Alexander Smith
Purchasing the family's new fief is the easy part. All it takes is money. Settling in and rebuilding their fief on the other hand is way more difficult. Being forced to fit in with the technology level on Hycean is going to be a total pain and major inconvenience for Alex. It is like going into a fight with both hands tied behind his back and for the fun of it, he is going to allow his enemy to make the first move. Alex's family owns a magic machinery manufacturing factory but he won't even be allowed to reveal any of these machineries on Hycean.
Things were so much more straightforward back on Eldorin. Under the protection of Immortal Ascension Pavillion, public security is top notch. Any expansion Alex carries out back on Eldorin is all about balancing the budget. Here on Hycean, he needs to make sure that he can protect whatever assets he reveals. On a positive note, he only needs to hold himself back for another six Earth months. At this moment in time, his cultivation is already at the proficient stage of the second major realm. If all goes well, he will breakthrough to the third major realm, becoming a mage in six Earth months' time.
In the Kingdom Of Varune, only the two duchies and the royal family have cultivators in the third major realm. Initial investigation reveals that both the dukes are cultivator in the third major realm and with cultivator families having a habit of holding back a few aces up their sleeves, it is suspected that each duchy has kept hidden another one or two cultivators in the third major realm. As for the royal family, it is publicly known that the royal family have three cultivators in the third major realm. To be on the safe side, Alex assumed that the royal family would have another three third major realm cultivators kept hidden from public eye. That would make the number of third major realm cultivators in the entire Kingdom Of Varune to be roughly around twelve. As for the other cultivation families that holds the noble title of count, Alex believes none of those families would have the financial means to raise a cultivator to the third major realm.
One more Earth month after Alex achieves the third major realm, both Henry and Joshua should be able to breakthrough to the third major realm as well. By then, the family should have the might to protect themselves against either duchy. Even the royal family will have to thread lightly when dealing with their family. In an Earth year time, their family would become the most powerful family in the Kingdom of Varune when all five of their cousins also achieve the third major realm. With forth major realm cultivators only found in the empire on the other corner of the world, there will be no other local powers that can threaten their position as the local overlord in an Earth year's time. Off course, all this sounds nice on paper but an Earth year is ten years in the cultivation world. A lot of variables can transpire over such a long period of time. His priority now is rebuilding his new fief.
The family's new fief, the Barony Of Redshore is located on the Southern coast of the island and covers an area about one hundred and forty square miles. Their barony is in a horrible condition due to neglect. Ever since the demise of the previous lord, the fief ownership was returned to the dutchy but the Duke Of Romana had not even be bothered to assign a temporary steward to manage the barony. The perpetual threat of pirate invasions made rebuilding just not worth the investment in the duke's point of view.
The Barony Of Redshore shares a border with three other baronies. The Barony Of Whitemarsh on the East does not currently has a lord. The previous lord and his family had shared a similar tragic fate during the pirate invasion three years ago. The Barony Of Luthurne to the north still has its lord. Although the Baron Of Luthurne survived the pirate invasion, his family took quite a beating and even until now, his barony had yet to fully recover. To the west is the Barony Of Milton. Between his two new neighbors, Alex suspects that any future trouble with his neighbor will be coming from the Baron Of Milton. From the intelligence gathered, the Baron Of Milton, Charles Of Winsloff is one spoilt brat. His father, the Count Of Winsloff is one of the king's most trusted retainer in the royal city. Charles being the son of the count's most favored concubine makes him potential threat to the legitimate eldest heir. Charles, growing up entitled and spoilt have caused all sort of scandals in the royal city growing up and it was finally in one such scandal when the count's legitimate heir finally managed to secure the support of other noble families to exile Charles from the royal city. Charles' father ever playing favorite, bought him the Barony Of Milton for his exile. On top of it, Charles father had also sent two cultivators in the second major realm for his protection. Alex for the time being can discount Charles as part of his barony military strength. He is quite confident such a spoilt child living a life of debauchery, drinking and whoring would totally neglects his cultivation.
As such, local politics is straightforward enough. His northern neighbor is still licking his wound and won't be an immediate threat. As for his western neighbor, a show of force should be more than enough to ward of any border conflict in the short term. People like Charles only act high and mighty when facing those weaker than him. Unless he is an absolute idiot, he should at most be an annoying fly that Alex has to refrain from swatting.
It has been four and the half Earth months since his five cousins enter
The geographical features of the barony is a simple one. Its northern boundary is demarcated by a river. The Clearwater River is a hundred feet wide and flows out into the ocean at the Barony Of Milton. From the river all the way to the sandy beach of the southern shore are flat plains. With proper irrigation, Alex should be able to turn the entire plains into rich farmlands. The lord's manor is located next to the river and has a supporting village. The village, named after the barony itself is the largest settlement in the barony and also the only settlement with a palisade. The village used to have a bridge connecting the barony to the Barony Of Luthurne but it was destroyed by the Baron Of Luthurne to improve his own barony's security after the Barony Of Redshore lost its previous lord. Aside from the village accompanying the lord's manor, the barony used to have three other hamlets in its domain. Now, all three have been left abandoned since none of the previous tenants survived the pirate invasion.
Even for Redshore Village, there is only sixteen household left that somehow managed to survive the pirate invasion. The manpower in the barony is in such a sad state that Alex will have to bring in new families from other parts of the kingdom in order for his barony to run properly again.