Chapter 34: Expanding the Retainer

“Stop right there, all of you.”

The soldier guarding the castle entrance spotted Yanis approaching and stopped him warily. However, he soon recognized a familiar face among them.

“Halt? What, can’t you even recognize your lord’s face?”

Yanis pressed his sword against Engel’s neck.

Engel scowled at the guard and shouted, “You idiot! Hurry up and open the gate for me!”

“Ah, this is…”

The guard at the gate immediately panicked. Then he turned and ordered someone to open the castle gate. He had never encountered such a situation before.

… How in the world was the lord captured?

Seeing the castle gate open, Yanis escorted Engel inside. He was accompanied by only ten men. Farra was not there.

After entering the castle, Yanis immediately began berating the soldiers stationed inside:

“Everyone, lay down your weapons and bring them over here! Hurry up!”

The soldiers guarding the castle still fixed their gaze on Engel. Engel helplessly ordered, “Lay down your weapons!”

There was no other choice. His life was now in someone else’s hands. He couldn’t refuse.

After Engel gave the order, the castle guards finally complied one by one. They surrendered all their weapons, then lined up and stood outside the castle in formation.

Once everything was completed, Farra dispatched two hundred soldiers to help Yanis assume control of the castle’s defenses. However, he himself still had not departed. Instead, after pillaging a nearby village, he leisurely arrived at Engel’s castle with about a dozen empty horse-drawn carts.

“Disperse and don’t just stand here.”

Farra glanced at the prisoners lined up outside and, seeing there were fewer than one hundred, waved his hand to dismiss them on the spot. Then he entered the castle with the empty horse-drawn carts. He focused on only one task: transporting supplies.

“Yanis, take your men and ransack the castle’s storehouses and load everything onto the carts; money, grain, and weapons reserves… empty them all.”

“Yes!”

Engel had stored all his savings in his castle. As he watched Farra gradually haul away all the wealth he had amassed over the years, Engel’s face grew as dark as the bottom of a pot. Farra was the complete opposite.

After counting the spoils taken from the castle, Farra was delighted. The haul far exceeded his expectations. He had originally assumed that Engel’s army was so poor that its lord must be equally destitute. It turned out the two were completely unrelated!

Although Engel’s army was so poor that it numbered only 800 men, each armed with a single iron sword, his own treasury contained nearly 300,000 copper coins and 900 silver coins. It was absurd! In addition, there were various amounts of wheat, barley, and cloth; a large pile of spices, fruits, and vegetables; and in the armory nearly 300 unused iron swords and 100 copper shields.

“You clearly have money, so how could you only maintain 800 soldiers?”

After instructing Yanis to pack everything and send for more carts, Farra approached Engel and asked in puzzlement.

“What money do I have! This wouldn’t even cover my daily expenses, and it took me years to save even this little!” Engel exclaimed defensively, feeling that Farra was openly mocking him.

“Oh? Is that so?”

Farra paused for a moment. Then he realized it. It wasn’t that Engel was wealthy. Rather, it was Farra who was too poor. He had started with only a piece of land and nothing else. But that was in the past.

From today on, Farra was a man with savings too. Seeing the fully loaded carts, Farra felt quite satisfied.

“Kill and burn for a golden belt… the ancients did not deceive me!”

Starting out as a farmer was still a bit too slow. He directly robbed his peers and transferred their wealth into his own hands. His progress instantly accelerated.

“Yanis, take 200 men to secure the castle and keep an eye on Engel. I’ll transport these goods back first and then come find you.”

Farra turned to Yanis and said, “Yes, Lord.”

After entrusting the castle’s defense to Yanis, Farra and his remaining men transported all the goods on those carts back to his territory. It took some time. But there was no other way. Currently, Farra could only trust himself.

However, after capturing Engel, he realized he might need to expand his team. He needed a capable lieutenant at his side. He also needed someone capable to manage the home front in his territory. Otherwise, he would have to run around on his own. He would be battling and pillaging on one side and governing his territory on the other. He would be pulled in both directions. Even with over twenty points in his Constitution Attribute, he would sooner or later wear himself out.

“Mana, go fetch your father for me!”

“Yes.”

After returning to his territory with Harrington and his men, Farra quickly began organizing the seized goods.

“Harrington, come with me.”

“Yes.”

Farra led Harrington into his study and slapped the retainer Contract onto the desk.

“Sign this Contract, and write your name here.”

“Yes.”

Harrington had no hesitation and prepared to put pen to paper immediately. However, he paused for a moment before writing.

“Um… Lord, how should I write my name?”

……

Farra remained silent for a moment before neatly writing his name on the blank paper.

“Write it exactly like this!”

“Yes.”

Harrington awkwardly signed his name. Once signed, the Contract took effect. Harrington himself did not feel anything special. Farra glanced at his Loyalty.

… 87.

Half-beastman slaves were really easy to satisfy. The more someone had endured dire circumstances, the more deeply they would feel gratitude for another’s help. Of course, there were also those who would not reciprocate kindness. Farra had also encountered such people before. Long ago, he had once felt the sting of being betrayed by someone he had helped… He reined in the memories that had flooded out subconsciously. Farra did not entertain that possibility.

As long as they had ability, that was enough. With the binding of the retainer Contract, loyalty was optional. The sole purpose of this value was merely to provide Farra with a reference. For example, someone could appear who, even if it meant dying, would still try to betray him on a massive scale. With the Loyalty Attribute, he could effectively avoid them in advance.

“Lord, did you call me…?”

Before long, Harper arrived at Farra’s side.

“Come over here and sign your name here.”

“Yes…”

Harper picked up the Contract and glanced at it. A flicker of horror flashed in his eyes. These clauses looked like a joke, didn’t they? But Farra obviously would not do such a pointless thing. In other words, can these clauses really take effect?

……

Harper hesitated for a moment. In the end, he signed his name at the bottom anyway. He realized that if this Contract truly had binding force, it would be a double-edged sword wielded against both himself and his enemies. While being bound by it, he would also gain an opportunity.