58: The most important thing is to be shameless.

"Damn it, Horn, that old bastard is getting more and more reckless. He relies on his strength and doesn't put me in his eyes at all, slandering me with wild talk at the entrance of Thunder Hall."

"He's not a Legendary yet, what's he so proud of? Even if he advances to Legendary, I'm still the Grand Duke's personally appointed Minister of Finance, and he shouldn't despise me so much."

Upon returning to his own manor, Evans could no longer suppress the anger in his heart and began to curse Horn.

"Calm down, Father!"

Carter handed Evans a cup of expensive calming drink.

Evans gulped down the calming drink and sat back huffily into his luxurious seat covered with soft fur.

"Father, do you think Earl Horn really has a chance to break through to Legendary?"

"For the past two years, everyone has been saying that Earl Horn is the most promising person in Rage Bear Territory to break through to Legendary. If he really breaks through to Legendary, our family's days will be difficult."

Thinking of the rumors that had been spreading more and more over the past two years, Carter even started to believe them after hearing them so often.

"Hmph!"

"Break through to Legendary? He can dream on!"

"I'm telling you, Carter, the more such rumors there are, the less Horn will break through to Legendary. He still wants to break through to Legendary?"

"If he breaks through, what about His Highness the Grand Duke? How will the Raging Bear Family arrange for him, a Legendary?"

"Our Rage Bear Territory currently only has one Legendary, Volrigard."

"So Horn cannot and will not break through to Legendary. He understands this himself even more clearly."

Evans calmed down his anger, and his tone softened a lot.

"Our Rage Bear Territory has been established for almost two hundred years, and there hasn't been a second Legendary yet. His Highness the Grand Duke has been slow to break through, and at this age, His Highness probably won't have a chance to break through to Legendary either."

"In these two hundred years, Rage Bear Territory has had several powerful individuals who had hope of breaking through to Legendary, but they all either died in battle or were severely injured due to various reasons, none of them stepping into Legendary. This includes the Grand Duke's eldest son, who was incredibly talented and brilliant back then."

"Hmph!"

Evans snorted coldly.

"There are too many conspiracies hidden within, but these currently have nothing to do with you. We'll talk about them after you reach Gold Peak."

"That life-cherishing fellow Horn probably hates those who spread rumors about him breaking through to Legendary by now."

Thinking of his annoying old rival being frustrated, Evans felt a little secretly pleased.

"The Grand Duke has officially appointed four Barons. From what Lord Belmont said, the Grand Duke wants that 'Poet' to set off for his fief as soon as possible."

"You should also pack up. This time, go with him to the border. He'll go to Red River Valley, and you'll go to Iron Wall Fortress. There's a long stretch of road in between that you can travel together."

Carter was somewhat surprised.

"The Grand Duke really made that Poet a Baron? I always thought this rumor was false. Many excellent individuals among the Grand Duke's descendants have not yet been ennobled, so why did he specifically ennoble him this time?"

Alistair 'the Poet''s name was well-known in the aristocratic circles of Rage Bear Fortress.

After all, in the Raging Bear Family, where everyone was a tough man, there had never been such a gentle and literary man before Alistair.

A man of the Raging Bear Family aspiring to be a poet?

This was something the nobles of Rage Bear Territory wouldn't have dared to imagine happening in the past.

"The Grand Duke's thoughts are not for you to fathom. Just do your own work well."

"Even if that Poet is weak, he is still of the Raging Bear Family's bloodline, the Grand Duke's own son, a favored one of Thunder."

"Moreover, his strength is by no means weaker than yours. Never underestimate anyone, my son."

Evans solemnly imparted his life experience to Carter.

"No matter how others treat him or disparage him in private, we must respect him. Not only respect, but also be submissive, do you understand?"

"I'm having you set off with him precisely so you can build a good relationship with him along the way."

Carter somewhat didn't understand his father's actions.

"Why, Father?"

"That Poet was enfeoffed to the most remote place. Anyone with eyes can see that he won't be returning to Rage Bear Fortress in this lifetime. That Barony is the last benefit his bloodline brings him. Why should we bother to cozy up to him?"

"What do you know?"

"Our family's only reliance is His Highness the Grand Duke. Since the Grand Duke still remembers this son of his, we cannot neglect him."

"Besides, all you have to do on this journey is say some kind words and deepen your relationship. What have you given? You've given nothing, yet what you gain is the friendship of a direct descendant of the Grand Duke."

"Even if you might never need this friendship in your life, so what? You've given nothing but stand to gain an uncertain return, a return that could very well bring you surprises in the future, my son."

"Sometimes, don't care about what others do, and don't think you're so great. What has our Black Gold Family relied on to develop to this point?"

"It relies on being shameless!"

Evans's solemn words made Carter doubt if he had misheard, experiencing an auditory hallucination.

"Father?"

Carter looked at his father in confusion.

"You, ah, are just too young, too concerned with appearances."

Evans shook his head.

"Go and prepare well. Baron Alistair could depart at any time, and you must always be ready."

"I've already spoken to Sena about Iron Wall Fortress. When you get there, follow him to familiarize yourself with the environment. In a year, you'll be able to lead troops independently."

"Stay at Iron Wall Fortress for two years, earn some military merits, and then you can return."

Evans didn't want to say anything more; he had said enough for today.

He waved his hand, dismissing his youngest son.

"Rest well, Father!"

Carter gently closed the door and left the room.

Lying on the soft chair, Evans stared blankly, lost in thought.

A long sigh echoed in the room.

Outside Rage Bear Fortress.

Inside a magic carriage, Alistair was being led by his butler to the Slave Market.

"My master, His Highness the Grand Duke and Lord Belmont have prepared five thousand Slaves for you, and they've also requested the Slave merchants to accompany us and transport all these Slaves to your territory."

"Do you think we still need to purchase Slaves?"

"Aren't we going there to buy Slaves now?"

Alistair looked at the bustling and familiar scene outside the carriage, and his mood grew more melancholic at the thought that he would soon no longer see these sights.

He answered the butler's words casually.

"Master, we are going to the Slave Market to receive those five thousand Slaves and check if there are any issues. Whether we need to purchase new ones still requires your command."

The butler said humbly. He was a household servant of the Raging Bear Family, born to serve the Raging Bear Family, and had absolute loyalty to the descendants of the raging bear.

"What do you think?"

"Uh!"

The butler pondered for a moment before saying:

"This humble one believes that your territory, as I hear, has been completely destroyed by the Fel Orcs and has no population. Therefore, we should purchase some more Serfs to replenish the territory's population."

"Then buy them!"

"Yes, Master!"

The master and servant arrived at the Slave Market with this back-and-forth conversation.

Alistair wandered around the Slave Market on his own. His butler went to negotiate with the Slave merchants; he had no interest in dealing with those corpulent Slave merchants.

Looking at the numb Slaves in each iron cage, Alistair felt as if he was no different from these Slaves, except that his cage was larger and more luxurious.

While Alistair was lost in thought, a voice interrupted him.

"Lord Alistair!"