Wedding

Just as Karl was frowning deeply over the territory's financial problems, that familiar and timely notification chime rang out in his mind once more, dispelling his worries:

[Daily task updated]

[Task]: Personally officiate Otto and Marissa's wedding ceremony. (Incomplete)

Karl's mood immediately lightened considerably.

Whatever the intelligence contained, at least this matter before him was pleasant, and it could be completed with ease.

He immediately decided to set the troublesome economic issues aside for now.

"Brendan!" Karl called for the old knight. "Go notify Otto and Marissa, as well as everyone else. This afternoon, in the open space outside the city, I will personally hold their wedding ceremony!"

The news quickly spread, and all of Carnford became immersed in a festive atmosphere.

A wedding personally officiated by the Lord for people of slave origin sounded like something straight out of a fairy tale to them.

That afternoon, the sunlight was warm and pleasant.

The open space outside the city had been given a simple cleaning, and a small bonfire symbolizing celebration had been lit in the center.

Almost everyone without an urgent task had gathered there. Soldiers, Freemen, slaves, and refugees formed a circle, their faces filled with curiosity, blessings, and kind smiles.

Otto had changed into a coarse-cloth outfit that was old but freshly washed and spotless. His hair had been carefully combed, and his face was flushed red with excitement and nervousness. He had no idea what to do with his hands and feet.

Marissa, meanwhile, wore a slightly more presentable dark-colored dress borrowed from some refugee woman. A simple wreath of wildflowers adorned her head. She kept her head shyly lowered, but a blissful smile bloomed at the corners of her mouth.

Karl stood before them. He had no gorgeous ceremonial robes and still wore his practical outfit, but his expression was solemn and gentle.

He surveyed the surroundings and spoke loudly, his clear voice reaching every person's ears: "Today, we have gathered here not for battle or labor, but to witness something beautiful—the union of love and the birth of a family!"

"Otto, through his diligence and loyalty, won his freedom and also won love. Marissa, through her kindness and resilience, waited for salvation and also found a home. Their union proves that even in the most difficult circumstances, hope and beauty have never been far away!"

"Today, I, Karl von Schmidt, as the Lord of Carnford, will officiate your wedding! From this day forward, you shall be lawful spouses recognized and protected by the territory! May you support each other, grow old together, and build our new home side by side!"

There was no cumbersome religious ceremony or complicated procedure. Karl's words were simple and sincere. He looked at Otto. "Otto, are you willing to take Marissa as your wife, to cherish and respect her whether the future brings wealth or poverty, health or illness, until the end of your life?"

Otto's voice trembled with excitement as he shouted, "I am! My Lord! I am!"

Karl then looked at Marissa. "Marissa, are you willing to take Otto as your husband, to accompany and support him whether the future is smooth or difficult, happy or harsh, until the end of your life?"

Marissa raised her head, tears of happiness shining in her eyes, and nodded firmly. Her voice was soft but resolute. "I am, my Lord."

"Good!" A smile spread across Karl's face. "In the name of the Lord, I declare you officially married! May your union bring Carnford more luck and vitality!"

He stepped forward and joined Otto and Marissa's hands together.

"Kiss her! Kiss her!" The soldiers below began to cheer, and the atmosphere instantly grew heated.

Amid everyone's laughter, Otto clumsily and swiftly kissed Marissa once on the cheek. Her cheeks flushed crimson, drawing even louder laughter and blessings from the crowd.

[Task]: Personally officiate Otto and Marissa's wedding ceremony. (Complete)

[Reward intelligence issued]:

[Intelligence]: Behind a vine-covered area approximately ten meters below the cliff on Carnford's northern side lies a forgotten, high-quality Flint Mine. The deposit is substantial and hard, and it is accompanied by a small but minable amount of iron ore.

Flint! Iron ore!

Flint was a key material for making fire starters, arrowheads, simple tools, and weapon fittings, while iron ore, even in small quantities, could be initially smelted into the most basic iron implements, such as nails, hoes, axes, and even spearheads and swords.

The significance of this mine was immense. It solved Carnford's core problem of relying heavily on external supplies for the raw materials needed for tools and weapons.

With it, Carnford's independent production capacity would make a qualitative leap.

They could even produce surplus flint arrowheads or simple iron tools and transport them to Fran City for sale, exchanging them for urgently needed food, cloth, or other resources, thereby opening up a source of income.

With that thought, Karl took action immediately.

Mining a cliffside deposit was high-risk work and had to be led by professionals. He immediately summoned the stonemason Hans and the carpenter Vali.

He did not reveal the true source of the intelligence. Instead, he came up with a reasonable excuse. "Hans, Vali, while clearing the castle ruins, I found a damaged territory log. It vaguely recorded that a Flint Mine might be hidden in the middle section of the northern cliff."

"If we can successfully mine it, we can not only make our own arrowheads, fire starters, and tools, but also transport the surplus products to Fran City for sale. This would greatly ease our current predicament of having no income whatsoever!"

Hans and Vali's eyes lit up when they heard this. As craftsmen, they knew all too well what a stable source of high-quality materials meant!

"My Lord, this matter is of great importance. I must confirm it with my own eyes," cautious Hans said.

"Of course." Karl personally brought Hans, Vali, and several assistants to the edge of the northern cliff.

The terrain there was treacherous. The cliff plunged almost vertically downward, its depths impossible to see.

To ensure his safety, several soldiers firmly tied a rope around Hans's waist while the others gripped it tightly. Hans then carefully leaned most of his body over the edge and thoroughly surveyed the cliff below.

After quite some time, Hans was finally pulled back up.

Excitement showed on his face. "My Lord! You were right! Although it is covered by vines and moss, at a place roughly ten meters below, the color and texture of the rock strata are clearly different. There is indeed a large exposed layer of Flint Mine! The quality looks quite good! We can definitely try mining it!"

After confirming the mine's existence, the next step was to formulate a mining plan.