Without material incentives, nothing could be accomplished. The magic of Gold Dragons spawned miracles.
Driven by the high morale stimulated by ample rewards, the construction of the Lions Den advanced by leaps and bounds. The enthusiasm of the commoners seemed capable of carving through the mountain itself.
Evelyn walked beside Arthur, her face, usually covered in dust, now glowed with an irrepressible radiance.
Today was the day of Arthur's first phase of project acceptance. Arthur sighed, realizing he never thought he would one day be inspecting a construction project.
Evelyn pointed into the mountain, her voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Lord Arthur, look."
"The core area of the fortress within the mountain has been completed, capable of accommodating three hundred residents for long-term living."
"Next is to build a small castle on the open-air platform connecting to the outside path, leaving no space for a foothold!"
"The defensive works are also basically complete. Even if the enemy has an army of thousands, they will absolutely not be able to break through! They won't even be able to get close! This castle will far surpass Craster's Mine! And even any castle in Westeros!"
Evelyn paused, taking a deep breath, seemingly savoring her own creation.
"The ventilation system is fully connected. What you are feeling now is the result."
Arthur stopped, closed his eyes, inhaled, exhaled. A fresh, cool air, carrying the faint, moist scent of rock, slowly rose from the cracks in the flagstones beneath his feet, brushing his cheeks, carrying away the stuffiness and heat from deep within the cave.
He could clearly feel the warm and turbid air around him being drawn upwards by an invisible force, eventually disappearing into a hole in the high rock wall above his head.
Evelyn looked at Arthur, her voice full of pride: "This is natural wind, formed by the temperature difference and air pressure between the inside and outside of the mountain."
"Fresh cold air is drawn in from the bottom, and stale air is expelled from the top. It's warm in winter and cool in summer, and you'll never suffocate."
Arthur opened his eyes. What he saw was not the darkness he had imagined. Sunlight, cleverly refracted through window openings and vertical shafts meticulously carved throughout the mountain, cast a soft, dim light across the entire main hall. Only in some narrow, secluded paths were torches needed for illumination.
Evelyn led him deeper, lifting her head proudly: "We also excavated a large cold storage deep inside, capable of storing a large amount of food long-term!"
"Next to it is a smaller ice cellar, enough to freeze ice for your use in the summer."
"The aqueducts, sewage channels, and public washrooms have also been initially completed."
Arthur's gaze followed Evelyn's refer to direction, his eyes gleaming. Roman technology, truly astounding. A clear aqueduct ran through the hall, emitting the gurgling sound of flowing water—the first mountain spring diverted from outside into the mountain.
Evelyn then stamped her foot on the ground, making a light sound. Arthur looked down at the clearly relaid foundation: "Below is a hidden underground waterway, directly connected to a diverted stream. It constantly flushes through, and domestic sewage will flow through here, directly into the abyss canyon in front of the mountain."
Arthur listened to the ceaselessly flowing sewage channel beneath his feet, frowning slightly. Discharging into the abyss canyon outside the castle, accumulating over time, would eventually become quite foul:
"Discharging into the abyss in front of the mountain is only a temporary measure. I hope it can flow much further, away from my castle."
Evelyn immediately nodded: "I understand."
"For the second phase of the project, I will extend the sewage pipes to the other side of the mountain to join the river."
Arthur surveyed the magnificent yet exquisitely crafted internal mountain fortifications, an inexpressible sense of security welling up in his chest. "I can defend this place until I die of old age!"
Arthur turned, facing the commoners who had followed him, their eyes gleaming with anticipation and admiration.
Arthur announced loudly: "Today, I declare that the Lions Den will be our unyielding city!"
"Even if the legendary Long Night descends again, and the Others besiege us, those who live here will gain eternal safety!"
Arthur's voice echoed in the vast cavern, rousing a fervent cheer.
"All who participated in this great project, you shall become the first residents of the Lions Den!"
The crowd erupted, their cheers almost lifting the cave roof.
Arthur looked at the excited faces, but in his heart, he was contemplating another matter.
"Why hasn't Roderick arrived yet! Is he even coming? My money is almost gone!"
As if to answer his thoughts, Barna ran into the cave entrance, panting, his face beaming as if he had found a whole chest of Gold Dragons. He ran to Arthur, shouting excitedly:
"Roderick's caravan is here! With Gold Dragons! They've arrived!"
When Arthur saw Roderick's entourage at the territory entrance, he keenly sensed that something was amiss.
The fervent excitement Roderick had shown last time, like discovering a gold mine that would make him rich, was gone from his face. In its place was a carefully concealed gloom and timidity.
The guards behind him had also changed. They were no longer the casual caravan guards from before, but a group of tall, indifferent men.
They stood ramrod straight, their hands subtly resting on their sword hilts, their eyes sharp as eagles, scanning everything around them. Although they wore the same mercenary leather armor, their murderous aura indicated they were well-trained elite soldiers.
Throughout the reception, Arthur strangely noticed that Roderick's gaze always unconsciously darted towards a tall, strong leading guard captain beside him. It was a look mixed with awe and fear.
The transaction took place in the Lions Den's lord's council chamber.
Barna and Evelyn were counting the new Gold Dragons in the boxes. The crisp sound of the Gold Dragons clinking echoed in the hall. Barna felt his hands trembling, but to his astonishment, Evelyn's hands were incredibly steady, and her expression remained unchanged.
Arthur's attention, however, remained fixed on the peculiar Roderick and the guard captain.
"Over ten thousand Gold Dragons! Lord Arthur! I've never seen so many Gold Dragons!" Barna's voice trembled.
Arthur nodded. Barna still needed to broaden his horizons; it was embarrassing to be so unworldly. He motioned for a servant to hand Roderick ten pairs of 'Eye-Brightening Lenses' carefully packaged in wooden boxes.
The transaction was complete, but Arthur did not end the conversation. He spoke casually, as if by chance: "It's been a pleasure doing business, Lord Roderick."
"Speaking of which, I've been planning to acquire a batch of excellent equipment for my army recently. The price is negotiable."
Arthur looked at Roderick, a slight smile on his face: "Do you happen to have any channels?"
Roderick's expression became awkward and unnatural. Arthur's question shattered Roderick's feigned composure. His lips moved a few times, but he couldn't utter a single word. He instinctively turned his head, looking at the guard captain beside him. The captain was expressionless, as if he hadn't heard Arthur's words at all, his gaze still calm and silent.
Roderick finally forced out an ugly smile and shook his head: "Lord Arthur, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. I... I intend to use this money to enjoy life and no longer engage in such arduous business."
This answer told Arthur everything he wanted to know. Based on his interactions with Roderick, he was definitely a greedy merchant who would not refuse a profit delivered to his doorstep. The person in charge of this entourage was no longer Roderick.
Arthur understood. The smile on his face grew even warmer. He realized something: these people were not from Tyrell Family.
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