Pioneer Lord: A Leisurely Imperial Life

Chapter 23 Freedom of Fear

Celia's voice trembled slightly.

There was both the excitement of stepping into the extraordinary realm and the tension and unease of facing the lord.

under the moonlight.

Her skin was fair and rosy, and the roughness and tanning from her previous labor had long since disappeared. Her eyes and brows were full of youthful beauty.

Serfs stepping into the extraordinary?

There are precedents.

Several years ago, a serf in Frost City secretly ate the freshly harvested Gold Star quality crop during the autumn harvest, taking advantage of the fact that the supervising foreman was not paying attention.

His qualifications are outstanding.

He stepped into the extraordinary realm in just one go.

As a result, the skeleton is still stuck on a stake by the edge of the farmland. In addition to him, the supervisor and a small squad of soldiers have also rotted away to the point that only a skeleton remains.

This can be seen.

How furious the Frost Viscount must be.

Both were lords.

Richard could understand his anger.

indeed.

For a lord, good or bad aptitude is definitely not the first priority.

Loyalty is the only thing that matters.

No matter how high a serf's potential for growth is, it's impossible for them to be as grateful to their lord as a regular warrior.

after all.

Who would develop absolute loyalty to someone who has long enslaved and exploited them?

Li realized that the serfs of Chifeng now revered and were grateful to him because he was willing to feed them.

The duration and extent of enslavement were relatively low.

If serfs were no longer serfs.

Rather, it is extraordinary.

And if this extraordinary person believes they have the ability to provide for their needs, will they still be grateful to them?

The stories and legends of ingrates have never ceased since ancient times, especially on Earth, where many people clamor that if they could gain power, they would definitely want to become ancestors.

It is precisely because of this concern.

As a result, although Richard obtained dozens of silver starfish, he never considered feeding them to the current serfs or selecting the top extraordinary seedlings from among them.

He only needs to treat his honorable guards with the same attitude he uses to train suicide soldiers, and he won't have to worry about not getting a trustworthy team.

Other lords all rose to power in the same way, and he didn't think that as a transmigrator, he could do better or be more outstanding than the local predecessors who had summarized their experiences.

Richard might consider training the serfs if they were to become free citizens in the future and still choose to remain in Chiffon Territory.

But now...

...

Looking at Celia kneeling before him, Richard could sense her extreme anxiety and fear.

His surprise gradually subsided, and he reached out to help her up.

Get up.

"You were able to grasp the essence of life force in one go, which shows you have exceptional talent and are a promising prospect."

Celia's doubts remained unanswered, and she dared not look up, her hands nervously twisting together.

Richard pondered for a moment.

He said seriously:

"Now that you've reached the extraordinary level, it's no longer appropriate for you to be a maid."

"I will write you a certificate in a moment to release you from slavery. From now on, you will be a free man."

"If you want to stay at Chiffon Cake, I can arrange other work for you, giving you a way to earn work points and wages."

"If you want to leave..."

"I won't stop you, and I'll even give you ten silver coins for travel expenses."

In his view, since Celia has such terrifying talent, she shouldn't waste it on trivial matters of serving others.

However, the main reason is...

The master-servant relationship between the two was not deep, so letting her live was the best outcome for both of them.

He wouldn't force her to stay; he didn't like coercing a young girl's will.

No sooner had she finished speaking than Celia's expression changed drastically, tears welling up in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks like pearls from a broken string.

She lowered her head and choked out:

"master."

"I don't want to become a free man, nor do I want to leave. I just want to stay by your side and continue to serve you in the future."

"Please don't send me away..."

Richard was stunned.

The guards also looked surprised.

Although it was rare for serfs to be promoted to free citizens, it did happen; Earl of the Wolf once released hundreds of serfs at once.

After becoming a free citizen, one must immediately find a job to support oneself and then slowly accumulate one's own private property.

The lord was so kind as to offer her a job and even provide her with travel expenses to help her settle down quickly.

This was the kind of treatment that countless serfs dreamed of, yet Celia refused?

What were you thinking?

Seeing that Richard remained silent, Celia became even more apprehensive.

He knelt down again.

His forehead slammed heavily against the ground, his voice filled with pleading and fervor.

"master."

"Please, please don't send me away!"

Please!

She banged her head so hard that her forehead turned red, and mixed with her tears, she looked particularly disheveled.

For her.

Richard was not only her lord, but also the benefactor who changed her destiny.

Furthermore.

leave...?

Where to...?

When prepared, serfs crave freedom, but when unprepared, they fear it.

From birth, they live with heavy shackles around their necks.

Without any mental preparation, she had no idea how to face the unfamiliar world outside.

It would be better to stay by the side of one's benefactor and continue to bask in his warm, early summer-like light of kindness.

Since being a maid is the only option, and it doesn't have to be as hard as being a serf, why leave?

...

Richard's heart softened when he saw her tearful face and pleading.

He reached out and helped her up again.

He took out Lina's clean, silver-patterned handkerchief and gently wiped away the tear stains on her cheeks and the dirt on her forehead.

The tone was gentle.

"Don't cry."

"If you want to stay, then stay."

Trust is a strange thing; someone always has to take the first step. Since the girl has made her choice, let's try to accept each other.

Upon hearing this, Celia's sorrow instantly turned into joy!

She lifted her face.

With teary eyes, she looked at Richard, her voice tinged with uncertainty, and asked:

"Sir, are you really willing to let me stay and continue serving you?"

Richard smiled.

He reached out and gently stroked her smooth cheek.

"certainly."

"However, we can't waste your top talent. You should train with Karl in the use of life energy and basic swordsmanship from now on."

Becoming extraordinary is just the beginning; the key is how to utilize life energy.

Most people become warriors, but only by further mastering the art of demonic transformation can they become users of magic.

We've reached this point.

They would then try to learn various secret techniques.

Choose to become a mage, beast tamer, alchemist, healer, potion master, or other extraordinary professions.

Celia nodded quickly.

A heavy weight lifted from her heart, and though tears still clung to her eyelashes, she appeared exceptionally moving.

"Thank you, sir!"

"I'm willing to do anything to stay by your side. I'll practice my swordsmanship diligently and won't let you down!"

Richard nodded in satisfaction.

"From this day forward, you will no longer be an ordinary maid, but my personal bodyguard maid."

"The compensation needs to be changed."

"Just like Karl and the others, they will have unlimited food and life from now on. I hope they can continue their efforts and go even further on the path of the extraordinary."

Celia wasn't particularly happy about the improved treatment.

In her view, being able to stay by Richard's side was already the greatest blessing.

Seeing this scene.

The guards pounded on the table and cheered wildly.

Karl picked up his glass.

"My lord, I propose we raise another glass to Im and Celia's extraordinary advancement, and to the future of Chiffon Territory!"

"Cheers!"

"May chiffon cake live on forever!"

Everyone raised their glasses, the ale clinking together with a crisp sound!