Lord blessed by the elves

Chapter 61 Iberia County

Mrs. Patmore gave a wry smile upon hearing this and quickly nodded in agreement: "I understand, Mr. Butler, please rest assured."

She was recruited shortly after the castle was built, starting as a kitchen helper, and has been working in this stone castle for five or six years now.

She loved and cherished this job immensely—here, she could not only eat her fill, but also live in a tall, sturdy, warm room that sheltered her from the wind and rain, which was far better than those dilapidated huts outside the city that let in drafts from all sides.

That's why she absolutely didn't want to lose everything she had worked so hard for.

She would do her best to complete every task assigned by the lord and steward, no matter how big or small or how difficult, without daring to be negligent in the slightest.

As usual, Kruze arrived at the open space in front of the castle to practice his swordsmanship, just in time to see Wilstone finishing his morning practice and sheathing his sword.

This scholar-type guardian knight has many tasks every day—he needs to supervise the militia's training and inspect the progress of the composting work.

Today, all the people of Liontooth Territory have witnessed the miraculous effects of those "black gold" fertilizers. Wilstone regards them as the key to the development of the territory and even lists their importance as a core protective facility second only to the two Elf Cordyceps.

"Good morning, Rezal!" Kruse raised his hand to greet his younger brother, who was already sweating profusely from training.

Rezal wiped the sweat from his face and complained irritably, "You sleep so late every day, why is it that you're the one who condensed the vortex first? This doesn't make any sense!" His tone was full of resentment and confusion.

These words made Kruse feel a little embarrassed.

After all, he did take a shortcut on his path to advancement, relying on the system rather than pure talent.

In terms of true cultivation aptitude, he might not be as good as Reza.

"Perhaps... it was just good luck," Kruze mumbled, and began his usual warm-up exercises. At the same time, he discreetly put on the Elf King's monocle and began to observe Rezal's training progress.

Through the strange lens, he saw that the battle qi in Reza's body was flowing smoothly and steadily, and that the breathing technique he practiced was perfectly matched with his own aptitude and attributes, without any conflict.

The only bottleneck preventing him from breaking through was that the accumulated energy was not large enough or pure enough to break through the barrier of the condensed vortex in one fell swoop.

In other words, what Rezal lacks is not talent, but "nourishment".

If one could consistently consume monster meat rich in energy, this problem might be easily solved.

As for those more potent and precious potions that can directly help people break through their limits, they are simply things that small rural lords like them can only dream of.

As for their beloved little sister Elena, she's always the last one to get up in the house.

Practicing swordsmanship and breathing techniques was more like a hobby for her to improve her health. She focused her main energy on learning the kingdom's culture, history, poetry, and the intricate aristocratic etiquette—a life trajectory that was almost unchangeable for every noble lady.

While Kruze and Rezael had long since finished their morning training, still steaming with heat, Elena leisurely appeared on the training ground, symbolically beginning to practice the family's basic swordsmanship and breathing techniques. Her family had no expectations for her to become a knight; they were content as long as she was healthy and happy, and grew up to be a well-mannered and cultured lady.

Therefore, when Elena began practicing her breathing technique, Kruze initially only glanced at her casually and habitually. However, this seemingly insignificant glance froze him in place as if he had been struck by lightning, his eyes widening in disbelief!
How can this be?

The same basic breathing technique passed down through his family, when circulated within him and Rezael, was like a winding mountain stream, peaceful, stable, and gradually accumulating power.

But with Elena, the situation was completely different!
Once the breathing technique was activated, it seemed to transform into a raging, roaring river!
The speed and power of her battle qi flowing through her meridians far exceeded that of him and Rezael by several times!
That was not a trickle, but a violent, primal tide of energy!

A startling premonition surged through Kruze's mind: if Elena were to fully dedicate herself to training, given the astonishing talent she was currently displaying, she could very well successfully condense a Qi vortex and become a trainee knight before the age of fifteen! And this was based on her previous laziness and slackness. If she had taken it seriously from the very beginning…

He didn't even dare to think further. Maybe this younger sister could break through to become a trainee knight at the age of twelve, and become a bronze knight at the age of fifteen!
Thinking of this, Kruse couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly, thinking to himself, "Sure enough, I'm the most mediocre one in this family. My younger brother and sister are far more talented than me."

Just then, Elena noticed the oddly shaped monocle on Kruze's right eye, and the girl's curiosity was immediately piqued. She immediately abandoned her cultivation, skipped over to Kruze, and reached out her little hand to reach for it: "Big brother, what's that sparkly thing you're wearing? It's so pretty! Can I wear it too!"

Kruse was startled and quickly took off his monocle, clutching it tightly in his hand.

If this little devil takes it, given her temperament, getting it back will be as difficult as climbing to heaven.

As for whether Elena can use the equipment produced by this system, he is not too worried.

He had a vague feeling that the items rewarded by the system were probably not so easily manipulated by outsiders.

“No, no,” Kruze shook his head repeatedly, deliberately putting on a stern face and making up a reason, “This is a treasure that I finally obtained after forging weapons for free for a long time. It’s worth more than ten gold coins! You can’t afford to pay for it if you break it.”

Upon seeing this, Elena immediately pouted and turned her head away angrily: "Hmph! Stingy big brother!"

Meanwhile, the counterinsurgency campaign in the Iberian region was also nearing its end.

This sudden rebellion ignited like wildfire, only to be swiftly crushed by the even more ferocious iron hooves.

In this battle, the Lion Knight Reyes was particularly outstanding. He beheaded the rebel leader amidst a vast army, making a great contribution.

Based on this distinguished military achievement, once the army returns in triumph, he will most likely be directly promoted to baron, and his territory and power will be greatly expanded.

At this moment, Count Campono was sitting in his temporary tent, looking at his fierce general with undisguised admiration and satisfaction in his eyes.

“Reyes.” The Earl tapped the map-covered table with his finger, his tone carrying an undeniable ambition. “Now that the rebels are quelled, I do not intend to withdraw immediately. I plan to send a large army through Bernabeu County to the border of the Duchy of Santiago… to ‘visit’ our neighbors, plunder them, and return laden with spoils.”

(End of this chapter)