Lord: Starting with Biological Modification

Three days after the battle, the atmosphere in the meeting room of the Lord’s Mansion in Newly Town was a stark contrast to the earlier tension.

The fire in the fireplace roared, the logs crackling softly as warmth spread to every corner of the room.

"My right arm still feels numb from the shock of the steel cable." Ola chugged a large mouthful of ale, complaining gruffly, but he couldn’t hide the smile on his face. "But it was worth it! It was damn well worth it!"

"At least it’s better than getting sprayed by that monster," Barrett cracked a rare joke. "That Barton kid still has a weird smell on him."

"HAHAHA!" The room erupted in laughter.

Roland, meanwhile, sat quietly in a corner, polishing his longsword.

When Velin walked into the meeting room, the clamor immediately subsided.

He was dressed in simple linen clothes, holding a stack of parchment.

"It looks like you’ve all recovered well," Velin said, taking a seat at the head of the table.

"Now, the meeting will officially begin."

He looked toward Caroline.

Caroline stood up and opened the ledger in her hands.

"The material cost of this operation was immense."

"Repairs and material losses for the three ’Storm’s Eye’ units, along with their accompanying crossbow arrows and steel cables, totaled one thousand three hundred fifty Golden Suns."

"The various potions we developed and produced cost three hundred ten Golden Suns."

"Other logistics, food, and compensation for the wounded... total expenditures came to two thousand one hundred thirty-seven Golden Suns, eight Silver Moons, and four Copper Leaves."

She closed the ledger.

"It is worth noting that we suffered no fatalities among our combat personnel. Thirteen were injured, three of them seriously, but all are now out of danger."

Two thousand Golden Suns for a Level 5 Magical Beast and a record of zero fatalities.

Everyone was a little surprised. It was indeed a very low price to pay.

"Money well spent," Velin concluded. He looked to Valerius. "Master, tell us about our ’trophy’."

The old alchemist stood up.

"My Lord! This is a living treasure trove! Based on three straight days of observation and sample testing, the ’Lord of the Gray Swamp’s’ regenerative ability is the result of a combination of its bloodline and an internal alchemical structure."

"We conducted a cutting experiment. If we slice off a pound of its flesh, the new tissue will, over time, slowly regain its energy level."

"Based on its growth rate, after one day, the quality is roughly equivalent to that of Level 3 Magical Beast meat. After a full week, it can reach the quality of Level 4 Magical Beast meat."

"To fully recover to Level 5 quality, it would need two weeks."

"But," Velin interjected, "this regeneration isn’t endless."

Velin recalled the information from the system.

’The energy the Lord of the Gray Swamp had been storing to ascend to Level 6 was being consumed by the regeneration of its ’Indestructible Body’.’

"It’s burning through its own bloodline potential to maintain its healing ability."

"According to my calculations, it can only keep this up for a few weeks. Therefore, we must maximize our resource harvesting during this period."

Valerius pulled out a list and continued.

"Our plan is to divide it into three sections."

"The tail, harvested once a day, will provide a stable supply of Level 3 Magical Beast meat."

"The midsection, harvested once a week, will yield Level 4 Magical Beast meat."

"And the head will be harvested strategically to ensure we obtain the highest quality Level 5 Magical Beast materials."

Ryo added, "By our estimates, we should be able to harvest approximately one hundred fifty thousand pounds of Level 3 Magical Beast meat, ten thousand pounds of Level 4 Magical Beast meat, and five thousand pounds of Level 5 Magical Beast meat. Its bones, organs, scale armor, and other high-value materials should weigh about three thousand pounds in total."

"One hundred and fifty thousand pounds..." Barrett muttered, his eyes glazing over.

As a former mercenary captain, he knew full well this represented an astronomical fortune.

But when it came to how this could be converted into a fully-equipped fighting force, he was at a loss.

He looked to the Dwarf Baron, who was more knowledgeable about military affairs. "Ola, with this much... what can we do?"

"My heavens... If... if that’s just a rough estimate, these resources... are enough to equip a Knight Order of several hundred men!"

Roland, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "A three-hundred-man Level 4 Knight Order. That’s a force only a wealthy Earl’s Domain could possess. Of course, that’s just the cost to establish it; the daily upkeep for such a force would also be immense."

At these words, Barrett’s and Ola’s eyes lit up.

Ola slammed his hand on the table. "My Lord, can the boys from the Rock Breaker Knight Order... get the first batch? They’re all good lads! With this meat, their strength will skyrocket!"

Barrett, recovering from his shock, immediately spoke up, "My Lord, the garrison also hopes to improve its strength as soon as possible to better serve you."

"We can, but this all requires careful, long-term planning."

"We can’t just burn through these resources."

Velin stood up and walked to the sand table in the center of the room.

"The Grey Marsh Territory is currently a basin. We need to channel water in from the outside, not just fixate on the few pools we have right here."

"What we need is a talent acquisition plan to support the ’Strong Base Initiative’."

"This Magical Beast meat will become the highest-tier item available for redemption in our merit point system. It will be the lure that attracts Warriors, craftsmen, and scholars from across the Duchy, and even farther."

He turned to Caroline.

"Caroline, assemble a professional team and get them to Newly Town as soon as possible. I need to ensure that the value of every single pound of this meat is fully realized."

"Leave it to me," she replied with a nod. She had already anticipated this; the team was already on its way.

Velin then marked several areas on the sand table. "Next is the development of the territory. My plan is to use Newly Town as a hub and divide the entire Gray Sea Marsh into eight villages, each with a planned area of five thousand acres."

He used a small wooden stick to point to the northernmost and southernmost tips of the marsh.

"Newly Town at the northernmost point and Sharp Teeth Gorge at the southernmost will be developed into our two core townships in the future."

"Sharp Teeth Gorge?" Ryo asked in confusion. "My Lord, the terrain there is treacherous, deep in the heart of the marsh. Why build a town there?"

Velin didn’t explain; it was part of a plan to reclaim land from the sea. He retracted the wooden stick and surveyed the room.

"One last thing. Rewarding merit."

"All soldiers who participated in the operation will receive the rewards they deserve. The Barton Squad in particular fought with great valor, and their contributions were exceptional."

"Send out a notice. We will hold a commendation ceremony in the Newly Town square tomorrow. Everyone will receive rewards befitting their deeds."

Finally, Velin’s gaze fell upon Roland.

"Sir Roland, I have great admiration for your character. May I ask you to preside over an investiture ceremony?"

In an instant, all eyes in the meeting room focused on Roland.

Roland looked back at the others, then slowly rose to his feet. Facing Velin, he performed a standard knightly salute.

"It would be my honor."