Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Recruitment of Footmen and Maids

“Big Lily, where is Little Lily?”

“What’s up, Old Abe? Little Lily is feeding the chicken in the yard.” Big Lily was a middle-aged woman whose back had been bent by years of hard work.

Abe smiled brilliantly. “Great news! His lordship is recruiting new servants. According to Mr. Carter, three footmen, a maid, and a kitchen maid are to be recruited. Little Lily can apply for the maid position.”

“Really? Is his lordship really going to recruit new maids? That’s wonderful! I’m going to tell Little Lily!”

“Go.” Before Abe could continue, Big Lily was already gone. He shook his head in amusement and murmured, “I need to tell the good news to everyone. What a beautiful life it will be in the castle. Your child is lucky.”

Very soon, all the 48 households in Barleyton heard the news.

“What a piece of great news. I was worried that Malfoy did not have enough land to work on. He’s strong and diligent and will make a good footman.”

“I doubt it. Parker is more diligent, and he is polite. I think he will definitely make it.”

“Is the news true? His lordship will recruit servants from the villages?”

“Old Abe said so. He’s been making tools for his lordship recently. How could he be lying?”

“Abe has good skills, but can he still lift a hammer?”

“He doesn’t need to. His lordship sent apprentices to do the hard work for him. Do you remember Peter the Crippled? He’s an apprentice! His lordship pays a copper to him every day!”

“Doesn’t the old alcoholic own the blacksmith’s shop?”

“It’s been sold to his lordship for three Neldas!”

“Three Neldas! Heavens, his lordship is too generous!”

Good news flew to everybody like a bird.

Little Lily, who was feeding the chicken, flushed in excitement. “Mom, can I… really apply to be a maid?”

“Old Abe brought the news. He can’t be lying. Little Lily, you must be prepared. You will have a good life if you make it to the castle,” said Big Lily in delight.

“But… will his lordship choose me?”

“Be confident in yourself, Little Lily. You are the most excellent girl in Barleyton. You are my pride and joy. Of course, you can also lower your expectations and apply to be a kitchen maid.”

“All right, I know what to do, Mom,” said Little Lily determinedly.

For a better life in the future, she had to be excellent enough. Their lives had been difficult since she lost her father. Now that she had grown up, she had to share responsibility for the family. The seventeen-year-old girl clenched her fists.

…

In the blacksmith’s shop, Liszt watched the old blacksmiths craft the iron blocks with their apprentices.

Liszt devoted all the iron he earned in the deal with the black tulip to the manufacture of tools. The first to be built was the fishing equipment.

Shovels, hammers, and spikes—with them, the fishermen would be able to catch fish.

The seafood to the east of Flower Town had never been developed or contaminated. One could capture fish easily.

“Mr. Goltai, have you started hiring fishermen?” Liszt wiped his sweat with the handkerchief that Marcus gave him.

He had been used to the service of a valet. It was quite enjoyable to have someone help him.

Goltai, on the other hand, could only wipe sweat with his own handkerchief. “The clerks are announcing your request in the villages. Only the old, the women, and the little children are to be selected.”

“That’s right. All that is needed in fishery is patience. It’s only reasonable to send the unqualified farmers to go fishing. However, you must inform that that they must not eat raw seafood.”

Medical technology was highly undeveloped in this world.

The nobles were barely ill thanks to combat aura, so they did not have any motivation to study medicine. Liszt could only make his subjects take precautions.

“They’re lucky to have you. Liszt, you have a unique charisma.” Goltai flattered him.

As a grown man, Liszt was not excited by the adulation. He simply ordered, “Do not stop crafting the ironware, but don’t exhaust the blacksmiths, either. Improve their wages from five coppers to six, and those of the apprentices to two.”

One copper a day for the apprentices and five coppers a day for the masters were Liszt’s previous offers.

It was already very generous. The baron was too wealthy to exploit the small folk now.

The Red Blood Sword on his waist alone was worth more than a thousand gold coins.

That meant more than a hundred thousand silver coins, or more than ten million coppers.

Besides, Flower Town belonged to him. His subjects’ money equaled his money, as he could levy taxes however he wanted to.

“Six coppers a day. What a bunch of lucky blacksmiths,” Goltai murmured.

Then, he entered the workshop and shouted, “Mr. Blacksmiths, his lordship has decided that your salary will be raised to six coppers a day. Your apprentices will earn two coppers a day. Work hard! You can’t imagine his lordship’s generosity!”

“Wow!”

“Six coppers a day?”

“His lordship is the best!”

“Praise his lordship! Old Jack will build ironware for his lordship forever!”

“Two coppers a day for the apprentices? Heavens! My parents will be exalted!”

The complaints about the heat in the blacksmith’s shop were replaced by excitement. They all promised to work hard to repay their generous lord.

Liszt shook his head at the cheers inside.

He was unwilling to exploit the serfs partly because he was merciful and partly because it could motivate the serfs to work harder. He preferred creation to exploitation. Only by a reasonable distribution of resources and an improvement of productivity could he make the best use of the small population of this small town.

“My lord, are you going back?”

“I’m going to the tailor’s to check the gloves, towels, and masks for the fishermen. I hope the products are qualified.” Liszt cracked the whip on Fire Dragon.