Military Pay and Rewards

"Now, fulfill your promise! According to the roster, come forward in order to receive your military pay!" Karl shouted loudly.

Brendan took out the roster and began calling names. The soldiers whose names were called excitedly stepped out and walked before Karl.

Karl personally placed shiny silver coins into their hands. Each regular soldier received one silver coin plus fifty copper coins, and each auxiliary soldier received one silver coin.

Every soldier who received money had trembling hands, their faces beaming with disbelief, joy, and gratitude.

This money was a huge fortune to them, and more importantly, proof that their lord kept his word!

"Thank you, my lord!"

"We are willing to die for you, my lord!"

Sounds of gratitude were endless.

The veteran soldiers of the city guard brought by Richter watched in stunned silence!

Although they also received military pay, it was never distributed so punctually or openly, let alone handed out by the lord himself!

Moreover, the silver coins this lord was giving out were actually higher than what they received in the city guard! Looking at the actual silver coins in the soldiers' hands, their eyes couldn't help but reveal envy.

After the military pay was distributed, the soldiers' excitement had not yet subsided.

Karl spoke again, his voice even louder: "Military pay is what you deserve! And now, this is an extra reward! To commend the warriors who fought bravely in Riftstone Canyon yesterday! Rewards will be given based on merit!"

He picked up another roster, which Brendan and Roland had compiled overnight.

"First, all participating personnel will receive an extra five silver coins!" With Karl's words, another round of low cheers erupted. This was practically free money!

Next, he began calling names one by one, commending individuals who performed particularly outstandingly in the battle, mainly auxiliary soldiers who were at the forefront.

"Eddie! You held the left flank and single-handedly killed two kobolds. Reward: ten silver coins!"

Eddie, a young auxiliary soldier with a childish face, flushed red with excitement. He practically stumbled forward, taking the heavy ten silver coins. Looking at Karl, his lips trembled, unable to speak.

Karl patted his shoulder forcefully: "Well done, kid! You're a good one!"

"Peter! You fought to the death without retreating, protected your comrades, and sustained three wounds. Reward: eight silver coins! Additional compensation: five silver coins!"

The veteran soldier named Peter's eyes instantly turned red. He stepped forward, dragging his injured leg, and took the silver coins, choking out, "My lord... I..."

Karl supported him and said solemnly, "Everyone has seen your bravery! Recover well!"

Everyone whose name was called received rewards far exceeding their expectations and sincere encouragement from Karl.

On the training grounds, the emotions of gratitude and excitement were almost boiling over. Many soldiers looked at the silver coins in their hands, then at their lord, too moved to speak, only able to express their surging emotions with the most standard military salute.

Throughout the entire reward process, Richter and his thirty veteran soldiers watched from the sidelines, completely dumbfounded and stunned.

They had never seen... no, they had never imagined a lord like this!

Distributing military pay on time and in full was already rare.

Immediately rewarding merit after a major battle with such generous gifts was unheard of.

The lord personally handed out money, remembered the names of ordinary soldiers, recalled their contributions, and offered sincere encouragement and care.

This completely overturned all their perceptions of "noble lords"!

Looking at the soldiers on the training grounds, who were extremely excited and loyal to Karl, and then looking at their own meager military pay, which was often docked and delayed, a fire seemed to ignite in the hearts of these veterans.

Safety? Family?

Following such a generous, brave, and genuinely caring lord, wouldn't forging a career, gaining more rewards, and allowing their families to live better lives be a better choice?

Danger? Carnford?

If led by such a lord, it seemed... not so terrifying anymore.

After distributing the military pay and rewards to his own soldiers, Karl's gaze turned to the veteran soldiers of the city guard at the edge of the training grounds, who had witnessed everything with complex emotions.

He slowly walked in front of them, his gaze sweeping over their weathered faces, which were now filled with surprise and longing.

"And you," Karl's voice was clear and powerful, "although you are not my direct subordinates, yesterday in Riftstone Canyon, we shed blood together and fought side by side! I saw your bravery and discipline. This merit should not be forgotten!"

He turned and gestured to Roland, who immediately came forward with a money bag.

Karl scooped handfuls of shiny silver coins from the bag, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "All city guard brothers who participated in yesterday's battle will each receive five silver coins, to commend your valiant fight and cooperation!"

As soon as he said this, the veteran city guards were completely stunned! They were included too?!

Karl personally walked up to the first veteran soldier and placed five heavy silver coins into his rough palm.

The soldier's hand trembled, and he almost dropped them. He stammered, "My... my lord... this... we..."

"This is what you deserve," Karl nodded at him, then moved to the next person.

One by one, five silver coins were placed into each hand, trembling slightly with surprise.

Every veteran soldier who received money looked at the actual silver coins in their hands, then at the young but powerful lord before them. The hesitation and reservation in their eyes were quickly replaced by gratitude and wavering loyalty.

This extra reward was almost equivalent to several months of their military pay!

After distributing the silver coins, Karl took a few steps back and faced all the city guard soldiers again, his expression becoming serious.

Karl announced loudly: "Brothers, according to the latest orders from Governor Earl Rochefort, this unit of yours, including Captain Richter, has been officially transferred from the Fran City Guard and placed under my command. You will accompany me to the Carnford territory!"

Although Richter had already revealed this news, Karl's formal announcement still caused a slight stir in the ranks.

Karl paused for a moment, letting the news sink in, then his voice suddenly rose, filled with an undeniable sincerity and strength: "You all know better than I what Carnford is! It's the Northern Border's foremost fortress, the first place the Sauron Barbarians strike when they push south! It doesn't have Fran City's high walls and ample garrison, only ruins, danger, and ever-present threats! Going there means facing the Sauron blades head-on, it means fighting every moment, it means death is always by your side!"

His sharp gaze swept over everyone: "Now, I'm giving you a choice! Those who are unwilling, those who fear death, those who can't bear to leave the stable life of Fran City, you can step forward now, take these five silver coins, and leave! I swear on my honor, I will not hinder you, and you can return to your original positions in the city guard. I will explain to Earl Rochefort myself!"

The training ground fell silent, with only the sound of the cold wind whistling past. The veteran soldiers exchanged glances, their breathing growing heavy.

This was an extremely difficult choice. On one side lay visible danger and death, while on the other lay familiar stability, but also poverty.

However, Karl didn't let them hesitate for too long. His tone shifted, his voice striking each person's heart like a war drum: "But! As long as you choose to stay, choose to trust me, choose to entrust your swords and lives to me—Karl von Schmidt!"

"I swear to you here!" he raised his right arm, his voice ringing like iron, "As long as I have a bite to eat, I will never let my soldiers go hungry! As long as I have a single gold coin, I will never mistreat any meritorious official! Your military pay will only be higher and more punctual than it was in Fran City! Your battlefield merits will be justly rewarded and recorded! If you are injured, I will do my best to heal you! If you fall in battle, your families will receive ten times the standard compensation and will be supported by my territory for life!"

"I don't speak empty words of honor and loyalty; I only give you the most practical things: wealth, dignity, and the opportunity to earn a better life for yourselves and your families through your achievements on the battlefield! Follow me, and we will go to Carnford together, not to die, but to pioneer! To use the heads and blood of our enemies to carve out a foothold for ourselves, to forge a future!"

His words were like sparks thrown into boiling oil, instantly igniting the blood and desire in all the veteran soldiers' hearts!

Safety? Stability? That meager pay and the uneventful life of guarding the city with no future in sight?

Wealth? Dignity? A better life for their families? And this lord who kept his word, who was brave and generous!

Was there even a choice to be made?

Almost simultaneously, all thirty veteran soldiers, including Captain Richter, snapped their feet together, straightened their chests, and slammed their right fists heavily onto their left breastplates, producing a unified, resounding clang!

Not a single man stepped forward! Not a single man put away the silver coins in his hand!

Their eyes burned with an unprecedented fire, and with all their might, they let out a thunderous roar:

"We are willing to die for you, my lord!!!"

"We are willing to follow you, my lord!!!"

"We will go through fire and water, and spare no effort!"

The sound waves rolled, dispelling the chill of the Northern Border, and completely laying the foundation for the first truly core armed force under Karl's command!

Karl looked at the transformed warriors before him and nodded with satisfaction.

He knew that the journey to Carnford had finally begun with the most solid of starts.