As Rylee looked ahead, he saw a tall and imposing man approaching, appearing a few years younger than his father.
"Oh, look who it is! The calmness that comes from countless battles, that familiar aura—just like my father when he stepped down from the front lines. I’ve heard from Rylee that the lord of Hawkeye Town would return soon. You must be Rhett Green?" Garret arrived three meters away, dismounted his horse, and walked up to greet them personally.
With an expression of surprise mixed with familiarity, he warmly said, "Nice to meet you. I’m Garret Danton, the lord of Damm Town."
As Garret’s green-hoofed horse approached, the townsfolk around the caravan dispersed, keeping their distance from their lord. Rhett wasn’t surprised that Garret had identified him right away, maintaining a polite smile. "Yes, I am the lord of Hawkeye Town. So, you are Rocky’s son? I’ve heard much about your father. Back on the front lines, though we weren’t in the same unit, I often heard stories of his bravery from others!"
"That’s truly an honor!" Garret’s eyes lit up as he stepped forward to warmly shake Rhett’s hand.
They exchanged formal pleasantries, something Garret enjoyed and was quite good at. Rhett returned the gesture with a polite hug, displaying a calm demeanor born of his experiences in both this life and the previous one.
"My father often talked about his days on the battlefield. A few years ago, he even mentioned how much he loved the seafood from Sun Lake. Hmm? I think I can smell it now—the rich scent of Sun Lake!" Garret sniffed the air, his enthusiasm leading him to the first wagon, where he seemed genuinely pleased, his gaze fixed on the golden-wrapped crates.
"This must be the seafood from Sun Lake. Let me guess... Giant Claw Crabs? Their crab roe is simply delicious!" Garret raised his eyebrows, showering praise without holding back.
It was hard for Rhett to tell whether Garret’s words were genuine or just polite flattery. After a moment of contemplation, Rhett responded casually, "It’s a shame we didn’t bring much seafood this time. But as a gesture of goodwill for our first meeting, I can offer these crates of premium seafood as a gift to you, Baron Garret."
Since they were neighboring territories, Rhett saw no harm in fostering a good relationship. After all, the seafood wasn’t particularly valuable.
Seeing that the lord of Hawkeye Town was easy to get along with, a hint of joy flashed in Garret’s eyes, though he concealed it well. By the time they arrived at the manor, Rhett and Baron Garret had already grown quite familiar with each other, at least on the surface.
Rhett observed the manor, noting its similarities with Deep Rock Fortress in that both were situated on flat ground rather than on rugged mountains. However, unlike Deep Rock Fortress, War Fortress had two additional auxiliary towers, connected by two-tiered passageways that enclosed a square space. A pale yellow path made of Ironwood led from the manor gate to the fortress, dividing the garden into two distinct sections—one filled with golden Goldfragrance flowers and the other with a sea of red blossoms.
Gold and red—the two main colors of the Gorge Front’s battle flag. Rhett hadn’t expected to see such a design in someone else’s manor.
As servants approached to take the reins of their horses, Rhett, along with his two sons, followed Garret into War Fortress.
"I must say, Lord Rhett, it seems we were destined to meet!" Garret exclaimed as they sat down at a long table, which could accommodate twenty people, laid out over a luxurious red carpet.
"Oh? And why do you say that?" Rhett asked, barely seated before hearing this unexpected remark.
"Well, for one, we share the same name. Both our fathers fought on the Gorge Front, and our territories aren’t that far apart," Garret explained, trying hard to emphasize their connection. He then clapped his hands and added, "And since you’ve brought me a gift, Lord Rhett, I have something for you as well!"
Before Rhett could respond, Garret hurried upstairs. He soon returned, placing a bottle of Boiling Potion on the table in front of Rhett.
The fiery liquid inside the bottle shimmered, a potion that could enhance the combat prowess of low-level knights. "This potion, Lord Rhett, is my gift to you. I’m sure it will be useful for your knights. If not, Tuck will certainly benefit from it," Garret said with a bright smile, as maids in short white skirts served tea around them, the heavy scent of perfume filling the air, overpowering the aroma of the tea.
Rhett, who preferred more subtle, natural fragrances, hesitated slightly, tapping his fingers on the table. "Baron Garret, isn’t a Boiling Potion a bit too valuable as a greeting gift?"
Rhett’s reaction only made Garret smile even more. This was precisely the effect he wanted. He needed to show his generosity to make his upcoming request easier to broach. After all, dealing with the Firefeather Eagles wasn’t a trivial matter.
Opening the conversation directly or without offering something substantial wouldn’t yield the desired results. The two flying magical beasts weren’t easy opponents. Without the help of a mage, it would be quite challenging for two knights to handle them.
Facing a flying magical beast that relied purely on physical attacks was one thing; there might be an opportunity to counterattack. But when up against a flying beast that could cast spells from a distance, it became a nightmare for any knight—far more troublesome than battling a mage. After all, mages usually fought on the ground, giving knights a chance to engage. But an aerial enemy was another story entirely—a true sitting duck!
Using a bow and arrow was an option, but for low-level knights, the power of their combat aura would quickly dissipate once the arrow left their bow. Only by continuously channeling their aura through their weapon could they maintain its power. Therefore, using a bow and arrow required exceptional skill, and even then, it wouldn’t pose much of a threat to magical beasts.
Only by becoming an Earth Knight, where one’s strength and aura reach a whole new level, could a knight leap tens of meters into the air and no longer be at the mercy of flying beasts. Earth Knights could also channel their aura into arrows, making them more lethal to airborne foes.
Noticing Garret’s gaze lingering on him, Rhett quickly deduced that this was all about the Firefeather Eagles. Smiling slightly, he nonchalantly handed the Boiling Potion to Tuck, who beamed with delight at receiving it.
Seeing the lord of Hawkeye Town accept the gift, Garret’s face lit up with satisfaction. He was just about to bring up the subject of the Firefeather Eagles when Rhett beat him to it.
"A Boiling Potion is worth far more than some seafood from Sun Lake. To maintain the balance of our friendship, shouldn’t our exchanges be somewhat equal? On our way here, we encountered a Flame Lion that blocked our path to Damm Town. We brought its corpse with us, and I believe it would make a fitting personal gift to you," Rhett said, his smile unchanged as he took a sip of tea.
"This..." Garret hesitated, his heart sinking. Rhett’s reasoning was flawless, leaving Garret with no grounds to continue pressing the issue. To persist now would be too obvious.