**Chapter 131: Butler Cole**
As Su Yu noticed Sky Dragon looking a bit dejected, like a wilted vegetable, he couldn't help but chuckle. To lift her spirits, he displayed the [Tavern] attributes and the card pool probabilities for her.
After reviewing the odds, Sky Dragon perked up immediately, her energy fully restored. Hands on her hips, she grinned confidently. "See! I knew it! With my luck, I can definitely pull something good. President, just wait—I'll draw us some outstanding talents!"
"Go for it!" Su Yu replied with a smile, moving a cold skewer closer to her mouth.
She took a big bite, barely pausing to savor the taste before eagerly pressing the [Ten Draws] button to use up all ten chances at once. Cards began to flip, revealing mostly ordinary ones. After all, this was just a level 1 tavern; rare, blue-quality talents wouldn't appear in the card pool until the territory upgraded to the [Town] level.
But Sky Dragon's incredible luck was undeniable. Among the next nine draws, she managed to pull four more green-quality cards.
In this set of ten draws, Sky Dragon drew a total of five excellent-quality followers. Watching the green flashes that appeared intermittently, Su Yu quietly applauded his wise decision.
"It was a smart move to recruit Sky Dragon into the guild! Otherwise, we wouldn't have come this far."
"Nicely done, Sky Dragon!" Su Yu praised her.
"Of course! Who else could it be?" Sky Dragon said with pride, practically glowing with satisfaction.
Once the drawing was complete, a board displayed the names of all 100 talents.
After skimming past the common-quality ones, Su Yu focused on those with excellent quality. Among them were five talents with impressive attributes:
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**[Cole]**
- **Role**: Butler
- **Feature 1**: **[Announcement]** – When serving as the chief steward of the territory, Cole can issue an announcement in the main city to attract more refugees, increasing the rate by 10%.
- **Feature 2**: **[Appease]** – If the territory encounters a riot, Cole can help stabilize morale, preventing a significant drop in livability.
**[Ethan]**
- **Role**: Scout Cavalry
- **Feature 1**: **[Eagle Vision]** – Enhances vision range by 50%.
- **Feature 2**: **[Leopard's Sense of Smell]** – Increases the likelihood of finding wild animals like boars, deer, and sheep by 30%.
**[Joshua]**
- **Role**: Mason
- **Feature 1**: **[Top Craft]** – Produces stone tools that sell at high prices in the city.
- **Feature 2**: **[Stone Art Exhibition]** – Displays stone carvings that subtly improve livability in the territory.
**[Emily]**
- **Role**: Soldier
- **Feature 1**: **[Attack Stance]** – Boosts all attributes by 20% while attacking.
- **Feature 2**: **[Dexterity]** – Increases dodge rate by 15%.
**[Miller]**
- **Role**: Bard
- **Feature 1**: **[Story Master]** – Tells stories in the tavern to entertain residents, subtly raising livability.
- **Feature 2**: **[Dew Lover]** – Slightly increases fertility rates among female residents.
---
The range of talents was impressive, covering everything from soldiers and craftsmen to artists. Some could generate income, while others could accelerate resource gathering, boost livability, or attract refugees.
For Su Yu, however, the standout was [Cole], the butler. Population growth was critical for territorial upgrades, especially in the early stages, so Cole's recruitment boost was invaluable.
Without delay, Su Yu summoned Cole.
A green summoning circle lit up in the tavern's hall, casting an ethereal glow as an older man in a distinguished black butler uniform materialized in the center.
"Master, I am Cole," he announced, bowing respectfully to Su Yu. Cole's monocle glinted as he glanced up, his face radiating professionalism.
Su Yu withdrew a [Ceremonial Sword] from his backpack, resting its tip lightly on Cole's shoulder. "Cole, I hereby appoint you as the chief steward of our territory. You'll oversee all affairs within it."
"It's an honor to serve you, sir!"
The sight of the [Ceremonial Sword] in Su Yu's hand made Cole's heart race with excitement. This ritual was rarely performed; typically, only the highest nobles of the empire used it to appoint trusted servants. Su Yu's gesture clearly expressed his trust.
Cole's loyalty soared instantly, reaching a perfect score of 100. "I vow to serve you with my life!" he pledged, kneeling once more.
"Good!" Su Yu helped him up. "From now on, the territory's management is in your hands. If this lady here gives you an order, as long as it's reasonable, you're to follow it. Understood?"
Su Yu gestured to Sky Dragon.
"Yes, sir!" Cole replied without hesitation.
---
As Su Yu watched Cole, he reflected for a moment. Although NPC butlers could aid players with territorial management and provide bonuses, their oversight had limitations. NPCs couldn't monitor stats like prosperity or livability, so their effectiveness was limited. For optimal management, Su Yu would need to rely on his own efforts—until he could find an epic-quality butler, at least.
Leaving the tavern, Su Yu turned to Sky Dragon. "I'll leave the daily 'Ten Draws' task to you. Keep up the good work," he said, patting her on the shoulder.
"Don't worry; my luck is solid," she assured him confidently. "Guild Leader, I'll continue my hunt!"
"Have fun." Su Yu waved as Sky Dragon mounted her Howling Moon Wolf and sped off.
---
With Sky Dragon gone, Su Yu turned to inspect the territory.
In the bustling area ahead, Robert was leading other players in constructing [Residential Houses]. These basic structures required minimal materials—only 25 units of wood each, about one-eighth of what the [Tavern] cost.
Under Robert's direction, six or seven houses were being built simultaneously, arranged neatly in rows. The atmosphere was lively, filled with laughter and camaraderie.
"Hey, Yeli, that wall's crooked—can't you see it?"
"Anyone seen my hammer?"
"Nice! Just add a window here, and we're good!"
"Hey! Pass me that plank, will you?"
Seeing the spirited construction site, Su Yu couldn't help but smile as he opened the territory panel.
The flourishing activity had done wonders for the territory's stats. Unsurprisingly, the territory's prosperity had climbed to 98 points, and livability had reached the maximum value of 100!
The high prosperity was due to rapid building progress and player participation, which kept development ahead of refugee arrivals. The livability boost came from Su Yu's investment in well-paid farmers, newly built housing, and the addition of an entertainment venue—the [Tavern]. It was no wonder the stat had maxed out.
There were now only 12 minutes until the arrival of the first wave of [Refugees].
"With prosperity and livability this high, and with the butler's recruitment bonus, I wonder how many refugees will come in the first batch?" Su Yu thought eagerly.
*(End of Chapter)*