Chapter 78

Korelia City

 

Korelia Castle

The court of Korelia was abuzz with a shocking revelation: Lady Audrey declared the captured man to be her cousin. Anticipating denial, the Lord of Korelia approached the man. A tall knight promptly pinned Lord Omin to the floor.

Lord Lansius glanced at Lady Audrey, who nodded to indicate her seriousness. He then knelt and seized Omin by the chin. "We've never met before. I'm Lansius. Should I call you Omin, or brother-in-law?"

Omin shuddered uncontrollably, his mouth almost foaming at the implication of that word. The bane of his existence and his childhood heroine, united in matrimony. However, the tall knight shoved a waterskin into Omin's mouth and forced him to drink.

It wasn't strictly necessary; Sir Harold was simply telling the guest to behave.

Sitting on the marble floor in sticky, dirty clothes, and feeling full from water, Omin gave up. He couldn't suffer the humiliation anymore and he was deathly afraid of being offered to the Nomads as slave. "Lord Lansius, what do you want with me?"

"First, is she your cousin?" Lansius asked.

"I have a cousin named Stephania," said Omin after some hesitation. "Indeed the Lady bears some resemblance to her."

Lansius was suspicious at how easily Omin admitted it. "But you've been separated for so long? Are you certain about this?"

"The eyes," Omin mumbled, then looked directly at Lansius. "You know it; she has the fell beast's eye."

Sir Harold heard the insult and was about to exact punishment, but Lansius signaled him to stop.

"I'll have my scribe prepare a letter of confession. Will you sign it?"

Omin was stunned. He knew it would seal everything for which he had fought so hard. However, memories of how his father had taken everything from Stephania and her mother surged forth. He had done many cruel things, but there was some guilt still left in him. For him, Stephania was family and a childhood friend. Moreover, she was the only blood relative he had left.

Against all his suspicions, the former rising star of Lowlandia nodded. He saw himself fortunate to meet Stephania. Better her than Lansius, he thought. In her hand, his House may survive. "I haven't lost my signet ring. I'll write the letter myself if you agree to transfer my House to her intact, provide leniency for my House and myself, and absolve me of all accusations."

"You can't escape the law," warned Lansius.

"This is Lowlandia." Omin stifled a laugh before raising his voice, "You are the law."

Lansius exhaled sharply at Omin's remark that the victor could do anything he wanted in this lawless region. He stood up and looked at Audrey. "My Lady, do you have anything to say to your cousin?"

"We'll chat about the good old times in Centuria after he's settled in the dungeon," she replied, eying Omin, who grew nervous. "Take care, cousin. And thank you for returning the House. I'll send some warm clothes later, just as Uncle gave me new warm clothes before he sold me as a servant."

...

 

The startling revelations continued to reverberate throughout the castle: Lord Omin was Lady Audrey's cousin. Furthermore, Omin had relinquished his House to Audrey to avoid being taken or confiscated by Lansius.

The story goes that a decade earlier young Audrey and her mother were evicted from their home following her father’s untimely death. The instigator had been her uncle, Omin’s father, who later sold the estate to purchase larger lands in faraway Lowlandia.

All this time, Audrey had been unaware that her House had left its roots and relocated, but now it was suddenly within her reach.

With Omin captured and facing punishment for his crimes, even without Omin's words, his House would naturally disinherit him to avoid political ramifications. Given Audrey’s birthright and her position as the victor’s consort, she was the obvious choice to become the new head of the House.

In a rare feat of justice, Audrey would reclaim everything Omin had achieved, including the entire fief of Korimor and the accompanying title. From that day on, she became the rightful claimant to the Barony of Korimor. Once merely the adopted daughter of a baronet, she was now a Baroness in her own right.

 

***

 

Korelia City

While the nobility kept the news of the crisis in Nicopola under wraps to prevent trouble, news of Lord Lansius' victory had spread like wildfire in Midlandia, attracting people of interest to travel to Korelia. Before, many had doubted Lord Lansius’ reign, but now he had the most promising future in all of Lowlandia.

First, the grain merchants arrived, fulfilling their grain trade deal, followed by guilds from Midlandia offering their services. They had only been in Korelia for a few days, waiting for an opportunity to meet with Lord Lansius, when they learned of his grand alliance plan—a breakthrough that could transform Lowlandia into a powerhouse like Midlandia.

They were excited about the plans, and then they learned that Lord Lansius’ consort had a claim over Korimor. The excitement reached a fever pitch. At this rate, they would do anything to fulfill the Lord’s whims so as not to be left behind in future projects.

Lord Lansius’ first project was a dormitory for disabled veterans and an orphanage. A straightforward project, he wanted the building to be equipped with beds, chairs, plumbing, heating, and indoor washrooms. He also planned to provide the occupants with shoes, socks, and warm clothes.

He had allocated a sizable plot of land for them so they could grow vegetables. Deep down, Lord Lansius never forgot his experience as a farmer and a lowly scribe-soldier in Arvena. He wanted to give the unlucky ones a fighting chance. Lady Audrey was the patron for this project due to her closeness to the veterans.

Next on his list was a public school. As he had expected, the guilds were quick to offer to build a branch of Midlandia’s famous school for the landless. Lady Felicity wanted to become the patron and styled herself as the first Headmaster.

Several other projects were slated for completion after the orphanage and school, including a bazaar, water mills, a guild hall, and a bathhouse.

In addition to these projects, Lord Lansius undertook two other major initiatives: the Korelia City Wall and the East Farmland. These were overseen by the Building Bureau, more commonly known as the Korelia Mason Guild.

The Lord planned to expand the city of Korelia eastward while fortifying it with a wall and rows of windbreak trees. The aim was to prevent topsoil from eroding due to the harsh steppe winds. Included in his plans was a Grand Keep to serve as his new residence.

The Lord chose to keep the project local, channeling resources from within his domain, but he also welcomed assistance from outside guilds. Guilds from across the Midlands eagerly offered timber, glass, marble, carpet, furniture, plumbing, and even decorative elements for the Grand Keep. However, the design was yet to be finalized.

By the end of summer, numerous proposals had been submitted and revised. Despite the rumors surrounding Lord Lansius, guildsmen found both the Lord and Lady to be agreeable and reasonable people.

Based on their informal meetings, what the Lord of Korelia wanted was a functional and cost-effective design for a castle. The lord particularly disliked ornamental pieces that served no function. While this would undoubtedly hurt the guilds’ profit margins, it sparked great interest among the master masons.

Normally, most nobles desired a castle to showcase grandeur, wealth, prestige, or power. That usually meant grand archways, alabaster marble, and fine sculptures. Such features were generally the work of artisans, not master masons.

Master masons’ passion was to create defensive structures. They found kinship with Lord Lansius, whose approach was more in line with their goals. Thus, the cooperation went smoothly. The master masons designed not only walls but also wells, cisterns, well-ventilated storage areas inside the Grand Keep, and even some anti-tunneling measures.

Rather than aiming for grandeur or breakthrough designs, they relied on tried-and-true plans that were robust and easy to maintain. When the blueprint was finally completed, everyone realized that the Lord of Korelia wasn’t just building a keep to live in; he was constructing a fortress.

 

***

 

The Quarry

Excluding the knights and nobility, over one thousand four hundred men were captured. For security reasons, they were separated and assigned to different tasks. A hundred were tasked with building the dormitory, another hundred at the school, and another hundred served as field kitchen staff.

Based on recommendations from his Mason Guild, Lansius evenly divided the remaining men: five hundred were assigned to the quarry, while the other five hundred joined the wall projects, which were primarily carried out by local laborers.

The last one hundred were the newly elected command staff and hospice facility workers.

From the start, Lord Lansius had instructed his men to use the ex-opponent’s existing chain of command. They secured the captains’ loyalty by offering them better treatment and a semblance of power.

The lieutenants enforced work and maintained productivity; Lansius had not set an overly high bar for production and gave them plenty of rest, especially those working in the harsh stone quarry.

The food was basic but edible: gruel, soups with hints of meat, and rye bread. More variation and rations were allocated to the quarry workers to offset their working conditions. They were also given ale every two days to keep them content.

The treatment they received actually exceeded their expectations. Most had feared being sold into slavery or working in mines under brutal conditions, but here they were given humane treatment. Their only grievance was that they could not go home to help with the harvest or send word to their families, which saddened them greatly.

Another day passed in Korelia. That night, a commotion erupted in the quarry. Word spread that a lieutenant from South Hill had been killed in a quarrel with his men.

The Lord’s guards swarmed the camp, led by a high-ranking officer. An investigation was launched, impressing the men with its speed and thoroughness. After all, they were mere prisoners; usually, no one would bother.

By the time the sun was just above the treetops, a large entourage approached the quarry. The men were rounded up in formation and were shocked to see the Blue and Bronze Chevron heraldry.

The Black Lord, a living legend, was there in person. The man who had defeated six-thousands with only a few hundred. He was also, the man who had survived a duel against a Mage Knight with merely a mark on his wrist.

Now he was there, and he seemed annoyed. The men quickly connected the dots, assuming it had something to do with the previous day’s murder. They feared facing his wrath again. Memories from past battle and rout flooded in.

“What kind of punishment awaits us? Flogging? Half rations? Sleeping in the open?” Many were scared and didn’t dare to look up as the Lord walked forward to address them. However, he said nothing. Instead, staff from the kitchen brought out ten fat sheep and slaughtered them in front of the formation.

The red blood was collected in a bronze cauldron, evoking a scene from ancient sacrificial rites. The sight unsettled the men, including the lieutenants and captains.

Nobody could predict the enigmatic Lord of Korelia. Even the Lion of Lowlandia had failed to do so, as had Lord Omin—once considered a rising star—who now languished in the dungeon.

Now, the bane of Lowlandia took several steps forward, flanked by his guards.

“Behold, you are in the presence of the Lord of Korelia,” announced his herald in a sweet voice that did little to ease the laborers’ tension.

“At ease,” said Lord Lansius calmly. It was their first time hearing his voice. He stood tall, clad in lordly attire, and his black hair was for all to see.

“Last night, a murder occurred here,” he began, his expression stoic. “My condolences to the family of the deceased.”

The crowd’s eyes darted around, finding a young man who looked visibly distraught. Many also felt grateful for the unexpected warm emphatic message.

“Our investigation has identified the culprits.” The Lord exhaled deeply and declared, “Let it be known that no crime will go unpunished here.”

The guards brought forward two bound men.

“These men held a grudge against the victim for catching them asleep in a hidden part of the quarry,” the Lord continued.

Many shook their heads; such a motive for murder was seen as cruel and barbaric.

“Do you have anything to say?” Lord Lansius asked the culprits, who remained silent, too ashamed to face their comrades.

The Lord faced the five hundred men standing in formation once more. "I know you’re here against your will, but consider this your atonement for attacking Korelia."

No one dared to challenge the statement.

“However, I have treated you fairly. You may not realize it, but I’ve ordered ten sheep to be slaughtered every two days solely to feed you. True, the soup is bland, but that’s because Korelia isn’t a land of plenty. We don’t have enough vegetables for everyone, and this year’s harvest is likely to suffer due to the war.”

The crowd murmured in surprise. Although they had found the food to be better than expected—superior, even, to what they had received while marching with the Coalition army—they hadn’t realized the lengths to which Lord Lansius had gone to feed them.

“Hasn’t it dawned on you that I’ve treated you as if you were my own army?” Lord Lansius asked, looking out over the crowd.

Again, murmurs of surprise rippled through the men, who exchanged glances as they considered the Lord’s words.

The Lord briefly turned his attention to the two perpetrators, a look of disappointment crossing his face. Returning his gaze to the crowd, he said, “You’ve had it as good as you could get here. Many have advised me to send half of you to Feodosia to be sold into the Eastern Kingdoms. Is that what you want?”

The men shuddered. Tales of the abuses faced by slaves in the Eastern Kingdoms were well known.

“The older one will be sent to Feodosia; half of the proceeds will go to the family of the deceased. The younger one will be set to the Great Plains for the nomads to hunt,” Lord Lansius decreed.

The guards dragged the perpetrators away. Their punishments had been meted out.

The crowd felt both pity and a sense of justice. However, they were left puzzled: why hadn’t both men been sold to Feodosia? And why was the younger one released into the Great Plains to be hunted by nomads?

Observing their puzzled expressions, Lansius threw a wild card, “Make no mistake, you’re not here because of me.”

His words puzzled the crowd. Some were skeptical, thinking it was just sophistry.

“These guards are to protect my people, not to prevent you from running,” Lansius challenged them.

The crowd immediately buzzed with murmurs.

“Do you remember who captured you and brought you here?” the Lord asked, his tone ominous.

The crowd’s suspicion changed into dread. Many shuddered or swallowed hard, remembering the nomads who had rounded them up.

“You’re only here because you’re under my protection, but it doesn’t extend beyond Korelia. Beyond these walls, you belong to the nomads. Anyone who isn't here is at the mercy of the nomads, to do as they please. Now, imagine what they would do to you if you were seen as Nicopolans?”

The crowd went silent thinking about their plight. Many South Hill and Korimor people were once migrants from Nicopola and feared being misidentified as mercenaries.

The Lord continued with a gentler voice, “I’ve promised my allied nomads that within three years, you will have made significant contributions to Korelia—from building markets and bathhouses to expanding farmlands and constructing city walls.”

He paused to look at the crowd. “Those are the works that the nomads and I would appreciate. Fulfill these tasks, and I will grant you safe passage home.”

A sense of loss clouded the faces of almost everyone in the crowd. As fearful as they were, three years seemed like a long time.

As if sensing their concerns, Lansius announced, “Starting next month and continuing through the fall and next summer, we’ll hold monthly dice contests. Ten winners will be allowed to return home early.”

This immediately piqued the interest of the men; their eyes widened, and conversations broke out among them.

“For the Korimors, after I acquire the castle. I’ll send my official with records of your names to your hometowns or villages. That way, your families will know you’re safe and can either wait for your return or visit you next year,” he continued.

Many were moved by this offer. The hard work was something they were used to; it was the separation from their families that was unbearable.

“As for those from South Hill—bad luck! I’ve sent a messenger, but your Lord is arrogant and unreasonable.”

“Siege the city and force him out! We’d gladly help!” someone shouted, and many from South Hill cheered. They had little love for their current Lord, whom they viewed as an untrustworthy usurper.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Lansius warned, calming the crowd. “With your help, I’m sure we could take South Hill. But that would lead to more regions suffering from a bad harvest. And that would cause more people, including your families, to suffer. For now, focus on building Korelia. I’ll deal with the Lord of South Hill when the time comes.”

Lord Lansius’ keen insight and benevolence that day only added to his growing reputation. He became the topic of conversation. Many were warming to the idea of having him as their Lord, comparing him favorably to their leaders.

 

***

 

Lansius took a moment to rest between tasks and meetings. He had just addressed a murder case in the quarry—the first fatal case among the forced laborers. While he could have let the case slide into obscurity, he feared that morale would plummet, which could be dangerous to everyone involved.

Thus, he seized the opportunity and tackled the issue head-on. Adopting the role of a politician, Lansius used cunning words to move the captured men as he wished. It wasn't the question of correct or wrong. It was the issue that there would be anarchy and blood if he couldn't inspire them.

What he wanted to say, but couldn't convey, was: they were creating a path to a united Lowlandia by surrendering three years of their freedom.

Like it or not, peace wouldn't be achieved without a price. Everybody had to pay the price, and Lansius and his troops had paid their due.

On a lighter note, Lansius was also occupied with numerous projects, including the challenging Duck Breeding Project in the forest. He believed the forest would serve as a natural habitat for the ducks.

Historical records showed that the native ducks had originally been found in forested areas and were later bred in meadows, much like horses, but with only marginal success. So, he aimed to return them to their natural environment. Strategic fences, shelters, and designated feeding grounds were constructed to keep the ostrich-sized ducks in place.

The shelters also ensured that the breeders had a secure backdoor to easily gather eggs. It would still require courage, but it should be doable. Preliminary reports were promising; it seemed the forest was providing enough food that supplemental feeding was less necessary.

Knocks on the door interrupted Lansius as he rested on his cushioned bench.

Margo, the pageboy, opened the door a crack and nodded at the whispered words.

“What is it, Margo?” asked Lansius.

“An urgent missive from Deputy Hugo.”

Lansius stood up, alarmed. “What does it say?”

Margo took the missive from the messenger outside and handed it to Lansius.

He didn’t recognize the handwriting, but it was neat, likely belonging to Sir Michael or Lady Daniella.

We have captured Korimor but are now facing three-thousands armed refugees from Nicopola, possibly more. Reports indicate that a severe famine has occurred in the Nicopola region, and the thousands who have arrived seem intent on plundering the Korimor countryside.

We are currently in a standoff, as they fear our nomads, not realizing that our nomadic group consists only of children and the elderly. We request reinforcements and further instructions. Lady Daniella is attempting to broker peace.

Lansius was stunned but quickly moved to the table where he kept a large map of the Imperium.

“Arvena, Nicopola... Not good,” he muttered to himself. “If this has spread into Lowlandia, then Elandia is doomed, and along with it, the Capital.”

 

***