Amelia effortlessly lifted a man and swiftly moved with graceful agility, her lithe figure flashing before Kael as she smiled playfully and reminded him.
"Prisoners from the wandering bandits?" Kael's eyes gleamed as he slowly stepped forward.
Jett followed closely behind Kael, still dazed by the overwhelming display of power. He was utterly awestruck by Kael's strength. Of course, had he known that Kael's contract space housed a herd of over a hundred unicorn rhinos, each comparable to an eighth-level powerhouse, his reverence would have reached even greater heights.
This encounter with the wandering bandits involved only a small detachment, far from their main force, yet they had already demonstrated formidable prowess. Even Kael couldn't help but feel a ripple of surprise at their capabilities.
However, the bandits' raid was likely aimed at plundering a merchant caravan or similar target. So, was this prisoner someone from such a group?
With a hint of curiosity, Kael approached the captive Amelia had brought.
As Kael stepped closer, Amelia casually set the prisoner down, allowing Kael to get a clear look at him.
The man had a plump, round face, a slightly stout build, and an amusingly expressive countenance. He wriggled, seemingly trying to loosen the tightly bound ropes around him, but they remained firmly in place.
Kael shrugged. "Who are you?"
"My lord, I am eternally grateful for your noble rescue! Allow me, Kindick, to praise you! You are like the brightest star in the heavens, illuminating my world." The moment the fat man saw Kael, his eyes lit up, and he immediately launched into flattery. Though he hadn't witnessed Kael and Amelia's earlier feats, his sharp observation told him Kael was the leader of this group, prompting him to lay on the compliments.
Kael chuckled faintly. This fellow named Kindick was certainly an amusing character.
"Are you from the Kindick family?" Jett, standing beside Kael, suddenly spoke up, sounding surprised.
The Kindick family?
Kael turned his gaze to the fat man. Having only recently arrived, Kael wasn't familiar with the local factions and powers.
"Indeed, honorable sir! I am Alak Kindick of the Kindick family—the foremost jewelry merchants of the Gui Empire! You may simply call me Kindick." The plump man beamed as he introduced himself.
The Kindick family—the top jewelry merchants of the Gui Empire!
Kael narrowed his eyes. This fat man had quite the background. The wandering bandits truly had audacity, daring to target someone from the Kindick family.
"Honorable sir, once again, I thank you for saving me. May I ransom myself? I swear upon the name of the Kindick family!" The fat man deliberately emphasized his affiliation with the Kindick family, smiling slyly as he hinted that he posed no threat to Kael and his group. Moreover, releasing him would earn the favor of the Kindick family.
Kael smiled faintly, fully aware of the fat man's intentions, but he was in no hurry to respond.
"Jett, gather the men and secure these Frosthorn Steeds for me," Kael said with a smile before turning to Amelia. "Amelia, I didn't finish off the bandit leader, Amir. Bind him and take him as a prisoner. As for the rest of the wandering bandits…"
Kael narrowed his eyes and drew a finger across his throat.
Amelia nodded and immediately moved to carry out his orders. Jett, too, obeyed without question—after witnessing Kael's overwhelming strength, he followed every command without hesitation.
Jett led the soldiers in rounding up the Frosthorn Steeds. Nearly a hundred of them were worth close to a million gold coins. Kael smirked. Plundering truly is the fastest way to amass wealth. In such a short time, his fortune had skyrocketed once again.
"Jett, you'll be responsible for these Frosthorn Steeds. Select the most elite warriors from the Lefay garrison and equip them with these steeds to form a cavalry unit," Kael said calmly.
Hearing this, the soldiers beside Jett brightened, their eyes gleaming with excitement. For these men, owning a Frosthorn Steed was a dream come true—riding one would elevate their prestige and presence to an entirely new level.
Kael smiled faintly. His goal was to foster competition among the soldiers, ensuring the formation of the most formidable army. And of course, this force would be entirely under his control—a sharp blade to cut through any obstacle, unstoppable in its advance.
Meanwhile, the fat man, Kindick, stood dumbfounded, finally piecing things together. So it was this young man who single-handedly crushed the wandering bandits!
Kindick was astonished by Kael's youth and even more so by his identity. A shrewd man, he recognized Jett, the garrison commander of the Lefay Plains—yet this boy had somehow made Jett submit to him. Who is he? Some noble from the Maider Empire?
No… Wait. Rumor has it that Lefay recently appointed a new lord…
"I am Kindick, at your service, Lord Lefay!" Realizing this, Kindick immediately bent forward as much as he could, disregarding the ropes binding him, and spoke hastily.
Kael was momentarily taken aback—this Kindick truly had sharp eyes.
"You're quite clever," Kael remarked.
The fat man, pleased that his guess had been correct, grinned and narrowed his eyes. "You flatter me, my lord! As a merchant, keen perception is essential!" He had always been confident in his judgment, though this time, he inwardly sighed in relief. In truth, he hadn't initially connected Kael to the title of Lord Lefay—after all, Kael was far too young.
Kael smiled faintly and probed further, "Mr. Kindick, you mentioned earlier that your family is the foremost jewelry merchant in the Gui Empire?" A decision was already forming in his mind.
"Indeed, Lord Count! Not only is my family the top jeweler in the Gui Empire, but we also deal in precious gems across the entire continent. This time, I was on my way to the Maider Empire to negotiate a trade deal for their 'Emerald Stones,'" Kindick replied with a chuckle. His plump face scrunched up when he smiled, giving him a rather distinctive expression.
Kael nodded. He knew the Maider Empire was renowned for its Emerald Stones—a valuable gem, though not as prized as magic-infused crystals, yet still nothing to scoff at.
A faint smile played on Kael's lips as he flicked his wrist, instantly loosening the ropes binding Kindick.
Freed from his restraints, Kindick exhaled in relief and grinned. "My deepest gratitude for saving my life, my lord! I owe you everything!"
Kael smirked faintly. He wasn't foolish enough to take Kindick's words at face value—merchants were notorious for their silver tongues. To them, profit was the only true ally. Still, saving Kindick might prove to be an opportunity. Establishing ties with the Gui Empire's leading jeweler certainly wouldn't hurt.
"Lord Count, let us return to Lefay City!" At that moment, Jett came galloping over astride a Frosthorn Steed, exhilarated by the experience—he had never ridden a fifth-tier magical beast like this before!
Other soldiers had also mounted Frosthorn Steeds, charging forward in formation.
As for the remaining steeds, Amelia kept them under control nearby. With her handling things, Kael had no concerns whatsoever.
Lefay City was the central stronghold of the Lefay Plains, where nearly ninety percent of the region's population resided. Kael nodded. "Let's go." His gaze then shifted to the plump Kindick. "Kindick, you'll accompany us back. Once we arrive, I'll dispatch an escort to see you safely back to the Gui Empire," Kael said with a smile.
Kindick beamed and accepted readily. "Many thanks, Lord Count!"
With the Frosthorn Steeds, their journey back to the city was swift.
However, the so-called "Lefay City" was little more than a dilapidated ruin—crumbling walls, shattered tiles, and ruins everywhere. Kael frowned. As expected, years of warfare have left this place in utter disrepair.
"The population here is sparse as well..." Amelia remarked softly.
Kael nodded. "Indeed."
As they rode through the city, Kael gained a clearer understanding of his territory. Under Jett's guidance, they soon arrived at the lord's manor.
Jett and the soldiers took the Frosthorn Steeds to the barracks, while Kael, Amelia, and the rotund Kindick remained in the manor.
Without preamble, Kael cut straight to the point with a faint smile. "Mr. Kindick, tell me—would you be interested in doing business with me?"