"Perfect. We'll bring some wine to sell. I'll label them as rare treasures of the world—because, honestly, they are. Add in a mysterious backstory, and they'll sell like hotcakes."
"Like a dragon's hoard?" Ashina asked, half-understanding.
Field snapped his fingers. "Exactly, Ashina! Even a single boot found in a dragon's lair would be a boot guarded by a dragon."
"And technically, we wouldn't even be lying. Those fine wines were guarded by powerful corrupted creatures… though the creatures didn't care about the wine itself." Ashina couldn't stop herself from laughing, covering her mouth with her hand.
"As for the carpentry work, it can wait. First, clear out all the trash from the grand winery—the rotten equipment, rubble from the collapsed sections, everything. Clean it thoroughly. I estimate this will take three days. Once it's done, I'll reward each of you with 20 copper coins."
"Sir, you're so generous!"
Field's generosity was well-known throughout the territory. Outside of Nightfall, even a freeman working an entire month might not earn 20 copper coins.
But for Field, the money he handed out would quickly flow back into his coffers. It was a trivial expense.
In fact, he wished for the slaves to become freemen as soon as possible. Only freemen were eligible to marry and have children, and freemen bore significant responsibilities, such as paying taxes.
Just as these thoughts crossed his mind, Field felt an invisible force surging into his body.
Just as he was mulling over his plans, Field felt an invisible force surge into his body.
It didn't bring an increase in physical strength, but he immediately sensed a significant change—he had advanced to a Tier 1 Lord!
In fact, forming a contract with a Chosen made it possible to become a lord. Field had already possessed the innate talent for it, so this transformation was only natural.
In this world, it wasn't just extraordinary knights, mages, or Chosen who could ascend in power. Lords, too, could level up.
However, their abilities had little to do with combat.
One unique skill of a lord was the ability to perceive the general state of their territory.
Name: Field
Class: Lord
Territory: Starry Night Grand Winery and Adjacent Farmlands
Contracted Chosen: Ashina
Population: 217
Development Level: 1 (Barely Anything)
Happiness: -32 (Despair and Oppression)
Environmental Quality: -89 (Corruption-ridden, Uninhabitable)
Probability of Chosen Appearing: One in a trillion
Lord's Talents:
Mini-Map:Detects nearby creatures (Exclusive Talent)Status Panel:Displays creatures' attributes in a tangible format (Exclusive Talent)Prosperity Domain:Dispels the death mist within the territory and accelerates the recovery from corruption.
Chosen's Additional Talents (Provided by Ashina):
Beast Taming:Increased efficiency in raising war beasts within the territory.Ennoblement:Advances 50 wolf riders to Tier 1.
Field's eyes lit up, and he couldn't suppress the grin spreading across his face. A bright, hearty laugh burst from his lips.
"What are you laughing about, Sir?" Ashina tilted her head in curiosity, scratching her cheek.
"It's nothing. Just thought of something funny."
Field then ordered the mist-repelling lamp to be extinguished, startling everyone present. They thought, for a moment, that their lord had lost his mind.
"All right, no need to scare you all." Field spread his hands and grinned. "I've mastered my lordly talents. Even without the mist-repelling lamp, I can ensure that the territory won't be eroded by corruption."
The crowd looked doubtful but didn't dare argue. When Field extinguished the mist-repelling lamp and the fog didn't seep in at all, everyone finally relaxed.
Relief soon turned to jubilation. Almost everyone joined in a joyful celebration.
After all, the mist-repelling lamp only lasted about a month. If the lord couldn't afford to purchase another one from the church, their survival was constantly at risk.
But with the lord's innate mist-dispelling ability, they finally had a solid foothold in Nightfall Territory.
"Tonight, there's a feast! Everyone gets meat stew and two loaves of bread," Field announced enthusiastically.
Saving a single mist-repelling lamp meant saving 25 gold coins—essentially earning them 250,000 black loaves in value.
"Long live the lord!"
The crowd erupted into cheers and laughter.
The maid, Shears, raised her booming voice, exclaiming, "This is the best news ever! No wonder I dreamed last night of my grandmother smiling at me! Lord Field, you're a born nobleman—there's no doubt about it. The blood of a true lord flows through your veins!"
Field was a little embarrassed by the praise. He turned to Kao and said, "Prepare an extra serving of honey cake for my maids, manservants, and cooks."
"Good heavens, sir! Our stock of honey cake isn't exactly abundant!" Kao, ever sharp-tongued, exclaimed dramatically. "The maids are already eating the leftovers from you and Lady Ashina—that's the finest food in the entire territory! There's no need to indulge them further!"
"Crunch, crunch~" Shears gritted her teeth so hard it sounded like she might shatter them. She looked ready to pounce on Kao and claw his face to shreds.
Even Sparrow, the usually silent maid, couldn't hide her frustration and glared at him.
"All right, everyone's in a good mood today. Shears, what are you standing around for? Go to the storeroom and get the cakes for everyone," Field said, never one to skimp on small indulgences.
"Long live the lord!" the two maids cheered, their love for sweets evident as they hopped and skipped towards the storeroom like jubilant little sparrows.
Kao, meanwhile, sighed heavily and silently began tallying the territory's resources in his head.
To the southeast of the Northern Province was Morning Breeze Province, where Field's cheapskate father resided. To the southwest lay Highwall Province, a mountainous region ruled by five counts. North of the Northern Province was the Orc homeland.
Field decided he would visit Highwall Province, a rugged land dotted with numerous fiefdoms.
Sitting at a creaky wooden table, Field's brow furrowed slightly as the rattling of the broken window disturbed his focus. He tried to remain calm and carefully opened a book titled Grey Mist and Death. This volume, worth a staggering 10 silver coins, was authored by Lucas, a renowned Imperial scholar and adventurer.
"Year 147 of the Gemini Calendar, 1st of September. Today should have been a day of national celebration—the Day of Awakening. But for the future of the Empire, I, Lucas, resolutely entered the abandoned and cursed lands of the Northern Province.
Fortunately, I was not alone. Accompanying me were two royal Chosen, as well as the fallen noble Daren and his Chosen daughter."
Field leisurely picked up a slice of apple from the plate in front of him, tossing it into his mouth. The sweet, tangy juice invigorated his senses, giving him a brief burst of energy. Satisfied, he continued reading.
"With the company of three stunning beauties, this journey is bound to be delightful. Though the royal Chosen are terrifying Tier 5 beings, that doesn't stop me from enjoying the view.
The Northern Province's three outermost baronies—Cloudveil, Nightfall, and Morningveil—I visited in my youth. Back then, they were brimming with fine wine and beautiful women. Now, they are overrun with corruption.
One particular type of corrupted creature that frequently attacks us is the hideous bat-woman. I suspect they were once courtesans, given that their bodies still bear distinctive tattoos and jewellery.
One of my guards, Steel Fork, even captured a bat-woman and, in the name of exploration, boldly tested the… depths of her transformation. What a fearless and curious soul! May the goddess bless him."
"puff"