"Ensiso took the weapon crafted by the village blacksmith, donned the battle robe sewn by the village women, and wore the flower wreath handcrafted by his beloved. He faced the three thousand iron riders alone."
"That day, people only remembered thunder and lightning in the sky, but no one knew what happened."
"When the dark clouds dispersed and the sun once again illuminated the earth, the hero Ensiso did not return. Along with him disappeared the three thousand iron riders, leaving only a blood-stained flower wreath on the battlefield."
Goffrey's wife finished telling the story in a soft voice, and Goffrey's young son listened with wide-eyed admiration. But Alexander felt that the story was quite cliché, blending mythology, religion, and personal heroism. It was fine for deceiving children, but he didn't believe in even a single punctuation mark.
[The wheel of fate turns once again, Lord Alexander triggers an epic-level mission—The Fate of the Demigod]
[Current mission progress: 1/9]
[Mission reward: Thunderous Demigod's Body]
Alexander was stunned. What kind of mission was this? Was Ensiso real after all? And what on earth was the Thunderous Demigod's Body?
Just as Alexander was lost in thought, a familiar voice came from outside the door.
"Boss, I've brought the person."
Viktor's voice could be heard from afar, and he entered the room with several soldiers, carrying an old man.
The old man was shouting, "Help! Someone kidnapped me!"
He only calmed down when he saw the lavishly dressed Alexander.
"Sir, may I ask why you've tied me up?" the physician quickly asked.
"For treatment. Otherwise, why would I bring you here?" Alexander pointed at the sickbed. The physician instantly understood.
But he looked troubled and said, "Sir, my medical services... are expensive."
It was a roundabout way of asking for money. Alexander didn't care; he tossed a bag of coins over. After all, he was rolling in wealth now and didn't mind parting with a little money.
The physician quickly picked up the coins, but he still looked hesitant. He said, "Sir, it's not about the money. I have an appointment with Lord Streang. I must go there first... uh!"
A longsword was already hanging at the physician's neck. Alexander spoke coldly, "If you don't treat the patient here first, you won't have the chance to see Lord Streang."
老医师 swallowed nervously. He had noticed the gleaming armor under Alexander's luxurious robe, immediately recognizing him as someone not to be trifled with.
"Of course, of course, I'll do as you say!" the physician quickly agreed.
Alexander then lowered his sword, allowing the physician to approach and examine Goffrey's elderly mother. At the same time, Alexander walked a few steps forward and stood next to Goffrey's young son, whispering softly, "Every hero's story eventually comes to an end. A true man must leave his own epic in this world."
Goffrey's young son looked up at this unfamiliar uncle. These words struck deep, planting a seed in his young heart. For the first time, he saw this uncle, who didn't seem tall, as incredibly towering.
To leave his own epic...
To become a true hero...
*Cough, cough.*
The physician's cough broke Goffrey's young son's reverie and thoughts.
All eyes were now on the physician, who felt immense pressure. Reluctant as he was, he dared not deceive Alexander and quietly said, "I'm sorry, sir. I'm powerless. Perhaps you should seek a more skilled physician."
This was a diplomatic way of saying... it's beyond help.
Viktor kicked the old physician away, shouting, "Nonsense! Clearly, you don't want to save her, quack! I'll kill you right here!"
"Let him go, Viktor," Alexander sighed, walking over to stop Viktor. In truth, when Alexander first entered and saw Goffrey's elderly mother, he knew it was unlikely she could be saved. Too much air out and not enough in, even if she were in an ICU, might not bring her back, let alone in a world with such backward medical skills.
The old physician quickly knelt down, expressing his tearful gratitude for Alexander's mercy. He explained that the patient was beyond saving and then hurriedly fled.
Goffrey remained crouched at the bedside, one hand tightly gripping his mother's hand and the other clenched tightly. For a while, he couldn't say a word.
Alexander silently took out a bag of dinars, placed it on the windowsill, and wrote a note with directions to his headquarters in Lisbon.
"After you've taken care of things here, come find me in Lisbon."
Having said that, Alexander left Goffrey's home with Viktor and Otto, ready to return to Lisbon.
As the conflicts on the continent never cease, and a brief ceasefire doesn't promise lasting peace, Alexander needs to strengthen his military preparations for the next battle. He returns to the dilapidated warehouse he purchased, exchanging the spoils he obtained on the battlefield for denarii. With the addition of winnings from the arena matches and gambling, he now has a modest fortune.
[The Fate's Wheel detects that Lord Alexander has earned more than 10,000 denarii. Due to exceeding the system's schedule, the Fate's Wheel will prematurely complete Alexander's Merchant Path quest and grant the final reward.]
[Reward Title: Merchant Prince]
[Merchant Prince (Title): System currency and denarii can be exchanged at a 1:1 ratio.]
This title brightens Alexander's eyes. Although he hasn't gained system currency directly, it means he now has another avenue to acquire it.
Thus, making money becomes Alexander's top priority. But before he can focus on wealth accumulation, he needs to properly expand his strength. In other words, he needs to spend his money effectively.
Despite having earned a considerable sum, after recruiting over a dozen new soldiers and providing them with new equipment and horses, renovating the main camp's warehouse, and purchasing a plot of land nearby to convert into a training ground, Alexander's savings have once again dwindled.
Maintaining an army is indeed a costly endeavor.
Just as Alexander ponders how to generate more income, the Golden Goblet finally sends a messenger with a sealed letter.
Alexander eagerly opens the missive. Inside, he finds a rough map of the Kingdom of Saint Martin and a single trade route, with a start date and estimated travel speed.
Though lacking in detail, Alexander knows that everything necessary has been provided. This is the route of a certain merchant, complete with a starting date and travel speed. It means he can accurately calculate the merchant's current location. After some quick calculations, Alexander estimates that the merchant will pass near Lisbon the day after tomorrow.
This is indeed a golden opportunity, handed to him on a silver platter.
However, Alexander doesn't fully trust the Golden Goblet. He decides to set up an ambush along the route to assess the convoy's strength and intentions. After all, it's always wise to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.