Arrival

After dozens of days on the road, Louis finally arrived at the Red Tide Fief with his convoy.

What greeted him, however, was a lifeless wilderness.

"What a godforsaken backwater." A knight from the south could not help muttering as he surveyed the scene.

Louis did not respond. Instead, he dismounted and slowly looked around.

Barren, dilapidated, and devoid of life, the entire landscape lay deathly still. Even weeds were scarce. It truly was a desolate place.

But with his intelligence system, Louis was certain that this land had enormous untapped potential and abundant resources.

Geothermal heat, mineral deposits, fisheries, and vast tracts of land suitable for farming.

As long as someone was willing to develop it, this place would surely become a land of wealth.

"Sooner or later, this place will become the wealthiest fief in the north," Louis murmured, as though making a promise to himself.

Without wasting any time, Louis began issuing orders to develop the fief.

"Set up temporary tents first. Once we've chosen a site to settle, we'll start building houses. You can begin cutting timber in the meantime."

"Find a water source by the river, and make sure everyone has enough drinking water and food!"

"Clear an open area and set up a basic training ground. The soldiers mustn't neglect their training!"

As order after order was issued, the soldiers and slaves quickly sprang into action.

The sounds of chopping wood and shouted calls began echoing across the long-silent land, breathing the first hint of life into it.

As the new lord of the Red Tide Fief, Louis needed to see the land's current condition for himself before drawing up his next development plans.

He therefore spent the next few days making a thorough inspection of the Red Tide Fief.

When Louis reached the southern side of the fief, he noticed vapor slowly rising from several spots where the snow had melted.

He hurried over and crouched down, holding out his palm and feeling a trace of warmth.

"A geothermal vent?!" Delight flashed in Louis's eyes.

The intelligence system had indicated that geothermal resources existed here, and it had been right.

In an environment like the north, geothermal heat was undoubtedly an invaluable asset.

If properly developed, it could not only keep the residents warm but also make the coming spring planting easier.

To his greater delight, he also discovered several hot springs nearby!

Hot springs and the north.

Those two terms seemed almost unbelievable together.

Imagining himself soaking in a hot spring amid ice and snow while the other lords shivered in the bitter wind, Louis could not help smiling. That would be twice the pleasure.

He therefore decided to build his manor near these hot springs.

Next, he went to the river. Cracks had already appeared in the ice, and the water flowed slowly. A few birds lingered along the banks, occasionally diving into the water to snatch up small fish still sluggish from winter.

There were not many fish in the river yet, but according to the intelligence system, once spring arrived, this place would become a breeding ground for fish, providing the fief with a steady source of food.

Just as he was considering how to make the most of this resource, a squad of scouting knights he had sent out hurried back with exciting news.

They had discovered rich mineral deposits deep in the mountains.

"My lord, we discovered a cold iron vein deep in the mountains to the northwest!"

"And farther in, we found an ore that gives off a dark red glow. We suspect it's demon marrow ore."

Lambert drew in a sharp breath. "Demon marrow ore?! If that's true, it's practically a mountain of gold!"

"Yes." Louis nodded calmly.

He had already learned of this vein through the intelligence system, so he was not particularly surprised.

The value of demon marrow ore needed no explanation, but under their current conditions, mining it would be far too difficult.

Still, as long as this land developed steadily, that vein would one day become one of the Red Tide Fief's most important assets.

By the end of their tour, Louis and his knights had gained considerably more confidence in the fief.

The intelligence system had been right. This truly was a land full of promise.

Yet compared with the land's potential value, the reality before them was brutally harsh.

When they entered the local settlement, they were greeted by a scene of utter decay.

Standing water mingled with foul sludge on the ground, and the air was thick with the smell of damp and rot.

Crude wooden huts and houses of mud and straw stood crookedly, looking as though they might collapse at any moment.

Most of the residents here were elderly people, women, and children dressed in rags.

Their bodies were thin and frail, wrapped in clothing barely pieced together from old strips of cloth. It clearly could not keep out the northern cold.

"Was anyone managing this place before?" Louis asked, frowning at the scene before him.

"The former administrator fled long ago," a local answered.

Several scrawny children huddled behind a door, their cheeks red from the cold. Keeping their frail bodies hidden in the shadows, they watched Louis and his party.

Their eyes were timid, filled with wariness and fear of strangers.

The sight left Louis deeply unsettled. Having received a compulsory education, he simply could not bear to see children suffer like this.

He dismounted, took some dry rations from a pouch he carried, and approached them. Crouching down, he held out the food. "Here. Have something to eat."

But the children only watched him warily. None dared move, as though afraid it was some kind of trap.

Yet the scent of the rations was especially tempting in the air, and the children swallowed.

"Go ahead," Louis said softly.

At last, the children could no longer resist. They snatched the food from Louis's hands and crammed it into their mouths, as though afraid it would vanish a moment later.

But Louis soon noticed that one little boy had not immediately wolfed down his share like the others.

Instead, he quietly tucked his portion inside his ragged clothes.

"Why aren't you eating?" Louis asked, crouching down.

The little boy looked up, fear showing on his dirty face.

In a timid, childish voice, he answered, "I... I want to save it to eat with Mama."

Louis froze.

He suddenly remembered that the nobles in the south fed their dogs the finest meat.

Yet the children here had to carefully hide away even a piece of dry ration.

It was absurd.

A sudden sense of responsibility rose within him. He wanted to do something for the people of this land.

Louis swept his gaze over the cold, starving locals around him and announced loudly, "Anyone willing to work can come to my camp. I'll give you food and shelter, and make sure you survive!"

The locals exchanged glances, their eyes filled with numbness.

They had endured too much suffering and had long since stopped trusting anyone. But looking at the children who had just been given food, they finally nodded.

We might as well try. Things can't get any worse anyway.