Chapter 46: The Second Round of Recruitment
Ten minutes later, Wendy returned to her room—her face was red.
She had been in a hurry to escape, so she did not have time to change her bathrobe. Wendy leaned against the bedroom door and covered her chest with her hands—her heart was pounding.
The scene still echoed in her mind. Wendy had wanted to scrub Watson’s back because that was what her brother, Liszt, had told her to do. As a nobleman’s maid, she had a responsibility to serve her master—she would have to cook for him, help him with his bath, and even warm his bed.
Wendy was still young, so no one would expect her to warm her master’s bed, but she could still help with the bath. However, she did not expect it would be that awkward.
“Young Master has a huge penis! No, no, Young Master’s body is really strong. No!”
Wendy suppressed the wild thoughts in her mind and took a deep breath. Suddenly, she was a little worried.
It was Watson’s kindness that let her live in such a huge castle. Liszt even proposed to move their parents to the same place, and Watson had agreed.
Wendy respected her young master. What if he wanted to terminate her job because he was not satisfied with that matter?
“Young Master is a good person; he won’t punish me that easily, right? If he really needs to do something about it, then he can deduct my salary!”
She was Watson’s only maid, so her salary was higher than her brother’s—about 50 gold coins a month.
“But I left without doing anything. Would Young Master really not blame me?”
Wendy still worried about her gains and losses when someone knocked on the door. She opened it and saw Liszt.
When he noticed that she was in a clean white bathrobe, he frowned and said with a straight face, “Why are you dressed like this? Did you take a bath? This is Blackmoon Castle. Don’t be act too casually and treat this as your home.”
Liszt was one of the first batches of guards that Watson had recruited. Other than Allen, who had the highest talent, he had been eating three Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken eggs every day. His strength had increased by more than a thousand catties, and he was at the peak of bronze tier warriors. He was only a step away from silver tier, so Watson appointed him as the vice-captain of the guards.
Of course, Liszt did not dare to let Watson down, so when Wendy went to the castle, he had warned his sister not to cause any trouble and to serve the family dutifully, especially when it was Watson.
So, when he saw his sister in the corridor in a loose bathrobe, his mind thought about the situation if some burly guards had found her. However, he did not want to think of the implication. He already saw Wendy as his young master’s woman.
“You are right, Brother. I know I’m wrong.”
Wendy’s face reddened when her brother reprimanded her. She did not dare to refute him. Instead, she rolled her wet jade-green hair with her fingers.
How would she explain it?
Perhaps she had bumped into the young master while he was taking a bath and saw something she could not describe? If that were the case, Liszt would be even angrier.
“Forget it; it’s not a big deal. But, you should be more careful next time!” Liszt said as he sat on the soft sofa in the room. He picked up a cup of unfinished tea on the table, took a sip, and looked around the room.
It was quite a good room, much better than hundreds of rooms in the dark castle. It had two smaller rooms and a living room. Each room had a soft bed with a curtain on the side. There was a set of solid wood tables and chairs in the living room, two sofas, and a fireplace in the right wall, and the floor was covered with a red carpet. Some charcoal had been added to the fireplace as it was already autumn.
Liszt nodded in approval. He was the vice-captain, and he did not even get such treatment. At least Wendy had a single room, but he had to live with his parents.
“Wendy, it is good that you can live in such a nice place and eat delicious food every day. However, you must not slack off and let Young Master Watson think that you are a lazy person! In addition to cleaning the floor and the room daily, you also have to trim the trees outside, and…” Liszt mentioned all the work that he could think of.
At that moment, he was the only one who could bring his family members to Blackmoon Castle. The other guards were extremely envious of the special treatment he enjoyed, and they were all secretly troubled. So why did they not think of sending their daughters or sisters there?
Many of the guards had taken a few days off to go home and bring their female family members there. Liszt knew what was in their mind. As the first batch of maids to live in the castle, Wendy was blessed with exceptional conditions, and she might even become the head housemaid in the future.
Liszt was the vice-captain of the guards, and Wendy was the head housemaid—they would be able to achieve great success.
When it was time for the patrol, Liszt gave Wendy some serious advice before he turned around and left.
On the one hand, he was there to teach Wendy; on the other hand, it had already been a month. He had been busy with training every day, and he was always a little worried when he saw Wendy occasionally.
After Liszt left, Wendy sat back on the sofa. She dragged her hands across her fair cheeks and looked at the flames in the stove across from her.
“Brother is right. I can get 50 gold coins every month. This is something that our parents can’t even earn in ten years. I want to do more for Young Master. At least, I want to be worthy of my salary!”
Wendy made up her mind as she clenched her fists. If she were to encounter the young master while he was in the bath, then she would not run away. Instead, she would take one with him. Of course, it would be better if she did not need to do that, but at least she could take a bath.
..
Three days passed by in the blink of an eye.
Zeke and Zenoah stayed for two days after their return. They asked Watson to fuse 100 sets of weapons and armors that they had brought back into bronze equipment in sets. Then, they fused all the medicinal herbs into high-quality medicine.
A Black-iron armor was only worth a few dozen silver coins, but the price would increase tenfold after it became bronze. Watson managed to fuse more than 100 sets of bronze equipment and weapons and about 100 pieces of bronze jewelry in two days. There were also thousands of herbs that ranged from bronze to gold tier.
Those items were worth at least 100,000 gold coins. Then, Zeke and Zenoah went to Montevideo with those bounties.
With these bountiful gains, his third and fourth brothers headed to Monte Town.
Watson noticed that his two brothers had gotten used to their roles as merchants, but that did not stop them from running around. Before they left, they even said that they would bring a girlfriend home. Naturally, they would not want Watson to overtake them on that front.
Watson smiled when he heard that.
“Good morning, Young Master Watson.”
Wendy stood in front of him as she trimmed a crooked tree in the yard.
“Good morning,” Watson lifted his hand in response.
Ever since Wendy caught him while he was taking a bath a few days ago, he did not dare to go to the bathroom. He was also embarrassed whenever he saw Wendy. On the contrary, Wendy, who had always been very shy, took the initiative to serve him tea during dinner. Then, after that, she would wipe his mouth with a handkerchief. When it was bedtime, she would accompany him in the bedroom and talk to him until he fell asleep. She did not chase him away.
Her actions made Scarlet extremely jealous. Every time they ate, Watson had to endure her sister’s glare at him. Even the rest of the family members had strange expressions on their faces.
“Young Master, would you like a bath after your morning exercise? I can boil the water now.” After she said that, Wendy was prepared to run back to the castle with the scissors in her hand, but Watson stopped her. “Wait! No need! I don’t want to take a bath because I have more important things to do later.”
When Watson recruited his guards, he mentioned that Blackmoon Castle would recruit more people next month. That day was their second round of recruitment. He believed that many potential guards were waiting patiently outside the castle, and Watson looked forward to meeting them.
Chapter 47: All Members Are Eliminated
More than 20 bronze tier warriors chatted in groups of twos and threes outside the Blackmoon Castle; they looked nervous.
All of them had gifts. Some had magical beasts, and some had armors and weapons. Some even had carts filled with meat and wheat. It was not an exaggeration to say that some carts had dismantled beds, tables, and chairs on them—perhaps they had torn down their furniture and brought them there.
Most of the bronze-tier experts within a ten-kilometer radius were there.
Three old men, who had also applied for the job last time, were also there; they chatted with each other.
“I brought four people this time. Young Master promised me four Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken eggs,” one of them said.
“Hey, it’s too early for a celebration! Young Master Watson said that it’s not enough to just bring people here. We still have to pass the test. Even though I only brought three people, they are already bronze tier warriors in their 30s. They had a lot of room for development in the future. They’ll definitely get three eggs,” another person said.
While everyone talked, Watson brought Wendy outside of the castle.
As she stood behind Watson, Wendy looked at the guards curiously. She wanted to prepare a bath for Watson, but he rejected her offer. He told her to go and familiarize herself with the recruitment process instead. He said that he would let her handle all the recruitment matters in the future.
Watson looked at the more than 20 bronze tier warriors in front of him, as well as the gifts they carried with them, and smiled in satisfaction.
He had a simple idea when he brought Wendy there. After the two recruitment rounds, those bronze tier warriors who wanted to join him would definitely be there. The rest of the group were either below the bronze tier or fine on their own, so they did not need to go there. He believed that fewer people would apply for the job next month. He also had too much to do, so he could not continue the recruitment process in person.
Zeke and Zenoah had urgent things to attend to, Scarlet was still too young, and his eldest brother was busy with his cultivation. So the only one he could trust and also qualified for the job was Wendy.
“Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to participate in Blackmoon Castle’s recruitment process. As long as you pass the assessment, you will receive three Rainbow Phoenix Chicken eggs a day! If someone has brought you here, please let me know who it is. Your guide will also get an egg if you pass the assessment,” Watson said to the people in front of him.
“Just as we expected, we can get a Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken egg—wait, did Young Master say a Rainbow Phoenix Chicken egg?”
The man rubbed his hands excitedly when he heard that. Suddenly, he sensed that something was wrong and cried out in surprise.
Did they not say that it was the Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken? So how did it become the Rainbow Phoenix Chicken?
The Rainbow Phoenix Chicken was a gold tier magical beast at a higher level than a Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken. Had a Rainbow Phoenix Chicken appeared in the Blackmoon Castle? The crowd’s eyes became more fervent when they thought about that—the reward had exceeded their expectations.
Those who were there to try their luck were determined to get into the Blackmoon Castle. There were also those who were doubtful of the situation. Even a great noble would not have a magical beast like the Rainbow Phoenix Chicken. It was only one short month, and Watson had changed the Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken as a reward, so they did not know if he was lying.
“If you’re ready, let’s start the test.” Watson was very satisfied with everyone’s expression. He waved to Wendy. “Go and get the captain of the guards, Alan, and ask him to bring a basket of Rainbow Phoenix Chicken eggs.”
Maybe some people did not believe him, but it did not matter. He would act to dispel their doubts.
“Yes, Young Master.”
Wendy nodded respectfully before she turned around and walked into the castle. In just a short while, Alan came out; he was wearing armor and riding a liger.
The majestic liger, his grand armor, the guardian sword that hung at his waist, and his long and elegant blue hair—the combination made him look heroic. The crowd breathed heavily and looked envious when they saw him.
Soon, everyone’s eyes moved from Alan toward the basket filled in his hand—it had many colorful eggs in it.
The eggs flickered in seven colors and emitted a delicate fragrance. Just one look and one could tell that those were not ordinary eggs. The smell increased their blood flow and their combat aura strength—and that was only the smell. If they were to eat it—well, no one doubted Watson’s words anymore.
“Greetings, Young Master. What is your command?”
Allen jumped off the liger, and he knelt in front of Watson. The basket of eggs was still in his hand.
“Allen, get up. You are the captain of the guards, so you will be the examiner for the next test! You don’t have to do anything. If they can force you to take a step backward, then it means that they pass.”
Watson walked forward and helped Allen up. After he set the same rules as the previous test, he lowered his voice and said, “Don’t feel burdened. Just do your best. It doesn’t matter even if no one passes.”
“Don’t worry, Young Master Watson. I won’t let you down.”
Allen rolled his eyes and turned to face bronze tier warriors in front of him. “Which one of you would like to be the first?”
It seemed that Young Master Watson wanted to use him to establish his authority. He was an intelligent person, so he immediately understood what Watson wanted to do.
Watson hoped that he could show those candidates some authority and make them understand the strength of the guards in Blackmoon Castle. Even if someone passed, they should not be arrogant and undisciplined after they joined the team; it would make them easier to manage.
Allen had only joined Blackmoon Castle the previous month. Even if the guards had improved, it would not have been much. However, his improvement was the fastest—he was already at the peak of the bronze tier. Since his armor, long sword, and jewelry were also from the same tier, those warriors would not be able to make a move against him easily.
“I’ll go first.”
“I’ll go first!”
As soon as he said that, a few people walked out from the crowd. They could feel the combat aura that Alan emitted. He was only a bronze tier warrior. Even if they could not defeat Alan, could they make him take a step backward?
The rules that Watson had set were too simple. It was clear that he had looked down on them—that was what some of them thought.
However, the reality was cruel.
It only took one minute for a few candidates to retreat with an ugly expression. They had used all of their might, but Allen did not budge. On the contrary, their fists landed Alan’s armor, and it had hurt.
Alan crossed his arms and looked at them disdainfully. “Anyone else? Let’s continue!”
The rest of the candidates gritted their teeth as they rushed forward.
Ten minutes later, there was no one left beside Allen; all of them had failed.
“I didn’t expect that none of you could make Allen retreat. According to the rules, if no one passes the assessment, then all of you can go back.” Watson pretended to be disappointed and sighed. The crowd’s expression changed; some of them had torn down their houses because they wanted to join the Blackmoon Castle. They had brought all of their properties there, so they would not have a place to stay when they returned home.
That was especially true for those old men who had participated in the test before that. They thought that the test was easy and that they would pass as long as they brought gifts with them. However, the result had been different, so some of the candidates were resentful.
The three old men also had a bitter expression on their faces. They thought that they would get the eggs as long as they brought some people to participate in the test. That was what had happened the last time. Who knew that Watson would change his routine? That was great—their eggs were gone. Their candidates would definitely think that they were swindlers.
If no one passed the test, then would those applicants not think that they had been scammed?
Then, Watson spoke.
“Well, logically speaking, everyone should be eliminated, but don’t worry, I’m a soft-hearted person! If you’re below 50 years old, then I can be swayed to keep you here.”
Chapter 48: You Won’t Suffer or Be Fooled
“Really?”
“Young Master Watson, you’re not lying to us, are you?”
Many of the candidates widened their eyes in disbelief when they heard that.
Only the gods knew what they had experienced. They had arrived there with troubled hearts; they did not know if they could pass the test. Many of them were relieved when they heard Watson’s rules. They thought they could pass the test, and it had slapped them right on their faces. Then, just as they were about to give up, Watson said that they had passed.
Did he play them?
After they had experienced the ups and downs of their short life, they were dumbfounded.
“You have seen how strong Allen is; he is the vice-captain of the guards! He had been only a bronze tier warrior, just like yourself. He has only joined Blackmoon Castle for a month, but his strength has risen to this level. I think you should understand what this means.”
Watson pointed at Allen with a serious expression.
“Young Master Watson is right.”
Allen puffed out his chest—he cooperated with Watson and said, “I wasn’t even as strong as you, and I was the weakest among the bronze tier warriors. However, now, I can suppress all of you. This is thanks to Young Master Watson and also his Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken eggs! If you join the Blackmoon Castle, you’ll be as strong as me in one month!”
“Did you hear that? Those who want to join the Blackmoon Castle can come here to collect the eggs.”
Watson thought that Allen was brilliant.
Only four of the 20 candidates stood there helplessly while the rest rushed toward Watson like a swarm of bees.
Those four people had wrinkles on their faces. They were over 50 years old; they did not pass the test, and they were envious, but there was nothing they could do about it. They were only bronze tier warriors, and they might stay in that realm for their entire lives. So it was expected that Watson would not want them.
“Are these really the Rainbow Phoenix Chicken eggs? Even though I have never seen a magical beast of this level, the waves and fragrance that these eggs emitted should not be wrong.”
The candidates, who had run toward Watson, held the eggs carefully in their arms. They looked delighted.
Some even rubbed their cheeks against the eggs as their mouths drooled. “I want to swallow these eggs. No, I should bear with it. I want to boil these eggs and eat them bit by bit.”
Alan stood at the side and curled his lips. He did not comment on how excited those people had looked. He remembered the same feeling when he was there the previous month. Watson had given him the Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken then, but it had been changed to the Rainbow Phoenix Chicken eggs. He was a little envious. If only he had been there a month later.
Would Watson have given him a hundred Rainbow Phoenix Chicken eggs?
“Alright, those who have received their eggs can follow Alan back to the castle.”
Watson looked at the basket in Alan’s hand. “The recruitment process will continue as usual next month. I will choose one of the new recruits to be the examiner. If he can’t do what Alan did and eliminate all the candidates, then I will send him away! Also, we have a competition in the castle every month, and the top ten winners will get additional rewards, and the bottom three will lose their monthly salary. Those who rank last for two months in a row will have to leave by themselves.”
There were 27 applicants at that time. Three of them were old men who had been there the last time. Another four men were eliminated because of their age. So, only 20 men remained, and when they included the castle’s original guards, there were a total of 30 people.
Watson wanted to turn his guards into knights who were not inferior to any army. The Blackmoon Knight name was a symbol of his hope. Those knights only sought quality and not quantity.
One should not think that everything was fine after they joined the Blackmoon Castle. He did not like to do business at a loss. Even though he had a fusion system and it was not difficult for him to fuse high-level materials, he did not want to waste anything. Those people had to go through many rounds of elimination before only a few elites were left.
As expected, those people who were excited as they held the eggs to their chest experienced a change in their expression.
They did not dare to deny that there were people who coveted the luxurious treatment of Blackmoon Castle and wanted to fool with their new status. However, they did not dare to have such thoughts anymore. If they did not work hard, they would be eliminated; there was no other place that would give them a Rainbow Phoenix Chicken egg, but there were too many guards like them.
There was no need to think too much about which they would choose.
“The rest of you, I can’t let you join because of your age! But—”
Watson raised his voice halfway through his sentence, and when he realized that everyone’s attention was on him, he continued to say, “But you can still bring people to the test. If they were to join Blackmoon Castle, then you’ll become stronger and get the best weapons, armor, and even mounts! It doesn’t matter if you can’t join Blackmoon Castle yourself, but your friends might still be able to do that. Even if your friends are eliminated, will their friends be eliminated as well?”
Many people wanted to laugh when they saw Watson proclaim the benefits of Blackmoon Castle with a serious expression.
They had only heard rumors about how Watson was a genius silver tier warrior. They did not expect him to be so humorous. He did not seem like a child at all. Everyone was either nervous or disappointed that they were not selected, but his words swept them away.
“In short, you’ve done the right thing by coming to the Blackmoon Castle! You didn’t suffer any disadvantage, and you were not fooled as well.”
Watson thickened his skin as he shouted, “Same time next month—the third round of recruitment will be held at Blackmoon Castle! We will not only recruit guards, but also experienced farmers. Bring someone here, and if they pass, you will get a Rainbow Phoenix Chicken egg. This rule is also applicable to those who have joined the castle. That’s all I have to say.”
Then, Watson brought Allen, Wendy, and the people who had passed back to Blackmoon Castle.
Rumble!
The gates of Blackmoon Castle closed with a loud bang; it left behind seven bronze tier old warriors with an excited expression on their faces.
They would get a Rainbow Phoenix Egg if their candidate passed the test. What were they waiting for? They had lived at the border for so long, so they had friends.
They were determined to bring with them as many people as possible. Then, the seven old men looked at each other before they dispersed.
They were pressed for time. They did not want to be taken advantage of, so they needed to strike first.
..
After Watson returned to Blackmoon Castle, he decided to fuse some ores to create more walls; he wanted to expand the Blackmoon Castle.
When Zeke and Zenoah left, they left behind a large amount of ores. These ores were suitable materials after they were slightly fused. Many of the surrounding farms had lost their powerful guards. If they were to lose the farmers, it would be difficult for them to continue with the operation.
Initially, Watson’s family only had ten acres of land, so there was no need to recruit more farmers. However, he wanted to bring guards and farmers from across the border, and the other farms would be left with only an empty shell. He would want to make an offer to buy those lands from the farmers, and he could unify the nearby area in one fell swoop.
“One year, no, half a year! Blackmoon Castle will become the biggest force at the border, and we will build a town that is no weaker than Monte Town.”
Watson clenched his fists as he looked at the sun in the sky.
It was bright—Blackmoon Castle was like the sun as it slowly rose at the border.
Chapter 49: Do You Blame Me For Being Rich?
The autumn wind rustled—it was almost October.
It had been more than 20 days since the second recruitment in Blackmoon Castle.
The ground inside the castle was filled with huge dark jade slabs. There were at least a few thousand of them. If they were combined, they would form a wall that was several kilometers long.
About 30 Blackmoon Knights sat on the hill of stone slabs; they wiped the sweat from their foreheads.
“The three-month winter will be here in two months. At that time, magical beasts will come out from the dense fog forest to plunder for food. It is not usually easy to survive the winter, but this year will be different,” a guard said.
“Yes, I didn’t dare to close my eyes whenever I slept during the winter. I was afraid that once I closed my eyes, magical beasts would come into my house! However, we don’t have to be afraid while we’re in the castle. I will also bring my family here in a month,” another guard spoke.
The castle walls were at least three meters tall. There were also short spears stuck on top of the walls. Ordinary iron tier magical beasts would not be able to climb over the walls, let alone destroy them. As for bronze tier magical beasts that could climb over the walls, they were quite rare in the misty forest.
The three months of winter referred to the Holy Dragon Kingdom’s twelfth, first and second months. During those few months, the kingdom would have continuous snowfall, and crops would not be able to grow. Usually, the price of food would soar at that time, and the various large farms would close their manors. They would use the food they had to survive the winter and occasionally organize guards to go out and hunt for some magical beasts.
The three months of winter was a feast for magical beasts, and it was the same for humans. In a world where strength was paramount, it was a dog eat dog world in terms of relationships.
However, things were a little different that year.
After Watson announced that he would recruit guards and farmers, bronze tier guards and above within a dozen kilometer radius expressed their intention to seek refuge. Even quite many farmers were moved, which caused various large farms to panic.
“Young Master Watson had deliberately chosen this time to recruit people. I wonder how those farms that lost their farmers and guards will be maintained in the winter?” The guard who spoke at the beginning sighed with emotion.
“That is not something you should worry about—think about yourselves! If you have the strength to speak, then you have had enough rest. Get up and continue with your training! It’s almost time for the guards’ grand competition in the castle. When that time comes, don’t blame me for being merciless.”
In the crowd, the captain of the guards, Allen, hugged his helmet. After he looked around him, he spoke to the group with a cold expression.
After the second recruitment, Allen still had a headache about how to train his men. In the end, Watson came up with a training plan for everyone.
For example, some had to carry thousands of kilograms of dark jade slabs on their backs every day; some had to go to the misty forest once every three days to catch ten iron tier nests; some had to go to the misty forest once every five days to fight against the Golden Flash, and the last three people standing would receive additional rewards.
Those were acceptable exercises; there were also some strange training practices—they had to jump on the ground like frogs with their hands behind their backs or raise their legs high during squats. Finally, when they trained for the formation, Watson would ask them to form a square formation and walk forward, and they had to move in an orderly fashion.
They had their own training methods, especially when they were already a bronze tier warrior. They were not satisfied with the training methods that Watson had given them.
Why would they need to train for formation? Would their orderly movements increase their strength?
Frog jumps were not only comical, but they also did not seem to be much of use either. They might as well fight someone to increase their strength quickly.
However, their thoughts quickly changed.
After more than 20 days of training, they felt that their strength had increased by a lot. For example, William was the strongest man among them, but he was also the slowest. After days of training, William’s strength did not increase by much, but his speed and endurance had improved.
The others felt the same. They had only wanted to lean toward a specific ability. Those who were quick would only think about how to make themselves faster. Those who were good at defense would only continue to increase their defense skills. However, under Watson’s training method, their comprehensive abilities had developed. Among them, Allen and Liszt had broken through to become silver tier warriors two days before that.
Those who complained about Watson’s training methods had to keep quiet and follow the exercises wholeheartedly. At the same time, they respected Watson even more. He was a child, yet he could think of such an excellent and effective training method. It was no wonder he could become a silver tier warrior at such a young age.
..
In a spacious room within the castle.
That was Watson’s office.
As he leaned against a comfortable chair, Watson enjoyed the warm wind by the fireplace. He picked up a training schedule in his hand.
The training schedule listed the targets for each week according to the day. They had jump training on Mondays, which included frog jumps, high jumps and long jumps. On Tuesdays, it was speed training, a 100-kilometer sprint, and on Wednesdays, it was strength exercises. One would carry the dark jade slab on their back and walk ten laps around the castle. As for Thursdays, they would have obstacle training. Everyone would go to the misty forest to catch some magical beasts. On Fridays, they would train their formation skills. On Saturdays, they would train in actual combat and fight against the Golden Flash. Finally, on Sundays, it would depend on the situation. If they were not tired, then they would continue to train. If they were too tired, then they would rest for a day.
Other than catching magical beasts for selfish reasons, the rest of the training system was the model that Watson had followed in his previous life’s army. It was a modern civilization that had lasted for thousands of years. The method that he had developed to stimulate physical strength in that world was at least two eras ahead.
“According to the training method, these people won’t be particularly outstanding in any aspect, but their overall strength will definitely be the strongest.”
Watson put the training schedule down.
Since the Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken had been turned into the Rainbow Phoenix Chicken, it could produce a thousand eggs a day. There were so many that he could not finish them. That was why he dared to train the guards like that. Whoever’s body was damaged, he would give them a few Rainbow Phoenix chickens. Those guards only needed to put in ten times or a hundred times the effort. They did not dare to say that they were better than any prodigy. At the very least, they could far surpass people of the same level.
Watson picked up a few more letters on the table.
The letters had been sent in succession over the past two days. The names on the letters were names of the major farmers.
Watson opened one of the letters, glanced at it and found that the contents were very discreet. At first, he praised him for being young and promising. Later, he blamed him for stealing from other people at a high price; that had caused the farm to be in a state of panic. More than half of the people had wanted to leave.
Watson realized that the contents of the other letters were almost the same. Polite people were always courteous to him, but some also insulted him for not being sensible and not giving others a way out. They even threatened him to unite and boycott Blackmoon Castle.
“These people have crossed the line. They can’t give their subordinates a comfortable living environment. What does it have to do with me if they can’t keep their men? Are they blaming me for being rich?”
Watson folded the letter that he had finished reading and left his seat. He threw all the letters into the fireplace and looked at them as they burned. Then, he called out loudly, “Wendy, come in here.”
“Young Master, what is your order?”
Wendy, who was in a maid uniform, walked into the room. Even though her face looked young, her expression was much calmer than before that. It had been almost two months, and she was already a maid.
“Send someone to revise the recruitment process.”
“Revise? Young Master, were the previous conditions too generous?”
“No, I think the previous conditions were too artificial! The guards willing to come to Blackmoon Castle and pass the test will each have ten Rainbow Phoenix Chicken eggs per day. They can bring their families here to stay. All farmers who join us will be rewarded with one Rainbow Phoenix Chicken egg per day and ten catties of bronze tier wheat.”
Wendy was shocked when she heard it, but Watson smiled as he spoke.
He had never intended to develop things so amicably. Since those farmers had dared to threaten him, then they should not blame him for being rude.
Chapter 50: Marriage
In the Liszt Manor at the border.
Even though it had the same name as Watson’s guard, that was not his manor. A hereditary baron called Wilber Liszt owned the estate, and he was not related to Watson’s guard. It was a large manor, and it had hundreds of people. There was a rumor that the family was related to someone at the border.
In that world, only noblemen had the right to a family name; to make it easier to differentiate between those two people, Wilber Liszt would be addressed as Wilber.
“Master Wilber, something terrible has happened!”
The guard, Wesley, dashed into the manor with a pale face.
Wilber sat in the hall with a cup of tea in his hand. His face was gloomy.
He had not been happy for the past few days. The Liszt Manor had been the best at the border, and he had hundreds of subordinates. However, a few days ago, a Blackmoon Castle had suddenly appeared at the border, and they were recruiting people like mad; even he was tempted by the conditions they offered. If he were to serve as a guard, he could get a set of bronze tier defensive weapons and even a mounted horse.
Everyone could get three Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken eggs every day.
Blackmoon Castle did not only have many bronze tier equipment, but they also had many Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken eggs.
He was depressed when he learned the owner of Blackmoon Castle. The castle was by Edward, the down-and-out baron. Edward’s eldest son, Vincent, had once worked for him. At that time, he even wanted to marry his daughter, Monica. Unfortunately, Wesley had ruined that.
When Wesley explained it to him, Wilber did not pay too much attention to it. It was only a Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken. Even though he was tempted, he was not so shameless that he would just snatch it. However, the Blackmoon Castle’s power had gotten stronger. It made him a little regretful.
If Vincent had become his son-in-law, then the Blackmoon Castle would be his property. The Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken and the bronze tier equipment would also be his. If he had so many resources to unify the border, it was not impossible for him to become a great noble who could stand up to the border guards.
Wilber thought about it. He was a little displeased with Wesley as the man had lusted after the Pentacolor Fragrant Chicken and then had fallen out with Vincent.
At that moment, when he heard Wesley’s report, he frowned. “Can’t you see that I’m drinking tea? Why are you shouting and running in here? Why do you look like that? Where are your manners as a noble guard? Go out and knock on the door again.”
“Yes, Master.”
Wesley shrank his neck and turned to walk out of the door. After he knocked on the door again, he walked into the room. “Master, I have something to report. May I come in?”
“Tell me, what happened?” Wilber put the teacup down.
“Master, the chief guard told me that he doesn’t want to work here anymore. At the end of this month, he will go to Blackmoon Castle.”
“What did you say?”
Wilber stood up with his eyes wide open. He raised his hand and swept the teacup off the table; it made a cracking sound. “Why didn’t you tell me about such a big matter earlier?”
Wesley had an aggrieved look on his face. Wilber was the one who told him not to speak, and he was also the one who told him not to speak. He felt wronged.
However, he did not dare to defend himself. He could only ask weakly, “Not only the chief guard, but the other bronze tier warriors in the manor also have the intention to go to Blackmoon Castle! Master, what should we do?”
A hint of jealousy flashed across Wesley’s eyes.
He also wanted to seek refuge with Blackmoon Castle. Unfortunately, he had a grudge against that family. Even if he went there, they would not take him. In addition to that, he was not a bronze tier warrior, so it was impossible for him to pass the test.
He had looked down upon Vincent back then, and he never expected that kid to be Blackmoon Castle’s eldest young master in only two months.
“Those ingrates! I worked so hard to raise them, feed them, and clothe them, and now they want to abandon me? B*stards!”
He was so angry that he cursed loudly.
Wesley did not say anything. He understood the guards’ thinking. There were no enemies in the world, only conflicting interests. Those people did not leave earlier because the price offered by Blackmoon Castle was not enough to tempt them. It was not because they had a deep relationship with the manor.
Blackmoon Castle’s new recruitment plan had spread to the nearby farms. It stated that everyone would get ten Rainbow Phoenix Chicken eggs every day if they joined them. One egg was worth ten gold coins, and ten eggs meant 100 gold coins. It was 100 gold coins a day, 3000 gold coins a month, and that would be 36000 gold coins a year.
He did not know if his master had that many assets, and if one could get such good benefits, who would stay? Wesley calculated the figure again, and he was regretful. If he had not used his power to bully others and angered Vincent, and if he had helped them instead, he might have been the chief guard in Blackmoon Castle by then.
He felt that he had missed out on those benefits.
“What should we do? It’s almost winter. Without these guards, who will protect the family? I will never allow them to leave.”
Wilber was like an ant on a hot pot; he paced back and forth, his tone gradually became irritable.
Then, Wesley said, “Master, I have an idea. Didn’t Vincent, the eldest young master of Blackmoon Castle, want to marry Young Miss? And he has served you before this. So perhaps we can betroth Young Miss to him. Maybe he would help us for the sake of our past relationship. And Blackmoon Castle would be equivalent to Master’s assets once we become a family.”
“You have a point! Go, bring Monica here.”
Wilber’s eyes lit up as he nodded.
He had not wanted his daughter to marry Vincent. However, he would no longer object to that marriage as Vincent’s status was worthy of his daughter.
After a while, Monica reached the room.
Monica was a beautiful woman in her early twenties. She wore a gorgeous long dress and a sun hat that noble ladies favored. Her face was covered in heavy makeup, and she was complaining loudly as soon as she arrived. “Dad, why are you betrothing me to Vincent? I don’t like that poor boy at all. I won’t agree to it. Did you say you’re only doing that to take advantage of the benefits, and I wouldn’t really be engaged to him?”
“Did I say that?”
When Wilber saw that his daughter had exposed him, his old face reddened, and his eyes widened. “I could have done whatever I said, but it’s different now. Vincent has a huge castle. Do you understand that—castle? Only one person has the right to live in a castle. If you marry him, you’ll be its mistress. Aren’t you willing to do that?”
“If they have a big bed that’s softer than velvet, and if I can eat delicious meals every day and have ten maids to serve me, and if I can wear nice clothes every day. I can consider it if it’s something like that.” Monica was a little tempted when she heard that. Then, she added her own request. “Oh, right, there’s one more thing. I can marry Vincent, but he can’t touch me…”
Wesley frowned.
It was true that Monica was a good-looking woman, but no one could bear her unruly character. She had not married into the family yet, and she considered herself as the mistress. It was as if she was not worried that Vincent would refuse her.
Wilber voiced the same concern as Wesley. “Monica, you aren’t even married yet, so you should learn to list your requirements appropriately. Otherwise, they might think that we do not possess any noblemen’s qualities.”
“That makes sense. Let’s lower our requirements. I don’t want ten maids—two is enough. The other conditions can’t be changed.” Monica nodded obediently.
“Wesley, take Monica to Blackmoon Castle and familiarize yourself with the environment. After all, it will be our second home soon.” Wilber sighed in relief when his daughter had agreed to the marriage. His eyes burned with passion when he thought about the fact that Blackmoon Castle would soon be in his hands.
“Master, what if he refuses to marry Miss Monica?” Wesley asked.
“Would they dare to refuse? We have been around for more than a hundred years; are we not worthy of them?”
Wilber stopped his daydreams. He smiled coldly as he said, “I heard that many farms are dissatisfied with Blackmoon Castle because of their recruitment plans. If they refuse this marriage, I shall join forces with the nearby farms and send troops to destroy the Blackmoon Castle! If they dare to refuse me, then they will have no place at the border.”