The Lord of the Rings: Lords of Middle-earth.

Chapter 642 The Mordland Family's Goodwill
"Why would the Mordran family invite me to a banquet?" This was the question that lingered in Ismir's mind after dealing with the Mordran family's butler, since he had no connection with the Mordran family whatsoever.

Of course, if Lance were by his side, he would laugh at his lack of knowledge. After all, the expansion among nobles was a matter of giving and receiving, and so-called friendship was nothing more than goodwill shown at the beginning. It was clear that the Mordland family intended to provide Ismir with some sponsorship.

Bridges between nobles are often built in this way: established nobles and emerging nobles will extend a hand of goodwill to young pioneering nobles, since pioneering represents the birth of a powerful noble family! The friendship and favors of a powerful noble are difficult to measure in terms of value!
Therefore, when Ismir chose to expand, his status naturally became equivalent to that of a powerful nobleman—as long as he could survive! That's why Roland said Ismir needed to be responsible for his ambition! The leap from an honorary lord to a hereditary nobleman with real power was no small feat!
At the same time, Roland also knew that this seemingly honest and unassuming young newly promoted lord under his command was no ordinary person. However, since the system had determined that he was loyal to him, Roland didn't need to bring it up. Everyone has a few secrets, right? Lord Ismir!
……

"Welcome!" After settling his entourage, Ismir went alone to the Palembang City Hall, where the Mordran family, who had not yet been granted land, were located. He was immediately greeted by the Mordran family steward.

"Where is your master?" Ismir asked.

"Hahaha! Greetings, Your Excellency Lord Ismir, the Pioneer!" Yu Mordran appeared before Ismir in an elegant suit.

"..." Ismir's pupils contracted slightly. Yu Modran had just emerged from the shadows out of thin air! He was actually a fourth-tier assassin!
"Greetings! Respected Chief Mordland! Your Excellency Earl of the Kingdom!" After a slight daze, Ismir quickly regained his composure and returned the greeting.

"Since this is my first visit, I don't know what to bring. This magic crystal is just a token of my appreciation!" Ismir handed the packaged gift box to the butler beside him. Although he wasn't very rich, he still needed to bring some gifts when visiting a nobleman. If Lance hadn't taken him to see Yunfeng without telling him, this magic crystal would have been a gift for Yunfeng.

"Hahaha! You're too kind, sir. There's no need for such formalities when you're a guest!" Yu Modran smiled sincerely. He was quite surprised, after all, this newly promoted nobleman's manners were surprisingly thorough! Originally, most people in the family were waiting to see this bumpkin make a fool of himself. There was a reason why most newly promoted nobles were called peasants and country bumpkins!

“Come on! You are the star of the banquet!” Yu Modran extended his hand in invitation.

“Then I’ll accept it without hesitation!” Ismir tried his best to appear calm and to act as if he were very knowledgeable.

And so began Ismir's first banquet! Normally, the king should host a feast after bestowing titles upon the nobles, but who is King Roland? The number one empty promise king, the stingiest king, and the black-hearted capitalist of Middle-earth! You should be secretly glad you're not invited to dinner!

"Hello, Lord Ismir!" A young noblewoman nodded to Ismir.

“Hello…” Ismir was stuck, after all, who was going to tell him who this was!
“This is my daughter, and this is my younger brother…” Yu Modran introduced everyone to Ismir. It was clear that this was a family dinner, and Ismir was the only outsider.

"Lord, may I ask where you plan to expand? Of course, please don't blame me if I offend you." The innocent and lively Liz asked the core of the matter again. After all, the expansion sites need to be kept secret by the pioneering nobles in the early stages. Of course, it doesn't matter whether the current kingdom's nobles keep it secret or not, since secrecy is to prevent sworn enemies from causing trouble.

“Of course, nothing is off-limits!” Ismir nodded with a smile, thank goodness! The girl had freed him from his embarrassment; after all, the tall candlesticks, silver cutlery, and various exquisite appetizers had made Ismir somewhat awkward.

“I plan to explore the Dark Forest west of the Swift River! The location is currently across from the Lulong Fortress!” Ismir said after thinking for a moment.

"My God! You're a true warrior! That's the Dark Forest!" Liz looked at Ismir with a mixture of shock and admiration. After all, the innocent and somewhat rebellious Liz loved nothing more than stories and plots from knight and warrior novels! And Ismir had just brought those stories to life... "Ahem! Please don't take my daughter's joke seriously, sir!" Yu Modran's eye twitched, feeling as if his daughter had been fooled by the blond-haired man with the ghostly fire. So he quickly spoke to Ismir, since Liz wouldn't listen to reason.

"Your Excellency, please try this pine flower cake! It used to be the most popular snack in the empire!" Nanfeng said, looking at Ismir who was sweating profusely while dealing with everyone, trying to help him out of the predicament. After all, Ismir was a newly promoted nobleman and was not yet familiar with the exaggerated formalities among nobles.

"Mmm! It's delicious..." Ismir praised it before even taking a bite, which made Nanfeng both amused and exasperated. He wondered who had given him a lesson in aristocratic etiquette, making the child so neurotic. What was supposed to be a normal invitation had turned into a long and polite conversation.

Soon the maids came and removed the dessert, followed by the soup served as an appetizer.

"Golden Lemon and Winter Berry Soup! A nice appetizer!" Yu Modran introduced, as it was the host's duty to announce the dishes to the guests.

"It's very refreshing!" Ismir took a few bites.

"I'm glad it suits your taste!" Liz nodded with a smile.

“Of course!” Ismir emphasized compliance.

“Carved roasted lamb chops! Fresh lamb paired with Rune wine…” Nanfeng stood up and cut some for Ismir.

"I hope you have a good appetite!"

"Thank you for the treat! This is the most delicious lamb chop I've ever eaten!" Ismir's pupils dilated in shock, his eyes filled with astonishment. After all, this was just ordinary food for nobles? He had never tasted anything like this in the first 23 years of his life!
Soon the main course was served.

"Hehe, you should recognize it too, a first-tier magical beast, the Water Saw Crocodile. After being marinated and stewed in a secret sauce and then slowly roasted over a low flame, tsk tsk tsk! The taste!" Yu Modran said proudly. After all, being able to use magical beasts as the main dish to entertain guests is a manifestation of a family's wealth and status. After all, most families don't have the ability to capture magical beasts on the spot.

……

"Thank you for the hospitality of the Modran family. I have eaten very well!" Ismir shook his head and declined Yu Modran's dessert. He could only say that he still had a long way to go in learning the extravagance of the nobility. However, what he did not know was that not every nobleman had the means to hold banquets every day. The Modran family's daily meals consisted of just toast and some roasted meat chops.

After some pleasantries, the two sides got back to business.

"The road to explore the Dark Forest will be extremely arduous, and the Mordland family cannot offer you much assistance. However, the Mordland family will still observe the etiquette between nobles. Consider these soldiers as a congratulatory gift from the Mordland family to Your Excellency for your exploration!" Yu Mordland clapped his hands, and immediately a squad of soldiers stepped forward.