Lord blessed by the elves

Chapter 9 Employment
"I've got it!" Kruze suddenly raised his head, his previous gloom and heaviness vanishing, replaced by a vibrant and invigorating fighting spirit. He looked at the barren land beneath his feet, as if he could already see its future, covered in fertile black soil!

Kruse lifted his gaze from the barren ground beneath his feet, his eyes burning with an unwavering determination. He whirled around, his voice like a drawn sword, loud and urgent, piercing the silence of the wasteland:

"Butler Buffet!"

The old butler, whose name was called, tensed up and quickly bowed, "Young Master, please give your orders!"

"Immediately!" Kruse pointed towards the castle. "Go and fetch Wilston! Have him bring every single militiaman in the territory here as quickly as possible! Immediately! Right now!"

Although Butler Buffet was puzzled by this sudden order—what was the purpose of summoning the militia to the wasteland?—he did not hesitate for a moment, nor did he dare to question it.

The sharp edge of a newly recruited apprentice knight emanating from Kruse, along with the unquestionable leadership he displayed at that moment, made him instinctively choose to obey.

"Yes, young master!" he replied, immediately turned around, and jogged towards the castle with a pace that seemed unusual for his age.

Before long, Wilstone led the entire armed force of Lion's Tooth Territory—fourteen militiamen—in neat formation to the edge of the wasteland.

These militiamen wore simple leather armor and carried spears or old swords. Although poorly equipped, they stood upright under the long-term training of Wilstone, the Silver Knight, and exuded a sense of military discipline.

These fourteen men constitute the entirety of Lion Fang Territory's military force, upon which it relies for self-defense.

Wilstone approached Kruse, placed his right hand on his chest in a salute, and asked calmly, "Young Master, the entire militia is present. What are your orders?" His gaze held a hint of inquiry, clearly puzzled by the purpose of being urgently summoned to this wasteland.

Kruze met Wilstone's gaze, and without any pleasantries, went straight to the point, his voice lowered slightly, carrying the solemnity of sharing a secret and entrusting a heavy responsibility: "Wilstone, I have discovered a secret method for creating artificial fertilizer in an ancient magical scroll! This method requires no magical potions, is inexpensive, yet can effectively restore the vitality of the land! This matter is fundamental to the survival of the territory and is of paramount importance!"

He paused, his gaze sharp as an eagle: "Now, I entrust this method to you with full authority! You will personally organize and execute it! Have the militia select a group of absolutely reliable and tight-lipped serfs to participate in this matter. Remember, this secret method must never be leaked before it is successfully implemented!"

Upon hearing this, Wilstone's eyes flashed with a sharp light!

He immediately understood Kruse's deeper meaning!

Such an important secret technique was entrusted to himself, who was only responsible to the lord, rather than the steward, clearly to ensure maximum secrecy and prevent it from being discovered by competitors or those with ulterior motives.

With the Silver Knight personally overseeing the operation, coupled with the militia's organizational prowess, the plan could be executed efficiently and rigorously, eliminating any slackness or interference.

Sending the militia to select serfs was an even more ingenious idea!
Most of these militiamen came from serf backgrounds and possessed natural connections and insight from the lower classes.

They knew that the serfs were honest, loyal, reliable, and trustworthy, and they were also well aware of the complexities of interpersonal relationships at the bottom of society.

The personnel selected by them are more likely to be confidential and loyal.

"Understood!" Wilstone replied without further ado, his tone resolute. "Please rest assured, young master! Wilstone will not fail in his mission! He will not leak a single word!"

He turned around and immediately began to systematically issue instructions to the militia captain, selecting manpower and assigning tasks, acting swiftly and efficiently.

Watching Wilstone decisively take over the heavy responsibility and begin deploying troops, Butler Buffett felt a chilling sense of loss and a deeper sense of crisis instantly grip his heart! He stood there like a statue, trying his best to maintain a respectful expression, but his heart was already in turmoil!

Kruse's order was nothing short of a clear boundary!

He handed over the core confidential projects that were crucial to the future of the territory entirely to Wilstone, completely excluding him, the nominal head butler!

“Distrust… He really doesn’t trust me at all…” Buffel felt incredibly bitter, as if he had been slapped in the face in public.

Kruse's actions were crystal clear: in his eyes, Wilstone was the only trustworthy confidant and pillar of strength, while he, Buffett, was merely an outsider temporarily handling miscellaneous tasks and someone who needed to be wary of!

This feeling of being marginalized and questioned was colder to him than the barren land itself.

He looked at Wilstone's composed figure and then at Kruse's trusting and expectant gaze. An unprecedented sense of panic and isolation, like cold vines, tightly wrapped around his heart.

Before the chilling sense of loss and panic in Butler Buffet's heart had dissipated, Kruse's gaze had already turned to him.

The gaze was no longer sharp and intimidating, but instead carried a calm and thoughtful quality after scrutiny.

Kruse knew perfectly well: Was the butler Buffet really untrustworthy?

of course not!

The old butler, his temples already streaked with gray, had followed his father, Reyes the Lion, since his youth, serving him faithfully and loyally. To this day, he remained single, without wife or children, and with no ties to him.

This means that he has no worldly weaknesses or external entanglements; his life and honor are already inextricably linked to the surname "Lion"!
To be able to manage the daily affairs, complex accounts, and livelihoods of hundreds of serfs of such a large territory in an orderly manner and keep it running smoothly for many years without major chaos, even when the father was absent for many years, requires extraordinary ability and absolute loyalty!

The fact that his father could focus on fighting on the battlefield and completely entrust the rear to him was the greatest proof of his trust!

He is one of the cornerstones that the Lion family can and must rely on.

Kruse's previous "caution" stemmed from extreme caution regarding core secrets and the necessary balance during the power transition, rather than a fundamental denial of Buffett's loyalty.

Now is the time to give this veteran a way out and let him realize his true value.

“Butler Buffet.” Kruse’s voice softened slightly, carrying a clear sense of entrustment, breaking the old butler’s reverie.

Buffet snapped out of his daze, suppressing the bitterness in his heart, and tried to straighten his back: "Yes, young master! Please give your orders!" His voice was slightly hoarse.

Kruse pointed to the wasteland in front of him that needed to be cultivated and clearly gave the instructions:

"Immediately organize a team to reclaim this selected wasteland as quickly as possible! Turn the soil deeply and make sure to clear away any stones and debris to prepare for subsequent planting! This is of utmost urgency!"

(End of this chapter)