Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Refugees
Pushing open the wooden door, Lynn stepped out of the cabin.
Holding the Horn Bow, Ancient Red and Kuisi both came forward, standing beside Lynn.
Lynn looked towards the back of Lex, where stood a group of haggard and listless men and women, along with a little boy of about three or four years old.
Four men, three women.
From their expressions, it was clear they hadn’t eaten for several days.
Feeling Lynn’s gaze, the seven people unanimously lowered their gazes, not daring to meet his eyes.
Only the little boy was curiously observing everything around him.
Lynn looked at Lex, who immediately started to explain.
"Master Lynn, they’re all Free People employed by the Manor Lord, just like me... they couldn’t endure the Manor Lord’s harsh tax exploitation, so they left the manor."
"They saw me last time in Kent Village and thought of joining your lordship’s territory..."
Lynn stared straight at Lex, "Lex, can you vouch for the behavior of these vagrants?"
Villagers without land are vagrants.
Rootless, wandering everywhere, such vagrants are very dangerous.
Feeling Lynn’s intense gaze, Lex became somewhat nervous.
Lynn continued, "I can take them in for your sake, but if you can’t vouch for their behavior, have them leave now!"
His words were weighty and imposing under the night sky.
Lynn needed labor to accelerate development.
Especially among these eight, Lynn noticed one with a Level 3 Breeding skill.
However, development’s prerequisite was safety.
Lex turned back to look at them, his words firmly assured, "Master Lynn, I can be responsible for their actions!"
Lynn responded, "Then there’s no problem. If they’re hungry, help prepare some food for them."
Lex quickly bent low, gratefully saying, "Thank you, Master Lynn."
The eight vagrants behind him also bent in gratitude, speaking in unison.
"Thank you, Master Lynn."
Returning to the cabin, Lynn continued to rest.
Not to disturb Master Lynn’s rest.
Lex led the eight directly to the empty warehouse of the brewing workshop.
He also brought eight barley loaves and a big jug of water.
After eating the bread and drinking the water, their bellies were full.
Bathed in the warmth of the fire, the eight leaned against the wall and fell asleep.
In this wilderness, to be fed, have a place to sleep, and warmth from the fire was satisfying enough.
Lex was among them, leaning against the wooden door, watching over them.
The next day.
Before dawn.
Lex suddenly awoke.
His eyes scanned the cabin; all eight were present.
Lex’s heart gradually relaxed.
He had introduced these people to Master Lynn, and for his sake, Master Lynn had allowed them to stay.
He naturally had to be responsible to Master Lynn and to himself!
Lex stood up, the rustling sound waking the already skittish eight.
Lex spoke, "Get up, I’ll take you to see Master Lynn."
The eight followed Lex out of the warehouse, standing silently on the open ground in front of Lynn’s cabin.
...
A little while later.
The cabin door opened, and a freshly awakened Lynn stepped out.
Red and Kuisi stood by.
Looking at the eight vagrants standing before him, Lynn spoke sternly, "I am the Lord of this land, Lynn!"
"As long as I wish, I can let you stay on my land!"
A hint of joy appeared on the faces of the vagrants.
Lynn continued, "I can let you work from sunrise to sunset and provide you with three meals, so you won’t go hungry, including your children who cannot yet work!"
The faces of the vagrants turned to one of delight.
Lynn said, "I can provide you with housing, where only two people or a family will live!"
The faces of the vagrants turned to disbelief.
Lynn’s tone suddenly shifted, "But..."
"But I need your complete obedience!"
"You will have no salary!"
"Moreover, without my permission, you can never leave this land!"
Upon hearing this, whispers of discussion rose among the eight.
Compared to not being able to leave, having no salary was a hard pill to swallow.
"Most importantly, if I find anyone slacking off at work or shirking responsibility... sorry, I will have them executed!"
Upon these words, the eight fell silent.
They were landless vagrants, but unlike slaves completely bound to the Lord’s land.
They had certain personal rights.
Though those rights were so weak they could be ignored.
But they still had the choice to leave the Lord’s land!
If they agreed to become villagers, Master Lynn would then hold their life and death in his hands!
As long as they worked diligently and were completely obedient, they were promised a stable life and enough to eat.
A middle-aged man stepped forward, placing his right hand over his chest and bowing.
"Master Lynn, I, Guy Fisher, am willing to offer my loyalty and become your villager."
This middle-aged man was the one Lynn noticed yesterday with a Level 3 Breeding skill.
[Guy Fisher]: Breeding Level 3, Collection Level 2, Planting Level 2
Lynn nodded.
A couple holding the little boy stepped forward, also making a gesture of allegiance, "Master Lynn, the Wright family offers their loyalty and becomes your villagers."
Lynn glanced at the couple, both possessing Level 2 skills.
Sufficient for ordinary labor.
Lynn’s mind suddenly thought of something, looking at the little boy.
[Markel Wright]: None
Lynn was not surprised at all.
Markel was only two or three years old, lacking any skills.
Currently, his mind was pure and untainted.
Having not gone through any ideological indoctrination or devastation.
A child’s mind is like a blank sheet of paper.
Whatever marks you draw upon it, it will present such artwork.
To Lynn, innocent children are treasures!
Lynn could educate these children.
They could accept new concepts.
Furthermore, as these children grew, Lynn could use the Memory Pearl to pass on his memories to them...
As for the women, Lynn never looked at them with any unusual gaze.
Heavy work could be given to tall and strong men to do, while nimble and patient work could be left to women.
Complementing each other’s strengths, integrating together.
Moreover, how could a village develop healthily without women?
...
With several of them leading in loyalty, the remaining four quickly offered their loyalty to Lynn as well.
The sudden addition of seven laborers allowed the normally busy Lynn to relax.
Red was instructed to take four robust men to build the soon-to-be-finished pigsty, smokehouse, and cabins.
The increase in population required more cabins to ensure they survived the nights.
Red now knew the essence of mortise and tenon structures.
With some help from others, Red could easily assemble ordinary cabins.
Kuisi was instructed to take three women with sickles and hoes to clear the weeds.
For Lynn, spring plowing was already over.
But preparations for summer plowing two months later had to be made!