Chapter 390 - The Arrival of the Lord of Battle Valley

Two troops of cavalry passed through the Yewen Channel, arriving at the Three Rivers Region overnight.The cavalries formed two columns.

One column comprised beautiful young female elves or half-elves, clad in leather armor, with longbows and musical instruments on their backs. They were either druid rangers or bards.

The other column consisted of strong male human warriors, wearing knight’s armor, carrying swords and shields, and hanging long spears, the epitome of standard cavalry.

Among the troops, several battle flags fluttered in the wind, with a large red cloak as the backdrop, crossed by sword and shield in the front.

This was the banner of the Lord of Battle Valley, Lord Ilmet’s symbol. The red cloak symbolized the greatest king of Battle Valley, the Cloak King Anka, while the sword and shield represented their past loyalty as warriors.

Leading the way side by side at the front were two riders.

The leader of the girls was also a half-elf girl, possessing a rare, peerless beauty even among elves, whose every smile and expression touched the heart. Her figure was graceful yet not frail, and before she spoke, her laughter resonated with an irresistible charm.

Leading the warriors was a middle-aged man, handsome, with neatly trimmed short black beard, suggesting the meticulous nature of its owner. His gaze was firm, lips tightly sealed, clearly someone who rarely smiled or engaged in frivolous talk, as if nothing in the world could shake him.

Only when his gaze fell on the girl beside him did he reveal a hint of tenderness.

The girl of course was one of the initiators of the Ghost Grape Wine Auction. She was the Princess of Battle Valley, Miss Regina.

The middle-aged man was the Guardian of Battle Valley, Lord Ilmet.

Both publicly and privately, they had to attend this Ghost Grape Wine Auction.

Publicly, this was a major event in Battle Valley, second only to the quadrennial Shield Festival, and they bore the responsibility for its security.

Privately, there was a share of profit belonging to Regina, exceeding a hundred thousand net, which even for them, was no small amount.

"The man you have your eyes on is not as omnipotent as you described, huh!" Lord Ilmet’s thin lips curled slightly, showing a hint of mild mockery, "We are now less than ten kilometers from Weizemay Manor, yet it’s still as if we are entering an uninhabited area. One swift assault could have taken us directly to the manor’s outskirts."

"What do you mean ’the man I have my eyes on’? Even if you are an elder, you mustn’t speak recklessly," Regina retorted coquettishly. Yet it wasn’t annoyance that showed in her eyes but rather pride, "Who says it’s an uninhabited area? Haven’t you noticed that since we left the Yewen Channel, the howling of wolves has been very rhythmic and has continuously lingered on our flanks?"

"You mean, all the wild wolves here are under their command?" Lord Ilmet exclaimed in surprise.

"Even if not all, at least he has a scouting party of a hundred wild wolves at his disposal, acting as sentries in the vicinity," Regina’s pride seemed akin to that of a lady of Weizemay Manor, now showing her father around the property.

"Controlling so many wolves? How did he manage that?" Lord Ilmet’s expression finally turned grave. As a competent commander, he was well aware of the value of these wild scouts.

They would hunt on their own, and the fact that they didn’t require provisioning was secondary. Their true value lay in stealth, as even if they are spotted, it wouldn’t matter much. After all, wild wolves are the most common hunters, and it was nothing out of the ordinary to run into many packs while traveling.

In Battle Valley, once leaving Rosaville Road, the wilderness no longer belonged to sentient beings but to these wild animals.

Regina said with slight annoyance, "Mr. Ilmet, were you even listening last time we talked? I told you that he commands a high-ranking devil dog demon that can drive a large number of wolves, and he has the loyalty of the Fae Race as well as Fae Race Druids who can also do the same."

Even being called out by name, Lord Ilmet didn’t show any sign of annoyance but instead seemed a bit embarrassed because he knew this was a sign that his own beloved daughter was truly angry, and he quickly tried to smooth things over, "I remember now, it’s just that previously I hadn’t connected the dots, and at the same time, how did he manage to recruit high-ranking devils and the Fae Race as his subordinates?"

Regina shrugged and said, "I don’t know that, just like I don’t know whether he is a warrior, a mage or a druid. The longer I spend time with him, the less I understand him."

"Multiple professions?" Lord Ilmet asked, puzzled.

Having multiple professional levels wasn’t a rare occurrence.

But for most people, their side jobs were predictable, focusing on one main profession while the rest were built around it to provide enhancement, like himself, who was a warrior with a sideline as a divine power warrior.

The gaps between a warrior, a mage, and a druid were too wide, making it impossible for their professional abilities to complement each other.

Regina shook her head and said, "It’s not that simple. His overall professional level isn’t high, but the skills he possesses are quite high-end. The Enlightenment spell is a transcendental druid’s spell. Do you think an ordinary warrior could hold his own against Mr. August without losing?"

"Face off against August? And come out even?" Lord Ilmet could hardly believe it.

That was a renowned holy warrior who had made a name for himself over decades. Although not as exceptional as his apprentice Darnell, only extraordinary people could reach transcendence.

At least Lord Ilmet wasn’t confident enough to believe he could easily outclass him.

"Mr. August said so himself."

Lord Ilmet sighed with relief, "That’s just the old gentleman being modest. You shouldn’t take it too seriously..."

"Look quickly, there are so many treants."

"Those aren’t treants; those are Enlightened Trees."

"Huh? Gnolls? Demi-humans? Humans? Why are there so many different races here?"

"Those pieces of wood are flying by themselves, what kind of magic is that?"

The incredulous murmurs that came from behind interrupted the whispered conversation between the father and daughter at the front. Looking up, they saw a fantastical construction site unveiled before them.

Dozens of Demi-Human houseboats were dragging logs downstream, arriving near the riverbank.

Enlightened Trees were responsible for dragging these sturdy logs to the riverbank.

The waiting Tesser immigrants surged forward, using various tools to strip the logs clean and tie them with ropes, securing the knots.

Then they handed them over to the Enlightened Trees to be dragged to the construction site, where a group of short-statured Gnolls had already dug deep holes, ready for the logs to be erected.

Some logs began to fly up on their own, joining those that had been erected earlier.

It was only upon closer inspection that it became apparent these logs were not moving on their own.

Instead, it was a group of tiny Pikespirits from the Fae Race, scattering their Fairy Dust and lifting them into the air.

There, Fae Race Druids were waiting, casting the Wood Shaping Technique, melding the logs back into a seamless whole.

A high platform of raw wood was quickly taking shape, seamless in appearance, making it look as though it had grown straight from the ground.

Not only were the human warriors gaping in awe, but even the Half-Elves and Moon Elves wore expressions of disbelief.

They had only heard of such inter-racial cooperation in the legends about Mystorno and had never witnessed it firsthand.

Seeing it today, they realized that reality was even more fantastical than legend, rendering them shockingly speechless.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

A loud tolling of a bell sounded.

Everyone put down their work and began to converge at the top of the slope.

There, over a hundred pots steamed invitingly.

The scent of the food was so distinct that even hundreds of meters away, it was unmistakably clear.

A few parties of riders were making their way against the flow, heading towards where Regina and Lord Ilmet were.

The leader was none other than the local lord, Gaven.

Gaven called out cheerfully from afar, "Miss Regina, truly a woman of her word, you really managed to bring Lord Ilmet here, adding much glory to the Three Rivers Region. Lord Ilmet, I apologize for not meeting you farther away, but with the auction impending and a tight schedule, we must work every minute we can." Thɪs chapter is updated by ɴo(v)elFɪre.ɴet

Lord Ilmet had already resumed his usual serious demeanor and gave Gaven a nod, "Mr. Gaven, there’s no need for such formalities. The important matters take precedence. Regina has repeatedly mentioned your exceptional nature to me. On the way here, I didn’t take it to heart, but now I see that you are even more extraordinary than she described, truly a man worthy of my daughter’s regard."

If you can’t speak properly, then don’t speak at all, nobody will think you’re mute!

What do you mean ’a man worthy of my regard’?

Regina, on the side, was grinding her teeth in frustration, but in front of others, she preserved her father’s dignity.

"It’s my honor," Gaven replied, seemingly unaffected, as if he completely understood the meaning behind Lord Ilmet’s words, "Lord Ilmet, you’ve come at just the right time, it’s our mealtime, and I presume you haven’t had the chance to eat yet. If you don’t mind, why not join us with your warriors for a bite?"

"Isn’t that inappropriate? There are so many of us, and surely your meals were prepared counting on a certain number of heads," Lord Ilmet said, not rejecting the offer outright.

Because he was very curious about what the dining scene on the mountain top would be like?

After all, with so many entirely different races gathered together, even the slightest misstep could potentially lead to a massive disturbance.

But so far, there had been no sign of that.

"Don’t worry, I had your share prepared in advance," Gaven implied meaningfully.

Before the cooks had even lit their fires, he had known they would come.

Indeed, Yewen Channel served as the main thoroughfare for the Three Rivers Region to the outside world.

How could Gaven possibly be unguarded?

Not only were the wilderness stuffed with scout wolves controlled by Dog Demons, but at least three Erde Squadrons patrolled the skies back and forth.

Military activity involving more than five people was reported to Kopofiel; anything involving a squad or larger went directly to Gaven.

"Since Mr. Gaven has already made preparations, we naturally cannot decline such hospitality," Lord Ilmet declared, gesturing, "Dismount and strip your gear."

Such actions naturally served to show sincerity.

It was a response to the other party’s sincerity—inviting them to dine among their own lieges was not common courtesy or trust.

"Dismounting will suffice, stripping gear is unnecessary," Gaven said from nearby.

Seeing Lord Ilmet’s hesitation, Regina explained, "Father, just listen to Mr. Gaven; that’s not only sincerity but also confidence."

She had personally witnessed the terrifying combat power of Thornspike and Black Nanmu and had heard that he had enlightened five Willow trees that could merge together, pulling a Fine Gold Coffin weighing ten tons from the Underground River.

A group of warriors facing such beings was truly unimaginable disaster.

"Miss Regina, still as humorous as ever," Gaven laughed heartily, although he did indeed have such thoughts, being called out on them was still somewhat embarrassing.

"Alright, up the mountain," Lord Ilmet commanded definitively, deciding to take Regina’s advice on this matter.

Though she was young, in all respects she was already capable of standing on her own, particularly in discerning character and diplomacy, far surpassing him.

Compared to him, she was more fit to be a lord, and he was grooming her towards that role.

Regina spurred her horse forward, aligning herself beside Gaven, and couldn’t help but praise, "Mr. Gaven, where did you find such a beautiful mount to bring back? Its form is so graceful, its presence so unique, it must be from the Fairy Wilderness, right? Help me get one when you have the chance!"