Wizard: Grinding from Knight to Primogenitor

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Life Skills, Vassal Clan

’They went to ask Count Rock Lion for help?’

Roy frowned slightly upon overhearing the conversation at a nearby table.

Although Count Rock Lion held the highest noble rank in Yorkshire, he was not the liege lord of its other nobles. Neither Baron Red Eagle nor Baron Giant Dog had sworn fealty to him.

In other words, Count Rock Lion had no obligation to help Baron Red Eagle and Baron Giant Dog seek justice.

If the Knight Clan and the Sheen Clan wanted to gain Count Rock Lion’s help and protection, they had only one choice: to swear allegiance to him and become vassal families of his clan.

Under normal circumstances, the Knight Clan and the Sheen Clan would never do this.

But now, it wasn’t surprising that they would resort to it.

Although Roy hadn’t annihilated them last night, he had left them with deep-seated trauma and a lingering fear.

As long as the Dark Night Knight was alive, they would have to live in fear.

Whether for revenge or their families’ survival, they now needed a sufficiently powerful backer.

And in Yorkshire, Count Rock Lion was the most powerful patron available.

After finishing breakfast, Roy mounted his white warhorse—which had been cooped up in the stables for three days—and left the Cuckoo Inn, preparing to return to the Ice Wolf Domain.

Before leaving the city, he made a special trip to a few bookstores to purchase some books.

Although he wasn’t the original owner of this body, he hadn’t forgotten the persona he was meant to uphold: a baron’s second son who loved to read.

Unlike his previous purchases, this time he didn’t buy books on the geography and customs of the continent’s nations, or on Legendary Knights and continental history.

Instead, he bought some books on Forging, Beast Taming, brewing, tailoring, and jewelry making, which ordinary nobles would never buy.

’Since mastering Forging is already part of the plan, I might as well pick up a few more Life Skills.’

’As the saying goes, you can never have too many skills!’

After buying the books, Roy didn’t hesitate. He mounted his white warhorse and began the journey back to the Ice Wolf Domain.

...

「Outside Redwood City. Rock Lion Castle. The study.」

”Have the men from the Knight and Sheen Clans been sent away?”

Clad in Golden Armor, Count Rock Lion stood at the study window, his hands clasped behind his back. He gazed at the distant scenery as he spoke, his back to his eldest son, Jeremy.

”They’ve all been sent away.”

Jeremy, a young man with short brown hair and emerald-green eyes, replied without hesitation.

With his impeccable posture, he was dressed in magnificent Hunter’s Clothing and wore a Fine Steel Cross Sword whose hilt was inlaid with several sapphires. The slight smile on his handsome face gave him a polite and trustworthy air.

He had inherited Count Rock Lion’s looks and Cultivation Talent well.

Even without cultivating diligently, he had broken through to become a High Tier Knight at the age of twenty-five.

”How much of their income are they willing to offer?”

Count Rock Lion asked.

”Half of their annual income.”

Jeremy replied.

Hearing Jeremy’s answer, Count Rock Lion turned around, walked to the high-backed chair behind his desk, sat down, and said slowly, ”In my name, inform the other families in Yorkshire that from this day forward, the Knight Clan and the Sheen Clan are vassal families of my Beluns Clan.”

”Yes, Father!”

Jeremy replied at once.

Just as he was about to leave the study, Count Rock Lion’s voice sounded once more.

”Send someone to find the Dark Night Knight. Once you find him, invite him to the castle as a guest.”

”A man who can easily kill two High Tier Knights in less than ten seconds is no ordinary Peak Knight.”

”If I’m not mistaken, it’s his Breathing Technique that’s limiting his potential.”

”Otherwise, he should have already advanced to Great Knight.”

”For a man like him to remain a mere Bounty Hunter is a bit of a waste.”

Count Rock Lion had never personally met the Dark Night Knight, but he had heard rumors about him before.

In any case, Redwood City was his territory.

If a powerful Peak Knight appeared in Redwood City and he knew nothing about it, it would mean he was far too unconcerned with the city’s affairs.

Hearing Count Rock Lion praise the Dark Night Knight and express his intention to recruit him, a flicker of jealousy and displeasure crossed Jeremy’s face. He quickly replied, ”Rest assured, Father. I will bring him to the castle as soon as possible.”

Count Rock Lion nodded. ”That will be all. You may go. Send Knight Robinson in.”

”Yes, Father!”

With that, Jeremy turned and left the study.

Before long, Knight Robinson arrived at the study and gave a slight bow to Count Rock Lion.

”It’s been almost two months. How much longer will it take you to find that beast?”

Count Rock Lion’s tone and expression were both calm.

However, the calmer Count Rock Lion appeared, the greater the pressure on Knight Robinson became.

As the Captain of the Personal Guard, he knew exactly what kind of man Count Rock Lion was.

When Count Rock Lion used such a seemingly calm tone and expression to ask about important matters, it meant he had lost all his patience.

Simply put, Count Rock Lion was in a murderous mood.

Knight Robinson swallowed nervously and replied quickly, ”Based on what we know, the beast has likely left Yorkshire.”

”Its last appearance was in Bathtub Town, in the Ice Wolf Domain.”

”Judging by its movement patterns, it should have entered Gel County by now...”

”Give me another month—no... fifteen days. My lord, just give me fifteen more days, and I will definitely bring that beast back.”

At first, Knight Robinson, like everyone else, thought Count Rock Lion just wanted to vent his anger and kill the Mutated Four-armed Demon Ape that had slain a High Tier Knight of the Beluns Clan.

But as Count Rock Lion questioned him with increasing frequency, he realized that things were far from being as simple as they appeared on the surface.

The Mutated Four-armed Demon Ape had indeed killed a High Tier Knight of the Beluns Clan, causing the clan a certain degree of loss.

But to Count Rock Lion, this loss was nothing significant.

The Beluns Clan was the most powerful clan in Yorkshire.

The clan had over twenty High Tier Knights.

They even had three Peak Knights.

If the Mutated Four-armed Demon Ape had killed a Peak Knight instead of a High Tier Knight, Knight Robinson could have somewhat understood why Count Rock Lion was placing so much importance on it.

But as it stood, the Mutated Four-armed Demon Ape had only killed a single High Tier Knight.

”Fifteen days!”

”I’ll give you fifteen days!”

”If you still can’t find that beast or bring me its corpse, then don’t bother coming back.”

Count Rock Lion said to Knight Robinson, suppressing his inner dissatisfaction.

”Rest assured, my lord. Within fifteen days, I will definitely bring that beast back!”

After speaking, Knight Robinson gave Count Rock Lion a solemn bow.

...

「Five hours later.」

Ice Wolf Castle, which was neither magnificent in appearance nor particularly large, appeared in Roy’s line of sight.

After seeing Ice Wolf Castle, he took out a gray cloth bag from the Chaos Square and tied it to the back of his saddle.

Inside the gray cloth bag were the Life Skill Books he had bought in Redwood City.

Only after doing this did he ride his white warhorse unhurriedly towards Ice Wolf Castle.

Before he even reached the castle, he saw Tony, dressed in black armor, come to the main gate.

Seeing Tony, he sighed helplessly.

It was obvious that Tony, who doted on his younger brother, was not at all at ease about his trip to Redwood City.

Before long, Roy arrived at the castle gate and dismounted.

Before he could speak, Tony said, ”Welcome home!”

He then stepped forward and gave him a hug.

At the same time, Tony whispered in a voice only they could hear, ”News came from Redwood City. Baron Red Eagle and Baron Giant Dog were killed by the Dark Night Knight last night. Did he accept the job?”

”Yes, he wasn’t as difficult to deal with as you said.”

Roy replied.

After hearing his answer, Tony said no more, patted him on the shoulder, and looked at him with a gratified expression.

”Take the books to my bedroom.”

Roy said to a soldier standing by the gate.

”Yes, Young Master Roy.”

The soldier replied immediately.

”You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I’ve already had the cook prepare lunch. Let’s eat first.”

Tony said to Roy.

”Alright.”

Roy nodded and followed Tony towards the dining hall.

...