Do you have a problem with necromancers?

Chapter 28 Recruiting Knights
After finishing his business on Salt Island, Raine took some time to return to Searock City.

As a nobleman of the Faher family, it is perfectly normal and reasonable for him to return with two female elven guards and a human personal maid.

“River Reef, huh?” Standing at the dock of Searock City, Bersalia looked around with great interest. “I remember back in our time, this was still a wild and untamed land where wild elves roamed, wasn’t it?”

"I'm asking you, Ellina?"

"I don't know," Ellina said curtly.

“The human empire is still more powerful,” Bersalia said deliberately. “The elven empire has occupied the continent for so many years, yet it still couldn’t extend its rule to the Reach. After the human empire took over, the Reach became the Reach Province.”

Ellina remained silent.

The group crossed the street and returned to Gullburg.

Seeing that Raine had another sexy and alluring dark elf by his side, it would be impossible for Faher not to be jealous.

However, Raine is now Marquis Fahel's most favored son, and offending him means offending the Marquis... It's better to go to Nightingale's Nest and find a few dark-skinned people to vent your anger on.

Marquis Fahel was equally stunned when he first saw Berthalia.

Although this person's appearance and temperament are nothing like mine, he is never picky when choosing a partner and always pursues a balanced diet. In this respect, he is indeed my bloodline... no, he is even better than me!

"And who is this?" he asked Renn.

“My wife’s best friend,” Ryan made up a reason. “She came all the way from the Red Soil Plateau and is currently visiting Iron Harbor.”

"Are they Dark Elf nobles?" Marquis Fahl asked in a low voice, leaning close to his ear.

“Of course,” Ryan said. “Doesn’t it look like it?”

She looked more like a charming socialite... but Marquis Fahl knew that roast chicken was a common delicacy among the Dark Elves, so he didn't doubt her identity, but couldn't help but feel a sense of respect.

White plus black, they really know how to play the game.

Renn snapped his fingers, signaling Dia to bring out the memorandum, and began negotiations with Marquis Fahel:
“Father, as the lord of Salt Island, I demand that the imperial feudal laws be implemented, and that all the mines, forests, fishing grounds, shipyards and fleet bases on the island be taken over as the territory.”

“No.” Marquis Fahel refused decisively. “The rest is fine, but the shipyard and fleet base belong to the family and cannot be given to you.”

“Salt Island must have its own shipyard and fleet base.” Rein refused to budge and said firmly, “These two occupy the best harbor locations on Salt Island. If the family wants to keep them, then please move the shipyard and fleet base back.”

Marquis Fahel laughed in fury. "I am the head of the family. Who gave you the audacity to make demands of me?"

Wait a minute, with the population size and economic strength of Salt Island, even if it regains its good port location, it can't build a shipyard and fleet base... Are you just trying to negotiate the price with me?
“How about this,” Marquis Fahl said with a smile. “The land on Salt Island is of course yours, but the family fleet needs shipyards and bases for maintenance and replenishment, and the family cannot concede on this point. As for the losses you suffer as a result, perhaps we can compensate you by leasing the land.”

“Okay.” Raine nodded. “How about we use the usual supply from Searock City to Ironport City as the rent?”

Marquis Fahel had no objection, since before Salt Island was sealed off, the family was responsible for everything, from shipyards and bases to all necessary supplies.

Daiya silently took notes, and couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement.

When they were in Blood Fortress, Raine had mentioned to her that what they originally wanted to take back were the mines and the forests.

However, it is obvious that if this request is made directly, the Marquis will inevitably bargain and cut the price.

Therefore, Renn directly demanded the shipyard and fleet base, which were the lifeblood of the Fahre family, whose main source of income was maritime smuggling. The Marquis would never allow them to escape his control.

Therefore, if Renn were to go along with the situation and offer to reclaim only the forest and mines, the old marquis would find it acceptable.

I learned some new communication skills!
Marquis Fahel was clearly not in a good mood after being asked for such an exorbitant sum by Renn, and said impatiently:
"Is there anything else?"

“Yes,” Raine said. “I need to recruit knights in Searock City.”

"Go, it's up to you," Marquis Fahl waved his hand, indicating that he should leave. In this Western fantasy world, knights are divided into two types: those with fiefs and those without.

Those who have fiefdoms are generally required to remain stationed there, and will not come unless publicly summoned by the Marquis of Faher.

Those without fiefdoms basically wander around Sea Rock City every day, earning money by serving the nobles of the Faher family, or by seizing opportunities to show their faces in front of the Marquis in order to win a fiefdom.

A fiefdom is the lifelong dream of every knight, after all, "proletarian knight" is not a pleasant title.

Renn booked an entire tavern in Searock City and announced to the proletarian knights who were drinking there: Renn Fahr is treating all the family knights to free drinks.

Soon, more than thirty proletarian knights arrived at the tavern, filling the counter and tables.

"Lord Rennes!" someone shouted drunkenly, "Is it true that you're inviting us for drinks?"

“I don’t answer stupid questions,” Renn said dismissively. “Some of you may already know that the family recently granted me Salt Island…”

"Is it that desolate, barren salt island?" someone laughed loudly again. "I'm not interested. Would I even drink here?"

“You interrupted me.” Ryan pointed. “Drag him out.”

Behind him, Berthalia, who was acting as a female guard, immediately stepped forward. The proletarian knight tried to draw his sword to fight back, but Berthalia was faster. She slapped him so hard that he was dizzy, and then kicked him to the ground.

She grabbed the knight by the ankle with one hand, dragged him out of the tavern and threw him onto the road, then returned to Raine's side.

The tavern was completely silent.

The knight who had just been thrown out was a burly man, weighing at least 180 pounds, yet this dark elf guard tossed him out like a dead dog, instilling fear in the remaining proletarian knights, who then put away their joking expressions.

"There is a large tract of land on Salt Island," Renn said arrogantly, spreading his hands. "You are all my father's vassals, and I have no right to conscript you as my knights. However, if you have an eldest or second son and wish to have him achieve military merit and obtain a fief, you can come to my scribe, Dia, to register him as a knight's squire. This is a favor I bestow upon you; accept it with gratitude."

Looking at the knights who were silently drinking and not saying a word, Dia, for some reason, suddenly mustered up her courage and spoke loudly:

"Gentlemen! I know that Salt Island may not be the best choice for you. However, the Faher family doesn't have much land left. Will continuing to wait really lead to a better opportunity?"

"Before you were knighted, weren't you all poor, destitute farmers, hunters, and woodcutters? If you had always sought stability and dared not take risks or gamble everything, how did you become knights? Was it just because of good luck?"

"Shut up!" a knight suddenly roared, slamming his wine glass heavily on the table, startling Dia.

He approached Dia with a grim expression and said in a hoarse voice:
“Fauce Gellridge, my eldest son… I am willing to send him to Salt Island to serve as Lord Rein’s attendant.”

Dia looked at him in alarm, but her expression quickly turned to surprise:

"Alright! Let me write down your eldest son's name..."

"I want to sign up too!" another proletarian knight shouted, raising his goblet. "I've waited eight years! I can't let my son suffer with me! Lord Renn, I entrust his life to you! Grant him war, honor, and death as weighty as courage!"

"Me too!"

"I'm signing up for my son too!"

The proletarian knights swarmed around Dia, surrounding her without a word, and eagerly announcing their family names and the names of their eldest sons.

Dia was surrounded by knights, who were busy registering her, asking her name, and calming her down to maintain the precarious order. She was incredibly busy, but her face was beaming with a happy smile.

“Her speech was quite inspiring,” Ellina suddenly said. “The knights clearly know what kind of people they can entrust their trust to.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Renn said calmly. “Anyway, I’ve already achieved my goal.”

"I'm leaving; I have other things to take care of."

(End of this chapter)