truly had no money hidden at home, they took the entire family hostage and killed two servants as a warning — demanding that Count Lowell produce the money to ransom them."
"How much are they asking? Have we sent anyone to negotiate?" Lorist asked.
"We have. It seems Count Lowell owes them the reserve fund plus the mission bounty and compensation — a total of over four thousand gold Forde. Count Lowell's several business partners have offered to pool the money to ransom the hostages, but the mercenaries changed their demands..."
"Changed their demands? Why?" Lorist asked.
"The mercenaries demanded interest be added, bringing the total to ten thousand gold Forde. When Count Lowell's partners offered to mortgage the shop in the premium commercial zone to raise the ten thousand, the mercenaries raised it to twenty thousand before they'd release anyone. They also told us to get lost, saying this was a financial dispute between them and Count Lowell, none of the Norton Family's business, and that we should leave — and furthermore, we had to guarantee their safe departure from Norton territory once they received the ransom... That's why I wanted to order the soldiers to storm the place and eliminate those audacious bastards who dare treat our Norton Family as if we don't exist..." Ovikis said through gritted teeth.
"Where are the hostages?" Lorist asked again.
Ovikis pointed. "Your Highness, they're in the second-floor sitting room of the building directly facing the main gate — the one with the large balcony. You can see the mercenaries have posted two men on the balcony as sentries. When Baron Shrade went in to negotiate earlier, they dragged the hostages onto the balcony and held swords to their throats, threatening that if Baron Shrade or our forces made any move, they would kill the hostages first...
I've already walked around the perimeter of the manor. The mercenaries have posted lookouts on the roof, at the rear, and on both flanks. An attack from any direction would be detected. Perhaps we'll have a chance to sneak in and rescue the hostages once night falls."
"You wanted to order an attack?" Lorist asked.
Ovikis lowered his head. "I... I couldn't stomach those bastards. Just now, right in front of us, they publicly violated the two maidservants being held hostage — right there in the second-floor sitting room, with the windows wide open. They stripped those maids bare and forced them down before our eyes. Everyone could hear their screams, and those bastards just laughed like maniacs..."
Lorist was stunned for a moment, then patted Ovikis on the shoulder. "I understand. I'll go talk to them myself. All of you stay here — no one follows me..."
Past the gate of wrought iron bars, a road wide enough for three carriages to ride abreast stretched ahead, lined on both sides by flower beds. At the road's end was a semicircular courtyard where three four-wheeled carriages stood parked. Beyond the courtyard rose the magnificent four-story villa, faced with gray-white granite blocks. The first floor featured a protruding portico, above which was a large balcony spacious enough to seat two tables' worth of guests enjoying afternoon tea with a view.
Two mercenaries standing on the large balcony spotted Lorist approaching. One shouted for him to stop while both raised hunting bows aimed directly at him. At a vertical distance of thirty meters, they were at the optimal range for hunting bows.
"I am Norton Lorist, Grand Duke of Northland. Send your leader out," Lorist continued walking closer. His voice was soft, yet every person in the manor heard it with perfect clarity.
Suddenly five or six more people appeared on the balcony, led by a tall, lanky man with long limbs. He seemed to recognize Lorist and faltered at the sight. "It — it really is Duke — Duke Norton! You — you — don't come any closer!"
Lorist ignored him and kept approaching.
The lanky man panicked, looking left and right before kicking his companion beside him. "The hostages! The hostages! Get the hostages over here quickly!"
There was a flurry of chaos. Count Lowell, his wife, sons, and daughter were all dragged onto the balcony, along with a naked, weeping maidservant clutching a scrap of torn cloth she had found somewhere, desperately trying to cover herself...
The lanky mercenary seized Count Lowell and pressed a sword across his neck. "You — you stop right there! Take one more step and I'll kill him!"
Lorist was now less than five meters from the portico. He stopped, tilted his head back, and sighed. "You're Linde, aren't you? The leader of the Red Flame mercenary group. As a former free mercenary myself, I sympathize with your plight. Unfortunately, you chose the wrong method of seeking redress — and endangered innocent people in the process.
As the Grand Duke of Northland, I give you two choices. First, lay down your arms and surrender. I guarantee you a fair trial. Second, continue to resist — and I guarantee you will die without even graves to bury your bones."
"I — I won't choose either! You — you can't trick me!" Linde screamed, his emotions spiraling out of control as he shook Count Lowell violently. The Count, already sporting a bruised and swollen face from his ordeal, let out agonized groans. The blade pressed against his neck trembled with each shake, drawing several bright red lines of blood...
"This bastard stole the money we earned with our lives! I want our money back! You — you can't threaten me, or I'll take this bastard's whole family down with me! You — you have to swear on your Norton Family ancestors that we'll get our money back and be able to leave the Northland safely! Otherwise — if anything happens to them, your Norton Family will become a laughingstock to everyone for failing to protect the nobles under your care! Do you — do you dare gamble your family's honor against our lives?!" Linde screamed in a frenzy.
Lorist laughed, his manner as calm as a gentle breeze. "Of course I dare..."
The vertical distance was seven meters, at a height of roughly three and a half meters — the optimal range for his Blood Slaughter Domain's influence. Within ten meters, I am god! The world before his eyes instantly turned blood red...
"What — what did you say?" Linde thought he had misheard, but he never got the chance to speak again. A streak of crimson swept upward from below, engulfing the entire balcony. Heaven and earth instantly went dark, and the entire world turned blood-red. Linde heard only his own heartbeat, then felt his body like a water bag punctured with countless holes, all his strength draining away in an instant...
Those soldiers in the tavern hadn't been boasting... They were telling the truth... The Grand Duke of Northland really was a Sword Saint... Invincible... In the darkness closing in on him forever, Linde recalled the things he had once heard Norton Family soldiers saying about Lorist in taverns — their boasting and their reverence — but back then, he hadn't believed any of it...
Lorist sheathed his sword and smiled at Count Lowell's family, who stood frozen on the balcony, unable to believe they had been rescued. He waved toward the crowd gathered at the main gate. Schward was the first to charge forward, leaping onto the balcony in a single bound.
Lorist pointed toward the inside of the manor. "Go. Don't let the last one escape."
From beside him came the dazed, dreamlike wailing of Count Lowell's family as the shock finally broke...
"Yes, Your Highness." Schward drew his sword and charged into the room.
...