Make Eagle Town Great Again

The bells echoed over Eagle Town, finally bringing a trace of life to the deathly still little town. The townsfolk crowded toward Eagle Fortress like migrating ants.

Simon was one of them. He was seventeen this year and had lived in Eagle Town ever since he could remember.

His father had died of illness five years ago. To support his elderly grandmother, mother, and younger sister, he had taken on the burden of the family early and become skilled at farm work.

Today was the first time in his more than ten years of life that he had heard the bells, followed by the guards' announcement—Lord Baron, newly arrived, was selecting Private Soldiers.

This was wonderful news!

Simon had heard the old men in town say that if one became the baron's Private Soldier, not only would he be spared the hardship of working the fields, with food, drink, and clothing all paid for by the lord, but he would also receive thirty kilograms of Coarse Wheat Flour every month!

Thirty kilograms of Coarse Wheat Flour!

That was enough for the three people left at home to eat Black Bread at every meal instead of surviving on wheat porridge!

He had been among the first to arrive at the castle gates, but as the sun gradually rose, more and more people gathered around him.

One, two, three...

Simon began counting heads on his fingers. Soon, both hands were not enough, and even adding both feet was not enough.

So many people!

It was the first time he had realized that Eagle Town had so many men. Even using the hands and feet of ten people, they probably could not be counted!

They were all his competitors.

Clank, clank...

The sound of armor colliding rang out. Simon quickly raised his head and saw Lord Eric, the Chief Guard, stepping out. Ahead of him walked a young man with black hair and black eyes, dressed in a fine set of Leather Armor.

There was no doubt about it. This was the new baron, Lord Raven!

Simon immediately puffed out his chest and raised his head high, hoping the baron would notice him.

But the baron did not look at him. Instead, he quietly said something to Eric. Soon afterward, Eric led Link and Gaul forward, driving townsfolk out of the line one after another.

Old Hack, Little Velen, Little Wales...

As familiar faces were driven away one by one, Simon's heart slowly rose into his throat. He silently prayed to the Lord of Light—please, let me stay!

Soon, Eric stopped before Simon. Seeing him standing tall with his chest out, Eric revealed a faint smile and lightly punched him in the chest. Then, without a word, he moved on to the next person.

Simon let out a long breath, his heart pounding.

He had made it through!

Once he relaxed, Simon gradually noticed the baron's selection criteria. Those sent away either looked too old, too young, or too short. Among those remaining, he was not the tallest or strongest, but he was still near the front.

That discovery greatly boosted his confidence.

Before long, the once-crowded crowd had become much thinner. Simon calculated that this time, the hands and feet of four or five people would probably be enough to count everyone.

Thud, thud, thud.

Footsteps sounded. Simon watched intently as Lord Raven, one hand resting on his sword hilt, stepped onto a hastily built wooden platform and announced, "Congratulations on passing the first round of selection. By ordinary standards, you are already qualified to become my Private Soldiers."

"But I, Raven, am no ordinary noble. My standards will be stricter, and accordingly, the treatment will be far more generous!"

"Everyone standing here today, whether or not you pass the next round, will receive five kilograms of Coarse Wheat Flour as a reward."

"And if you pass, not only will I guarantee your food and clothing, but each of you will receive an additional fifty kilograms of Coarse Wheat Flour every month!"

Simon's breathing grew heavy at that moment, and his heart pounded wildly.

Fifty kilograms of Coarse Wheat Flour!

Each person in Eagle Town only received two hundred kilograms of rations per year. By himself, he could earn enough food for three people for an entire year!

Not only would that let his family eat their fill, but they could also trade the surplus grain for many things.

He could get his grandmother, whose legs ached whenever the weather turned cold, another blanket. He could buy his mother a Headscarf to shield her from the sun. If he saved for a few more months, he could even get his little sister a new dress—poor Little Nina was already ten, yet she had never worn a single new piece of clothing!

Simon glanced to both sides. It was not just him; everyone was filled with Fighting Spirit at that moment. No one wanted to give up such excellent treatment!

Under Eric's lead, Simon followed the crowd into the castle.

The broad courtyard was overgrown with weeds. On a patch of land that had been temporarily cleared, various objects had been placed.

At the western end lay large stones cut into shape, divided into three sizes from small to large. The smallest had to weigh thirty kilograms, while the largest was probably a hundred kilograms.

In the middle stood something like a Single-log Bridge. It was about a meter high but more than twenty meters long.

On the eastern side stood a wooden table with three longbows and two quivers of arrows on it.

Eric stood beside the stones and shouted, "Follow me! Start here, one at a time!"

Among those present, Eric had doubts about the reliability of these tests, but he still chose to carry them out. The townsfolk brought here had no idea what was going on and could only obey Eric's orders nervously.

Only Raven remained calm, having moved a chair to sit at the entrance of the hall.

"Lord Raven." Old Gordon walked over. "Are your selection standards a little too low? There are ninety-three people here. At fifty kilograms of Coarse Wheat Flour per person every month, that is four thousand six hundred and fifty kilograms a month, and fifty-five thousand kilograms a year..."

Raven smiled and interrupted him. "Mr. Gordon, you worry too much. In my opinion, it would already be quite good if one-third of these people managed to stay."

Gordon frowned. "My lord, I do not mean to question your judgment, but with just these few tests, I fear..."

He did not finish, but his meaning was clear enough.

"I know what you mean," Raven said. "Those three stones weigh thirty, sixty, and ninety kilograms respectively. As long as they can lift the middle one and raise and lower it five times in succession, they pass. Most people really can clear that test."

"As for the archery at the end, that is merely to see whether anyone has some talent for shooting."

As he spoke, he pointed toward the Single-log Bridge. "But that middle test will not be so easy."

Gordon still did not believe it. "My lord, these townsfolk are all serfs. They are skilled at walking between crop rows without stepping on the seedlings. How could they possibly..."

Before he could finish, a cry of alarm sounded. Someone had already fallen from the Single-log Bridge in the middle and hit the ground hard.

The second person went up immediately, but before long, he fell too.

Then came the third. He lasted a little longer, but he still slipped just as he was about to reach the end.

"This..." Gordon adjusted his Monocle. "My lord, what exactly is happening?"

Raven smiled. "A secret."

He had long since made plans for how to select soldiers.

These townsfolk had worked the fields for years, so there was absolutely no issue with their physical strength. By the standards used by ordinary nobles, all these townsfolk of suitable age would be qualified recruits.

But Raven could not afford to support so many people.

It was currently the busy farming season. These townsfolk were the main labor force for agricultural work. If they were all taken away, this year's harvest would probably decline sharply.

Agriculture might not make money, but it was the true foundation of a nation and a territory. Ensuring self-sufficiency in food was every lord's instinct.

That was why Raven needed to pick only the best.

There were no physical examinations in this era, and the townsfolk's long, miserable lives had surely left them with all sorts of hidden ailments, especially in their waists and legs.

The Balance Beam in the middle had been set up with precisely that in mind.

After the intense exertion of the first test, the second required them to calm themselves and focus on maintaining their balance. Once their concentration faltered, or if there was any problem with their legs or waist, they would be unable to endure it.

"Ow—"

"Ah—"

Those eliminated in the second test fell one after another. Though the grass was soft, it could not prevent the pain, and cries rose and fell without pause.

The sounds drifted through the window and reached Denise, who was handling documents inside the castle.

She wore a simple gauze dress suited for lounging at home today, her hair draped over her shoulders. Hearing the noise outside, she could not help frowning. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the quill back into the ink bottle and leaned back in her chair, revealing a broad stretch of smooth, pale skin at her chest.

She stood, walked to the window, and looked at the gathered townsfolk within the castle. Her brows rose slightly as she said disdainfully, "A thug can only lead a gang of hooligans. The Griffith Family's reputation is probably finished."

After closing the window, Denise returned to the soft bed.

She had a nightmare.

In the dream, Raven successfully trained his soldiers and led his men through Eagle Town, bullying men and abusing women as they went door to door looking for women.

She hid inside the castle, watching Eagle Town descend further and further into chaos, yet she could do nothing. She could not even leave.

Raven's appetite grew greater and greater. He even turned Laxus, Eagle Town's Priest, into his plaything. In the end, he brought people to block her behind her door.

Thud, thud, thud—

The pounding on the door continued, making Denise's heart race faster and faster. The instant the door opened, Denise screamed, "Stop dreaming! I would rather die than get into your bed!"

Denise shot upright in bed, gasping for breath. Her clothes were soaked through with sweat, nearly transparent and clinging unpleasantly to her body.

The knocking continued.

"Who is it?" Denise asked impatiently.

"Mother, it's me!" Weston's voice called out.

"All right..." Denise sat up, found a dark-colored garment to wrap around herself, and opened the door.

Before she could ask anything, Weston barged in and said with a laugh, "Mother, it's a real shame you weren't there!"

Denise froze. "What happened?"

"It was Raven's soldier training!" Weston straddled a chair, his eyes nearly hidden beneath the fat on his face shining brightly. "It was the first time I had ever seen people so stupid!"

A trace of curiosity rose within Denise. "Has he finished selecting them?"

"He has. More than thirty altogether," Weston said. "The selection itself was nothing interesting, but once the training began, it became absolutely hilarious!"

"Those mud-legged peasants looked decent enough one by one, but they were really just a bunch of brainless animals."

"Raven actually wanted those animals to wear Leather Armor! Gods! It was a complete disaster!" Weston gestured wildly. "It was the first time I had seen fingers that clumsy. Forget the Leather Armor—they could not even wear Leather Helmets. Some of them put the Groin Guard over their foreheads!"

"Under Eric's instruction, they finally managed to get everyone into a full set of Leather Armor. But the moment they started moving, shoes fell everywhere, several people fell down, and some even started fighting over who had stepped on whose foot!"

Denise felt delighted upon hearing that. "And then?"

Weston was thirsty, so he picked up the cup from the table and took a gulp of water.

"Then Eric whipped them until they screamed like animals. He even had to teach them hand by hand how to tie their shoes. Gods, poor Eric. Those animals' hands were as filthy as donkey droppings!"

"Once they finally looked somewhat presentable, Raven had them stand in three rows. But those Stupid Pigs could not even understand 'line up by height.' Their formation looked like the Eagle Mountains, and Eric had to correct them one by one with a whip."

"They could not even understand commands that barely counted as commands, like 'turn left' and 'turn right.' Some turned this way, some turned that way. Two of them even smashed their heads together and nearly kissed!"

"I say circus monkeys are more obedient than they are!"

Yet as Denise listened, her expression gradually turned grave. She had never heard of such a method, but from Weston's description, Raven really was handling the matter according to a certain order.

Could he have found the Griffith Family's method for training Private Soldiers?

Seeing the worry on his mother's face, Weston laughed. "Mother, you do not really think Raven can train them into anything, do you?"

Denise said with some concern, "There are always exceptions."

"There is absolutely no exception in this matter!" Weston waved his arms, the fat on his face trembling. "What real skill could a mere thug possibly have?"

"If he can train soldiers successfully, I'll jump from the top of the castle to celebrate for him!"

Naturally, Raven knew nothing of Weston's grand declaration. Otherwise, his mood might have improved a little.

As the sky darkened, Raven rejected Gordon's suggestion and instead chose to dine in the hall together with the soldiers who had been selected.

Just as he had expected, fewer than one-third of the townsfolk who came passed the tests and became his Private Soldiers. In the end, only thirty-four barely qualified.

Raven then assigned Gaul and Link to the group as well, dividing them into three squads and bluntly renaming the squads "classes." Gaul, Link, and Simon, who had performed the best during selection, were each appointed Squad Leader.

Preparing food for more than thirty people exhausted the cook. Naturally, there was no time for anything fancy. Each person received a large bowl of thick vegetable soup with smoked meat, along with unlimited Black Bread.

"Sit down, all of you." Raven called Eric and the three Squad Leaders over, then broke open a piece of Black Bread, tossed it into the soup, and began eating heartily.

To be honest, today's training could not be called successful. The poor quality of these townsfolk had even exceeded Raven's expectations. Most of the thirty-four could not distinguish left from right, and their ability to follow orders was dreadful.

A simple command like "run—stop" could turn three formations into a chaotic mess.

Still, there was one benefit: these people had no ideas of their own. As long as he was willing to put effort into training them, he could eventually whip them into shape.

The atmosphere at the table was somewhat stifling. Raven stuffed a piece of Black Bread into his mouth and looked at Simon with a smile. "How was it? Are you getting used to it today?"

Simon had not expected Raven to speak to him. Ignoring the heat, he hurriedly swallowed the food in his mouth and stammered, "N-no problem, my lord!"

"Do not be so nervous," Raven said with a smile. "You are my soldier now. Just call me commander."

"I have not been in this territory long, so I do not know much about the place. How is life at your home?"

Simon was so nervous he could barely think. "With the fifty kilograms of Coarse Wheat Flour you give us every month, it will be much, much better!"

Raven's heart stirred. "Was life difficult before?"

Gaul and Link were already giving Simon meaningful looks, but Simon's mind was completely blank at the moment. He noticed nothing at all. "Yes, Commander!"

"There are four people in my family, and each of us only receives two hundred kilograms of Coarse Wheat Flour as yearly rations. Most of it goes into me, the strong laborer, while my grandmother, mother, and younger sister can only live with empty stomachs."

"My grandfather gave up his food for me, and three years ago... he starved to death!"

Once those words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent. Quiet sobbing could even be heard from some tables.

After all, that was the life they had lived every day in the past.

Raven's heart felt heavy as well. He had also come from the countryside in his previous life. He knew how quickly food was consumed when there were no supplementary dishes, and he knew that the strongest worker in a family had to be the first to eat his fill.

But he had still underestimated Eagle Town's poverty.

Raven patted Simon on the shoulder and had him sit down before rising to his feet. "As your lord, I must apologize to all of you. Allowing the people under my rule to go hungry is my failure. It is the failure of the Griffith Family."

"But! There is a reason for this!"

Raven lowered his voice, his gaze sweeping across the crowd. "Why do your families go hungry? Because Eagle Town is too poor! Why are we poor? Because our territory has been forcibly taken from us!"

He asked and answered in a ringing voice, "Because we are too weak!"

"If we were strong enough, no one would dare take our land. We would be able to seize back from others the wealth that rightfully belongs to us!"

"You are my Private Soldiers, but you are also the sons of Eagle Territory!"

"I am training you not only for my personal glory, but to give Eagle Town the strength to protect itself and to make Eagle Town great again!"

"I, Raven Ota Griffith, make this promise here." Raven's voice carried clearly to everyone's ears. "As long as you are loyal to me and obey my orders, I guarantee that every one of your families, every household in Eagle Town, will have enough to eat and new clothes to wear!"

Empty words would not have moved these townsfolk in the slightest, but Raven's words were not empty. As soon as they were officially selected, the first month's fifty kilograms of Coarse Wheat Flour had already been delivered to their homes!

And at that very moment, their bowls were filled with meat soup they had never even dared dream of having!

Simon was the first to stand. "We are willing to follow you, Lord Raven!"

Then more Private Soldiers stood up. "We are willing to follow you!"

"Good!" Raven shouted. "Bring the wine!"

Jars of grape wine were brought out and poured into everyone's bowls. Raven raised his bowl high. "Gentlemen, cheers—to our future!"

More than thirty men shouted in unison, "To our future!"

The moment the wine entered Raven's throat, he felt completely cheated. It was sour and bitter, like swallowing a huge mouthful of unsweetened hawthorn. His entire face nearly twisted up.

How was this wine? It was clearly vinegar!

Had the cook secretly switched the wine?

Just as he was about to get angry, he saw that every Private Soldier, Simon included, wore an expression of enjoyment. Even Eric looked deeply satisfied.

The feast continued. Raven pulled Eric close and asked in a low voice, "This wine... how does it taste to you?"

"It is excellent, my lord!" Eric said, his face red. "A jar of this Red Wine costs five Silver Coins and seventy Copper Coins!"

Raven froze. Then his eyes lit up at once—the light of money!

This lousy stuff was worth that much for one jar?

Am I about to get rich?!