Has The Lord’s Career Chart Been Filled Today? – Chapter 119
Neither Oliver nor the Cat God himself particularly cared about whether the refugees’ faith should be preserved or forcibly changed.
As the Lord of Laina, Oliver’s greatest concern was how to properly settle them.
Even considering humanitarian and practical reasons for accepting these displaced refugees… it was impossible to let them live mixed with the Laina residents.
Without knowing whether they carried any diseases, he decided to use lumber produced through the game system to fence off five areas in the saline-alkali land near the city gates, providing enough living space for over a thousand people.
This would serve as their temporary settlement while facilitating short-term quarantine.
He then tasked knight Kane, who had been promoted by Knight Captain Noel to serve as sheriff, with handling the specific allocation of personnel.
Of course, Oliver wasn’t treating them as prisoners—he merely restricted their movement range temporarily.
He understood that the newcomers would need large amounts of building materials, food, and clothing. Since they weren’t allowed to leave the temporary settlement, this would inevitably cause inconvenience.
To address this, he had Noel select several stewards to inform the refugees that they could report their needed supplies to the guards once daily. Laina personnel would then purchase these items from the town area and deliver them.
“They all have identification documents, right?” Oliver pondered while giving instructions. “Register all their names in the record book. For those who unfortunately lost their identification, as long as someone is willing to vouch for their identity, issue them a replacement. But even our stewards should avoid close contact with them for at least one month.”
This approach was, of course, for administrative convenience.
If anyone among them contracted infectious diseases, Oliver wasn’t so cold-blooded as to send quack doctors to treat them.
Even though producing “healing potions” was incredibly low-cost, the materials were ultimately limited.
And the entire process from material collection to completion relied entirely on him.
In the worst-case scenario of disease outbreak among these refugees or subsequent arrivals, it must be contained within controllable ranges to conserve potions and leave practical epidemic prevention experience for the locals.
Oliver also considered that not everyone could gather sufficient belongings for a fresh start in a new city during their hasty escape.
Winter was approaching—having agreed to admit these people into Laina, he couldn’t just watch them starve or freeze to death. He would provide appropriate material assistance.
Oliver never intended to treat them equally with his own people.
As lord, his most loyal subjects would undoubtedly always be the Laina residents.
“When they submit their supply requests, for those temporarily unable to pay, provide basic goods according to minimum living standards and record the debt under their names.”
With over 3,000 gold coins remaining in the treasury and large quantities of lumber stored in his game backpack from leveling up life skills recently, Oliver faced no financial crisis.
He generously stated, “Each household is allowed a maximum credit of 1 gold coin, which must be repaid within one year. Otherwise, an additional silver coin will be charged as interest annually. If the debt remains unpaid for over five years, unless under special circumstances, it will be treated as theft and punished accordingly… If they don’t agree to these terms, no credit will be granted.”
Lord Laina, who was contemplating next quarter’s purchases, remained well-informed about prices. One gold coin was enough for a large family to buy used timber and wheat straw to build a small shelter, along with some food for winter.
As for fuel like firewood…
Oliver planned to organize slaves to gather all the fallen branches from the forest before winter fully set in, then sell them to these people at a low price. His forest resources were actually quite abundant in terms of firewood, so there was no need to squeeze the last drop of blood from these unfortunate refugees.
The reason for charging a small fee was simply to avoid giving the refugees the illusion that they could get something for nothing, and he didn’t want the people of Laina to suffer losses instead.
Since it was “credit,” it naturally had to be repaid.
Whether they found work to earn money and repay the debt after integrating into Laina territory, or took advantage of the various job opportunities he was about to provide to work off their debts through labor, Oliver welcomed both approaches.
Unless a family consisted entirely of the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, given his infrastructure plans for the next two seasons, it would be impossible for them not to be able to repay.
If anyone dared to brazenly become a “deadbeat” right before him, exploiting his kindness, Oliver wouldn’t bother with lengthy explanations. He intended to directly use the harsh—literally life-threatening—manor laws to come down hard on such individuals.
After Kane left on his orders, Fosse couldn’t help but ask, “Your Highness, are you planning to completely take in those commoners from Albury as slaves?”
To his surprise, Oliver quickly denied this: “Of course not. Their status remains that of commoners from Albury City. They are only permitted to temporarily reside in Laina under the glorious radiance of the great Cat God. When spring comes, they can choose whether to stay in Laina or go to other cities. Of course, if they have debts, they must repay them before leaving.”
“If Albury City gets a new lord, or if the old lord survives and is willing to continue protecting these commoners, that would be even more convenient.”
“After this turmoil passes, we can simply let them leave freely.”
However, Oliver had a vague feeling that things might not be that simple.
If Albury City became too preoccupied with its own troubles and fell into prolonged chaos, he would likely have to truly accept these people.
Though he couldn’t take all of them—more specific screening would be necessary.
“If they choose to stay, they must complete a six-month observation period and pass the Cat God’s assessment before they can qualify to become commoners of Laina.”
At this point, Oliver slightly turned to look at the very serious deity himself and smiled, “Right?”
The deity nodded without blinking.
Fosse sighed softly, a somewhat doting yet proud smile touching his lips: “…Yes, Your Highness.”
In Oliver’s view, he had restrained himself from being “too kind” to these poor people, offering only minimal assistance to avoid causing unrest within Laina, where social conditions had just begun to improve.
But in reality, to everyone except him and the naive cat-eared deity, this lord appeared as gentle and kind as a true angel, unbelievably generous.
After three days and nights of arduous travel, the grimy refugees initially followed the properly armored guards with trepidation, arriving at the area enclosed by neat, tall wooden fences.
What a spacious flatland!
Though empty, it was close to water sources, adjacent to farmland, and not far away stood stone-fenced areas… They immediately felt a sense of security.
“By the great glory of the Cat God and the noble Duke’s compassion, you are permitted temporary residence in Laina territory.”
Watching the slightly relaxed but still cowering refugees, the newly appointed sheriff Kane remained expressionless, mechanically announcing the message personally entrusted by Oliver.
The faces of the escapees quickly went blank.
…Had they misheard?
Not expulsion, nor enslavement.
Not only was the Lord of Laina allocating them habitable areas without charging any “protection fees,” he even allowed those who hadn’t brought sufficient funds during their escape to “purchase on credit”!
As for interest?
Only one silver coin would be charged if debts remained unpaid after a year… unbelievably low.
“Oh my God,” someone couldn’t help exclaiming, “I’ve never encountered—no, never even heard of such treatment!”
This was true not only for Laina City, which had no prior connection with Albury City, but even in Albury where they should have received protection, they only faced increasingly poor harvests and harsher taxes year after year.
Failure to pay taxes would result in greedy stewards confiscating household possessions—always more than what was owed.
Whether it was their essential livestock or seeds for spring planting, everything would be mercilessly seized. Even begging for a few days’ grace to borrow money from relatives in other cities would garner no pity.
They had grown accustomed to such treatment.
Yet this unknown Duke from an unfamiliar city, whom they had never met, not only refrained from plundering their remaining worth but kindly provided substantial assistance.
He allowed them to keep all they had left: both their meager wealth and their dignity as free people.
Though restricting them to the fenced area, careful explanations were given that this wasn’t to treat them as criminals nor for long-term imprisonment, but to minimize impact on Laina’s residents.
The refugees from Albury City, who dared not actually enter Laina’s town, found this arrangement ideal.
With the food-scarce winter approaching, they knew too well how harshly other cities typically treated refugees—especially…When most of them lacked the courage to resist.
That lord gave them all a chance to survive this winter.
“Too kind.”
After someone uttered that sigh, countless voices soon softly echoed: “Truly, too kind.”
“So the rumors were true! It’s the Angel Lord!”
“Great Lord Laina! All of us have a chance to survive now!”
“People of Laina are truly blessed.”
“How enviable, to have such a merciful lord.”
……
“Form a line! Get ready!”
Kane paid no mind to their murmurs.
He barked a command, and the people obediently fell into line like sheep herded by a sheepdog. He then immediately had the stewards beside him bring paper and pens, preparing to record each person’s name and their specific required supplies outside the wooden fence.
The first group to register felt as if they were dreaming, hardly daring to actually voice their needs.
Even those who still had coins and could afford supplies didn’t dare tell the imposing guards what they required.
This was even more true for those with empty pockets who needed to request credit.
It was only when Kane couldn’t stand it any longer and frowned, saying, “Nothing at all? Do you plan to sleep directly on the mud? Don’t be foolish!”
After some hesitation, the refugees nervously spoke up, each stating what they needed.
There weren’t many who needed credit—less than ten households.
Among them, one household left a relatively deep impression on Kane.
The “head of household” was a boy of only thirteen named Gennaro[mfn]简纳罗 (Jiǎn Nà Luó) – I think it’s meant to sound like ‘General'[/mfn].
Gennaro’s father was a low-ranking knight. When he turned seven, like all boys from similar backgrounds, he was sent to serve as a page in the household of one of his father’s knight friends to learn basic skills.
Moreover, due to his exceptional talent, his teacher had already begun teaching him knight-related skills a full three years ahead of schedule.
Under normal circumstances, in just one more month, on his fourteenth birthday, he would have officially been promoted to a squire, continuing his pursuit of knighthood.
However, this deadly chaos occurred.
When Gennaro sensed something was wrong and rushed home on horseback from his teacher’s house, it was already too late.
His parents’ necks had been severed by rioters, their deaths gruesome. Only his nine-year-old sister Sue, hidden by their mother in a haystack, survived.
Gennaro fought back tears, lifted his terrified sister Sue—who was too shocked to even cry—onto the horse, and followed his neighbors toward Laina.
Their home had been completely looted, and during the three-day journey, he and his sister finished the meager dry provisions they had hastily brought.
Now, apart from a poor horse, his sister, and a faint hope, he truly had nothing left.
When Gennaro, struggling to maintain composure, became the first among these anxious refugees to request “credit” from him, Kane took a closer look at him and nodded slightly.
“I will definitely repay the money.”
Though covered in dust, the silver-haired boy with delicate features watched unblinkingly as his name was recorded in that thin ledger.
The thin booklet suddenly spoke with resolute determination: “I will definitely repay the Lord’s kindness. When I become a knight, I will dedicate all my loyalty to the Lord!”
Kane cast him a faint glance and snorted softly.
There were far too many knights willing to pledge loyalty to Lord Oliver.
If not for the cruel command issued by King Cameron back then, and if the Lord hadn’t been so soft-hearted and compassionate as to persuade them otherwise… many high-ranking knights would have rather sacrificed their lives to follow this exiled Lord.
How could it ever be the turn of a young errand boy who wasn’t even qualified to be a squire yet?
Though unconvinced, Kane held no contempt for this youth who had successfully brought his young sister to another city during the crisis.
Possessing such sense of responsibility and capability deserved respect even from proud knights.
“Just focus on surviving these six months first,” Kane commented indifferently.
Kane’s efficiency was exceptional, which was why he stood out among the knights and was chosen by Noel to become the crucial sheriff of Laina.
He quickly organized his team to compile the final inventory for the day.
After just a short while, under the refugees’ astonished gazes, he reappeared in their view with the slaves, followed by a long procession of over twenty carts pulled by oxen.
The carts were piled high with all the supplies they needed!
