"Perfect. We can take some wine to sell. I'll label it a rare treasure-which it already is-and add a bizarre story. It's bound to sell well."
"Like a dragon's treasure?" Ashina asked, only half understanding.
Field snapped his fingers. "Exactly, Ashina. Even a boot becomes a boot guarded by a dragon if you find it in a dragon's lair."
"And we wouldn't be lying. Those fine wines really were guarded by powerful Corrupted Creatures, even if the creatures had no interest in wine." Ashina covered her mouth, giggling nonstop.
"The carpentry can wait, then. First, clear all the rubbish out of the winery. Haul out the rotten equipment and the stones from the cave-ins, then clean everything up. I expect it to take three days. Once you're done, I'll reward each of you with twenty copper coins."
"My lord, you're so generous!"
Everyone in the territory already agreed that Field was generous. Outside Nightfall Territory, even freemen might not earn twenty copper coins after a month's work.
To Field, the coins he handed out would soon find their way back into his pockets. It hardly mattered.
He was even eager for the slaves to become freemen as quickly as possible, since only freemen were permitted to marry and have children. Freemen also had many important duties to fulfill, such as paying taxes.
As he was thinking this, Field felt an invisible force surge into his body.
His strength hadn't increased, but he immediately sensed the difference. He had advanced to a first-tier lord!
In fact, signing a contract with a Chosen One gave a person the chance to become a lord.
Field already possessed lord talents, so this was simply a natural progression.
In this world, supernatural knights, mages, and Chosen Ones weren't the only ones with ranks. Lords could have levels too.
They just didn't have much destructive power.
Lords could see a general overview of their territories.
Name: Field Class: Lord Territory: Starry Night Winery and nearby farmland Contracted Chosen One: Ashina Population: 217 Development: 1 (nothing to speak of) Happiness: -32 (despondent and oppressed) Environment: -89 (rife with corruption, unfit for habitation) Chance of a Chosen One appearing: one in one hundred billion Lord talents: Mini-Map (detects nearby creatures, exclusive talent), status panel (renders creature attributes visible, exclusive talent) Prosperity Domain (disperses the fog of death within the territory and accelerates the removal of corruption's effects) Additional talents from Chosen One: Ferocious Beast Taming (makes it easier to raise ferocious beasts for war within the territory, provided by Ashina) Investiture (advances fifty Wolf Riders to the first tier, provided by Ashina)
Field's eyes lit up. Unable to suppress the smile spreading across his face, he laughed heartily.
"My lord, what are you laughing about?" Ashina scratched her head, looking curious.
"Nothing. I thought of something funny."
Field ordered the territory's Mist-Driving Lamp extinguished, giving everyone a terrible fright. They thought he had lost his mind.
"All right, I won't scare you anymore." Field spread his hands and smiled. "I've mastered my lord talent. Even without the Mist-Driving Lamp, I can keep the territory safe from corruption."
Everyone was skeptical but didn't dare object. Only when Field extinguished the Mist-Driving Lamp and not a wisp of fog seeped in did they relax.
Then came sheer delight, and almost everyone joined in the joyful celebration.
After all, a Mist-Driving Lamp only lasted about a month. If their lord couldn't afford to buy another from the Church, they could die at any moment.
Now that their lord could drive away the fog, however, they had truly secured a foothold in Nightfall Territory.
"We'll have extra food tonight. Everyone gets meat broth and two loaves of bread," Field announced exuberantly.
Saving one Mist-Driving Lamp meant saving twenty-five gold coins. That was a windfall worth two hundred and fifty thousand loaves of black bread.
"Hooray!"
Everyone cheered and jumped for joy.
The maid Scissors cried out in her booming voice, "This is wonderful news! No wonder I dreamed of my grandmother smiling at me last night. Lord Field, you're a born noble. A lord's blood runs through your veins!"
Embarrassed by all the praise, Field immediately told Kao, "Give my maids, manservants, and cooks an extra serving of honey cake."
"Heavens, master! We don't have much honey cake left!" Kao exclaimed, maintaining his usual knack for offending people. "The maids can just eat your and Lady Ashina's leftovers. That's already the best food in the territory. There's no need to give them anything extra."
Grind, grind... Scissors nearly ground her teeth to pieces. She wanted to pounce on Kao and claw his face to shreds.
The maid Sparrow was usually quiet, but she was furious too.
"All right, everyone's happy for once. Scissors, why are you still standing there? Go to the storeroom and hand out the cake." Field never begrudged such trifling perks.
"Long live our lord!" The two sweet-loving maids cheered loudly. As happy as a pair of little birds, they skipped toward the storeroom.
Kao sighed and silently took stock of the territory's supplies.
Southeast of Northern Frontier Province lay Morningwind Province, where Field's father in this world lived. To the southwest was Highcastle Province, while north of the Northern Frontier lay the homeland of the Orcs.
Field decided to visit Highcastle Province, a mostly mountainous province containing five counties.
Seated at a wooden table, Field frowned slightly at the creaking, broken window. He tried to keep his mind calm as he carefully opened a book titled "Gray Fog and Death." Worth a full ten silver coins, it had been written by Lucas, a renowned scholar and explorer of the Empire.
"September 1, year 147 of the Twin Calendar. Today should have been Awakening Day, a day of celebration throughout the nation. But for the future of the Empire, I, Lucas, resolutely entered that abandoned and cursed land, Northern Frontier Province! Fortunately, I did not enter alone. Two royal Chosen Ones accompanied me, along with the fallen noble Darren and his Chosen One daughter."
Field leisurely picked up a slice of apple from the plate before him and popped it into his mouth.
The sweet juice tantalized his taste buds. Refreshed, Field continued reading.
"With three peerless beauties accompanying me, this journey is sure to be full of pleasure. Though the royal Chosen Ones are terrifying fifth-tier beings, that hardly prevents me from feasting my eyes. I visited the Northern Frontier's three outlying baronies-Cloudveil Territory, Nightfall Territory, and Dawnveil Territory-in my youth. They were all wonderful places, full of fine wine and beautiful women. Now, however, corruption is everywhere. One kind of creature that frequently attacks us is the hideous Bat Woman. I believe they were once prostitutes who became corrupted, since distinctive tattoos and jewelry still remain on their bodies. My guard Steel Fork caught a Bat Woman and tried plumbing her depths. What a brave, fearless fellow, so full of an explorer's spirit! May the goddess bless him."
"Pfft!"
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