madnovel Chapter 46 Viscount Brad
Chapter 46 Viscount Brad
Baron Richard.
Welcome to Frostholdt.
Viscount Brad turned around and extended his right hand to Richard with an elegant and fluid movement, devoid of any of the arrogance of a star, only the composure of someone who had long held a high position.
In that instant.
For some reason, all of Richard's previous negative opinions about him vanished instantly.
He bowed slightly, performing the etiquette one would use when meeting a high-ranking nobleman, before stepping forward and gently shaking hands with the other party.
"Your Excellency, I apologize for the intrusion and disturbance."
"We are overjoyed at the visit of a neighboring lord, let alone consider it an disturbance."
Viscount Brad gestured to the side, and the two walked together to the round table and sat down as host and guest.
The servant immediately brought over a silver fruit platter, which was filled with brightly colored silver-star apples, plump silver-star oranges, and a bunch of grapes that shimmered with silver light.
Followed by.
A second servant brought over a bottle of wine.
The glass bottle is crystal clear, and the wine inside shimmers with golden light, like flowing gold sand.
"This wine is made from a few parts of Venus grapes and aged for ten years. You can't find more than a few bottles of it in the entire North."
Viscount Brad waved for his servants to pour wine for the two of them, speaking in a gentle and friendly tone with a smile:
"While precious, it pales in comparison to our first meeting. On behalf of the North, I welcome you."
Richard was deeply moved.
--A ten-year-aged Venus wine!
It must have taken a lot of Venus grapes to make just one bottle, and its preciousness is beyond measure in monetary terms!
not to mention.
As a raw material, Venus crops are almost exclusively owned by lords, who would certainly personally oversee the entire manufacturing process.
Compared to mass-produced goods like silk and spices, it's obvious which is more valuable; calling it a luxury item would be an insult.
In addition, it is late spring.
It was truly remarkable that the other party was able to provide apples and oranges, which were not in season and were even rare silver star crops.
Even traditional crops are divided into seasons!
The fact that Viscount Brad could offer such fine gifts to his guests demonstrates how much he values his "new neighbor".
...
Richard stood up.
Bow respectfully once again.
"Chiffon will carry the generosity of frost and whisper its praises throughout the North."
His tone was sincere.
There was not a trace of flattery in his words.
Although he was puzzled, the other party's generosity far exceeded his expectations.
As the recipient of the gift, it is our duty to promote this precious virtue on behalf of the other party.
"Hehe, thank you very much then."
Brad did not refuse.
He waved his hand slightly.
He gestured for Richard to sit down and enjoy the wine.
...
Richard picked up the crystal glass, brought it to his nose, and took a light sniff. A rich, almost viscous, fruity aroma filled his lungs.
Tilt the glass slightly to let the wine swirl inside, and the golden life energy visible to the naked eye will shimmer.
The gold and red hues danced together.
It has become a luxurious work of art.
Take a small sip.
The smooth, silky texture of the tannins is like silk wrapping around the tongue, leaving a long-lasting aftertaste.
Life energy spreads from the throat to every part of the body, making every cell in the body rejoice.
Close your eyes.
The roses and tulips in the garden, baked by the warm spring sun, add an intoxicating richness to the aroma of the wine.
"excellent!"
"Wonderful!"
Richard put down his wine glass and praised without reservation:
"As expected of a ten-year-old masterpiece, a perfect and unparalleled wine. Your generosity and the depth of Frost's heritage truly earn my admiration."
"Once Chiffon has established itself, I would be honored to have the honor of visiting as a guest, Your Excellency. I will welcome you with the finest food and drink and treat you with the utmost hospitality."
Upon hearing this...
Brad burst into loud laughter!
"no problem."
"Although we are not under the same lord, we are both lords of the northernmost border, and we will naturally need to support and help each other in the future."
Frost was a vassal of Frostfoam, and Chiffon came from Wolf Runner, so although Brad was a viscount, he could not give Richard any orders.
In the cold and desolate North, cooperation and mutual support are the best outcomes.
Especially considering the fate of Black Crow Territory, if nearby territories had sent troops to help immediately, things wouldn't have turned out so tragically.
...
The two looked at each other and smiled.
The atmosphere became increasingly harmonious.
The servants quietly stepped aside, leaving only the rustling sound of the breeze through the flowers and leaves in the garden.
After exchanging pleasantries.
Richard didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.
"Viscount, besides paying my respects, I've also come to inquire about the orc tribe's invasion. Could you perhaps offer some information?"
Viscount Brad put down his wine glass, leaned back in his chair, and spoke in a calm tone.
"Don't worry, those half-beast cubs are still in Black Raven Territory. They came here to plunder, so they won't wander around."
Richard raised an eyebrow and asked in confusion:
"Why does Your Excellency still levy war taxes and large quantities of military supplies in the city? Aren't you afraid of provoking protests from the free citizens?"
Brad shook his head slightly.
"This was not my intention, but an order from Grand Duke Shuangmo. He ordered all his vassals to be on high alert and ready to respond to his summons at any time."
Richard's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly pressed for more information.
"Could it be that they are gathering troops to annihilate that orc tribe?"
...
"Encirclement and suppression?"
Brad chuckled, picked up his glass, took a sip, and spoke with a hint of disdain.
"Why would a mere orc tribe need to summon all its vassals? The Frostfosh Knights must have already set out and will soon be able to wipe out these annoying green-skinned flies."
"I suspect that Grand Duke Frostfoam's target is probably the entire Cape Region."
"I've heard him mention more than once that he's determined to drive all the orcs into the Arctic Ocean to freeze their butts off, so that the eastern part of the North will be free from future troubles."
Richard was startled.
This is big news!
No wonder Frost City is going through all this trouble; such a large-scale expedition requires an astronomical amount of food, supplies, and military equipment.
Although the Cape Region is about the same size as the Northern Territory, it is a resource-poor place, comparable to the Chiffon Wasteland.
Otherwise, those orcs wouldn't risk their lives to come to the North and plunder from time to time.
If an expedition fails to yield sufficient returns, the only way to mitigate risk is to shift the costs.
It became a natural choice to levy war taxes on the people and requisition military supplies at low prices.
While it may seem harsh, it is essentially for the purpose of protecting the safety of the North, and Free Men do have an obligation to contribute their share.
Even the Holy See of Light can't really criticize them, and they might even have to go to war with the army. No wonder Frost City dares to use the refugee crisis to bully them.
Even if the Holy See of Light had the power to protest before the royal court, Viscount Frost wouldn't panic; he had to learn their money-making methods!
It seems there was a misunderstanding before.
I've figured that out.
Richard stopped worrying about it.
He then raised another purpose of the trip.
"Your Excellency, to be honest, I have another request to make."
"Since Chiffon Cottage is newly established, I urgently need a batch of linen and wool to make clothing and bedding. I wonder if Your Excellency could resell me a batch?"
Before Richard could even suggest exchanging Silver Star crops for it, Brad nodded without hesitation.
"What's so difficult about that?"
He waved his hand and laughed heartily.
"Even if the Grand Duke is to launch an expedition, he will not set off until early summer at the earliest, during which time I can stockpile a lot of supplies."
"I'll resell a batch to you at the cost price when it was requisitioned, as a token of frost's aid to chiffon cakes."