Liam scrolled through the chat as the Lords argued back and forth.
A sharp laugh burst out of him.
"Ha! These people are amusing."
His voice echoed through the quiet room.
Grrr…
At that exact moment, his stomach growled loud enough to sound like an angry beast.
Liam blinked.
"Damn… I'm hungry."
He rubbed his stomach. "Totally forgot. Sparring with Noah drained me."
He stood up and called out, "Noah!"
Noah's voice answered a second later from outside the door.
"Yes, my Lord?"
"It's time for breakfast. Summon everyone," Liam said as he stretched his shoulders.
Noah nodded immediately. "Understood."
Within minutes, the subjects gathered in the camp clearing, forming small lines as the morning chill slowly lifted.
Emma and several scouts were still absent, of course, still out scouting the surroundings. Far above them, the Galecrest Hawk circled like a silent guardian, keeping watch over the surroundings. They wouldn't be back for at least another hour.
But Liam didn't want to wait.
He pulled open his system storage, selected his supplies, and took out 50 units of wolf meat from yesterday's hunts.
They started cooking the meat over an open fire, the smoke curling upward as the smell spread through the camp.
While eating, Liam couldn't help but sigh inwardly. If only one of us knew how to cook…
The meat was edible, but barely.
If I ever find that lord who got the Cooking Class, he thought grimly, I'm dragging him straight into my territory.
Two hours later, Emma and the other scouts finally returned. Dust clung to their boots, and their expressions were tense.
"My lord, the situation is"
"Let's move to the meeting room first," Liam interrupted, rising to his feet.
They headed inside.
At the large wooden table, Liam took the main seat while Noah and the other subjects gathered around. A rough map of their surroundings was spread out before them, stones weighing down the corners.
Emma stepped forward and began her report.
"My lord, we've confirmed that we are currently on an island approximately forty kilometers in diameter. And there are around one hundred lord territories on this island, including ours."
Liam frowned. "One hundred? That number feels a bit too… specific."
"It does, my lord," Emma agreed. "We also checked for nearby landmasses. As far as we can tell, there are four additional islands, one in each direction from us."
Liam leaned over the map. "So we're not alone, but we're confined."
Emma nodded. "Yes, my lord. It appears there is a barrier surrounding our island. The scouts and the Galecrest Hawk both confirmed it. We cannot explore beyond it."
"So for now," Liam muttered, "we can only explore our island."
"That is correct, my lord," Emma said. "But thanks to the Galecrest Hawk's altitude, we can at least confirm the presence of those four neighboring islands."
Liam sat back, tapping the table thoughtfully. "If this setup is intentional, then tomorrow could be important. The lords' protection period ends tomorrow morning… meaning some event might occur for lords."
"And the Lord's Mansion needs a noble title like Baron to unlock Level 2," Liam muttered, thinking it through. "It seems that whoever gains the ruler of the island becomes Baron . Earning that title is basically the gateway into the noble system. After Baron comes Viscount… and so on."
He exhaled slowly, the weight of the situation settling on his shoulders.
"Baron …" he said quietly. "Once that happens, the barrier surrounding the island may finally be lifted."
His eyes sharpened.
"And when it does… the next round begins."