Returning to Lakeheart Town

Paul Greiman stayed in Franklin Harbor longer than initially planned.

During this time, he met with the town's merchants, large and small, expressing his vision for launching overseas trade. He planned to establish a trading company—an organizational structure yet unknown in this world—and invite investment from merchants within his territory.

In the presence of their lord, the merchants were all obsequious. In this world, aside from the Horn Bay Alliance, which built its nation on commerce, merchants in other countries held little political status and were often treated as fat sheep to be fleeced by various powerful figures.

When Paul voiced his vision, he naturally received enthusiastic applause, thanks to the accumulated prestige of his lordly status. However, in their hearts, everyone assumed that their lord's wallet was empty and that he was simply concocting a reason to ask them for money, following the usual aristocratic playbook.

Paul saw through the merchants' insincerity, but he wasn't angry. Changing people's perceptions took time. He was merely informing the merchants for now and didn't plan to raise funds immediately.

With remnants of pirates still at sea and full-rigged sailing ships for ocean voyages yet to be built, it was too early to promise them the moon.

He also met with the former town elder, Peter. The old man had regained consciousness under the careful care of his granddaughter, Susan. After waking up, he was told about the events that had transpired in the church that day, which frightened him so much that he immediately climbed out of bed. Disregarding his still-recovering health, he went to Paul to plead for forgiveness, begging him to pardon his granddaughter's offense.

Paul reassured him kindly, taking great pains to convince the old man that he wouldn't seek retribution later.

Upon learning that the lord had relieved him of his position as town elder and appointed him as an advisor to the new town head, old Peter felt a sense of loss. Although he often found himself caught in the middle in that position, like a rat in a bellows, it was, after all, a job he had held for most of his life, and he found it difficult to adjust to being suddenly dismissed.

However, he vowed to do his best to assist the new town head in completing all tasks.

When old Peter learned that the new lord had wiped out the pirates and promised to protect the town forever, he was overjoyed and deeply grateful to Paul, repeatedly praying to the Lord of Light to bless the lord with a long life.

The various tasks involved in establishing the Navy were also proceeding apace. After the conscription standards were set, more than 300 new recruits were enlisted one after another.

Austin, who had already been promoted to temporary major and served as the naval commander of the Northwest Bay Fleet, as well as the regiment commander of the first detachment of the first company of the first battalion of the Northwest Bay Fleet, had been extremely busy these past few days, with almost no time to rest.

Rubin, who was in charge of the shipyard, worked overtime to rush out two ramming galleys, in addition to modifying four fishing boats for the Navy's training purposes.

The new town heads, selected by Chief Steward Ford, arrived in Franklin Harbor shortly after the public trial and quickly began their administrative work.

They would follow Paul's orders to transplant the system from Lakeheart Town to Franklin Harbor, including public toilets, public bathhouses, trash cans, Boiled Water Shops, and so on. The Earl also instructed them to conduct a census and other related tasks.

Paul also told them to respect the advisor, old Peter, to humbly seek his advice, and to cooperate well.

In addition, the church in the center of town was ordered to be converted into a building called the "Government Building," which would serve as the office location for administrative personnel in the future. A new church would be built elsewhere, and the new town heads were hinted by the Earl to build the church in a remote location.

In early July, Paul decided to return to Lakeheart Town. Before leaving, he reviewed the nascent naval force and uttered the bold words: "Our journey is the sea of stars."

Although the word "stars" was baffling, it didn't stop the young men in the ranks from getting excited and shouting to feed the remaining pirates to the fish.

The Second Infantry Battalion was left in Franklin Harbor to help the Navy, which had not yet formed combat effectiveness, defend against pirates. After bidding farewell to everyone, the Earl led the First Infantry Battalion towards Lakeheart Town.

The temperature in July was already very hot, and around noon, the sun was scorching the earth.

"It's already much cooler here than in the south," Quiller Foster from the Horn Bay Alliance said happily.

The young master Foster would follow Paul to Lakeheart Town to see the "novelties" he was selling. With some aspirations to become an adventurer, he was interested in anything unfamiliar.

But his ideal encountered some twists and turns. Meilu, the leader of the Lichman Adventurer Group, still hadn't agreed to let him join the group and was quite dissatisfied with young master Foster's decision to stay in Northwest Bay for a while.

If Quiller stayed here, they would have to follow. If they left Quiller behind and returned, they wouldn't get the mission commission, and the mission completion rate in the guild would decrease. Naturally, the Lichman Adventurer Group had to follow Quiller to Lakeheart Town to ensure his personal safety.

Along the way, Paul chatted with him intermittently.

"Is that so? I still find it very hot." Having grown up in the north, Paul had never experienced the heat of the south, and his words made Quiller feel like he didn't know how good he had it.

"But look at that girl named Laddie. It's so hot, yet she's covered up so tightly. It's really strange," Paul whispered to Quiller.

"Now that you mention it, it's true. And there's not even a drop of sweat on her face?" Quiller also noticed the strangeness.

Even though Quiller and the others from the Lichman Adventurer Group were from the south and more resistant to heat, they were wearing as little as possible at the moment, and even so, sweat was constantly seeping out of their faces.

Only the scholar Laddie was still wrapped in thick, tight clothing, wearing a scholar's hat, which looked strange in combination with the bow and arrows on her back. Moreover, while everyone else was sweating profusely from the journey, the scholar hadn't broken a sweat.

She noticed that Paul was looking at her and immediately raised her hand to lower the brim of her hat, covering her face.

"Hehe, you made her shy," Quiller teased.

"No way, I think you scared her!" Paul denied it outright.

Seeing that it was approaching noon, the Earl ordered a halt to the march. The troops dispersed to rest in the shade of the trees on both sides of the road and to take care of their hunger.

After completing the guard duty, the soldiers entered the woods on the side of the road and took out the dry rations they had brought with them to eat.

Paul and Quiller also sat on the ground, eating their respective food. The others noticed that the young Earl was eating the same black bread as the soldiers.

A Scene Kid named Kai quietly said to Dean, who was sitting next to him, "I thought this Lord would treat us to a big meal."

Dean rolled his eyes at him: Dream on. Even if he's treating anyone, it'll be that young master.

Just then, the scholar Miss Laddie's ears twitched slightly.

She raised her head and said, "It sounds like someone is calling for help!"

Everyone tensed up at once.