The Great Master!

The slaves whose names had been called stepped forward hesitantly, their hearts full of unease.

Louis waited until they had taken their places before speaking slowly.

"Over these past days, you have put tremendous effort into building the Red Tide Fief. So today, I will give you the reward you deserve."

Without wasting another word, Louis took the slave contracts from Silco and tossed them into the bonfire.

The flames devoured the writing that marked them as slaves.

"From this day forward, you are no longer slaves. You are free people!"

Everyone froze, their breathing stopping for a moment.

"Free...?!"

The slaves looked at one another in disbelief, their eyes filled with shock, as though they could not trust what they had seen and heard.

A moment later, the crowd erupted!

"Free people?! We're free people now?!"

"Great lord!"

"Heavens... free... I... I'm free now?!"

A weather-beaten, middle-aged slave suddenly threw himself to the ground, repeatedly striking his forehead against the hard, frozen earth. Even when blood began to seep out, he did not stop.

His voice cracked and rasped with overwhelming emotion. "Great lord! Our benefactor!"

"Great lord! You are a savior sent by the gods!" A young female slave covered her face and sobbed, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

An elderly slave raised trembling hands, murmuring under his breath.

It was as though he were praying to the Dragon Ancestor, or offering Louis his most heartfelt gratitude.

The other slaves around them stared wide-eyed in shock at those kneeling on the ground.

They were filled with regret, wondering why they had not worked harder. Perhaps they, too, could have been free at that very moment.

Once the crowd had quieted somewhat, Louis dropped an even bigger bombshell.

"From today onward, at least ten slaves who have contributed to the Red Tide Fief will be granted freedom every month.

As long as you are willing to work hard and contribute to the Red Tide Fief, every one of you will have a chance to become free, and even own land of your own!"

Every slave stared at Louis in disbelief.

If the group who had just been freed had shown them a glimmer of hope,

then Louis had now given them a real future!

As slaves, they were nothing more than Louis's property, and he could decide whether they lived or died on a whim.

Their children and grandchildren would remain slaves, unable to escape their lot for generations!

But now Louis was telling them that hard work could earn them a chance to cast off their slave status and become truly free!

To them, it meant stepping out of hell and back into the world of the living.

Several quick-witted slaves fell to their knees, shouting, "Great master!"

Soon, more followed, their cries rising one after another and sweeping across the entire square like a tide.

Their voices were hoarse and trembling, filled with uncontrollable fervor.

"Great master!"

"Great master!!"

Their cries grew louder and more unified, finally joining into a deafening chorus.

It was a cry that seemed to burst from the depths of their souls, echoing beneath the night sky long after it rang out.

"Great master!!!"

The knights standing nearby exchanged looks as they watched.

Though they had already witnessed many of their lord's miracles, the sight before them still left them deeply shaken.

One man, with just a few words, had turned a group of numb, shambling husks into fervent believers?

Some of the younger knights were even at a loss.

Why were these lowly slaves now looking at Louis as though they were worshipping a god?

Standing atop the tall rock, Louis was filled with emotion.

To think a mere spoken promise could have such power.

As a successor, he naturally did not approve of slavery.

Of course slavery had to be abolished, but it had to happen gradually.

If he granted everyone complete freedom all at once, he feared it would cause chaos.

Freeing them gradually through a reward system would also keep the slaves motivated and allow the entire Red Tide Fief to develop rapidly.

In truth, here in the Red Tide Fief, the difference between slaves and free people was not all that great.

Even free people would have to hand over their entire harvest to Louis for centralized distribution.

Dividing them into two classes simply gave them room to rise, making it easier to motivate them.

"Of course, I haven't forgotten you either." Louis turned his gaze toward the soldiers and knights standing around the outer edge.

He waved a hand, and the attendants behind him immediately sprang into action, opening several heavy wooden chests.

The bonfire illuminated the thick leather armor and warm boots neatly arranged inside.

At that moment, nearly every soldier's gaze was fixed on the supplies in those chests.

"Every soldier will receive a set of hide armor and a pair of northern leather boots.

Each member of the knight order will receive an additional whole wolf pelt to use as padding beneath their armor."

The moment he finished speaking, the soldiers rushed toward the chests!

This was the North, where cold and poverty made supplies especially scarce.

Many soldiers still wore worn-out boots, and having their feet go numb while patrolling through ice and snow was a common occurrence.

A pair of new boots and a new set of leather armor were things they had only dreamed of.

The attendants handed out the thick leather armor to the soldiers, piece by piece.

"Heavens! It's real leather armor!"

"These boots... these are the best leather boots in the North!"

"My lord, do you really mean it?"

They eagerly accepted the equipment, their eyes shining with excitement and their hearts filled with gratitude.

Standing atop the tall rock, Louis watched the soldiers below grow almost delirious with excitement, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

He had purchased this armor and these boots in Frost Glaive City ahead of time, intending all along to equip his soldiers with them.

Every resource was scarce in the North.

Even the smallest gift was enough to earn someone's unwavering loyalty.

What was more, Louis had learned through the intelligence system that these rewards were exactly what they needed most.

He had struck precisely where it mattered. How could they not be moved to tears with gratitude?

Once the supplies had been distributed, the feast continued, and several game animals roasted to a glossy golden brown were carried out.

Hot juices dripped into the flames with a faint sizzle.

The rich aroma of meat filled the air, tempting everyone's taste buds.

Everyone received a piece. Even the lowest-ranking slaves were given their fair share.

When that first mouthful of delicious roast meat passed their lips, the long-forgotten warmth and satisfaction brought many straight to tears.

"It's so good..."

"I haven't eaten real meat in years..."

Laughter and cheerful voices echoed across the clearing as people danced around the bonfire.

A refugee from the North excitedly began playing a bone flute, while several native women joined hands, spinning and leaping.

Not to be outdone, the soldiers began humming along, and even started laughing as they competed in dancing around the bonfire.

Children ran across the clearing in packs, their faces filled with the purest joy.

From atop the highest boulder, Louis quietly looked down on the scene.

As their lord, he was now the one in whom these people had placed their hopes.

I must lead them to survive in this frozen land, and even to prosper.