Giant Dragon Lord: Starting from Daily Intelligence-Chapter 73: Soul Horn

Red Maple Castle was built atop a hill. Though not as grand as Giant Stone City, it appeared solid and refined.

The fluttering Red Maple Banner could already be seen on the castle walls.

"Who goes there!"

A guard called out vigilantly from the ramparts.

Ed spurred his Pegasus forward and announced loudly, "Lord Baron Raylo of Black Stone Territory, here at the invitation of Viscount Baker to discuss the matter of clearing out the Ogre lair!"

A moment later, the castle’s drawbridge was slowly lowered, and the main gates swung open.

A middle-aged nobleman in fine clothes, a smile on his face, walked out swiftly, flanked by several Knights.

This was the master of Red Maple Territory himself, Viscount Baker.

"Baron Raylo, your personal visit brings great honor to Red Maple Territory!"

Viscount Baker extended his hand with great enthusiasm.

Raylo dismounted, shook his hand, and offered a polite smile.

"Viscount Baker, you’re too kind. Ogres are a menace to the region. Eliminating them is our duty as nobles."

"Well said! Lord Baron, you truly understand the greater good!"

Viscount Baker laughed heartily and gestured for them to follow.

"It must have been a long journey. I’ve had a banquet prepared. Please, Lord Baron, enter the castle and rest. We can speak in detail tonight."

Raylo nodded and followed Viscount Baker into the castle.

The interior of Red Maple Castle was quite lavish, a clear sign of its many years of prosperity and deep heritage.

That evening, Viscount Baker held a grand welcome banquet for Raylo in the castle’s main hall.

The long dining table was laden with all sorts of delicacies: suckling pig roasted to a golden brown, tender venison, and plump, succulent fish caught from the river, all drizzled with Red Maple Territory’s specialty maple syrup, which gave off an enticing aroma.

The wine was a fine, mellow, and crisp fruit wine.

The maple syrup had a rather unique flavor, with a fresh, botanical fragrance that set it apart from ordinary syrups.

Raylo asked Viscount Baker for a jar to take back for his cook, Marlin, so that Moonlight could try a new honey-glazed roast goose made with the maple syrup.

Raylo sat to the right of the host’s seat, the position of highest honor next to the master of the house.

Ed stood behind him, his expression solemn.

After three rounds of drinks.

Viscount Baker, his face flushed from the wine, stood and raised his cup.

"Baron Raylo, on behalf of everyone in Red Maple Territory, I thank you again for your generous aid! Those Ogres have been entrenched deep in the Red Maple Forest for days, plundering trade caravans and raiding villages. They have become a grave threat to my domain. If we succeed in wiping them out, you will be Red Maple Territory’s greatest benefactor!"

Raylo also rose and raised his cup.

"Lord Viscount, you exaggerate. How can we allow a filthy Alien Race like the Ogres to occupy Human Land? Black Stone Territory is duty-bound to join this fight."

He drained his cup.

"Excellent! Lord Baron, you are a man of frank words!" Viscount Baker said, setting down his cup.

"For this extermination mission, I have also invited a capable ally, whom I would like to introduce to you, Lord Baron."

He first gestured to his left, at a burly, middle-aged man with rugged features. He wore a suit of well-worn, polished Leather Armor and had a Heavy Sword at his hip.

"This is Captain Buck of the Nu Rock Mercenary Corps. Captain Buck is a battle-hardened veteran whose strength has reached the level of a Tier Three Earth Knight. His Mercenaries are all seasoned experts as well."

Buck stood up, grinning at Raylo. His voice was booming.

"Baron Raylo, I’ve heard much about you! Black Stone Territory’s reputation has been soaring lately! If there’s a chance in the future, I hope you’ll look out for us rough folk, Lord Baron!"

He raised his cup and drained it in one go, appearing quite boisterous.

Raylo smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

"You’re too kind, Captain Buck. It is my honor to fight alongside all of you."

’This Captain Buck, despite his rough and boisterous exterior, has a sharp glint in his eye. He’s a shrewd one.’

Next, Viscount Baker gestured to a young Knight standing beside him. The man had a straight posture, a resolute face, and a serious expression. He was dressed in the standard Armor of the Red Maple Knights.

"This is the captain of my Red Maple Knights, Knight Kaine. Though young, Kaine is already an Earth Knight. He and his father have sworn their service to Red Maple Territory, and he is a pillar of my domain."

Knight Kaine stood and gave Raylo a standard knightly salute.

"Baron Raylo, Kaine salutes you."

His voice was clipped and professional.

"Captain Kaine is young and promising. Your future is boundless."

Raylo offered his praise.

’This Knight Kaine comes from a family of Knights. He certainly has the bearing of a traditional knight.’

The atmosphere at the banquet was lively. They toasted one another and discussed the specific details for exterminating the Ogres the next day.

In the heat of the moment, Raylo also had a few more drinks.

Red Maple Territory’s Maple Candy Wine packed quite a punch.

After the banquet, he and the Pegasus Knights he had brought with him were shown to a comfortable guest room in the castle to rest.

The night passed without dreams.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight shone through the window lattice and onto Raylo’s face, he slowly opened his eyes.

Any slight discomfort from the previous night’s drinking was long gone, replaced by a feeling of clear-headed refreshment.

A piece of intel caught his attention.

[Daily Intel Refreshed]

[10: Hidden within the Ogre lair is a forgotten spoil of war—the Soul Horn. This Horn was crafted a century ago by a powerful Mage known as the "Mad Witch Demon." He forcibly sealed the soul of his lifelong nemesis, a Tier Five Domain Knight named the "Starfall Knight," within the Horn. Blowing the Soul Horn can summon a soul projection of the Starfall Knight to aid in battle. Its strength is equivalent to a Tier Five Domain Knight and lasts for ten minutes. Note: The Horn has fallen silent and cannot be used directly because the energy of the Magic Core embedded in its core has been depleted.]

Raylo shot up in bed!

’A soul projection of a Tier Five Domain Knight?’

Dawn was just breaking. The boisterous noise of last night’s banquet in Red Maple Territory was gone, replaced by the grim tension that precedes a battle.

Viscount Baker had clearly been preparing to exterminate the Ogres for a long time, as all arrangements were handled in an orderly fashion.

After Raylo’s arrival, the whole of Red Maple Territory began to operate with high efficiency, like a tightly wound machine.

Inside the council hall, Viscount Baker pointed to a sand table, laying out the pre-battle deployments.

"Baron Raylo, according to our latest intelligence, inside the Ogre lair, apart from the Tier Three Ogre Chieftain, there is also a Tier Three Ogre Shaman. That Shaman’s Berserk sorcery is extremely troublesome and can greatly enhance the Ogres’ combat power. If the Chieftain and the Shaman get together, I’m afraid it will be a vicious fight."

He paused, his finger tapping a narrow pass on the outskirts of the Red Maple Forest on the sand table.

"The Shaman rarely leaves the lair. It’s usually the Chieftain who leads raids. Our plan is to pose as a trade caravan to lure the snake from its hole—we’ll draw the Chieftain out first and eliminate this biggest threat."

Raylo nodded slightly. Unlike most nobles, Viscount Baker possessed considerable military talent.

’Divide and conquer. It’s indeed the best option right now.’

In truth, with the military strength of Red Maple Territory and the hired Nu Rock Mercenary Corps, the chances of success for such a plan were already very high.

But Viscount Baker still invited Raylo and his Pegasus Knight Squad as reinforcements, even offering thirty percent of the spoils as payment, which showed his cautious nature.

With the plan decided, the operation began swiftly.