[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-lord-stripped-of-my-inheritance-from-the-start":3,"chapter-lord-stripped-of-my-inheritance-from-the-start-lord-stripped-of-my-inheritance-from-the-start-chapter-37":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Lord: Stripped of My Inheritance from the Start",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},84291,114,"Chapter 37 - 36: Servants in the Castle","lord-stripped-of-my-inheritance-from-the-start-chapter-37",37,"\u003Cp>Inside the Mountain Forest Fortress, the castle servants were rounded up by the Guards, not a single one missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knelt on the ground, trembling, despair clouding their minds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They already knew what Princest had done, and they knew the man before them was the true master of Mountain Forest Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as the servants of a traitor, perhaps only death awaited them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My Lord, they’ve all been gathered!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chahar finished his count and reported, \"Fifteen people in total. One steward, four from the kitchen, three maids, five manservants, and the other two were Princest’s mistresses.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chahar paused, then added, \"According to Tom, Princest’s wife and son are in the Sain Territory, not in Mountain Forest Town.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin’s eyebrows twitched. ’Well now, this Princest was quite the character. Keeping two mistresses in Mountain Forest Town while his wife was away.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin scanned the group. He didn’t need Chahar to point them out to see which two were the man’s mistresses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had curvy figures and fair, delicate skin, a clear cut above the maids and kitchen women next to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chahar noticed Ronin’s gaze fall upon the two women and immediately recalled his master’s former reputation. ’He hasn’t been near a woman for some time,’ he thought. ’Is he getting a bit... restless?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, he bowed and asked, \"My Lord, should these two be left for you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin’s gaze shifted to Chahar, the corner of his mouth lifting. \"Do you think I would want them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he was smiling and his tone was questioning as usual, all Chahar felt from it was rejection and scrutiny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My apologies, My Lord. I spoke out of turn!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chahar lowered his head. He had regretted his words the moment he’d spoken them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis’s grandson of the past was in the past. The man before him now was a Transcendent who faced his enemies with confidence, courage, and decisiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He warned himself that he had to completely forget his previous impression of the Baron!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin looked away and spoke to the people below in a flat tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Though you are the mistresses and servants of a traitor, and I would be well within my rights to kill you, I am merciful. I am willing to believe you had nothing to do with this matter, so I will give you a chance to live.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fifteen kneeling people all breathed a sigh of relief, thanking Ronin with a jumble of grateful voices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Although I will not kill you, I will not employ you either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t killing them because he felt it didn’t matter either way, and letting them live would add a few more people to Mountain Forest Town’s population.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for employing them, that was a security risk. If they were too loyal to Princest, it wouldn’t be appropriate for them to remain in the castle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Chahar, have this steward take you to inventory the castle’s grain, tools, and other supplies. Give me a list.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Macken, assign two guards to supervise these cooks and have them prepare a feast for us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The rest of you, manservants and maids, go clean out a few empty rooms. Remember to replace everything inside!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As for you two mistresses, leave the castle now. And remember, I am only ordering you to leave the castle, I have not given you permission to leave Mountain Forest Town.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin waved his hand, dismissing them to their tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the servants, leaving the castle meant leaving a life of privilege. But compared to keeping their lives, a life of privilege meant nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Guards and servants had all left the hall, only Macken, Elron, and Tom remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My Lord!\" Macken said respectfully. \"I will go arrange the guard posts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin nodded. The castle’s security was crucial; he didn’t want just anyone to be able to come and go as they pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have the uninjured Guards handle defensive duties. Have the servants quickly prepare rooms for the wounded Guards to rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin looked at Tom. \"You’re more familiar with this place. Show Macken the way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, My Lord!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tom followed Macken out of the fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come, Elron. Accompany me on a proper tour of this castle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It would be my honor!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, Ronin and the Mage, Elron, took a thorough tour of his new base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, he reached the top of a tower and gazed out over Mountain Forest Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the afterglow of the setting sun, the town appeared crude and barren.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the main road leading from the castle to the outside world, which could barely be called a \"street,\" the rest of the area didn’t seem to have any proper roads at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Princest must have disdained improving the environment for his subjects. For him, as long as he lived securely and comfortably, that was enough.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what about Ronin?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hoped to make his living environment more like the countryside on Earth. To him, that was true comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Improving the living conditions of their subjects seemed to be a thankless task for many nobles in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, with a castle and Transcendents to protect them, why should the nobles care whether the common people, who were meant to be laborers, lived lives of hardship or comfort?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ronin didn’t see it that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a Lord’s Transcendents were his hard power, then his subjects were his soft power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soft power wasn’t easily seen, touched, or felt, but it was crucial for supporting a territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For one thing, if he raised the standard of living for his subjects and ensured they all had full meals, wouldn’t more commoners like David appear, people who could awaken a Fighting Qi Spirit Seed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without enough Knight Clans pledging their allegiance, these subjects were Ronin’s foundation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he also knew that you had to eat a meal one bite at a time and walk a road one step at a time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin wasn’t foolish enough to consider something like land redistribution. It didn’t suit the current situation, nor was it something a person of his social class should do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The right path for him was to adapt to his status as a noble, enjoy the power and responsibilities of his class, and then make slight changes according to his own will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps one day, when he was powerful enough that any decision he made would win the support and following of others, it wouldn’t be too late to make bigger changes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shielding his eyes with his hand, Ronin gazed at the setting sun. \"Elron, what do you see?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elron looked up at the sunset and said with a smile, \"I see that the light will be with you always, My Lord!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Under your leadership, this town will walk a path of unprecedented brightness. I believe that one day in the future, bathed in your radiance, this place will become a city of miracles!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hahaha!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin roared with laughter. \"As expected, you really know how to talk, unlike that blockhead Macken who only knows how to say ’As you command,’ ’Yes,’ and ’As you wish’!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elron smiled. \"Macken Knight’s loyalty and composure are worthy of my study.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’People who love to read really know how to talk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go. Time to get to work, Mage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin led the way down the tower. \"The Guards’ role is to protect and to fight. Their daily duties are training and patrolling, not completing chores like cleaning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elron followed behind Ronin. \"You are right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, help me write a recruitment notice. The castle has expelled its former manservants, maids, and cooks. We need to hire a new batch to handle the daily chores.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elron chimed in, \"You are right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Also, I’ve only toured the castle today. I need to find time to inspect the entire territory so I can make proper arrangements for the future.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are right!\" Elron added. \"But I think it would be best to first publicize the fact that you are now the Lord of Mountain Forest Town.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The display of force on the streets today has left the subjects fearful. Although you offered a simple sentence to reassure them, I don’t think your reassurance has necessarily reached everyone’s ears.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re right, Elron!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronin nodded. \"Then have Tom take David with him to spread the word everywhere. Find a location for tomorrow morning, and have all the subjects gather there to see me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1395,"2026-05-28T18:54:30.189Z","2026-06-01T04:28:44.603Z",1,"novelbin.me","b1140d7701f7bb1eab5e59d3e45e5409912c3f764bb7a6ab4470fe9ed38acbb0","lord-stripped-of-my-inheritance-from-the-start-chapter-38","lord-stripped-of-my-inheritance-from-the-start-chapter-36",402,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-stripped-of-my-inheritance-from-the-start-cover.jpg"]