[Lord of Abundance] Chapter 2: The Banquet and Appointments

 Chapter 2: The Banquet and Appointments

The banquet hall on the first floor wasn’t large, but more than a hundred cypress-scented candles brought from the royal capital had been lit, illuminating the entire space with brilliant clarity.

The flames burned steadily without producing even a wisp of black smoke. Instead, they released a faint, refined fragrance that lingered in the air.

A biting wind seeped through cracks in the broken windows, chilling the dozens of commoner representatives attending the banquet until their cheeks flushed red from the cold.

The food set before them consisted of nothing more than coarse stewed meat, with the only delicacy being a few preserved pastries.

Yet neither the harsh environment nor the simple fare could dampen their high spirits.

Among those who had followed Kun from the capital to the Fengrao Domain, some—like Captain Dawn—were skilled commoners hired at high wages: builders, furriers, veteran farmers.

Most, however, were slaves carefully selected and purchased by Old Tate, each possessing a useful trade.

They were largely commoners who had committed crimes and, unable to repay fines, had been sold into servitude. Kun had made agreements with them: serve diligently for five years, and they would regain their freedom.

A lord this merciful was not someone one encountered every day.

Moreover, they had heard that this young lord, though only a younger son, carried the kingdom’s most prestigious Thorn Crown bloodline. He was also a mage—a high-tier mage—and extremely wealthy.

With such high status, generosity, and kindness, he had no need to quibble over their meager wages.

Unlike other small lords without backing, he wouldn’t delay their pay. Even coming to such a remote frontier, it was said, was merely to indulge his peculiar hobby of farming.

After all, in the noble-dense capital, engaging in agriculture or livestock was considered beneath one’s station. At most, nobles cultivated delicate flowers or expensive magical herbs.

Planting wheat in one’s own fields—what crime was that? Why should anyone oppose such a “benevolent” lord?

The crowd had already reached a consensus: even if Kun ordered them to plant stars or the moon, they would carry it out without question.

A middle-aged man in a tailored tailcoat, wearing silver-rimmed glasses and sporting a receding hairline, approached Dawn, who sat alone in a corner drinking in silence, holding a silver goblet.

Casting a cold glance at the lively crowd—who already seemed to regard themselves as masters of this place—he spoke in a low voice:

“These fools really don’t know what’s good for them. Do they truly think our lord is so easy to bully?

He’s a high-tier mage at just sixteen. With one hand, he could wipe out everyone in this castle—well, except you. I just hope they don’t come crying later. I won’t spare them any sympathy.”

Dawn, himself a third-tier high warrior, glanced at the man who was soon to be appointed tax officer and replied calmly:

“You think I chose him because I saw potential in him, like you did?

You’re wrong. That man is soft—naively kind. Not like a noble at all. He’s nothing like what you imagine. If anything, those fools might be closer to the truth.”

“What?”

Vittorio was taken aback. As a newcomer, he clearly didn’t understand their lord as well as those who had followed him for longer.

“Then why would someone like you—a warrior with a promising future—not join the army, earn merit, and become a titled knight? Why serve a minor noble with no prospects?”

A great warrior like Dawn could easily have become a personal guard captain for a marquis, especially one with five heirs.

If what Dawn said was true, he had far better choices. So why pick the worst one?

Sensing his confusion, Dawn spoke slowly:

“Would you rather be a disposable tool in the hands of an ambitious schemer… or a blade that protects a weak but kind lord?”

Standing here, Dawn’s answer needed no explanation.

Vittorio gave a wry smile. “If I could choose, I’d pick neither.”

“You don’t need to be so pessimistic. The lord…”

Dawn shook his head and said no more, instead tipping his head back to drain his drink.

Because, truthfully, he didn’t fully understand either.

He would never forget the first time he met Kun—the boy’s bruised face, and those calm, unperturbed eyes.

The Yaran family was built on military merit and prided itself on producing warriors. They frequently invited renowned fighters to train their children.

That day had been Dawn’s first invitation, after he had begun to make a name for himself in the capital.

Four older children, spotless and untouched by hardship, were crying and accusing their youngest brother.

That youngest child, battered and bruised, neither cried nor protested. He simply watched quietly, as if he already knew that no amount of protest would earn him fairness.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease. In the end, it was the youngest who was punished.

In that moment, Dawn felt a chill in his heart.

Was such a man—so incapable of fairness—even toward his own children—worthy of his loyalty?

If he couldn’t treat his own flesh and blood justly, what chance did an outsider like Dawn have?

In the days that followed, Dawn quietly looked after the boy. Unfortunately, the child showed no talent for becoming a warrior.

Instead, his aptitude for magic was extraordinary.

A third-tier archmage at fifteen—what did that even mean?

For most humans, fragile as they were, reaching the third tier was the peak of a lifetime. Dawn himself had only entered the realm of high warriors at thirty-nine.

Kun, at fifteen, had shattered the record of the Kingdom’s Mage Association. The previous record-holder had reached archmage at twenty-three.

Kun had surpassed it by a full eight years.

Meanwhile, his eldest brother—trained by the best instructors, backed by the finest resources—had only just reached second-tier warrior.

Yet exceptional magical talent did nothing to improve Kun’s position in the marquis’s household. If anything, it made him more of an eyesore.

A family built on martial honor, whose most gifted child was a mage—and one with golden hair identical to the royal family…

It was only natural he would be sent far away.

And yet, he never grew angry. He accepted it all with quiet composure.

Or rather, Dawn had never once seen him angry.

Over time, everyone came to see him as weak, easy to bully.

But that wasn’t normal.

Humans were not plants—how could they feel no anger?

Those golden eyes that seemed incapable of rage… filled Dawn with an inexplicable fear.

A fear without origin, without reason.

He couldn’t understand what he feared—and unless he did, his path as a warrior would end here. He would never step into the realm of heroes.

So he chose to become the guard captain of the marquis’s youngest son, hoping that one day he would uncover the truth—and overcome that fear.

“Just do your job properly. Don’t disappoint the lord.”

“What?”

Vittorio blinked in confusion. Dawn’s words felt disjointed, leaving him slightly dizzy.

Setting down his goblet, Dawn looked toward the figure descending the stairs—young, smiling, and composed—and said flatly:

“Just a piece of advice. Whether you listen is up to you.”

Most people in this world wavered without principles. Serving under a lord who appeared naïve to the point of foolishness—how many could truly hold fast to their original intentions?

Soon, as the central figure of the evening arrived, the atmosphere reached its peak. Applause erupted, thunderous and unrestrained.

After a few perfunctory remarks, under the gaze of all present, two individuals stepped forward and knelt on one knee before Kun, pledging loyalty on behalf of the entire territory.

Placing his hand on the first man’s shoulder, Kun spoke solemnly:

“Dawn, I appoint you Chief Constable of the territory. You are to maintain order in the Fengrao Domain, punish all lawbreakers, and protect the lives and property of all within. This duty is sacred and inviolable.”

“I swear it!”

“Vittorio, I appoint you Tax Officer, and temporarily also Clerk of the territory. You are to ensure its continued development, collect taxes lawfully and fairly, and pursue overdue payments without withholding or overcharging. Can you carry this out with precision?”

“I guarantee it!”

For a sparsely populated place like the Fengrao Domain, a constable and a tax officer would have sufficed.

But Kun did not stop there. He turned to Old Tate.

“Me?”

Kun nodded, signaling him to kneel.

“Tate Li, I appoint you Registrar of Households.

You will conduct a detailed census of the population—recording each household, their ages, their skills—and compile these into official records. Can you handle this responsibility?”

Old Tate grinned, revealing a missing tooth lost in a fight defending Kun, and said:

“Of course. To serve the young master with my life is my honor.”

Kun smiled. “Don’t overexert yourself. Take it slow.”

The crowd murmured among themselves. This position—Registrar of Households—didn’t even exist elsewhere, not even in the kingdom.

Was it really necessary to record everyone’s residence in such a small place? They all lived together anyway. What difference did it make?

But Kun knew exactly how important such records were—he had suffered from their absence before.

He didn’t trust anyone else with such a crucial role, so he had no choice but to appoint Old Tate as a temporary solution.

What followed was a round of toasts. One by one, people approached to drink with their new lord.

Unfortunately, none of them understood noble etiquette. They offered a few stiff compliments before downing their cups in one gulp—forcing Kun to keep pace.

It was his first time drinking so much. The room spun, and stars danced before his eyes.

By the time the banquet ended and the irrelevant guests departed, only the two newly appointed officials remained.

From tomorrow onward, construction of the territory would begin, along with preparations for spring planting—plans Kun had already laid out before arriving.

“The lord is already this drunk. What can we possibly discuss? Why not wait until tomorrow?”

Dawn sat motionless.

“It’s fine…”

Vittorio twitched as he watched the flushed young lord collapse onto the table with a thud.

Like this, and he’s still insisting?

Soon, Old Tate returned from Kun’s room carrying a translucent box. He took out a flat blue pill, poured a cup of water, and fed both to the slumped lord.

Moments later, Kun sat upright again, eyes clear and full of energy.

“This is…?”

“Oh, that? Something I made—a detoxifying potion. It quickly neutralizes around a hundred and sixty common toxins. For example, alcohol-induced cellular paralysis. Want one?”

Though a bit embarrassed, curiosity got the better of Vittorio. He accepted the small box.

It felt soft, not like crystal as he had first assumed. It was light, with a strange resilience.

A gentle press caused a small compartment lid to pop open on its own.

Fascinated, he examined it closely until Dawn cleared his throat, snapping him back to reality.

“My apologies, Lord Kun. I got carried away.”

He stood and bowed slightly.

“It’s fine. I often get absorbed in research myself—sometimes to the point of forgetting to eat or sleep. It’s a good trait, if anything.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

After sitting back down, Vittorio took out a pill but hesitated. Instead of consuming it, he carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief and tucked it into his pocket.

Kun smiled, pretending not to notice.

Dawn, meanwhile, turned his gaze aside.

Truth be told, he wanted one too—but as a third-tier warrior, alcohol had no effect on him. He had no excuse to ask.

As maids served honeyed red tea, the meeting officially began.

Kun took out a low-tier spell scroll and casually tossed it onto the table. As it burned away, a clear three-dimensional projection of the entire Fengrao Domain appeared before them.

“By the Sky Goddess… is this a magic map? It feels different from any I’ve seen.”

Vittorio reached out, eyes wide with astonishment. It was so vivid—as if the world had been shrunk and placed before him.

Even Dawn was impressed. Having served in the army, he understood just how valuable such detailed maps were in warfare.

“Haha, impressive, right? This is a new type of mapping magic developed by my young master. You won’t find anything like it even in the Mage Association.”

Kun smiled shyly. “It’s not that impressive. Just a few improvements on existing map magic.”

That was the truth.

With broader knowledge, such refinements weren’t truly groundbreaking.

Dawn looked up helplessly, unable to comprehend what went through the minds of the nobles in the capital.

A genius like this… discarded like trash to the frontier.

They would regret it.

He was certain of it.

And that day… wouldn’t be far off.