As the day of the bandit suppression drew near, Louis, accompanied by a few knights, carried two heavy chests directly to the magic marrow manufacturing plant—an alchemy workshop located near the mining area.
The so-called factory had been built by Silco and three newly arrived alchemy apprentices. Though "factory" was perhaps too generous a term, it was essentially a cluster of crude sheds, surrounded by alchemical equipment that had been transported from the Southeast Province. Primitive as it was, the setup was sufficient to begin refining magic marrow.
"Lord, you've come at just the right time," Silco said, leaning lazily against a wooden pillar.
With more talent now in Red Tide Territory, he wasn't as overwhelmed and looked a bit more energetic than before. Still, the languid air about him remained.
"The first batch of magic marrow has just been refined."
Louis's interest was piqued immediately. His gaze fell on a heavy wooden barrel in the corner.
The barrel was filled with a deep purple powder, its surface shimmering faintly under the light. The powder was fine and smooth, giving off subtle magical fluctuations.
Louis reached out, grabbing a pinch. He rubbed it between his fingers, the texture impossibly smooth. He couldn't help but exclaim, "This is magic marrow?"
"That's right," Silco confirmed, patting the barrel. "Just this one barrel would fetch at least fifty gold coins on the market."
Louis's eyes flickered slightly.
Fifty gold coins—enough to buy a hundred slaves or support two Formal Knights for an entire year. And this was merely the result of a small-scale trial.
He thought of the massive magic marrow ore deposit in his territory, and his excitement surged. But he knew the road ahead wasn't without challenges. Large-scale production posed many difficulties. The mining of magic marrow ore itself was highly dangerous; a small mistake could lead to a catastrophic collapse. Moreover, their current equipment and workforce were still severely lacking.
This one barrel represented the output of an entire week's effort.
"Well done," Louis said.
Without hesitation, he pulled out twenty gold coins and handed them to Silco. Then, he gave ten gold coins to each of the three apprentices. The young alchemists were stunned by the generous reward. Moments later, their faces lit up with excitement and they bowed gratefully.
"Thank you, Lord!"
After a moment of shared joy, one of the apprentices whispered, "But in this place, where can we even spend gold coins?"
The group fell momentarily silent, then broke into soft chuckles.
As the laughter faded, Louis turned to Silco and addressed more serious matters.
He tapped the barrel. "Silco, can this be used to make magic flame grenades?"
Silco furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment. Then he replied, "Magic marrow is only one of the core ingredients. To create a magic flame grenade, we also need an ignition core and several supplementary materials. Red Tide Territory currently lacks those."
"I see…" Louis cleared his throat and signaled to the knights behind him.
The two heavy chests were opened.
As the wooden lids lifted, a powerful magical aura filled the air. Inside, the chests were piled high with deep blue crystals. These were crystalline spikes extracted from the Ice Armor Bear—each one brimming with potent energy.
Silco and the three apprentices were stunned, eyes wide and breath quickening.
"This... this is top-grade alchemical material!" one apprentice exclaimed. "If used properly, it could be the foundation for high-level magical artifacts!"
Silco, still stunned, asked hesitantly, "You mean…?"
Louis patted the chest. "With this added, can you make the grenades now?"
Silco blinked, momentarily speechless. Then he nodded, only to shake his head again, visibly struggling with the idea.
"No, no, this is too wasteful! Magic marrow is already precious enough, but pairing it with Ice Armor Bear crystals? These are two top-tier materials. Using them for grenades would be squandering priceless resources! If these were used for crafting weapons, armor, or enchanted items, their value would be exponentially higher."
Louis, however, remained unfazed. He waved dismissively.
"As long as it can be done, make them. I need them urgently."
Silco sighed heavily. "If that's your order, Lord, then we'll proceed."
"I need them by the day after tomorrow at the latest," Louis added with finality.
Silco's mouth twitched. He looked like he wanted to argue but ultimately just shrugged and began barking instructions. The apprentices immediately got to work.
Louis watched them with interest.
One apprentice was carefully measuring the deep purple powder into a flask when the clatter of urgent hoofbeats came from outside.
"Lord!" A knight on horseback galloped into the compound, dismounted, and knelt.
"Duke Edmund's messenger has arrived. He's waiting at the territory's entrance!"
Louis let out a long breath. "What was bound to come, has come."
He turned to the knight, adjusted his cloak, and said, "Take me to him."
Outside the council hall of Red Tide Territory, a knight in a deep blue cloak stood waiting.
He wore the armor of a Formal Knight, and emblazoned on his chest was the family crest of Duke Edmund. This was no mere errand boy; this was a high-ranking representative.
Upon seeing Louis, the messenger knelt respectfully and relayed his message in a clear, firm voice:
"Lord Louis Calvin, Duke Edmund has ordered all Lords of the North to immediately mobilize their forces and march to suppress the Snowsworn rebels."
He then produced a sealed envelope bearing the Duke's personal sigil and presented it with both hands.
Louis took it, broke the seal, and read quickly.
The tone was strict—almost threatening. The letter specified a detailed timeline, demanding that every Northern Lord lead their own army to the designated rallying point. It clearly stated that any delay or refusal would be seen as an act of treason against the Empire.
At the end of the letter, Louis's assigned assembly point was listed: Snow Eagle City.
Snow Eagle City was a crucial military fortress in the North, also the seat of Earl Firth.
Earl Firth served as the Governor of Snowpeak County and oversaw the surrounding territories—including Red Tide Territory. Although technically Louis's superior, the pioneering Lord had never formally interacted with him due to Red Tide's tax-exempt status and the remoteness of the land.
Louis folded the letter and looked up. "I will arrive at the rallying point on time."
The knight bowed again and swiftly mounted his horse, disappearing toward the next territory.
Only after the dust of his departure had settled did Louis lower his gaze again. He carefully reread the letter, mentally calculating the time left.
There were still a few days to prepare for the official campaign.
FOR MORE CHAPTERS
patreon.com/Johnybairstow