I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 326 Mystic Councilor

Chapter 326 Mystic Councilor
……

……

Lord's Manor.

Luxem walked hurriedly, almost jogging, across the front yard of the manor and heading straight for the council chamber in the main building.

When the guard at the gate saw the visitor, he nodded and bowed.

"Mr. Luxembourg."

Cerf knew that Lucien had been handling many matters for his lord these days.

He also knew the importance of the spellcaster to the lord, so he was very respectful.

"The lord is discussing matters with Lord Durant. Please wait a moment."

Severus suggested, "Perhaps you should go back to your room and rest first. I will send someone to inform you when the lord has time."

“Okay, thank you.” Lucien said with a smile, “I’ll wait here.”

After saying that, Luxem nodded and stood aside.

At this moment, in the council hall.

Rod and Durant were standing in front of a table covered with maps, having just finished a long discussion and studied the army's reorganization plan.

The number of legions has now expanded from four to ten, and the total strength has increased from four thousand to ten thousand.

However, the formation of the legion is far from over, and it is still a long way from Rhodes' goal.

Rhodes finalized the basic configurations for each legion.

Infantry were the main force, accounting for 40% to 60% of the troops.

Spear throwers and archers, as ranged shooters, together accounted for 20% to 30%.

The shield guards responsible for defense make up 10% to 20%.

With this configuration, each legion can operate independently, while also being able to quickly coordinate their operations when needed.

"And what about the cavalry, Your Grace?" Durant asked.

Durant was originally very law-abiding, but after learning that the two pseudo-empires had conferred the title of Duke on Rhodes, he immediately changed how he addressed Rhodes.

Rod's goals have changed, so he doesn't care about this anymore and just calls Durant whatever he wants.

"The cavalry regiment is an independent organization."

Rhodes frowned slightly and ordered, "Currently, we only have four hundred cavalry."

"Compared to a legion of ten thousand men, this number of cavalry is far too small."

"We must continue to expand our cavalry forces."

"The Cold Blade family owns four horse farms, and now these farms all belong to you, Your Grace."

Durant suggested, "These could all be converted into facilities for raising warhorses."

"very good."

Rhodes nodded. "Go and discuss it with Lawrence. Ask him for the necessary supplies and personnel."

"You can also take away any warhorses captured by other legions that you like."

"Yes, Your Grace."

Durant nodded and took note.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Rod called out to him.

"By the way, have the eldest princess and the Duke of Flowers sent word back?" Rhodes asked.

After the nobles of the northern provinces were wiped out, the two missions returned to their respective "emperors" with Rhodes's reply.

"Not yet, Your Grace."

Durant shook his head slightly. "They're probably still on their way, Your Grace."

“Actually, you don’t need to use the title ‘Duke’ in every sentence, Durant,” Rhodes said casually.

Durant paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Understood, Your Grace."

“…Alright, you can go ahead and get busy.” Rhodes waved his hand.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door.

"Dong dong dong."

"Come in."

The guard, Cerf, pushed open the door and entered, looking at Rhodes, who was seated in the main seat, and respectfully reported,
"My lord, Mr. Lucien has arrived and has been waiting for a long time."

He said he had important letters to present to you.

"Then let him in," Rhodes instructed, then nodded to Durant.

Durant understood, tidied up the documents on the table, bowed to Rhodes, and left the council chamber.

Luxem quickly walked in.

"The wise man's reply has been delivered, Lord Rhodes."

Luxem bowed respectfully, took out a letter from his pocket, and presented it with both hands.

The envelope was covered with dark red sealing wax and printed with an intricate magical rune.

Rod took the letter and flicked open the wax seal with his fingers.

The exquisite parchment unfolded, revealing neat handwriting.

Rhodes's eyes quickly scanned the contents of the letter.

The letter affirmed the views and suggestions put forward by Rhodes.

He expressed his sincere gratitude to Rhodes for the dragon blood and sea monster fluids he had given him.

And at the end of the letter, the wise man formally welcomed Rhodes to the Dawn Order.

More importantly, Rhodes will join as a "secret law councilor".

After reading the letter, Rhodes looked up, his eyes filled with doubt.

What is a secret law councilor?

"Congratulations on becoming the fifth Arcane Councilor, Lord Rhodes."

Luxem's tone was full of excitement, and his face beamed with an undisguised smile.

This result was clearly no surprise to him.

Because the wise man also sent a reply to Luxembourg.

In that letter, the wise man clearly told Lucien that Rhodes had been invited to become a councilor of the secret arts.

“Unlike other ordinary members of parliament, members of the secret law have special powers.”

“When the Dawn Council holds votes on major decisions, your vote is equivalent to five votes.”

"Oh?"

Rhodes was somewhat surprised; how did he suddenly become a special arcane councilor?

"What are your criteria for judgment?" Rod asked.

"First of all, a member of parliament must be a spellcaster, and you perfectly meet that requirement."

"Secondly, it must make a significant contribution to the dawn," Luxem explained.

"In this respect, the fifty drops of dragon blood you contributed, along with those precious sea monster fluids, have already met the standard."

"Not to mention the knowledge you provided about the characteristics of the undead."

Lu Sen said with a smile, "That knowledge will be very important when we deal with the undead legion of the Western Alliance in the future."

Rod nodded slightly, signaling Lucien to continue.

"Finally, the candidate needs to have sufficient strength."

Luxen thoughtfully analyzed, "Personally, I think that when assessing this, the wise man is more concerned with your status as a noble lord."

“You are completely different from other spellcasters.”

"You can't just consider your personal spellcasting ability; you also need to consider your dragons, your army, and the resources you control."

Luxen joked, "Considering all of this, I think even the wise man himself wouldn't be a match for you."

Rod smiled and nodded slightly in agreement.

In reality, even considering individual strength, the wise man would not be a match for Rhodes.

Rhodes can both consume his life force to increase his strength and transform into a dragon.

Despite the time limit, it is more than enough to deal with ordinary wizard apprentices.

Of course, Rhodes wouldn't say anything unnecessary.

"In that case, you and Linda can stay and help me with my business?"

Rhodes' tone carried a hint of anticipation.

"Yes, this is one of the powers you have as a cleric."

Luxem's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Furthermore, you can freely access all the knowledge currently available to the Dawn Society, including information on ancient ruins that are being studied."

Lu Sen said without reservation, "Dawn has discovered a divine relic on an island in the western sea. It is almost deciphered. You are welcome to visit if you are interested."

“I’ll go when I’m done with this,” Rod replied casually.

Luxen paused for a moment, then continued, "You can also issue various missions within the Dawn Society."

"For a small reward, spellcasters will be willing to work for you."

"Whether it's brewing potions, breaking curses, or researching some kind of magical material."

After listening, Rod nodded in satisfaction.

These powers are indeed valuable; it seems that the dragon blood and sea monster fluids I gave were not wasted.

“You can send up to five low-level wizard apprentices over now.”

Luxem added, "Let them be stationed in the border town long-term to provide you with various services."

"Not urgent."

Rod looked at Lucien seriously, "For now, I only trust you and Linda."

"I don't know the others yet, let's wait and see."

Rod made no attempt to hide his concerns, but also expressed his approval of Lusen.

"Thank you for your trust." Luxen nodded happily.

"How is the selection process for the extraordinary citizens going?"

Rhodes changed the subject and asked.

Now that Luxen is his, Rode is using him without any restraint.

"I was just about to report this to you,"

Luxen sighed slightly, which immediately piqued Rod's interest.

“After screening the newcomers in Eagle Ridge and Black Pine Ridge, we found seven children with wizarding potential and four children with witching potential.”

Luxem paused for a moment,
"One of the witches has awakened naturally; she can sense the feelings of the surrounding plants and use that feeling to help them."

"Eleven children with extraordinary talents, that's a good thing."

Rod asked with a smile, "Why are you sighing?"

“This is indeed a good thing, sir; this far exceeds the normal ratio,” Luxem replied. Normally, finding two or three out of ten thousand children would be considered quite good.

But now, out of more than three thousand children, there are eleven of them, and Luxembourg is overjoyed.

"But my happiness didn't last long."

Lusen's face showed distress. "In screenings in other villages and settlements around the border town, nearly a thousand children were examined."

"Only two children with wizarding potential and one witch who has not yet awakened were found."

"Although this ratio is not low, the difference is too great compared to the situation at Eagle Ridge."

Luxen hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said:
"Could there be some kind of extraordinary item or relic at Eagle Ridge that influenced the children's growth and inspired their extraordinary talents?"

"Perhaps you could send someone to explore the surrounding area; you might discover some relics."

A hint of anticipation flickered in Luxembourg's eyes.

"Not for now."

Rod knew perfectly well what had affected those children.

He smiled faintly and said, "The selection process is temporarily suspended. You should help these fifteen children with their early education."

"Let's talk about other things later. There are more important things to deal with right now."

The children of Eagle Ridge and Black Pine Ridge were completely influenced by Rhodes's entry.

However, the territories of the Coldblade family have only been under Rhodes's control for a short time, and the effects are not yet obvious. It will take more time for them to become apparent.

"Ok, I see."

Luxem nodded in agreement.

He also knew that the northern provinces had just been conquered by Rhodes, and there were many things that needed to be addressed as a priority.

We shouldn't waste our energy on those vague and unfounded speculations.

After giving his report, Luxem did not leave immediately.

He stood there, then suddenly lowered his head, his expression becoming awkward, and an embarrassed smile appeared on his face.

"Ok?"

Noticing Lusen's shyness, Rhodes chuckled and asked, "What could possibly make you look like this?"

"Lord Rhodes, I have a question..."

Lucien's voice trailed off, "Does your sister, Miss Dora, have a fiancé?"

As soon as the question was raised, Rod immediately understood what Luxen meant.

"For questions like this, Luxen, you'd better ask her directly."

Rod said seriously, his tone becoming solemn.

"I don't want to get too involved in Dora's marriage; relationships should be a matter of personal freedom."

Rod allowed Durant and Gunle's subordinates to make their own choices regarding their spouses.

Dora had taken such good care of him, so it was even less likely that Rod would interfere in her marriage.

"Okay, I understand, thank you for your clarification."

Luxem bowed in thanks.

Rod's answer had actually given him a positive signal.

At least the lord won't stop him from pursuing Dora.

Now it depends on his own abilities.

Thinking of this, Lucien's heart began to race.

As a wizarding apprentice, he was very talented in knowledge and magic.

But he had absolutely no experience when it came to relationships.

Just at this moment, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

After Rhodes agreed, the guard Cerf pushed open the door and came in.

"My lord, new information has arrived from Frosthold."

The guard strode forward, holding a letter in his hand.

Vivian immediately went to greet him and took the letter from the guard.

The letters brought in by the guards are usually routine reports, so there's no need to be too nervous.

Vivian casually opened the letter and handed it to Rhodes.

Rhodes's eyes swept quickly across the paper.

Three days ago, Gunle and his men successfully breached Frosthold, but failed to locate the Coldblade family's treasure vault.

While it was described as a breakthrough, it was actually more of an internal collapse.

The captain of the guards found an opportunity and, with a few trusted confidants, set fire to the granary in the dead of night.

He then fled Frosthold overnight and reported the news to Gungle, who was waiting outside.

Although it was only a portion of Frosthold's granaries, it still caused a food crisis.
In less than two weeks, Frosthold fell without a fight.

The hungry guards opened the gates in the dead of night, allowing Gungle's army to storm into the castle.

The soldiers, who were starving, had a weak will to resist.

They couldn't hold out for long against the four hundred elite soldiers of the vanguard regiment; most of them chose to surrender immediately.

Viscount Winnie, escorted by two knights, attempted to escape in a valley behind the Frost Mountains, but was spotted by Gala's falcon.

Sejuani led her army to block their path, and under the charge of the winter boars, one knight was killed and the other wounded.

Viscount Winnie was eventually captured alive.

Sejuani interrogated her sternly, but Viscount Winnie didn't know the exact location of the Coldblade family's treasure.

This is also normal.

After all, neither she nor Lan Ao were the true power holders of the Hanren family, and Marquis Hanren had always been wary of the two of them.

To be precise, he was wary of all his offspring and relatives.

The most valuable thing about Frosthold is its treasure vault.

We can't afford to not find it.

Rod looked up at Lusen.

"Perhaps you have a way to find it."

"Huh?" Lucien was clearly taken aback, not knowing what Rhodes was talking about.

Rhodes handed the letter to Lucien.

After receiving the letter, Luxen read it carefully and understood what Rod had said.

"This is a bit difficult..."

Luther said thoughtfully, "Unless there are traces of supernatural items and magic in the vault."

Dawn frequently searches for ancient ruins, relying on feedback from magical fluctuations, which is very simple for spellcasters.

“The wise man possesses a transcendent item that extends his spiritual power; if the distance is within ten meters, it might be possible to find it,” Luxen added.

"You reminded me."

Rod suddenly remembered that he also had a mental amplifier.

……

Shattered Rock Empire, Western Province.

Flower Castle.

Just as its name suggests, the courtyard of Flower Castle is full of buds waiting to bloom in early spring.

The tall and robust Duke of Flowers walked leisurely along the gravel path with his hands behind his back.

He looked to be nearly fifty years old, with his deep red hair meticulously combed and neatly swept back.

The corners of his eyes bore the deep marks of time, yet his grey-blue eyes remained sharp, and his entire being exuded an air of authority befitting someone who had long held a high position.

"Your Majesty the Duke."

The butler's voice came from behind, "The delegation has arrived in Flower Crown Town."

The butler bowed as he reported, his tone respectful and steady.
"At their current pace, it should take them another three days to get here."

The Duke of Flowers stopped, turned around, and casually picked up a flower bud from the roadside and played with it.

The butler took a letter from his pocket, presented it to him with both hands, and handed it forward.
"However, Viscount Cruz sent a letter back urgently."

"It's a reply from Lord Rhodes."

The Duke of Flowers did not reach out to take it, but continued to casually fiddle with the flower buds.

"Let's open it."

The Duke of Flowers spoke calmly, revealing no emotional fluctuation.

"Yes, Your Grace."

The butler carefully pressed his thumb against the sealing wax seal.

With a gentle push, the dark red sealing wax cracked open.

The butler then opened the envelope, took out the letter inside, unfolded it, and respectfully presented it to the Duke of Flowers.

The butler remained in that position, motionless.

The Duke of Flowers stared blankly at the contents of the letter.

After reading the entire letter, the Duke of Flowers fell silent.

He simply stood there, gazing at the distant sky.