The biting cold wind howled, carrying ice and snow that lashed against the dead tree trunks by the roadside.
Louis sat in a shaky carriage, the wheels grinding over the frozen earth with a dull creak. He lowered his head, staring at the Northern Border Lord's Development Certificate in his hand, stamped with the imperial seal. A bitter smile appeared on his face.
Three months ago, he'd been directly hit by a dump truck and transmigrated to another world, waking up in the body of Louis Calvin—the son of Duke Calvin.
However, after being reincarnated as a so-called Celestial Dragon, he hadn't even enjoyed a single day of luxury before being appointed as a pioneering baron and ordered to the Northern Border to develop his own territory.
This was far from a blessing.
The Northern Border was frozen all year round—barren, desolate, and constantly threatened by glacier orcs from the north. It wasn't a place meant for human settlement.
Although the Empire nominally controlled the region, many areas remained under the control of the Snow Country remnants. Just two years ago, a large-scale rebellion had nearly severed the Northern Border from the Empire entirely, requiring immense resources and sacrifice to suppress.
The Empire soon realized that military garrisons alone couldn't maintain long-term stability. So, the Emperor issued a decree: sons of major nobles were to be sent as pioneering lords to the Northern Border. In exchange for territory, they were expected to bring strength and governance—restoring order to the wild frontier.
At the same time, this plan conveniently weakened the power of the noble families. It was a political maneuver that killed two birds with one stone.
Of course, the major noble families weren't fools. They saw through the Emperor's intentions. Most responded by sending the least important members of their households to fulfill the decree.
Louis was one of those expendables.
As the most useless of Duke Calvin's twelve sons, he naturally became the family's first choice. After receiving his Development Certificate, he was given eight hundred gold coins, several carts of grain, three Elite Knights, ten Formal Knights, and thirty Apprentice Knights—and was hastily sent on his way.
Looking at that sparse lineup, it was clear that Duke Calvin had no intention of seeing his son establish himself in the Northern Border. As long as Louis didn't die en route, even dying shortly after arrival would be considered "mission complete." Participation was what mattered.
No one believed Louis could survive up there. Not even Louis himself.
How could a freshly graduated wage slave possibly survive in this freezing, dangerous, godforsaken land?
Louis tugged his cloak tighter around himself, but it did nothing to stop the bone-chilling cold. He muttered under his breath, "Damn it, don't all transmigrators get some kind of cheat? Why don't I have anything?"
The moment he spoke, a mechanical female voice suddenly echoed in his mind."Daily Intelligence System loading…"Startled, Louis froze. Before he could react, a flood of information about the system poured into his mind.
Daily Intelligence System:
Each day, it would randomly push several pieces of information relevant to Louis—ranging from hidden resource locations, character secrets, to even future events…
This cheat was practically tailor-made for a pioneering lord.
The Northern Border was full of uncertainty—rife with danger, but also brimming with opportunity. In this chaotic landscape, the Daily Intelligence System would deliver key insights daily to help him avoid disaster and seize critical resources.
More importantly, even in a worst-case scenario, the system could warn him to escape ahead of time.
Realizing this, Louis could no longer suppress his excitement and chuckled softly. A glimmer of hope had finally appeared in the endless, bitter journey of becoming a frontier lord."Daily Intelligence System loading complete!"As the voice faded, a translucent light screen appeared before his eyes. Several lines of text quickly flashed across the display:
[Daily Intelligence Update Complete]
[1: The third prince of the Ironblood Empire drowned in a manure pit after being framed during a stable inspection at noon today.]
[2: Duke Calvin's tenth daughter was born, possessing the "Burst" talent in her bloodline.]
[3: A school of Northern Crystal Cod will appear at dawn in the ice river fissure, three kilometers west.]
[4: Knight Roy will mix Frost Scorpion venom into your dinner meat soup.]
...
Filled with anticipation, Louis read through the list.
The first two pieces of intelligence weren't especially useful in the current moment—more like psychological comfort.
He snorted at the third prince's misfortune in the palace power struggle and shook his head at his father's astonishing fertility. Tenth daughter, seriously?
But when his gaze reached the third entry, his eyes suddenly narrowed."A school of Northern Crystal Cod will appear at dawn in the ice river fissure, three kilometers to the west."Northern Crystal Cod!
This was an incredibly rare and valuable resource.
Before departing for the Northern Border, Louis had frantically crammed as much knowledge as possible about the region. This particular fish had been mentioned.
They thrived in freezing waters. Their meat was delicious, yes, but more importantly, their bones contained a unique substance capable of purifying a knight's bloodline and enhancing their strength.
This kind of resource was nearly impossible to find in the market—and each fish was worth a thousand gold coins!
This wasn't just about food. This was a massive opportunity—one that could bring wealth, allies, and improved combat power.
The system had arrived just in time.
Until now, Louis had been unsure how to gain a foothold in the Northern Border. But now, his very first push from the system gave him a head start.
Calming his racing thoughts, Louis continued reading.
Then, his expression froze."Knight Roy will mix Frost Scorpion venom into your dinner meat soup."Louis's throat tightened.
He instinctively glanced toward the nearby knights setting up camp around the bonfire. Some pitched tents, while others unloaded supplies from their horses.
A few knights were busy preparing dinner—chopping meat and tossing vegetables into a large iron pot. Steam rose from the bubbling stew in the frigid night air.
Among them, a knight with a broad, honest-looking face knelt by the pot, stirring the soup slowly.
Roy.
Louis felt a cold chill creep up his spine.
A Formal Knight, personally dispatched by his own family, was secretly trying to poison him?
He'd assumed that even if the knights looked down on him, they would at least obey him as their Lord. He never imagined that someone would actually try to kill him before he even set foot on his new land.
Being exiled was already bad enough, but now someone wanted him dead before he even arrived?
Impossible to guard against.
Thank god for the Daily Intelligence System. Without it, he might already have his coffin ordered.
Just then, a knight's voice called out from outside the carriage, barely audible over the howling wind."Lord, dinner is ready."Louis adjusted his collar, then slowly lifted the curtain and stepped down from the carriage.
The firelight flickered across the camp. The iron pot in the center boiled away, its rich aroma drifting in the wind, stirring his appetite.
The knights sat around the fire, none of them eating yet. As custom dictated, the Lord had to eat first.
Louis's gaze swept over the camp, then settled back on the pot of meat soup.
A faint smile played across his lips.