Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Chapter 624: Attention

The old knight’s fingers tightened. ”Ridiculous...” he muttered, exhaling heavily and forcing his heartbeat to slow. ”He’s just a boy.”

He smoothed down his graying hair, straightened his tunic, and laughed quietly to himself—a dry, bitter chuckle that didn’t reach his eyes.

A boy who’s been a Lord for less than a month. He’s too wet behind the ears, to expect my loyalty.

Knight Darius Vellon had served the Evermoon Dukedom for decades.

To be honest, the idea of a viscount wasn’t that bad to him.

The issue was the type of viscount it was, and unfortunately, it had to be someone who didn’t seem to understand the times.

The whole territory under Thornvale was rich and full of potential. The count, the five barons, he, and his fellow knight had profited massively from it for years. However, what was illegal was still illegal. Aside from hoarding a few special resources, the way they handled those resources was enough for the kingdom to strip them of their titles if anyone ever found out.

”Let the boy come,” he whispered, turning away from the window. ”He’ll learn soon enough that loyalty isn’t bought with fancy titles.”

He walked to his desk and poured himself a cup of dark liquor from a crystal bottle, his hand steady now. ”If he thinks he can win me over with his reputation, he’s mistaken.”

He took a slow sip, letting the burn slide down his throat before setting the cup aside.

To be honest, the knight was actually a bit scared. While he absolutely couldn’t let go of the riches in his hand, he didn’t want to be on the bad side of the new Lord either, even if he didn’t approve of him.

Unfortunately, his fellow knight and the five barons had already reached an agreement about what they wanted to do—suppress the new Lord.

They saw him as a youth who didn’t understand how things worked, a boy whose title was earned through luck or favor and even his strength to them was a small boy with too much power. It didn’t command respect but jealousy and envy. His age alone made them disregard him.

They also figured out that even if he became difficult to deal with, with the count behind them, they shouldn’t be harmed much.

Darius sighed, rubbing his temples slowly. If he acted differently from his peers, it could end badly for him—on both sides. The barons would see him as a traitor, and if the young Lord failed, he’d be dragged down with him.

He took another sip of his drink, the warmth doing little to ease the tightness in his chest. ”Following the new Lord isn’t worth it,” he muttered under his breath.

Still, a small, uneasy thought lingered at the back of his mind—one that he couldn’t quite silence. That boy’s presence... it had felt wrong somehow.

He glanced back toward the window but didn’t step closer this time.

Outside, hooves struck against the dirt path as Michael’s small group entered the town center that was in actuality just a gathering of several villages.

The territory of the knight seemed, at first glance, rather prosperous. The roads were clean, the houses were built sturdier than what Michael had expected, and the people did not appear oppressed or starving. There was laughter here and there, farmers working without visible fear, and children running barefoot near the fences.

It wasn’t a bad sight.

Compared to the mess he had inherited in Thornvale, this place almost looked disciplined. At least on the surface.

Michael walked slowly through the street, his eyes calmly observing. So he doesn’t bully his people... he thought.

Thinking back to the Steward he had met when he first arrived in Thornvale, he couldn’t help but smile lightly. That old fool had nearly gotten himself killed out of greed and stupidity.

”For some reason,” Michael murmured quietly, half to himself, ”the higher-ups under my command always seem to have a few screws loose when it comes to dealing with me.”

Captain Rohan, who had been walking a few steps behind, stiffened slightly, unsure whether his Lord was joking or genuinely irritated.

Michael stopped, turning his head slightly. ”Rohan,” he called.

”Yes, my Lord,” Rohan replied immediately, lowering his head.

”What does Knight Darius’s territory gain its wealth from?” Michael asked, his tone even, eyes still scanning the surroundings.

Rohan responded immediately, ”On paper, it’s farming, my Lord.”

Michael arched a brow. ”On paper?”

Rohan cleared his throat. ”Yes, but thanks to Miss Lyra’s investigation, we’ve confirmed otherwise. This small territory actually has a large iron mine hidden deep in the forest valley near the territory. It’s not registered with the kingdom or with Thornvale’s records.”

Michael’s gaze flickered, a faint glint of amusement and understanding passing through his eyes. ”An unregistered mine,” he said quietly. ”So that’s where the money’s coming from.”

Rohan nodded grimly. ”Exactly, my Lord. It’s operated privately. None of the revenue or ore is reported. From the information Miss Lyra gathered, the knight divides the profits between himself, and the barons above him.”

Michael’s lips curved slightly. ”So that’s what he’s so confident about.”

Rohan’s fists clenched. ”It’s treason, my Lord. If we expose it—”

Michael lifted a hand, cutting him off without looking back. ”Not yet.”

He took a few steps forward, his cloak swaying lightly behind him. ”First, let’s see how long it takes before the good knight decides to greet his Lord properly.”

Rohan bowed his head deeply. ”Understood, my Lord.”

Michael smiled faintly. ”And Rohan...”

”Yes, my Lord?”

”If the people here seem happy, then that means Darius has at least done one thing right.”

The captain said nothing.

He tried his best to understand where his master might be coming from but to him, one good didn’t necessarily justify one bad.

Fortunately for him, Michael thought the same.

A few minutes later, just as they finished their slow circuit through the territory lane and back toward the main road, a single rider trotted up from the direction of the castle.