Pioneer Lord: I Have Conquering System

He held his wine glass and sipped slowly. Ever since that one time, he’d broken his habit of gulping down his drinks.

As the banquet was winding down, Fulina sought out the Lord of High Cliff Castle. "Levi, I’m heading back tomorrow. Thank you again for your help this time."

"So soon? And here I thought you’d take this golden opportunity to seize military control." Levi was viciously attacking a beef bone and replied without even looking up.

"Is that really the impression you have of me? That I’m that materialistic?" Fulina shook her head. "The Wind Speech Tribe and the Northern Territory have been cooperating for a long time. Our relationship is already that of partners. We wouldn’t turn hostile over a single Magic Crystal Ore mine. Besides, it’s far more cost-effective to let the Wind Speech Tribe mine it than for me to send my own people."

"Fair enough. I should be leaving soon myself."

Fulina looked at his grease-covered face and couldn’t help but smile. "I promised to pay you before I came. What do you want? I’ll need to prepare it when I get back."

"Hold on..."

Levi quickly sucked the marrow from the bone, then waved for an Elf Attendant to clear the mess.

He wiped his hands on a napkin, pulled out a quill, and scrawled a long list on a piece of parchment.

Fulina didn’t seem to mind the grease-stained parchment and took it.

"Food, building materials, books..."

The long list was filled with things needed for a pioneer settlement and other miscellaneous items—enough to supply two or three Pioneer Territories, at least.

"You really don’t hold back, do you?" Fulina raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on her lips. "Just now, when Ash offered you a reward, you righteously refused. Why are you trying to bleed me dry now?"

"It seems being pretty can get a certain someone to waive his fee."

"It has nothing to do with that. I was just thinking, with our relationship, there’s no need for pleasantries. That would just make us seem distant, wouldn’t it?"

The Lord waved his hand, an expression of pure selflessness on his face.

"I’d rather we were distant."

Fulina rubbed the bridge of her nose, but ultimately didn’t refuse. She folded the parchment and tucked it away securely.

"If there’s nothing else you need, I’ll be going."

"Hey, now that you mention it, there is one more thing I need."

The Lord was the type to take an inch and run a mile, immediately seizing the opening.

"I also need some of the raw Magic Crystal Ore you and the Wind Speech Tribe are mining."

"Magic Crystal Ore? What do you want that for?" Fulina’s brow furrowed.

After being refined, Magic Crystal Ore was generally used to create Magic Items or integrated into certain pieces of Magic Equipment.

For other major powers, it was a precious and tightly controlled strategic resource. But High Cliff Castle had next to nobody, so Fulina really couldn’t figure out what he needed it for.

"As you know, I’m putting together a Magic Squad. We’re just starting out, and we’ll need Magic Crystal Ore in many areas to replenish Magic Power," Levi said with a shrug.

"Alright, but you’ll have to buy it. And I can only supply you with a small amount each month." Fulina nodded, though it was unclear if she actually believed him.

"Seeing as we’re such good friends, how about a discount?"

Levi hadn’t expected her to charge him. On the principle that every penny saved is a penny earned, he continued to haggle.

"Not a chance!" Fulina turned and walked away, leaving the proud back of her head to silently mock the Lord.

Levi shook his head. Being able to buy it at all was still a good outcome.

After all, it was a strategic resource that Fulina mostly kept for her own use.

’I just don’t know how much it will take to hatch that Stone Egg.’ The very thought made Levi feel the excruciating pain of someone scraping flesh from his bones with a knife.

"My Lord, you’ve returned?"

Levi opened the door to his private treehouse and went inside. To his surprise, Heather, the female Zor, was already there.

"There aren’t enough Elf treehouses, and being crammed into a room with those Beastmen is just too smelly. So I came here, hoping to spend the night with you."

Heather stepped forward to take the Lord’s Sword and cloak, hanging them on a wooden rack as she complained.

"You’re always so much trouble," Levi glanced at her, but didn’t drive her away.

She was a Caster, after all. He could tolerate such a small request.

He then took off his shoes and climbed into bed without another word.

It had been half a month. Lying on a soft bed again, a comfortable Levi couldn’t help but let out a couple of contented groans.

Just then, a figure suddenly slid in behind him.

"Damn, you trying to fight me for the bed?" Without a moment’s hesitation, Levi kicked her off. "This bed is tiny. It’s not big enough for two. Make a bed for yourself on the floor for the night."

’The bed is barely a sword-and-a-half wide, how could two people sleep in it?’

Heather looked resentfully at the Lord, who had spread-eagled himself on the bed, taking up the entire thing. Her little scheme had instantly fallen flat.

She could only hug a blanket and find a spot on the floor to lie down.

...

Inside a wooden house, there was nothing but a few chairs and a table.

Ash sat upright at the head of the table, silently watching the fire roaring in the hearth. Seated before her were several Elves.

One of them stood up and began to state his point of view, trying to win the support of the others.

"This is an important secret of our Elf Race. I object to telling anyone outside our own people."

"Important secret? I see it as more of an important hassle." A white-haired Elf scoffed at the idea. He was quite old and considered part of the Conservative Faction, but at this moment, he felt the Radical Faction’s proposal was actually a bit too conservative.

"Besides, this ’secret’ might not even be important to others."

"If it weren’t for the aid of that Lion Hunter Knight, the Wilderness People would have overrun our Tribe long ago, and we’d all be dead and gone."

"He didn’t help us out of pure altruism. The man has his own motives. Perhaps Fulina paid him, or maybe it was something else," the Elf Elder who had spoken first retorted.

Ordinary Elves might still be naive enough to believe such pretty words, but these elders had lived too long and had long since learned to see through the hearts of men.

They didn’t believe that a complete stranger would show up to help them out of a sense of justice. There had to be a deeper, profit-driven motive behind it.

"But the objective fact is that he did help us. He saved us from disaster. No one can deny that!"

An elven virtue was to always remember the help they received, even if the person helping had ulterior motives. This was a virtue rarely seen in humans.

Another Elf Elder knocked on the table and looked at his colleague. "I think Best has a point. I agree with him."

"I agree as well."

"I object."

"I also object."

The Elf Elders’ declarations reached a stalemate. They looked at each other, none willing to concede.

"Elders." Ash shifted her gaze from the fireplace to their faces. Her voice was as beautiful as a lark’s song, yet it was filled with authority.

She had been the Elf Queen for a very long time, and her prestige was beyond question. The Elf Elders immediately stopped arguing and prepared to listen respectfully.

"We must admit that, for the Wind Speech Tribe as it is now, this secret is a complete and utter liability. We do not have the ability to handle it properly."

Ash didn’t elaborate, but the Elf Elders all knew what she was talking about and nodded in agreement.

"This Lion Hunter Knight is the strongest person I have ever seen. He may be our last hope. If even he is powerless to help, then I believe no one currently among us can solve this problem."

"If we let this drag on, the secret will be impossible to conceal."

The Elf Elders began to whisper among themselves. Eventually, the new perspective gained everyone’s approval.

However, one Elf Elder still asked with some concern.

"Then what about Fulina? Should we tell her?"

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