Chapter 372: From the Perspective of Strength

Chapter 372: From the Perspective of Strength

As the steward of Duke Dram, Owen had witnessed countless similar situations. Many of the white-gloved individuals currently serving the Duke had joined the Dram Family in this very manner.

For those seeking advancement and a continuous flow of resources, status and power were of utmost importance. With strength and status, what woman could not be won over?

Any intelligent person would understand this principle.

Half an hour later, in the Inner Ring of the Imperial City, a majestic carriage adorned with the scorpion emblem of the Dram Family stood near the entrance of an imposing building. Soon after, a young man clad in bright silver knight armor boarded the carriage.

At the same time, she also took note of the metal thread sewing, leaving a hint of intrigue.

Olenna, a slender woman in a fitted skirt and a light pink lace shirt, appeared at the doorway.

After creating over ten such garments, Ren reflected on his newfound basic mastery of silk shirt craftsmanship. He turned to Julis, who stood beside him, and said, "Julis, I have some official matters to attend to. We'll continue later."

Among his peers, Greenwood was part of the select few at the pinnacle of their generation. In other words, if Ren wanted to rapidly improve his tailoring skills, he would need to choose more challenging components to craft.

"Let's go and take a look," Ren suggested.

This didn't align with the investigation's logic and would consume an excessive amount of time.

"Yes, I just returned from Frostbitten Tundra and plan to spend more time with my family. I intend to inform them in ten days," Ren explained with a nod.

"Lady Olenna's meticulous work is a stroke of luck for me," Ren said with a slight smile.

Perhaps there were a few others in the Empire as young and talented as Ren, but it was unlikely any of them would also be as family-oriented as him.

Shirts required the creation of collars, cuffs, and button installation, which seemed to be the key to the significant increase in experience rewards compared to linen coats.

"Hah!"

Moreover, the material and style of linen coats were only suitable for commoners; nobles would never choose to wear them. Even if Viscount learned to make them, it wouldn't hold much significance.

Due to the Empire's tumultuous situation this year, the Swordsman Headquarters assigned more missions than in previous years, and their danger far exceeded the past. But with the full support of the Dram Family, Ren had accumulated enough mission evaluation medals and merit points to be promoted to the Golden Rank Swordsman.

[You have learned a new skill - Sewing Silk Shirts]



"Don't be impulsive! Contact the team leader immediately!" Neor's expression turned grim as well; his senses had significantly improved after becoming a full-fledged Wizard.

Last year, he was further promoted to the Mithril Rank Swordsman.

However, Ren also noticed an issue. Perhaps due to the lower difficulty of linen coats, even though he had mastered the skill, the experience reward for making one wasn't very high.

With a mere glance at the neatly arranged gold and silver threads on the table, remembering their lengths and diameters, Ren blinked, and the mithril in his hand transformed into mithril threads of the same specifications in an instant.

Witnessing this speed, Ren couldn't help but smile.

"Whoosh!"

Almost everything except Ren's activities in Frostbitten Tundra had been thoroughly investigated.

Veri, Neor, Angus, and their companions arrived at Ren's mansion.

"Lord Ren, no, Sir Ren, it's been a while," Veri said.

"Yes, Sir Ren. Admiral Edward will be deeply touched to hear this," Julis replied.

--- One and a half days later ---

Ren discovered that the experience reward for upgrading from linen to the more expensive silk was indeed higher, but not by a large margin, only about two to three times. In other words, the experience reward system placed more emphasis on the difficulty of crafting.

Even Neor and the red-haired beauty Evelyn, who were watching from the side, wore expressions of astonishment as they looked at the guard.

"By the way, Sir Ren, it seems your family isn't aware of your upcoming departure for headquarters?" Olenna asked with a hint of confusion.

"Slap! Slap!"

But for her master's imaginative ideas, Julis knew she only needed to cooperate wholeheartedly, not question them. Jennifer had repeatedly emphasized this to her.

Beside them, a pile of forty to fifty linen coats, the fruits of Ren's labor, stood.

"You!" Angus glared at Greenwood.

Even Ren himself would likely praise this report.

"No wonder. Jennifer mentioned that they..." Ren trailed off.

"Stop! What are you doing?" Veri shouted.

Compared to before, the speed of advancement in the tailoring profession was akin to upgrading from a pedal-powered donkey to a Ferrari 458, five to six times faster, if not more!

At that moment, Anna also noticed the commotion at the mansion's entrance and stepped out of the villa.

Steward Owen handed a thick stack of documents to Greenwood, detailing Ren's journey from Maister County to Minster, his accomplishments, and more, all meticulously recorded.

Greenwood clearly witnessed this scene, and a peculiar look appeared in his eyes. "Miss, I believe you need to return to the Imperial City with me first."

On his return journey, Greenwood had specifically instructed Anna on this matter.

"You successfully crafted a Mithril Embroidered Shirt, gaining +19 experience for your Seamstress profession!"

"You practiced making a silk shirt, enhancing your understanding!"

"Hmm, that's good," Greenwood nodded in satisfaction.

"Yes, it is," he added.

In his eyes, these young 'town problem solvers' were not worth his time.

"Lord Greenwood, we have disturbed you enough," Steward Owen bowed slightly.

As green light flickered, Veri's injuries rapidly improved.

Ren thought for a moment, then embroidered the Dram family crest on the left chest of the shirt using mithril thread—a crossed warhammer and sword.

The same was true for Neor, Angus, and Evelyn.

In her eyes, Ren was a natural seamstress. He mastered the linen coat on his first try, and a few more practices would be sufficient. There was no need to keep practicing with linen.

Immediately, Ren compared several linen shirts side by side.

Ren's Seamstress profession level increased from Lv. 2 to Lv. 4 (778/1000).

Just then, the sound of horse hooves rang out at the mansion's entrance.

"Well, Lord Owen, let's depart now," Ren said.

The next second, the carriage door opened, and Greenwood appeared beside Anna, startling her.

"Of course, usually for male noble shirts, we add silver and gold threads at the collar and cuffs. If we go further, we embroider the family crest on the chest using gold and silver threads," Ren explained.

"Of course, we're heading to the airship platform now," he added.

"Before I left the Minster branch, I was a member of the Minster Swordsmen," Ren clarified.

"Yes! When the captain returns from the tundra, he'll be surprised to find that you've been promoted to a full-fledged Wizard," the red-haired beauty, Evelyn, laughed.

Instead of getting off the carriage, Greenwood held up his Mithril Swordsman Emblem and called out, "Lord Ren, please come over here."

"Lord Veri, ladies and gentlemen, the Viscount returned yesterday," a guard reported upon seeing them.

The lack of investigation in Frostbitten Tundra was not due to Steward Owen's investigators slacking off.

"Oh, is there an emergency situation in Rosby County?" Ren's eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes, of course, Viscount," Julis respectfully replied.

"The Dram family crest may not be recognized by everyone."

He was very familiar with the Dram family crest.

His eyes widened, and he roared, crossing his arms to block the attack with all his might.

As Ren's follower, he understood Anna's importance to Ren.

According to the previous task distribution, Rosby County and his hometown, Maester County, were both under his jurisdiction.

Your skill in making silk shirts improved, gaining +7 experience.

But the next second, his expression changed drastically. A figure appeared abruptly in front of him, and a flash of light struck towards him.

"That's fine," Ren nodded.

"Congratulations on your promotion to the highest rank of the Imperial Swordsmen—the Golden Rank Swordsman. Moreover, you received this honor without even reporting to the Swordsmen headquarters, which is a very rare occurrence in the Swordsmen's history," he praised.

Promotion to the Golden Rank was the goal of every Swordsman.

Hours later, Ren's promotion left Julis and the other female seamstresses in awe.

This proved the saying, 'Opportunity and risk coexist'! The only thing holding him back was his strength. If he could fully comprehend Will Radiance, he would enter the Legendary Tier and advance to the Golden Rank.

To prevent the young Viscount from being discouraged by failure, he mentally prepared himself for the possibility of rejection.

"Of course, although gold and silver fabrics are softer, they are quite challenging to work with. The difficulty is much higher than with ordinary fine threads. Viscount, you can try, but it's normal to fail on the first attempt," Ren explained.

"Haha, of course, it's rare for Lord Greenwood to find someone he approves of. I believe the Duke will agree as well," Steward Owen laughed.

Swordsmen? Send their captain? Even Admiral Edward himself wouldn't be this bold. "The Swordsmen Emblem? Let me see it," Neor seemed to have an idea, his expression turning serious as he approached.

In Julis' workshop, Ren and Olenna sat down.

Since Ren was often absent, when they encountered unfamiliar nobles, they would report directly to Lady Jennifer, the nominal steward, or Lord Veri.

"However, I'm currently comprehending a top-tier sword technique. So, it's best if we leave and return quickly," the handsome Greenwood smiled politely.

"Of course, I've arranged for the fastest Imperial Airship to Minster. Additionally, Lord Greenwood, your main task is to intimidate, and you'll only need to stay for two to three days before returning to the Imperial City," he explained.

Neor could clearly sense the radiance on Ren's fist, which was not just Force, but a strand of Will Radiance. This meant the person before them was at least a Near-Legendary Tier warrior.

As for the golden skill points, the last time they killed 'The Gut-Wrencher' Merrick, they gained 14 points, and currently had a total of 54 points.

A luxurious carriage stopped at the entrance of the mansion.

Greenwood was the nephew of Duke Dram, but he was extraordinarily gifted on the path of knighthood, so he was specially nurtured by the Dram family from a young age.

"Lady Olenna, it has been a while since we last met," Ren smiled and gestured, inviting Olenna to speak in a nearby room.

At this moment, Veri was sparring with Angus in the training room.

"My lord, Captain Ren is not in the mansion. If you have any matters, please wait in the reception room," Veri stepped forward and spoke calmly.

"Butler Owen, you're too kind. If the family needs me, I'll gladly take responsibility," Ren replied.

Although silk is much more expensive than linen, Ren didn't consider the cost of the material. Additionally, if he could successfully craft with higher-quality materials, he might gain more experience points.

Next, under Julis's dedicated guidance, Ren received a system prompt after ten minutes:

"Hmm?" But when Butler Owen saw Anna, his eyes lit up, and he whispered something to Greenwood.

"This is a Mithril-ranked Swordsman from the Imperial City Swordsman Headquarters, second only to the Golden Rank!" Neor spoke in a low voice.

Ren skillfully began sewing multiple Mithril threads onto the collar and cuffs of the shirt, and soon, a simple yet elegant Mithril-embroidered shirt was completed by Ren.

[You focused on making a silk shirt for ten minutes. +4 Tailor Profession Experience]



With the level he had just gained, he now had 4 remaining Attribute Points and 8 remaining Skill Points.

After spending a significant amount of wealth, various rare elixirs, and hiring multiple renowned instructors, he finally understood a glimmer of Will Radiance in his thirties, half-stepping into the realm of Title Knight.

"Yes, the Sea God's Church has been very active recently, and since you're not here, I had to take care of it," Ren explained.

"May I ask whom you are looking for, my lord?" the guard asked.

"Julis, can you make it a bit more challenging or add some variations to a regular shirt?" Ren requested.

Compared to a linen coat, the silk shirt had a more complex process and a more valuable material, offering several times the experience points.

"My lord, I suggest you start with silk directly. Perhaps you can make a shirt for yourself," Julis suggested with a smile.

At this moment, she realized that her master was not only a Noble Knight but also a Lord Wizard.

After a moment's thought, Ren said, "Julis, teach me shirt-making now."

Although the material was similar to Veri's emblem (silver), it was clearly larger in diameter.

Greenwood calmly took out a white handkerchief and wiped his hands, saying, "Don't you know that you should show respect to a stronger person?"

"Indeed," Ren's eyes lit up.

Ren was familiar with Owen, his uncle's butler, and he knew that Owen was his uncle's confidant, handling many matters for the Dram family.

"What? But from their attitude, it seems like they're here to cause trouble for the captain," Evelyn said.

"Neor, your promotion to a full-fledged wizard will surely surprise the captain," Veri said with a smile to Neor.

Previously, their captain had always been the one to surprise them, but this time, it was their turn.

"Thank you!"

Veri and the others quickly walked to the mansion's entrance.

"Lady Olenna, please contact Admiral Edward and inform him that I have returned to Minster. If there are any tasks, you can contact me," Veri said.

"What? The captain is back?"

"Silver thread? Gold thread? Isn't that just metal thread?" Ren's eyes lit up when he heard Julis's words.

Although Julis didn't know why Lord Ren suddenly wanted to take on a higher difficulty challenge, she was intrigued.

"But Mithril..." Neor's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, Lord Veri, but Viscount Dram left early this morning with Baroness Crowley, probably to a tailor shop. I'm not sure about the details," the guard respectfully replied.

"This..." Julis's eyes widened, not knowing what to say for a moment.

With Julis's guidance, Ren raised his Tailor Profession level from lv1 to lv2 (17/300) in just over an hour, gaining 1 Attribute Point and 1 Skill Point.

"Oh? That's interesting, but from the perspective of strength, you don't have the qualifications to refuse my proposal," Greenwood said with a slight smile.

A few minutes later.

The guards were about to scold the other party for their arrogance, but when the guard captain saw the Swordsman Emblem that was similar to Lord Veri's, he was taken aback.

But from a normal perspective, although the target person had left for a few days and went to the Frostbitten Tundra.

"Oh? So he's a Diamond Swordswielder. No wonder my uncle wanted me to go there personally," Greenwood glanced at the first page and nodded.

Although Olenna didn't understand why Ren came to the tailor shop as soon as he returned to Minster, she didn't ask why. Instead, she spoke about something even more important.

In general, the strength of a Mithril-grade Swordsman falls between the Near-Legendary and the initial Legendary tiers. Of course, if it's a Swordsman Captain, then they'd be even stronger.

In the blink of an eye, Lord Veri was sent flying at an incredible speed and crashed heavily onto the ground, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"If that's the case..."

"Hmm! So that's it, it's that simple."

"Alas! It's a pity that Minster is too small. It's been an honor to work with you during this time." Lady Olenna seemed to realize that Ren would be leaving soon, and her voice carried a hint of sorrow.

"Of course, Viscount, please feel free." As she spoke, Lady Julis performed a lady's curtsy and led the group of curious female tailors and shop assistants away.

At that moment, the system notification sounded: 【You have crafted a Mithril Embroidered Shirt, and your understanding has improved!】

In the morning, he had sent Lady Jennifer to the Swordsman Branch to inform Lady Olenna of his arrival in Minster.

Seeing this, Duke Dram's steward Owen intended to take out the Dram Family Crest, but he was stopped by Greenwood, who was standing nearby.

"Hmm? This is made of Mithril." Neor instantly recognized the Swordsman Emblem that was handed over, and it was not silver but Mithril. As a wizard, he naturally could not mistake the two.

"Unfortunately, the Admiral left for Rosby County a few days ago and hasn't returned yet. However, I heard that he should be back soon, perhaps today or tomorrow."

Immediately, he quickly flipped through the files, and after a few minutes, Greenwood closed the file and said, "Not yet twenty years old, with this talent and strength, it's already impressive for someone of common birth to have such abilities. Later, I'll have a chat with him. If he's willing to follow me, I can arrange for him to be transferred to the Swordsmaster Headquarters."

This made the guard captain a little unsure of the other's background. He immediately turned around and strode towards the mansion.

At this moment, Lady Anna quickly walked over to Lord Veri's side and cast a healing spell on him.

"Hmm?" Hearing this news, the two figures who were in the middle of a sparring match paused.

And Greenwood, just a step away from them.

Otherwise, if it were anyone else disturbing his sword technique enlightenment, he would never have shown such a pleasant expression.

"You've thought of everything." Lady Olenna instantly understood Ren's intention and looked at him with even more reverence.

Minster Trading District, Julis' Tailor Shop.

Therefore, Julis naturally knew everything.

"Lord Veri, there's a visitor outside who seems to be a Swordsman as well. However, he's quite arrogant and didn't get off his carriage. Instead, he gave us this emblem and asked for Ren to meet him at the carriage."

Such an act of not dismounting at the host's doorstep was extremely rude.

"Impossible!" Lord Veri struggled to get up and stood in front of Anna, blocking her.

"By the way, the rest of your team members have also gone to the branch."

"Noisy!"

"You're Ren's team members, and your strength is decent for being at the branch." Greenwood looked at Lord Veri and the others with contempt.

At this moment, Lady Jennifer was not present, so the guard captain naturally headed straight for Lord Veri.

She had just arrived at Ren's mansion and learned that he was at Julis' Tailor Shop.

However, since the target's growth trajectory was all in Minster Province, the focus of the investigation naturally remained in Minster. It was impossible to travel all the way to the distant Northern Border to find out what he had been doing these past few days.

"By the way, when will Admiral Edward be available? I'd like to pay him a visit."

"Lord Ren, you should have received the notification, right?"

Lady Olenna smiled and congratulated him.

"Hmm, Lord Veri, don't worry. It's almost dinner time, and the captain should be back soon." Neor checked the sky and said.

【Your skill in crafting Mithril Embroidered Shirts has improved. Experience gained: +24】

However, from the conversations with Ren's family members, she keenly noticed that neither Ren's sister Mint nor his mother Emma seemed to be completely unaware of Ren's upcoming transfer to the Imperial City Headquarters.

One of the prerequisites for the wizard skill 'Multi-Cut Net' is to instantly transform multiple fine metal threads.

He retreated over a dozen steps, colliding with the carriage he had just arrived in, before managing to withstand the impact. However, his hands continued to tremble uncontrollably.

【You have learned a new skill - Crafting Mithril Embroidered Shirts】

"Bang!!!"

"Young Master Greenwood, here are the target's files."

Ren had gone to Julis' tailor shop early in the morning to diligently practice his tailoring skills, so he was not present.

Just as Ren was about to push his tailoring skill to level 5, a familiar voice suddenly came from outside the door.

The luxurious carriage was completely destroyed by the impact, and Steward Owen emerged from the wreckage looking flustered.

"Captain!" Lord Veri exclaimed.

"Captain!" Neor and the others relaxed.

Ren quickly assessed Lord Veri's injuries before turning to Greenwood and narrowing his eyes, "You injured my man, and you boldly claim that from a strength perspective, who gave you the courage?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end