《Dark Fairy Tale: Tyrant, Conquered Cinderella at the Beginning》


 Chapter 1 - Fantasy world, Master Richard

    Chapter 1 Fantasy world, Master Richard


    The scorching sun blazed down, shining upon the dense forest.


    The green water flowed gently, winding its way through.


    Shadows flickered among the trees, yet no sound could be heard, indicating that they were all seasoned hunters.


    Suddenly, there was a faint ¡°chirp¡± sound, followed by the pitiful cry of a moose in the distance, and then a dull thud as the animal fell to the ground.


    [Congratulations to the host for killing the moose, gaining 3 kill points!]


    Richard put away his bow and arrow, a slight smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.


    He had spotted this moose for a while now, and getting within shooting range had truly exhausted much of his mental energy.


    In the jungle, with dry branches and leaves everywhere, finding a suitable path to approach was no easy task.


    After all, with the moose¡¯s alertness, even the slightest movement could easily trigger its awareness.


    Fortunately, after prolonged effort, he finally took down the moose before it noticed him.


    With a thought, a system panel appeared before him, displaying various attributes.


    Strength, agility, endurance, and so on.


    Through these recent hunts, his agility and endurance had significantly increased; it seemed best to add these three kill points to his strength.


    As he thought, the three kill points transformed into a small white light, merging into his strength attribute.


    At the same time, he felt his earlier fatigue instantly disappear, even the slight soreness in his muscles from long-distance trekking seemed to vanish, replaced by a comfortable feeling and a sense of immense strength.


    Unable to resist, he slapped his hand on a nearby tree trunk.


    With a crisp ¡°crack,¡± the tree trunk snapped.


    Richard stared at his hand in amazement, uninjured, not even reddened.


    To ensure it wasn¡¯t just the tree being flawed, he tested a few more nearby trees and finally confirmed that his strength had indeed grown tremendously.


    Three kill points had increased his strength so significantly; it was thrilling!


    Just then, several people who had been standing still not far away walked over.


    ¡°Sir, that shot was truly incredible, hitting precisely in the eye, allowing the moose¡¯s hide to be preserved in perfect condition!¡±


    A man dressed as a medieval knight approached, his face full of flattery.


    Richard nodded slightly and said calmly, ¡°Just experience, now get to work!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The knight bowed and then proceeded forward.


    The team worked in harmony: some retrieved Richard¡¯s arrows, while others skillfully handled the moose carcass, clearly accustomed to working together.


    Despite having guards on alert, Richard habitually scanned the surroundings before moving toward the moose.


    The moose, known as the ¡°Sibuxiang*¡±, truly had a unique appearance.


    Its head resembled a horse, its antlers like a deer, its neck like a camel, and its tail like a donkey. If Richard remembered correctly, this was the same species as Jiang Ziya*¡¯s steed.


    Such moose were nearly extinct during the Han Dynasty, only preserved through efforts by the state after the founding of the 20th-century nation, increasing their population from just a few dozen to over ten thousand.


    But here, in this otherworld, these creatures weren¡¯t so rare; otherwise, Richard might have spared its life.


    Thinking of this world, Richard shook his head, sighing inwardly.


    No matter how strong he became here, it was far from the convenience and comfort of his past life in the modern world.


    And this world wasn¡¯t just backward¡ªit was a magical realm, and he didn¡¯t know when he could ever wield the power to traverse it at will.


    Yes, Richard was a transmigrator.


    As a ¡°fetus transmigrator,¡± his memories of his previous life were hazy when he first arrived, likely due to the mystery of the womb.


    But as he grew older, his memories of his past life became clearer.


    Compared to most people in this world, his life was quite privileged. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was the second son of a powerful duke and a viscount himself, now granted his own territory¡ªa status many envied in this world.


    But, his memories of the modern world made him painfully aware of how backward his current life was.


    He detested this wretched world, filled with fools and illiterates.


    Can you imagine how difficult it is to communicate with people who don¡¯t even share the same wavelength?


    The most unbearable thing in his daily life was the lack of toilet paper.


    He tried to improve the situation, only to settle for using cloths that were washed by servants afterward.


    Though he found it somewhat off-putting, he had no choice; despite being a lord, he couldn¡¯t afford to waste resources so carelessly.


    The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he felt.


    He wondered if he would ever get a chance to return to his original world in his lifetime.


    The worst part was that his knowledge of many technological inventions was just superficial¡ªknowing the concept didn¡¯t mean he could easily recreate them.


    And his newly acquired land was still in disarray, with everything needing to be built from scratch.


    In his boredom, Richard walked to the water¡¯s edge, washed his face after confirming the water¡¯s safety.


    Though the jungle¡¯s canopy blocked the direct sunlight, the heat was still slightly oppressive, and the cool water was refreshing.


    Seeing that his men had finished processing the moose, he signaled for them to follow and continued onward.


    Just as they took a few steps, there was a sudden rustling in the woods to the left. Instantly, he raised his hand, signaling everyone to halt.


    Without hesitation, Richard nocked an arrow and shot it towards the source of the sound.


    When the target was unclear, it was wise not to approach directly.


    Approaching might mean losing the initiative, or worse, facing a dangerous creature unprepared.


    So, instinctively, he fired a probing arrow to test the situation.

 Chapter 2 - Fairy Tale Runs Amok, the Arrow Shoots Cinderella!

    Chapter 2 Fairy Tale Runs Amok, the Arrow Shoots Cinderella!


    With a clang, the arrow lodged in the tree made a sharp sound.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A girl¡¯s exclamation came from ahead.


    Richard was startled, feeling somewhat surprised.


    He walked forward curiously, with his guards and knights following closely behind just in case.


    Richard used his longbow to part the bushes, and when he looked down, he saw a girl covered in dirt sitting on the ground, her face full of fear.


    Above her head, an arrow was firmly embedded in the tree trunk, its feathers still quivering.


    The girl had a pair of long, slender legs, exuding a healthy vibe that was rather alluring. Her small bare feet curled slightly from nervousness, adding to her charm.


    Her entire being emitted an aura that could easily ignite a surge of male hormones.


    Next to her, an overturned basket lay on the ground, scattering berries all over, emphasizing her disheveled state.


    However, the dirt-covered face of the girl quickly dampened Richard¡¯s fleeting emotions.


    A devilish figure but an unremarkable face.


    Richard frowned and looked down at the girl, saying:


    ¡°Who are you, and what are you doing here?¡±


    Richard didn¡¯t consider himself a good person, but he also wouldn¡¯t easily let his guard down around a stranger.


    In his previous life, there were people who acted out of envy and did extreme things, let alone in this world.


    So he made sure to ask sternly.


    Under this intense questioning, the girl looked like a startled deer, timidly replying,


    ¡°I¡ªI am Cinderella, the Count¡¯s daughter. I came to the forest just to pick some berries. Please forgive me!¡±


    ¡°Cinderella?¡±


    Richard rested his chin on his hand, feeling like the name sounded familiar.


    Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his mind.


    So he looked at Cinderella and said, ¡°You¡¯re the Count¡¯s daughter? I don¡¯t believe it!¡±


    Cinderella was flustered and quickly responded, ¡°You must believe me; I wouldn¡¯t dare lie to you!¡±


    Richard let out a chuckle and then said, ¡°The Count¡¯s daughter needs to come out to pick berries herself? Without even a single guard?¡±


    Knowing Cinderella¡¯s background, he asked this to get some confirmation.


    At his words, Cinderella lowered her head and said, ¡°My mother passed away early, and my father is indeed the Count, but now I only have a stepmother and two stepsisters at home.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Richard immediately understood.


    He observed her more carefully and noticed that as her tears fell, the dirt on her face washed away, revealing smooth, fair skin.


    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Cinderella, who was forced to do menial labor by her stepmother, managed to maintain such a good figure and flawless skin.


    Richard then extended his hand to Cinderella.


    She hesitated for a moment, seemingly in disbelief, and asked, ¡°Have you forgiven me?¡±


    Richard offered a faint smile before returning to a stern expression.


    ¡°Get up!¡±


    With a face full of surprise, Cinderella reached out her hand, allowing Richard to pull her up.


    ¡°Thank you, sir. Then, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±


    She spoke cautiously, bending over to pick up her basket, intending to gather the berries scattered on the ground. However, Richard¡¯s next words made her freeze in her tracks.


    ¡°Did I say you could leave?¡± Richard said coldly.


    Cinderella¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve introduced myself yet.¡± Richard said, stepping closer. ¡°My name is Richard, second son of Duke Gerwen and the new Viscount of Long Eagle Territory. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, I understand!¡±


    Cinderella didn¡¯t know what Richard was planning, but she knew that even her father, the nominal Count, wouldn¡¯t dare provoke a landed Viscount.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Viscount. I didn¡¯t know who you were earlier. I realize my mistake now!¡±


    Richard smirked, ¡°Since you understand, you must also know that mistakes come with consequences. This is my land, and entering my private property without permission to pick berries is considered theft!¡±


    Before Richard could finish speaking, Cinderella collapsed to the ground in fear.


    She knew the severity of theft. Not long ago, someone in Nuremberg had been executed for stealing, their body left to rot on a wheel as a warning.


    As those grim words engraved on the walls of the execution ground came to her mind, she shivered, [Citizens, upon seeing the executioner¡¯s gleaming sword, should know that this is the sacred sword, the sword of the ruler. And I do not wish to be a rebel, but to let the executioner do as the sovereign commands. ¡ª Johann Wagner]


    Terrified, she threw herself at Richard¡¯s feet, kissing his shoes, pleading, ¡°I don¡¯t want to die! Please, you must be the most merciful of men! I¡¯ll do anything to atone; I¡¯ll be your servant, work for you as your slave!¡±


    Richard pulled her up again and handed her a handkerchief, ¡°Go to the river, wash your face, and then come with me back to the city!¡±


    Cinderella, still shaken, clutched the handkerchief and thanked him profusely, ¡°Thank you! Thank you! I promise I¡¯ll do my best!¡±


    At Richard¡¯s signal, one of his knights followed her to ensure she didn¡¯t escape and to check the safety of the river water.


    When Cinderella returned with a clean face, her delicate features made all the earlier discrepancies vanish.


    This was the face that matched such a perfect figure, not some shadowy figure that only impressed from a distance. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The group began their journey back to Long Eagle Castle.


    Finding a fairy-tale beauty like this made the hunt feel fruitful, his body felt strengthened, and Richard¡¯s mood was pretty good.


    Cinderella, on the other hand, felt conflicted.


    She never expected that a simple berry-picking outing would lead to her becoming Viscount Richard¡¯s servant.


    Perhaps she¡¯d been too out of touch with news to realize that this previously uninhabited land now had a Viscount in charge.


    Regardless, the situation was now fixed.


    Although she lost her identity as the Count¡¯s daughter, at least she escaped the control of her stepmother, Lady Temmann.


    Silently, she wished for a brighter future in her heart.

 Chapter 3 - Having Cinderella Tonight!

    Chapter 3 Having Cinderella Tonight!


    The Long Eagle Castle did not look majestic, nor was it grand.


    Compared to the Duke¡¯s domain where he grew up and lived before gaining his own fief, it was not even comparable.


    However, at least this was his own kingdom.


    There were many things that needed to be rebuilt and revitalized, and Richard had a lot of work to do.


    Just as he returned to the castle, the tax officer from the town, Harvey, came to request a meeting.


    ¡°Let him in!¡± Richard waved his hand casually and walked toward the reception room.


    The reception room was simple, with a few rattan chairs, some sofas, several round tables, and a few potted plants placed on a wooden side table by the wall¡ªnothing more.


    This viscounty used to belong to another viscount who was killed on the battlefield a few years ago. Since he had no heirs, the territory was confiscated.


    Of course, this land originally fell within the domain of Richard¡¯s father, Duke Gewen, so when it was confiscated, it simply reverted to Duke Gewen¡¯s direct control.


    Over the years, the castle had fallen into disrepair due to a lack of management. It had been tidied up just enough to be usable, as Richard did not have the time to deal with these details for the moment.


    The most important thing in front of him now was to gain killing points through hunting to enhance his own strength.


    Secondly, he needed to quickly grasp the situation in Long Eagle Fief and develop a reasonable plan for its growth.


    So, when it came to his office and living arrangements, those matters could be postponed for now.


    As long as it was sufficient, that would do.


    As a servant brought in some juice, a middle-aged man with oily hair, wearing a brown shirt, walked in briskly.


    ¡°Viscount!¡±


    Richard took the documents handed over by the man, glanced at him, and eventually motioned him to sit down.


    ¡°Tell me about the situation!¡± Richard said as he casually flipped through the documents. ¡°Have you gathered the statistics?¡±


    Harvey quickly nodded with a flattering smile:


    ¡°Yes, yes! The population of our fiefdom is roughly four to five thousand people¡­¡±


    ¡°Roughly?¡± Richard frowned, tapping the unclear numbers on the document. ¡°Do you think this is the result I want?¡±


    Harvey was drenched in sweat.


    ¡°Viscount, we¡¯ve never done a detailed census in Long Eagle Fief, so it¡¯s difficult to get an accurate count right away.¡±


    Richard was speechless. He took a deep breath to calm himself.


    ¡°Go on!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Harvey wiped the sweat from his forehead, relieved that he had narrowly escaped for now. ¡°I¡¯ve found the literate ones you asked for¡ªfive or six of them¡­¡±


    ¡°Five or six? Even this number isn¡¯t clear?¡± Richard interrupted.


    ¡°Six, but one of them isn¡¯t very literate¡­¡±


    Seeing that Richard didn¡¯t respond, Harvey continued.


    ¡°The rest are mostly serfs, tenant farmers, with a few free citizens, one blacksmith, and one tailor.¡±


    Richard frowned.


    ¡°In such a large Long Eagle Fief, there¡¯s only one blacksmith and one tailor?¡±


    Harvey lowered his head, not knowing what to say, thinking that it wasn¡¯t really his fault. After all, it¡¯s up to the people to choose their trades, whether to be a blacksmith or tailor.


    ¡°Oh, right, Viscount, according to rumors, there are dwarves in the forest. If we could gain their allegiance, we might not lack blacksmiths!¡±


    When he finished speaking, he even looked at Richard with an expectant expression, as if waiting for praise.


    Richard was utterly speechless, his face turning serious as he said sternly.


    ¡°From now on, I don¡¯t want to hear words like ¡®roughly,¡¯ ¡®five or six,¡¯ or ¡®rumors.¡¯ Understand?¡±


    Harvey was stunned, blinking his eyes and nodding with difficulty, thinking that this new Viscount was really hard to please.


    Yet, given that the other party was the second son of a powerful duke, even without that background, just being a real power Viscount was enough to make Harvey not dare to show any temper.


    Richard continued.


    ¡°In five or six days, you couldn¡¯t even come up with an accurate headcount. Do you collect taxes with the same casual attitude? If I were such a tax officer, wouldn¡¯t it be easy to pocket some for myself without anyone finding out?¡±


    Harvey, already nervous, was so frightened by these words that he slid off the chair to the ground, his face pale.


    ¡°Viscount, I¡ªI¡ªI swear! I dare not embezzle a single coin. Please investigate thoroughly!¡±


    ¡°Stand up! Look at what a state you¡¯re in now!¡±


    Richard, fed up with these fools around him, couldn¡¯t be bothered to say more and reprimanded him:


    ¡°I won¡¯t investigate what happened in the past when I wasn¡¯t here. But now that I¡¯m the lord of this viscounty, you¡¯ll do things exactly as I say. Understood?¡±


    Harvey quickly stood up, trembling and nodding.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, gather everyone in the fief at the square. I need to address them. Also, in the future, pay attention to your appearance. You¡¯re a tax officer, not a butcher. If your clothes aren¡¯t tidy and your hair isn¡¯t washed, don¡¯t come to see me!¡±


    Richard looked at Harvey with a face full of disdain.


    Harvey noticed Richard¡¯s disgust and cautiously took a step back before bowing his head and saying, ¡°Yes! I will follow your instructions!¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    Richard waved his hand to dismiss him.


    After Harvey left, Richard picked up the juice on the table, but remembering how close Harvey sat to it, he lost his appetite.


    He called over a maid, ¡°This grape juice is a reward for you. Bring me an apple juice.¡±


    The maid didn¡¯t understand why the lord, who usually loved grape juice, suddenly changed his preference today, but she didn¡¯t dare ask and took the juice away.


    Once out of Richard¡¯s sight, the other maids looked at her with envy, ¡°That¡¯s the grape juice the Viscount touched! You¡¯re so lucky!¡±


    The maid with the grape juice happily hurried away, fearing her colleagues might snatch it from her.


    In the reception room, Richard walked to the balcony, took a deep breath, and dispelled his earlier negative emotions. When he turned around, he saw Cinderella still standing outside, so he called over three maids.


    ¡°You two, take her to bathe and change her clothes! Dress her up nicely!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Viscount!¡±


    Two maids stepped forward to lead Cinderella away, their eyes filled with even more envy and jealousy than before¡ªjealous of Cinderella¡¯s beauty.


    Although Cinderella hadn¡¯t been fully cleaned up yet, her figure and the face she washed by the river already made her shine like a pearl in the dust.


    At this moment, Richard ordered the remaining maid to call the cook over, intending to have the deer he had just hunted roasted.


    He planned to finally enjoy Cinderella today, having held back for so long that this vigorous body was truly at its breaking point.

 Chapter 4 - The Beauty of Cardamom, Legs on Shoulders!

    Chapter 4 The Beauty of Cardamom, Legs on Shoulders!


    Originally, he was worried that if he ate venison today, he might lose control and make a move on the maid beside him.


    Now, he didn¡¯t need to worry anymore.


    The reason for his concern wasn¡¯t due to any moral high ground; Richard was never one to hold himself to high moral standards.


    It was simply that he wasn¡¯t interested in most women in this world.


    The people of the lower classes were all unattractive, and even the noblewomen had a strong body odor. In the original world¡¯s battlefield, they wouldn¡¯t even need poison¡ªjust standing upwind would knock out a whole camp of enemies.


    Moreover, people in this world generally didn¡¯t like to bathe, so Richard couldn¡¯t do it at all!


    Having held back for over a decade, he now wished he could turn this world upside down!


    Sometimes he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if, as his body grew stronger through the system, one day he might fail to find a pleasing woman and end up having a spring dream while sleeping, accidentally drilling a hole right through the earth, right?


    The thoughts of a young man are always active, with a mind as wide as the sky, like that of a lunatic. After snapping out of it, Richard quickly forgave his overly imaginative mind.


    But when facing reality, he felt even more helpless towards this stupid world.


    However, the Cinderella he encountered this time was quite different; he had noticed this the first time he met her.


    At that time, because Cinderella¡¯s face was covered in ash, her true appearance couldn¡¯t be seen, so he thought she was just a rare, clean peasant girl.


    When he learned the truth, Richard was overjoyed.


    His stern and cold demeanor back then was just to scare Cinderella on purpose, so she would stay.


    Fairy tale characters truly were different from ordinary people.


    Even though she was abused by her stepmother and bullied by her two sisters, and constantly had ash thrown on her, she still managed to keep herself odor-free.


    Based on Richard¡¯s objective assessment.


    Cinderella was, after all, an ordinary person; no one had trained her to have a habit of bathing, and it was unlikely that she would bathe regularly. Under normal circumstances, she would probably go with the societal flow.


    But because she was bullied by her stepmother and sisters, she had to clean herself daily, which over time became a habit.


    If that were the case, it could be regarded as a lucky coincidence.


    Richard took a sip of the apple juice that the maid handed over, thinking how today¡¯s Cinderella resembled a fresh apple, her innocence making him smile.


    He was in a good mood at that moment, so he glanced at the maid and said:


    ¡°The apple juice is quite good. I¡¯ll give you half a day¡¯s rest this month. When you need it, go ask the head of the guards.¡±


    The maid covered her mouth in surprise, ¡°Thank you, Viscount!¡±


    Richard smiled and waved her away.


    Although the maids around him couldn¡¯t attract him, at least they didn¡¯t have any strange smells on them, which was one of the basic requirements to be a maid in the castle.


    This alone kept many girls away.


    Bathing every day was just too much trouble for them!


    Perhaps it was just like how men couldn¡¯t understand why women would spend an hour every day putting on makeup before going out.


    The citizens of the Viscount¡¯s territory also considered this a peculiar habit of the Viscount.


    There were even rumors that the Viscount made everyone bathe every day just to have more opportunities to peep at them.


    Such rumors naturally didn¡¯t spread widely, only in hushed circles, since people valued their lives.


    However, the male guards in the castle were also required to bathe at least once every two days, which baffled everyone.


    They could only sigh inwardly, ¡°The nobility sure is complicated.¡±


    Some ambitious young men, even if they had no chance of working in the castle, started grooming themselves and occasionally ¡°accidentally¡± passed by the castle.


    After noticing this happening more frequently, Richard couldn¡¯t help but be speechless.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Cinderella, led by two maids, arrived at the bathing area.


    Although Cinderella had a hard life and had no maids to attend to her at home, she easily accepted this treatment because she was used to seeing it at home.


    But just because she could accept it mentally didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t afraid; she just didn¡¯t dare to resist.


    It could be described as the mindset of ¡°the knife is in another¡¯s hand, and I am the fish,¡± pitiful and helpless.


    Quickly, with the help of the two maids, she undressed and stepped into the prepared warm water bath.


    Although she had washed her face with the water earlier, her body still had quite a bit of dust, and the bathwater soon became dirty.


    After changing the water twice, the water in the tub remained clear even after she bathed.


    And in the process, they used quite a bit of soap.


    The technology of this world was roughly at the level of medieval Europe.


    Soap had already been invented, mainly a mixture of lime and salt.


    The salt was extracted from either animal fat or petroleum; the nobles in desert areas used petroleum-derived salt, while those in Long Eagle territory used animal fat-derived salt.


    Of course, commoners couldn¡¯t afford this and used soapwort instead.


    They rarely bathed, partly because soapwort was difficult to gather and partly due to the inconvenience of water resources.


    But if the nobles didn¡¯t bathe, that was really a personal issue.


    After being cleaned with lavender-scented soap, Cinderella¡¯s skin became soft and flawless.


    Freshly washed, she was wrapped in a cotton cloth and carried to Richard¡¯s bed.


    When the maids left with knowing smiles, Richard locked the door and returned to the bed.


    He lifted the cotton cloth.


    In the candlelight, two shadows moved; their eyes met, both captivated.


    Looking at Cinderella before him, Richard felt momentarily entranced.


    If the earlier Cinderella was a pearl that had been wiped clean, the one in front of him now was an immaculate jade.


    Both of them now gave off the scent of lavender after their baths.


    Yet the scents blended differently with their respective bodies.


    Richard¡¯s lavender scent was mixed with the masculine aroma of his hormones.


    While Cinderella¡¯s lavender scent carried the sweet, pure fragrance of a maiden.


    The phrase ¡°young and beautiful¡± popped into Richard¡¯s mind, and he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the wisdom of the ancients.


    The term used to describe a young girl was indeed the pinnacle of descriptive genius.


    He remembered the first time he looked up images of a specific plant and was surprised that he could have such a reaction just from looking at plant pictures.


    The stages of that plant¡¯s growth, from bud to fruit, were each filled with enticing thoughts.


    But no matter how beautiful the plant, the person in front of him was the real-life embodiment of that metaphor!


    Nothing could distract him now. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The scent in the room grew thicker, becoming overwhelming.

 Chapter 5 - A Different Cinderella

    Chapter 5 A Different Cinderella


    The first light of dawn illuminated the castle as Richard opened his eyes. The girl in his arms was still fast asleep, her disheveled bangs seemed to tell of the blood and brutality of the battlefield. Richard got out of bed and pulled open the curtains.


    The sunlight poured into the room like freed sprites, landing gently on Cinderella¡¯s body. Her skin glowed faintly with a golden hue in the light.


    Richard, standing by the window, turned his head to look at this scene and couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. The sight in front of him was as magical as a fairy tale.


    Reflecting on the battle of the previous night, the battlefield commander Richard nodded to himself.


    Perhaps awakened by the sound of the curtains or the change in the temperature on her skin from the sunlight, Cinderella¡¯s eyes fluttered open. Even though she had experienced close contact the night before, her cheeks instantly turned as red as a sun-ripened peach at the sight before her. She forced herself to stay calm, sat up, and gave Richard a slight nod as a gesture of respect.


    Richard smiled lightly and said in a calm voice, ¡°From today on, you are the head maid of Long Eagle Castle. Stay here and serve me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Cinderella blinked and bowed her head to accept the position.


    ¡°But Rella is not familiar with the castle, and I have never served as a head maid before. I worry whether I can fulfill the role properly!¡±


    Richard stepped forward, took a piece of clothing from the bedpost, and draped it casually over her shoulders. That simple gesture made Cinderella feel wrapped in a great sense of security, prompting her to nod immediately, ¡°Thank you, my lord. Please rest assured, Rella will do her utmost to learn and serve you well!¡±


    Richard was about to offer some words of encouragement but was pleasantly surprised by her determination. He felt it saved him a lot of effort. He was genuinely satisfied with Cinderella; her presence as the head maid could at least bring him a sense of pleasantness. Given his understanding of her character, her reactions matched his expectations perfectly.


    Someone capable of adapting quickly to changes, facing different environments with positivity and courage. Someone not just a pretty face, but a person who could actually get things done. Perhaps, she would be one of the few intelligent and capable people among the castle staff.


    ¡°Well then, I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me!¡±


    ¡°I will not let you down, my lord!¡± Cinderella was becoming more natural in her interaction with Richard.


    Richard turned back to the window, basking in the sunlight. He had no worries about keeping Cinderella by his side or her background. Even in the story, Cinderella¡¯s father was only a title-holding count and was already dead. Even if he were alive, as a count gained through commerce, he was merely a nominal count.


    As a man with actual land and power, like himself¡ªa viscount¡ªthose honorary titles were nothing to be concerned about. A noble title acquired through business connections was not in the same league as a title backed by real authority.


    If Cinderella¡¯s father were still alive and saw his daughter becoming the head maid at a viscount¡¯s estate, he would probably be pleased. What Richard truly worried about was whether her family might take this chance to get closer to him, as he wasn¡¯t too fond of them. If the opportunity arose, he might even consider eliminating them altogether.


    ¡­


    Outside the castle, more and more people from the territory began gathering. They wore coarse linen clothes, their hair was dry and unkempt, and they were generally filthy. Some people even had chicken droppings on their heads, but no one seemed to care because it was common for those who raised chickens to live with them in the same house.


    There were those scratching their heads as they talked to one another, shaking out their hair to get rid of fleas. Some even let their children relieve themselves in public, with no one minding the smell. It seemed everyone was so accustomed to the filth around them that they didn¡¯t notice it anymore.


    If Richard were to judge, they would certainly look like a band of refugees. Yet, despite their condition, these people still considered themselves ¡°city folk,¡± at least in comparison to those living in the remote countryside.


    Happiness, in many cases, comes from comparison.


    These people dared not compare themselves to those above them, so they unified by looking down on those even worse off. Even Richard himself was subject to this principle; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so disdainful of this world with his memories from his previous life.


    As time passed, more people gathered in the square. They formed small groups, chatting with acquaintances or strangers, their expressions mixed with anxiety. One thing they all had in common was the look of worry in their eyes.


    ¡°What do you think the lord has gathered us here for? To show authority or to raise taxes?¡±


    ¡°Showing authority is fine as long as we don¡¯t become examples. But if it¡¯s to raise taxes¡­¡±


    ¡°Sigh! We¡¯re already paying so much in taxes. If they increase it, how will we survive?¡±


    ¡°May the elves bless us! Let¡¯s hope things go in a positive direction!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who blesses us; if the lords need to ensure their luxurious lives, how can they not squeeze us even harder? And think about it, our lord is young, he probably wants to enjoy life even more, who knows what will happen!¡±


    ¡°What should we do then?¡±


    The people engaged in a heated discussion, all filled with anxiety. It seemed like they would have been content to keep discussing indefinitely, with no one particularly eager for the lord¡¯s appearance.


    People often hope that bad news will come as late as possible, even if they know it is inevitable.


    S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 6 - Knights Breathing Technique

    Chapter 6 Knight¡¯s Breathing Technique


    Richard didn¡¯t care in the slightest how long the people outside the castle had to wait.


    These people were lazy, filthy, thieves, and swindlers¡ªevery imaginable despicable act could be found among them.


    According to Richard, they didn¡¯t even deserve a sliver of pity.


    On the contrary, if he were too kind to them, it might give them the impression that he was a pushover. The result would only be their growing disobedience, a breakdown of order, and chaos.


    This world was filled with such a stench that it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say the air was thick with filth.


    Due to the ignorance of the Church, the use of feces as fertilizer was forbidden, resulting in waste flowing everywhere in the city.


    Sometimes, it would even form a ¡°layer of filth,¡± not unlike a swamp.


    Some wealthy individuals, in order to walk ¡°elegantly¡± through the ¡°swamp of filth,¡± wore high heels, with some as tall as fifty centimeters.


    One could easily imagine the state of the city.


    After breakfast, Richard went to the open space behind the castle to begin his daily training.


    As he started his practice, Richard spread his arms wide, breathing in and out while his chest moved in a peculiar rhythm.


    At the same time, his movements continuously shifted, and an aura of authority gradually emerged, spreading around him.


    [Training with the Crimson Dragon Breathing Technique, Life Seed growth +1!][Training with the Crimson Dragon Breathing Technique, Life Seed growth +1!]


    ¡­


    As his training progressed, the proficiency of his knight¡¯s breathing technique steadily increased, and his aura grew more intense.


    The breathing technique Richard practiced was not his family¡¯s Fire Wolf Breathing Technique but rather the Crimson Dragon Breathing Technique he had obtained from the system.


    This breathing technique far surpassed his family¡¯s legacy.


    Traditionally, all breathing techniques required a unique lineage, and even if they were leaked, those without the corresponding family bloodline couldn¡¯t fully master them.


    Each family¡¯s breathing technique was typically created by a genius of that family, perfectly attuned to their bloodline. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nobles with their own unique breathing techniques stood out prominently among the powerful noble houses.


    The Crimson Dragon Breathing Technique that Richard practiced was specifically tailored for him by the system.


    In other words, only he and his descendants could practice it; even members of his own family couldn¡¯t master it.


    It¡¯s worth noting that Richard¡¯s Bayne family was a family with significant power, with their inherited Fire Wolf Breathing Technique already being one of the top knight breathing techniques on the continent.


    Once mastered to its peak, it would be enough to make him one of the most influential figures.


    However, the Crimson Dragon Breathing Technique that Richard possessed was even more formidable, with unimaginable potential.


    This world has witches, knights, and religion.


    All knights needed to train in various breathing techniques, and the Life Seed was the core of a true knight.


    Only those who had cultivated a Life Seed could be called true knights; others were merely knight¡¯s attendants.


    Richard¡¯s breathing technique was unique, and with the system¡¯s enhancements, his Life Seed¡¯s quality far surpassed that of ordinary knights.


    Above the rank of a formal knight were nine levels, and beyond the ninth level was the titled knight.


    Becoming a titled knight was the ultimate dream of all knights, for at that level, nothing in the world could control them, and they would transcend the masses.


    ¡°Is this the breathing technique our lord practices? It feels so powerful!¡±


    ¡°If only we could learn this breathing technique! Even if we couldn¡¯t master its essence, just learning the basics would be much better than the common techniques we practice now!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about! This Fire Wolf Breathing Technique¡ªforget you¡ªeven if ten Long Eagle territories combined, it wouldn¡¯t be worth its value. Who do you think you are?¡±


    From a distance, two knight attendants watched with envy.


    Even from twenty meters away, they could feel an invisible wave of heat emanating from Richard. If they stood any closer, they might not even withstand the aftershocks of his training.


    By midday, Richard finally finished his training.


    A striking figure approached from a distance, holding something in her hand, accompanied by a maid.


    ¡°My Lord!¡± Cinderella handed over a towel dampened with well water.


    After wiping his sweat, Richard sat in a nearby pavilion.


    Cinderella then took a loaf of white bread and some milk from the maid and placed them in front of Richard.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, the people gathered in the square were growing restless.


    They felt like they had picked out every louse from their heads, yet the lord still hadn¡¯t arrived.


    ¡°When will the lord finally show up? I¡¯m about to be roasted alive under this sun!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already noon, and my stomach is growling. I should¡¯ve brought some black bread with me.¡±


    ¡°What do you think the lord¡¯s plan is? What does he intend to do?¡±


    ¡°No idea, the lord came from a big city; maybe he doesn¡¯t like us.¡±


    ¡°Oh no! If that¡¯s the case, doesn¡¯t that mean we¡¯re doomed?¡±


    ¡°At this point, I don¡¯t care about anything else. As long as the lord isn¡¯t some bloodthirsty killer, I can accept it!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! I just want to survive!¡±


    Many people nodded in agreement.


    They had been waiting all morning, and their expectations of Richard had now hit rock bottom.


    At first, they were only worried that he might raise taxes, and some even naively hoped there might be a tax exemption.


    But as time passed, no one dared to harbor such unrealistic hopes anymore. They just hoped to keep their lives; everything else was negotiable.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were filled with anxiety and unease, not knowing what awaited them.


    This kind of desperate, uncertain waiting that initially made them hope Richard would come later was now turning into a form of psychological torture, filling them with fear.


    Whether it was life or death, they wanted a swift resolution so they could decide how to react.


    ¡­


    At this moment, inside the castle, after finishing his meal, Richard rinsed his mouth with clear water, changed his clothes, and then walked outside.


    He figured he had left them waiting long enough; now was the time to go see for himself.

 Chapter 7 - Extreme Persecution, Tyrannical Lord!

    Chapter 7 Extreme Persecution, Tyrannical Lord!


    The square was adjacent to the castle, a design set in place many years ago when the construction began.


    At this point of connection stood a high platform of the castle. From here, one could look down below, feeling a sense of superiority while maintaining a distance from these filthy people.


    Richard looked at the crowd before him, suddenly filled with emotion.


    As soon as his figure appeared on the high platform, the dense crowd below began to stir.


    ¡°The Lord has appeared! The Lord has appeared!¡±


    Everyone was overwhelmed with excitement.


    If Richard had shown up in the morning, the crowd wouldn¡¯t have reacted this way; they would most likely have been indifferent and bewildered.


    But now, Richard had become the person they were eagerly waiting for, even if his appearance did not bring them blessings.


    After the crowd quieted down, the scribe immediately shouted: sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Shut up, all of you! Show your respect to our Lord at once!¡±


    Realizing their blunder, the people hastily bowed under the scribe¡¯s direction, fearing to upset Richard.


    ¡°Greetings, my Lord!¡±


    ¡°Greetings, my Lord!¡±


    After the disjointed voices quieted, the crowd gradually calmed down.


    Richard took two steps forward, releasing a powerful aura.


    Instantly, the crowd, which had just quieted down, was further subdued by Richard¡¯s imposing presence, not daring to make a sound.


    Richard looked coldly down at the crowd, pacing on the high platform, his voice booming out,


    ¡°This is Long Eagle Territory. I am the Viscount of Long Eagle, the master of this land, Richard!


    ¡°You worthless trash, filthy swine! You live on my land, and the ground beneath your feet is mine! The air you breathe is mine!¡±


    ¡°The trees in the mountains, the rivers¡ªeverything, all of it is mine!¡±


    ¡°Now look down at this land, filled with your filth; smell the air tainted by your stench; see the mountains and rivers defiled by your waste!¡±


    ¡°You have used all this without my permission; you have stolen my wealth!¡±


    ¡°Not only stolen but also defiled it! You deserve death!¡±


    As Richard¡¯s words sank in, panic spread across the crowd, their faces filled with fear.


    They knew that everything Richard said was true.


    According to the law, Richard was the master here, and if he wished, he could expel everyone from Long Eagle Territory and live here alone, and no one could complain.


    Not even the king would say a word.


    Because that was the right of a lord.


    But if he killed them all, who would work, who would serve him?


    They couldn¡¯t understand. Was he really going to kill them?


    ¡°Please, have mercy, my Lord! Have mercy!¡±


    The crowd knelt down, pressing their faces to the ground, not caring that they touched filth.


    Richard seemed to ignore all this, continuing at his own pace.


    ¡°And the punishment I give to you¡­¡±


    Everyone held their breath.


    ¡°Is a fine of one gold coin each!¡±


    This was the privilege of a medieval noble. They could exercise absolute power within their territory, with no one able to interfere.


    They could control life and death, build armies, establish tax policies, and engage in various types of production.


    They were like regional rulers, and he was the god of this land!


    As the saying goes, in chaotic times, strict laws must be applied. There was no way to manage these people without dealing with them harshly.


    When they heard his demand, everyone was dumbfounded.


    A fine of one gold coin per person. A gold coin was no small amount for any of them.


    A knight¡¯s squire earned 30 copper coins a day, which amounted to nine silver coins a month. To earn one gold coin, even a knight¡¯s squire would need nearly a year.


    And that was a knight¡¯s squire. The common people of Long Eagle Territory had even less chance of earning such an amount.


    Even the most frugal among them might not have a gold coin in savings, let alone these lazy, filthy swine, most of whom had no savings at all.


    Some didn¡¯t even know where their next meal was coming from, resorting to theft and drifting through life.


    Richard¡¯s demand was practically a death sentence for them.


    The crowd erupted in wails, begging Richard for mercy, hoping he would spare their lives.


    Even the scribe and tax officer standing near Richard felt their hands and feet grow cold.


    They had thought Richard intended to dig deep into their resources, but they never expected the new viscount to go so far as to drain the well completely!


    They felt as if their world had turned upside down, their future bleak, and feared that the territory was doomed.


    ¡°If the lord doesn¡¯t give us a way to survive, what¡¯s the point of begging!¡±


    One man shouted as he stood up.


    A few others in the crowd also began to stand.


    Richard merely sneered. His knights immediately drew their swords.


    Seeing the flash of steel, those who had stood up quickly backed down.


    Richard¡¯s eyes flashed with disappointment. He had hoped they would show some spirit and give him a bit of a surprise, but he hadn¡¯t expected them to be so spineless.


    They had stood up, only to back down in fear at the mere sight of two guards drawing their swords, despite numbering over a hundred.


    Richard knew full well that his demand was impossible for them to meet, but he had his reasons for making it.


    He wanted to see where their breaking point lay.


    ¡°You all disappoint me so much!¡±


    Richard curled his lip, his face dark as he shook his head:


    ¡°My sword hasn¡¯t tasted blood in a long time. Those who just stood up, why don¡¯t you come forward and try? Maybe, just maybe, you can kill me, and the next lord might be kinder to you.¡±


    ¡°After all, if you kill me, the next one can only inherit this place thanks to your help.¡±


    As Richard¡¯s voice echoed, the crowd looked at each other in disbelief.


    They couldn¡¯t understand why anyone would suggest they kill their own lord.


    But the more Richard spoke, the more uncertain they felt.


    Not only had their courage evaporated, but even if they had any left, Richard¡¯s words threw them into confusion, making them too nervous to act.


    The crowd remained utterly silent, like obedient lambs, bowing low before Richard, hoping for his forgiveness.


    Richard quietly waited, his eyes sweeping over the crowd, yet he found no one daring to lift their head.


    The scene fell into an eerie silence.

 Chapter 8 - Too Tame for Their Own Good

    Chapter 8 Too Tame for Their Own Good


    Richard¡¯s gaze was calm as he looked at everything before him.


    These were his people.


    Ignorant, submissive, without even a hint of resistance, like a herd of fully domesticated livestock.


    His thoughts drifted away, recalling the nation from his previous life.


    They were diligent, brave, peace-loving, resilient, and self-reliant. Influenced by Confucian compassion, Mohist universal love, Legalist equality, and Daoist respect for human nature and freedom, these principles shaped and transformed that nation.


    Thinking of this, and looking again at the crowd before him, Richard saw no bravery, no resilience, no diligence, and no self-reliance.


    It seemed to be just the opposite, like an extreme version of it.


    What he saw was only fear, despair, and utter anxiety.


    When the ruling class slightly squeezed the people, they endured it silently.


    When the pressure increased, they grumbled but continued to endure.


    When they barely had enough to survive, they complained bitterly.


    When they could no longer sustain themselves, they should have revolted. But their rebellion lasted only a fleeting moment before they gave up, and even then, only one in twenty people responded.


    This reaction left Richard feeling truly disappointed.


    Finally, what Richard said next made everyone¡¯s eyes light up.


    ¡°I can give you two choices!¡±


    As the crowd looked at him with hope, Richard gave a cruel smile, ¡°First, as I said before, you must pay the fine in full. If you cannot, you will be executed by hanging!¡±


    He looked at the crowd after speaking.


    Immediately, the crowd began to kowtow.


    An elderly man said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Lord, even if we don¡¯t eat or drink for three years, we couldn¡¯t earn a single gold coin. Please give us a chance to repay you in some other way!¡±


    Hearing this, Richard felt no sympathy just because the speaker was an old man. He had clearly seen that this old man had been stealing when he arrived.


    And the person he was stealing from was only a ten-year-old child.


    Stealing from a child¡ªwhere was the humanity in that?


    As soon as the old man finished speaking, others joined in.


    ¡°Lord, I am willing to work for you. Please show mercy and give me a way to survive!¡±


    ¡°My lord, I truly can¡¯t afford it. It¡¯s not just one gold coin per person; even if we pooled our family¡¯s wealth, we couldn¡¯t come up with one gold coin! We have seven people in our family, and even our lives aren¡¯t worth that much. You¡¯d be at a loss if you killed us, my lord!¡±


    ¡°I am willing to offer everything my family has to you: eleven chickens, two sheep, three quails, and twelve eggs! Please spare my family¡¯s lives, my lord!¡±


    ¡°I can help clean the city¡¯s waste and carry it to the wilderness¡ªno, beyond the territory! My whole family can do it. We are still useful. Please, my lord, spare us!¡±


    ¡°We are willing to do all of the above, and we don¡¯t even ask you to cancel the fine; just reduce it a bit so we can afford it. We will obey all your commands in the future, my lord!¡±


    In desperation, everyone was racking their brains, trying to find ways to beg for mercy.


    Through all this, Richard¡¯s heart remained as cold as iron.


    He continued, ¡°Now, listen to my second choice: obey my every command! All the houses you live in and the land you farm will be taken back!¡±


    ¡°Whatever I tell you to do, you must do! Otherwise, you will be executed by hanging!¡±


    When they heard these words, the crowd was bewildered.


    ¡°My lord, I am willing to give up my house and land. Thank you for sparing my life! I¡¯ll move out immediately, my whole family will!¡±


    A middle-aged man shouted.


    In that moment, he had prepared himself for the worst.


    ¡°If the lord allows, I am willing to live in the forest, returning every morning to await your orders outside the castle.¡±


    Hearing this, those who were previously confused quickly followed suit.


    ¡°My lord, we are also willing to move out immediately, returning the houses and land to you!¡±


    ¡°Lord, I am willing to live by the river; I can build a simple shelter out of straw. I don¡¯t need the house in the city!¡±


    All at once, everyone was scrambling to express their willingness, fearing their slow reactions.


    After all, compared to execution, living in the forest or by the river seemed like nothing.


    Living by the river meant they could catch fish, and living in the forest allowed them to find wild fruits and, if lucky, even catch small animals like rabbits or mountain rats for meat.


    Of course, this all depended on whether their lord would allow them to eat these things.


    By now, Richard had pressed the people to the point where they could retreat no further, like meat on the chopping block, completely at his mercy.


    But Richard shook his head and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to live in the forest, nor by the river. As for the houses, although they now belong to me, I might still let you live in them, provided that you follow my orders.¡±


    ¡°My lord, we will obey!¡±


    The crowd lowered their heads, utterly subdued.


    Especially upon hearing that they might still be able to live in the city, there was nothing more to say.


    Although they had to obey the lord¡¯s commands, wasn¡¯t that how things were before?


    The question was, what exactly did the lord want?


    No one dared to ask; they believed the lord would explain in due time.


    The clever ones had already guessed that the exorbitant fines and the threat of execution were merely tactics to force them into submission.


    Of course, they also understood that if they disobeyed, these threats might very well become reality


    After all, they had experienced the cruelty of humanity at the bottom rung of society.


    Richard¡¯s tone made them realize that he was indeed capable of killing.


    It even seemed like he was hoping for a rebellion, yearning for a bloodbath.


    ¡°Good! Form five lines. I will have someone register you all, and after the registration is complete, I will tell you what to do.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, your submission today is the best choice you¡¯ve ever made in your lives!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With these words, Richard smiled faintly, then turned and walked over to a nearby pavilion to start organizing the tasks.


    Just as he finished assigning the registration tasks, a notification sound from the system rang in his ears.

 Chapter 9 - Love for the People, Lord Richard

    Chapter 9 Love for the People, Lord Richard


    [Congratulations to the host, you have used your iron-fisted methods to display extraordinary dominance. The mountains sing of your story, the rivers speak of your fame, and you stand on the castle¡¯s high platform, defending your authority.].[From today onwards, you have your own land, entirely yours. A new journey begins under your command!].[Congratulations, you have unlocked a new mode: Lord Mode!].[In this mode, you will see the loyalty levels of your subordinates. By developing your territory, you can unlock various benefits. You will also gain blueprints for special buildings¡ªtrust me, they will be very useful to you!].


    Upon hearing this, Richard frowned slightly.


    All he wanted was to use absolute power to dismantle everything old within his territory, to destroy and then rebuild, shaping his land according to his own will and vision. He didn¡¯t expect to unlock a new system feature.


    As for the loyalty of the people, whether they might rebel or not, honestly, he didn¡¯t care. After all, the sword in his hand wasn¡¯t just for show. He wouldn¡¯t mind killing hundreds or thousands to establish his authority and earn points for slaughter.


    Even though his territory only had around four thousand people in total, he would welcome a rebellion¡ªit would give him an excuse to act.


    However, reality proved that he underestimated the extent of the people¡¯s submission. When he was learning about management under the Duke¡¯s domain before having his own territory, his teacher had mentioned this aspect. But hearing about it was nothing compared to seeing it firsthand.


    In this world, warfare was the business of nobles. To the commoners at the bottom, their only value to the upper class was in production. They lived and slept with livestock, treated almost as livestock themselves¡ªexcept they were livestock that could raise livestock. Though they looked like humans, they had been bred to have the docility of beasts.


    Richard stopped thinking about it and opened the system interface to check the data on his subordinates. Instantly, all their names and information appeared before him. The page would shift according to Richard¡¯s thoughts, allowing him to quickly view all the data.


    However, based on loyalty alone, the data wasn¡¯t particularly impressive. Including the people in the castle and the citizens below, most of them only had a loyalty rating of around fifty to sixty, with only a few reaching as high as ninety.


    He understood this well enough¡ªafter all, he hadn¡¯t been here long.


    It is said that a combination of grace and power is what truly wins hearts.


    His methods so far had been mostly power, with very little grace.


    In terms of leadership tactics, this approach wasn¡¯t particularly remarkable.


    Richard knew this principle well, but the current situation called for a pragmatic application of the concept. An imbalance between grace and power often leads to either indulgence or rebellion among the subordinates. But even in the worst case, where disloyalty leads to rebellion or assassination attempts, Richard¡¯s personal strength ensures that they wouldn¡¯t dare act against him. His powerful backing prevents them from seeking refuge elsewhere even if they did rebel.


    So, in the beginning, Richard could freely demonstrate his dominance, lowering their expectations until he could achieve maximum loyalty at minimal cost. Even the smallest gesture of kindness would be enough to earn their gratitude.


    Suddenly, Richard¡¯s eyes lit up as he noticed Cinderella¡¯s data on the system.


    [Cinderella].[Alias: Cinderella].[Title: Witch].[Loyalty: 98.].


    She¡¯s been marked as a ¡°witch¡± by the system, but he wasn¡¯t sure if it meant the witch of magic or the witch of darkness. Either way, it seemed intriguing.


    S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even her profile border was different, outlined with a dark glow.


    Just then, the value changed again¡­


    98.9, 99.


    Richard curiously turned his head to look into the distance.


    ¡­


    At the stone railing beneath the spire of the castle, ¡°Witch¡± Cinderella stood quietly. Cinderella gazed at Richard from afar with deep admiration and reverence. She couldn¡¯t hear Richard¡¯s conversation with the people but could only see their actions.


    She saw Richard standing proudly on the high platform, walking with confidence and poise like a true leader, more imposing than anyone she¡¯d ever seen. Watching the citizens cheer for Richard¡¯s arrival, she thought to herself that he must be a leader deeply beloved by the people, someone who truly cared for his subjects.


    She watched as people fell to their knees at Richard¡¯s words, even groveling in the dirt without hesitation. Cinderella could hardly imagine what Richard had done to earn such unwavering devotion from them, as if he were their deity.


    Later, when one or two hundred people stood up, Cinderella finally understood¡ªthey must have also wished to follow Richard, but when the knights beside Richard drew their swords, they felt too ashamed of their inadequacy to join them.


    The subsequent events were even easier to interpret. The people took turns speaking as if making vows. Although they were indeed pledging allegiance, it was more to survive, promising to hand over their lands and live by the river and in the woods. Yet this didn¡¯t dampen Cinderella¡¯s imagination; since she couldn¡¯t hear them, her mind filled in the gaps.


    Later, Richard said just a few words, and they erupted in cheers. Now they were lining up as if registering for something.


    The citizens of Long Eagle Territory were truly blessed to have a lord like Richard who cared for his people as if they were his own children.


    Cinderella¡¯s heart beat wildly with excitement at the thought of being Richard¡¯s chief maid. Her gaze toward him grew even more adoring.


    Heavens, even Richard¡¯s casual posture was filled with such steady majesty, as unfathomable as the ocean itself. Thinking of the ocean reminded her of that passionate night, where the waves crashed with fervor. She wondered when the tide might rise again¡ªwould she conceive the lord¡¯s child?


    Suddenly, she saw Richard turn to look at her. Cinderella froze in place.


    The witch was convinced!

 Chapter 10 - Be Drastic and Get Rewards

    Chapter 10 Be Drastic and Get Rewards


    As the crowd moved, the shadow of the castle covered the square, and everyone instantly felt much better.


    ¡°Lord, the count is complete. Here is the summary.¡±


    The scribe stepped forward, handed the report to Richard, and began to present the findings.


    ¡°The total population of the Long Eagle territory is 4,021 people¡­ Literate individuals¡­¡±


    This census was highly detailed, including the skills each citizen possessed, the number of men and women, age distribution, and even a count of each household¡¯s livestock.


    As the scribe, Rhodes, continued to elaborate, these statistics appeared one by one before Richard. Richard then randomly named a few individuals, prompting the team to verify the data, causing Rhodes to break out in a cold sweat.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that their young lord had somehow secretly acquired even more detailed information than what was being reported on the spot, and he felt relieved that he hadn¡¯t dared to falsify anything, or else he might have been in serious trouble this time.


    Especially when he found out that indeed some people had just left Long Eagle territory to visit relatives in the countryside, he became even more awestruck by Richard.


    The tax officer, Harvey, was also dumbfounded, secretly thinking that life would be tougher from now on, and he wouldn¡¯t dare to embezzle any more money.


    Richard ignored their inner thoughts and gave the order. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Rhodes, you¡¯re responsible for reorganizing these people according to their households and streets. Regroup them into units of families and streets: one family as a unit, ten families as a ¡®jia¡¯ unit, and ten ¡®jia¡¯ into a ¡®bao¡¯ unit. Each ¡®jia¡¯ will have a ¡®jia leader,¡¯ and each ¡®bao¡¯ will have a ¡®bao leader,¡¯ responsible for managing their people.¡±


    ¡°If anyone tries to flee, their entire ¡®jia¡¯ will be punished, and the ¡®bao leader¡¯ will also bear some responsibility. This way, they can monitor each other on a daily basis. After all, only those within the community truly understand each other¡¯s habits, which is more conducive to better management.¡±


    ¡°And these ¡®bao leaders¡¯ will report directly to you, Rhodes!¡±


    Rhodes, being a scribe, had his own expertise in management. However, he was still amazed upon hearing Richard¡¯s arrangements.


    He thought for a moment, realizing he had never heard of such a system in the Empire.


    He didn¡¯t know, but he found it impressive, and so he immediately accepted the orders.


    After the orders were conveyed, the citizens looked bewildered. Some who didn¡¯t understand discussed among themselves and quickly grasped that they were now going to be under strict control.


    However, no one dared to voice their concerns.


    Some individuals who had originally planned to flee also gave up those thoughts upon hearing this.


    Richard was essentially implementing the Baojia System* from the Northern Song dynasty¡¯s reformer Wang Anshi. This system was effective for crime prevention, strengthening household registration, and maintaining social order, making it very convenient for administration.


    With Richard adding a few extra individuals, the Long Eagle territory¡¯s total population amounted to 4,024 people, divided into 7 bao, 69 jia, and 688 households.


    Seeing it laid out this way made everything clear at a glance.


    When the instructions were complete, Richard directly addressed the citizens.


    ¡°Now, I need you to do a few things.¡±


    ¡°First, three of the bao will have one day to dig a pit five hundred meters long and one and a half meters deep on the west side of Long Eagle territory. Once done, all of your human waste from the city must be transported there.¡±


    Richard was truly fed up with the stench that filled the air.


    And this waste would eventually be used as excellent fertilizer.


    These people didn¡¯t know the value of such things, wasting it while also polluting the environment.


    ¡°Second, another three bao will be responsible for uprooting all the crops currently planted in Long Eagle territory. I will provide you with seeds to replant uniformly, and this year the land that is resting should be cultivated as well.¡±


    Due to a lack of fertilizer, land could only recover fertility through fallowing, so during medieval times, they commonly used a two-field system.


    This involved dividing the land into two parts, one for cultivation and one for fallowing, alternating their use each year. The plot that was used for farming one year would be left fallow the next, allowing it to regain its fertility.


    In Richard¡¯s eyes, this practice was simply a waste.


    Moreover, the random crops they were planting had no scientific logic and resulted in abysmally low yields. It was no wonder that it was nearly impossible for them to sustain themselves.


    It was truly an eyesore.


    ¡°Lastly, the remaining bao will construct a large-scale livestock farm outside the city and gather all the livestock from each household there, separating them by type, and establishing proper boundaries between humans and animals.¡±


    Richard¡¯s words were directed at the citizens, but they were also meant for his subordinates. After giving these orders, he turned to the scribe.


    ¡°Have you all remembered?¡±


    The scribe immediately bowed his head in response, ¡°Rest assured, Lord, I will supervise the entire process and get it done as quickly as possible!¡±


    ¡°Get to work! If you don¡¯t understand something, ask me, and don¡¯t take liberties without authorization!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With that, the scribe started leading some guards down to the square.


    In no time, he had organized the crowd according to the system Richard had laid out into seven formations.


    Each formation represented one bao, and through a series of procedures, seven bao leaders and 69 jia leaders were quickly selected.


    Each bao and jia was then given a number to ensure that every individual could be precisely identified, such as Household 2 in Jia 9 of Bao 3.


    Many citizens still looked bewildered, unsure of how to react, simply complying with orders as they were given.


    But as a shepherd need not worry about each sheep¡¯s direction, only about guiding the lead sheep, Rhodes¡¯s experience was sufficient.


    ¡°Bao leaders of Bao 1 to 3, take your people back to fetch tools for digging. Bring your rations, because you won¡¯t have time to sit and eat!¡±


    ¡°Clear out this cesspit of yours and make sure it¡¯s spotless. If any foul odor reaches the lord¡¯s nose again, I¡¯ll personally deal with you!¡±


    ¡°Bao 4 to 6, uproot those pathetic crops you planted, and prepare the soil anew; the lord has big plans for it.¡±


    ¡°Bao 7¡­¡±


    On the high platform, Richard stood with his hands behind his back, calmly observing the arrangements below.


    He couldn¡¯t stand the backward agricultural practices of this world, but he wasn¡¯t planning on explaining anything to them.


    If the people couldn¡¯t accept his methods, they might be tempted to rebel, giving him an opportunity to assert his dominance and accumulate points.


    But if the citizens complied, it wouldn¡¯t matter much; he would simply earn more points in this Lord Mode.


    Either way, he would win.


    Seeing that his officials had begun organizing the citizens, Richard turned around and headed towards the depths of the castle.


    At that moment, the clear voice of the system resonated in his ears:


    [Congratulations, Host. You have completed the basic administrative planning and established the initial system.].[You are beginning to build a new city with stone and shovel, and the stories of your people will start from here.].[Just like a young apprentice learning to wield a sword, you will gradually understand your place in this world.].[Congratulations, Host. You have earned 5 Lord Points!].


    Richard looked at his gains and smiled.

 Chapter 11 - Special Rewards for Maids

    Chapter 11 Special Rewards for Maids


    Richard decided to temporarily hold off on using the 5 points of his lord¡¯s resource points after researching them a little. These points were primarily intended for enhancing aspects related to the development of his territory.


    Given that Long Eagle Territory was in dire need of reconstruction, and though the rebuilding plans had already begun, they were still in the early stages.


    As the saying goes, ¡®Good steel should be used on the blade¡¯s edge¡¯, meaning that valuable resources should be used where they will have the most impact.


    Richard figured that using the lord¡¯s points when they are truly needed would maximize their value.


    As he walked through the castle, he didn¡¯t feel a sense of superiority just because he was residing there. After all, he wasn¡¯t exactly fond of this castle. Long Eagle Territory was equivalent to a small, remote town, and during this primitive era, even a cramped castle didn¡¯t offer much appeal. His impression of the castle was that it was damp, cold, old, decayed, and gloomy.


    ¡°This place is really only fit for vampire bats, huh?¡± Richard thought to himself. It indeed matched the gothic, dark style of the medieval period.


    Not to mention the snakes, bugs, rats, and ants seemed to infest every corner, with nests hidden in crevices or even deep within the foundations.


    He resolved that once Long Eagle Territory developed further, this castle would have to be torn down and rebuilt.


    His dream was to construct a residence that he truly loved¡ªgrand and imposing, open and well-lit, with a design that was spacious and majestic. However, these ambitions would have to wait; one step at a time.


    Not long after, he reached a room where Cinderella, busy cleaning, greeted him. Her eyes filled with admiration as she saw her master.


    She was diligently performing her duties, dressed in her old maid¡¯s clothes.


    Although she was now the head maid and had delegated many tasks, she still saw it as a great honor to personally clean the magnificent castle for her master.


    In this castle, she felt a sense of security she had never experienced before. No longer did she have to fear her stepmother or her stepsisters bullying her. She never wanted to return to her old home, where her father, blinded by his wife¡¯s manipulations, always took her stepmother¡¯s side.


    Richard paused for a moment, watching Cinderella sweep the floor, somewhat dazed.


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    Cinderella, noticing his gaze, blushed, gripping the broom tighter with nervousness.


    The sight of Richard¡¯s leadership earlier had stirred her admiration, and now, his glance made her heart race even more. To her, he was the first man outside of her father and the servants that she had ever encountered.


    Richard opened the system interface, curious about Cinderella¡¯s updated status. The description now included a small but significant change.


    [Cinderella:][Alias: Cinderella][Talent: Witch (Awakening)][Loyalty: 100]


    Furthermore, her loyalty had reached a full 100%.


    Richard wondered, fascinated by Cinderella¡¯s psychological shift. Yet, he was relieved; with her loyalty maxed out, he no longer worried about potential backlash for having taken her from the forest by force. The system¡¯s transparency was a powerful tool, allowing him to see through any false loyalties or undercover enemies.


    He began to contemplate Cinderella¡¯s story. She was indeed unusual, with her fairy godmother who could conjure pumpkin carriages and glass slippers, attracting the prince¡¯s undying attention.


    Could they have known she was a witch? Perhaps the fairy godmother saw her talent, and the prince saw her potential as a force to harness.


    Maybe he had unknowingly intercepted something significant here.


    Cinderella, seeing Richard¡¯s smile but hearing no words, became more uneasy, unsure if she had done something wrong. Nervously, she finally spoke, ¡°Ma¡­ Master, is there something you need? Are you thirsty? Shall I prepare some juice for you?¡±


    Richard gave a slight smile and replied, ¡°Cinderella, come with me. I have something good to reward you with!¡±


    ¡°Eh? Ah? Oh! Okay.¡±


    Cinderella¡¯s eyes widened, and she quickly nodded, following Richard to the inner chamber.


    Standing by the wardrobe, Richard reached into the air, pulling out a maid outfit and stockings. With a grin, he handed them to Cinderella, saying, ¡°Try these on. How do you like them?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the reward, master!¡±


    Cinderella, surprised and delighted, thanked him sincerely.


    She assumed it was a new uniform, a token of her master¡¯s recognition, and felt deeply moved¡ªno one had ever given her new clothes before.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me just yet. If you want to show your gratitude, try them on now so I can see how they look on you.¡± Richard said, smiling expectantly.


    Cinderella¡¯s beauty was unique; she was both elegant and noble, yet also adorable and tenacious. Her golden curls sparkled with a magical luster, and her dark brown eyes seemed to contain a mysterious power.


    Richard couldn¡¯t wait to see how this combination of modern maid attire with black stockings would accentuate her striking features.

 Chapter 12 - Stockings Temptation, Pushed Down Again

    Chapter 12 Stockings Temptation, Pushed Down Again


    In the room, Cinderella was shy and timid, but Richard didn¡¯t leave, clearly intending to watch her change clothes.


    She couldn¡¯t, nor did she have the courage to ask Richard to wait outside.


    So, she had to forcefully calm herself down, and slowly took off her clothes in front of Richard.


    Her face was already as red as a ripe peach.


    After finally managing to put on this strange maid outfit, Cinderella was a bit dazed.


    She felt the wind blow in through the short skirt, cool and tingling, and her whole body went numb.


    Then, she looked at the remaining stockings and garter that she hadn¡¯t put on yet, reaching out to pick them up. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To be honest, she had never seen these things before.


    She examined the garter for a long time; it didn¡¯t seem like it was meant for tying up hair, but if it was to go on her arm, it seemed it might easily fall off.


    She couldn¡¯t understand the stockings at all either.


    Finally, she gave up struggling, holding the two items in her hands, and looked at Richard with a confused and naive expression.


    ¡°Master, Cinderella doesn¡¯t know how to use these, can you teach me?¡±


    Richard was still ready to continue enjoying the silly look on this little witch¡¯s face, but when he saw her speak, he naturally reached out to take the stockings and garter.


    ¡°Sit on the edge of the bed, and I¡¯ll put them on for you!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Master, you¡¯re going to put them on for me, I can¡¯t let you¡­¡±


    Cinderella naturally didn¡¯t worry about being taken advantage of, since she already considered herself wholly belonging to Richard. But as a person from this era, she instinctively believed that only servants serving their masters was normal.


    But when Richard glanced at her, she immediately dared not say a word.


    She forcefully convinced herself to think this way, to calm her mind.


    Unknowingly, her self-assurance was actually somewhat close to the truth.


    Richard took hold of the stockings and lifted Cinderella¡¯s leg high.


    Her leg, a lengthy 1.8 meters, was soft and smooth as if sculpted from jade, trembling slightly, carrying a hint of coolness and a refreshing fragrance, very alluring.


    Despite all the hard labor Cinderella had been forced to do over the years, it was remarkable how well she had kept her legs in such good condition. But then again, considering her identity as a witch, perhaps it wasn¡¯t so impossible.


    Richard slipped the stockings over Cinderella¡¯s foot, slowly pulling them up.


    Cinderella¡¯s legs were naturally tender, and her skin¡¯s nerve endings were highly sensitive. With the friction from the stockings, this unprecedented sensation transmitted an unfamiliar feeling to her brain.


    This immediately triggered a natural nerve response in her central nervous system, causing her body to tremble.


    After putting on the stockings, the faint, semi-hidden view became even more enticing.


    Then Richard placed the garter in Cinderella¡¯s hand and said:


    ¡°Let me show you how to wear this.¡±


    Cinderella, whose mind had gone blank, slowly came back to her senses and nodded foolishly.


    Following Richard¡¯s instructions, she put the garter on her thigh.


    Once the stockings were on, her legs, accentuated by the garter, seemed to have an indescribable allure, like adding the final touch to a masterpiece.


    Richard asked her to stand in front of him and then began admiring his work.


    The maid outfit was designed with a purple rose theme, as if she were wearing a violet rose itself.


    The three-dimensional purple rose ornaments and the semi-transparent purple gauze on the maid outfit floated gently as Cinderella moved. Paired with the fine black stockings on her long legs and the precisely placed garter, it perfectly showcased the mysterious charm and allure of the witch.


    The gold and red threads decorating the dress added a touch of elegance and nobility to the mystical purple ambiance.


    Richard, as a young man full of vigor, certainly wasn¡¯t one to pretend to be a saint.


    The garter slipped down, hanging on her ankle, swaying like a pendulum in the castle.


    The wind outside howled, blowing through the forest, making the inside of the castle quite cool, though both of them still broke into a sweat.


    ¡°Cinderella, where is your home?¡±


    Richard leaned against the headboard, looking down at Cinderella in his arms.


    He had just learned the surprising news that Cinderella¡¯s father was still alive, which, to him, was actually good news.


    He planned to send someone to notify him since a wealthy count was a great target for extortion.


    As for the fact that he was Cinderella¡¯s father, Richard didn¡¯t care at all. This man clearly didn¡¯t treat Cinderella well.


    It is said that even a tiger doesn¡¯t eat its cubs, but this father treated his daughter entirely as a maid, which was truly despicable.


    While he also made Cinderella his maid, he gave her dignity, status, and emotional value.


    That was the fundamental difference.


    Cinderella softly responded.


    ¡°Master, my home is in Xinhe County, right near the royal city, quite close to here! I reached the forest where I met you not long after leaving home!¡±


    Richard was puzzled.


    But upon seeing the system panel indicating her witch status, he accepted this setting.


    With the system, he wouldn¡¯t miss out on such adventures.


    ¡­


    In Xinhe County, at the Temmann Count¡¯s house.


    ¡°Two days, it¡¯s been two days, where on earth has that wretched girl gone?¡±


    Lady Temmann glared with fury.


    Tracy spoke up.


    ¡°Mother, I heard that Cinderella went to the woods to gather fruit yesterday and hasn¡¯t come back yet. Do you think she ran away? Maybe she¡¯s left home for good?¡±


    ¡°I hope she dies out there; our Temmann family doesn¡¯t need her! Just seeing her disgusts me. Her short-lived mother is dead, and she should be too!¡± Antasia sneered with contempt.

 Chapter 13 - Man-Eating Monster, Crab Spider!

    Chapter 13 Man-Eating Monster, Crab Spider!


    ¡°I¡¯ve checked; all her belongings are still in her room. It doesn¡¯t look like she planned to run away from home, so maybe she really died outside.¡±


    ¡°Xiya, don¡¯t say things like that again. Otherwise, if she really is found dead, your father might suspect you,¡± said Mrs. Temmann.


    Antasia widened her eyes and exclaimed dramatically, ¡°I was just talking casually; what¡¯s it got to do with me?¡±


    ¡°So what do we do now? We have to find a way to cover up all the times we bullied her, or else Father might find out. Although Father doesn¡¯t really like Cinderella, she is still the child of that woman and his own flesh and blood,¡± said Tracy worriedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your father often goes away on business trips, and everyone in the manor is our own trained servant. They won¡¯t leak any information,¡± said Mrs. Temmann confidently.


    ¡°But what about Mr. Joya? He¡¯s an old friend of Father¡¯s!¡± Antasia reminded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; he won¡¯t say anything,¡± Mrs. Temmann said with a tone of certainty, though a fleeting look of affection in her eyes betrayed some hidden relationship with Mr. Joya. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    Outside the town of Long Eagle territory, the atmosphere was bustling with activity.


    Knights¡¯ squires patrolled the construction site, their whips cracking in the air with a sound like small explosions. Their eyes were sharp and condescending, watching everyone with a haughty demeanor.


    No one among the townsfolk dared to slack off; everyone worked diligently.


    Whether they were once slaves, tenant farmers, or freemen, they were now all forcibly reorganized by Richard, their identities reshuffled.


    With everyone¡¯s hard work, the livestock sheds were the first to be constructed.


    Then, all the livestock raised by each household were gathered and moved into the sheds as Richard had instructed.


    Farther away, a large cesspool was being excavated, with part of the crew already tasked with cleaning up the waste scattered throughout the town.


    Some people were responsible for cleaning, others for transporting the waste with wheelbarrows, while still others fetched water from the river to wash the cleared areas.


    No one dared to rebel.


    Since the assembly in the square, a new understanding had gradually formed in their minds.


    They owed this to the lord. They used the lord¡¯s land, water, air, and various resources.


    And the lord, in his mercy, knowing they couldn¡¯t afford to pay a fine of one gold coin, gave them the opportunity to work instead.


    As their surroundings began to change, they even started to wonder what the future would hold for Long Eagle territory.


    As for running away?


    Other than the brief panic during the initial surprise at the square, they had now calmed down enough to think things through.


    This world was far from peaceful.


    The powerful people wield great strength.


    And correspondingly, there were many dangerous creatures in the wild that could threaten their lives.


    If they really left here, they might be devoured by monsters before even finding another place to survive, turning into nothing more than the creatures¡¯ waste.


    On the southwestern side of the site, a few townsfolk were holding tools, preparing to clear some weeds and cultivate the fallow land.


    ¡°Leader, there¡¯s a huge dead tree stump here. We need to find a way to remove it!¡±


    At this shout, the others who were pulling weeds turned their attention to it.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd, I don¡¯t remember there being such a big stump here in previous years!¡± the leader said as he led his people over.


    But they didn¡¯t notice that the dead stump was beginning to ¡°awaken.¡±


    When they approached with tools, ready to get to work, a sudden change occurred!


    The ¡°stump¡± suddenly raised several jointed legs from the ground and leaped up!


    It revealed itself as a giant spider, but instead of eyes on its face, it had a single red flower glowing with an eerie light.


    Seeing the monstrous spider, the townsfolk turned pale with fright, their legs going weak.


    They instantly knew they had encountered a monster.


    Before they could run, they were hit by the spider¡¯s venom, screaming in agony as the acid corroded their bodies, exposing their bones.


    As if fearing nutrient loss, the spider quickly devoured them one by one.


    Seeing this scene from afar, other people were terrified out of their wits. Even under the supervision of the squires, they couldn¡¯t help but scatter in all directions¡­


    Running towards the castle.


    They knew that only the people in the castle had the power to deal with these monsters. Fleeing towards the castle was their instinctual choice for survival.


    Even if they couldn¡¯t enter the castle, staying near it would be safest when the lord appeared.


    As for the knights¡¯ squires, they didn¡¯t try to stop the people; with their superior physique and speed, they quickly overtook them to report to Richard.


    They immediately recognized they were no match for such a creature.


    After finishing his exercise, Richard emerged from his bath with Cinderella, dressed, and saw someone rushing up the castle steps, shouting from afar:


    ¡°Lord, something terrible has happened!¡±


    Richard frowned and approached. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    He was slightly intrigued, wondering if the townsfolk were rebelling.


    If that were the case, it would be a great opportunity to use the chaos to enhance his own strength!


    However, the squire reported, ¡°A monster appeared in the west, spider-like, and it has devoured several townsfolk.¡±


    ¡°A spider monster?¡± Richard inquired, ¡°What does it look like exactly?¡±


    Knowing that different monsters required different strategies, he was determined to be cautious before acting.


    After hearing the squire¡¯s description, Richard thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a crab spider!¡±


    He turned to another attendant, ¡°Quick, go to the storeroom and bring the insect oil that the town¡¯s witch doctor contributed a while back!¡±


    The attendant, understanding the urgency, ran straight to the storeroom without hesitation.


    Then Richard turned back to the messenger and said, ¡°Go to the scene immediately and relay my orders: everyone must stay at least 200 meters away from the crab spider¡¯s area and refrain from provoking or attacking it!¡±


    He knew that after the crab spider fed, it would need some time to digest on the spot. As long as people didn¡¯t approach it, it wouldn¡¯t chase them over long distances.


    While issuing commands, Richard headed to the equipment room.

 Chapter 14 - Enchanted Greatsword, Crimson Dragon Breathing

    Chapter 14 Enchanted Greatsword, Crimson Dragon Breathing


    Richard¡¯s armor was different from that of most others.


    In this era, the armor of continental knights was mostly made of leather, with some even sewn with scales. While this provided decent protection against slashing weapons, it was useless against piercing weapons like spears, arrows, and rapiers.


    During the dark ages influenced by the Church, societal development was extremely slow, and it would take another three to five hundred years for plate armor to appear.


    Even when plate armor did emerge, Richard believed that it was not as effective as the enhanced version of the Song Dynasty infantry armor he had obtained from the system.


    Interestingly, it seemed as if Richard¡¯s armor had been adapted to fit the style and patterns of this era, making it blend in more seamlessly without appearing too conspicuous.


    Before arriving at his fiefdom, Richard had commissioned the craftsmen of the Duke¡¯s territory to create several sets of armor suited for different scenarios, according to his specifications.


    Among them, the infantry armor was the best suited for ground combat.


    As soon as Richard donned the armor, his entire demeanor transformed.


    The infantry armor, made up of 1,825 scales, was heavier than the historical version due to its superior materials, weighing an impressive 50 kilograms.


    Yet, for Richard, who had undergone physical enhancements, it felt as light as a feather.


    After quickly donning the armor, he took a bottle of insect oil from a subordinate, mounted his horse with his knightly sword, and sped off to where the villagers were under attack.


    Everything on this land belonged to him, including the villagers, who were also his resources.


    Although he looked down on them, he knew they could contribute to the city¡¯s development.


    If they were to die, they should die for a purpose, not be eaten by monsters in vain.


    Now that his villagers were being attacked, it was equivalent to his wealth being damaged, and Richard couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    Cinderella watched Richard¡¯s departing figure with growing concern. She had heard that a terrifying man-eating crab spider had appeared nearby.


    She worried about Richard¡¯s safety and was also afraid that the support she had only just found might disappear forever.


    As Richard¡¯s figure receded, Cinderella¡¯s sense of loss grew more intense.


    Just moments before, they had been so intimately connected, and now her beloved was heading off to face such danger.


    This sudden shift filled her with discomfort.


    If something really happened to Richard, wouldn¡¯t she have to return to her old life?


    And if the people of Long Eagle Territory wouldn¡¯t let her leave, what kind of fate awaited her then?


    Cinderella didn¡¯t dare think about it; she didn¡¯t want such a thing to happen!


    ¡°What should I do? What should I do?¡±


    She paced in place, anxiety growing within her.


    Her possessive nature began to awaken and sprout unknowingly.


    Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.


    ¡°If¡­ if I could kill all those monsters, would the Master stay by my side forever?¡±


    ¡°And if the Master goes on a journey, what if I cleared all the monsters in his path? Would he be safe then?¡±


    ¡°But if the danger comes from humans¡­¡±


    Cinderella hesitated. She had never harmed a human before, nor had she thought about it. The thought startled her.


    But in the next moment, her resolve hardened.


    ¡°No! No one can stand between me and my Master! No one!¡±


    She started to giggle quietly.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just kill them all!¡±


    Cinderella¡¯s dark brown eyes trembled slightly, like a bottomless abyss, with a sinister aura surging, wanting to break free.


    Unnoticed, her transformation into a witch had progressed another step.


    ¡­


    [Host, the dangers of this world far exceed your expectations. The experiences it brings cannot be conveyed in mere words.].[This encounter is just the beginning of your magical journey. Enjoy and savor it to the fullest!].[Warning! Warning!].[Three hundred meters ahead, there is a crisis. You are encountering the monster ¡°Giant Crab Spider.¡± Proceed with caution!].[Two hundred meters ahead¡­].


    Richard pulled his horse to a stop, dismounted with a light leap, landing gracefully as the momentum sent dust flying in all directions, clearing a small area around him.


    Some stray weeds that hadn¡¯t been cleared swayed outward.


    Seeing the arrival of their lord, the fleeing villagers cheered in relief. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The lord has come! Thank goodness, we¡¯re saved!¡±


    ¡°The lord is so mighty, like a god. He will surely drive away this wretched spider monster!¡±


    ¡°No! The lord won¡¯t let it escape. It¡¯s done for!¡±


    Richard¡¯s knights were also stunned by his power.


    Every time they thought they understood the lord¡¯s abilities, he would demonstrate his strength again, leaving them in awe.


    He seemed to be a terrifying figure constantly growing in power, or perhaps a hidden master gradually revealing his true abilities.


    No one could truly grasp the extent of his strength.


    Two hundred meters away, the crab spider, which had been digesting its food, suddenly adopted a defensive stance.


    Clearly, Richard¡¯s presence had instinctively made it sense a great threat.


    The spider¡¯s body lowered slightly as if gathering its strength, ready to unleash a lethal attack as soon as its prey approached.


    Richard¡¯s gaze was steady, never underestimating his opponent, yet remaining calm and composed.


    He advanced with steady steps, his knightly sword swinging with each stride, cutting through the air with a low roar.


    The silver-white sword had been coated with a green insect oil designed specifically to counteract the crab spider.


    Simultaneously, as he activated the Crimson Dragon Breathing Technique, Richard¡¯s aura surged to its peak, creating a heatwave that slightly distorted his figure.


    The sword seemed to be enchanted with flames, cloaked in a red glow, and the green oil ignited, causing the red flames to take on an eerie green hue.


    The hunt had begun!


    The crab spider, startled by Richard¡¯s rising aura, tensed up even more, sinking further in preparation.


    Dark red petals around its mouth began to emit thin trails of black smoke.


    Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted from the center of the petals.


    The crab spider launched its attack first, sending a venomous jet of liquid at Richard with lightning speed.


    All the onlookers fell silent, holding their breath in fear.

 Chapter 15 - Easy to Attack and Defend, Slaying Extraordinary Creatures!

    Chapter 15 Easy to Attack and Defend, Slaying Extraordinary Creatures!


    Richard did not overestimate himself. His tall figure, wearing 50 kilograms of armor, moved to the side with the agility of a swift swallow. His movements were nimble, like a startled swan!


    This did not affect his rapid approach toward the giant crab spider in the slightest. In the next moment, his knight¡¯s sword swept out with tremendous force, like a blazing heatwave, aiming to engulf the crab spider.


    However, the quick-reacting crab spider leapt into the air with astonishing speed, leaving behind only half a limb on the ground. The attack had some effect, but Richard did not relax in the slightest. His body moved swiftly, like a snake gliding across the ground.


    Every time he shifted his position, thick black smoke would appear at the original spot, which was the intense venom sprayed by the crab spider as it leaped into the air! Even a slight delay in his movement would result in a dire situation.


    The armor Richard wore could resist the physical attacks of the crab spider¡¯s limbs, but the venom was something that could penetrate through any gap. Richard had no intention of testing its poison on his own body.


    The battlefield kept shifting, guided by Richard to move further away from the nearby villagers. Despite losing a limb, the crab spider¡¯s jumping ability seemed completely unaffected.


    It was clear that the crab spider was wary of Richard¡¯s sword, deliberately choosing to leap and spray venom as a means of long-range harassment. It was waiting for Richard to exhaust himself.


    Richard, too, was observing the crab spider¡¯s tactics and attack patterns. Over time, he became increasingly adept at handling the creature¡¯s frequency of attacks.


    However, as the saying goes, ¡°All¡¯s fair in war,¡± and some skills are innate rather than learned. Wild monsters often have a natural talent for deception and disguise.


    As for the crab spider, known for disguising itself as a plant, Richard was convinced it was capable of deceit. Even if its attack rhythm was a bluff, its techniques were all too real. Besides, Richard was already familiar with the crab spider¡¯s capabilities.


    Richard sneered coldly at the thought.


    The crab spider was immune to poison, and fire wasn¡¯t very effective against it. But the flames produced by Richard¡¯s knight¡¯s sword, enhanced with filtered insect oil, were particularly effective against the crab spider.


    While dodging, Richard employed his ¡°Crimson Dragon Breathing Technique¡± to ignite the areas where the crab spider would land. He had no intention of engaging the airborne spider directly, as that would mean a suicidal confrontation with its venom.


    While the spider aimed to exhaust him, he was doing the same to it. Besides using fire to consume it, he was also depleting the spider¡¯s venom.


    If the venom attacks continued to fail against him over time, the spider would inevitably become agitated, leading to bigger flaws in its strategy. The insect oil flames would also gradually slow the spider¡¯s movements.


    As Richard became more in tune with the rhythm of the battle, he even had time to flick stones into the air with his long sword. These stones, tinged with a faint green flame, shot through the air, crashing toward the spider.


    When Richard reached a rocky area, the rate and intensity of his stone attacks increased dramatically, becoming a veritable rain of meteors. Eventually, the spider could no longer withstand the barrage and was forced to use its webbing to anchor itself to the ground, retreating from the air to dodge the flying stones.


    By now, it dared not leap into the air anymore. It was much weaker than before, with only five limbs remaining after several were shattered by the assault.


    Realizing the dire situation, the crab spider decided to flee. After dodging another round of stones, it leapt into the distance, using its silk to speed up its escape on the ground.


    But Richard wasn¡¯t about to let it get away. With powerful steps, he stomped on the rocky ground, sending countless stones flying backward, creating a series of impact craters in the earth. His movements were as swift as lightning, and in an instant, he caught up to the giant crab spider.


    With no need to gather momentum or put much force into his swing, the sheer speed alone imbued his knight¡¯s sword with immense power. The sword flashed and vanished, and Richard¡¯s figure stopped in the distance.


    Behind him, the crab spider¡¯s entire back exploded like a firework, scattering its organs and limbs all over the ground. Only its head remained, twitching slightly on the ground, as if witnessing its own doom.


    From a distance, the knights, squires, and villagers watched it all unfold. When their lord initially fled, their hearts were in their throats. But when they saw that he remained unscathed and even managed to counterattack at times, they felt less despair, though they still worried about his stamina.


    However, once Richard reached the rocky area, the situation suddenly reversed. In the blink of an eye, he shifted from defense to offense! Their hearts surged with excitement.


    Especially when the crab spider began to flee and their lord delivered that final blow, it seemed to carry the force of divine judgment, leaving everyone speechless. Even the knights and squires felt their hair stand on end.


    They exchanged glances, hardly able to believe their lord was so powerful¡ªpowerful enough to inspire fear, quelling any thought of defiance. After a moment of stunned silence, they remembered their duties and hurried over to Richard.


    ¡°Greetings, my lord!¡± the knights and squires said in unison, bowing low, their faces filled with excitement and reverence. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My lord, you¡¯re truly powerful! That last strike was incredible!¡±


    ¡°With you leading us, the Long Eagle Territory will surely soar like an eagle, looking down upon the entire continent!¡±


    ¡°My lord, we swear our undying loyalty to you. Even my descendants will serve your family as knights forever!¡±


    Flattery flowed freely from their lips. Richard noted the rising loyalty points from his followers, understanding that their words were sincere, though he kept a calm expression.


    ¡°Enough talk, go clean up the remains of the crab spider and gather all useful materials. Keep the head intact, and don¡¯t lose a drop of its venom!¡±


    The crab spider¡¯s body held many valuable materials¡ªvenom, fangs, shell, meat¡ªall of which could be put to good use. Richard never fought a battle without gaining something in return.


    Hearing their orders, the knights stood straight and said, ¡°Rest assured, my lord! We will complete this task!¡±


    At that moment, someone brought over Richard¡¯s horse. He mounted it and rode back towards the castle. Seeing their victorious lord return, the gathered villagers burst into thunderous cheers!

 Chapter 16 - Count the Loot, Reap the Rewards!

    Chapter 16 Count the Loot, Reap the Rewards!


    Arriving near the castle, Richard, while riding on horseback, waved his hand at a few individuals.


    ¡°Go! Bring some clean pelts over, don¡¯t let my spoils get dusty!¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord!¡±


    The eyes of several knight attendants were filled with fanaticism.


    After instructing his subordinates, Richard didn¡¯t enter the castle but turned his horse around, preparing to personally oversee the dismemberment of the crab spider.


    After all, Richard was filled with distrust towards them.


    He knew very well that this was a barbaric era, where everyone, from top to bottom, was full of vulgarity, baseness, and deceit.


    Even with so many people watching each other, who could say for sure if there were any unwritten rules among them? If everyone secretly took a little, who knew how much of the spider would be left when it finally reached him.


    So he had to keep a close watch on them.


    Just then, the system¡¯s notification sound suddenly chimed.


    [Congratulations on defeating the crab spider. You will receive a reward from the system, as well as a generous bonus!].[Since the crab spider you defeated was of an extraordinary species, you will earn triple the kill points, along with a beast egg that can hatch into an extraordinary pet!].


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    Richard¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°Triple kill points and an extraordinary pet beast?¡±


    He looked at the system panel, and there it clearly displayed his current kill points value: 42!


    This means that a normal crab spider would generally be worth about 14 kill points.


    Richard decided to allocate all of it into his constitution.


    Constitution increases lifespan and resistance to physical damage.


    Simply put, it extends his health bar significantly and increases his life expectancy.


    And the extraordinary pet beast egg was an additional delightful surprise.


    An extraordinary creature that shares a mental connection with him could handle many tasks for him, whether in the wild or on his territory, saving him from dealing with many trivial matters.


    Something to look forward to.


    [From humble beginnings, with extraordinary strength, you have shattered the first obstacle on your journey.].[You have demonstrated your absolute authority before your subjects, increasing their loyalty to a small extent.].


    Richard looked at the system panel. With a thought, the data for the territory appeared before him.


    As expected, the loyalty of the people had collectively risen slightly. Although the overall loyalty remained at the [wavering] stage, it was not far from the next level.


    Richard examined the loyalty information for Long Eagle Territory.


    [Territory: Long Eagle Territory.].[Overall loyalty of the people: 71 (currently in the third loyalty stage; please continue your efforts).].[Loyalty attributes: Current population growth rate 75%, work enthusiasm 75%.].


    ¡°Not very satisfactory, population is still in decline, and work enthusiasm is low. It looks like there¡¯s still room for improvement!¡±


    Despite saying this, Richard didn¡¯t seem worried at all, everything was going according to plan.


    Based on the system¡¯s description, the overall loyalty has four stages:


    At that moment, the system¡¯s voice continued.


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked a new territorial building: the Militia Training Camp!].[Your training camp will provide you with a well-trained militia; you can use it to enhance the individual military skills of your subjects, turning them into capable soldiers under your command!].


    Richard thought that perhaps this militia training camp had more potential to be tapped, and he planned to study it thoroughly later.


    ¡­


    As Richard absorbed the system¡¯s information, his horse once again stopped at the previous battlefield.


    ¡°No need for formalities, get to work quickly!¡±


    Seeing Richard¡¯s arrival, the knights, who were about to salute, quickly lowered their heads and continued their tasks.


    This delicate work was not something that ordinary townsfolk could handle.


    To become a knight, one needed to master at least the basic knowledge of animal dissection and material handling, not just fighting skills.


    With Richard¡¯s supervision, the pace of work quickened significantly.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the giant crab spider was completely dismembered.


    ¡°My lord, there are twelve fangs, two spider pincers, two poison sacs, eight spider legs, the shell split in two by your sword, and this spider meat.¡±


    Richard looked at the neatly sorted items and nodded in satisfaction.


    These materials were indeed quite useful.


    The fangs could be sharpened into daggers.


    Before attacking, the crab spider usually coats its pincers and fangs with poison, so over time, they are soaked with venom. A dagger made from these would be deadly on contact.


    The pincers could serve the same purpose, although they are longer and could be crafted into long swords with equally lethal effects.


    The spider legs could be fashioned into spears.


    The shell, being an exoskeleton of an extraordinary creature, was not only durable but also lighter than most other materials of the same toughness, making it ideal for armor.


    And spider meat could be used for food.


    The meat contained in the spider¡¯s legs and its head was particularly valuable as a source of energy that could enhance physical strength.


    The poison sacs could be used to coat any weapon, making them lethal.


    Richard patted the shoulder of the person who gave the report, then said to the group:


    ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job, go to the scribe and have this recorded, and I will reward you during the next pay period!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your generosity, my lord!¡± they replied, bowing.


    ¡°My lord, where should we transport your spoils?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°No need!¡±


    Richard waved his hand, and in an instant, the items vanished before everyone¡¯s eyes, stored directly into his system inventory.

 Chapter 17 - Richards Blueprint

    Chapter 17 Richard¡¯s Blueprint


    This scene left everyone in a daze.


    The lord before them gained an air of mystery in their eyes.


    It must be known that the magical means of spatial storage was a legendary existence.


    On the entire continent, they had never heard of anyone possessing such ability.


    They even doubted whether such abilities existed only in stories.


    Yet now, it appeared right before their eyes, and it was their lord; this myth-like scene left them completely stunned.


    On this day, the shock brought by their lord truly came in waves.


    In contrast, their lord seemed quite accustomed to possessing such abilities, appearing unperturbed.


    As knight attendants, even if they hadn¡¯t cultivated life seeds, they were still on the path to the extraordinary in this world.


    But no matter how they looked at it, they felt increasingly like mere mortals gazing up at the divine in front of their lord.


    By the time they came to their senses, the lord had already walked far away.


    ¡­


    At this moment, the distant villagers, who had resumed their work, were discussing the scene that had just unfolded while working.


    ¡°The lord is truly terrifying! He¡¯s so young yet possesses such incredible abilities. That spider monster had no chance to fight back, he¡¯s too strong!¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed! Thanks to the lord today! If it weren¡¯t for him, we might have been eaten! You didn¡¯t see how those few who first woke the spider died so gruesomely!¡±


    ¡°I saw it too! Their bones were blackened; it only took a few seconds! Terrifying!¡±


    ¡°I was in the same team as those few. The team leader asked me to go with him to fetch tools, but we were a bit slow; otherwise, I might have been one of the dead! The lord truly saved my life!¡±


    They continued to talk while working.


    Following Richard¡¯s orders, some were tending to the seedlings in the fields, while others were reclaiming fallow land, and their movements seemed even quicker than before.


    It was unclear whether this was due to gratitude for being saved or fear of being on the receiving end of Richard¡¯s knightly sword.


    After all, it was a sword that even a giant spider monster could not withstand; they didn¡¯t dare gamble on whether they might anger their lord.


    Farther away, those responsible for other tasks had initially felt a slight shock but had not directly faced the storm; their work progress was hardly affected.


    At that moment, they were still each focused on their responsibilities.


    Some were transporting manure, while others were herding livestock, busily and mechanically toiling away.


    ¡­


    Richard did not return to the castle but instead rode his mount to inspect the transformation of his territory.


    While patrolling, he opened the spatial warehouse to check on the extraordinary beast egg he had obtained earlier.


    [Detection of the host¡¯s point of interest. Would the host like to start hatching the beast egg now?].


    Richard was somewhat worried about whether he really needed to take it out and find a suitable place to hatch it. He didn¡¯t expect the system to actually have dedicated after-sales service.


    This was definitely a chance to take advantage of!


    ¡°Start hatching!¡±


    With Richard¡¯s command, the beast egg immediately glowed with a soft light, pulsating like breathing, flickering on and off.


    The description of the beast egg also displayed the words [Hatching].


    However, he had no idea how long the hatching would take.


    It didn¡¯t matter; after all, it was just an addition, so he would let fate decide.


    If he knew the duration, the waiting process would always be torturous, but if he kept a calm mindset and took it easy, when it finally hatched, it would be a pleasant surprise.


    Richard was very skilled at creating opportunities to elevate his emotional value, which made him strive to live happily.


    This could be considered a good attitude of finding joy amidst hardship in this challenging environment.


    After completing all this, his attention quickly shifted back to the laboring villagers.


    Seeing the bustling scene in the Long Eagle territory, Richard couldn¡¯t help but begin to devise plans for future development.


    Once all the preparations were in place, the first priority would surely be farming.


    This was an instinct deeply ingrained in every Eastern person¡¯s soul.


    Especially with a batch of extremely high-quality seeds acquired from the system, if he didn¡¯t plant them, it would feel like a wasted opportunity, akin to a wealthy person not returning home, strutting around in finery at night.


    From the perspective of investment returns, just imagine the feeling of planting a single seed and reaping hundreds of grains. Even deducting time and labor costs, it would still yield hundreds of times the return!


    Just thinking about it was exhilarating!


    There was nothing more significant than this benefit.


    Engaging in commerce was unnecessary.


    In this backward medieval age, doing business was a joke.


    Just the differing tax policies of each territory could drive a person mad.


    To put it simply, some lords decree that anything that falls in their territory belongs to them.


    And these lords would dig pits all over the roads in their territory.


    Of course, it was uncertain whether they even had roads at all.


    Normally, during the Central European period, the lords of each territory had the power to mint coins, so currencies among different territories were not standardized.


    But in this world, at least the currency was unified into gold coins, silver coins, and copper coins, the reason for which Richard was unclear; he didn¡¯t know whether it was a characteristic result of this fantasy world.


    Yet even so, between different territories, the same gold coins faced differing inflation situations.


    If it were the information age, such circumstances would clearly be a perfect business opportunity.


    But in this age, communication was inconvenient, and due to the differing capabilities of rulers and changes in lords, market fluctuations were bound to be significant, making it hard to acquire timely information.


    You might hear that a certain place has a strong purchasing power for silver coins, so you travel long distances to procure goods, only to find that by the time you arrive, prices have already risen, and you could be at a total loss.


    Let alone the bandits along the way, who might not all be real robbers. Even if you later seek justice, you would likely face local territorial rules and might inexplicably run into the lord of the opposing territory.


    With Richard¡¯s background and strength, he naturally wouldn¡¯t fear ordinary people, but he wouldn¡¯t want to battle a group of mice against an elephant; that would be exasperating.


    Additionally, in the forests and wilderness, the occasional appearance of extraordinary creatures posed great risks for traveling merchants.


    So Richard didn¡¯t consider it at all.


    As his operations expanded in the future, he couldn¡¯t handle everything personally.


    Thus, establishing the correct direction and strategy for development from the start was more important than anything else.


    As for the business situation of Cinderella¡¯s father, he had learned a little while chatting with Cinderella.


    Near the royal city, he made money from the nobles and citizens of the royal city.


    As for the goods, his business involved purchasing items from passing merchants and then retailing them in the royal city.


    Such a small business, akin to an ant¡¯s leg, relied on the gradual accumulation of savings over a long period.


    Richard truly looked down on it.


    Of course, what he looked down on was the business itself, not the money held by Count Temmann.


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 Chapter 18 - A Blatant Case of Corruption

    Chapter 18 A Blatant Case of Corruption[Warning! Warning!].[There has been a corruption incident in your territory. If not dealt with promptly, it will affect your governance performance!].


    Richard was taken aback¡ªcorruption incident?


    In an instant, Richard¡¯s trust in the reliability of the system increased.


    As he marveled internally, he began searching for the target.


    After all, the entire Long Eagle Territory wasn¡¯t that big; it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to find.


    Richard rode forward, his gaze constantly scanning each suspicious character.


    After passing through an intersection, he suddenly spotted the tax officer Harvey slowly carrying a large box toward his home.


    Some servants were helping him carry it.


    Behind him, there was also a cart loaded with many items.


    Richard narrowed his eyes, sensing something was off about this person, and rode forward.


    At the same time, a prompt from the system arrived just in time:


    [After some searching, you have discovered the person involved in the corruption incident. Please decide how to handle it, host.].


    That confirms it.


    ¡°Harvey! What are you doing?¡±


    Richard¡¯s cold voice rang out, devoid of any emotion.


    Harvey was startled by Richard¡¯s voice, quickly putting the items down and smiling naturally as he bowed to Richard:


    ¡°Tax Officer Harvey greets you, my lord!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question!¡± Richard replied coldly.


    Harvey was taken aback but soon laughed, saying:


    ¡°In response to my lord, these are just some simple jerky, food, leather goods, and oh yes, some clothes.


    I was just preparing to move these things into my house.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Where did you buy these items? Can you use all of this?¡± Richard knew perfectly well that he couldn¡¯t have bought them with his own money. He asked to see Harvey¡¯s reaction.


    After all, if he could so casually claim to move them into his own home and the system had indicated a corruption incident, the greatest possibility was that Harvey had already prepared an excuse for himself.


    However, Harvey¡¯s response was unexpected.


    ¡°Why buy? These are the taxes I¡¯ve worked hard to collect!¡±


    Richard almost laughed out of anger upon hearing this.


    ¡°Is that all you collected?¡±


    ¡°Of course not; most of it has already been transported to your castle. This is my portion, my lord¡ªwhat about you?¡± Harvey seemed confused as to why Richard kept questioning him about this matter.


    ¡°Your portion?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°According to management, the things collected from taxes are partially handed over to you, and this portion naturally belongs to your subordinate.¡± Harvey said confidently, looking up at Richard.


    As their conversation unfolded, everyone around came to a standstill.


    The guards stationed nearby couldn¡¯t help but cast glances over, curious about what was happening.


    ¡°It seems Lord Harvey has run into trouble; do you think the lord will punish him?¡±


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the case, right? After all, Lord Harvey has always been like this. Many years ago, when Viscount Harken was in charge here, he also tacitly allowed such situations. This should be Lord Harvey¡¯s reasonable income, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. I just wonder if there¡¯s more to it than this. I heard that previously, Lord Harvey¡¯s work did not receive the lord¡¯s approval; this time he might really be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Lord Harvey is in for a rough time. But being punished for not doing his job well is just bad luck. After all, that survey order didn¡¯t specify what exactly was required from the lord.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it; the lord is quite powerful. Be careful he hears us chatting; we might be in trouble too.¡±


    Richard naturally overheard the guards¡¯ whispers. He didn¡¯t address them for the moment, but felt somewhat displeased.


    The military discipline of this era was indeed lax; standing guard and still daring to gossip.


    This was something he¡¯d need to regulate later; it wasn¡¯t his intention to be harsh; it was just a basic requirement.


    But first, he needed to deal with the corruption issue at hand.


    Richard found Harvey¡¯s attitude hard to understand.


    This was rotten to the core.


    Generally speaking, any position involved in embezzlement would inevitably drag along a line of others.


    What goes up must come down, and indeed it was true.


    As Richard was Harvey¡¯s only direct superior, he naturally couldn¡¯t trace the issue back up to Harvey, meaning Harvey¡¯s subordinates were unlikely to be any cleaner.


    Richard¡¯s response to Harvey was quite simple¡ªhe drew a whip and struck it across his face.


    Harvey¡¯s face was instantly marked with a gash, and he cried out in pain.


    ¡°Please spare me, my lord! I don¡¯t know what wrong I¡¯ve done!¡± Harvey wailed. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Richard coldly replied, ¡°I have repeatedly stated that everything on this land belongs to me. Only what I give you is yours. Are your ears deaf? Or are you tired of living?¡±


    Harvey¡¯s head buzzed.


    He certainly remembered Richard saying this, but he thought it was something said for the subjects to hear.


    Moreover, as the only tax officer in Long Eagle Territory, Richard couldn¡¯t possibly just dismiss him, let alone reprimand him for such a ¡®small matter¡¯.


    His face showed grievance and confusion.


    Just like the guards whispering nearby, he felt perhaps it was his previous poor performance that led the lord to intentionally make things difficult for him.


    He regretted it a bit, but after thinking it over, he wasn¡¯t intentionally opposing Richard; he truly hadn¡¯t expected this normal procedure would lead to him being reprimanded, or even directly whipped.


    Richard paid no mind to his feelings and directly commanded the knight attendant following him, ¡°Seize him! Conduct a house search immediately!¡±


    Harvey was stunned!


    Only now did he realize Richard truly had no intention of letting him off.


    Before he could react, he was immediately pinned to the ground, his hands bound, and thrown onto the cart loaded with the items he had embezzled.


    After a while, cries of women and children echoed from inside the house, and a knight attendant conducting the search emerged holding a small bundle.


    ¡°Reporting to you, my lord, these are valuable items found in his home.¡±


    As he spoke, the knight attendant opened the bundle.


    Inside lay several gold coins, a piece of magic steel, and a piece of mountain copper.


    Both magic steel and mountain copper were considered extraordinary materials.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, there¡¯s no magic steel in the castle treasury, and only two pieces of mountain copper¡ªthis is your little share?¡±


    Before Harvey could defend himself, Richard commanded his subordinates, ¡°Take him away and imprison him!¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, you people have benefited significantly from Lord Harvey these past years, right? Before tonight, go find the clerk to explain your issues. If I find out about anything later¡­¡±

 Chapter 19 - Thousand-Person Dining Hall

    Chapter 19 Thousand-Person Dining HallIn the eastern outskirts, a group of women had been summoned by the secretary.


    Some used small water jars to fetch clean water, balancing them on their shoulders as they walked.


    Others wielded kitchen knives, chopping ingredients quickly on cutting boards with loud clanks.


    There were also those bringing bundles of dry branches over here.


    They were indeed busy, bustling with activity.


    These women were selected by the secretary specifically to prepare dinner for the thousands of people.


    As for the source of the food, it naturally came from the homes of these commoners.


    No commoner dared to resist this.


    These people¡¯s minds had been tamed as if they were pigs, not daring to provoke their master¡¯s anger again.


    They had already realized that their own actions had offended the lord, their own dirtiness and sloppiness had displeased him, and their stupidity had infringed upon his dignity.


    It was only right that they were punished.


    It was also justified for the lord to take away their food.


    The source of filth and waste was because they ate, which led to excretion, so the lord naturally punished them by depriving them of food.


    Now they could only pray that they could endure for a few more days and go hungry a little longer.


    ¡°Our women were taken by the lord to cook. I really envy them. I wish I were a woman!¡±


    ¡°What a fantasy! They¡¯re worse off than us; they can only smell it and can¡¯t eat it. What do you think those guards are for? They¡¯re definitely there to prevent them from sneaking bites.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really unfortunate. If they couldn¡¯t smell it, it might be better, but to smell it and not be able to eat? That¡¯s even more painful.¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I feel so hungry. I don¡¯t know how many days I can last. Maybe I¡¯ll see if there are any grasshoppers or mantises around; that might help me get by.¡±


    ¡°Earthworms are also edible. I¡¯ve eaten them before when my family was short on food. Back then, I roasted them over a fire, but I¡¯m not sure how they would taste raw.¡±


    ¡°I just saw a few; I put them in my pocket. I¡¯ll save them for later. It¡¯s better to wait until they die of drought. Eating them alive is too scary; I can¡¯t bring myself to do it.¡±


    The workers exchanged hushed conversations as they worked.


    They were afraid their voices would be heard by the patrolling knights and also worried about exhausting their energy.


    At that moment, a mounted knight servant galloped over, waving his whip and startling some commoners who were talking quietly, thinking they had been overheard.


    However, the knight servant did not stop before them but shouted while riding:


    ¡°Everyone, stop what you¡¯re doing! Get ready to eat!¡±


    Everyone looked at each other, all stunned.


    ¡°What did the knight just say? Did I hear wrong?¡±


    ¡°It seems he¡¯s calling us to eat?¡±


    ¡°I must be imagining things; I definitely misheard.¡±


    They couldn¡¯t believe it¡ªwould the lord really allow them to eat?


    So, some of the women going to cook were originally thought to be preparing meals for the lord¡¯s subordinates; now it seemed they were actually cooking for them?


    No one moved, fearing they had misheard.


    Until the knight servant¡¯s voice continued to ring out, they finally understood this was real.


    ¡°Go to the east and line up for food! The lord is waiting for you over there. Anyone who arrives late and misses the food will have to go hungry!¡±


    ¡°All of you follow the arrangements of the leaders and line up! All leaders, fulfill your responsibilities immediately!¡±


    As these words were spoken, everyone erupted into excitement, their faces lighting up with joy.


    ¡°Quick! Quick! Let¡¯s get to the front of the line!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s our leader?¡±


    Everyone was in a frenzy. Due to the chaotic crowd, people from different groups mixed together, and since they had just formed this leadership system, they weren¡¯t used to it and failed to form an effective queue.


    Some people got anxious and directly ran toward the assembly point in the east.


    With one person leading, many quickly followed.


    After all, food was the ultimate attraction for them!


    Seeing the commoners rushing over, Richard immediately ordered his knight servants to set up a barrier to prevent them from trampling the food.


    A few shorter individuals crawled under the knights¡¯ legs and dashed toward the food.


    Many others saw this and followed suit.


    The knight servants¡¯ barrier could not stop so many irrational people.


    Having labored for a long time, they were already famished and couldn¡¯t resist the aroma of the food; at this moment, they had no sense of reason and just wanted to rush in and eat.


    Richard rode over, wielding his whip to strike those at the front, knocking them down and causing them to roll on the ground, screaming.


    Yet this scene did not awaken everyone. In their eyes, there was only food; they paid no attention to their lord.


    Suddenly, a deafening battle cry echoed throughout the scene, causing even the wind chimes hanging outside the castle to ring without wind, buzzing incessantly.


    Everyone was stunned by the sound wave, their minds blank; the next moment, they finally regained their senses and looked toward their lord.


    Richard¡¯s long hair flew in the wind, and as the residual force faded, the surroundings fell silent.


    He casually knocked down someone who had rushed too close to him and said:


    ¡°Pigs! Have you forgotten my previous orders? If you want to die, come and sign up with me; I can help you with that.¡±


    ¡°For those who don¡¯t want to die, I¡¯m giving you one last chance.¡±


    ¡°Everyone, line up according to the divisions established earlier to receive food. Otherwise, today will be your last day!¡±


    The crowd turned pale and hurried to comply.


    ¡°Group 3, come over here! I¡¯m the leader of Group 3!¡±


    ¡°Where are the members of Groups 5 and 6? Your leaders are here; hurry up!¡±


    Everyone acted obediently.


    Householders took their families to find their leaders, and the leaders brought their ten households to find the overseer.


    Soon, they formed a queue.


    The knight servants who had been ordered by Richard to set up the barrier came to Richard, half-kneeling in submission.


    ¡°Please punish us, lord, for our negligence in our duties!¡±


    Richard raised an eyebrow; if these people hadn¡¯t voluntarily come to confess, he wouldn¡¯t have thought to punish them.


    Mainly, he didn¡¯t see the need.


    After all, at that moment, if he hadn¡¯t unleashed his battle cry, not even he could have stopped everyone.


    This was an open area; it wasn¡¯t a strategic position that one man could hold against thousands.


    However, since they had come forward, Richard seized the opportunity to scold them:


    ¡°I won¡¯t pursue this matter with you for now, but you better improve yourselves. The Long Eagle territory never raises useless people. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, lord!¡±


    ¡°Now hurry up and maintain order; they are about to line up. Remember, next time you come to apologize, make sure you finish what needs to be done first!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    They quickly turned around and ran off.

 Chapter 20 - Execution, Beheading!

    Chapter 20 Execution, Beheading!Richard did not take the little episode of the knight¡¯s squire being held responsible to heart; instead, he looked at the group of peasants like pigs.


    When dealing with these fools, Richard would not show any mercy; he could only rely on iron and blood to make them submit.


    The people he had beaten, now covered in wounds, stood obediently in their ranks, not daring to utter a single complaint. In their eyes, there was only panic and regret, without a trace of resentment.


    But Richard knew that this was not enough; he needed to give them a little more stimulation.


    He turned and instructed someone next to him.


    ¡°Go, bring Harvey out!¡±


    Everyone smelled the aroma of food wafting from nearby, and they swallowed their saliva, filled with anticipation.


    They knew that as long as they obeyed, they would be able to receive food.


    And over there, there were so many prepared dishes, which might allow them to have a hearty meal.


    Many of them usually had no chance to eat to their fill.


    They had not expected that after the lord arrived, although they had to work, they would have the opportunity to eat enough.


    However, as they waited and waited, they found that their lord had not spoken.


    What was the lord waiting for?


    Everyone was puzzled, but no one dared to ask; they could only wait patiently.


    The knight squires stood guard at various posts, maintaining order at the scene.


    In the distance, two nearby knight squires exchanged glances and smiled:


    ¡°Look, our lord is making them wait!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let this group of pigs remember this. After one riot, make them wait an extra hour next to the food; next time, they¡¯ll behave.¡±


    ¡°If it were up to me, I would have been even harsher. I¡¯d starve them for one meal, and then let them eat the food that¡¯s gone bad and cold, even with flies on it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that if they eat that, they¡¯ll get sick. Who will work then? I think making them wait an hour while the food cools down but doesn¡¯t spoil is the most appropriate punishment.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense; our lord is indeed wise!¡±


    ¡°Does that need saying? Don¡¯t try to guess our lord¡¯s decisions with your inferior thinking; it only makes you look foolish!¡±


    Because they were far away, they did not hear Richard¡¯s order to bring the tax officer Harvey. In their quiet discussions, they were still waiting patiently.


    After a while, there was suddenly some commotion ahead, and they looked up to see several colleagues escorting someone over.


    ¡°Strange, why is the lord bringing Harvey here at this time? Could it be that he needs Harvey to calculate how to distribute the food?¡±


    ¡°Fool, I¡¯ve told you long ago not to use your stupid brain to guess what the lord is thinking!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so smart, why don¡¯t you tell us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know, why do you blame me?¡±


    ¡°I once heard a clergy member from the church say that there¡¯s a saying in the holy book: ¡®The foolish man remains silent, for that is his wisdom.¡¯ My friend, speak less and do more, and watch what our lord does.¡±


    At this moment, sitting on horseback, Richard glanced at the escorted Harvey.


    Harvey was covered in bruises, with small wounds all over his forehead, as if he had been pricked by something, and his clothes were ragged and tattered.


    It was evident that during his brief period of detention, someone had teased and insulted him.


    Richard did not pay attention to these details, pointing at Harvey and addressing the crowd, ¡°This person, you should all recognize. His name is Harvey, and he has been your tax officer all along. You must be curious as to why he has ended up like this.¡±


    With Richard¡¯s words, the crowd stirred.


    Everyone was speculating about how he had offended their lord.


    Before Lord Richard arrived, there had not been a viscount here for many years.


    The secretary was responsible for transmitting the orders from the higher-ups, but since this place was remote, many decrees were unnecessary to convey here, and the peasants rarely saw the secretary, Rhodes.


    Instead, the one they had more contact with was the tax officer Harvey, who had now fallen from grace.


    If Rhodes had once been an untouchable figure for them, someone to be revered from afar,


    Then Harvey was their nightmare. In their lives, Harvey¡¯s influence and intimidation were omnipresent.


    Facing Harvey, they had lost any spirit of rebellion, especially since every time Harvey appeared, he brought along his subordinates, who instilled absolute fear in them.


    For them, as long as someone was not an ordinary peasant, everyone in the castle was a big shot. Even a mouse in the castle was someone they envied.


    They could not see the conflicts among the upper echelons; for them, that was the affairs of another world.


    It felt much like the relationship between the god king Zeus and the goddess Hestia in mythology¡ªperhaps there were sizes among them, but all were beyond their reach.


    At this moment, they quietly watched, waiting for their lord, like a deity, to give his decree.


    ¡°You pig-like creatures, remember this: I have repeatedly said that everything in Long Eagle Territory is mine, but someone did not listen and claimed my possessions as their own.¡±


    ¡°This person is Harvey!¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Richard leaped off his horse and drew the knight¡¯s greatsword, the tip striking the ground with a sharp sound.


    Harvey was pressed down onto the wood, his eyes filled with regret.


    ¡°My lord, I am willing to confess! I was too foolish, blinded by money, and failed to grasp the meaning behind your words. Harvey hopes to use my death to remind my family to obey your commands.¡±


    Richard nodded slightly and did not say more.


    He gripped the knight¡¯s greatsword stuck in the ground, closed his eyes, and recited:


    ¡°In the name of the House of Baynes, King Hales I, all the people of the realm, and the kings of our ancestors, I, Richard of the House of Baynes, Viscount of Long Eagle Territory, hereby announce your death sentence!¡±


    As Richard recited, Harvey lowered his head, closed his eyes, and awaited the moment of death.


    The sound of the great sword being drawn from the gravel, the rustling of Richard¡¯s garments, the sound of the sword slicing through the air¡­


    In the next moment, Harvey¡¯s consciousness completely vanished.


    All the peasants trembled, watching the head roll on the ground, their mouths dry.


    The arrogant and domineering tax officer, who had ruined countless families, the nightmare of the entire Long Eagle Territory¡­


    Their lord had killed him just like that!


    Everyone was stunned.

 Chapter 21 - Unlock new building: Blacksmith Shop!

    Chapter 21 Unlock new building: Blacksmith Shop!A stray dog suddenly dashed out of nowhere and grabbed Harvey¡¯s head in its mouth. One of the knights¡¯ squires was about to stop it, but the scribe standing by laughed and held him back. Turning to Richard, he explained, ¡°My Lord, that dog belonged to Harvey.¡±


    Richard was momentarily surprised but then burst into laughter. He couldn¡¯t help but find the situation ironic. However, he quickly gave a new order, ¡°Someone, follow that dog! If it buries Harvey¡¯s head, then kill it and skin it! But if it eats Harvey¡¯s head, make sure it never goes hungry again!¡±


    He intended to use this dog as a reminder to everyone in Long Eagle Territory of Harvey¡¯s fate.


    He then turned his attention to the commoners, saying, ¡°Remember this well! If anyone dares to act like Harvey and tries to steal from Long Eagle Territory, this is the fate that awaits them! Hang Harvey¡¯s body up and let the vultures feast on it!¡±


    The children were so frightened that they started crying softly, their parents quickly covering their mouth, fearing they might anger the lord.


    After completing all these actions, Richard gave a broad wave of his hand and commanded, ¡°Form lines, everyone! It¡¯s time to distribute the food!¡±


    No one dared to misbehave now; Harvey¡¯s body hanging there, with fresh blood dripping down, served as a constant reminder to all of them.


    As the food was handed out, everyone grew excited. They sat on the open ground outside the town, enjoying the steaming hot meal.


    ¡°The lord is truly a kind-hearted man! He¡¯s giving us hot food, such a good person!¡±


    ¡°Yes, when the old lord was alive, we never got food for our work. We always had to bring our own.¡±


    ¡°True, it¡¯s so unusual to have a lord who provides us with food like this!¡±


    ¡°But honestly, we didn¡¯t even have food to bring from home since everything we had went to the lord.¡±


    ¡°Are you dissatisfied with the lord¡¯s decision? Remember, this food belongs to the lord in the first place. We live in Long Eagle Territory, and even we are the lord¡¯s property! Your attitude is risky; I worry you might end up like Harvey.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it, you¡¯re right. Working for the lord is our duty, and yet he¡¯s giving us food on top of that, even having people cook it for us. In the past, we never had anything like this. I swear on my old bones, I¡¯ll work hard for the lord in return for his kindness!¡±


    They were talking amongst themselves as they ate. In reality, they were only eating simple oat porridge and a small amount of jerky. It was enough to sustain them, but far from a lavish meal. Still, they were grateful.


    In just a short moment, the overall loyalty of the population reached a new threshold.


    [Congratulations, Host! You have earned the loyalty of your people through your command and authority. Overall loyalty level has increased to the fourth stage¡ª¡¯Loyal¡¯!].[Current overall loyalty: 81, Population growth rate: 100%, Labor enthusiasm: 100%.].


    Richard nodded in satisfaction. Finally, things were as they should be.


    This 100% wasn¡¯t just an increase¡ªit represented a return to the normal growth rate. In other words, if loyalty had remained at 75%, the population would have decreased over time, dwindling to three thousand from the original four thousand over twenty years.


    Now that loyalty had reached the highest phase, everything could proceed normally. The same applied to labor enthusiasm; he wasn¡¯t misled by the 100% figure. It merely signified a standard working attitude. Some would still slack off, but overall, the work would be more engaged and less mechanical than before.


    These people truly were like swine, he thought. He was using their own food to prepare their meals, cooked by their own women, yet they sincerely thanked him from the bottom of their hearts¡ªa bunch of brainless livestock.


    But that suited him perfectly.


    As he glanced at the system panel, he noticed that he¡¯d gained 6 Kill Points for executing Harvey. He casually allocated the points to his strength stat and then continued to inspect the panel.


    [With the increase in loyalty, you have unlocked the Blacksmith Shop!].[The Blacksmith Shop can recruit blacksmiths and forge beginner-level extraordinary equipment. Please construct and explore this facility at your own discretion.].


    Richard¡¯s eyes lit up. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ordinary equipment, no matter how well-made, would eventually rust, corrode, and degrade over time. But extraordinary equipment had unique abilities and properties that could be tailored to specific needs, making them highly effective.


    Once he could produce such equipment on a large scale, he would be able to field a force of knights equipped with supernatural gear. Their increased strength would allow him to delve deeper into the nearby forest to gather even more resources.


    Since this was a lord¡¯s domain, securing a stable and abundant source of resources was crucial for the growth of Long Eagle Territory. Only then could it become a significant force on this continent.


    After closing the system panel, Richard stood up from his seat. The commoners had finished their meal, and with no further orders, they lay around lazily, basking in the sun.


    Richard¡¯s brows furrowed in displeasure. He cracked his whip in the air, creating a loud crack that echoed across the field.


    ¡°Who gave you permission to lie around in my presence? Get up! Line up and assemble in front of me!¡±


    The sound of the whip triggered their muscle memory, and the commoners jumped to their feet immediately. This time, they quickly assembled and stood in neat lines, awaiting their lord¡¯s instructions.

 Chapter 22 - The Lord Is Watching Everything!

    Chapter 22 The Lord Is Watching Everything!¡°All the women, come here with your children! I have something for you to do!¡± Richard shouted loudly.


    The crowd shifted, and the women, holding their children tightly, came forward with tense expressions.


    ¡°Half of you, take your children, grab some sickles, and go cut pig grass. The other half, go pick berries!¡± Richard ordered. He then waved his hand to signal a few of the knights¡¯ squires to take charge of these people, guiding them and splitting them into two groups.


    After handling that, Richard turned back to the remaining people and continued, ¡°Next, when I call your name, step forward! Murtagh Levy! Negi Morton! Draco Meyer¡­¡±


    One by one, people emerged from the crowd, until eventually, one or two hundred people stood before him. They were visibly nervous, fearing that they had done something wrong and that the lord had found out.


    Some were trembling, their faces pale with fear.


    In reality, Richard couldn¡¯t possibly remember so many people. He was merely looking at the system panel, selecting the stonemasons and carpenters he needed. According to the system¡¯s selection, these were the people with those specific skills.


    Richard walked up to them and said, ¡°I need you to build a blacksmith shop and a militia training camp for me. Soon, I¡¯ll distribute the blueprints, and someone will guide you through the work! Line up over there and await further orders!¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± They collectively breathed a sigh of relief.


    As long as they weren¡¯t going to be killed, and they could put their skills to use, it was much better than the menial tasks they had been doing before, like cleaning up waste¡ªeven though most of the town had already been cleaned up.


    Richard glanced at the system panel, pondering. The previous Baojia system, while effective for quick mobilization, dispersed talents in a way that made management difficult. He needed to select people with administrative abilities. If he recalled correctly, he¡¯d seen information on such individuals in the records before.


    With a thought, he searched for those with management skills and soon identified over twenty individuals.


    Richard called them out one by one. After the previous incident, they remained relatively calm, though they glanced at each other, puzzled, as they didn¡¯t seem to share any particular skill set. They were at a loss, not daring to believe that the lord would consider them for management roles.


    Given their limited perspective, they thought that the existing Baojia system, which included seven Bao leaders and 69 Jia leaders, was already a flawless mechanism. They couldn¡¯t fathom that Richard might be looking for more specialized managerial talent.


    Even the scribe, Rhodes, seemed confused about what these people were to be used for.


    Richard announced, ¡°From now on, the Baojia system will be used only after work, for mutual supervision. For day-to-day operations, I¡¯m establishing these 25 people as the managers of your work.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already aware of the Baojia system¡¯s oversight responsibilities. Let me add that if anyone attempts to flee or acts against the interests of Long Eagle Territory, you can report them and receive extra food as a reward!¡±


    Hearing this, the people¡¯s faces lit up with delight as they began to eye each other, looking for signs of disloyalty.


    Meanwhile, they didn¡¯t seem to have much reaction to the appointment of these management personnel, though they were somewhat surprised that the managers were chosen from among their own ranks.


    Richard turned to the newly appointed managers, his voice stern as he said, ¡°You have been selected to be my managers. Your appointments are temporary for now. If any issues arise, I will hold you accountable immediately, and you will face punishment proportional to your mistakes.¡±


    These words quickly cooled their initial excitement, and a few even considered backing out. However, being chosen by the lord himself, none dared to speak out against his decision¡ªit would be nothing short of asking for death.


    ¡°But if you do well, you will receive proper rewards, and you¡¯ll get more food than the others,¡± Richard continued, pacing in front of the group.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too comfortable, you lot. In my territory, there¡¯s no such thing as absolute fairness! Those with ability will work more and get more! Do your job well, and food will not be lacking. If your children are smart, they might even have the chance to become my squires in the future! Remember that!¡±


    Richard held these people in contempt, yet he had great confidence in the future development of Long Eagle Territory. He believed that once the territory prospered, those born into a more favorable environment would grow to become genuinely capable individuals.


    For now, these people were indeed like swine to him. Even though he had chosen over twenty people as managers, it was merely picking the tallest among dwarfs. Compared to real talents, they weren¡¯t much better than anyone he could find in the castle.


    However, he couldn¡¯t spare the castle¡¯s squires, as they had their own roles to play.


    He then assigned specific tasks to these managers, appointing them as team leaders responsible for different duties¡ªfarming, building houses, gathering berries, and so forth.


    With the lord¡¯s control panel at his disposal, Richard wasn¡¯t worried about these appointed leaders abusing their power or oppressing the commoners. The blood on Richard¡¯s sword hadn¡¯t dried yet, and Harvey¡¯s headless body was still fresh¡ªif anyone dared to think otherwise, Richard wouldn¡¯t hesitate to gain more Kill Points.


    He wanted these people to know that the eyes of their lord were always watching them. These commoners were, after all, his wealth. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 23 - BBQ Crab Spider Meat

    Chapter 23 BBQ Crab Spider Meat


    As Richard¡¯s orders were issued one by one, the entire Long Eagle Territory began to move again.


    Every command he gave was like a whip, driving the citizens to start working.


    Richard was never a saint. He would never raise a bunch of pigs for free unless he had lost his mind.


    After dealing with these matters, Richard finally walked towards the castle.


    As soon as Richard left, it seemed as if the air outside the castle was suddenly free, and everyone let out a sigh of relief.


    Even the guards were drenched in sweat from their tension.


    The 20 or so people, under the coordination of the scribe, began to reorganize the over 4,000 citizens into teams according to their roles, each team assigned to different commanders.


    Seeing this more efficient management model, Rhodes¡¯ admiration for Richard grew deeper.


    The household registration system had already amazed him, and he didn¡¯t expect there to be more brilliant strategies!


    He felt like he was witnessing the Long Eagle Territory, like a mighty eagle, starting to soar into the sky!


    ¡­


    Back at the castle, Cinderella approached, lifting her skirt to curtsy and said, ¡°Master, you¡¯ve worked hard!¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you?¡± Richard nodded with a smile.


    ¡°Master, you haven¡¯t eaten either, and Rella wants to eat with you!¡± Cinderella said shyly, lowering her head.


    ¡°You, you¡¯ve got good fortune today, come with me!¡±


    Richard smiled and signaled Cinderella to follow him, while at the same time, he said to the knight attendant beside him, ¡°Go tell the cook to light the fire and prepare a bigger grill!¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    The knight attendant saluted and left.


    The two of them came to a high platform, where they could see a far-reaching view.


    The contracted river, the distant forest, birds flying in the sky, and clouds drifting on the horizon.


    They could also enjoy the cool breeze blowing, which was very comfortable.


    Soon, two strong men came over, carrying the grill and charcoal.


    ¡°My lord, the grill and charcoal you asked for are ready. What ingredients would you like? I¡¯ll prepare them immediately!¡±


    The cook bowed and asked.


    Richard smiled and said, ¡°No need, just move that low table over here.¡±


    The cook didn¡¯t understand but still quickly did as instructed.


    Richard brushed his hand over the table, and large pieces of meat appeared on it.


    The cook was stunned, opened his mouth to speak, but didn¡¯t know how to praise such magic. In the end, with an exaggerated look of amazement, he bowed deeply again to express his astonishment.


    Earlier, when Richard had stored the spider meat into his system space on the battlefield, the cook obviously wasn¡¯t present.


    So naturally, he didn¡¯t expect his lord to be capable of such magic.


    He recalled that when he used to serve the old lord, he had once heard the old lord mention something about magic knights, who were both skilled in close combat and could use magic.


    And such people could grow to be famous figures across the continent.


    He remembered the look of admiration and yearning in the old lord¡¯s eyes at that time.


    Unexpectedly, he witnessed such a person today, and that person turned out to be his lord.


    The cook was overwhelmed with excitement.


    What he didn¡¯t know was that Richard was merely using a system ability.


    ¡°Start the fire!¡± Richard commanded.


    ¡°Ah! Ah! My lord, I¡¯m sorry, I was just so amazed!¡± The cook said while starting the fire, ¡°What you did just now was incredible!¡±


    He wanted to ask what kind of magic it was but held back, as this related to someone else¡¯s power, and Richard didn¡¯t seem to be a particularly kind person, so he thought it best to remain cautious.


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve roasted spider meat before, but this meat seems to be of much higher quality than what I¡¯ve seen before.¡±


    The cook complimented.


    Richard said, ¡°This was from that crab spider earlier, an extraordinary creature. The meat from such a creature needs to be sliced thin, otherwise, it will take a long time to cook. Get some flat beans to grill as well; they¡¯ll make a good side dish!¡±


    The cook nodded and signaled to his assistant to fetch the beans.


    Soon, the cook had everything prepared, and as the slices of meat were placed on the fire, a delicious aroma began to spread.


    The cooks here had already been trained by Richard; they knew how to grill the meat to make it crispy, tender, and flavorful.


    Richard took the wine glass offered by the attendant, filled with red wine, and smiled at Cinderella, ¡°This meat is an extraordinary ingredient; after eating it, it can nourish the body a little, it¡¯s a good thing, you should try it later!¡±


    Cinderella raised her glass and drank with Richard, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Master!¡±


    Richard laughed heartily, pulled her into his arms, and began to eat the grilled flat beans while drinking red wine.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity; if we had some strong liquor, it would be even better!¡±


    Red wine with barbecue somehow felt a bit too soft and lacking in intensity.


    ¡°My lord, the meat is ready!¡± The cook reminded, placing the cooked meat on a platter on the table in front of Richard, then continued grilling the remaining pieces.


    Richard picked up a piece and put it in his mouth, and an extraordinary sensation emerged.


    The texture of the meat was unlike anything he had ever eaten before. It was so soft, almost melting in the mouth, yet also had a slight chewiness.


    If it were any softer, it would be too mushy, and if it were any tougher, it would be too chewy.


    Everything was just perfect, just right!


    The excellent taste was partly due to the quality of the ingredients and partly due to the skill of the cook. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Richard had only given some tips on enhancing the flavor, but the precise control over the cooking showed the cook¡¯s talent.


    After all, those without talent wouldn¡¯t be serving the lord anymore; they¡¯d have been dismissed.


    Richard ate a few slices but didn¡¯t feel much of an effect and realized he was just enjoying the taste.


    He then picked up two pieces and fed them to Cinderella.


    Cinderella swallowed them, but soon felt something was wrong, her face turning red and flustered, ¡°Master, I feel hot all over, what¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this means the meat is nourishing your body. If you can, try to eat a few more pieces; it will improve your physical condition!¡± Richard said with a smile.


    Cinderella was moved to tears, ¡°Master, you are so good to Rella; Rella will stay with you forever, never to part!¡±


    Richard suddenly realized that Cinderella was acting a bit strange; was she perhaps a bit obsessed?


    He hadn¡¯t expected Cinderella to have this side, and now he was even more curious about her other personality traits!


    As more meat was grilled, Richard directly said, ¡°Don¡¯t serve the rest to me. Once it¡¯s ready, set some aside for my knights and attendants.¡±


    ¡°Neilger!¡± Richard called to one of the knight attendants, ¡°Go and gather everyone, tell them I have something good to reward them with!¡±

 Chapter 24 - Militia Captain and the Establishment of the School

    Chapter 24 Militia Captain and the Establishment of the School


    These squire knights were the team his father had instructed him to bring when he left the Duke¡¯s domain.


    All of them were literate, knew how to shoot arrows, ride horses, and practice knightly combat techniques, but none had yet developed a life seed to become a formal knight.


    A knight¡¯s ability to develop a life seed was related to both their innate talent and the knight¡¯s breathing technique.


    A good breathing technique makes it easier to cultivate a life seed.


    However, developing a life seed required consistent and prolonged practice of the breathing technique.


    Besides daily practice, real combat also served as a high-intensity exercise for the breathing technique.


    Every time they activate the breathing technique, they can mobilize their body¡¯s energy and blood; over time, this builds up, making their energy and blood stronger, which in turn nurtures their vitality. When this vitality reaches a critical point, they can use the techniques within their breathing practice to successfully cultivate a life seed.


    A knight with a life seed could command their full strength more effectively, no longer recklessly charging like a brute.


    They could even perform actions that ordinary people could not achieve.


    This was also why the armor of formal knights was more flexible and more challenging to craft than that of squire knights.


    Of course, apart from solely relying on the breathing technique, they could also use external resources to enhance their physical attributes and increase their energy and blood.


    For example, the extraordinary food that Richard provided to them¡ªthe meat of the Crab Spider.


    Although these people were not yet formal knights, they were descendants of some fallen noble families taken in by the Duke¡¯s castle and trained from a young age.


    Therefore, they had a relatively high level of loyalty to Richard.


    In this regard, Richard felt reassured.


    Additionally, the system panel included them, and Richard could clearly see all their information.


    Once they finished eating, Richard said.


    ¡°I plan to establish a militia team responsible for the territory¡¯s safety. As for the team members, they will be selected from the commoners, but I need to choose the captain and vice-captain from among you.¡±


    Upon hearing this, they exchanged looks.


    ¡°My lord, can those people even be used? They haven¡¯t undergone any training!¡± one of the squires voiced his doubt.


    The others nodded in agreement.


    Richard replied, ¡°The construction of the militia training camp has already started. I will issue the training guidelines to the captain and vice-captain. How well they turn out will depend on your abilities.¡±


    ¡°No more small talk, Charles, Helen, step forward!¡±


    As Richard called out, the two immediately stepped forward.


    These two were individuals Richard was relatively familiar with, who worked well together and didn¡¯t cause any conflicts.


    ¡°Between the two of you, Charles will be the captain, and Helen the vice-captain. My requirements are simple: instill discipline in this group as quickly as possible, making them useful.¡±


    ¡°As for their strength and adaptability, that¡¯s a long-term goal, but you must not slack on this aspect of their training either. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    As soon as Richard finished speaking, the two stood upright:


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord! We will accomplish the task!¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Richard nodded.


    ¡°Remember, those who work more get more. As captain and vice-captain of the militia, you will receive a monthly salary, along with an additional portion of extraordinary creature meat as a bonus!¡±


    Richard made his intentions clear, and when he mentioned the benefits, both of them were thrilled.


    Earlier, when they ate the spider meat, they already felt their bodies change, with their strength, vitality, and endurance all significantly enhanced.


    What they thought was a one-time occurrence turned out to be a regular monthly reward. With this, becoming a formal knight seemed within reach!


    The other squires looked at the two with envy in their eyes, regretting that this good fortune hadn¡¯t fallen upon them.


    They decided to improve their performance and seize the next opportunity for themselves.


    In an instant, determination filled their eyes.


    ¡°Thank you for your generosity, my lord! We will do our utmost!¡± Charles and Helen bowed in joy.


    Richard waved his hand, ¡°All right, you two stand aside for now! I have other matters to arrange.¡±


    The group fell silent, anticipation in their eyes, and a competitive spirit growing among them.


    ¡°The commoners in the territory are too ignorant and are not of much use. If Long Eagle Territory is to develop, we cannot rely on them.


    ¡°I need a few of you to step forward and teach the commoners aged 6 to 15 to read and do some basic exercises.¡±


    ¡°The rewards will be similar to those given to the others.¡±


    ¡°Whoever thinks they can do this, step forward to sign up.¡±


    As soon as Richard finished speaking, several squires immediately volunteered.


    The salary was not the main incentive, as with improved abilities, wealth would naturally follow.


    What truly attracted them was the extraordinary creature meat.


    ¡°My lord, I can do it! I often taught my younger sister to read back when I was at the Duke¡¯s domain, so I have experience!¡±


    ¡°I can do it too! I was slow to learn in the past, but my tutor was very patient with me. I remember those teaching methods well, which would be perfect for instructing these ignorant fools!¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying that I used to be as foolish as them!¡±


    The next person was about to speak but was momentarily silenced by the last remark, almost laughing out loud.


    Seeing that someone else was about to speak, the individual worried about losing the opportunity since Richard hadn¡¯t specified how many he would take, so he quickly said:


    ¡°My lord, I can also do it! My father was a teacher for children, and I learned a lot from him. Whenever he was busy, I often helped him teach lessons!¡±


    One by one, they spoke up, and soon a dozen people had stepped forward.


    Those who hadn¡¯t spoken up felt they had missed their chance after hearing about the others¡¯ qualifications and hesitated to volunteer.


    Not everyone was willing to take on new responsibilities and risk failure.


    Richard nodded and said, ¡°All right, let¡¯s go with you few for now. Later, I will assign you your students. It¡¯s best to be prepared because teaching a bunch of fools to read isn¡¯t an easy task.¡±


    ¡°And you, Sinton, why didn¡¯t you volunteer just now? Step forward!¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Richard pointed to one of them as he finished speaking.

 Chapter 25 - Vampire Bats Invade the Castle

    Chapter 25 Vampire Bats Invade the Castle


    Richard clearly saw the system panel¡¯s notes on Sinton, highlighting his teaching abilities as the highest among the group.


    However, it seemed his personality was somewhat reserved, and he didn¡¯t interact with others as much, appearing a bit lonely.


    As for his background, he was also a fallen noble, but evidently, he had fallen even further.


    His story of learning and growth was reminiscent of ¡°z¨¢o b¨¬ t¨­u gu¨¡ng¡± (Ôä±Ú͵¹â)*, a tale of hardship and perseverance.


    Precisely because of this, he might find it easier to break through when teaching poor children how to learn.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Sinton did not refuse, his demeanor seeming somewhat resigned to his fate.


    Richard wasn¡¯t concerned with Sinton¡¯s current state; as long as one finds something they excel at, their field eventually becomes their comfort zone.


    By that time, Sinton would naturally find his confidence.


    After arranging everything, Richard instructed the knight squires to leave.


    He continued drinking with Cinderella.


    ¡­


    Night fell.


    The laborers of Long Eagle Territory returned to their homes, dragging their tired bodies.


    To call them ¡°homes¡± was a bit of an exaggeration; in reality, they were just dilapidated shacks.


    In the past, their shacks housed pigs, sheep, chickens, and ducks, which slept alongside them.


    Though dirty, they were used to it.


    The main reason was that it kept them warm and protected them from theft.


    During cold days, when they couldn¡¯t afford bedding, some would sleep hugging chickens or ducks, while others hugged pigs.


    Waking up covered in manure didn¡¯t bother them.


    But now, all the livestock in Long Eagle Territory had been confiscated by the lord. The streets were cleaner, and although their rooms were still filthy, the excrement seemed to have been somewhat cleaned up.


    This was a command from Richard.


    Living in filth, surrounded by diseases, was akin to ¡°y¨£ng g¨³¡± (Ñø¹Æ)*, potentially breeding a strange plague at any time.


    The villagers didn¡¯t understand this; they only felt uncomfortable with the new, empty environment, lacking the familiar scent of the past.


    However, they were too exhausted to complain or to harbor resentment toward the lord. A day¡¯s work had drained their last ounce of energy.


    They would use their last bit of strength to return home, then collapse into sleep.


    Just like a pig that¡¯s used to the mud, even if you wash it clean, it will still return to roll in the mire.


    Richard¡¯s efforts to clean up Long Eagle Territory not only removed the villagers from the filth but also took the filth away from them.


    The changes in their environment naturally caused some withdrawal symptoms, which was to be expected.


    The pain of development was inevitable, and as passive participants, the villagers had no choice but to adapt.


    ¡­


    Under the dark sky, Long Eagle Territory was shrouded in mist, silent and eerie.


    Occasionally, the cry of a vulture echoed in the air, before it descended on Harvey¡¯s corpse hanging outside the town, feasting greedily.


    A castle owl observed this scene, then took off, swooping down to catch a mouse in the flowerbed.


    In the nearby forest, pairs of red eyes glowed in the darkness.


    On closer inspection, they were all vampire bats hanging upside down on tree branches, sending chills down one¡¯s spine.


    One of the bats suddenly spread its wings and flew toward the castle.


    The other bats hesitated but eventually returned to the depths of the forest, as if wary of something.


    After all, as the castle housed a knight with a Life Seed, these bats were cautious.


    They weren¡¯t ordinary bats but rather pets raised by the forest witch, knowing well what they could and couldn¡¯t provoke.


    But as the saying goes, ¡°r¨¦n w¨¦i c¨¢i s¨«, ni¨£o w¨¨i sh¨ª w¨¢ng¡± (ÈËΪ²ÆËÀ£¬ÄñΪʳÍö)*, bats that have tasted human blood can¡¯t resist its lure.


    The lone bat stealthily approached the castle in the cover of night.


    Its target was clear: a knight squire living near the castle.


    It had calculated that this squire was the farthest from the lord, making it relatively the safest option.


    As for the villagers, they weren¡¯t even worthy prey; even the observing bats in the forest wouldn¡¯t consider them.


    Villagers¡¯ blood was nutrient-poor, filled with impurities; drinking it was like searching for a coin in a manure pile¡ªnot worth the effort.


    The blood of a knight, however, was different. Even a squire was trained in breathing techniques.


    Their blood was rich, and their diet superior to that of villagers, occasionally containing traces of life force.


    This life force was the seed of potential growth.


    If absorbed by the bat, it might immediately elevate its status.


    Inside the room, the knight was doing his nightly training when he heard a faint flapping sound but dismissed it as a passing bird.


    The next moment, he felt a sharp pain in his neck. He opened his eyes, trying to swat the bat on his artery.


    But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t lift his arm.


    The bat¡¯s venom clearly contained strong hallucinogenic and paralyzing effects.


    Despair filled the knight squire¡¯s eyes; he had hoped to earn great merits alongside his lord, but now he was about to fall here!


    With a thud, he collapsed to the floor.


    His breathing grew rapid as he struggled, not wanting to die, trying everything he could to resist, all in vain.


    He attempted to knock something over to create noise, hoping to draw help.


    But his surroundings were empty. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For the first time, he regretted keeping his training room so tidy.


    As his consciousness dimmed, the bat¡¯s belly swelled with his blood.


    Finally, the bat left him and drifted back toward the forest.


    Although still paralyzed, the knight¡¯s life was spared.


    The bat seemed wary of provoking the lord¡¯s wrath or perhaps preferred to keep the knight alive for future use.


    The forest bats eyed their satisfied companion enviously, itching to try as well, but it emitted a signal of caution.


    It warned them that any attempt now would be too late; if they were discovered, none would return alive.


    The bats hesitated, then flew deeper into the forest.


    They planned to find some supernatural creatures to feed on; although it would be more challenging, they had no other options.

 Chapter 26 - Swamp Witch

    Chapter 26 Swamp Witch


    The bats dispersed into the forest, each searching for prey. The one that had drunk its fill of blood flew directly toward the swamp where the witch lived. Meanwhile, several other bats, after scattering, silently headed toward the castle.


    ¡­


    As dawn broke, the light of morning dispelled the mist within the castle. After washing up, Richard walked around the castle, preparing to start his plans for the new day. At that moment, a system notification suddenly sounded:


    [Warning! Warning!][Your castle was attacked last night. Five knight attendants are in a weakened state. Please check on them!]


    Richard frowned upon hearing this alert.


    ¡°Someone! Bring Hedun, Das¡­ and the other three to see me!¡±


    A quarter of an hour later, five knight attendants appeared before Richard, their steps unsteady, faces pale, looking utterly exhausted.


    ¡°Did you all encounter an attack last night?¡± Richard asked.


    The group looked at each other, realizing that they indeed felt unwell, but an attack¡­


    ¡°Sir, there was no attack last night. If there had been an attack, wouldn¡¯t we already be dead?¡±


    ¡°There was no attack, but I don¡¯t know why; I slept very deeply last night, and when I woke up, my body felt unusually weak.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    They all denied being attacked.


    ¡°Who was on watch last night?¡± Richard turned to the knight attendant Charles, who was standing guard nearby.


    Charles, who had been chosen as the militia captain, replied, ¡°It was Zhulei and Ibel¡¯s team.¡±


    ¡°Call them over!¡± Richard¡¯s face darkened, his tone displeased.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Charles saluted and quickly went to relay the order.


    The five attendants present looked bewildered. Seeing Richard¡¯s seriousness, they wondered if something really did happen last night. But they hadn¡¯t felt anything! If they were indeed attacked, the fact that they were still alive was incredibly fortunate.


    They worried about whether anyone had been killed. They didn¡¯t want to see any of their comrades suffer. After all, they all left the duke¡¯s territory together with Richard. Before becoming Richard¡¯s knight attendants, they had undergone group training in the duke¡¯s domain, so they could be considered classmates.


    Their bonds might not be deep, but at least they had the camaraderie of classmates, and no one wished to see anyone die inexplicably.


    Their minds were still foggy.


    Then, one of them suddenly remembered that he seemed to have had a nightmare. He dreamed that while practicing his breathing technique before bed, he felt a sharp pain in his neck, and then he couldn¡¯t recall anything else.


    And now that he thought about it, when he woke up in the morning, he found himself lying on the ground. He had thought he fell off the bed in his sleep, but now it seemed¡­


    He quickly spoke up, ¡°Sir, I remember now. Last night, I felt like something bit my neck, and then I passed out. When I woke up this morning, I found myself lying on the ground.¡±


    Richard glanced at him, then looked at the others. ¡°And what about the rest of you? Do you remember anything?¡±


    The other four, upon hearing this, instinctively touched their necks. They discovered that they too had a small bump on their necks, slightly swollen, as if bitten by an insect.


    If it were only one person, it wouldn¡¯t be so suspicious, but since they all had the same mark in the same place, it was hard not to connect this with their weakened state.


    ¡°Sir, we also seem to have been bitten, but I was already asleep last night and didn¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    ¡°Neither did I.¡±


    The others shook their heads.


    It made sense¡ªafter all, the first person was attacked by the initial bat, which happened early in the evening while he was still practicing. The others were attacked by the bats that returned later, after they had all gone to bed, so they didn¡¯t notice anything. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Richard¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He had already guessed the cause. Their symptoms clearly indicated a severe loss of vitality, similar to how one might feel after a fierce battle.


    Coupled with the bite marks on their necks, it seemed evident that they had been drained of blood.


    If vampires had attacked, they would likely be dead by now. Given the small size of the bite marks, it seemed more plausible that they were attacked by vampire bats.


    At that moment, Charles returned with the night guards.


    ¡°Did you notice anything unusual last night?¡± Richard asked.


    Charles had not informed them of the weakened state of their comrades, so the two night guards looked bewildered, shaking their heads with nervous expressions, fearing they might have been negligent.


    Richard said, ¡°There were blood-sucking bats in the castle last night, and these five were attacked. How did you, the night watch, fail to notice anything?¡±


    The two guards turned pale and immediately knelt on the ground. ¡°We are guilty, sir. Please punish us!¡±


    They dared not make excuses and could only admit their fault.


    Richard didn¡¯t go easy on them and said directly, ¡°According to the regulations, you are each to receive ten lashes.¡±


    The two guards shuddered and bowed their heads in acceptance. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    They were terrified, knowing that the lashes they would receive weren¡¯t mere horsewhips but scorpion whips with fine barbs that tore off bits of flesh with each strike. Though the wounds weren¡¯t deep, they were excruciatingly painful.


    Fortunately, the lashes were treated with medicine that caused pain but ensured quick healing without infection. It was said that this medicine was personally developed by the lord.


    ¡°And the five of you¡ªonce Shentu has recovered, you will each receive ten lashes as well!¡±


    The five knights had initially felt a sense of schadenfreude, thinking that the night guards¡¯ carelessness had caused their predicament. But before they could fully enjoy their moment, they realized they too were in trouble.


    ¡°Yes!¡± They responded, faces gloomy.


    ¡°Humph! As knight attendants, you lack even basic vigilance. You¡¯d better learn from this!¡± Richard reprimanded.


    The five straightened up and respectfully replied, ¡°Understood, sir!¡±


    Richard dismissed them with a wave, then frowned.


    Punishing them was one thing, but the more pressing issue was the swamp witch.


    He hadn¡¯t expected her to act now, which meant she needed to be dealt with as a priority. Once the militia was ready, Richard planned to personally lead a team to eliminate the swamp witch, using her as a training opportunity for his troops.


    A cold smile appeared on Richard¡¯s face.

 Chapter 27 - Establish a Territorial Armed Force!

    Chapter 27 Establish a Territorial Armed Force!


    Since the plan was set, it was natural to first conduct an investigation on the Swamp Witch.


    He immediately ordered the secretary to meet him. After informing the secretary, Rhodes, of the order, Richard left the castle and went to see the townspeople.


    At that moment, the gathered townspeople were whispering to each other.


    ¡°I wonder what orders the lord has for us today.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, it can¡¯t get any worse. As long as there¡¯s food, I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re easy to please. After all, you used to beg at my doorstep and even stole quite a bit of my food. I used to be the wealthiest person in Long Eagle Territory, and now I¡¯ve fallen to your level.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it, you left it out there yourself; wasn¡¯t that practically giving it to me?¡±


    ¡°You two better stop arguing, or you¡¯ll get whipped! I¡¯m only worried about my child; he¡¯s only seven years old, working every day¡ªcan he handle it?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    Charles, with his full beard, drew his longsword and pointed it at the crowd, shouting.


    When the crowd quieted down, Charles sheathed his sword and bowed to Richard.


    Richard stepped forward and said, ¡°All boys and girls between the ages of six and fifteen, step forward!¡±


    The crowd was stunned. They suddenly recalled rumors about evil rituals that used the blood of young boys and girls. They feared that the lord might intend to sacrifice their children in such a wicked way.


    For a moment, everyone stood frozen in place!


    Richard spoke again, ¡°In three seconds, I want to see someone step forward, or else¡­¡±


    He lightly placed his hand on the hilt of a greatsword being carried by two people beside him.


    Finally, there was some movement.


    As the first child stepped forward, more children began to slowly come out.


    Some children broke free from their parents¡¯ grasp and walked forward.


    ¡°Dad, let me go! I think the lord won¡¯t kill us!¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Dad, step forward, and you¡¯ll be safe!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The scene was filled with the sadness of parting.


    Richard frowned, wondering what made these people misunderstand him like this.


    He rolled his eyes and said, ¡°You foolish swine, do you want your descendants to be as ignorant as you? I¡¯ve arranged for someone to teach them how to read and write!¡±


    ¡°From today, those who can recognize more than ten characters will get to eat black bread!¡±


    ¡°Those who can recognize more than a hundred characters will get to eat jerky!¡±


    ¡°Those who can recognize more than five hundred characters and learn basic arithmetic can become my attendants!¡±


    ¡°Anyone who becomes my attendant will receive a salary! There might even be rewards like the knight¡¯s breathing techniques!¡±


    Richard had no other way at the moment; everything was just starting, so he could only keep things simple.


    He couldn¡¯t set high standards for these fools yet; he needed to gradually motivate them to develop an interest in learning.


    As Richard¡¯s words echoed in their ears, the crowd erupted with excitement.


    The initially reluctant scene suddenly turned into parents pushing their children forward. Some even hugged their children and rushed out, placing them in the open space ahead before running back quickly, fearing the children might cling to them.


    ¡°Darn, who would want to miss out on such a good deal!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, the lord is so generous!¡±


    ¡°Is the lord sent by the gods to save us? We used to misunderstand him, thinking he was¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lord! I hope my child will make something of himself! He must study hard, learn well, and become the lord¡¯s attendant in the future!¡±


    ¡°If my child becomes the lord¡¯s attendant, our family¡¯s good days will come!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to perform well today; maybe if the lord sees how hard I work, he¡¯ll favor my child too!¡±


    ¡°There are so many people, how can the lord possibly notice everyone?¡±


    ¡°How dare you question the lord¡¯s abilities? He¡¯s our god, he knows everything!¡±


    ¡°Too bad I don¡¯t have any children, or else¡­¡±


    ¡°At least you¡¯re better off than me. I had a child a few years ago, but the witch took him away and ate him¡­¡±


    ¡°Not having kids doesn¡¯t matter; I can work hard for the lord. I believe the lord is so kind that there will surely be other opportunities for rewards!¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who cursed him the most yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! Yesterday, I was cursing the old lord! Our current lord, I can¡¯t praise him enough!¡±


    In no time, everyone started showering praise.


    They all began dreaming of the good days that would come after their children learned and succeeded.


    In these times, getting an education wasn¡¯t easy. Everyone knew that literate people had skills and prospects, but not everyone could afford it.


    People were struggling just to survive, let alone learn to read.


    Even if they could read, before the new lord arrived, they had no motivation to make their children study because there were no job opportunities.


    For a literate person to find good work, they had to travel to a larger territory ruled by a lord and earn his favor.


    The journey alone was perilous, almost impossible for them to achieve.


    With just a few words, Richard had changed the fate of countless people. Such immense kindness couldn¡¯t help but earn their devotion.


    The children standing at the front showed various expressions: some were confused, while others were eager, but all of them understood they were facing a great opportunity.


    Seeing that the children had gathered, Richard called out to Sinton and a few others, saying:


    ¡°Take the children to their lessons. For now, find an open space to use as a classroom! Conditions aren¡¯t ideal right now, so make do; later, when we have more manpower, we¡¯ll build proper classrooms.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± The knights and attendants responsible for teaching the children all lowered their heads.


    Richard looked at Sinton and said, ¡°Sinton, you¡¯ll be responsible for reporting the daily teaching progress to me. The others will support you in this!¡±


    ¡°Also, every month I will evaluate everyone¡¯s teaching results. The top five will be rewarded!¡±


    ¡°Those at the bottom won¡¯t be punished, but if the results fall below my expectations, I¡¯ll disband that class and merge the students into others.¡±


    ¡°Anyone failing to meet the standard will lose their teaching role and return to serve as my guard!¡±


    ¡°Understood?¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± they all answered in unison, though a few of the knights and attendants seemed dissatisfied, secretly vowing to outshine Sinton and force him to step down.


    Richard noticed their expressions but didn¡¯t say anything. In fact, he was pleased. Competition would only improve the quality of education.


    Then, Richard addressed the townspeople, ¡°Besides the children, you all also have the chance to earn rewards!¡±


    ¡°Next, I will select five hundred of you to serve as militia*!¡±

 Chapter 28 - My Barracks Will Train Their Own Soldiers

    Chapter 28 My Barracks Will Train Their Own Soldiers


    All eyes suddenly lit up, with many people straightening their backs, hoping that the lord would notice their ¡°strong¡± physique.


    Especially those without children felt that their opportunity for a breakthrough had finally arrived.


    However, they were unaware that all their information had long been priced and listed in the system. The outcome was already determined.


    This was indeed a selection process with some ¡°dark undercurrents.¡±


    But it was also the fairest selection.


    No one understands the residents better than the system!


    ¡°Everyone chosen will undergo our training. Those who meet the standards, I will provide them with wages, including meals, and even meat!¡±


    Everyone instantly erupted in excitement.


    Those selected could actually directly become the lord¡¯s warriors!


    It might not sound like much, but it was important to understand that, in this era, the privilege to become a soldier and participate in battle was reserved for the nobility!


    Ordinary commoners were just meant to be at the mercy of others!


    But now, they even had the chance to become soldiers?


    Although this did not mean they gained noble status, being able to do something that only nobles could do was a great honor!


    Everyone¡¯s eyes glowed with excitement, their hearts pounding with anticipation!


    Richard looked at them with a faint smile, still not concealing anything, and began to call out names with his hands behind his back.


    He read out five hundred names in one breath.


    Each person whose name was called out turned red with excitement.


    At the same time, everyone¡¯s respect for Richard deepened.


    They were all long-term residents of the same small town and knew each other to some extent.


    Seeing Richard recite so many names without even looking at a list left them astounded.


    Based on their mutual understanding, they noticed that every name Richard mentioned belonged to someone well-known for their physical fitness and combat skills.


    Some people who had usually been very low-key, and whom they hadn¡¯t paid much attention to, were now recognized by Richard, and they realized that their often-overlooked neighbors were indeed in good shape.


    In that instant, the image of the all-knowing lord took root in their minds.


    They believed that even if they occasionally complained about the lord in secret, he would surely know.


    The crowd¡¯s reverence for Richard reached a new peak.


    ¡­


    Richard led the five hundred relatively strong individuals to the militia training camp that had been pre-built.


    Although called a training camp, it was really just an enclosed open area surrounded by a fence.


    But what was an empty space for others was a genuine training ground for Richard, even more effective than many professional training camps.


    He smiled, secretly opened the system store, and found the militia training camp badge from the reward list.


    He then clicked on it.


    In the next moment, the system prompt appeared:


    [Do you want to set this location as the militia training camp site?]


    ¡°Yes!¡± Richard made his decision without hesitation.


    [Militia training camp site successfully set! Please note, if needed, you can consume lord points to relocate this site!]


    Richard raised his eyebrows¡ªthis was good news. However, this was the area he had planned in advance, so even if it wasn¡¯t relocated, it didn¡¯t matter.


    After designating the site, there were no visible changes externally, but the system¡¯s voice prompted:


    [Militia training camp constructed successfully. You have opened a new chapter, leading the meticulously trained people to conquer this world!]


    Subsequently, some text appeared on the militia training camp panel, which Richard opened to review.


    [Militia training camp functions activated!][Enhancement: You can train basic militia, enhancing the militia¡¯s basic attributes (each militia can undergo up to three rounds of enhancement; with each enhancement, the militia¡¯s potential cap increases).]


    A smile spread across Richard¡¯s face.


    Especially the words in the parentheses¡ªit was clear that the system didn¡¯t intend to shortchange him.


    If it were merely enhancing the current physical attributes of this group, that would not be a big deal, but if it could also raise their potential while boosting their personal abilities, then that was a different matter.


    These people were the cream of the crop, selected from over four thousand individuals.


    Even in the previous tough living conditions, they still had a certain level of physical fitness, so even without the militia training camp, with proper training and a balanced diet, their capabilities could improve significantly. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Building on that foundation and then enhancing their abilities three times¡ªnow that would be something special.


    With this, he would have a truly formidable force of five hundred strong soldiers!


    Richard was quite pleased.


    He continued to look through the panel.


    [Comprehension: As long as training is conducted within the training camp, basic skills like swordsmanship, combat, riding, and archery can be gradually learned.]


    This would save Charles and Helen a lot of teaching effort, leaving the main focus on training their obedience.


    This arrangement would at least ensure that these people could become qualified warriors in terms of combat ability.


    As for other aspects, like obedience and courage, those would require personal training.


    [Loyalty: People trained in this camp will gradually devote their loyalty to the camp¡¯s master¡ªyou. This loyalty will not be affected by any changes in territory policies.


    (You will have a force forever loyal to you!)]


    ¡°Charles, divide these five hundred people into five squads of one hundred each and give them some basic training. Make sure they understand all the training fundamentals, okay?¡±


    Richard said to squad leader Charles.


    Charles, with his full beard, grinned broadly and saluted, saying, ¡°Rest assured, my lord! Charles will not let you down!¡±


    Richard nodded, gave the crowd one last look, and turned to leave.


    He planned to visit the blacksmith¡¯s shop and confirm the setup there as well.


    Just as he stepped out of the gate, he heard Charles issuing orders behind him:


    ¡°Everyone, listen up! From now on, these five positions here will be where your squads assemble!¡±


    ¡°Helen, start calling out names according to my method from the other side!¡±


    ¡°You five, you¡¯re the first squad! You five, the second squad¡­ you five, the fifth squad¡­¡±


    Helen observed for a moment, and once she understood Charles¡¯ method, she began to call out names as well.


    Using this approach, each of them only needed to call out names fifty times to organize everyone.


    Hearing their method, Richard left feeling satisfied.


    These two subordinates were indeed quite capable, especially Charles, who had not disappointed him.

 Chapter 29 - Magical Blacksmith Shop

    Chapter 29 Magical Blacksmith Shop


    Richard mounted his horse and, accompanied by several knights, quickly arrived at the entrance of the blacksmith¡¯s workshop. A guard assigned to guide the blacksmiths was already waiting outside.


    ¡°Greetings, Lord!¡± the knights at the entrance bowed in respect.


    ¡°Greetings, Lord!¡± the blacksmiths followed suit, their faces a mix of apprehension and determination. They knew well that their skills were basic, mostly used for crafting everyday tools for the villagers, often lacking in quality. Now that they were summoned by their lord, whom they revered like a deity, they weren¡¯t sure if their skills would meet his expectations.


    But the mention of wages and food allowances made them envious and determined. They decided to be extra cautious and put forth their best efforts.


    Richard nodded, dismounting and heading straight into the building. The workshop was a large stone structure, designed to prevent fires, equipped with forges, quenching tanks, furnaces, coal, pig iron, and all kinds of tools.


    Richard opened the system panel and designated this place as the official blacksmith shop. Much like the militia training ground, the real world around him remained unchanged. Soon, the system gave its confirmation:


    [Blacksmith shop site successfully set! Note, if the host wishes, you can change the designated site by consuming lord points in the future.][You have unlocked the blacksmith shop! Use it to strengthen your territory! Whether in war or in daily life, this shop will bring your land into the iron age, greatly enhancing its strength!]


    Richard¡¯s lips curved into a smile as he examined the description:


    [Blacksmith shop functions activated!][Forging Bonus: With craftsmen settled here, their skill level will greatly improve, allowing for more efficient and higher-quality production of iron goods!][Supernatural Bonus: With a master craftsman present, there is a chance to forge beginner-level supernatural equipment!]


    Richard, having already unlocked the blacksmith shop and drawing on his prior experience with the militia training camp, was not surprised by these updates. The next step was to set the craftsmen to work.


    ¡°Bring them in!¡± Richard ordered, and the knights led the blacksmiths inside. Among them, only two had recently been practicing the trade; the rest had not worked in blacksmithing for some time.


    This was partly due to the chaotic management before Richard¡¯s arrival. The tax officer, Harvey, had been arbitrary in his taxation¡ªsometimes collecting lightly, other times emptying entire blacksmith shops, driving these craftsmen to the brink.


    Moreover, this town was small, rarely engaged in warfare, and thus had no need for armaments. Even if a conflict arose, they relied on weapons provided by the higher authorities, not locally made ones. The townspeople¡¯s demand for iron goods was limited, leaving the blacksmiths with little business.


    Eventually, only two blacksmiths remained working in Long Eagle territory. Only then did Harvey ease up, as the town still needed at least some blacksmiths to keep the economy running.


    The tax officer had claimed to have found only one blacksmith in his investigation, likely because he underestimated Richard and thought he could cover up part of the town¡¯s income to embezzle more taxes. He hid some of the business to pocket extra revenue, which explains how his house was found with two pieces of supernatural materials.


    Seeing everyone in place, Richard wasted no time and announced, ¡°Now that you¡¯re all here, let¡¯s get to work! I need you to craft spearheads, plowshares, sickles, hoes, and a few other items. My knights will give you the detailed specifications shortly. If you require any materials or equipment within reason, inform them, and I will make arrangements.¡±


    ¡°If any of you can come up with better methods or techniques to increase production, you may inform my attendants. If it¡¯s viable, I will reward you with more than just your wage, possibly even meat provisions!¡±


    ¡°And even if you don¡¯t have any new techniques, as long as you complete my tasks on time, you will have a guaranteed salary and meat rations.¡±


    The craftsmen¡¯s faces lit up with joy at the prospect of such rewards.


    ¡°You can count on us, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Richard said, smirking slightly. ¡°But if any of you mess up, then you¡¯ll go back to tilling the fields, and your food rations will be cut in half!¡±


    The threat startled the group, and they quickly assured, ¡°We won¡¯t! We definitely won¡¯t!¡±


    Richard waved them off and left the blacksmith shop. Inside, the knights distributed the tasks according to the blueprints Richard had provided, as most of the craftsmen were illiterate and needed the instructions verbally conveyed.


    Soon, the forges were lit, and the sound of metal striking metal filled the shop. As the work began, one young blacksmith suddenly paused, surprised. Despite not having handled a hammer in years, he found that it now felt like an extension of his own body. He could control the strength and precision of each strike effortlessly, and his work was even better than before!


    It was as if he could visualize the exact shapes and standards that the lord had specified, guiding each blow perfectly.


    The older blacksmiths had a similar experience. Despite never having forged weapons before, they managed to produce spearheads with ease, matching the lord¡¯s specifications to perfection.


    Other blacksmiths, who used to struggle with simple tasks like making kitchen knives, were now efficiently crafting complex tools with surprising speed and quality. They marveled at their sudden improvement, not knowing what had caused it, but were grateful for the change.


    Back at the castle, Richard had just settled in when he received a request for an audience from his scribe.


    Richard smiled slightly. ¡°It seems the investigation into the Swamp Witch¡¯s details has finally been completed. Let him in!¡±


    S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 30 - Training

    Chapter 30 Training


    After listening to Rhodes¡¯ report, Richard nodded and looked at the information in his hand, digesting the details.


    Decades ago, the Swamp Witch appeared in the swamp near their territory. Before that, there were no records of her existence. She had the ability to transform people into monsters and was known to steal newborn babies, supposedly to use them in the creation of potions.


    However, in recent years, there hadn¡¯t been any news of missing infants. It was unclear whether she no longer needed those potions or had found a better substitute.


    This was a relief to the people of the territory, as they had even begun to believe that the Swamp Witch had left the swamp and retreated into the depths of the forest.


    Some even speculated that the witch might have been killed. Of course, these were just rumors. Rhodes¡¯ data, however, indicated that the Swamp Witch was neither dead nor gone, but her activity had simply diminished in recent years.


    It was surprising that she made her presence known again shortly after Richard took control of the territory.


    Richard continued reading the information, which also mentioned that the witch had a monster army at her disposal to protect her. He pondered for a long time, unable to match her to any of the witches from the fairy tales he knew.


    ¡°Lord, the swamp isn¡¯t far from your castle, and now that this witch dares to challenge your authority, should we¡­?¡± Rhodes asked, seeking instructions.


    Richard thought for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°No rush. Since this witch doesn¡¯t dare to show herself directly, it means her power isn¡¯t that strong yet. For now, let¡¯s spare her life. I have other plans.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Rhodes bowed in acknowledgment.


    ¡°Also, remind the night watch to be more alert during this period. And from tonight, add two more guards to the watch.¡±


    Under normal circumstances, two night guards would be enough for a castle of this size. But with the threat of vampire bats around, assigning two more wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    However, this wasn¡¯t to say that Richard shouldn¡¯t punish the previous two guards. After all, the fact that no one noticed the attack throughout the entire night was indeed a dereliction of duty, and they deserved some form of reprimand.


    As for the Swamp Witch, Richard had a straightforward idea. Since her monster army wasn¡¯t likely to number in the hundreds, otherwise, they would have already attacked the Long Eagle Territory. In that case, these monsters could serve as excellent opponents for his militia¡¯s training.


    Richard was about to dismiss Rhodes when the latter suddenly spoke up again, ¡°Lord, there¡¯s one more thing I need to report.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Richard said, taking a sip of the wine handed to him by a passing maid.


    ¡°Last night, some of Harvey¡¯s men came to me and confessed that they had gained a lot of benefits back when they were following him. How do you think we should deal with them?¡±


    ¡°Where are they now?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re currently being held in custody.¡±


    Richard shook his head, ¡°Just record their names, get them back to work, and keep an eye on them. If they don¡¯t cause trouble in the future, let it go. But if they act up again, punish them severely! We¡¯re in a period where we need people to help build the territory, so we¡¯ll overlook their past transgressions for now. After all, the ringleader, Harvey, has already met his end.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wise, Lord. This will surely spread among the people, and they will appreciate your mercy even more. Balancing leniency and authority like this is truly impressive!¡± Rhode praised.


    ¡°Enough with the flattery, just focus on your work! I¡¯ll be heading to the militia training camp now. Do your job well, and you¡¯ll be rewarded accordingly.¡± Richard said.


    As Richard took a few steps away, he suddenly turned back and asked, ¡°I recall you have a son, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Rhode responded with excitement.


    ¡°He should be around 19 now, correct? His physical condition is still a bit lacking according to my standards. Have him train harder and join the labor efforts. If his physique improves in the coming months, he might qualify to join the next batch of recruits for my militia.¡± Richard instructed.


    Rhodes was overjoyed and repeatedly expressed his gratitude, ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Lord! Thank you!¡±


    As Richard walked away, Rhodes happily headed to the dungeon, preparing to release those men and have his son join them in the hard work ahead.


    He realized that finding his son easy tasks in the past wouldn¡¯t cut it anymore; proper training was essential.


    ¡­


    On the other side, Richard arrived at the training camp where he saw the militia practicing with wooden sticks. He clapped his hands loudly and shouted, ¡°All squads, gather!¡±


    Charles and Helen quickly helped organize the men, and soon everyone was assembled before Richard.


    ¡°Look at you, all relaxed and sloppy. Do you even resemble soldiers? Calling you a militia is like putting a monkey in a crown!¡± Richard scolded angrily.


    ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll come here daily to train you in military postures and formations. You must do exactly as I do! I want a disciplined, united force, not a bunch of undisciplined fools! Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± the group responded.


    ¡°Louder, I can¡¯t hear you!¡± Richard demanded.


    ¡°Understood!¡± they shouted louder.


    ¡°Did you even eat? Are you a bunch of weaklings? Louder!¡± Richard roared.


    ¡°Understood!¡± they screamed with all their might, feeling both the thrill of unity and the surge of adrenaline.


    ¡°Good! That¡¯s the spirit! From now on, keep that momentum. My soldiers must be fearless and capable of taking on the heavens, not weaklings! Now, watch my movements closely!¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He then proceeded to teach them military stances, commands, marching techniques, and other drills. These were skills he had previously taught his knightly squires.


    For the militia, their physical prowess could easily improve with regular practice in the training camp. But Richard¡¯s focus now was on instilling obedience and discipline in them, making it a part of their very nature.


    His goal was to ensure that, in the heat of battle, they would react instantly to orders without hesitation.


    They were soldiers, not thinkers. They needed to act, not deliberate.


    Their bodies had to move before their minds did¡ªthat was the kind of force Richard wanted to forge!

 Chapter 31 - From Waste to Prosperity and Vitality

    Chapter 31 From Waste to Prosperity and Vitality


    Over the next few days, Richard occasionally checked on the blacksmith¡¯s progress but spent most of his time in the militia training camp.


    As for Charles and Helen, even though they were the captain and vice-captain, they had previously only learned a bit of basic military stances and marching from Richard. Now that they had been promoted to leadership roles within the unit, they also needed to practice alongside the troops to integrate better with the entire team.


    Under Richard¡¯s guidance, they spent their days eating together, running, learning left-right discernment, and practicing spear thrusting. The results of their training were remarkable, with visible improvements day by day.


    Some people were dismissed due to their laziness and lack of effort. However, even those who struggled with coordination were allowed to stay, as long as they continued practicing diligently.


    Richard¡¯s primary focus was on obedience to orders rather than the cleverness of the recruits.


    Those who were a bit clumsy were more valued if they were persistent, as once they developed a habit, it became a lifelong trait.


    As soldiers, this quality was incredibly precious. However, Richard had different expectations for any future special forces, who would require higher standards and skills.


    The lazier individuals were sometimes punished with the whip, although Richard had switched from using the scorpion whip to a normal one to aid their quicker recovery for training. However, once they were fully trained, the stricter punishments might still be used if needed.


    Interestingly, among the new recruits was Rhodes¡¯ nineteen-year-old son, who turned out to be quite impressive in training, even surpassing many others. Richard frequently praised him in front of everyone, using his rapid progress as a role model for the group.


    The recruits¡¯ morale was high, and the competition to become squad leaders intensified. Richard was pleased with this competitive atmosphere, though he knew he couldn¡¯t delay the decision indefinitely. When the time was right, he planned to hold a contest to select the leaders.


    After nearly a month of training, the transformation of these soldiers was incredible, exceeding Richard¡¯s expectations.


    Normally, even with the best training methods, it would take over a year to see such results. He felt fortunate to have the support of the system¡¯s training camp.


    With the foundation established, Richard gradually handed over more responsibilities to Charles and Helen, who led the drills with growing confidence and leadership.


    Watching from a distance, Richard saw the five hundred recruits in formation, looking like a well-disciplined army under their guidance.


    Pleased with their progress, Richard rewarded them with an extra meal that day, further boosting their spirits.


    ¡­


    Apart from the militia training camp, the performance of the blacksmith shop was also gratifying.


    When the plows, hoes, sickles and other farm tools they made one after another were handed over to the working people, they all said that they were very easy to use.


    Especially when they heard that these tools were specially redesigned by their lord Richard, and even the arc of the hoe handle was designed by the lord.


    The craftsmen learned to fold the wood into a suitable arc by baking.


    Everyone couldn¡¯t help but admire Richard even more.


    ¡°Our plow is so powerful. In the past, we had to do everything we could to cultivate such hard land. I didn¡¯t expect that the plow style modified by the lord could directly cultivate such wasteland. All we have to do is to remove the weeds wrapped around the fence from time to time!¡±


    ¡°Yes, and the hoe in my hand, the angle matches the height of human hands very well, and the hoe is also very sharp. It is said that the craftsmanship at the blacksmith shop was also instructed by the lord!¡±


    ¡°Incredible! By the way, have you used the sickle issued by the higher-ups? My wife went to cut grass for pigs yesterday and said that the sickle was cutting iron like mud. When cutting on the pig grass, the hand holding the sickle hardly felt the force, and the big bunch of pig grass was broken!¡±


    ¡°How can the lord know everything?¡±


    ¡°What do you know? I heard that the lord came from the Duke¡¯s Territory. The Duke is a big man that the earl has to salute when he sees it. Even in front of the king, he is respected!¡±


    ¡°Really? How come I don¡¯t know?¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My son is in the militia training camp. Their captain, Lord Charles, mentioned it to them during dinner.¡±


    Everyone was envious, envious that he could get some information about the lord through his son.


    At the same time, they were shocked because Richard¡¯s information came from the Duke¡¯s Territory.


    ¡°No wonder Lord Richard is so powerful and knows everything! It turns out that he is from the Duke¡¯s Territory!¡±


    ¡°Stop talking, the lord is on routine inspection!¡±


    While they were chatting, they didn¡¯t stop working.


    The reason why they were able to find Richard from a distance at the first time was mainly because they had experienced the crab spider incident and now they began to take precautions.


    When doing things, they also keep their eyes and ears open.


    After all, we only have one life, who wouldn¡¯t cherish it?


    ¡­


    Richard rode on his horse, looking at the vast land around him, and he was very happy.


    The lands that were previously cultivated were also poured with manure, which was washed into the land with rain.


    And the other lands were either fallow or just reclaimed.


    Richard asked them to throw the weeds they had removed on the land, and then burn them directly after drying.


    Wood ash was a good thing. It not only increases fertilizer, but also kills insect eggs with fire, and the crops grown will be healthier!


    The entire Long Eagle Territory was full of vitality. In just one month, it had completely changed its appearance.

 Chapter 32 - I Am the Blasphemer...

    Chapter 32 I Am the Blasphemer¡­


    This piece of land was cultivated by Richard, who organized more than three thousand, almost four thousand, of his subjects, spending nearly a whole month to finally open it up.


    Looking at the scene before him, Richard felt a surge of emotion.


    It was the labor of the subjects and, even more, the result of Richard¡¯s tireless efforts in planning during this period.


    Now that the land was mostly cleared, it was time to start sowing.


    In the early morning, Richard gathered his subjects on the square, which, although still dilapidated, was now much cleaner and tidier, ready to give the next instructions.


    The Long Eagle Territory¡¯s Square was situated on a high ground; these people usually went to work daily and didn¡¯t feel much of a difference.


    But now, standing on the square, they unintentionally gazed at the vast fields in the distance. Amidst a world of green, this piece of turned-over yellow land occupied most of their view.


    The impact of that sight stunned everyone.


    ¡°My God! Is all of this dug out by us?¡±


    Someone rubbed their eyes, unable to believe what they were seeing.


    ¡°Unbelievable, so unbelievable!¡±


    Someone else stood with their mouth wide open, dumbfounded.


    ¡°Satnaam Waheguru*! Praise be to Buddha and Allah for their blessings!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Holy Mother, for your mercy upon the people! Thank you, Holy Apostle, for your strength! Thank you, Holy Angel, for your help!¡±


    ¡°O Wise Lord Ahura Mazda*! Your wisdom surpasses the heavens and earth; this must be the blessing you bestowed upon us! Thank you for your generosity!¡±


    Believers of various faiths knelt in prayer, thanking their gods.


    ¡°Everyone stand up! No praying allowed!¡±


    Richard rode out on his horse, swinging his whip at those who knelt in prayer.


    He wore a look of speechless disapproval.


    He would not allow his Territory to be filled with such nonsense.


    From what he knew, the church¡¯s crimes were innumerable.


    They locked their holy books in cabinets, making sure the common folk couldn¡¯t read them. Whatever they said, people believed.


    Probably because they knew that the content of their scriptures was completely at odds with their actions.


    And those indulgences¡ªjust buy them, and sins could be forgiven. You could even buy them for your dead relatives, and with each coin dropped, they got one step closer to heaven. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And then they launched the Crusades.


    They were nothing but an organized evil force hiding behind a facade!


    The filth that filled the continent, that was their handiwork!


    They said dung was filthy, and food derived from dung was even more disgusting, leaving people with no way to dispose of their waste, turning entire cities into cesspools.


    Richard wasn¡¯t going to let them have their way.


    He might not be able to control the whole continent, but he could certainly control his own Long Eagle Territory!


    The Long Eagle Territory was remote. Never mind that the church¡¯s influence couldn¡¯t reach here, even if they knew Richard intended to fertilize the land with manure, if they wanted to trouble him, they¡¯d have to consider the strength of Richard¡¯s father, Duke Gerwin!


    In this era, a duke represented more than just a title; it was an absolute personal power!


    With backing and his own system in place, Richard was free to do as he pleased!


    If they were allowed to grow, and they declared Richard as evil, wouldn¡¯t their loyalty instantly vanish, shifting to their so-called Ahura Mazda? And then they¡¯d rise up against him?


    Richard was not afraid of rebellion, but he wouldn¡¯t allow these people to destroy his hard-earned achievements.


    The church¡¯s influence on the whole continent was a lesson from history!


    Under Richard¡¯s lash, those kneeling rolled on the ground, screaming in pain.


    ¡°Open your eyes and see clearly! Who is leading you in this development? Who gave you the tools to work?¡±


    ¡°Look down at the calluses on your hands! Who toiled under the scorching sun?¡±


    ¡°Was it your damn gods? Was it your so-called faith?¡±


    ¡°If they were real, then I am now a blasphemer, and they should strike me down with a bolt of lightning!¡±


    ¡°If they can¡¯t, then throw away your faith, your false gods, and get to work honestly!¡±


    ¡°Remember this well: Our lives will always depend on our own labor, not on those empty gods!¡±


    Every time Richard spoke, he struck out with his whip.


    For a moment, everyone was trembling with fear. Even those who had not knelt in prayer stood aside, shivering, some secretly relieved that they were late to kneel, or else they would have suffered the same.


    When everyone quieted down, Richard stepped to the front and said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see a repeat of what just happened! Otherwise, I¡¯ll have you all sent to the primeval forest to feed the monsters!¡±


    Then, with a wave of his hand, a pile of sacks appeared in front of them.


    They were filled with high-yield wheat seeds obtained from the system.


    These seeds were already soaked and ready to sprout once planted.


    He then pulled out a list and had the scribe call out the names.


    ¡°Everyone else, stand by and await orders. The five hundred of you, come over here!¡±


    Richard gathered the five hundred and said, ¡°I know you all have experience in farming. From now on, not only will you lead others in planting and caring for the wheat, but you will also learn to read and write daily!¡±


    They were surprised, looking at each other in confusion, unsure why they needed to learn to read and write.


    No one said a word, unsure of what to say.


    But they didn¡¯t dare to speak against it.


    ¡°Once you learn to read, I want you to write down your farming experiences and compile them into books! Do you think literacy is a privilege only for the upper class?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, in the future, every child in the Long Eagle Territory will be literate. They will grow up to be the backbone of this place. Whether they farm or work in the city, they will need to be able to read and write!¡±


    ¡°Literacy will be a basic skill for all of you, no longer a privilege! No one will need to idolize those who can read; it¡¯s the most basic requirement I have for you!¡±

 Chapter 33 - Fight With a Treant

    Chapter 33 Fight With a Treant


    After handing the seeds to these five hundred people, Richard immediately ordered them to start working.


    As for the remaining people, Richard didn¡¯t let them rest either.


    ¡°Everyone, take your tools and start building a road from Eagle¡¯s Domain to the forest from today onwards!¡±


    With Richard¡¯s command, everyone sprang into action.


    After a month of training, these people no longer had the chaotic scene they displayed at the beginning.


    The twenty-five production team leaders immediately began directing their subordinates. They organized their teams according to Richard¡¯s ideas, dividing tasks clearly and managing everything with high efficiency.


    A team initially assembled for clearing wasteland suddenly transformed into a massive workforce, heading toward the broken road leading to the forest.


    Fortunately, this road was part of Richard¡¯s plan early on, so space had already been reserved during the clearing process, and all that was left was to clean up the weeds.


    But even so, the stones, uneven and rugged sections, and the occasional swampy areas on the road all needed to be dealt with.


    ¡°Ali!¡± Richard called out to a knight squire by his side.


    The man immediately came before Richard.


    ¡°My lord, what are your orders?¡±


    This man was also someone Richard brought from the Duke¡¯s domain. Although young, he was calm, decisive, and usually responsible for the overall coordination and command of the workers.


    Of course, the specific orders for the command naturally came from Richard.


    Richard called him now, indicating it was time to set the specific work standards.


    Richard said, ¡°According to the width of our carriages, this road must be wide enough to allow three carriages to travel side by side, understand?¡±


    Richard wanted the width for three carriages to ensure that if the carriages carried items that were too wide, there would be no problems when they passed each other.


    Leaving some extra space was also for future convenience.


    Ali immediately took out paper and pen to record Richard¡¯s instructions.


    Richard continued, ¡°To ensure the road is durable and of high quality, you can¡¯t just flatten it and call it done. First, I need everyone to dig down three feet into the road¡¯s surface, compact it, then lay a layer of crushed stone and soil, and compact it again!¡±


    ¡°We need to lay down five layers, compacting each layer with a large hammer until the roadbed rises above the surface level, to ensure that even in the rain, the road won¡¯t flood!¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Once the sides of the road are secured, dig trenches for irrigation of the surrounding fields. The trenches should be half a meter away from the roadbed and should also be compacted.¡±


    As Richard spoke, Ali quickly noted everything down on paper.


    Richard glanced at Ali¡¯s notes and, seeing they were correct, nodded slightly in approval.


    The main reason for building the road was to facilitate the cutting down of trees in the forest for future construction.


    At the same time, this road would eventually extend deeper into the forest as Richard gradually took control, making it easier to gather resources and transport them quickly.


    After all these instructions, Richard ordered someone to inform Charles to bring out the five hundred people from the militia training camp.


    They hadn¡¯t been out hunting for a long time, and now that everything was on track, it was time for him to stretch his muscles a bit.


    As for these militia members, they also needed to face some real combat experience.


    Of course, militia members were not yet qualified to engage the swamp witch, so they were left for now; this would be a basic combat training exercise.


    Under Richard¡¯s lead, the militia quickly entered the forest.


    As they went deeper, the militia members displayed varying qualities.


    Some were timid, some were eager to fight, while others were cautious.


    But as they began killing wild animals like wolves and boars, the militia¡¯s blood started to boil with excitement.


    Suddenly, a panicked shout came from the side.


    Richard turned to see a militia member being lifted into the air, entangled by a mass of vines.


    These vines were clearly not ordinary; they were tightening around the soldier¡¯s body, and they were attached to a towering tree covered in similar vines.


    Or rather, those weren¡¯t vines at all¡ªthey were branches extending from this strange tree.


    ¡°A Treant?¡± Richard sneered, glancing at the retreating militia members. He shouted to Charles, ¡°Charles, Helen, listen to me! If anyone dares to retreat, execute them on the spot!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± The two grasped their long swords, casting a threatening glance at the group.


    The militia immediately halted their retreat, evidently more intimidated by Richard than by the Treant.


    Richard observed the Treant¡¯s attributes.


    Judging from its attributes, he could handle it on his own. Since he could control the situation, it was an opportunity to give the militia some hands-on experience.


    ¡°Everyone, aim at the openings on the tree trunk and fire!¡±


    Following his command, a flurry of arrows was unleashed. The Treant shuddered in pain, its branches spread wide, reaching out across a great distance.


    The militia member who had been ensnared was flung away, crashing through several branches before safely landing outside the Treant¡¯s range.


    He had barely escaped with his life.


    [Giant Treant: Transformed into a Treant due to the influence of blood from a passing supernatural creature, absorbing earth and wood elements from the forest to grow.].[Level: Beginner!].[Attack Methods: Tentacle-like branches, leaf projectiles!].[Weaknesses: Vulnerable to fire attacks, mouth exposed to attacks!].


    Richard squinted at the surroundings. Due to the Treant¡¯s dominance, no other trees existed within a wide radius¡ªonly wild grass grew there.


    There was no risk of a fire spreading, so he ordered everyone to use fire arrows to target the creature¡¯s mouth.


    Richard himself drew his knight¡¯s sword and moved in to draw its attention, preventing it from using its leaf projectiles against the militia and forcing it to focus its branches on defending against his attacks.


    With their coordinated efforts, the Treant finally exhausted its strength, and Richard delivered the killing blow with his sword!


    [Congratulations! You have defeated a Treant and obtained its branches, heart, and bark¡­].


    Richard used his sword to prod the Treant¡¯s remains, extinguishing the flames with each stroke.


    During the battle, he discovered a newfound skill in controlling fire.


    He could both ignite and extinguish flames, giving him more freedom to unleash his full power in the forest.


    The militia members were thrilled to realize they had helped their lord defeat such a monstrous creature like a Treant.


    Despite some of them suffering minor injuries from the leaf projectiles, they were more exhilarated than fearful.


    This experience significantly boosted their courage and determination!

 Chapter 34 - Vitality, Witch’s Awakening

    Chapter 34 Vitality, Witch¡¯s Awakening


    Inside the castle.


    Richard took the Heart of the Treant out of the system¡¯s inventory and played with it in his hand.


    ¡°System, appraise this thing for me!¡± Richard commanded in his mind.


    Immediately, the system¡¯s notification sounded:


    [Heart of the Treant: there are three ways to use it:


    Long-term wear: It can extend lifespan, heal hidden injuries in the body, and improve physical fitness.


    Direct consumption: Grants a special ability, [Vitality].


    Bury in the ground: It will cultivate a new Treant, available for your use.].


    ¡°System, explain the Vitality trait!¡±


    [The Vitality trait increases your attack power by up to 1.5 times, but slightly reduces your accuracy.].


    Richard pondered for a moment.


    In practical terms, it seems to be like gaining a sudden boost in power. However, with the increase in strength, there might be a lack of control, leading to missed or less precise hits.


    He thought about it¡ªit didn¡¯t seem like much of a problem.


    For instance, when facing the Treant earlier, if his attack power had been 1.5 times greater, even if his sword didn¡¯t pierce its mouth, he could have cleaved the Treant in two, achieving the same effect.


    He could even take a straightforward, brute-force approach.


    When his strength reaches a certain limit, he could unleash a punch that covers all evasion angles, and even if it¡¯s slightly off, as long as he¡¯s fast enough, the enemy won¡¯t escape.


    Moreover, if the deviation is minimal, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to offset the side effects of this trait by investing future attributes into accuracy?


    Richard decided not to pass up on this choice.


    Even if the downside couldn¡¯t be completely negated, over time, as he got better at predicting the direction of his deviations, he could find a way to work around it as if the deviation didn¡¯t exist. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for the third usage method, he dismissed it. He¡¯d seen what the Treant looked like¡ªit was too ugly.


    He didn¡¯t want something that unattractive appearing in his territory.


    After all, this was where he lived, and he preferred his home to look like a place fit for people.


    With his decision made, he raised his hand and swallowed the Heart of the Treant.


    At that moment, a strange power surged through his body.


    Richard¡¯s face lit up with surprise; this trait wasn¡¯t a mandatory passive but could be activated freely on the battlefield.


    This meant that if he thrust his sword and it was just about to hit the enemy, or even in the instant it connected with their body, he could trigger the Vitality trait to unleash a 1.5x attack boost without any risk of deviation!


    He then began to inspect and appraise the other loot.


    The Treant¡¯s bark could be used to craft scrolls capable of recording the witch¡¯s spells.


    This meant that even if he didn¡¯t know the spells himself, he could have the witch record them, allowing him to use different techniques in critical moments.


    Thinking of the witch at home who was in the process of awakening, Richard couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    As for the Treant¡¯s branches, they could be used to make magic wands, or special bows and arrows¡ªexcellent materials, indeed.


    According to the description, if crafted into a wand, it would naturally suit witches using water, earth, or other specific elemental magic. If turned into a bow, it would release arrows imbued with these elemental forces.


    Even in forests where bows are less effective, arrows fired from this bow could still perfectly lock onto enemies.


    He decided to keep them for now, thinking about what kind of magic wand to make later.


    ¡­


    Outside the door, Cinderella stood hesitantly, not daring to face Richard.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of him, but rather that her own body had undergone some unbelievable changes.


    First, she noticed her body had started to change mysteriously. Her chest was growing again, becoming larger, and her skin had become smoother.


    Something even more bizarre happened that morning.


    She reached out to pick up a cup of water, but as soon as she touched the deer-bone cup, it turned into a crystal goblet.


    Cinderella was stunned.


    Now, her face showed even more fear.


    Cinderella paced anxiously outside the door.


    She wanted to confess to Richard but was afraid that if she did, he might drive her away.


    If he really cast her out, wouldn¡¯t that mean she¡¯d lose Richard forever?


    She had long since lost hope in this world.


    Before meeting Richard, she always remembered her mother¡¯s words¡ªto be brave, to keep her courage.


    She thought she could always have the strength to face anything, always follow her mother¡¯s guidance.


    But now, she realized she was wrong.


    The power of love sometimes overwhelmed the convictions within her.


    Because this love came from her very soul.


    It was a battle with herself.


    The reality was that she was cursed, and she couldn¡¯t find the strength to assure herself that she wouldn¡¯t turn Richard into crystal.


    Nor could she imagine facing a world without Richard.


    If I had never known light and hope, I might have been content to live in darkness forever.


    But now, it was different¡ªshe had met Richard.


    He was her faith, her support, her everything.


    Without realizing it, Richard had replaced her belief.


    And when she realized that, she firmly believed that her mother¡¯s words were meant to bring her happiness, but once she found her happiness, if a conflict arose, she would undoubtedly choose love.


    The more she thought about it, the more conflicted she became. She sat down on the ground, her face full of despair.


    Even as she sat, she dared not touch the stone floor with her hands.


    ¡°Gods! Why must you put me in such a dilemma?¡±


    She wailed in her heart, and the tears she had been holding back finally broke through her tough exterior, streaming down her increasingly radiant face!

 Chapter 35 - The Taste of the Witch

    Chapter 35 The Taste of the Witch


    Cinderella tightly grabbed her hair, and the tears in her eyes gradually ran dry.


    The darkness in her gaze grew increasingly intense.


    The hidden yandere traits began to take over.


    Just when Cinderella was on the brink of despair, Richard suddenly received a system notification.


    [Emergency! Cinderella¡¯s awakening is complete, and a psychological crisis has occurred! Please handle it immediately!].[Please handle it immediately!].


    Richard¡¯s expression changed instantly as he looked at the panel. He saw that the three words ¡°Awakening¡± on Cinderella¡¯s panel had already changed to ¡°Awakened¡±!


    However, these three words were glowing red and flashing continuously.


    Richard immediately sensed that Cinderella was just outside the door and that her emotions were in turmoil.


    He quickly opened the door, rushed to Cinderella, and held her tightly in his arms.


    The system had synchronized Cinderella¡¯s psychological changes to him when it alerted him earlier, so he had a rough idea of what was happening.


    Thus, he decided to help her dispel her inner demons in the most direct way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t! Master, let go of me! You¡¯re in danger!¡±


    Cinderella screamed in panic, forgetting her tone for Richard¡¯s safety.


    She hid her hands behind her back, fearing that if she touched him, she would turn him into crystal.


    So, even though Richard did not turn into crystal, she felt that perhaps her hands were the ones cursed!


    She even thought about whether she should sever her hands.


    If Richard didn¡¯t mind that she had no hands afterward.


    For a moment, various thoughts raced through Cinderella¡¯s mind, and she struggled with her body, wanting to escape Richard¡¯s embrace.


    But Richard would not let her have her way. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Cinderella, tell me what happened?¡± Richard held her firmly.


    Cinderella looked at Richard, who was holding her tightly, and although he hadn¡¯t turned into crystal, she was still deeply worried.


    She didn¡¯t want to deceive Richard, so with a determination to die, she said:


    ¡°Master, I discovered I¡¯m cursed!¡±


    ¡°Cursed?¡± Richard was taken aback, unable to comprehend Cinderella¡¯s thought process. He asked, ¡°What curse?¡±


    ¡°When I woke up this morning and drank water, the deer bone cup you gave me turned into a crystal cup! You have to let go of me! I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll turn into crystal too; I don¡¯t want to lose you!¡±


    Saying this, she began to cry again.


    Richard was a bit dazed.


    He ignored Cinderella¡¯s objections and instead hugged her even tighter, whispering in her ear:


    ¡°Congratulations! You¡¯ve awakened your witch abilities! This isn¡¯t a curse; it¡¯s your special constitution beginning to manifest!¡±


    After saying that, he kissed her on the cheek.


    Cinderella was stunned.


    She never expected her master to react this way.


    ¡­


    Richard didn¡¯t know about Cinderella¡¯s yandere fantasies. He had already opened Cinderella¡¯s system panel:


    [Cinderella:].[Alias: Cinderella.].[Title: Witch (Awakened).].[Ability: Change matter (inanimate), spatial abilities.].[Loyalty: 100.].


    As for whether he would turn into crystal, he wasn¡¯t worried at all.


    Moreover, spatial abilities were a bit outrageous.


    Previously, he often demonstrated the system¡¯s spatial abilities in front of the knight attendants, startling them.


    But that was never his own control over spatial power; it was just a system function.


    Even so, it still shocked them.


    Richard also thought this world wouldn¡¯t have any spatial abilities, or if there were, they would be extremely rare powers mastered only by top hidden masters.


    He never expected that Cinderella, who was close to him, actually possessed spatial abilities.


    Richard picked up the witch and walked toward his desk, saying:


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve checked you. Your abilities won¡¯t turn me into crystal; or rather, right now, your abilities can only turn inanimate objects into crystal, and living things won¡¯t be affected.¡±


    Cinderella wrapped her arms around Richard¡¯s neck, staring blankly as she said, ¡°But Cinderella wants to become a little stronger. Won¡¯t this ability help my master?¡±


    Richard smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; this ability is strong. One day, when I attack a city, your ability will be able to change the material of a city wall.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean as long as you¡¯re here, all obstacles are meaningless to me?¡±


    Cinderella was stunned, and her eyes lit up instantly:


    ¡°When will I have such powerful abilities? Will I have to train my abilities every day in the future?¡±


    Richard chuckled, ¡°Besides this ability, you may have other powers as well. You¡¯ll have to experience them yourself slowly.¡±


    Seeing Cinderella still in a daze, Richard smiled, closed the door, and placed her on his desk.


    ¡°Cinderella, don¡¯t think about those things for now; let¡¯s get down to business!¡±


    ¡°Ah? What business?¡± Cinderella¡¯s face turned red, probably guessing what was about to happen next.


    Richard laughed heartily and began his actions directly.


    Today, he wanted to taste the true flavor of a witch!

 Chapter 36 - Cinderellas Magical Uses

    Chapter 36 Cinderella¡¯s Magical Uses


    A battle in the office left the entire battlefield in complete disarray.


    In a moment of clumsiness, Cinderella accidentally turned the desk and a few pens into crystal, and the wooden paperweight that had been on the desk transformed into stone.


    The battlefield after the storm left both of them a bit stunned.


    Cinderella looked even more bewildered.


    Then, Richard took her to wash up, leaving the task of cleaning the battlefield to the maids.


    After changing clothes, Richard led Cinderella out the door.


    ¡°Rella, do you want to know how to use your abilities properly?¡± Richard asked, smiling as they walked.


    Cinderella immediately nodded enthusiastically:


    ¡°I do!¡±


    Seeing the eagerness in her eyes, Richard said, ¡°Now that you have awakened as a witch, your body already contains magic power. You should take a moment to feel this new power.¡±


    ¡°Treat this power as if it were an instinctual part of your body, and try to control it and transform it!¡±


    Cinderella tried to sense it for a moment and said, puzzled, ¡°It¡¯s truly amazing. It feels like a magical element that I can freely combine and transform. I just tried over a dozen different transformations.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know what effects each transformation of magic has.¡±


    Richard raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°If you want to know the effects, you¡¯ll just have to try them out slowly!¡± Richard said.


    ¡°We should find something unimportant to experiment on!¡± Cinderella thought aloud, then suddenly asked, ¡°Master, where are we headed?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re heading outside the castle, where there are countless materials you can experiment with at will.¡± Richard explained with a smile.


    He remembered clearly how the hardwood paperweight had been turned into stone.


    If she could turn the ground into stone, that would be even more perfect.


    They soon reached the fields.


    ¡°Rella, you can slowly test these clumps of dirt on the ground and see what they can turn into.¡± Richard said, crouching down with her.


    Cinderella immediately nodded, her eyes sparkling with the excitement of a child with a new toy.


    ¡°Hey, it turned into wood! So this magic combination changes soil into wood¡­¡±


    Cinderella tossed the piece of wood aside.


    ¡°Wow, it also turned into mud. Ugh, my hands are dirty!¡±


    Cinderella shook her hands, then had a sudden idea. She transformed the mud on her hands into pebbles, which scattered to the ground.


    Richard¡¯s eyes lit up and he said, ¡°Wait, try that magic combination again!¡±


    Seeing her master¡¯s interest, Cinderella eagerly nodded, picked up a clump of soil, and repeated the transformation.


    ¡°It turned into sand this time? No, it seems like I didn¡¯t quite get the combination right¡­¡±


    After several attempts, she finally succeeded in turning a clump of soil into a stone block. She excitedly held it up for Richard to see.


    Richard nodded, taking the stone from her.


    He noticed the stone was incredibly hard and tested its strength in his hand, comparing it to the granite he had encountered while hunting on a cliffside. He found that the stone¡¯s hardness was no less than that of granite, and he couldn¡¯t help but be amazed.


    As expected of a witch, this kind of transformation truly defies reason.


    Richard nodded immediately, ¡°That¡¯s it! Remember this feeling! You can slowly try other things later, but I have a big use for this; make a few more for me to see.¡±


    Cinderella was delighted to be needed by Richard and tried several more times, each of which was successful.


    ¡°How do you feel? Is the magic consumption serious?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like much at all! It¡¯s like I haven¡¯t even exerted myself! I feel like the magic I used just now is like a single drop in a lake!¡±


    ¡°And every bit I use quickly replenishes itself.¡±


    Richard was overjoyed and led Cinderella to a construction site where a road was being built.


    A section of the road had already been packed down. Richard asked the others to step back and pointed at the ground.


    ¡°Rella, try to turn this section of road into stone. Be careful with the flow of your magic, and don¡¯t let it affect the nearby fields!¡±


    Cinderella nervously clenched her fists, then nodded firmly.


    She crouched down, placing her hand on the ground.


    Those around didn¡¯t know what was about to happen and secretly watched.


    At first, there was no noticeable change as Cinderella cautiously released her magic, trying to avoid letting it spread to the fields, so only a small area beneath her showed signs of change.


    People at a distance hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual yet.


    But as she became more familiar with her magic, in the next moment, her eyes locked onto the edge of the road, and the magic suddenly surged forth.


    In an instant, the compacted section of road transformed into a solid block of granite-like stone!


    Richard, overwhelmed with joy, embraced Cinderella and gave her a kiss, ¡°Well done! You¡¯re my treasure!¡±


    Cinderella was so happy she was at a loss for words, ready to say something shyly when suddenly a cry rang out around them.


    ¡°Witch! She¡¯s a witch!¡±


    ¡°A sorceress! She¡¯s a sorceress!¡±


    Everyone backed away in terror, dropping their tools as if Cinderella were a terrifying beast.


    ¡°Burn her! Burn her!¡±


    ¡°Yes, burn her! How could there be a witch among us?¡±


    ¡°Lord, you must order her execution!¡±


    ¡°If a witch appears here, it will surely bring curses upon us. We have to kill her!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, be careful not to let her turn you into stone!¡±


    ¡°Why does the lord allow such a woman to remain in Long Eagle Territory!¡±


    Faced with something they couldn¡¯t understand, their first reaction was fear.


    And out of that fear, they wanted to destroy everything that frightened them.


    The crowd shouted as they retreated, not even daring to approach the road that had turned into stone.


    The scene became chaotic, and many people even fell into the ditches dug beside the road.


    Cinderella was stunned by what she saw.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why they were treating her like this when she was clearly doing something good to help them build the road!


    Why were they so afraid of her? She had never done anything bad; she had always remembered her mother¡¯s words to treat others kindly and be a good person.


    Yet, just because she showed a power they couldn¡¯t comprehend, they didn¡¯t even consider whether the result of that power was good or bad and immediately condemned her!


    She was at a loss, the light in her eyes gradually fading, replaced by darkness.


    Her hands fell weakly to her sides.


    While the magic consumption was a mere trifle to her, the mental blow dealt by the people¡¯s reactions seemed to crush her completely. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 37 - A Witch? No, She’s a Goddess!

    Chapter 37 A Witch? No, She¡¯s a Goddess!


    Richard watched the scene unfolding before him, his anger mounting. He drew the whip from his waist and lashed out at the crowd repeatedly. He paid special attention to those who had been shouting to burn the witch.


    ¡°You useless swine, trash, scum!¡±


    ¡°You eat my food, use my resources, and now you dare to challenge me? Are you rebelling against the heavens?¡±


    The crowd, beaten and scrambling to avoid his blows, was terrified into silence. Those who hadn¡¯t been struck with the whip stood still, too frightened to move. Once they quieted down, Richard stood on the stone-paved road and addressed the group now kneeling before him.


    ¡°Let me warn you again! Everything within this territory belongs to me! Only I have the authority to decide its fate!¡±


    ¡°Without my permission, you have no right to touch even a blade of grass here! If anyone dares to defy me and speak of burning the witch again, I will burn that person first!¡±


    Terrified, the people prostrated themselves, begging for mercy. ¡°Lord, have mercy! We won¡¯t do it again!¡±


    ¡°Master, we were wrong!¡±


    Richard glared at them, tired of their stupidity. This was precisely why he detested dealing with these people. He¡¯d seen this kind of ignorance before, even in the Duke¡¯s territory, and it was always worse in more remote areas.


    ¡°You fools never fail to disappoint me with your stupidity,¡± Richard muttered.


    ¡°Now get back to work!¡±


    He yelled, and the people hurried back to their tasks, still too scared to glance in the witch¡¯s direction.


    Despite Richard¡¯s harsh words, their fear of the witch didn¡¯t dissipate; they only held back their hostility out of fear of Richard¡¯s authority, not because they accepted her.


    Seeing this, Richard pulled Cinderella into his arms to comfort her. ¡°Don¡¯t pay any attention to them. They¡¯re nothing but ignorant fools. You only need to care about what I think, not what they think. Understand?¡±


    Cinderella, moved by his words, clung to Richard and timidly asked, ¡°Then, what do you think, Master?¡±


    Richard smiled, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say before? You¡¯re my treasure.¡±


    Cinderella blushed and buried her face in his chest.


    A while later, Richard summoned the foreman, Ali. ¡°Ali, speed up the road work. Just pack the road surface lightly; no need to hammer it down as much as before,¡± Richard instructed.


    Ali glanced at Cinderella and nodded. ¡°Yes, my Lord! I¡¯ll give the order immediately.¡±


    As Ali walked away, Richard turned to Cinderella and said, ¡°Stay with the road crew. Once they¡¯ve laid the road surface, just transform it into stone.¡±


    Cinderella hesitated, worried. ¡°What if they¡­ after you leave?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be watching from nearby.¡±


    Cinderella was relieved and asked.


    ¡°Master, which direction are we building this road towards? Are we going all the way? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I transformed it all at once into a single stone path instead of doing it piece by piece?¡±


    Richard shook his head. ¡°No, I want it done in sections. Even if the road stretches far, make sure you break it into smaller parts. We need gaps between the stones¡ªthese are called breathing seams.¡±


    ¡°Breathing seams? Roads need to breathe?¡± Cinderella asked in surprise.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Richard replied, chuckling. ¡°Breathing seams help reduce the impact of the road settling. They also prevent damage if a giant beast walks on it.¡±


    In Richard¡¯s past life, breathing seams were used to prevent concrete roads from cracking due to expansion and contraction from temperature changes. Though rock didn¡¯t have this problem, dealing with settlement issues scientifically was still necessary.


    Seeing Cinderella standing on the road, looking unsure, Richard sighed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯ll get used to you over time.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Master, are witches really evil?¡± Cinderella asked hesitantly.


    ¡°A sword cannot decide if its wielder is good or evil, but the one who holds it can choose to be a hero or a villain,¡± Richard answered.


    ¡°Then I want to be a good person.¡±


    ¡°Once they understand your kindness, they¡¯ll slowly come to accept you.¡± Richard assured her, even though he didn¡¯t care about the peasants¡¯ opinions.


    Time passed, and Cinderella transformed several more sections of the road. Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from behind them. It was the schoolchildren, led by their teacher, Mr. Hinton, coming to help clear the stones.


    Unlike the adults, the children were fascinated by Cinderella¡¯s powers. They marveled at her abilities, exclaiming, ¡°Wow! That sister is amazing!¡±


    ¡°Is she a messenger from the gods?¡±


    ¡°A goddess! A goddess! She¡¯s a goddess!¡±


    The children were in awe, seeing Cinderella not as a threat but as a miraculous figure.


    ¡°Sister, how did you turn the earth into stone? Can you teach us?¡±


    ¡°Yes! It must be tiring to do it alone. Teach us so we can help you!¡±


    Cinderella glanced at Richard in the distance and then smiled at the children. ¡°You¡¯re still young. Maybe one day, when you grow up, you¡¯ll be able to do it,¡± she said kindly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll grow up as fast as we can!¡±


    ¡°Growing up isn¡¯t enough,¡± Cinderella said, smiling warmly. ¡°You also need to serve the Lord diligently and be loyal to him. My abilities are a blessing from the Lord.¡±


    She genuinely believed that meeting Richard had transformed her life for the better.


    Inspired by her words, the children pledged their loyalty to Richard on the spot, declaring that they would always serve him faithfully.


    Seeing the kids¡¯ innocence and joy, Cinderella felt a deep sense of happiness. For the first time, people weren¡¯t afraid of her powers¡ªthey even welcomed her with open hearts. This simple acceptance filled her with pure joy.

 Chapter 38 - The Changed Town, the Caravan Came

    Chapter 38 The Changed Town, the Caravan Came


    With Cinderella¡¯s involvement, the road construction progressed rapidly. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Initially, Richard hadn¡¯t anticipated that Cinderella would awaken her witch abilities at this point.


    His original plan was to layer the road with compacted earth using a heavy hammer, akin to how Qin Shi Huang constructed the Straight Road, though with enhanced durability.


    Unlike Qin Shi Huang¡¯s use of earth, Richard had added gravel to the mixture, using the same compaction method.


    Even though Qin Shi Huang¡¯s compacted earth road had weathered over 2,000 years with little more than some grass and occasional shrubs, no large trees had taken root.


    The power of seeds was well-known for being able to break through stone, but even with seeds falling on the Straight Road, the earthwork had prevented trees from growing.


    Richard aimed to exceed that standard by incorporating gravel, given that this was a fantasy world. Who knew when a battle might break out, or when a giant beast might trample over the road?


    The unexpected bonus was that Cinderella had awakened her witch¡¯s ability to change the material composition of objects. With this newfound power, road-building became much simpler.


    The stone material she created would last for millennia without deterioration, preventing even weeds and shrubs from growing through.


    After two days, the road leading to the forest was completed. During this time, the people realized that the witch had not harmed them in any way; rather, she had lessened their workload and was quite approachable.


    Gradually, their fear subsided. Although most people were still too nervous to talk freely with her, a few had lowered their guard and were working harmoniously with the witch, requesting her assistance in solidifying sections of the road as they were prepared.


    After the project¡¯s completion, Richard mounted his horse and galloped along the road, thoroughly satisfied. He called out for Ali, the foreman.


    ¡°Ali!¡±


    ¡°At your command, my lord!¡± Ali, holding pen and paper, promptly responded.


    ¡°Split these fools into teams. Send 500 of them to cut down trees, and have the rest dig foundations, drainage channels, and sewers.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Ali immediately began issuing orders.


    Before long, the people were divided into teams.


    The lumber team, under the guidance of several captains, drove dozens of ox carts toward the forest. Meanwhile, 100 soldiers were selected daily to stand guard near the end of the road, prepared to fend off any wild beast attacks.


    The lumberjacks had no combat training, and if they were attacked by beasts, they would undoubtedly suffer heavy casualties. If they encountered magical creatures, escape would be a luxury.


    In addition to standing guard, the militia was also tasked with daily hunting to maintain the meat supply for the Long Eagle Territory.


    Richard personally oversaw the remaining workers, having them dig foundations for the buildings.


    The old town, even after being cleaned up, was still a chaotic mess, with hidden filth impossible to fully remove. Richard was determined to rebuild the Long Eagle Territory anew, from scratch. Rebuilding in place was far more cumbersome than starting fresh in a new location.


    The old town¡¯s terrain was too low, and there was a large slope nearby. Richard couldn¡¯t understand why people had originally chosen to build their homes there.


    According to records, the slope had caused several landslides during heavy rains, burying people alive. Yet, despite these disasters, the people had not moved. They claimed it was divine punishment for those who had committed evil deeds.


    Richard found it laughable. In his eyes, whether they died or not, calling anyone in the Long Eagle Territory ¡°evil¡± wasn¡¯t far from the truth.


    There were no good people here¡ªonly parasites, trash, and scum. Now that Richard was in charge, he intended to change everything.


    Not out of compassion, but because these people were his assets. As his assets, they needed to be properly managed.


    This time, Richard chose a sturdy high ground for construction.


    The location had good visibility, was easy to defend, and would allow them to detect and repel any beast attacks. It also provided protection against natural disasters.


    Once construction was complete, Richard planned to have the witch reinforce key points on the high ground, leaving spaces for future greening projects.


    ¡°This here is the drainage channel. It must connect to all the rooms! Yes, even inside the rooms, so that the water can be drained directly!¡±


    ¡°Reserve that spot. Dig out a square foundation, 800 by 800. I¡¯ll build a water tower there!¡±


    ¡°The sewage channel isn¡¯t deep enough. It must be lower than the drainage channel! Ali, assign a team to dig the sewage line out to the outskirts and build a biogas tank outside the town. I¡¯ll need it later.¡±


    Under Richard¡¯s instructions, Ali¡¯s supervision, the team leaders¡¯ coordination, and the citizens¡¯ hard work¡ªalong with Cinderella¡¯s assistance¡ªthe foundations were gradually dug out. Meanwhile, the piles of wood along the roadside grew larger.


    Once the foundation was completed, the workers, following Richard¡¯s plans, began constructing houses using soil and trees.


    The wood came from centuries-old trees, which were perfect for beams. The walls, made of rammed earth, became extremely solid after Cinderella¡¯s magical stone transformation.


    The buildings were airtight, sturdy, and perfect.


    Without the witch, the project would still be feasible, but the progress and quality would be nowhere near the current level.


    Watching Cinderella¡¯s busy figure, Richard grew fonder of her, marveling at the fact that witches were indeed the world¡¯s greatest source of productivity.


    This was one of the correct ways to utilize a witch. As for the other way, that would be better discussed in his office or bedroom.


    As construction continued, more and more houses were completed.


    Compared to the original town, the difference was like night and day¡ªa paradise compared to hell. This was finally a place fit for human habitation.


    As Richard inspected the area, he noticed that the wheat seeds planted earlier had already begun to sprout. This land was indeed fertile.


    Even the newly tilled soil, which hadn¡¯t been fertilized with manure, showed no weaker growth compared to the fertilized plots.


    While the Long Eagle Territory was bustling with activity, a merchant caravan slowly approached from the distance.

 Chapter 39 - Excited Caravan

    Chapter 39 Excited Caravan¡°This territory¡­ I believe it¡¯s called Eagle something?¡±


    His second-in-command took out a simple map, glanced at it, and said, ¡°It¡¯s called Long Eagle Territory.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, Long Eagle!¡± The leader nodded, stroking his beard. ¡°How¡¯s the preparation of our gifts?¡±


    According to protocol, any merchant caravan arriving at a new territory must visit the local lord and present gifts.


    Of course, in larger territories, not every caravan would be granted an audience. Whether the lord receives them or not is one matter, but the merchants presenting gifts is another entirely. These rules were well-known in larger lands


    Since this was the first time the caravan had come to the Long Eagle Territory, they weren¡¯t sure about the customs here yet.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready! But we¡¯re not sure how greedy the local lord might be. If he¡¯s too greedy, it could be troublesome.¡± The second-in-command said in a serious tone.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope he¡¯s not too demanding! It wasn¡¯t easy getting here. If it¡¯s not too much, we¡¯ll just have to comply.¡± The leader sighed.


    ¡°And if he demands too much?¡± the second-in-command asked.


    ¡°Then next time, we won¡¯t come this way!¡±


    The leader shook his head in resignation and fell silent.


    He began to observe the surroundings. Even from a distance, they could see a small town perched on a high ground, like a tiny sparrow. To their right was a forest, and they had been traveling along a path on its edge.


    A large river flowed out of the forest, with reeds and aquatic plants along its banks.


    ¡°This place is really remote!¡± the second-in-command commented as he looked around.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing! Remote places mean underdevelopment and cheap goods. If we can get some merchandise here, we might make a fortune selling it in the capital!¡± The leader smiled knowingly.


    After a pause, he added, ¡°But the backwardness of such places also means the people here are lazy. Look at that river full of fish. If the people here were more industrious and fished them, salted them, and dried them¡­¡± He trailed off, indicating his point was clear.


    ¡°Anyway, this is our first time on this trade route. Establishing the route isn¡¯t just about making money; it¡¯s about laying the groundwork!¡±


    ¡°You mean, even if they didn¡¯t know the value of the fish before, if we set the price and promise to come back for more, they¡¯ll start doing it?¡± asked the second-in-command, who was new to the business of pioneering trade routes.


    This caravan¡¯s goal was to open a new trade route, knowing that being the first to establish a trade route always brought enormous advantages.


    The pioneering merchants would often negotiate deals with local traders, gaining a firm foothold that later arrivals couldn¡¯t easily dislodge.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got it! This journey is to set up future purchases and gauge the appetite of the local lords. If we can gain the favor of the local lord, we¡¯ll have smooth sailing here!¡± the leader said, pointing out the potential.


    ¡°See that mountain range to our left?¡± The leader pointed toward the mountains shrouded in mist.


    ¡°Are you suggesting there¡¯s more opportunity there as well?¡± the second-in-command asked, catching on.


    ¡°Indeed! That mountain range and the forest to the right both hold potential wealth. Even if we can¡¯t venture too deep, the outskirts alone could yield plenty of resources like meat, furs, and possibly even rare minerals.¡±


    The second-in-command gasped, realizing just how vast the opportunities were. The leader grinned at his reaction, feeling a sense of pride in his own insight.


    ¡°This is why I invested so heavily in hiring mercenary knights as guards for our caravan,¡± the leader said, satisfied to see his second-in-command¡¯s sheepish grin of acknowledgment.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see if we can turn these opportunities into profits.¡± He said, signaling the caravan to continue toward the town.


    Meanwhile, Richard was also informed of the approaching merchant caravan. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°A merchant caravan, here?¡± Richard was slightly surprised. This remote territory rarely saw such visitors. The arrival of a caravan looking to establish a trade route intrigued him.


    ¡°Rhodes, go meet them. If there are no issues, bring them to me.¡± Richard ordered.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Rhodes replied respectfully, then left to carry out his orders.


    Richard watched him go, a smile forming on his lips. The arrival of the merchant caravan was good news for him¡ªan opportunity he was more than willing to seize.

 Chapter 40 - The Superiority of the People

    Chapter 40 The Superiority of the People¡°Which trade caravan are you from?¡±


    Rhodes asked as he met the leader of the caravan, under the guidance of his deputy.


    ¡°Greetings, sir. We are from the Haim caravan, and I am the leader of the caravan, Paul Martins!¡± Martins said respectfully. ¡°May I ask how I should address you, sir?¡±


    ¡°I am Karl Rhodes, the secretary here,¡± Rhodes replied with a slight smile. ¡°Mr. Martins, please come with me! The lord has agreed to meet with you!¡±


    Martins¡¯ face immediately lit up with joy, ¡°Thank you, Lord, and thank you, Mr. Rhodes, for leading the way!¡±


    Following that, the group headed towards Long Eagle Territory, led by Rhodes.


    As they walked, Martins¡¯ expression became serious.


    The deputy noticed and asked, puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Martins?¡±


    Martins replied, ¡°Look at these fields, such a large area, all connected together, and they¡¯re even planting the same crop. Have you seen anything like this anywhere else?¡±


    The deputy, who had also been impressed earlier, nodded in agreement upon hearing Martins¡¯ words, ¡°It¡¯s indeed surprising, unbelievable! But I still don¡¯t understand why you are frowning.¡±


    Martins said, ¡°You need to learn to see the essence behind things. Otherwise, in business, you¡¯ll suffer losses!¡±


    ¡°Think about it. Such a vast stretch of fields, even in a count or duke¡¯s territory, is rare, let alone here, where it¡¯s just a baron¡¯s land and a remote one at that.¡±


    ¡°When something defies the norm, there¡¯s often significant information hidden behind it! Can you think of anything now?¡±


    The deputy thought for a while and then frowned as well:


    ¡°Usually, the people of a remote territory are more foolish and lazy. For a small domain to have so much land planted uniformly, it doesn¡¯t seem like something the locals would do voluntarily. It seems this lord is quite extraordinary!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! You¡¯re finally getting it!¡±


    Martins had just finished speaking when he suddenly noticed a villager passing by carrying a hoe. He was momentarily stunned:


    ¡°The people working in these fields don¡¯t seem like the other domain¡¯s residents either.¡±


    The deputy was also taken aback, ¡°Not only are they not thin and sickly, but they also don¡¯t have that awful stench about them. Even their clothes are clean, only stained with dirt! This is¡­¡±


    They suddenly looked at the ground, realizing they were now traveling on a newly constructed stone road in Long Eagle Territory, which they had overlooked while being amazed by the surrounding sights.


    ¡°This is so long! So neatly laid! Such large stones! Where did they find these?¡±


    The entire caravan was stunned.


    Even the seasoned wandering knights of the caravan, who had roamed far and wide, had never seen such a scene. They tapped the ground with their sword hilts, producing a dull, echoing sound.


    Everyone else felt the solid ground beneath their feet, finding it somewhat unreal.


    Martins, in particular, got down from the carriage and lay on the ground.


    He tapped the stone with his hand, only hearing the muffled sound of his own bones hitting the stone, with no echo from the stone itself.


    Unconvinced, Martins licked the stone with his tongue and was taken aback.


    ¡°Mr. Martins, did you find anything? Is this really stone?¡± the deputy asked curiously, crouching beside him.


    Martins remained silent for a moment before nodding bitterly:


    ¡°Yes! It is indeed stone! And a type of high-strength stone I¡¯ve never seen before!¡±


    He grabbed the deputy by the collar, his eyes bloodshot, ¡°Do you know? If this stone were made into slabs two fingers thick, it would be worthy of being used in the King¡¯s Square in the capital! And these are just raw stones!¡±


    He stared blankly at the road ahead, listening to the sound of swords striking the ground, murmuring to himself, ¡°But here, it¡¯s not just slabs; it¡¯s entire stones! And they seem so naturally placed, as if they grew here!¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine who could have the strength to transport such massive stones to pave this road!¡±


    ¡°This is a miracle! It must be a miracle!¡±


    ¡°My God, what kind of place is this!¡±


    Martins felt like he was losing his mind.


    ¡°Is this stone really that good?¡± the deputy asked, swallowing nervously.


    Upon hearing this, Martins seemed triggered and shouted:


    ¡°Good? It¡¯s more than good! When I licked it, I noticed the stone felt slightly sticky to my tongue, and the moisture mark disappeared quickly, indicating that the grain is extremely fine! The quality is outstanding!¡±


    He paused for a moment and added, ¡°It¡¯s even better than granite!¡±


    The deputy, now with a point of reference, murmured, ¡°The King¡¯s Square is paved with granite.¡±


    The surrounding villagers, seeing their reactions, began to talk among themselves, ¡°Is that guy crazy? Licking the stone like that?¡±


    ¡°Haha, he¡¯s probably just stunned by our Long Eagle Territory¡¯s roads! If we hadn¡¯t built it ourselves, we wouldn¡¯t believe such a road existed either!¡±


    ¡°The Witch Lady¡¯s power is beyond what these outsiders can understand!¡±


    ¡°Right! Luckily, we have the Witch Lady¡¯s abilities. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t be able to hold our heads high in front of these outsiders!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! These rich people from outside aren¡¯t so great! They¡¯re as amazed as bumpkins when they see our Long Eagle Territory¡¯s roads!¡±


    Initially, the villagers had been intimidated by the caravan, especially knowing that there were knights among them.


    But now, seeing their reactions, they laughed out loud.


    Even the knights were tapping the road with their sword hilts as if they were country folk who had never seen the world.


    For a moment, the villagers felt a strange sense of pride.


    They might never have imagined in their lifetime that they could feel superior in front of these wealthy outsiders.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just praise our Witch Lady. I heard from my son that she said her abilities were all thanks to the lord. I think it¡¯s our lord who¡¯s truly remarkable!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true! Too bad the lord likes to use his whip so much! I got whipped a few times during my prayers last time, and I¡¯m still traumatized!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still praying?¡±


    ¡°I said I used to! I don¡¯t pray anymore after the lord said that if Ahura Mazda really existed, he would¡¯ve come after him by now!¡±


    ¡°But since the lord is still perfectly fine, it means Ahura Mazda is nothing special! From now on, I only believe in our lord!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re almost at the castle. I wonder what our lord will discuss with them? I tell you, they¡¯re just a bunch of bumpkins!¡±


    Martins was still unaware that he had just been ridiculed by the villagers he looked down upon.


    Everything he saw along the way left him utterly shocked. His business acumen and extensive travel experience were shattered at that moment, leaving his mind in a whirl.


    In this state, he finally met Richard.

 Chapter 41 - Acquisition of Materials

    Chapter 41 Acquisition of Materials¡°You¡¯re from that Heim caravan, right?¡±


    In the reception hall, Richard¡¯s voice rang out from the main seat.


    Martins snapped out of his daze and quickly said, ¡°Greetings, honorable Viscount! To answer your question, our caravan is actually called the Haim Caravan! I am Martins, the person in charge of this caravan.¡±


    Richard responded with a casual hum and gave him a disinterested glance, ¡°Haim or Heim, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Martins quickly forced a smile, ¡°Yes, yes! It doesn¡¯t matter, it doesn¡¯t matter at all!¡±


    However, he was bitterly smiling in his heart.


    But he dared not say that out loud, considering that Richard held absolute power in this place. Offending him would mean more than losing business¡ªit could mean losing everything.


    If Richard were to get upset, robbery and murder could be just a thought away.


    As the saying goes, ¡°seeking wealth in dangerous places,¡± the risks of opening new trade routes lie in precisely that.


    This is why most caravans are unwilling or too afraid to venture into uncharted territories.


    Moreover, because of the high profits involved in trade routes, it¡¯s impossible to delegate this task to subordinates.


    If the caravan¡¯s management develops relationships with local lords along the trade routes, it could lead to growing ambitions and the eventual split from the caravan.


    Therefore, when opening new trade routes, it¡¯s generally the leader of the caravan or their son who takes on the role of the pioneer.


    Martins was one of the few caravan leaders with the courage to take on such a task.


    ¡°So, your caravan intends to trade with my Long Eagle Territory?¡± Richard looked at him with a hint of interest.


    Martins nodded immediately, but as an experienced caravan leader, he didn¡¯t forget his manners and quickly said, ¡°Sir, before we proceed, please allow me to present a generous gift to show my respect for you!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Richard smiled faintly, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve brought.¡±


    Soon, someone handed over a wooden box.


    The wooden box was quite large, about half a meter in length and over a foot wide, though only about half a foot thick.


    ¡°This is the ¡®generous gift¡¯ you mentioned?¡± Richard seemed curious about what might be inside such a specially-made box. ¡°Open it up.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    As Martins personally opened the wooden box, many people around him revealed expressions of amazement.


    Even Cinderella and Rhodes widened their mouths in surprise.


    Only Richard looked disappointed.


    Martins hadn¡¯t noticed Richard¡¯s expression and excitedly explained, ¡°My lord, this is a mirror made with a mercury coating, capable of reflecting a person¡¯s image with great clarity. Even in the capital, many high-ranking individuals desire such a mirror.¡±


    ¡°I brought this mirror all the way here and didn¡¯t give it to anyone else. When I saw you, sir, I was so impressed by your grandeur that I decided to present this mirror as a gift, hoping to highlight your exceptional presence!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that without this mirror, I wouldn¡¯t have that so-called exceptional presence?¡± Richard sneered.


    Martins immediately dropped to his knees, ¡°Forgive me, sir! That¡¯s not what I meant at all!¡±


    Richard let out a cold snort and waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Enough. It¡¯s just a mirror. Tell me about your goods.¡±


    Richard showed no interest in the mirror; it didn¡¯t seem to impress him at all.


    Martins was taken aback, realizing he had misjudged his attempt to flatter, and quickly moved on, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve brought quite a few valuable items this time! We have pepper that only grows in dragon-infested lands, silk from mysterious Eastern trees, a divine sword blessed by the gods, and porcelain from the fairyland of the East¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Richard interrupted him with a wave of his hand.


    He was really tired of these merchants on the continent.


    Richard felt like his intelligence was being insulted.


    ¡°I need grain, iron ore, and slaves. Do you have any?¡±


    He didn¡¯t let the merchant continue his pitch and bluntly stated his needs.


    ¡°Yes! We have all of those!¡±


    The merchant was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered and nodded vigorously, ¡°Sir, our caravan currently has over six thousand pounds of grain, two carts of iron ore, though we only brought a few slaves, around ten or so.¡±


    ¡°You know, slaves are hard to manage in large numbers, and if they die, it¡¯s a loss!¡±


    He then gave a slightly awkward laugh and quickly added, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, sir! If you need more, I¡¯ll make sure to bring a large batch of slaves next time just for you!¡±


    The merchant looked at Richard with a sycophantic smile, his face shiny with oil, trembling slightly with each grin, making him rather unappealing.


    Richard closed his eyes and nodded with a hint of resignation, ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll take all the grain, iron ore, and slaves you brought this time.¡±


    Although he didn¡¯t like the merchant¡¯s greasy demeanor, who could say no to supplies?


    Recently, Richard¡¯s team had been hunting a lot of Treants.


    To be honest, Treants were low-level supernatural creatures that were quite plentiful in the forest.


    At first, they would notify Richard, but as the militia grew stronger and more coordinated, they could handle the Treants without him.


    Now, Richard had accumulated quite a bit of supernatural materials in his storage.


    With a wave of his hand, a pile of materials instantly appeared on the carpet before him.


    ¡°A heart of a Treant and the remains of these supernatural creatures. Is that enough?¡± Richard said calmly. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The merchant was astonished by Richard¡¯s ability to summon items from thin air, but his eyes were soon drawn to the heart of the Treant on the ground. He quickly nodded with delight.


    ¡°More than enough! This is absolutely sufficient!¡±


    These items, even at the purchase rates in remote areas, were worth at least two or three hundred gold coins.


    That was more than enough to cover the value of the supplies Richard had requested.


    Richard could tell from the merchant¡¯s expression that he was definitely making a huge profit.


    But he didn¡¯t mind. It was important to give the other party a taste of profit initially to ensure they would work hard for him in the future.


    After all, his appetite couldn¡¯t be satisfied with just six thousand pounds of grain.


    He also felt a sense of disdain for the merchant¡¯s gleeful expression; a more unscrupulous seller would have already squeezed them dry.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42 Martins¡¯ Unexpected Joy¡°Sir, your generosity is like the sun and moon in the sky, shining on everyone without reservation! Rest assured, I will safeguard this trade route, and I eagerly look forward to our next collaboration!¡±


    After the successful transaction, the merchant appeared extremely excited, openly showing his satisfaction.


    Richard curled his lip slightly, thinking to himself that doing business with such simple-minded people really doesn¡¯t provide any real emotional satisfaction.


    Of course, this was just a fleeting thought in Richard¡¯s mind.


    He then took out a branch from a Treant from his storage and handed it over.


    ¡°Sir, what is this?¡± The merchant was somewhat puzzled, yet also excited.


    There wasn¡¯t anything like this among the remains of the extraordinary creatures just now.


    After all, this was an excellent material for crafting wands and magic bows¡ªtruly a valuable item.


    Richard said with a smile,


    ¡°I need more grain, more iron ore, and more slaves. I hope you can deliver them to me in a month¡¯s time. Consider this as your deposit!¡±


    ¡°As for the quantity, I¡¯ll take as much as you can provide!¡±


    The merchant¡¯s heart was practically leaping out of his throat with excitement. He tried to suppress his emotions and asked,


    ¡°May I ask, Sir, will you still use this kind of extraordinary material for payment?¡±


    He truly loved these items¡ªthey were easy to carry, didn¡¯t weigh down the cart, and were extremely valuable. If Richard continued to use these for payment, he would go to any lengths to secure the deal!


    Richard nodded, ¡°I have plenty of these things. But if you want to get them, you¡¯ll have to meet my demands, understand?¡±


    ¡°I understand! Absolutely understand!¡± The merchant was thrilled and immediately said, ¡°Rest assured, I will deliver goods that will satisfy you on time!¡±


    After a moment¡¯s thought, he added, ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve shown such sincerity; let me reciprocate! I am willing to gift you all the other goods in this shipment!¡±


    Saying this, he immediately instructed his subordinate to handle it, then turned and said, ¡°Those spices and silk are all fine items. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like them! If you¡¯re interested, please follow me to take a look!¡±


    Richard nodded and walked out of the hall, arriving at the convoy in front of the warehouse.


    ¡°Uncover all the tarps for the lord¡¯s inspection!¡±


    At Martin¡¯s command, all the tarps were pulled back, and Richard stepped forward to check.


    He found that most of the items were quite ordinary.


    The pepper was commonplace, and the silk was nothing too special, just a more refined form of linen, not quite trash but nothing exceptional either.


    As for the pepper, Richard really didn¡¯t lack any.


    He had long since instructed the five hundred farmers to plant various spice saplings in the fields.


    Richard wasn¡¯t growing these for making sachets or anything like that; he just used them as kitchen seasonings, so he didn¡¯t need to buy them frequently, as his goal was a self-sufficient little kingdom.


    At this point, when Martins saw Richard approach the last cart, he immediately said, ¡°Sir, these two swords are the divine¡­ uh, I mean, the two treasured swords I mentioned earlier!¡±


    The two swords looked dazzling, with a brilliant sheen.


    Richard picked one up and examined it, frowning slightly.


    He flicked the blade forcefully with his finger, and the sword instantly snapped in two, the front half of the blade falling onto the cart.


    ¡°This is supposed to be a divine sword?¡± Richard glanced at Martins.


    Martins was immediately embarrassed, ¡°Sir, this¡­¡±


    Richard examined the broken part of the blade, then handed the broken sword and the remaining sword to a nearby knight attendant.


    ¡°Take these back to the forge to be reworked! The material of this sword is decent, but the craftsmanship is terrible! Probably meant for some noble youth to show off!¡±


    He then turned to Martins and said, ¡°I¡¯ll accept the gift. Unload the goods and take your cart away. I want to see you again in a month.¡±


    Relieved that Richard wasn¡¯t angry, Martins exhaled deeply, ¡°Rest assured, Sir, I will handle everything well!¡±


    Saying this, he bowed respectfully.


    When he looked up again, Richard had already walked away.


    Martins then ordered his men to unload the cargo before immediately setting off from the Long Eagle Territory.


    ¡°Mr. Martins, shall we head to the next territory to expand our trade?¡±


    On the road away from Long Eagle Territory, his subordinate asked.


    Martins rolled his eyes, ¡°Idiot! With such a huge gain this time, the most important thing is to handle this deal properly! Didn¡¯t you see that I emptied our entire convoy? What will we sell in the next territory?¡±


    The subordinate was puzzled and said, ¡°We didn¡¯t have to give him all our cloth and spices. If we visit another territory, we might still sell them for a good price!¡±


    ¡°You know nothing!¡± Martins, still a bit shaken, looked back at the distant Long Eagle Territory and let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Although we made a lot of money in this transaction, that lord is not someone easy to deal with! He¡¯s a hard nut to crack!¡±


    He recalled how every attempt at flattery was met with disdain.


    Especially when, at the very end, he snapped that sword right in front of his eyes.


    After all, the lord did say the sword¡¯s material was good.


    A longsword praised for its material by a viscount with real power shouldn¡¯t break from just a flick of the finger, let alone a kick!


    That was a warning!


    Fortunately, they left without any real danger. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at the profits on the cart, Martins felt the trip was worth it.


    A single heart of a Treant could fetch five hundred gold coins in the capital and earn him the friendship of a high-ranking figure.


    Not to mention the other extraordinary creature remains, which could also sell for quite a sum.


    As for that big shot¡¯s friendship, it¡¯s naturally due to the effects of the Treant¡¯s heart.


    Many aging nobles long for the vitality bestowed by the Treant¡¯s heart to enhance their physical strength.


    The vast life force and explosive energy provided by the vitality trait offer immense benefits to one¡¯s body, far beyond the ordinary.


    Even if these elderly nobles don¡¯t need to improve their physical prowess, the sheer life force alone could extend their lives by a year or two.


    For those in better physical condition, who can more fully absorb the power of the Treant¡¯s heart, it¡¯s not impossible to extend their lives by four or five years!


    Such an item has a deadly appeal to the older aristocrats.


    For Martins, this unexpected gain was a pleasant surprise indeed.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43 Endless FoodAt the castle, Richard was hidden in the shadow of the spire.


    Watching the caravan in the distance gradually fade away, Richard¡¯s face remained calm.


    He didn¡¯t care about when the next caravan would deliver a large batch of goods or the issue of not having enough money to pay for them.


    If there wasn¡¯t enough money, he could simply accuse the caravan members of disrespecting the lord and eliminate them entirely.


    Facing someone like Martins, a fool, it was all too easy for Richard to find a reason to kill him.


    Even based on today¡¯s situation, Richard had at least two justifications to accuse them of disrespect and to wipe them out entirely.


    This way, he could obtain a massive amount of supplies without paying a cent.


    This was a common tactic among many lords.


    And the version that the world would hear would be about a caravan disrespecting a remote lord and attempting commercial fraud by passing off inferior goods as mysterious treasures.


    The story would be that the caravan tried to insult the remote lord¡¯s knowledge.


    Unfortunately, the lord, who had grown up in the Duke¡¯s domain and was well-informed, saw through the merchant¡¯s scheme at a glance.


    The merchant, after being exposed, flew into a rage and tried to suppress the lord with force using his hired mercenary knights, even attempting to kidnap the lord for ransom.


    However, the lord and his well-trained subordinates swiftly acted in self-defense, defeating the caravan.


    Thus, the world was rid of yet another dishonest merchant!


    All who heard of this event would applaud it! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that time, not only would it not affect the reputation of Richard¡¯s Long Eagle territory, but it might even attract more caravans.


    It was truly a strategy that killed two birds with one stone.


    Richard instinctively rubbed the hilt of his sword, contemplating the feasibility of this approach.


    Currently, the food he had collected from the people of his territory was nearly depleted, and the wheat in his land had just sprouted.


    It would be at least several months before it matured.


    The food obtained from external sources could temporarily sustain them for a while.


    Of course, relying solely on these 6,000 pounds of grain to feed more than 4,000 people was like a drop in the bucket.


    Therefore, the militia hunting team had increased from 100 to 200 people per day during this period.


    They not only fought low-level supernatural creatures in the forest to obtain supernatural materials but also needed to gather some edible supplies.


    The militia mainly focused on combat and meat collection.


    Other residents of the territory also had tasks to go fishing in the river.


    While the children were in class, the women would gather berries, mushrooms, and wild vegetables in the safe zone at the edge of the forest as instructed by Richard.


    After the children finished their classes, the women returned to the large dining hall to cook, and the children went to collect more supplies.


    Among the berries, only the white ones were poisonous; the others were more plentiful in variety.


    It was surprising that, despite living on the forest¡¯s edge, these people could not identify which mushrooms were poisonous¡ªlikely because they were too afraid to venture deep into the forest, fearing encounters with monsters.


    Now that the militia had gradually cleared out a portion of the safe zone, Richard had taught them to recognize the toxic mushrooms to avoid them in time.


    Currently, there wasn¡¯t much staple food in the territory, so they could use pine nuts, hazelnuts, and chestnuts as substitutes.


    So, even if the caravan didn¡¯t arrive, Long Eagle territory would have a way to survive.


    It¡¯s worth noting that in Richard¡¯s homeland from the future, forest foods ranked as the third-largest agricultural product in the nation.


    The extent of a forest could indicate the size of its food resources.


    Forest grains, fungi, medicinal herbs, fruits, vegetables, and forest cultivation were all common food sources.


    In this world, there were even more forest creatures and extraordinary beings that provided meat far beyond what could be found in his past life.


    There was an abundance of food, as long as one had the strength to obtain it.


    Despite this, Richard insisted that his people grow a uniform crop of wheat.


    With limited manpower in the early stages, spending significant time and effort foraging in the forest was an enormous waste.


    Only a stable life would allow for more time to educate them, teaching and transforming these people.


    So that one day, there would be more useful talents available.


    Now that there was a visiting caravan, trading with the outside world to exchange goods for food and supplies was an efficient way to save development time.


    ¡­


    On the other side.


    In the castle, Cinderella gazed at the linen in her hands, her eyes sparkling as she began thinking about how to use the fine linen to sew clothes.


    Since her stepmother arrived at her house, she had been forced to learn various skills like weaving, sewing, and cooking.


    Being born into a merchant-count family, Cinderella¡¯s skills were naturally far superior to those of ordinary folk.


    Her craftsmanship easily surpassed the quality of small local shops.


    She planned to use these clothes to make a few well-fitted outfits for Richard. Resting her head on her hand, she began to imagine different designs for the clothes.


    Her mind filled with images of various men¡¯s styles she had seen before, hoping to inspire her creativity.


    ¡­


    Richard went down the stairs and returned to the warehouse.


    The secretary was still busy registering the various supplies they had just received. When he saw Richard, he immediately bowed and greeted him:


    ¡°Lord! How do you want to handle these supplies? I¡¯ll have the workers start right away!¡±


    ¡°I came here to discuss this with you.¡±


    Richard nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Make sure all the grain storage areas remain dry, and support them off the ground to keep the air circulating. The grain must not touch the ground to prevent dampness.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Rhodes immediately flipped to a fresh page to record Richard¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°Keep the spices and grain separate, also in a dry environment, and categorize them to prevent their aromas from mixing. Provide them to the kitchen staff with clear instructions on how to use them.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    After giving out all his instructions, Richard left the warehouse.


    There was no other way; if they continued storing supplies the way they used to, much of it would be wasted.


    However, the good thing was that this secretary was quite reliable. Once given instructions, he didn¡¯t need to be told again the next time, as he would handle things just as Richard had specified before.


    Leaving the warehouse, Richard headed to the blacksmith¡¯s shop.


    The blacksmith¡¯s shop had now been renamed the forge.


    After all, a shop implied business, but the entire Long Eagle territory was already moving toward a production-team model and communal dining system, leaving no room for private ownership.


    Everything people needed was distributed by Richard, with no internal trade involved.


    So, the old name was no longer appropriate.


    During this time, the smiths at the forge had been smelting magisteel and mountain copper.


    This was the task Richard had given them, as he intended to forge a weapon for himself using these two extraordinary materials.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44 A True Masterpiece![Your craftsmen have accumulated a vast amount of forging experience through long-term work. The host can come to the forge at any time to collect it!].[Would the host like to receive the forging experience?].


    ¡°Forging experience? What does it do? Tell me more,¡± Richard asked curiously.


    [Forging experience can enhance the host¡¯s personal forging skills. As the master of the forge, the forging experience you gain is the combined experience of all the craftsmen in the forge!].


    Richard¡¯s interest was immediately piqued.


    Initially, he was worried about whether these people could craft his extraordinary weapon properly, but now he didn¡¯t have to worry anymore.


    Once he accepted the experience, his forging skills would undoubtedly be the best in the entire forge, and he could do the crafting himself.


    Fortunately, the task he previously assigned them was only to smelt these two materials, not to forge them.


    The materials should still be available.


    With this in mind, Richard silently thought, ¡°Receive the experience.¡±


    In the next moment, a mysterious sensation surged through his mind and body.


    [Congratulations, host, you have gained the abilities of an Advanced Blacksmith!].[The advanced blacksmith will automatically unlock the corresponding blueprints!].


    Following the system¡¯s prompt, Richard¡¯s mind was suddenly filled with countless forging techniques and metal formulas.


    Standing at the entrance of the forge, Richard paused for a few seconds as he absorbed all the experience.


    At that moment, he felt as if he had genuinely acquired decades of forging experience and skill.


    Just by listening to the clanging sounds around him, he could tell if one craftsman¡¯s hammer was not forceful enough or if another¡¯s strike needed to shift one centimeter to the right for a better result.


    This was the knowledge and insight brought to him by the level-up in his abilities.


    Richard then entered the forge.


    His gaze shifted to the furnace, where the copper and magic steel still showed no signs of change. Even though they were melting, they remained distinct from each other, and he frowned slightly.


    At that moment, the head blacksmith saw Richard approach and immediately stepped forward, kneeling on the ground:


    ¡°Forgive us, my lord! We tried many methods, but we could not fuse the copper and magic steel together. Please, my lord, punish us!¡±


    ¡°Stand up!¡± Richard said with a smile. ¡°I asked you to try simply to explore more possibilities. It doesn¡¯t matter if you couldn¡¯t do it. I¡¯ll handle it from here.¡±


    The head blacksmith was surprised.


    While the head blacksmith was lost in his chaotic thoughts, Richard had already taken over the task.


    He knew these blacksmiths were, at most, capable of making farm tools. Even if they gradually learned better techniques with the help of the system¡¯s building boost, their current skills weren¡¯t enough to forge extraordinary equipment. This task had to be done by him.


    Richard took off his armor and, using his newly acquired forging skills, began the process.


    Since the materials had already been softened, his goal now was to fuse them completely.


    He aimed to combine the flexibility of the copper with the rigidity of the magic steel, achieving a balance between hardness and toughness that would prevent the weapon from breaking while remaining sharp.


    Fusing the two materials required some special techniques.


    Richard glanced around, quickly grabbed a container, and began preparing a mixture called ¡°clay slurry.¡±


    This clay slurry was different from others, made from plant ash derived from the leaves of Treants.


    ¡°Bring the magic moonstone over!¡± Richard instructed the head blacksmith nearby.


    Upon hearing this, the blacksmith quickly turned around to fetch the item.


    After preparing the clay slurry, he knew it was only the first step. Even this slurry couldn¡¯t yet merge the two materials.


    When Richard received the magic moonstone, he immediately began processing it.


    The so-called moonstone was actually borax.


    It was called magic moonstone because the borax had absorbed the aura of extraordinary plant creatures over a long period, giving it special properties.


    Once the processed magic moonstone powder was added to the clay slurry, it was finally ready.


    This mixture, consisting of both plant ash and magic moonstone powder, contained extraordinary elements.


    During the forging process, he repeatedly poured the slurry over the metals, hammered them, doused them, and hammered them again, allowing the two materials to gradually fuse into one.


    As Richard hammered away, the blacksmiths watched in amazement. They saw the two metals remaining intact and even beginning to merge under Richard¡¯s strikes, a sight that left them in awe.


    Moreover, they noticed that Richard¡¯s technique was clearly far beyond that of a novice, even surpassing their own skills by a large margin.


    The blacksmith was utterly convinced.


    He couldn¡¯t believe there existed such a genius in this world who seemed to have knowledge and skill inherently.


    Richard¡¯s left hand, which held the tongs, seemed locked in place, unwavering with each hammer strike, ensuring that the material received the perfect force.


    Each turn and fold of the metal was done with such precision, as if his hands were guided by invisible molds in the air, without the slightest deviation in position.


    Just this level of detail alone convinced the old blacksmith that he could never match such skill in his lifetime.


    Yet, even so, the old blacksmith learned a lot from Richard¡¯s technique.


    And as the old blacksmith¡¯s skills improved, it created a positive feedback loop that further enhanced Richard¡¯s own experience, much to his surprise.


    So, he took a moment to instruct, ¡°Have everyone come over to watch and learn!¡±


    The old blacksmith, delighted, immediately called everyone over.


    [Blacksmith experience +3!].[Blacksmith experience +5!].[Blacksmith experience +1!].[¡­].


    As the crowd gathered, Richard¡¯s experience continued to grow, making him even more excited as he worked.


    Finally, after folding the materials thousands of times, Richard altered his technique, ceasing to pour the clay slurry over the metals.


    The change in his method immediately revealed a new approach to everyone.


    His hammering began to slow down, with different strengths and angles applied to various points, striking with the precision of a machine yet with the rhythm and speed of a storm. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sounds of his strikes created a symphony of sorts, at times as gentle as a flowing stream, at times as intense as a raging storm.


    Then, with a final blow that served as the grand crescendo of the symphony, all sounds came to an abrupt halt!


    The world seemed to fall into complete silence!


    Richard stopped his movements.


    The onlookers stared at the finished product in Richard¡¯s hands, utterly stunned!

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45 Intermediate Level Extraordinary Weapon!Under normal circumstances, forging only creates a rough blade.


    After that, it requires a long and meticulous grinding process to shape every part of the sword.


    This includes the blade¡¯s surface and the ridge line.


    The complete crafting process for a sword consists of four major steps:


    Forging and grinding the sword body, and then creating the lacquered scabbard and wooden fittings.


    However, Richard managed to complete both the forging and grinding processes just by using his hammer.


    If they hadn¡¯t witnessed it themselves, even these blacksmiths¡ªlet alone those from the big cities¡ªwould have been shocked beyond belief!


    Yet, all of this happened right before the eyes of these low-level blacksmiths from a remote town, undeniably real and impossible for them to doubt!


    They rationally understood that it was real, but their minds struggled to keep up, and their expressions were filled with disbelief.


    Furthermore, the design of this sword was something they had never seen before. It looked very imposing, with four blade surfaces on each side, making a total of eight!


    Each blade surface was hammered to such smoothness that there was no distortion in the reflections on it, achieving an absolute level of smoothness.


    And each ridge line was as straight as light piercing through the forest¡ªwas this really shaped with a hammer?


    Even with proper grinding, the old blacksmith might need a month to reach about 80% of this precision.


    Richard wasn¡¯t aware of what those around him were thinking. His thoughts were straightforward: just to complete the work as quickly as possible.


    He knew about the grinding step, but as he completed the forging process, he realized that with every subsequent strike, he could still control and adjust the shape.


    Before he knew it, he had unknowingly reached this stage.


    Then Richard realized that grinding wasn¡¯t even necessary anymore.


    Since that was the case, he decided to proceed with quenching the blade!


    Immediately, Richard placed the sword into the fire and increased the flame¡¯s intensity to its maximum.


    Before long, the flames turned a bluish-purple color, which Richard knew indicated a temperature exceeding one thousand degrees Celsius.


    The entire blade glowed like the transparency of a sunset, signaling to Richard that the moment had arrived!


    The old blacksmith at the side suddenly gasped!


    The old blacksmith felt uneasy.


    Even though he mainly forged farming tools, he still knew the importance of quenching.


    This step was the soul of the entire forging process, akin to the finishing touch in a masterpiece; using ordinary water would be out of the question.


    Not to mention it was murky water that had been used many times before.


    Even for crafting high-quality swords, one wouldn¡¯t use such water.


    This particular bucket was originally used to quench shovels!


    While the old blacksmith was worried, Richard remained calm and confident, not even sparing the water bucket a glance.


    Without hesitation, he grabbed a dagger and sliced his palm deeply.


    At the same time, he activated his life force, causing a massive spray of blood!


    With a hissing sound, every drop of blood splashed onto the eight-sided sword!


    The blacksmiths stared in shock with their mouths wide open!


    They never expected the lord to use his own blood to quench the weapon!


    The old blacksmith, on the other hand, seemed to understand suddenly.


    He knew that the lord was capable of slaying numerous extraordinary creatures by himself, so his blood must be even more valuable than that of many magical beings.


    He had also heard in his youth from his master that some people used their own blood to quench their weapons, making those weapons more in sync with them.


    As everyone stood in stunned silence, a thick aura of bloodlust suddenly filled the air! S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The blacksmiths felt as if they were on a battlefield drenched in blood, surrounded by slaughter, despair, and cold indifference, assaulted by overwhelming negative emotions.


    Many of them took several steps back, and two of the more timid ones even fell to the ground in fear.


    Seeing this, Richard snorted coldly, activating a breathing technique that instantly cleared everyone¡¯s minds. They regained their senses, filled with lingering fear.


    If it weren¡¯t for the lord¡¯s help, they might have been left in a daze, mentally shattered.


    Immediately, they knelt down and said, ¡°Thank you, lord, for saving our lives!¡±


    ¡°All right, get up.¡± Richard said casually, then turned his attention to the sword in his hand.


    He placed the sword on the forging platform, took out a branch from a tree spirit from his storage, and quickly carved it into the shape of a handle, making it fit perfectly with the eight-sided sword.


    While waiting for the sword to cool down, Richard also used the leftover materials to craft a dagger and over twenty arrowheads.


    Since the materials had already been prepared, it didn¡¯t take much time.


    During the process of forging the dagger and arrowheads, the blacksmiths learned even more techniques.


    Richard also gained a substantial amount of experience from this!


    Then, he grabbed a whetstone, fixed it in place, and began sharpening the blade.


    He instructed the old blacksmith nearby to pour water over the blade to prevent the temperature from rising too high during the sharpening process, which could affect its edge.


    Sharpening the blade wasn¡¯t particularly technical; it mainly required a steady hand and a precise angle.


    When the sword was finally sharpened, a cold gleam flashed between Richard¡¯s hands, as if the temperature in the forging area had dropped by several degrees.


    ¡°System, identify it!¡± Richard silently commanded in his mind.


    [Congratulations, host, identification successful!][Nameless eight-sided Han sword, mid-tier extraordinary equipment, possessing three attributes: Sharpness, Durability, and Basic Anti-Magic!]


    Richard nodded in satisfaction.


    The sharpness came from the magic steel, the durability from the mountain copper, and the anti-magic effect was due to the influence of the extraordinary materials!


    As he held the sword, Richard sensed that his life force could easily flow through the blade.


    After quenching the sword with his own blood, he felt that it was now like an extension of his own body. The blood within it could be manipulated and controlled at his will.


    He could feel that he could activate the bloodthirsty aura within the sword at any time to disturb the enemy¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Bring over some iron ore!¡± Richard shouted.


    Soon, someone brought over the ore.


    With a swift slash of the sword, the iron ore was sliced cleanly in half, the cut surface perfectly smooth!


    The blacksmiths stared in disbelief. Earlier, they had recognized Richard¡¯s skill during the forging process, but now, seeing the final result, they were still utterly astonished.


    The iron ore had been sliced as easily as tofu¡ªthis extraordinary weapon had indeed been born in the hands of their lord!


    ¡°Today, I bought two cartloads of iron ore. Before the end of next month, I want you to forge five hundred chest plates and helmets for me!¡±


    ¡°Do you all understand?¡±


    The blacksmiths, still in shock from what they had witnessed, were suddenly dumbfounded by Richard¡¯s order.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46 Sand Casting Method!Despair appeared on everyone¡¯s faces, and they all knelt down, kowtowing:


    ¡°Lord, please forgive us. We simply cannot complete this task!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord! Our skills are not enough to reach this speed. We beg you to see clearly that while it¡¯s a small matter for us to fail, if we don¡¯t manage to complete it and delay your important affairs, that¡¯s a crime worthy of death!¡±


    ¡°Lord, you might as well just kill us now!¡±


    Everyone began to complain.


    Since failing to complete the task meant certain death, at this moment, they dared to say anything.


    Rather than working themselves to death only to be executed anyway, they preferred to have it done quickly now.


    Seeing their reactions, Richard couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m deliberately making things difficult for you, giving you an impossible task?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t dare, Lord! We definitely wouldn¡¯t dare think that!¡± Even though that¡¯s exactly what they thought, some grumbled inwardly.


    Richard could see through their thoughts but didn¡¯t bother to argue further. He simply said,


    ¡°I¡¯ll demonstrate it once for you. Pay close attention.¡±


    Everyone perked up and stood, looking excited.


    After all, they had just witnessed Richard¡¯s extraordinary craftsmanship, a true master of forging!


    However, they were also a bit nervous, unsure if they could learn the lord¡¯s skills with their current abilities.


    Richard started preparing the tools.


    He didn¡¯t ask them to help since teaching them to make the tools would be a waste of time.


    That said, he did have tasks for them to do.


    ¡°Go and stoke the furnace, get it burning hotter, and prepare some molten iron for me!¡±


    Meanwhile, Richard began preparing casting tools.


    He made an iron bucket and attached two long iron rods to either side of it.


    After finishing the casting tools, Richard called over two blacksmiths:


    ¡°When the iron melts and I instruct you to fetch it, the two of you will lift this bucket and get the molten iron. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Understood, Lord!¡±


    The two of them were thrilled to participate in the lesson personally.


    Little did they know that this was just the simplest step, a tedious task with no real technical content.


    Of course, this didn¡¯t stop them from learning on the side.


    After preparing the tool for holding the molten iron, Richard began making the framework for the sand casting.


    After some quick forging, he had made three square iron frames, each about a hand¡¯s width thick.


    Richard planned to teach them the sand casting method.


    ¡°Go get some lime powder and clay!¡±


    He casually pointed to a few people, who immediately set off to carry out the orders.


    Even in the modern world, sand casting was still widely used and showed no signs of being phased out.


    Even with technological advancements, adjustments were made to the iron used for casting rather than the casting process itself.


    It¡¯s like eating ¡ª whether you use chopsticks, a spoon, a ladle, or a fork, the tools may change, but the process of eating with your mouth remains the same.


    Thus, sand casting was a highly valuable, versatile craft with endless potential for exploration.


    Richard was teaching them this technique not only to help them complete this current task but also to allow them to grasp the method early on so they could further develop and refine it.


    After all, teaching someone to fish is better than giving them fish; by empowering them, they could serve Richard even better, benefiting him in the long run.


    At this moment, Richard began using some scrap materials to quickly fashion models for the breastplates and helmets. Since they were only for the sand casting, they didn¡¯t need to be perfect, and he finished them quickly.


    Soon, everything was ready, and the molten iron was prepared.


    Richard had the molten iron poured out, and he stirred it with a long rod, checking its flow:


    ¡°Remember, if the flow isn¡¯t smooth enough, you need to add some carbon powder!¡±


    As he spoke, he sprinkled a precise amount of carbon powder and stirred it in.


    ¡°Remember this flow ¡ª keep the carbon powder ratio according to this.¡±


    Then, he added some silica powder:


    ¡°Adding silica powder lowers surface tension, increases corrosion resistance, and improves water and fire resistance, as well as oxidation resistance!¡±


    Although silica was a chemical substance, it was also one of the easiest materials for Richard to obtain.


    It was abundant in rocks, sand, and dirt ¡ª over 90% of the earth¡¯s crust was made up of silicate minerals.


    Silicon was the second most common element in the Earth¡¯s crust, after oxygen, so it was virtually everywhere.


    After finishing, Richard had the two blacksmiths pour the molten iron into the prepared molds.


    As the white smoke rose, the molds quickly filled up.


    Next came the waiting period for the iron to cool.


    Once it had fully cooled, Richard removed the frames, and everyone was stunned by what they saw.


    ¡°My god, it actually worked!¡±


    ¡°With this, making 500 sets of breastplates and helmets in eighteen days is no problem at all!¡±


    Everyone was overjoyed.


    Richard then instructed the head blacksmith to record the casting process in detail.


    The blacksmiths treated this knowledge like a precious treasure.


    Afterward, Richard left them to their work and walked out of the smithy:


    ¡°Send word to Sinton to gather those kids who don¡¯t like studying but know at least three hundred characters. Have them come here to learn blacksmithing and forging!¡±


    Richard needed more literate blacksmiths; it would make things much easier in the future.


    Those with no interest in learning were a perfect fit for this job.


    As for those who hadn¡¯t even learned three hundred characters, they didn¡¯t deserve to learn the forging trade at all.


    Once the Eagle¡¯s Domain prospers, having a skill will be a huge advantage.


    But for those who don¡¯t study or acquire any skills, they¡¯ll be left with only the hardest, most basic jobs. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If they want to enjoy the benefits of the domain¡¯s development, they¡¯d better not even think about it; they¡¯ll just have to envy others!


    As for the campaign against the Swamp Witch, Richard had officially moved it up on the agenda.


    He planned to carry out the attack at the beginning of next month, not wanting to wait any longer.


    There could only be one master in his territory!


    Moreover, from the more detailed information gathered over time, it seemed the Swamp Witch possessed a considerable amount of wealth and food.


    And Richard certainly needed to reclaim this wealth and food, which were rightfully part of his territory but currently beyond his control, to fill his own treasury.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47 The Witch¡¯s PlotAmidst the swamp, thick mists of miasma were rising, and patches of duckweed floated on the surface, surrounded by overgrown weeds.


    On the outskirts, towering trees stood guard, while deeper within lie eerie, blue-tinged lakes. Parts of the exposed land were dotted with bizarre plants, some even glowing with an ominous blue light, like giant poisonous mushrooms. Occasionally, bones ¡ª some human, others beastly ¡ª lie scattered, overgrown with moss.


    This place was a sanctuary for the wicked and a graveyard for the living. The sporadic bubbles rising from the swamp seemed to forewarn of its peril.


    At the heart of this treacherous expanse was a dense thicket, where faint flickers of firelight could be seen. From within, eerie and maniacal laughter echoes.


    ¡°Ah! Perfect! A knight with a fully awakened life seed! He will make the ideal ingredient for my potion!¡± the Swamp Witch cackled, her orange eyes glowing with fervor as the bone spurs protruding from her back quivered in excitement.


    ¡°The potion I can brew from him will be teeming with vitality, restoring my youthful looks and suppressing the malignant effects of my magic. I will look human again!¡±


    The Swamp Witch, though twisted in form, with skin mottled in shades of green and pink, exuding a stench of mud and rotting fish, was not always like this.


    Once, she had been a resident of Long Eagle Territory, a beautiful woman like any other. But when her family was slain by water demons, she sought forbidden power, stealing the notes and potions of a local shaman.


    After years of experimentation on herself, her strength grew immeasurably ¡ª but at a dire cost. She became a monstrosity.


    As her power grew, so did her thirst for vengeance. She massacred countless water demons, leaving the swamps littered with their corpses. Her revenge was so complete that even the demons began to fear her.


    However, the thrill of slaughter soon wore thin. Ironically, she eventually took many water demons into her service.


    Over the years, her retinue expanded to include not only water demons but also mist creatures and blood-sucking bats.


    Her twisted mind, corrupted by the potions she consumed, grew ever more deranged. She would even occasionally mate with the water demons, earning her a reputation as a vile and despicable witch.


    In the records that Rhodes delivered to Richard, she was described thus: ¡°It is said that the Swamp Witch is the consort of the water demons. If true, she truly is a despicable wretch!¡±


    Oblivious to the slander from the outside world, the witch cared only for one thing ¡ª power and beauty. ¡°Durand, do you seek the knight¡¯s life seed so you can revert to your human form and abandon us?¡± asked Hogan, the leader of the water demons, his green eyes glinting with suspicion.


    The witch sneered. ¡°Fool! Do you think I would ever choose to return to the disgusting existence of a human?¡±


    ¡°Really? You don¡¯t want to be human again? Besides, we seem far filthier than any human¡­¡± Hogan¡¯s eyes gleamed with a mix of humor and uncertainty.


    ¡°Idiot! It¡¯s humans who are filthy on the inside!¡± The witch¡¯s eyes flared with anger.


    ¡°I rid Long Eagle Territory of the swamp¡¯s threats. I slaughtered the water demons! Yet those humans wouldn¡¯t take me back!¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you destroy them when they had no lord? They were weak, ripe for slaughter.¡± Hogan asked, his voice now openly suspicious.


    ¡°Killing such worthless pigs would¡¯ve been a waste of my time and energy! You imbeciles murdered my family, and I came for vengeance!¡±


    ¡°That was Ace and the others, not me! If I¡¯d been involved, you wouldn¡¯t have spared me, nor would you have¡­ rewarded me with your favor, right?¡± Hogan¡¯s eyes glinted with smugness.


    Before he could finish, the Swamp Witch slapped him to the ground. ¡°That was a gift from me, worm! Don¡¯t forget your place! When did I ever need to explain myself to you?¡± she sneered.


    Turning her gaze to her potion shelf, she mused.


    Yes, she had lied to him. She longed to regain her human beauty.


    She remembered stories of a witch who, with the right potion, seduced a king and became queen. That witch even possessed a magical mirror that could answer any question about the world. Oh, how she yearned for such power¡­


    ¡°Stop lying there like a dead fish!¡± The witch kicked Hogan, sending him skidding across the muddy ground. ¡°Tell your underlings to avoid the human towns for a while. I need time to brew potions specifically to deal with knights!¡±


    Though Hogan¡¯s eyes flashed with anger, he bowed his head and slunk away. The witch watched him leave, smirking. She tapped the edge of a worn wooden table, summoning a vampire bat. It flapped in through the open door.


    ¡°I¡¯m out of materials. Go gather more! I need ingredients for weakness potions, fatigue potions, toxins, and paralyzing agents¡­¡±


    The bat hesitated. ¡°It would be faster if you just told me what to collect.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Irritated, the witch pulled out a tattered list. ¡°Spider crab excrement, corpse infant hair, ghoul eyeballs, deformed spider silk, tsetse fly mouthparts¡­ As much as you can find!¡±


    The bat seemed frozen in place, memorizing the strange items on the list. After a moment, it spoke. ¡°Some of these will be hard to get. We¡¯ll need the mist demons¡¯ help.¡±


    The witch turned and bellowed into the fog. ¡°Bowie, you filthy wretch! Take your lackeys and follow the bat to collect materials!¡±


    A raspy voice responded from the mist. ¡°Understood.¡±


    With that, the bat flew off, soon joined by a swarm of bats that blotted out the light in the witch¡¯s chamber.


    ¡°Filthy creatures, blocking my view! How am I supposed to work like this?!¡± she cursed as the bats vanished into the distance, and the dim light returned.


    Looking at the jars and bottles scattered around her, the witch grinned wickedly. ¡°Soon, very soon¡­ Just a few more ingredients, and my potions will be ready. Perhaps I can even sneak into the human city. They say that knight is fond of beautiful women¡­ That will make things easy.¡±


    Though she could not completely return to her human form, she could use her potions to temporarily suppress the curse within her. With a little makeup and a clever disguise, the knight would be hers to manipulate.


    ¡°He has some knightly attendants too, doesn¡¯t he? While they lack life seeds, their vitality might be enough to help me feel even younger.¡±


    The witch¡¯s grotesque face contorted into a hideous grin.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48 Four Great Knights Under His Command! Birth!In another part of the territory, Richard remained unaware of the swamp¡¯s lurking conspiracy. He continued to go about his duties in an orderly manner, adhering to his well-thought-out plans.


    As he rode his horse around the territory for a routine inspection, he arrived at the old town. There, everyone was busy working.


    The dilapidated structures that once stood had been completely demolished, and workers were clearing away the debris. The area had long been abandoned, and leaving it in its state was not only pointless but also a potential breeding ground for disease, with waste and filth accumulating in various corners.


    Now that the primary tasks had been completed, some workers were assigned to clean up the remnants.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ali?¡± Richard inquired of a local team leader.


    The man saluted before replying, ¡°Foreman Ali went to the fields. He said the work here is almost done and left us team leaders to oversee the final cleanup. The wheat fields are more important, and he wanted to keep an eye on them.¡±


    ¡°Has he been guarding the wheat fields this entire time?¡± Richard asked.


    The team leader nodded. ¡°Yes, Foreman Ali is worried that wild animals might damage the crops. He even organized a patrol from among us to keep an eye on the fields, checking for any wildlife.¡±


    ¡°I see. Carry on with your work,¡± Richard acknowledged, turning his horse around and leaving.


    He hadn¡¯t asked about Ali just out of curiosity. He specifically sought him out for a reason.


    Recently, Richard had noticed that some of his knight followers were nearing a critical point in their life force. He was now making one final check.


    Two people had already been confirmed: Charles and Helen.


    Both had been leading the militia in their training, and their strength had increased significantly. Part of this was due to their full-time dedication to training, but both of them were also naturally gifted, which was why Richard had entrusted them with the militia¡¯s training in the first place.


    As for Ali, who had to balance managing the workers and practicing his breathing techniques in his spare time, it was a pleasant surprise for Richard to see him approaching the critical point.


    If Ali reached the threshold this time, Richard intended to help them all advance together.


    In total, Richard had identified four potential candidates. Apart from Charles, Helen, and Ali, the last one was an unexpected surprise: the academy¡¯s head teacher, Sinton.


    If all four could advance to official knights, it would significantly bolster the overall strength of Long Eagle Territory.


    Richard had been focused on growing crops, training soldiers, and building strength during this time so that one day, Long Eagle could become a powerful force of its own.


    Although everyone knew Richard had the backing of the Duke¡¯s domain, he had not taken a single thing from them since arriving.


    He didn¡¯t want to be known as the second son of Duke Gerwin of the Bayne family. Instead, he hoped that one day, people from the Duke¡¯s domain would proudly say they came from the territory of Lord Richard.


    Richard detested the barbaric system of this land, and so he worked diligently to gather strength, aiming for the day when he could sweep through it all, stamping his mark on this ignorant and savage world.


    On a small hill outside the wheat fields, a young man was training. His body exuded an overwhelming pressure¡ªwild and savage. Every move he made was powerful and destructive, crushing shrubs in his path and scaring away small animals.


    It was the Bear Breathing Technique.


    Sensing the disturbance, the young man turned abruptly, adopting a defensive stance. When he recognized Richard, he quickly dropped his guard and respectfully saluted.


    ¡°Ali greets Lord Richard!¡±


    Richard dismounted with a smile, patting Ali on the shoulder. ¡°Good progress. Meet me at the militia training camp. I¡¯ll give you a special training session today.¡±


    Ali¡¯s eyes lit up in excitement, and he quickly bowed. ¡°Thank you, Lord!¡±


    Richard grinned, ¡°Go ahead. I still have some matters to attend to, but I¡¯ll meet you there later.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord!¡± Ali responded with a respectful bow before hurrying off.


    As for Sinton, Richard was a bit less certain about him. The last time he checked on Sinton¡¯s progress was a week ago. Back then, he was still a bit far from the critical point.


    Normally, Richard wouldn¡¯t bother with someone at that stage, but Sinton was different. After being appointed as the head teacher, Sinton had found his calling, and his energy and focus had transformed him. His progress in training had been astonishingly swift.


    So, Richard decided to give him a chance, and Sinton didn¡¯t disappoint.


    When Richard checked on him after class, he found that Sinton¡¯s life force, while slightly weaker than Ali¡¯s, had exceeded his expectations. After offering some words of encouragement, Richard brought him along to the training field.


    There, the three others were already waiting, looking at each other in confusion, unsure of what was about to happen.


    When they saw Richard bringing Sinton over, they were even more bewildered as to why the four of them had been singled out for special training. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Any questions can wait until after the training,¡± Richard commanded. ¡°Now, release your life force and begin forming your life seeds!¡±


    The four stood frozen in shock.


    Sinton, in particular, looked utterly incredulous.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Richard scolded, snapping them out of their daze. They quickly adopted their stances.


    The atmosphere became charged as the aura of the Bear, Serpent, Leopard, and Ape clashed and reverberated around them.


    Though Richard practiced a different breathing technique than they did, he was familiar with all of their methods.


    For him, guiding them through the life-seed formation was no more complicated than a college student solving elementary math problems. All he needed to do was offer support, converting his own life force to help them along.


    With a series of invisible sound bursts, four entirely new auras erupted simultaneously. Although the Bear, Serpent, Leopard, and Ape¡¯s presences remained, this time, they felt more real, more tangible.


    ¡°Did we really just¡­ break through?¡± they muttered in disbelief.


    The next moment, they were overcome with joy, dropping to their knees before Richard. ¡°Thank you for your grace, Lord! We pledge our lives and blood to serve you, unto death!¡±


    A faint light flickered across Richard¡¯s face as his vast life force replenished itself, his complexion regaining its healthy glow. He smiled and said, ¡°Prepare yourselves. You¡¯ll be knighted this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord!¡± they responded, their voices filled with excitement, ringing across the training grounds.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49 Knighthood!On the square, all the villagers stood in neat rows, awaiting Richard¡¯s speech.


    At that moment, four knights stood alongside Richard on the stage. He addressed the crowd, ¡°Villagers, today is a day to remember! I am proud to announce that apart from myself, our territory, Long Eagle, has officially produced four new knights!¡±


    The villagers, unaware of this development, immediately erupted in excitement.


    ¡°Glory to the lord!¡±


    ¡°Glory to the lord!¡±


    After the chants subsided, and silence fell again, Richard continued:


    ¡°At this moment, I feel the collective strength of our entire community, and I see the future hope of Long Eagle!¡±


    ¡°During these past months, I have witnessed your obedience, your striving for better lives, and the eagerness of the children to learn. These are the changes we¡¯ve made together.¡±


    ¡°You once were a group of swine. And now¡­ you remain a group of swine!¡±


    ¡°However, you are now a bit smarter!¡±


    ¡°But I hope one day, you will truly transform, and I will witness your complete change. When that time comes, you will be able to shed the name of ¡®swine¡¯ and proudly become human!¡±


    ¡°Do you all want that?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The crowd roared.


    Richard smiled, ¡°Very good. Now, let us witness the valor of our warriors, the four outstanding figures who were the first to break through and become knights among us!¡±


    ¡°Charles!¡±


    ¡°Present!¡± The militia captain, Charles, shouted with excitement, his face flushed.


    ¡°Helen!¡±


    ¡°Present!¡± Vice-Captain Helen¡¯s voice rang with strength.


    ¡°Ali!¡±


    ¡°Present!¡± The usually calm Ali was visibly moved.


    ¡°Sinton!¡±


    ¡°Present!¡± Sinton, the head teacher of the school, no longer displayed the self-doubt and reservation he once had.


    The four knelt in a row before Richard.


    Drawing his sword, Richard lightly tapped Charles on the back and shoulders with the flat of the blade, initiating the knighting ceremony.


    ¡°William Calvo Charles! I, Richard of the Bayne family, Viscount of Long Eagle, in the name of the Bayne family, under the kingship of Hales I, by the authority of all the people of this land and our ancestors, bestow upon you the title of knight. You have upheld the loyalty and honor of a knight. You may now take your knight¡¯s vow!¡±


    Charles stood, his voice shaking with emotion as he began his oath:


    ¡°I, William Calvo Charles, do swear:¡±


    ¡°I will serve Viscount Richard as my lord!¡±


    ¡°I will give all my loyalty!¡±


    ¡°I will regard Lord Richard¡¯s orders as my destiny!¡±


    ¡°The direction of my attack shall be wherever the lord¡¯s sword points!¡±


    ¡°I will treat the weak with kindness!¡±


    ¡°I will face the strong with courage!¡±


    ¡°I will battle wrongdoers!¡±


    ¡°I will fight for those who cannot fight!¡±


    ¡°I will help those who seek my aid!¡±


    ¡°I will not harm women!¡±


    ¡°I will support my knightly brothers!¡±


    ¡°I will be loyal to my friends!¡±


    ¡°I will be true to love!¡±


    Following Charles, Helen, Ali, and Sinton each took their oaths in turn.


    With the conclusion of the oaths, the square erupted into applause.


    The crowd was abuzz with excitement.


    ¡°This is great! Including the lord, our land now has five knights! We¡¯ll be safer from now on!¡±


    ¡°Yes, we no longer need to fear monsters attacking us!¡±


    ¡°Long live the lord! Long live the knights!¡±


    In the light drizzle, the villagers began dancing joyfully in the square. For these simple people, safety and happiness were enough. Their desires were basic and unpretentious.


    Standing nearby, Cinderella watched the ceremony with admiration as Richard cut the tails off the probationary knight banners and presented the newly donned knight uniforms.


    Richard smiled and pulled Cinderella over, much to her confusion, and announced loudly:


    ¡°Everyone, quiet down! I have another announcement to make!¡±


    The crowd quickly quieted down, curious about what the lord was going to declare.


    ¡°Could it be that he¡¯s announcing his relationship? The witch is very beautiful, but she is, after all, a witch!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I respect the witch, but isn¡¯t she just the lord¡¯s head maid?¡±


    ¡°If the lord were to marry the witch, wouldn¡¯t it have happened by now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. The lord is a knight, faithful to love and honorable!¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s appointing the witch to a position!¡±


    ¡°Appointing her as what? The head witch?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but whatever the lord decides, that¡¯s what we go with!¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re a swine too, remember?¡±


    The crowd buzzed with laughter, teasing each other lightheartedly. Their attitudes had greatly improved from just over a month ago.


    Richard overheard their chatter and smiled. The change in the villagers¡¯ mindset was a good thing. A saying goes: ¡°Attitude determines altitude.¡± These mental shifts were positive signs.


    However, as for their speculations about marrying Cinderella, that wasn¡¯t on Richard¡¯s mind. After all, women only interfere with the speed at which a man can draw his sword¡­ or, in this case, develop his territory!


    Richard then raised his voice and declared:


    ¡°From today onward, I appoint Cinderella as the advisor of Long Eagle! Her salary will be eight silver coins per month!¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cinderella was astonished, covering her mouth in disbelief.


    Combined with her previous salary of six silver coins as head maid, she would now be earning 14 silver coins a month! Even the knight¡¯s squires only earned nine silver coins!


    Tears of joy welled up in Cinderella¡¯s eyes.


    For a brief moment, the square was silent before erupting into cheers.


    ¡°Long live the lord! Long live Lady Cinderella!¡±


    ¡°Long live the lord! Long live Ms. Cinderella!¡± one person corrected the chant.


    It was all well and good to call her the witch casually, but in such a formal setting, using her name was more appropriate.


    The villagers had experienced the benefits of working with the witch over the past few months and were genuinely happy for her new role.


    The children were especially excited, their cheers even louder than the adults¡¯.


    Seeing all this, Cinderella was overcome with emotion.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50 Title: Heaven¡¯s Mandate Lord!¡°Thank you, Master!¡±


    Cinderella said happily.


    Seeing the way everyone treated her and witnessing the title Richard gave her in public, Cinderella felt a respect like she had never experienced before.


    Amidst the crowd¡¯s cheers, many people danced and excitedly discussed the scene.


    After spending time together, the commoners no longer feared the witch.


    They even started to feel some affection for her.


    It seemed that witches were not as terrifying as the legends said.


    Perhaps the shadow cast by the witch Duran incident many years ago made them believe that witches and sorceresses were all brutal, evil, bloodthirsty, and inhumane.


    Although Duran hadn¡¯t killed anyone from their ranks back then, she did slay many water demons, but it was later rumored that she had become the Swamp Witch.


    She had even commanded numerous monsters under her. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Naturally, these people were afraid.


    For many years, they lived in constant anxiety.


    The reason they didn¡¯t flee Long Eagle Territory was partly due to its remote location. If they escaped, they feared that encountering monsters on the road would leave them with no chance to survive.


    Another reason was that their lives were like those of swine, with no hope for the future. Living or dying didn¡¯t make much difference to them.


    So they simply resigned themselves to fate, not caring when the Swamp Witch might come to invade Long Eagle Territory.


    What they didn¡¯t know was that it wasn¡¯t the Swamp Witch sparing them, but that they held no value to her.


    With the time and energy it would take, the witch would rather venture deep into the forest in search of something to increase her own power¡ªperhaps even a way to restore her youth!


    But the commoners, being ordinary people, had no way of knowing the actions of the Swamp Witch.


    That¡¯s why when they first saw Cinderella using magic, they reacted in terror.


    Some even thought she was the Swamp Witch in disguise.


    It was only after spending so much time with her that they finally understood: not all witches are evil.


    Moreover, seeing a witch publicly appointed as an advisor by the lord filled them with hope.


    Although life had been hard during this time, they had enough to eat, warm clothes to wear, and the town was filled with latrines, with flowing spring water beside them. After relieving themselves, they could use a wooden ladle to pour water to wash away the filth, which would then flow into a biogas pit below.


    They had already become accustomed to clean, sanitary surroundings, and they absolutely refused to return to their former way of living.


    When they first heard Richard say he hoped to eventually regard them as ¡°people,¡± it had seemed an unreachable dream.


    After all, not only in front of Richard but even in front of the knights and squires, they felt deeply inferior.


    But now, seeing a witch with a bad reputation being granted a position by the lord, they realized that Richard¡¯s earlier words weren¡¯t so far from them after all.


    This was the effect of recognizing talent without prejudice.


    Everyone¡¯s motivation was suddenly ignited.


    They decided to work with all their might, even if it killed them!


    The change in the commoners¡¯ mindset was immediately noticed by Richard¡¯s system.


    [Detected increase in commoners¡¯ loyalty. Current overall loyalty: 95.].[Population growth rate: 100%. Work enthusiasm: 100%!].[Due to your loyalty surpassing 90 points for the first time, your territory gains the ¡°Invigorated¡± effect. Population growth rate: 105%, work enthusiasm: 105%, lasting for one month.].[Bonus attribute from Invigoration: Current crops will increase yield by 20%. This effect lasts until the current harvest!].[Reminder: Your commoners¡¯ loyalty is about to reach the maximum. Upon reaching the maximum, they will gain the ¡°Passionate¡± effect, further increasing several values. Please continue your efforts, Host!].


    Richard was overjoyed upon seeing this.


    The population growth rate had surpassed normal levels. The extra 5% meant people were willing to have more children, and it also indicated a lower infant mortality rate!


    And with a 20% increase in yield, the 40,000 acres of wheat would produce as if 3,000 more acres had been planted!


    An extra 3,000 acres of harvest¡ªhow wonderful!


    The joy of the harvest was already beginning to take hold!


    And this was just the beginning.


    ¡­


    On the other side, Cinderella felt an unprecedented respect, and her emotions peaked.


    If, previously, Richard had been like a god descending from the heavens in her heart¡ªmajestic yet kind, someone she loved and revered deeply¡ª


    Then now, Richard had thoroughly imprinted on her soul. Even her every bit of magic seemed to dance for him, and her eyes were filled with endless love.


    At this moment, even if Richard told her to die, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate. She wouldn¡¯t ask the reason.


    As long as it was something Richard wanted, she would willingly risk her life to accomplish it!


    No one could stop her from offering her devotion!


    ¡­


    [Detected that your subordinate Cinderella¡¯s loyalty has reached 110%. You have earned the title: Heaven¡¯s Mandate!].[Your current status in the Lord System: Heaven¡¯s Mandate Lord!].


    Suddenly, a system prompt rang in Richard¡¯s ears. Hearing this, he was momentarily stunned:


    ¡°Heaven¡¯s Mandate Lord? What does that mean?¡±


    [A lord with the Heaven¡¯s Mandate title gains experience points from the strengthening of their domain¡¯s members, and their own power synchronously increases!].


    Richard¡¯s eyes lit up.


    However, he suddenly frowned and asked:


    ¡°What if my subordinates are killed? Will my strength weaken?¡±


    [A lord enhanced by Heaven¡¯s Mandate is not affected by the loss of subordinates. Even if they die, the lord¡¯s power will not diminish!].[The power gained through this process is based on the strengthening journey of your members and is irreversible.].


    ¡°So, even if all my subordinates die, my strength won¡¯t change? If I recruit a new subordinate and they grow stronger, I will still increase in strength?¡±


    Richard asked this to clarify whether he needed to rely on the remaining subordinates to ¡°make up¡± for any lost strength.


    [Yes, Host!].


    Hearing this, Richard felt reassured and then asked again:


    ¡°What can I use Heaven¡¯s Mandate experience points for?¡±


    [Heaven¡¯s Mandate experience points can be used to draw various skills, allowing you to enhance yourself in a more structured way!].


    ¡°Excellent!¡±


    A smile immediately spread across Richard¡¯s face.


    This system was truly useful.


    Every time, it brought him pleasant surprises!

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51 The First Battle of the TerritoryTime passed like the slag pit outside the forge¡ªgradually filled, emptied, and cleared away¡ªuntil three days went by. Several rounds of slag were removed, marking the passage of multiple three-day periods. Finally, the pit no longer received new waste, and cheers erupted from inside the forge.


    ¡°Hurry! Go notify the lord! We¡¯ve completed the 500 sets of breastplates and helmets!¡±


    Immediately, a fourteen-year-old blacksmith apprentice dashed out of the forge and ran towards the lord¡¯s castle.


    ¡°Are they finished?¡±


    Upon receiving the report, Richard calmly stopped his practice. With the title of ¡°Heaven¡¯s Mandate¡±, his strength was rapidly increasing, but he never neglected his daily training.


    For him, the system was only a tool to assist; as strong as that tool might be, he couldn¡¯t afford to slack off. A solid habit of self-discipline was what truly belonged to him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, have a look!¡±


    With that, Richard led his men out of the castle.


    In the forge, Richard inspected the rows of breastplates and helmets neatly stacked in the storage area, nodding to himself. He took a few pieces, knocked on them with his knuckles, and judged their quality by the sound.


    He sighed lightly. ¡°Barely passable.¡±


    The blacksmiths beside him, upon seeing his sigh, broke out in a cold sweat and immediately dropped to their knees.


    Richard glanced at them. ¡°Stand up. The items are passable, just barely. But that¡¯s not your fault; it¡¯s the limitations of the current smelting techniques.¡±


    The blacksmiths let out a sigh of relief.


    Richard then instructed to have the armor delivered to the militia training camp.


    ¡°Also, send over 500 spears that were crafted earlier.¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡­


    At the militia training camp, everyone was going through their usual drills.


    ¡°Stay sharp! The lord has scheduled the attack on the swamp witch for the next few days! The more you sweat during training, the less blood you¡¯ll spill on the battlefield!


    ¡°If I catch anyone slacking or not keeping up, don¡¯t expect any recognition when we report merits!¡±


    Charles, leading the drills, shouted orders while directing the troops, and Helen patrolled around them, her sharp eyes making everyone straighten up.


    At that moment, the sound of approaching hooves echoed in the distance. Everyone knew instantly that the lord had arrived, and their training efforts doubled. Only the lord traveled with such an entourage.


    Richard dismounted and gave orders.


    ¡°Charles, assemble the men!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Charles immediately barked, ¡°Attention! Form ranks! March!¡±


    After a few commands, Charles reported, ¡°My lord, the men are assembled!¡±


    Under his direction, the soldiers lined up neatly before Richard, with Helen standing tall at one side.


    Richard looked at the group and nodded in approval, smiling.


    ¡°Good. You¡¯re looking sharp. Seems the past two months of training haven¡¯t gone to waste.¡±


    Upon hearing this casual praise, the troops straightened even more, feeling a surge of pride.


    To them, Richard was like a god, and his approval was everything.


    ¡°I mentioned before that the beginning of this month would mark our attack on the swamp witch. In my domain, no foreign power is allowed to exist, not even a witch!¡±


    ¡°And you are the weapons I wield to protect the people and deter threats!¡±


    As Richard finished, Helen led the troops in a resounding chant:


    ¡°Swear allegiance to the Lord until death!¡±


    ¡°Swear allegiance to the Lord until death!¡±


    Their voices echoed like thunder, startling birds into flight and causing farmers in nearby fields to turn their heads.


    Once the chanting subsided, Richard continued:


    ¡°Today, I¡¯ll be distributing these armors and weapons to you. You¡¯ll have one day to familiarize yourselves with the equipment, rest for the night, and then we march tomorrow!


    ¡°Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The soldiers were roused with excitement, their eyes nearly bulging with eagerness at the prospect of receiving the new gear.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you once more: Are you afraid to fight the witch?¡±


    ¡°Not afraid! Not afraid! Not afraid!¡±


    ¡°Good! Then prepare for battle!¡±


    ¡°The direction my whip points is where we strike!¡±


    Yet despite their fervor, the soldiers remained perfectly still, a testament to their discipline and rigorous training.


    These troops had already seen combat, having fought alongside Richard and survived countless battles against tree spirits in the forest. Their fear and hesitation had long since been replaced with hardened resolve, and they now formed a battle-ready spear infantry unit of 500 men.


    Richard, fully aware of their readiness, knew that one day was enough for them to adjust to the new equipment. Their main task would be getting used to the weight and feel of the armor, which posed no challenge given their current strength.


    ¡°Charles, take your men and march around the territory. Show them to the people!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The troops set off immediately. Richard wanted his citizens to see the might of their army, boosting their confidence.


    Everywhere the soldiers marched, people were filled with excitement.


    ¡°Look at how powerful our army is! We¡¯ll be even safer now!¡±


    ¡°I saw my husband! He¡¯s in the middle, holding a spear. He looks so strong!¡±


    ¡°My son is in there too; I found him!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my neighbor over there! He¡¯s changed so much!¡±


    The enthusiasm spread throughout the crowd.


    [From bronze to iron, you have demonstrated exceptional leadership, forging a combat-ready force. Facing the threat of the swamp witch, you have planned carefully and chosen not to retreat.].[In your strategic vision, a new campaign awaits you. Make sure to complete your preparations quickly, for the enemy won¡¯t wait forever!].