After Lynn returned bloodied from battle with fifty new recruits, he learned that a delegation of Wild People had already visited Manor No. 6.
He knew Little Albert's abilities and temperament well.
As a second-generation steward, Little Albert was cunning, decisive, and ruthless, showing no mercy to lowly serfs.
He could even whip a serf until he was covered in bloody welts without changing expression.
Lynn believed Little Albert was capable of handling negotiations with the Wild People.
After stuffing the fifty new recruits into the barracks, Lynn immediately rushed to the road construction site.
It was already mid-June, and the fifty-five-kilometer gravel road was finally nearing completion.
"My lord, once the final two kilometers of stone paving are finished, the road from White Bear Territory to the Salt Mine will be fully completed."
Old Albert had spent two months supervising work in the forest. Not only had he not lost weight, he had grown slightly plumper.
That was mainly because these serfs were far easier to manage than before. Not only did he no longer need to wave a whip to urge them on, they even competed to work.
There was nothing to be done about it. The lord was simply giving them too much.
Over the past two months, Lynn had not only kept them fed, but had also granted full Allotment Land to forty serfs.
In truth, he had paid no real price at all.
These serfs still had to pay exorbitant taxes exceeding fifty percent, and they still had to perform Corvée for their lord.
What they had gained was merely relative freedom in status.
No longer having to work for the lord four days a week meant they now had the right to choose an "occupation."
Besides tending their own fields, they could help stewards