The sound of a dozen heavy armored horses' hooves crushed the gravel ground, echoing across the wide square in the center of the Verdant Domain. Reddish-brown dust billowed, obscuring the afternoon sun. The once-bustling atmosphere of the free market was replaced by a dead silence that chilled to the bone.
Hundreds of villagers stopped whatever they were doing. They scrambled back, crowding at the edges of the square. Every pair of eyes widened in fear as they stared at the 'visitors'.
Twelve cavalry knights in full steel armor, bearing the 'Hawk with a Gold Coin' crest of Baron Reinhard, stood tall, majestic, and arrogant. In the center of the formation was a thin, middle-aged man wearing the robes of a high-ranking regional official. His face was tilted upward in a haughty manner.
He was 'Victor', the special envoy from Baron Reinhard's regional capital.
Lloyd Weston stood motionless with his arms crossed on the wooden balcony of the Village Hall. Frank stood nearby, gripping his trident so tightly his knuckles turned white, while Sylvie hid on the roof with her bow drawn, providing cover from a distance.
"They intentionally set this up to look as intimidating as possible to terrorize the villagers..." Lloyd muttered to himself. His deep blue eyes scanned the cavalry's formation. "A Wedge Formation right in the middle of a civilian square. It's a symbol of readiness to charge and slaughter. Pure psychological pressure... a Mind Game."
The former RTS world champion sighed softly. He glanced at the mana status bar in the right corner of his vision, which had slowly regenerated to 18/100. His body was still exhausted, but he knew he couldn't show even a hint of weakness right now.
"Baron Lloyd Weston!"
Victor shouted Lloyd's full name with a booming voice, making sure all the villagers heard it clearly. "Come down here and listen to the proclamation from the Imperial Court immediately!"
Lloyd didn't rush. He straightened his slender back and slowly walked down the wooden stairs, step by step, with utmost elegance. It was as if these heavy armored cavalrymen were merely guests begging for a drink of water.
"Welcome to the Verdant Domain, Envoy," Lloyd greeted in a flat tone, a faint smile on his lips. "I am Lloyd Weston, Lord of this land. What business brings you here with such a grand entourage?"
Victor scoffed. He raised a parchment scroll sealed with shining gold wax above his head. It was the seal of the 'Central Court' of the Veltyne Empire.
"In the name of the laws of the Light God Cult and the Court of Justice of the Veltyne Empire!" Victor began reading in a resounding voice. "Baron Reinhard, the governing Lord of the region, has filed an official petition... accusing the Verdant Domain of amassing rebel forces and severely violating national security laws!"
Gasps erupted from the villagers. Uncle Ben and the others turned pale.
"And what exactly is the accusation, Sir Victor?" Lloyd countered calmly.
"Harboring a dangerous species!" Victor roared back, pointing his riding crop straight at the plump figure of 'Notch', who was hiding behind a pile of lumber. "You hired an 'Unaffiliated Wild Orc' to work as your chief engineer! Imperial law clearly states that any Orc not registered as a slave is a threat to state security! Anyone who harbors one is guilty of conspiracy to commit treason!"
Notch flinched hard. The giant Orc's body trembled with fear. He tried to keep his head down, tears of guilt welling up in his brown eyes.
"My Lord... it's my fault," Notch whispered, his voice shaking. "Just hand me over to them. Don't let the domain suffer because of me."
"Be quiet, Notch," Lloyd reprimanded softly, but firmly.
Victor sneered, seeing the Orc's terrified demeanor. "The Imperial Court has accepted Baron Reinhard's petition! And in a few days, a 'Special Inquisitor' from the capital will arrive here to inspect your domain thoroughly, every single inch! If these crimes are proven true, the Verdant Domain will be confiscated by the state, and you... will be sent to the execution block!"
The proclamation struck like a lightning bolt in the middle of the village square.
Elder Aura, listening from her wooden wheelchair, clenched her fists. Tim burst into tears out of fear. The atmosphere of hope that had just begun to bloom in the domain was crushed to dust by a single piece of paper.
This was Baron Reinhard's goal: To terrify the villagers and destroy their faith in Lloyd!
Yet, amidst everyone's panic, Lloyd simply chuckled softly.
"Hahaha... An official inspection, you say?" Lloyd slowly shook his head. "Baron Reinhard really has... too much free time on his hands."
"You dare laugh at a Royal Edict?!" Victor's face tightened. He half-drew his longsword from its scabbard. The twelve cavalrymen readied their spears in unison, the sound of clashing metal echoing loudly.
"Envoy Victor, are you perhaps misunderstanding something?" Lloyd walked fearlessly toward the cavalrymen. "My Verdant Domain is more transparent than a mirror. If the Imperial Court wishes to take a stroll and witness our prosperity, they are more than welcome... But regarding that accusation about an 'Unaffiliated Orc'..."
Lloyd turned and snapped his fingers, signaling 'Marcus Gray', the merchant advisor standing by his side.
Marcus took a deep breath, putting on his professional merchant smile. He stepped forward holding a sleek black leather folder.
"Sir Victor," Marcus bowed elegantly before opening the folder and pulling out a document sealed with 'Silver' wax to display. "I am Marcus Gray, a representative of the Merchant Guild of the Free Merchant Republic."
"What is this?" Victor frowned.
"This is a 'Foreign Artisan Occupational License'," Marcus announced clearly. "Issued by the Department of Labor of the Veltyne Empire, Southern Port City Branch... Master Engineer Notch here is not some unaffiliated wild Orc as the Baron accused, but a 'Skilled Laborer' legally registered in every aspect!"
"What?!" Victor's eyes widened until they nearly popped out of his head. He snatched the document to look at it closely.
The silver seal, the signature of the government official, and the details of Notch's fingerprint... everything was absolutely flawless!
"Impossible... an Orc could never pass the Empire's artisan criteria! You forged these documents!" Victor roared, his face turning red with rage.
Lloyd smiled smugly. "Whether it's real or fake, a government official like you should be able to tell... And if you doubt his skills, I invite you to take a look at the 'Irrigation System' and the 'Free Market Layout' he designed. With work of that caliber, calling him a stupid wild Orc would be quite an insult to the intelligence of the Empire that issued his license, don't you think?"
The former world champion had planned this out from the very beginning!
Since the day he saw Notch's talent and realized the laws of this world discriminated against certain races, Lloyd had tasked Marcus with using the Merchant Guild's 'funds' and 'connections'. They took Notch's structural blueprints to register him in a port city far beyond Baron Reinhard's sphere of influence.
It was the most ingenious display of legal alchemy!
Notch stood there, his mouth hanging open. The tears that had flowed from fear now turned into tears of profound gratitude. "My Lord... since when did you prepare this for me...?"
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Victor gripped the document so tightly it crumpled. His face was twisted with fury and humiliation. The main accusation Baron Reinhard had used as a pretext to send the inquisitor had just been completely dismantled by a single piece of paper!
"I will report this to the Baron!" Victor gritted his teeth and threw the document back at Marcus. "Even if this Orc is legal, your amassing of rebel forces still needs to be investigated! The Inquisitor from the capital will arrive in three days. Wash your neck and wait, Baron Lloyd!"
"I will await them with the utmost pleasure," Lloyd offered a slight bow with perfect posture.
Victor jerked his horse's reins violently, turning around and leading the twelve heavy cavalrymen out of the Verdant Domain amidst a cloud of billowing dust.
Once the shadows of the cavalrymen disappeared from sight, silence fell over the square again, before erupting into deafening cheers of relief from the villagers!
"Praise the Forest God! Lord Lloyd smacked them right in the face!"
Lloyd didn't join in the cheering. He stood still, watching the settling dust, his headache intensifying.
Even though he had won the clash of rhetoric and law, it was merely a parry. The Inquisitor from the Imperial Court would arrive in three days, and Baron Reinhard would never allow that inspection to pass smoothly.
Ding!
Suddenly, the clear, resonant sound of the [RTS Master System] echoed in Lloyd's mind!
A bright golden holographic window flashed, obscuring Lloyd's vision. It was radiant and filled with the intricate details of architectural blueprints.
[Tech Tree Unlocked: Tier 2 City Wall + Magic Observation Tower]
[Conditions Met: Tier 1 Free Market / Possess an SR-tier Engineer / 100 Units of Steel / 200 Units of Red Pine Wood]
[Status: Ready for Construction]
Lloyd's eyes widened. The smile that had faded returned to his face.
"Finally... the early-game full defense function is unlocked," Lloyd muttered to himself excitedly. "System... confirm the transmission of the blueprints to unit 'Notch' immediately!"
Swoosh!
[Mana Deducted: 10 Units]
[Mana Remaining: 8/100 - Critical Warning: Mana is below critical threshold!]
A pain like thousands of tiny needles piercing his temples shot through Lloyd's brain in a fraction of a second. The young Baron staggered, almost cracking his head on the wooden balcony. Luckily, Marcus Gray, who was standing closest, rushed in and caught him just in time.
"Lord Lloyd! Are you alright? Your face is as pale as a sheet!" the middle-aged merchant cried out in alarm.
"I'm... fine. Just a little dizzy." Lloyd forced himself to stand up, smiling to mask the pain tearing through his nerves. Forcing the use of the system while his body suffered from accumulated fatigue was risking his life, but it was a Cost he had to pay for the domain's survival.
Below the balcony, Notch, who was directing the laborers, suddenly froze. The stout Orc's body trembled as a flood of knowledge and highly advanced 3D blueprints surged directly into his brain through his [Genius Architect (SR) ] talent.
"This is... a double-layered wall structure with a reinforced steel core!" Notch exclaimed, his voice cracking. His brown eyes widened with fascination. "And there are blueprints for a tower designed specifically with firing angles for archers... Incredible! Absolute perfection!"
Lloyd leaned over the balcony, fought through the pain, and shouted his orders.
"Notch! All the resources in the storehouse are yours! We only have three days before the Imperial Inquisitor arrives... I want that wall standing tall and combat-ready before the sun sets on the third day!"
"Upon my life, My Lord!" Notch thumped his chest loudly, before turning to shout orders at the laborers and villagers with overflowing energy. "Listen up, everyone! No sleeping tonight! Light the torches around the village! Bring out all the steel and red pine wood! We're building a fortress!"
Sylvie, who had been swinging her legs on the roof, jumped down to stand next to Frank, her face full of excitement.
"A tower with specific firing angles? Your boss really knows how to please a sniper like me!" the Elven girl laughed heartily. "This time, I'm going to shoot those heavy armored cavalrymen off their horses before they even lay eyes on the city wall, just you wait!"
"Don't get careless, long-eared Elf," Frank warned sternly, even though his heart was equally fired up. "The Empire's soldiers aren't pathetic like those forest bandits. If they bring mages with them, your tower might be the first thing they blow out of the sky."
Lloyd looked at the chaotic yet vibrant scene below. The villagers who were terrified just moments ago were now uniting, hauling wood and forging iron to protect their homeland.
"It's exactly like hitting the main base upgrade button right when the enemy army is marching in for a Rush..." Lloyd smirked, letting a gamer joke slip out to relieve his stress. "Thrilling enough to give you a heart attack."
The Unseen Threat
That night, the Verdant Domain did not sleep.
The sound of hammers striking iron and saws cutting wood echoed throughout the village borders. Hundreds of torches burned brightly, making it look like a festival. Notch directed the construction like a madman, with Frank helping to carry massive red pine logs that ten normal men couldn't even lift.
Inside the quiet office of the manor, Lloyd sat with his eyes closed, leaning against his chair. He let the darkness soothe the throbbing pain in his temples.
Knock... knock...
A soft knock on the door broke the silence.
"Come in," Lloyd permitted without opening his eyes.
The wooden door slowly pushed open. Tim, the messenger boy, gently guided 'Elder Aura' into the room. The blind old woman walked up and stopped in front of the young Baron's desk. Tim bowed slightly before stepping back out and closing the door dutifully.
"Up this late, aren't you resting, Elder Aura?" Lloyd opened his eyes and sat up straight.
"The sound of hammers building the city wall echoes straight into my soul. I couldn't possibly sleep," Elder Aura smiled faintly. She sat down in the chair opposite him. "I must congratulate you on so cleanly dismantling the schemes of Baron Reinhard's envoy."
"It only bought us some time," Lloyd sighed. "If Baron Reinhard couldn't use the Orc as an excuse, he'll just find another one to seize our domain anyway. The Inquisitor arriving in three days has likely been prepped specifically to frame us."
The blind old woman nodded slowly. Her cloudy eyes stared straight at Lloyd. Even though she couldn't see, her gaze felt as though it was piercing right through him.
"That is exactly what I came to warn you about tonight," Elder Aura's voice dropped. The atmosphere in the office instantly turned tense and mysterious.
Lloyd intertwined his fingers on the desk. "Did you notice something out of the ordinary?"
"Lord Lloyd..." Elder Aura began slowly. "Do you truly believe that a Baron governing a regional capital would risk investing this heavily, just to snatch up a 'borderland domain' that has barely managed to stand on its own two feet?"
Lloyd frowned. "Well, because we opened a new trade route, drawing away his merchants and taxes. He's bleeding money..."
"That is what he wants you to believe," the old woman interrupted softly. "I have lived on this continent much longer than you. I know the nature of Veltyne nobles well. They are greedy... yes, but they are also cowardly, and they fiercely protect their own power above all else."
Elder Aura leaned forward, her voice as faint as a ghost's whisper.
"Hiring disguised bandits, bribing the Imperial Court to issue a lightning-fast Royal Edict, and preparing to march a standing army to invade a fellow noble's land... All of this is too 'rushed' and 'costly' for a single Baron to dare decide on his own."
Lloyd's eyes widened. The strategist's brain rapidly began piecing the jigsaw puzzle together.
"Are you saying... Baron Reinhard isn't doing all of this out of personal grudge or just for money?" Lloyd asked, his voice strained.
"His actions are more like those of a hound having its leash violently yanked by its 'Master'," the old woman let out a long sigh. "Someone... someone with vastly more power than Baron Reinhard is pulling the strings from the shadows, forcing him to devour the Verdant Domain as quickly as possible, no matter how dirty the methods."
A chilling silence enveloped the office.
Lloyd's headache worsened—not because his mana was low, but because of the truth that was unfolding. It expanded the scale of this 'Game' far beyond what he had anticipated.
"Someone with more power..." Lloyd muttered. The image of the black-clad spy he encountered in the Western Elf Forest flashed in his mind. "The Imperial Shadow Unit... or perhaps a high-ranking noble in the capital..."
If Baron Reinhard was just a 'Pawn' on the board... then who was the 'Player' sitting across from him?
"What do they want with this barren domain?" Lloyd asked the most critical question. "Wild herbs? Trade routes? Or... do they know about my [System] ?"
"That, I cannot know," Elder Aura shook her head slowly. "But do you remember what I told you about 'the previous system holders who vanished without a trace'?"
Lloyd nodded grimly.
"In the ancient legends..." the old woman lowered her voice until it was barely a whisper. "Those behind the erasure of those system holders... were known as the 'Rule Enforcers'. They infiltrated the world's main powers, observing and eliminating anyone who tried to disrupt the balance using the Creator's power."
Lloyd swallowed hard, a cold sweat drenching his back.
"Meaning... my unnaturally rapid revitalization of this domain using the [Tech Tree] and [Mini-Map] ... has already caught the eyes of these 'Enforcers'?"
The former world champion gritted his teeth. His true enemy wasn't just a greedy Baron, but a global secret organization that had erased the existence of people like him in the past!
"You must be extremely careful, Lord Lloyd," Elder Aura reached out and gently touched the young Baron's hand. "The Imperial inspection in three days... The Inquisitor they send might not be just an ordinary official. They could be the eyes and ears of those 'Invisible Hands'... If you display even a hint of inhuman power to them, true disaster will inevitably descend upon the Verdant Domain."
As Elder Aura's warning ended, the sound of piledriving hammers from the construction site outside boomed loudly, like war drums furiously beating to welcome an unavoidable war.
Lloyd looked out the window. His deep blue eyes flashed with a fierce, freezing glint.
This chessboard no longer had just two sides. There was a 'Third Hand' hiding in the shadows, waiting to flip the board...
"Since you love playing hide and seek in the dark so much..." Lloyd muttered to himself with the cold smile of a predator. "I'll create the most blindingly brilliant light... just to drag you all out into the open!"
The true enemy was beginning to show their tracks, and the war for the Verdant Domain's survival... had officially entered 'Hell' mode!
(End of Episode 14)