Chapter 514

After inspecting the Willard estate, Gervas decided to maintain the status quo.

Although the servants in the manor had fled, the serfs at the outlying farm had not run away.

First, they were of low status and had no money.

Second, as serfs, they were property, not free people; even if the entire Willard family were purged, they would not be targeted.

Of course, these serfs knew only how to farm and raise livestock; to restore the estate’s operations, someone needed to manage it.

Eagle City was at least five days’ ride from Storm Domain; Gervas could not manage it personally.

Old John certainly could not come either.

“Ronil! Willard has been executed by the kingdom—do you harbor thoughts of revenge?”

“Also, you know Willard had a grudge against me before—do you wish to avenge him as well?”

Thud!

Ronil collapsed to his knees in terror.

“Lord Gervas, I dare not! Though I truly felt… sorrow over Lord Willard’s death!”

“But Lord Willard consorted with beastmen—I know no crime is more despicable than this!”

“So I am only worried the kingdom might hang me too; I never once thought of avenging Lord Willard.”

“As for seeking revenge against Lord Gervas—I wouldn’t dare even if I had a hundred lives!”

Gervas carefully observed Ronil’s expression and found no sign of deceit.

He nodded in satisfaction: “Ronil, I have two options for you.”

“First, I will reward you with five gold coins—leave immediately.”

“Second, stay on as steward of the manor and oversee all of Willard’s holdings in Eagle City.”

“I will raise your salary by thirty percent from what Willard paid you.”

Though Ronil had been Willard’s steward, as he himself admitted, Willard had been convicted by the kingdom—for treason.

If he still clung to loyalty to Willard and sought revenge, the kingdom would not spare him.

So Gervas judged Ronil still usable.

At least for now, during this transitional period.

Later, Gervas would send a group of serfs to manage the manor and shops.

With everyone else being his own people, Ronil would be powerless to stir trouble.

If Ronil works diligently from now on, Gervas would not mind keeping him on.

But if he harbors other schemes, Gervas would not be merciful.

Besides, with his intelligence network, he had no fear of Ronil turning traitor—he trusted the system to issue warnings.

Upon hearing Gervas’s words, Ronil trembled violently.

“This… this…”

“What? Are you unwilling?”

Ronil immediately exclaimed: “No… no, Lord Gervas, I accept! I accept!”

It was no wonder Ronil was so excited; as he said, he truly feared the kingdom would come for him.

Even if the kingdom ignored a mere pawn like him, after the estate transfer, nobles in the city would surely eye him.

As Willard’s steward, he owned over a hundred gold coins’ worth of property in the city.

To a great noble like Gervas, this meant nothing—but to minor nobles and officials, it was a feast.

If lucky, he might flee with a portion of his wealth.

If unlucky, they might cut him down to the root.

So if Gervas would take him in, even a salary cut would be acceptable.

With a count’s protection, no one in Eagle City would dare touch him.

“Enough! Since you accept, then rise!”

“Yes! Thank you, Lord Gervas, for your mercy!”

“Hmm? Still not changing your address?”

“Yes, Lord Gervas!”

…

Time turned to the next day.

No sooner had Gervas opened his eyes than he heard good news from Dingding’s daily intelligence report.

The royal grant decree had finally arrived.

Yet the content of the decree made Gervas ponder.

“Gervas, are you up? Good news—the grant decree has come!”

Before Gervas could think further, Mil’s voice rang from outside the door.

Gervas and his party had checked into the manor the previous night.

So Mil’s shouts down the corridor were clearly audible.

“Really? Mil, I’m coming!”

Hearing this, Gervas feigned surprise and prepared to rise and wash up.

Ten minutes later, Gervas stepped out of his room.

Mil and the others, who had been pacing anxiously at the staircase, perked up instantly.

“Gervas, you’re finally ready! Hurry, I can’t wait to see where our grant lands are!”

“Yes! I wonder if His Majesty will be generous and grant us more territory!”

Hearing this, Gervas recalled the intelligence report.

One item specifically concerned their grant lands.

Clearly, they were overestimating.

Land was precious to the king, especially as expansion grew increasingly difficult.

So the king had granted only the bare minimum land to match their viscount rank.

As for terrain, it was neither good nor bad—mostly forested hills, with only a small portion of flat ground.

So they could expect no advantage whatsoever.

Of course, Gervas would not tell them now.

“Fine! Let’s go see it then! Everyone, let’s move out!” Gervas wasted no time.

Thus, Gervas and Mil hurried to the Civil Affairs Office.

Without needing to ask, the mere presence of the count’s carriage drew a clerk forward cautiously.

Once the clerk understood their purpose, he promptly led Gervas and the others into a spacious hall.

This hall, normally used to receive high nobles, was not only vast but lavishly decorated.

“Respected Lord Count, and esteemed Lord Viscounts, please wait here a moment—I shall notify Cabinet Minister immediately!”

After ushering them in, the clerk bowed and hurried away.

After roughly four or five minutes, noise came from the doorway.

As Gervas and the others assumed it was the Cabinet Minister, they soon realized it was not.

It was Carteri Stonecrack—the man Gervas had met once in the capital.

“Him! That fellow who got his title only because of his family!”

Mil and the others whispered among themselves.

They accepted Gervas’s title with full respect.

But Carteri Stonecrack’s countship? Mil and the others all considered it unjust.

After all, they had risked their lives just to earn a promotion from baron to viscount.

Yet Carteri had leapt straight to a kingdom-count title.

Of course, he was a son of the Stonecrack family.

As Carteri entered the hall, Mil and the others fell silent.

“Oh? Isn’t that Lord Gervas? What a coincidence!”

Carteri strode in, chin raised, glancing around—when he spotted Gervas, his eyes flickered with amusement.

Carter entered the hall, chin raised, sweeping his gaze across the room; when he saw Gervas, a flicker of amusement lit his eyes.