Chapter 59: The Countess’s Advice

Love is a strange thing—sometimes, after ten years together, two people may not end up together, while at other times, just a brief encounter can lead to falling in love. Donald and the countess had known each other for only three days when they already fell deeply in love, a situation beyond the understanding of outsiders. After a passionate night together, the next morning, the countess, who had a royal mission to fulfill, had to prepare to leave. After breakfast, the sorrow of parting made even her favorite foods taste bland. Afterward, the two sat together on the sofa in the lounge.

“My little man, Catherine must leave now. I need to stay by the queen’s side often. It will be a long time before we see each other again, and I can’t wait even one day!” Donald comforted her, saying, “Don’t worry. Once I receive my reward and arrange my territory, I’ll go to the capital to see you and ask Her Majesty the queen for our marriage!”

“Then you must choose a good territory. I’ve told you all the conditions the king has set—have you made up your mind?”
“Yes. In fact, I’ve already decided on the location—the old lordship, that large estate that the royal family sold to me together!” Hearing this, the countess grew anxious. “Why choose that place? I heard it’s near the demon realm—very dangerous and barren, isn’t it?” Donald smiled confidently. “Demons pose no obstacle to me. Don’t forget my strength! That territory is perfect for me—rich in resources, far from other powers, and convenient for expanding in the future. Once I deal with the demons in the forests and mountains, I can easily create two more countships! As for wealth, I won’t lack it. That Darknight Estate was once unclaimed land, yet I’ve turned it into something beautiful, haven’t I?”

Only then did the countess relax. She kissed Donald’s cheek and said with a smile, “I forgot how powerful my little man is. Truly the greatest mage in the North County! If that’s the case, the old lordship might be a bit small. Why not ask the king to grant us more forest land as well? It’s all unclaimed land—dangerous, but since it doesn’t infringe on any noble’s interests, no one should object!”

It can be said that most women are blind, especially those in love. Having just become Donald’s partner, the countess was already thinking solely of him. Moreover, the countess had her own ambitions, so she quickly expanded her territory several times over its original size.

Donald nodded in agreement. Initially, his plans had been more conservative—he only wanted the land of that large estate and intended to develop it gradually, expanding his territory later based on his own abilities. But if his lover’s proposal succeeded, it would save him a lot of effort.

To him, the forest was not a dangerous place at all; rather, it was the perfect environment for his development. Whether it was the Tree of Life he had already summoned or his own class as a Demon Hunter, this place was an ideal natural setting. Once these areas became his territory, as long as the Tree of Life remained, his combat strength could increase by at least 30% thanks to the natural barriers and the surrounding environment.

He could also summon many defensive structures from the Night Elves to protect his territory, making it nearly impossible for outsiders to invade the forest.

After determining the scope of the territory, the countess began discussing matters related to land management and development with Donald, offering him many useful suggestions.

“Speaking of which, aside from its slightly smaller size, your estate is no less than the three largest estates in the kingdom—some even better. Just the bath alone is the most luxurious experience I’ve ever had. The fountains outside are truly masterpieces, and all those novel items in the villa are so unique that if they were introduced elsewhere, each one would cause a sensation across the continent!”

The business-savvy countess offered these suggestions for Donald’s benefit. Yet Donald wasn’t interested. He shook his head and smiled, saying, “These are just trivial things I created in my spare time as a mage. The cost is too high—just the facilities in this villa cost tens of thousands of gold sols, not to mention the high expenses of hiring mages. Besides me, no other mage would want to study such flashy but useless things. Besides, it’s best to enjoy the good things for oneself. Being able to have what even the king can’t enjoy—what a wonderful feeling!”

The countess had no choice but to give up on this idea. Yet she felt sweet in her heart at her lover’s words. Such words showed just how much he valued her.

But now that they had a genuine relationship, she couldn’t be too hasty. After returning to the capital, she needed to plan well for her beloved.

After spending another two hours together reluctantly, the female countess had to set off. She had already been delayed for two days, and if she didn’t return soon, she might face punishment from His Majesty the King. Things had just gotten warm between them, and Donald didn’t want to part with the female countess so quickly—after all, she was his first woman in this world. So, on a whim, he said to her, “Let’s stay another day. I’ll find a way to send you flying back to the capital tomorrow. It only takes a day to get there, so we can spend more time together!” The female countess was very curious about Donald’s idea of flying back and asked, “Is it by summoning a flying magical beast?” Donald didn’t answer her but smiled mysteriously and said, “You’ll know tomorrow!” The morning sun was fresh and bright, without the heat of noon, making it very comfortable to be in. However, the Dark Night Manor was far from its usual tranquility today. The servants and farmers were frightened and curious about the huge creature that suddenly appeared in the square in front of the villa. But since their master was a mysterious and powerful mage, out of respect for him, they merely expressed surprise at any strange phenomena that occurred in the manor and didn’t dare to discuss them privately, let alone spread the news outside. After all, the treatment at Dark Night Manor was considered the best among all the noble manors in the North County. For them, commoners, finding such a good job and encountering such a kind noble lord was undoubtedly a gift from the gods. What appeared in the square was a goblin airship that Donald had summoned early in the morning using magic cores and crystals, along with several goblin pilots, ready to escort the female countess and her guards to the capital. The goblin airship was much faster than griffins, and since it was manifested based on the rules of this world using crystal energy, its range was far greater than that of summoned creatures that got tired and needed rest. With the ability to carry ten people at once, aside from the operators, it surpassed the capabilities of ordinary flying units. This time, the female countess traveled lightly, bringing only five guards and maids with her. Together with Donald and her, there was no room at all crowded in the airship cabin. “Is this made by goblins? Can it really carry people in the air?”

Even in front of those closest to him, Donald wasn’t ready to reveal the existence of the Book of Truth. He explained, “It was indeed created by goblins, but not the modern ones—rather, it’s an alchemical creation left behind by an ancient goblin civilization. I managed to restore it. It can be powered by elemental crystals to propel airships carrying people, with a speed comparable to that of the horned eagles I summon. It’s also stable in flight and can last up to a whole day.”

Catherine was amazed by the wonders of the goblin airship and asked, “You truly surprise me at every turn. If such a flying vessel could be developed, it could completely change the landscape of the continent!”

“That’s unlikely to happen. After all, many of its components date back to ancient times. With the current level of alchemy, it’s difficult to replicate their effects. Moreover, many of the required materials have disappeared, which is truly regrettable!” Donald replied this way because he had no plans to mass-produce goblin airships yet—indeed, he wasn’t capable of doing so at the moment.

Firstly, the goblin pilots who operate the airships are manifestations of the Book of Truth, not permanently summoned beings who would vanish once their time ran out.

Additionally, the cost of obtaining an airship was so high that even someone with a wealth of tens of thousands couldn’t afford it easily. If it weren’t to help his woman return to the capital as soon as possible, he wouldn’t have even thought of goblin airships! To develop such a thing, he would have to wait until he mastered more alchemy and could summon the goblin workshops that build airships, perhaps then he could produce them himself, and the cost might drop significantly.

A few hours later, the group had covered a distance that would normally take four or five days by carriage. Before reaching the capital, they didn’t enter it but landed on a small hill about ten miles away. Then Donald prepared to leave.

“Don’t be sad. Go back! I’ll have an owl follow you, keeping in touch with you at any time through summoned creatures!”

Donald had already permanently summoned an owl to accompany Catherine, using it as a means to maintain communication between them.

The distance from here to the capital was only about ten miles, and the area along the way was safe, with hardly any bandits or thieves, so safety should be assured.

Catherine herself was highly favored by the king and queen and had no enemies, so Donald was relatively relaxed about her safety. Still, just to be cautious, he spent some energy to grant her a shield talisman before she left.

“You must carry this amulet with you at all times. It can cast an energy shield three times to protect you from external attacks. That way, I’ll feel more at ease!”
The female countess was naturally grateful and her affection for Donald grew even deeper.
“Don’t worry! I’ll do my best to secure a formal reward for you in the capital. It will be issued soon! I’m waiting for you, my little man!”
With that, the female countess kissed Donald, then got into the carriage he had prepared, along with her maid. Two court guards took their places as drivers and set off for the capital.
Donald watched until the carriage disappeared from sight before summoning the two goblin pilots again and boarding the airship to head back.