Chapter 28

Xia Zuoyi lifted the curtain by the carriage window and curiously looked outside a few times before climbing out of the carriage and stepping directly onto the tall chair Judith had placed beside it.

Yudi and Conrad stood to his left, while Ferdinand and Walker stood to his right. The soldiers were scattered along the outermost edge of the grounds.

The people from the Trak Kingdom stood in the middle of the grounds.

Reinog looked at Xia Zuoyi, who clearly held the leading position at the front, and lowered his voice as he asked Yadai and Sara, "Could he be the master of this territory?"

"I remember the Nagabi Merchant Guild's steward seemed to say his name was... Desinia? He holds the title of count."

But the steward had not said that Desinia was such a delicate and adorable "young" count...

Reinog found it somewhat unbelievable.

But that was the truth.

Yadai asked in confusion, "Why did this young count trade with the Nagabi Merchant Guild... and bring all of us from the Trak Kingdom to his territory?"

Reinog shook his head. He did not understand either.

At that moment, Sara tugged at the hems of their clothes, signaling for them to listen because someone at the front had begun speaking.

At Xia Zuoyi's instruction.

Yudi explained the arrangements for the people of the Trak Kingdom—registering their basic personal information, counting their numbers, settling them in Komoy Fort, assigning work, and so on.

Among them, the men of the Trak Kingdom had two mandatory options to choose from.

The first was to participate in the upcoming summer recruitment.

The second was to join the Temporary Artisan Construction Team organized by the Artisans' Guild.

Ferdinand and Conrad respectively gave the people of the Trak Kingdom a detailed explanation of those two required options, clarifying the conditions and benefits of participating.

There was not much to say about joining the Temporary Artisan Construction Team. The requirements were broad, with almost no restrictions.

However, those participating in the summer recruitment had to exclude anyone who did not meet the enlistment requirements.

For example, they could not have physical disabilities and had to be male, between the ages of fourteen and twenty.

However, the age requirement could be relaxed somewhat for the people of the Trak Kingdom, with the upper limit extended to twenty-six...

Later, when registering their information, they would also conduct a preliminary review of potential soldiers.

The women of the Trak Kingdom would be assigned other work.

For example, women who needed work to earn money could choose to handle batch bottling or refined salt packaging on the salt-drying production line.

They could also help cook, wash clothes, and care for elderly people without family and orphans at the still-operating relief stations.

After Ferdinand and Conrad finished speaking, the area where the people of the Trak Kingdom stood inevitably became noisy and chaotic.

Xia Zuoyi watched their expressions change rapidly—surprise, disbelief... and finally, after they barely digested the information, the discussions gradually died down.

He pressed his palm downward to draw their attention, then raised his voice and said in a soft voice that everyone from the Trak Kingdom could hear clearly, "My territory is not a place that will torment or destroy you."

"It is a place where you can survive properly, a place where you can live with hope and expectations."

"You do not need to doubt it. Everything that was just said is true and valid."

"Moreover, whether you participate in recruitment or join the Temporary Artisan Construction Team, you can accumulate merit and shed your status as slaves."

"But remember, while participating in recruitment allows you to accumulate merit quickly, you will need to remain in the army. After leaving the Soldiers' Training Camp, you will enter either the Black Cavalry or the White Cavalry."

"As for joining the Temporary Artisan Construction Team, merit accumulates more slowly, but the time commitment is relatively short and you have greater freedom of movement. Once the five-year construction plan ends, you may choose for yourselves whether to remain on the construction team."

Xia Zuoyi paused before saying, "Although these two options are mandatory, there are exceptions to everything."

The people of the Trak Kingdom listened with rapt attention.

Xia Zuoyi said, "If some among you possess a special skill—for example, if you are good at mathematics, proficient in calculations, have an excellent craft, or possess outstanding abilities."

"Then, when you register your information later, you may tell the recorder to write it down on the parchment. Once it is verified, you will naturally be assigned related work."

"All of you from the Trak Kingdom will settle in Komoy Fort."

"There are not many temporary residences prepared in the city, so you will have to make do for now. Later, you may build houses yourselves."

"When you come to register your information shortly, Ferdinand will also remove the shackles from your bodies. In addition, each person will receive a subsidy of fifty copper coins, including children."

The people of the Trak Kingdom received another wave of unbelievable news.

Xia Zuoyi pursed his lips and discreetly rubbed his feet against the tall chair. After saying so much at once, his mouth was dry, and he was tired from standing.

Then, he glanced at Judith beside him.

Yudi immediately stepped forward and added a few things that had not yet been mentioned.

Yadai could not believe his ears.

He tugged at the equally stunned Reinog and said, "Quick, pinch me. See if I'm dreaming..."

Reinog came back to his senses, reached out to pinch Yadai's arm, then twisted the flesh on the back of his own hand and bared his teeth. "Hiss, that hurts."

Yadai was in so much pain that he kept rubbing his arm.

He muttered, "We... we actually still have a chance to shed our status as slaves?!"

Reinog nodded. "Yeah."

Yadai could not help analyzing it. "If we participate in recruitment, there will be subsidies and leave..."

"Also, all expenses are waived for the first year. We can live in the Soldiers' Training Camp and have enough food to eat... As long as we train hard and become stronger, we will be very likely to gain opportunities for promotion quickly..."

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He could not help looking toward the soldier standing behind Knight Commander Fernandi Edward.

Yadai remembered that his name was Mike Andrew, and that he was a platoon leader.

When Fernandi Edward had just explained the conditions and benefits of recruitment, he had casually given several examples—Mike Andrew had risen from a reserve soldier to platoon leader in just over half a year.

Some of the other soldiers had also been mentioned.

Reinog said, "But joining the Temporary Artisan Construction Team gives us more freedom, and after five years, we can choose whether to stay or leave."

"Yadai, you are not strong enough. Even if you participate in recruitment, your chances of promotion will be slim..."

"Besides, you know I never received knight training when I was young. My interests are all in making tools. I do not qualify at all, so there is not much hope."

"If both of us go to the Soldiers' Training Camp, what will Sara do?"

Yadai said, "I won't go. I just think these two mandatory options are far too favorable for slaves... It's surprising."

"Does Gadayat treat slaves so leniently?"

Reinog shook his head. "How could that be possible?"

Yadai looked at the young count standing on the tall chair with his hands behind his back. After a while, he said, "Then all three of us will join the Temporary Artisan Construction Team..."

"No, Yadai."

Reinog suddenly interrupted him. "You can identify medicinal herbs, and you were once an alchemist's apprentice. When you register your information later, have the recorder write that down."

He said, "Do you remember the ointment those two knight commanders threw to us in the mountains?"

Yadai nodded. "I remember."

Reinog said, "There must be an exceptionally skilled alchemist in Visas or Komoy Fort."

"If you can be assigned under him to help and learn after being assessed, the treatment will definitely be much better than becoming a temporary artisan."

Yadai said, "But that alchemy master might not think highly of me..."

"Besides, Sara's shoulder injury has not completely healed. Her status... and she is not very strong. If I become a temporary artisan with you, I can still help..."

Sara shook her head and interrupted him. "I'll be fine. You should seize this opportunity, Yadai."

Reinog said, "How will you know if you do not try? Even if that alchemy master does not think much of you, Yadai, you can still come back and join the Temporary Artisan Construction Team."

Yadai finally nodded in agreement.

When it was their turn to register their information, he had the recorder write down that he could identify medicinal herbs and other such information.

That sheet of parchment was specially pulled out and placed atop another stack.

It would later be handed directly to the count.

After Reinog, Yadai, and Sara finished registering their information, they joined a group waiting nearby. Before long, knights and several soldiers led them toward the city.

Yadai could not help looking at the person walking at the very front, only to discover that it was Platoon Leader Andrew, who had been standing behind Knight Commander Edward earlier.

The expressions on the faces of the people from the Trak Kingdom walking around them were rather complicated.

There was excitement and delight, but also worry and hesitation...

At last, a man could not help asking a soldier walking nearby, "Does the Gadayat Kingdom treat slaves this well?!"

The soldier was a young man. Upon hearing this, he smiled, his expression proud. "Only in our count's territory do slaves receive such good treatment!"

"It is not only slaves. Commoners are treated the same way."

"Our count is the best lord in Gadayat! Being able to come to Komoy Fort is truly luck bestowed by the Creator God."

Hearing him, Reinog could not help asking, "Here... have people really shed their status as slaves?"

The soldier said, "That is not particularly rare in the count's territory."

"You only need to stay in the city for a few days, and you will naturally hear about it. Or you can simply ask anyone."

"I can tell you right now that Fernandi Edward was once a slave sold from Gaina to Gadayat..."

"What?!"

Reinog and the others could not help displaying shocked and astonished expressions.

They had never expected to hear such news.

The soldier continued calmly, "Lord Edward was bought from the royal capital by the count for one gold coin. Later, on Par Mountain... he became a knight commander again, and there is also..."

The soldier secretly glanced at Mike Andrew walking at the front and said in a small, envious voice, "Platoon Leader Andrew was once a slave in Komoy Fort."

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"Later, he joined the army in Visas, seized the opportunity, and accumulated enough merit. He successfully shed his status as a slave and became a free citizen of Visas."

"Our platoon leader's current goal is to accumulate enough merit again so that his parents can also shed their slave status..."

Reinog and the others no longer knew what expressions to put on their faces. They could only stand there with their mouths open, listening blankly to the soldier.

The soldier said, "So you truly do not need to worry about lies or deception in the count's territory. Once you settle down and enough time passes, you will naturally understand that our count is the kindest!"

And the most adorable, too.

The soldier muttered inwardly, not daring to say the last sentence aloud.

He said, "The count has said that as long as you work hard enough, anything is possible."

"I was once a commoner without much ability, but now my family lives happily and comfortably."

"Praise the lord! Being able to live in Visas must be a blessing bestowed by the Creator God."

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