Starting with Recruiting Followers

Starting with Recruiting Followers

As Albert sized Lynn up, Lynn was also studying the short old man who had stepped forward to greet him. But he was looking at more than just Albert's appearance—he was looking at what lay within.

[Albert★★]

[Command E-][Strength E-][Constitution E][Intelligence E+][Administration D+][Charisma E+]

[Loyalty: 58 (Can be recruited as a follower)]

[Trait: Pacifying the People—Reduces the chance of rebellion among the people under his rule]

Two stars?

During the years Lynn had spent as a Horse Bandit, the best among his five brothers had only been two stars.

He had only just arrived in his Territory System, yet he had already found a two-star follower—and a precious administration-type follower at that.

As long as loyalty exceeded fifty points, he could seize them in one stroke and refine them instantly.

Lynn swept his gaze over the group behind Albert. To his surprise, there were two one-star administration-type talents among them, both with positive traits.

This tiny White Bear Territory was truly hiding dragons and crouching tigers.

However, he did not see any burly warriors among the welcoming party.

According to the list he had seized from Roman, White Bear Territory should have had four invested knights and several knight attendants.

His gaze returned to the little old man before him, and a warm smile unconsciously appeared on Lynn's lips. "And you are?"

"White Bear Territory's Manor Steward, Albert."

Albert was deeply uneasy. He had served as the steward of this Territory System for nearly twenty years. Through his exceptional ability to read people and his outstanding management skills, he had kept the Territory System in perfect order and earned the trust of the previous two Lords.

But who knew whether the new Lord would continue to value him?

This was a master from the main branch of an earl's family. Would it not be perfectly normal for him to bring several trusted stewards with him when taking office?

The cold winds of the Northern Border had worn down his prematurely aged body. All he wanted was to spend his final years on this land where he had poured out so much sweat.

Lynn nodded and asked, "Where are the previous Lord's knights and attendants?"

"My Lord, after the previous Lord died last winter, the knights and attendants under him fled the Territory System one after another. They even took all the money and Warhorses with them.

For the past few months, the local residents have been anxious and unsettled, afraid that Horse Bandits and the Wild People north of the forest would raid the Territory System. Thankfully, the gods protected us, and the Territory System remained unharmed. Now that you have arrived—and brought so many brave knights with you—the local residents can finally rest easy."

At the mention of those bastards who were supposed to protect the land, Albert was full of bitterness.

"Mm, it doesn't matter. My knights and I will do our utmost to protect the Territory System."

Lynn did not care about those knights who had fled. Their departure conveniently left their positions open for his own men.

Running away was only human nature. After all, a new ruler brought a new court. Knights could move about freely and easily find other work, such as becoming mercenaries or Horse Bandits.

Fleeing with the money before the new Lord arrived had been the optimal choice.

However, the stewards and Farm Managers led by Albert could not easily flee. They lacked force and were too deeply tied to the Territory System.

It was just a pity that Lynn could no longer use those knights as an example.

"My Lord, White Bear Territory has more than three thousand diligent serfs. We have plow oxen, Draft Horses, and farming tools in abundance. As long as you manage it with care, this Territory System's output certainly will not disappoint you!"

Having received the new Lord's assurance, Albert finally let go of the worry hanging over his heart.

Lynn's gaze passed over the Territory Steward who was patting his chest in guarantee and fell upon the vast, level fields behind him.

White Bear Territory lay on the western bank of the White River. The terrain was flat, the soil fertile, and the land suitable for cultivation.

The other three sides of the Territory System were surrounded by dense forests, making the environment relatively isolated.

Lynn was very satisfied with this. It was the ideal environment for farming.

As long as he could develop in secret, forget the Marsh Duke—even if the King of the North came in person, he could confidently ask:

King, how many divisions do you have?

At the same time, a deep-blue virtual panel gradually emerged in his field of vision.

[Territory System acquired]

[Territory System functions unlocked]

[Map functions unlocked]

[Follower Dispatch function unlocked]

[Begin a new journey?]

Begin.

Lynn did not hesitate in the slightest.

[Your name?]

Lynn.

After several years, he had grown accustomed to that name.

[Please name your new Territory System]

White Bear City.

After some thought, Lynn ultimately followed local custom and named the Territory System White Bear City.

Legend had it that when the pioneering knight of the Cold Wind Family fought through thorns and brambles to reach this riverside plain, he saw a massive white bear fishing by the river.

Thus, he named the new Territory System White Bear Territory, while the river flowing through it was named the White River.

On the Continent of Diavas, bears symbolized strength, independence, and resilience.

To the ancient natives of the Northern Border, bears were even gods of the mountains and forests, as well as guardians of nature.

Keeping this name would make it easier for Lynn to rule the Territory System.

As for adding the suffix "City," that was part of his plan for the Territory System's future.

[New journey begun]

The game interface instantly expanded in a frenzy, and a massive Pixel Map appeared before Lynn's eyes.

At the center of the map floated a pixel figure representing himself.

He had brown hair and black eyes, wore gleaming knight armor, and held a Longsword aloft. He looked adorable yet fierce.

On the map, he could see the White River, still frozen over.

To the west of the White River lay vast stretches of Strip Fields, dotted with manors.

This was all the information Lynn could obtain from the map.

Beyond the Territory System lay nothing but dense, impenetrable white fog of war.

Nothing could be seen.

Based on his gaming experience from his previous life, if he wanted to clear the fog of war, he either had to explore it personally or send followers to do so.

[Follower Dispatch] was one of the game's core mechanics.

In the follower column beside the map, Lynn could see a pixel figure representing Albert, the Manor Steward.

It was a slightly stooped middle-aged man dressed in brown.

With a thought from Lynn, Albert's pixel figure appeared in the Strip Fields and began laboriously swinging a hoe.

[Planting task assigned to Albert]

[Planting experience +1]

[Tier One Farming: 1/100]

Now that he was a Lord, there was naturally no need for him to toil away personally just to gain experience.

He only needed to assign followers to various positions to gain the corresponding experience and gradually unlock all kinds of knowledge and technologies beyond the era.

It gave him a strange sense of using Palus.

[Current overall Territory System prosperity: Level 1]

[Followers dispatched: 1/5]

A Level One Territory System could only dispatch five followers.

As the Territory System's level rose, the number of followers that could be dispatched would increase as well.

Albert had talked himself dry praising White Bear Territory.

Yet he realized that the Lord had shown no reaction at all. He was merely staring expressionlessly at the air before him.

Albert could not help feeling uneasy.

Could it be that the Lord was extremely dissatisfied with White Bear Territory's current state?

That made sense. As someone from the main branch of the noble Cold Wind Family, it was perfectly normal for him to look down on tiny White Bear Territory, with its sparse population and poor land.

Moreover, he had been exiled from prosperous and wealthy Cold Wind Valley to this bitterly cold place, only to find the Territory System's wealth completely swept away. It would be stranger if he felt no resentment.

Or perhaps the Lord was considering which unlucky person to use to establish his authority?

The previous Lord's knights and attendants had all fled. Did that not mean he could only make an example of the stewards and Farm Managers?

As the Territory Steward, he certainly would not escape it. He would most likely be replaced.

He might even be stripped of everything. He would not even get to remain a Farm Manager, instead falling straight to the lowest rank of serf. At night, he would have to squeeze into a room with stinking cattle, sheep, and pigs, and every morning he would wake up choking on the foul stench filling the room.

(End of this chapter)