As Louis and his entourage appeared, the workers instantly beca agitated.
Many of the newly settled refugees were especially excited. Originally, they had no skills, and if they were in other territories, they would have long been treated as unpaid slaves.
But in Red Tide, they were incorporated into the road construction teams: every day they had food, work points to offset penalties, and even received small amounts of iron coins and copper coins.
"It’s the Lord!" Soone recognized him and whispered.
"That’s... Lord Louis!" A young man clenched the iron hamr in his hand, his eyes filled with both nervousness and curiosity.
They had heard many boastful tales from the old craftsn: such as the great Red Tide Lord, who could single-handedly defeat a hundred barbarians.
People were curious about what he looked like.
Would he really be as the rumors said, awe-inspiring, with three heads and six arms?
But when they saw him in person, they found he was just quietly riding on horseback.
His appearance was delicate, his figure slender, and his expression cold and steady.
None of the miraculous phenona of legends, nor an unattainable pressure.
Only as Louis passed by, he simply nodded at them with a smile.
At that mont, it was as if the elusive winter sun had broken through thick clouds and warmly poured down on their hearts.
Everyone felt that he was smiling at them individually.
Thus, the refugees who had anticipated miracles did not feel disappointed.
Instead, in this unexpected ordinariness, they felt a deeper sense of emotion.
Looking at the half-completed road, Louis did not engage in much conversation, asking, "How is the progress on this section?"
A foreman quickly replied, "Lord Louis, in half a month, the mountain path will be fully paved, by then the convoys from Red Tide can directly reach Mai Lang Valley."
Louis nodded, said no more, and continued riding forward.
Then Felan, beside him, couldn’t help but frown, "This mountain path... can obviously be traversed, why expend so much effort to repair it?"
Louis turned his head, his tone still steady, "Being passable and being easy to travel are two different things. If relying only on horseback, people can barely get through snow.
But with caravans, if they encounter rain or snow or mud, they’ll get stuck halfway, and most of the Northern Territory is snowy days, roads are the lifeline of the territory. If goods and grain can’t arrive on ti, every harvest will rot in the fields."
He cast his gaze towards the refugees pulling stones with carts ahead, "So it must be repaired."
Felan was taken aback, looking complexly at the stone road forming ahead.
After passing the mountain path, they continued downhill, the dust and rubble gradually leveled out.
Before half a day’s work, a newly built station ca into sight.
This station was situated at the river valley convergence, green bricks and gray tiles, with the sign "Red Tide Station" hanging under the eaves.
In the courtyard were over a dozen large caravans parked, horses casually drinking water from long troughs.
A comrcial convoy from the South, their wagons covered with waterproof cloths, faintly revealing the shapes of wine barrels.
Smoke curled up from the stove, the drivers gathered around the fire, sipping thin porridge, occasional laughter echoed.
When Louis and his entourage stepped into the station, they instantly attracted many gazes.
"It’s Lord Louis!" Soone whispered, but there was no uproar, only respectful eyes watching from afar.
The middle-aged rchant leading the convoy saw Louis and bravely stepped forward to greet him, "Sir, we’ve t before, this ti from the South, intending to sell red wine in Red Tide City."
After a few exchanges of pleasantries, the rchant couldn’t help but exclaim, "Traveling north on this road, I have never found it so smooth.
In the Old North, it’s common for wheels to get stuck in the snow, but now the road is uninterrupted. The roads in Red Tide are simply more convenient than those in the South."
Several people beside him echoed, "Yes, absolutely, goods can be sold in Red Tide, and everyone has money, they can afford things! I’ve heard fewer people are going to Frost Halberd City..."
These ordinary rchant conversations made Felan’s heart tighten slightly.
Frost Halberd City, the city he had sworn to protect his entire life, once the heart of the Northern Territory, was now lightly described as declining.
He turned his gaze towards the station, filled with the coming and going of Red Tide residents, refugees, and rchants.
As the commander of the Cold Iron Knight Order, he should find joy in the Northern Territory’s prosperity, yet he couldn’t help but feel sowhat lancholic.
The Frost Halberd City he had guarded for a lifeti was losing its forr glory.
While this new territory forged by Louis was rising as the new comrcial center of the Northern Territory.
Felan was silent for a long ti, eventually murmuring softly, "Maybe, this is just the changing tis."
He was imrsed in complex emotions when suddenly, Louis’s voice reached his ears.
"Don’t overthink it, Felan. Rest well, in two more days, we’ll reach Red Tide City."
Louis casually said, eyes still calm, showing no sign of detecting his thoughts.
Felan nodded slightly, the touch of desolation in his heart was smothered, and he followed behind Louis.
...
Two days later.
The morning mist gradually dissipated, and on the distant horizon, the majestic silhouette of a city slowly appeared.
Red Tide City, the foundation of Louis.
It wasn’t as splendid and magnificent as the old capital of the Empire, yet it had a feeling of robustness and solidity.
The high walls stood towering, climbing along the mountain, lined with towers, red banners fluttering vigorously in the sunshine.
The gray-white stone city walls reflected a cold light beneath the thin frost, cold iron beams deeply embedded in the stone layers, like armored steel, emitting a unique oppressive aura.
The gates were tall and heavy, wooden planks densely packed with cold iron nails, glinting like a forest of blades in the morning light.
The arrow towers had already been erected, fire pits on their tops emitting wisps of smoke.
From Felan’s knightly perspective, the defense system of this city was already quite complete.
Although still incomparable to Frost Halberd City, fortified by a hundred years.
Yet considering this city had taken only a few years to form, he had to admit it was a miracle.
The gates of Red Tide City slowly closed behind them.
Along the way, the knights and Cold Iron Order mbers who had followed had hardly had a chance to properly admire the splendor and grandeur of Red Tide City before seeing Louis reign in his horse.
He didn’t lead the way himself as usual, only simply instructed, "Bradley, lead them to their accommodations."
Having said that, he turned and left without offering a further explanation.
Everyone exchanged glances.
This was unlike Louis’s usual style; at any other ti, he was always calm and thorough, never neglecting the etiquette of hospitality, nor leaving the newly arrived knights stranded.
Just as people exchanged glances, the old steward Bradley smiled slightly, dispelling their doubts for the master.
"Everyone, don’t mind." He whispered, "The Lord is eager to see his wife. After all, she is about to give birth."
"Ah..." Everyone realized, their faces breaking into knowing smiles.
"That explains it."
"No wonder."
"...Yes, he should go back and accompany Miss Emily."
Especially the few officers of the Cold Iron Knight Order, exchanging glances, their doubts imdiately dissipated, turning instead to agreent.
After all, the child in the womb wasn’t only Louis’s heir but also the grandson of the deceased Duke Edmund.
For them, the Cold Iron Knights, this was very important.
As for Louis himself, he barely lingered.
His cloak fluttered in the wind, and he strode quickly towards the direction of the Earth Tower in the southern part of the city.
The castle blueprint for Red Tide had long been drawn, but due to the urgent need for road and defensive construction, labor and craftsn had been diverted.
The castle construction had to be postponed; now he and Emily still lived in the initial Earth Tower.
But in truth, even that Earth Tower castle wasn’t simple; it was built just two years ago, rely its appearance was lacking beauty.
He pushed open the heavy wooden door, finding the fire inside warm.
Emily was reclining on the couch, her belly eight months pregnant, her cheeks flushed in the fire’s glow.
The maid quietly tended to her, offering water, spreading blankets.
Sif was beside her, chatting to relieve her boredom.
Seeing Louis return, a hint of relief appeared between Emily’s brows, her voice soft yet gentle, "You’re back."
Louis stepped forward, gently caressing her shoulder, "Yes, I’m back."
With only one month left until the child’s birth, and winter pressing in.
Looking at Emily’s swelling belly, he’d made up his mind—in the coming spring before the new season arrives, he won’t roam far.
At least this winter, he would stay by their side, with her and the child.
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