I'm not a lord

Chapter 3: Start by Recruiting Followers

While Albert was looking at Lin En, Lin En was also looking at the short old man who came forward to greet him, but he was not only looking at the appearance, but also the 'inner'.

Albert★★

[Commander E-] [Strength E-] [Physique E] [Intelligence E+] [Internal Affairs D+] [Charm E+]

[Loyalty: 58 (Can be taken as a follower)]

[Feature: Peaceful People - Reduces the probability of rebellion among the people under your rule]

Two stars?

During the years that Lin En was a horse bandit, the highest rank among his five brothers was only two stars.

I just arrived at the territory and I got a two-star follower, a noble internal affairs follower.

As long as the loyalty is over fifty points, he can grab it and refine it in an instant.

Lin En glanced at the group of people behind Albert, and found that there were two one-star internal affairs talents among them, and both of them had positive characteristics.

This little white bear country is full of hidden talents.

But he did not see any strong warriors in the welcoming team.

According to the list he seized from Roman, there should be four knights and several knight squires in the White Bear Territory.

Returning his gaze to the old man in front of him, Lin En couldn't help but let out a friendly smile: "Who are you?"

"Albert, the steward of White Bear Territory Manor."

Albert was very nervous. He had been the steward of this territory for nearly twenty years. With his extraordinary ability to read people's expressions and excellent management skills, he managed the territory in an orderly manner and won the trust of the previous two lords.

But who knows whether the new lord will continue to use him?

He is a master from the Earl's family. Isn't it normal for him to bring a few trusted butlers with him to take up the post?

The cold wind of the north eroded his prematurely aged body, and he only hoped to spend the rest of his life on this land where he had shed his sweat.

Lynn nodded and asked again, "Where are the knights and squires of the previous lord?"

"My lord, after the previous lord died last winter, his knights and squires fled the territory one after another, taking away all the money and horses.

"For the past few months, the people of the territory have been nervous and uneasy, fearing that bandits and the barbarians from the northern forest would plunder the territory. Fortunately, thanks to the gods' protection, the territory is safe and sound. Now that you have arrived, bringing so many brave knights with you, the people of the territory can finally rest assured."

Albert was full of complaints when he mentioned those bastard knights who were supposed to be guarding the territory.

"Well, it's okay. My knights and I will do our best to protect the safety of the territory."

Lin En didn't care about the fleeing knights. Their escape just vacated the space for his subordinates.

It is human nature to run away. After all, a new emperor appoints new ministers. If the knights can run away, it is easy for them to find other livelihoods, such as mercenaries or horse bandits.

The best solution is to abscond with the money before the new lord arrives.

However, it was difficult for the stewards and village heads headed by Albert to escape, as they lacked military force and were too deeply tied to the territory.

It’s a pity that Lynn can’t use these knights as a target.

"Master, White Bear Territory has over three thousand hardworking serfs, and we have all the necessary oxen, draft horses, and farm tools. As long as you manage this territory diligently, the output from this territory will definitely not disappoint you!"

After receiving the promise from the new lord, Albert finally felt relieved.

Lin En looked past the territorial steward who was guaranteeing something with his chest patted, and looked at the vast and flat farmland behind him.

White Bear Territory is located on the west bank of the White River. It has flat terrain and fertile land, suitable for farming.

The other three sides of the territory are all covered with dense forests, and the environment is relatively closed.

Lin En is very satisfied with this, as it is his ideal farming environment.

As long as he could develop secretly, let alone the Duke of the Swamp, even if the King of the North came in person, he could confidently ask:
How many divisions does he have, King?

At the same time, a dark blue virtual panel gradually emerged in his field of vision.

[Detected that territory has been acquired]

【Territory function open】

【Map function open】

【Follower dispatch function is now available】

[A new journey begins?]

'Turn it on.'

Lynn didn't hesitate at all.

[Your name?] 'Lynn.'

After a few years, he has become accustomed to this name.

Please name the new territory.

'White Bear City.'

Lin En thought about it and finally named the territory "White Bear City" according to local customs.

Legend has it that when the pioneering knights of the Cold Wind Family arrived at this riverside plain after overcoming all difficulties, they saw a huge white bear fishing by the river.

So he named the new territory "White Bear Territory" and the river flowing through the territory was named "White River".

In the continent of Diewas, bears symbolize strength, independence, and tenacity.

For the ancient indigenous people of the North, bears are the gods of the mountains and forests and the protectors of nature.

Continuing to use this name made it easier for Lynn to rule the territory.

As for adding the suffix "city", it represents his future plan for the territory.

[A new journey has begun]

The game interface suddenly expanded violently, and what appeared in Lin En's sight was a huge pixel map.

In the middle of the map, there is a pixelated figure representing him floating.

He has brown hair and black eyes, wears shiny knight armor, holds a long sword high in his hand, and looks cute yet fierce.

On the map, you can see the White River still frozen.

To the west of the Baihe River are vast expanses of fields and manors dotted among them.

This was all the information Lynn could get from the map.

Outside the territory, there was a thick white fog of war that was impossible to dissolve.

Nothing can be seen.

According to the gaming experience of the previous life, if you want to open up the fog of the map, the protagonist must either explore it himself or send followers to explore.

[Dispatching followers] is one of the core gameplays of the game.

In the follower column next to the map, Lynn could see a pixelated figure representing Albert, the steward of the manor.

A middle-aged man in brown clothes with a slightly hunched figure.

As Lin En thought about it, the pixel man representing Albert appeared on the field and swung the hoe with difficulty.

[Planting tasks have been arranged for Albert]

[Planting Experience +1]

[Level 1 Planting: 1/100]

Now that you are a lord, you don’t have to work hard to gain experience points.

Simply dispatch your followers to various positions to gain corresponding experience points and gradually unlock various technologies and insights that are beyond the times.

It feels like ordering Palu around.

[Current territory's overall prosperity: Level 1]

[Number of followers dispatched: 1/5]

A first-level territory can only send five followers.

As the territory level increases, the number of followers that can be dispatched will also increase.

Albert said a lot of good things to White Bear Leader with a dry mouth.

But he found that the lord did not react at all, but just stared at the air in front of him with an expressionless face.

Albert couldn't help feeling uneasy.

Could it be that the master is very dissatisfied with the current situation in White Bear Territory?

Yes, after all, it is normal for the noble Hanfeng family to look down on the small White Bear Territory with few people and poor land.

Moreover, he was exiled from the rich and prosperous Cold Wind Valley to this bitter and cold place, and his territory's wealth was wiped out. It would be strange if he didn't feel resentment in his heart.

Or perhaps, the master is thinking about which unlucky guy to use to establish his authority?

All the knights and servants under the former lord have run away. Doesn't that mean we can only target the stewards and the village heads?
Then he, as the chief steward of the territory, would definitely not be able to escape and would most likely be replaced.

There was even a chance that they would be demoted to the lowest level, not even being able to become village head, and be reduced directly to the lowest level of serfs, sleeping in a room full of smelly cows, sheep, and pigs at night, and being woken every morning by the foul smell that filled the house.
(End of this chapter)