Pioneer Lord: I Have Conquering System

Afterward, she silently calculated that just within the castle walls, forty to fifty bodies had fallen to the Lord’s sword.

That spear throw afterward was even more horrifying—it was simply beyond human capability.

To kill a group of Knights with a single, precise throw from hundreds of paces away... even a Giant of immense strength would struggle to do that.

When she heard the stories about High Cliff Castle circulating in Bailiu City, she was the only one who believed this Baron was capable of such feats. Everyone else was skeptical.

"The taverns in Bailiu City are all telling tales about High Cliff Castle now. You’ve become famous," Liya said with a smile. "You’ve earned all sorts of grand titles, enough to scare a man to death. Before long, you might even have Knight’s Attendants coming to pledge their loyalty."

’As her Knight, it’s only natural that the stronger he is, the better.’

Levi thought about it. The news from High Cliff Castle must be spreading through Bailiu City because Lorina’s promotional efforts were paying off.

As someone who had lived through the Information Age, the Lord understood the importance of controlling the narrative and building a reputation, especially in a world like this one. That was why he had paid Lorina to publicize High Cliff Castle’s deeds in Bailiu City.

It was clearly having a significant effect.

"Hmph, I have no interest in knighting them," Levi said, rolling his eyes.

Knight’s Attendants were generally the second sons of minor nobles, or their illegitimate children. They learned by following an Official Knight from a young age, though they often served more as personal valets.

Once they came of age, they would seek a worthy noble to pledge fealty to. That noble, in turn, would knight them, allowing them to shed their status as an Attendant and become an Official Knight.

The dirt-poor Lord of High Cliff Castle could hardly afford to grant them fiefs and pay them a Knight’s salary.

He’d rather spend any spare coin on a few more pigs to feed his Beastman brutes than to support a bunch of pampered young lords.

"Other nobles are trying everything to get more Attendants to pledge loyalty to them, but you, Levi, just look disgusted by the idea," Liya said, exasperated.

Generally speaking, these second sons of minor nobles were more loyal. Having trained alongside Official Knights since childhood, their Martial Arts were leagues better than any commoner’s.

The Warriors in the most famous elite legions were composed entirely of such former Attendants.

"Are any of my Warriors not stronger than them?" Levi scoffed, pointing to the High Cliff Castle Guard Team behind him. "Just give them food and a place to sleep, and they’d gladly sell their lives to me, their Lord. Every last one of them is an elite soldier."

Seeing his boss look over, the leader, Zat, hastily dropped the hand he was using to pick his nose. He shed his slovenly demeanor, puffed out his chest, and made a show of leading the Guard Team, still in their square formation, onward.

The two of them witnessed the whole idiotic display.

He was clearly trying to imitate his Lord’s habit of being one way to a person’s face and another behind their back, but the result was a clumsy parody.

"Ahem, their wits really can’t compare to those Attendants," Levi said with an embarrassed expression, waving his hands as if trying to explain. "You know, everyone has their shortcomings, more or less. It’s like how the heavens blessed Giants with immense, innate Divine Power, but also left their Intelligence at the level of an eight-year-old child."

"It’s the natural way of balance. The Beastmen are clearly prime examples of the Balance Sect’s philosophy.

Their Martial Arts are superb, and they’re fiercer than the Ice Bears of the far north. Naturally, they must have a flaw to balance things out, lest they become too superhuman."

Liya just smiled, quietly watching Levi talk about ’balance,’ ’sects,’ ’nature,’ and other things she didn’t quite understand.

"Damn it, fine! I’ll admit it! My Beastman Barbarians are all muscle-headed brutes, useless for anything but fighting!" the Lord finally snapped in exasperation.

Liya looked out at the vast grasslands and changed the subject, hoping to spare her Baron from getting too flustered. "Levi, I’ve heard the scenery in the Wilderness is vast, grand, and breathtaking. It would be wonderful to see it someday, if I get the chance."

"Heh, funny you should mention it. High Cliff Castle happens to have a view that is absolutely breathtaking."

The Lord thought of something and had to suppress a laugh, struggling to keep his expression serious.

The spot where he’d met Liya was already very close to High Cliff Castle—just a short ride away. But their idle chatter, combined with the fact that the old horses beneath them seemed to have minds of their own, ambling along unhurriedly and occasionally stopping for a mouthful of grass, had slowed their progress.

Once the horses picked up their pace, it wasn’t long before High Cliff Castle, which had been a small black dot on the horizon, came fully into view.

It was a settlement built atop a hill, encircled by a wall. Inside were rows of densely packed wooden houses, bustling with people busy at their work. The whole place was filled with a sense of peace and tranquility.

The surprise on the faces of the cavalry Guard Corps from Bailiu City was plain to see. Since leaving the city, they had frequently encountered small bands of bandits; some were even brazen enough to attack their column.

The entire journey had given them a firsthand look at the chaos, savagery, and bloodshed of the Wilderness.

To find such a peaceful settlement in the turbulent, chaotic Wilderness was like finding a virtuous maiden in a brothel.

"High Cliff Castle has changed so much! I remember the last time I was here, the walls weren’t even as tall as a Dwarf."

Si Kai exclaimed in amazement.

"Knight Si Kai, it has been over a month since your last visit. For High Cliff Castle, the events of this past month have been as long as a full year." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Baisitina said this with her hands crossed gracefully over her stomach, inclining her head with a smile.

Her bearing and etiquette were both impeccable. If he hadn’t known beforehand that she was a girl born in the Wilderness, Knight Si Kai might have even mistaken her for a Princess.