Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Life at the Lord's Manor was not one of abundance, yet there were savings; however, sugar was not a commodity that could be bought with mere money—it was an exceedingly precious entity.

Sugar, a prized and elusive extract from magical flora, is most commonly derived from a low-grade magical plant known as the Devil Vine.

Though just a low-grade magical plant, it posed a significant danger to common folk. The vine secreted a sweet nectar to lure creatures close, only to drain their blood, reducing an adult man to a mummified husk in mere ten minutes.

Moreover, the Devil Vine was a “social” plant; once cultivated, it would rapidly encroach upon and devastate the territories of other plants, becoming a truly formidable presence.

To cultivate the Devil Vine on a large scale would require at least 20 high-ranking transcendents.

High-ranking transcendents could transcend social classes through their own power. Enticing them to guard a Devil Vine plantation demanded greater resources.

Thus, sugar, this cherished resource, remained tightly controlled by the behemoth families.

Devoid of high-ranking transcendents, the city of Dayak could neither cultivate nor mass-produce sugar. Given the low purchasing power and high danger, no trade caravan was willing to transport sugar for sale here.

The sugar in Dayak was perilously sourced by wanderers near the Sunset Mountains at “Devil’s Ridge.”

The current stock of sugar at the Lord's Manor was hastily procured by Blaise upon learning of the arrival of a new lord.

The city’s sugar had been entirely bought up by Blaise days ago; to purchase more, one must either borrow from other nobles or travel over a hundred kilometers to Lakdaria City.

A pound of sugar on the market cost one gold coin, though nobles engaged in “bulk purchasing” at a slightly reduced rate of 99 silver coins—a euphemism for a negligible discount.

Learning of sugar's high value, Phelos immediately had plans for the first factory.

However, a distant solution does not quench an immediate thirst, and establishing a sugar mill would take time.

“I will organize a team and head to Lakdaria City right away. Within ten days, I promise to return with ample sugar,” Blaise offered, eager to make amends by volunteering for the perilous task.

On the continent of Tantali, joining a merchant caravan was among the deadliest of occupations; monsters, undead, orcs, bandits, curses… a myriad of fatal fates was not uncommon.

Blaise's offer alone was testament enough to his "loyalty."

“There’s no need.” Phelos had some sugar in his pack, albeit not much, but it would suffice for the time being.

Whether it was white, brown, rock, or maple sugar, all were merely level 1 white materials. It seemed unreasonable for a level 300 maxed-out player, a true grind-king, to farm level 1-10 monsters for such basic materials, didn’t it?

But his playtime was excessively long. Fifteen years without logging off, engaged in non-stop monster slaying and questing, had yielded a backpack full of various curious and rare drops.

He organized all the candy in his backpack, discarding approximately 10 tons. Brown sugar and maple sugar might not be essential, but they could still provide sweetness if nothing else was available.

"This, this..." Alice and Blaise were astounded by Phelos's display of wealth. The mountainous heap of various sugars was not just candy—it was akin to a mountain of gold coins!

Near the sunless mountain range, a canyon known as "Devil's Ridge" is overrun by the devil's vines. There, countless devil's vines thrive. When adventurers low on funds feel lucky, they venture there, hoping to encounter a stray vine. Chopping one and returning alive means earning a handsome sum.

However, this is a job that demands staking one’s life, which is why the price of sugar remains exorbitantly high—at one gold coin per pound, even after the nobles have collectively forced the price down.

Since the previous lord left, the entirety of Dayak City has become detached from the empty shell of the lord's mansion. Blaise may be a caster, but he's not of a very high level, and as a slave, his only source of income was the vast stretch of manorial lands.

But the yield from estates that can only cultivate ordinary crops is limited. Annual slave purchases and maintaining the manor's facade for appearances are significant expenditures.

Moreover, with Chitty incessantly demanding money for various reasons, the castle without a true master must "obey" to continue existing.

Hence, even after fifty years of accumulation, the lord's treasury was not particularly abundant.

When Phelos ordered the sugar to be moved to the storeroom, he also took the opportunity to inspect the mansion's inventory.

The entire city was the lord's private property, but all revenues from taxes, land sales, money from selling tax-defaulting civilians into slavery, and shop management fees... all went to the governing hall. The lord’s mansion—or rather, the steward—had control only over the money earned from the sale of the estate’s produce.

The five estates covered a total area of 150,000 acres, managed by 57 overseers—all transcendent beings—comprising 21 apprentices and 36 juniors. Under the labor of over two thousand slaves, they yield roughly 100,000 tons of agricultural products annually, which should equate to an income of about 300,000 gold coins. But slave attrition, the training of transcendent beings, the castle's basic expenditures, and Boke's various demands for money left little surplus.

To prepare for the lord's arrival, just the sumptuous dinner that day cost 5,000 gold coins, leaving the treasury as empty as if it was only illuminated by the faint glow of fireflies.

The great-great-great-great-great-grandlord was a wealthy noble. The vault was constructed on a grand scale, embellished with numerous magical runes and arrays, secure against even level 90 high-level casters.

But the larger the vault, the more pronounced its current emptiness seemed.

925 gold, 6,323 silver, and 245,721 copper—this was the entirety of the lord's mansion's funds.

Pitifully scant, but for the sake of nobility's pride, the lord's mansion still appeared opulent.

Apart from the vault, there was also a regular storeroom within the castle, equally barren.

"I've already had Pike deliver the flour and sesame seeds. There won't be any delay for tomorrow's honey bun distribution task!"

Previously stored with crops like wheat, the storeroom was emptied by Phelos's command. However, it was soon to be refilled with the precious sugar.

Blaise initially suggested storing the sugar in the vault,

Without magical runes protecting the ordinary storeroom, Blaise was visibly uneasy. He quickly assured, “I will definitely safeguard these precious sugars!”

It was the peak of the harvest season, and there was no shortage of wheat and sesame seeds in the fields, but transporting such large quantities of flour and sesame required some time.

Phelos hummed noncommittally in response, “Bring me a basket of bread.”

The cook's skills left much to be desired, and as a tireless Liver Emperor who needed no sleep, Phelos, armed with hundreds of honey buns, set out to 'inspect' the raw material production base of the sugar refinery.

As Blaise explained, Devil's Ridge was vast, but beyond his ability to explore; he only knew it was a terrifying place.

The territory of the Devil's Vines was immensely wide, so much so that even from a thousand meters in the air, it was a massively looming presence.

After estimating the area to be tens of thousands of acres, Phelos felt somewhat pleased, marked it on his map, and then leaped straight down into the abyss.

“Whoosh—”

Countless thorny vines spiraled and surged towards him.

Phelos's eyes gleamed as he cast a lightening spell on himself, his dagger-hand moving swiftly and accurately, chopping through the oncoming branches.

-872365-655342-234543……

Huge crimson figures flashed within this ocean of vines. On his way here, Phelos had switched to inconsequential grey gear, his dagger merely a basic shape, unsharpened. Yet even so, his exaggeratedly high attributes made short work of a large swath of Devil's Vines.

Own physical attack minus enemy physical defense equals the damage dealt.

These were the rules of the game, but the real world couldn't operate on such rigid formulae.

The situation was fundamentally caused by Phelos's poor control over his 'strength.'

As a Liver Emperor with slight obsessive-compulsive tendencies, he wouldn't allow such mishaps!

Phelos frowned and dispelled the lightening spell, plunging straight into the endless domain of the Devil's Vines.

Devil's Vines were the lowest tier of magical plants, with levels generally between 1-10, and only a rare few reaching beyond level 10. Yet, millions of these, when entwined together, formed a domain that even legendary magicians (level 100) dared not enter lightly.

And in this canyon, there were billions of them.

However, upon reaching the heart of the Devil's Vine sea, no vine dared approach Phelos.

The initial vines that moved against Phelos were the local bosses of this territory, including a rare level 19 on the verge of breaking through to the ultimate level 20 boss.

Yet, like the thousands of other Devil's Vines, the level 19 overlord was felled in a single strike.

It couldn't even perform a 'self-amputation to survive'; its thousands of square meters of body lost its life force in an instant.

From a bird's eye view, one could see the canyon's patchy desolation, as if struck by a blight.

A level 1 Devil's Vine is not large, but the exponential growth pattern of Devil's Vines beyond level 10 becomes a truly terrifying phenomenon.

Even though sugar derived from level 10 Devil's Vines fetches an exorbitant price, no noble's estate dares to cultivate Devil's Vines above level 10 to this day.

A sprawling magical plant covering thousands of square meters, not even a high-level caster can kill it in one go.

Once Devil's Vines of level 10 or higher form a colony, they become synonymous with 'terror,' and even advanced casters must retreat.

And those who are more powerful than high-level casters can't be hired for mere gold!

It's a gross underutilization to employ such beings to guard level 10 magical plants.

Lesser magical plants lack intelligence, but the instinct to survive is fundamental to all life.

No more Devil's Vines dare approach Phelos, but this leaves him quite dissatisfied.

Although they are of a lower level, there are benefits to that; the lower the level, the more convenient it is for him to exercise his power.