CLOMP CLOMP CLOMP—
Fine steeds pulled a luxurious carriage, galloping along the mountain road as they gradually left Green Shade Territory behind.
Six-star Glory Knight Land John rode a tall, armored warhorse, guarding the front of the carriage. His brows were furrowed as he vigilantly scanned his surroundings.
Moria pulled back the window curtain and looked at Land John with a smile.
"My old friend, don't be like that. No need to be so tense. I have a feeling today isn't my day to die."
"Lord Moria, why don't you tell Lord Lian the truth? By leaving without a word like this, he'll think you've deserted your post and left him to clean up a mess," said the righteous Land John.
"But I did leave him a mess, haha."
Moria laughed. He was in high spirits, showing no signs of being gravely ill.
Clearly, the wheelchair and IV drip had been just for show.
"The reason you owe the Empire Bank such a massive debt isn't because you were indulging in pleasure. It was to avoid involving Green Shade Territory in a war, to avoid sending troops to attack the Azure Dragon Court. No matter how much His Majesty the King wanted Green Shade Territory to dispatch its forces, he'd have to give up the idea because the territory lacks funds," Land John said grimly.
"No, I was simply indulging myself. I used that 300 million gold to squander day after day, buying manors and properties for my mistresses," Moria said with a laugh.
"You left secretly to go to the High Tower and find a new Guardian to replace the Ice Witch, Sophie. This journey is perilous, with little chance of survival, which is why you didn't want to tell Lord Lian. You didn't want him to worry about you," Land John continued grimly.
"No, I also brought all my wives, concubines, and jewels. I've simply fled Green Shade Territory because the Witch has lost control, and I would have died there too."
Moria turned to the side and kissed the crystal ball in his hand.
Inside the crystal ball, thirty-three beautiful noblewomen were having a tea party. They were talking and laughing, as if frozen in the prime of their lives.
"Lord Moria, I am the only one who knows how much you've sacrificed for Green Shade Territory. Please don't be so immersed in the past; we should embrace the future. Gifts are not meant for reminiscing."
Land John seemed to realize he had misspoken and said no more.
The smile on Moria's face gradually faded, and a strange light flashed in his murky eyes.
"This is a gift, but also a curse. I used it to build the Green Shade Territory we have today, but in doing so, I lost my nearest and dearest time and time again. Before I head to the High Tower, allow me to go to Blueberry Town to bring back Dais. She's a kind girl."
"Did you see something?" Land John asked again.
"Yes. I saw Lian, my son, leading Green Shade Territory toward the light."
Inside the crystal ball, children played happily around the noblewomen's knees, surrounding them with innocent smiles.
They were all Moria's children.
"What is the price this time?"
"The price... is that I have lost Lian forever."
Land John felt he was understanding less and less of what Lord Moria was saying. It was as if they were on two different wavelengths, yet it didn't hinder their ability to communicate.
After all, he had been Lord Moria's friend for forty years. Ever since they were children playing in the mud, they had been the closest of companions.
At that moment, Lian, the man Moria claimed would lead Green Shade Territory to the light, was attending a banquet held by the nobles.
The theme of the banquet was to welcome Lian as the New City Lord.
After hearing the heroic tale of how Lian had driven away the Empire Bank's army of debt collectors with just a few words, the nobles of Green Shade Territory looked upon their new Lord with newfound respect and flocked to the banquet.
Of course, their purpose was not simply to congratulate Lian on becoming the new Lord.
After several rounds of drinks, the banquet's organizer, Romayada—the richest man in Green Shade Territory and the most distinguished figure besides the Lord himself—spoke up under the crowd's expectant gazes, probing Lian,
"Lord Lian, is it true that the Ice Witch did not acquire the 'Bordering on Loss of Control' status?"
"That's right. Miss Sophie did not acquire the 'Bordering on Loss of Control' status. All of you can rest easy in Green Shade Territory."
Lian said with a smile, a rosy flush creeping onto his cheeks—the way most people look just before they get drunk.
"Then why did Lord Moria leave?" Romayada asked.
"My father missed my mother, Dais, so dearly that he went to Blueberry Town to visit her grave. He has not abandoned you all," Lian said.
"I heard Lord Moria emptied the Treasure Vault?" Romayada pressed on.
"A man needs to bring some money with him on a journey, doesn't he? As for the Treasure Vault being emptied, that is purely a rumor."
"I heard Lord Moria also took the Knight Legion?"
"That is the Knight Army assigned to guard my father, numbering only a thousand men. The main army has always remained stationed in Green Shade Territory."
"I heard Lord Moria took his wives and concubines as well?"
"My father can't travel all by himself, can he? How boring would the journey be with no one to talk to?"
"I heard Lord Moria also took his butler, Denis, with him."
"Denis was a Spy. He fled after his schemes were exposed."
"I heard Lord Moria offended His Majesty the King."
"That is a rumor. Please, do not believe it."
Lian answered their questions one by one. Internally, he had already cursed that Old Golden Hair, Moria, countless times, but he had to maintain his father's image in front of outsiders. It was all to keep this bunch of old fogies at the banquet from panicking.
If they found out Moria had actually fled, this group would likely flee right behind him.
'When that happens, who will I sell land to? Who's going to build houses and develop property? Who's going to grow the economy?'
"The Divine Gift is still here, isn't it?"
Finally, his eyes narrowing like an old fox, the tycoon Romayada leaned in and whispered in Lian's ear.
Lian froze.
'What Divine Gift?'
The original Lian had only been a Blacksmith Apprentice and had never heard of Gifts, which meant the current Lian had no idea either.
So, Lian decided to play dumb.
He slumped onto the table and passed out.
As if he had truly drunk too much and was dead to the world.
The maids, Anna and Annie, had no choice but to help him up, bid farewell to the guests, and escort him back to his bedroom.
'What Gift? Green Shade Territory has a Gift?'
Lian decided to ask the Ice Witch, Sophie.
'Anna and Annie were definitely unreliable. The nobles all knew Lord Moria had fled, and it was probably Anna, with her 'Spy' status, who had spread the news.'
Back in his bedroom, Lian felt Anna changing his clothes.
He allowed the beautiful maid to remove his magnificent coat and tunic, change him into silk pajamas, and settle him into bed.
Once he felt Anna and Annie leave the room and heard the door click shut, he slowly opened his eyes.
Sophie drew back the curtains and stepped out from the shadows.
That's right—he had indeed hidden Miss Witch in his own bedroom.
It was all about having a sense of security.
Lian had no desire to have his throat slit by an Assassin in his sleep.
"Sophie, what is a Divine Gift?"
Sophie's silver eyelashes trembled slightly as she spoke in an ethereal voice,
"They are blessings bestowed upon this world by the True God Tiger. Each one possesses extraordinary Power. The Empire has a total of ten, known as the Empire Heavy Weapons. The Empire has ranked them according to the order of their discovery, from Sequence One to Sequence Ten. Only the King and Lords are qualified to wield them."
"What is Green Shade Territory's Gift?"