New Recruits

That night, Karl stayed at the military camp.

The Count's forces were extremely efficient; in just one night, the promised 500 militiamen had been assembled.

The next morning, Karl met the new recruits on the drill ground.

Most of them were stocky, with dark skin, calloused hands, and simple eyes that held a hint of bewilderment and expectation for the future.

It's clear that they were mainly recruited from farms and mines around Fran City; they had clean backgrounds and were hardworking.

This type of recruit, if given sufficient provisions and fair treatment, can often cultivate the most loyal and courageous soldiers.

What caught Karl's attention even more was that there were many women, children, and the elderly accompanying the group; they were the families of these militiamen.

Without hesitation, Karl registered them as well, intending to bring them back to Carnford together.

Soldiers with families in their territory tend to have a stronger sense of belonging and are more willing to fight to the death to protect their homeland.

Lyon's cavalry was also ready to go, dozens of warhorses snorting and fifty cavalrymen looking solemn.

The team quickly assembled.

Karl mounted his horse and took the lead in the procession.

Lyon led his cavalry close behind, followed by five hundred newly recruited militiamen and their families. At the rear of the procession were a dozen or so wagons laden with the Count's aid of grain, weapons, and building materials.

The massive army slowly marched out of the military camp in Fran City, crossed the streets, and headed towards the city gate.

Many people who had heard the news still gathered to watch along both sides of the street.

They cheered for the troops, encouraging these brave warriors who were about to head to the Northern Territory front to defend their homeland.

The enthusiastic scene reminded Karl of the time a few months earlier when he first led that small pioneering team out of Fran City and headed for the unknown Northern Territory.

That's how people saw him off back then.

Time has passed, and he is no longer the pampered second son of a nobleman whom no one believed in, but a border Lord has successfully established himself in the Northern Territory and achieved brilliant military exploits.

The cheers of the crowd were filled with sincere respect and expectations.

However, unlike last time, he did not see the figure he most wanted to see among the departing crowd until the procession had completely left the city gate.

Charlotte did not come, nor did the Count.

Only the Count's clerk, representing the Governor's Office, came to the city gate to convey Karl's final blessings and some routine matters concerning the handover of supplies.

Karl understood why.

The Count was deliberately keeping his distance in this way, avoiding drawing attention too early and exposing his relationship with Charlotte to the public eye.

This is both a form of protection and a silent reminder.

Until he truly proves himself and wins the engagement, nothing is set in stone.

He took one last, deep look back at the majestic Governor's Office's castle, as if he could see through the walls and see the girl watching him from somewhere.

Then, he suddenly pulled on the reins, turned his horse around, and spurred it to catch up with the increasingly faster flow of people ahead.

Karl led this mixed force of recruits, cavalry, and their families back to Carnford without incident, following the familiar road.

When the majestic and sturdy fortress standing on the mountaintop, and the orderly settlement of the people below it, with smoke rising from their chimneys, appeared on the horizon.

The militiamen and their families from the outskirts of Fran City, who had never set foot in such a remote Northern Territory before, all let out a low murmur of amazement and discussion.

They had originally thought that the legendary Carnford, located at the forefront of the fight against the Sauron, would be a desolate, dilapidated, and precarious outpost.

After all, it was a border fortress abandoned by the Goldflower Kingdom for many years.

If the Count had not personally ordered their conscription and promised them generous resettlement allowances and military pay, they would never have been willing to leave the relatively peaceful Fran City and come to this land rumored to be ravaged by barbarians.

However, what they saw before them completely overturned their expectations!

Towering stone walls, sturdy towers, dense fortifications, vast fields of thriving crops outside the city, and simple yet neat stone houses...

All of this paints a picture of vitality and order, quite different from their imagined "bitter and cold frontier".

In particular, the castle perched atop the mountain, gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen in the sunlight, gave these simple farmers and miners' children a great sense of security.

In their simple understanding, a magnificent castle represents a powerful, wealthy, and reliable Lord and territory.

"Look! That castle is huge!"

"The crops in the field are growing so well..."

"This place... doesn't seem as scary as I've heard..."

"Looks like we've come to the right place!"

The whispers in the group gradually turned into relaxed and relieved murmurs, and many people showed knowing smiles, their previously uneasy feelings calming down considerably.

That's exactly the effect Karl wanted: a prosperous and safe homeland is the best recruitment advertisement and stabilizer.

As the procession approached the fortress along the road, the old residents of Carnford, who were working in the fields or busy in the workshops, stopped what they were doing when they saw Karl return. They enthusiastically tipped their hats and waved and cheered to their Lord.

"The Lord is back!"

"My lord! You've finally returned!"

"Look! They've brought back so many people!"

These heartfelt welcomes and respects allowed the newly arrived militiamen to more directly experience the young Lord's prestige and popularity in the territory.

Karl rode on horseback, nodding to the people on both sides of the road from time to time, and the procession continued until it stopped in the open space outside the castle gate.

Brendan, Richter, Roland, and others, having received the news, were already waiting there.

When they saw the sizable militia and the fine warhorses behind Karl, their faces lit up with surprise and excitement.

"My lord! You're back!" Brendan rushed forward, his voice filled with barely suppressed joy. "These... these are all..."

Karl dismounted, handed the reins to the groom beside him, and smiled at Brendan, saying, "That's right, these are all fresh troops supplied to us by the Count! Five hundred well-trained militiamen, and Commander Lyon and his cavalry have also officially joined us! They're all promising talents, Brendan, Richter, Roland, it's up to you now. Train them into soldiers capable of fighting as quickly as possible, according to your methods!"

Brendan looked at the militiamen, who, though simply dressed, were strong and honest in their eyes, and then at the spirited cavalrymen not far away, and his heart trembled slightly with excitement.

"Excellent! Excellent! Rest assured, sir! I will not fail you! I will train them into qualified warriors of Carnford in the shortest possible time!" With this fresh blood, Carnford's depleted military strength can finally be greatly replenished and restored.

Richter and Roland also stepped forward to bow, their eyes filled with confidence in the future.

Karl then turned to Chief Steward Edgar: "Mr. Edgar, immediately arrange for these new recruits and their families to move in. If the barracks are not enough, organize manpower to expand them immediately! Make sure everyone has a place to stay."

"Also, Commander Lyon's cavalry, their warhorses are precious, and the stables need to be expanded immediately, with the best stalls! As for feed, don't be stingy, oats, hay, and peas that will be harvested soon, even if there aren't enough for the people, prioritize the supply of the warhorses."

Edgar bowed immediately and replied, "Yes, sir! I'll take care of it right away! I guarantee it will be arranged perfectly!"

He immediately called to several assistants, who began busily registering, assigning accommodations, and taking inventory of supplies.

Karl finally turned to the belated clerk, Morr, Old Morrell was too old to keep up with the young men.

Karl put his hand on Morr's shoulder and said, "Mr. Morr, the task of expanding the barracks and stables is entrusted to you. It doesn't need to be too thick; it's summer now, just enough to keep out the wind and rain. We can reinforce it further in the winter."

Morr nodded repeatedly and then led his men to do it.

Soon, under the command of Brendan, Richter, and others, the newly arrived militiamen entered the military camp in an orderly manner and settled in.

Lyon also directed his cavalry to lead their warhorses into the stables, which were under urgent expansion, and to take good care of them.

The families who had accompanied the army were temporarily housed in makeshift dwellings and warehouses arranged by Edgar, while awaiting the completion of new housing.

Seeing the once deserted military camp and stables bustling with activity again, Karl felt a surge of fighting spirit and a sense of urgency.

He looked up at the sky; it was already June, and summer in the Northern Territory was short and precious.

There are only about two months left until autumn, when the Sauron traditionally begin their large-scale southward raids!

Having suffered such a heavy loss, Harald's next attack will undoubtedly be thunderous and determined to succeed!

And I am determined to turn Carnford into a true fortress of steel! If the Sauron dare to bite this time, I will crush their teeth!