Chương 82

Rudra tapped the heavy iron side of the Protean Crafting Cauldron. The massive boiling pot hissed, folded in on itself, and morphed back into a heavy block of dark metal. He tossed it into his inventory.

"Alright, the kitchen is officially packed," Rudra said, wiping his hands on a towel. The courtyard of the Marquis estate was busy. Four large, enclosed cargo wagons sat on the cobblestones. The surviving Red Knights were loading crates of supplies, winter cloaks, and salted rations. Kentrick, the massive vanguard, effortlessly lifted three heavy wooden crates at once and shoved them into the back of a wagon. Amelda was pacing around with a clipboard, stuttering slightly as she counted the medical supplies.

Dante sat in the driver's seat of the lead wagon, coughing lightly into his fist but looking much healthier than before. In the center of the yard, Winfred and Elysia were unrolling a map on top of a barrel.

"The Stormbreak Region is a two-week journey if we stick to the main roads," Winfred noted, tracing a line with a charcoal pencil. The Red Sage's eyes were sharp and focused.

"But if we cut through the eastern mountain pass, we shave off four days."

"The mountain pass is heavily infested with Ice Trolls," Elysia warned, her hand resting on the hilt of her silver sword.

"Good," Rudra called out, walking over.

"Troll meat is terrible, but the Yetis up there drop great frost-glands. We take the shortcut." Before Winfred could argue the tactical risks of fighting a horde of Yetis, the heavy iron gates of the estate groaned open. A royal messenger rushed into the courtyard. He took one look at the heavily armed Red Knights, gulped nervously, and marched straight up to Rudra.

"Marquis Rudra," the messenger bowed deeply.

"His Majesty requests your presence in the throne room before your departure." Rudra scratched the back of his neck.

"Right now? The wagons are packed."

"He insisted it was urgent, My Lord."

"Fine. Give me a minute," Rudra sighed. He turned to Elysia.

"Make sure Kratos doesn't eat the horses. I'll be right back." Elysia gave a crisp nod.

"Understood, My Liege." Rudra left the estate and walked quickly through the snowy streets of Juden. His black trench coat flared slightly in the wind as he made his way to the palace. When he pushed open the heavy doors of the throne room, it wasn't packed with nobles. It was just a quiet, private gathering. The King stood near the throne. Princess Seraphine and the First Prince stood on either side of him. The King looked completely different from the frail, dying old man lying in the bed a few days ago.

His shoulders were broad, his grey hair had a healthy shine, and the pale sickness was entirely gone from his skin.

"Rudra," the King smiled warmly as the doors clicked shut.

"I am glad we caught you before you left." Rudra walked forward.

"You're looking great, Your Majesty. The drake soup settled well?"

"Better than I could have ever hoped," the King laughed softly. His expression then turned deeply serious.

"Which is exactly why I called you here. A Marquis title was a fitting reward for saving my daughter from an ambush. But pulling a reigning King back from the brink of death and exposing an Imperial shadow plot? That demands far more." This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The King stepped down from the dais. He placed a heavy, warm hand on Rudra's shoulder.

"The Stormbreak Region is a massive, untamed frontier," the King said.

"A Marquis cannot hold it alone. You need absolute authority to build your walls and command the borders." A blinding golden light filled Rudra's vision. [You have become the first player to become a Duke!] [The Title 'First Marquis' has been upgraded to 'First Duke'!] [First Duke] [A user has become a duke for the first time. - Dignity +600 - Charm +800] [Depending on the historical background of the continent, a duke has no limit on their expansion of power. The royal family won't be able to openly bind you.] [Please note that there will be repercussions if you expand your power to the extent that it infringes on the royal family's authority.] Rudra blinked. The sudden, massive stat boost washed over him. His posture naturally straightened just a fraction. Without him even trying, a heavy, commanding aura settled around his shoulders.

"A Duke," Rudra muttered. He wasn't a politician, but he read the system text loud and clear. He basically had a blank check to do whatever he wanted in Stormbreak, as long as he didn't actively try to overthrow the King. Seraphine stepped forward. She was holding a long, ornate wooden box lined with red velvet. She opened the lid. Resting inside was a beautiful, masterfully forged broadsword. The hilt was wrapped in pristine white leather, and the crossguard was shaped like a roaring lion.

"A lord must carry the symbol of his authority," Seraphine said respectfully, holding the box out to him. Rudra looked at the sword. He didn't reach for it immediately. I hit things with a stick, Rudra thought pragmatically. If I swing a sword, I lose my entire class bonus and all my mastery multipliers. It's basically a shiny piece of dead weight. He opened the item's description just to be polite.

[Great Lord's Sword] Durability: 220/220 Attack Power: 220 Dignity +150 Insight +150 Leadership +150 Skill 'Character Observation' will be generated. * Skill 'Talent Search' will be generated. A rare sword only given to the best lords. You can observe the soldiers and residents more closely and efficiently command them. Weight: 200] Rudra's eyes instantly lit up. It wasn't a weapon. It was the ultimate administrative stat-stick.

If he was taking over a massive, ruined territory, he was going to need people to do the boring paperwork and build the walls. With Character Observation and Talent Search, he could instantly scan NPCs to see exactly what they were good at. It completely solved his management problem.

"It's beautiful," Rudra grinned, reaching into the box. The sword was incredibly heavy, weighing a massive 200 units. A normal mage or merchant would be crushed by it. But with Rudra's Strength sitting well over 1, 000, it felt like a toy. He didn't draw the blade. He just strapped the heavy scabbard to his leather belt. His Staff of the Fire Lord, made of jagged Salamander bone, rested comfortably across his back.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Both of you," Rudra said, giving them a genuine nod.

"I'll make sure Stormbreak stops being a blind spot on your map."

"I have no doubt you will, Duke Rudra," the King smiled. An hour later, the caravan was ready to move. The four heavy wagons rolled out of the capital's gates. It was a bizarre, completely overpowered group. Elysia rode on the lead wagon next to Dante. Winfred and Singuled were sitting in the back, silently reviewing maps of the Saharan Empire. Princess Nerissa sat wrapped in a heavy blanket, keeping a low profile.

Amelda, Kentrick, and Icarus formed a loose perimeter around the caravan, their terrible, seasoned auras naturally scaring off any low-level monsters hiding in the snow. Rudra walked comfortably alongside the wagons, his boots crunching in the snow. Kratos was happily trotting right beside him. The half-gold, half-black divine beast had grown to the size of a large dog. His tail wagged as he chewed loudly on a dried piece of river-kelp.

"Stormbreak is an absolute death trap," Winfred warned, looking down from the wagon.

"The monsters there are hardened by the harsh ocean winds. The citizens have been abandoned for years. They will be hostile and desperate." Rudra just smiled, pulling a spicy meat skewer from his inventory and taking a bite.

"I'm not worried about the monsters, Winfred," Rudra said, tossing a piece of meat up for Kratos to catch.

"I just hope they have big kitchens."