Chapter 63: Joint Military Expedition

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Joint Military Expedition

"Many thanks to you both, Uncle Valmy and Uncle Gladon, for your assistance. I’m deeply grateful!"

Opper Lawrence spoke with apparent gratitude, even going so far as to personally escort them from the castle.

"Avenging Baron Pape is what we ought to do!"

"Indeed, rest assured, we will definitely avenge Baron Pape."

"That damned Eagle Ridge Lord is practically forsaken by the Goddess of Life."

Baron Valmy and Baron Gladon spoke resolutely, as if they were genuinely committed to avenging Baron Pape.

"Thank you so much!"

Opper Lawrence replied as well.

After exchanging pleasantries, they parted ways.

But as soon as Baron Valmy and Baron Gladon left, they swiftly dispatched knights to investigate the situation.

They are no fools; they wouldn’t blindly trust whatever Opper Lawrence says.

Even though the news was indeed tempting.

Yet, without verification, they wouldn’t be at ease.

And it seemed as if the confirmation was to their satisfaction.

A few days later.

The dispatched knights returned with information.

Indeed, there was Iron Ore at Eagle Ridge.

A few dozen miles from Eagle Ridge, they discovered traces of numerous knights and evidence of large-scale mineral transportation.

This news immediately excited the two Barons.

Dozens of miles.

It’s a joke — without a Large Iron Ore Deposit, how could a Pioneer Lord occupy territory dozens of miles away?

This undoubtedly confirmed Opper Lawrence’s claims.

Baron Valmy and Baron Gladon promptly began their preparations.

Three days later.

Gladon Territory.

In the castle.

"The situation is clear; that Pioneer Lord is a descendant of the Dressrosa Family."

"Furthermore, there is evidence of mining activity within a few dozen miles of their territory, likely the Large Iron Ore Deposit that Baron Pape discovered."

Baron Gladon spoke in a low voice, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"That Dressrosa descendant is not easy to deal with. I’ve already made inquiries. Their territory is home to over a hundred Apprentice Knights, more than twenty Official Knights, and even one Great Knight. This force is not inferior to what both our territories combined could muster."

Baron Valmy remarked with a frown.

"Indeed, the Dressrosa Family, true to its Count’s Clan prestige, has a Pioneer Lord we cannot easily contend with."

"But we don’t need to confront them directly; we just need to seize that Large Iron Ore."

"Baron Gladon, we can definitely do this!"

In the castle, the two discussed their plans.

Meanwhile, knights from both territories began assembling rapidly.

Although their strength was weaker than the Lawrence Clan, both territories had five to six Official Knights each, along with themselves as the Great Knights, and dozens of Apprentice Knights.

With the addition of peasant slaves, they could muster more than two thousand people.

Together, they gathered over four thousand.

While these territories were assembling.

Thor also quickly received the news.

In fact, the traces of the mining activities were deliberately leaked by him.

The goal was to draw the main forces of the two territories toward the mining site.

At this moment, the mining site was almost filled with ninety percent of his forces.

Five Magic Crystal Cannons, nearly thirty Official Knights, and over a hundred Apprentice Knights, in addition to hundreds of Reserve Riders and thousands of slaves, ensuring absolute security.

Meanwhile, Eagle Ridge was left empty.

The remaining forces were sparse.

And since the construction of Eagle Ridge had just begun, he didn’t want it destroyed by war.

Though he had Neil Morton as a backup, Thor had already negotiated with Neil Morton.

But unless absolutely necessary, Thor didn’t plan to involve him.

After all, favors, once used, undoubtedly decreased.

An ally like Neil Morton, a Sky Knight, could be useful in many situations in the future.

At the mining site.

Three days earlier.

Thor had returned with his men.

During those days, he busied himself with arrangements and war preparations.

After three days, everything was nearly ready.

All that remained was to await the arrival of their opponents.

"How’s everything going?"

In a room, Thor asked Steve, who had just walked in.

"Master, everything is prepared. The remaining two Magic Crystal Cannons have been properly installed!"

Steve nodded, speaking earnestly.

"Good!"

"If we’re successful this time, everyone will earn double the merits."

Thor laughed heartily, his expression filled with expectation.

If the first battle established his position, then this battle would undoubtedly mark his rise.

If he could successfully conquer the remaining two nobles, his presence in the Maine River Valley would become unshakeable, and he would acquire ample resources to further expand his territory.

This was critical and extremely important.

"Thank you, Master!"

Steve nodded enthusiastically.

As the preparations continued.

Tensions began to rise.

The entire Maine River Valley’s atmosphere grew tense.

Even other Pioneer Lords faintly sensed this tension.

Within this tension.

Time swiftly passed.

In the blink of an eye, five days went by.

When the sixth day arrived.

Baron Valmy’s territory and Baron Gladon’s territory, troops began marching toward the mining site.

Simultaneously, Opper Lawrence from Lawrence Territory also set off with a large retinue.

To avenge his father, he undoubtedly dispatched forces.

But compared to others, he sent only peasant slaves.

Moreover, they followed at the very end.

His intentions were clear.

Revenge wasn’t really on his mind.

He simply wanted his father and elder brother gone.

Neither Gladon nor Valmy paid much attention to his actions.

A Lawrence Clan now without the strength of Great Knights, relying only on hired knights to fend off threats, posed no danger to them. In a few years, the Lawrence Clan would surely decline and even vanquish.

Joking aside, a thousand Gold Coins a year isn’t easily managed.

Once spent, the Lawrence Clan would barely have any Gold Coins left to cultivate its own knights.

This is sure to create a vicious cycle.

More importantly, hired knights weren’t clan knights, lacking any contractual obligation.

If anything were to happen, no one could predict the outcome.

At present, the Lawrence Clan posed less threat to them than their own mutual threat.