Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 134 The Calvin Brothers

When Veris left his father's study, he did not look back.

The heavy wooden door closed slowly behind him, but he made no move to leave.

He simply stood quietly in the sunlight at the end of the corridor, looking at the sky with a slightly somber expression, pondering what he should do next.

His brother, Pal, stood a few steps away. The two looked at each other, but neither spoke.

Although they share the same father, they are not close.

Especially within this large Calvin family.

With many brothers, there were numerous factions.

Veris did not have any faction or foundation.

His mother was a commoner woman, or more precisely, a maid whom his father took a fancy to on a whim.

Beautiful and gentle, yet of lowly status.

She did not receive many privileges from the family, nor did she participate in any family affairs.

Therefore, Veris had no siblings from the same mother and little family resources. Even when eating, he would quietly sit in the least conspicuous chair at the corner.

And his mother passed away when he was twelve years old.

Since then, he has become even more taciturn, silently obeying orders and completing tasks within the family's knightly order.

Veris's goal has always been simple.

He didn't want to get involved in the intricate power struggles within the family, nor did he want to participate in the infighting between his brothers.

He simply wanted to be a dutiful general under Calvin's banner, fighting on the battlefield, steadily accumulating merits, and perhaps earning a minor title to live a peaceful life.

He paid a heavy price for this.

He quietly perused Calvin's tactical notes from various dynasties in the library, studying battle formations and terrain tactics. He even paid out of his own pocket to learn from retired knights, practicing horsemanship and leading troops under their tutelage...

Gradually, Veris's efforts paid off.

He stood out in several family military exams and finally began to attract his father's attention, and family resources gradually began to flow towards him.

He thought that maybe in a few years, he would really make something of himself.

But I never expected this opportunity to "stand out" would come so quickly.

His father sent him to the North to serve as a pioneering baron.

On the surface it was a title, but he knew very well that it was actually an exile and a trial.

The North is frigid, surrounded by powerful enemies, and resources are scarce. To survive there, or even just to "survive," is an extremely difficult task.

But Willis did not back down; he understood that this was both a crisis and an opportunity.

He thought of Louis, his younger brother whose mother also came from a humble background and who had always remained silent in the family.

In just one year, he has established a vast territory in the North, ascended to the position of governor, and become the family's standard-bearer in the North.

He wasn't envious; on the contrary, he felt excited.

Willis Calvin also wanted to carve out a space that truly belonged to him there.

From that day on, he never left the library.

He took down the topmost book, "The History of the Northern Border Defense of the Empire," whose cover was already white, and carefully opened it.

Then I took the "General Rules for Grain Management in the North", "Records of Military Uniforms in Snowfields", and "A Brief Account of Border Warfare"...

He only had one week, and he would not waste this one and only opportunity.

…………

The other person heading to the North—Pal Calvin—had his eyes light up the moment he heard the order.

"Is it finally my turn?" He could barely suppress the smile on his face.

An opportunity to be granted a fiefdom and a title, to unify the frontier...

This is the stage he's always dreamed of!

From childhood to adulthood, Pal has always been the most promising child in the family.

He is intelligent and hardworking, especially in tactics and military strategy, where he is almost a "genius".

All his former mentors sighed behind his back, "This kid has a bright future ahead of him."

Not to mention, his mother came from the renowned Elanthus family in the southeast.

Although they are not among the eight great families of the empire, they control two important ports, making their position not to be underestimated.

My two older sisters had long since married into other powerful and wealthy families.

His older brother, Selton Calvin, now controls nearly 30% of the family's business and is a true figure of power.

Despite his background and origins, Pal has never bowed his head.

When he heard that Louis had become the governor of the North, he merely snorted and said, "Louis? That guy whose presence is so faint that people forget about him? Ha, he just got lucky."

He was completely unconvinced.

When Louis was first sent to the North, he mocked him, saying it was nothing more than a death sentence.

The results of it?
Now, the "invisible man" he had always looked down on has become a rising star in the North.

It would be a lie to say I'm not jealous, and it would be an even bigger lie to say I'm not annoyed.

Pal always felt that apart from the few brothers who actually held power, the other brothers in the family were not worth mentioning at all.

Louis? That's even more of a joke. But arrogant as he may be, Pal isn't stupid.

He knew exactly what the North was like; it was far from the comfort zone of the capital.

Even he knew perfectly well that if he went there without some real skills and preparation, he would be swallowed up by that icy wasteland in no time.

So Pal secretly approached her second brother, Selton, and her mother, intending to secure some "start-up capital" for herself.

In the study, the firelight was warm and yellow, and the flames in the fireplace licked the firewood, making the family crest on the wall appear and disappear.

Holding the order, Pal excitedly reported to the two men, "My father has ordered me to go to the North to expand our territory!"

The mother's expression changed instantly, and she sat bolt upright: "The Northern Border? You're not kidding, are you?"

Pal nodded, his eyes shining.

The mother frowned, her voice trembling: "That place is a horrible place! It's freezing cold, and there are lunatics everywhere. You're going to your death! No, I have to go find your father and send someone else."

Pal immediately retorted, "If that useless piece of trash Louis can become a county governor over there, then I certainly can too."

Selton leaned back in his chair, his long fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest, his gaze fixed on his younger brother, his brows furrowed slightly.

Louis, when Pal uttered that name.

The image that came to mind was no longer that of the taciturn and almost invisible Bazi in the family.

When Louis first went to the North, he had this insignificant potential rival eliminated.

He didn't care when it didn't work out; it was just a minor move.

But who could have imagined that the scene he least wanted to see would still appear? That guy who had been neglected by his family for many years rose up rapidly in an unbelievable way.

Selton narrowed his eyes slightly, and the rhythm of his fingertips tapping stopped.

He now even suspects that Louis's "incompetence" within the family over the years might all have been an act.

Was that guy... waiting for his chance all along?
Waiting to break free from the constraints of their families, waiting to find a battlefield where they can go all in?

Although Louis's current strength is not enough to threaten my chance to win the dukedom, I can no longer treat him as casually as before.

Let's turn our attention back to Pal, his half-brother.

Ambitious, visionary, and capable... well, he has some ability, but it's far from enough to handle the situation.

To put it bluntly, it's a classic case of "aiming too high and having unrealistic expectations, but lacking practical skills."

Selton knew perfectly well that if Pal were to foolishly venture into the North with such limited abilities, he would most likely be a one-way trip, utterly annihilated.

He took a deep breath and stared at Pal: "Listen carefully, once we get to the North, don't be reckless, stay calm first. Be low-key and pragmatic. If you really run into trouble... don't be ashamed, cooperate with Louis."

He's gotten this far; he must have his ways. Don't underestimate him, but be wary of him.

Par nodded, "Understood, Second Brother."

But his expression showed no sign of taking it to heart; his eyes clearly held a hint of resentment.

Selton saw everything clearly, snorted coldly, and tapped the table again: "I'm not joking, don't gamble with your life. The North is not like here."

Pal pursed her lips defiantly, her face still showing some stubbornness, but in the end she didn't argue back.

Selton glanced at him, then turned to look at his mother, whose eyes were red and swollen.

He sighed: "Mother, you know Father's decision, and it's no use talking to him. Once he's made up his mind, he won't change it."

All we can do is quickly prepare resources for Pal and stabilize him to prevent anything from happening.

Upon hearing this, Pal's eyes lit up.

He called them here just to hear that sentence; he didn't care about anything else.

The mother wiped away her tears, nodded, and said in a trembling voice, "Yes, yes... Let's get ready quickly. Give him everything we can. It's always good to have more confidence."

After saying that, she went back to her bedroom and had the knights bring two heavy boxes, which she pushed in front of Pal: "There are eight thousand gold coins here, as well as a batch of fine rice and dry rations from the port of Elantor. I will send someone to deliver them all the way to the North."

Selton continued, "I've chosen five old stewards to go with you. They're all on our side and know all about logistics and supplies. Don't worry about them. As long as you don't mistreat them, they can make sure you don't starve."

"I'll give you thirty regular knights from my guard, plus the support my father gave me... that should be enough for you to establish a foothold in the North."

He paused here, glanced at Pal, and said, "Unfortunately..."

The mother chimed in, sighing, "You're in the North, with no confidants, no connections; you have to rely on yourself for everything."

Pal looked down at the boxes, a slight, disdainful smile creeping onto his lips: "I'm good enough on my own."

He genuinely felt that way.

In his eyes, this was nothing at all.

The North? It's nothing more than a desolate and cold place.

Others are afraid, but he is not.

Especially when he saw the pile of resources in front of him, he was completely relieved of his worries.

Eight thousand gold coins, a batch of fine rice and dry rations, dozens of official knights, and five old stewards who specialize in handling logistics.

This configuration is already the best treatment the family can offer.

He couldn't help but sneer inwardly: That Louis guy, he just got lucky.

When they first headed north, they had less than a thousand gold coins and only about forty knights with them, yet they still dared to charge forward despite their fear.

What do I have in my hands now?
The gifts from his father and brother combined amounted to at least five or six times Louis's fighting strength, and several times more money.

If he could become a prefect in the North, wouldn't someone as talented as me, with these resources, simply dominate the North?
Selton frowned inwardly at his nonchalant demeanor, feeling uneasy, but said nothing more.

(End of this chapter)