I'm not a lord

Chapter 254 Find a job and talk directly to the Earl

From the main gate of the castle in Bai Xiong County to the reception hall on the second floor, there are fully armed high-ranking guards standing everywhere.

Old Hafdan was nearly scared to death by the gleaming spears in the guards' hands and the terrifying killing intent they exuded.

He even suspected that it was because he had secretly 'colluded' with the female war goddess of the Rift Valley that the Count suspected him of treason.

With the Earl making such a show of force, is he perhaps planning to clean house?

But you really can't blame him for this. It was clearly that female warrior who broke into his house late at night and forced him to comply. He really had no choice!
Compared to the terrified old Hafdan, Karula was much more relaxed and carefree.

She strolled leisurely along, as if walking through a steel jungle, and even had the leisure to observe the gleaming plate armor worn by the guards.

While observing, Karula was also assessing her own and her opponent's combat strength.

If it were a real hand-to-hand combat, she could probably take on a dozen or more without any problem.

However, these guards wore very thick armor, held sharpened spears in their hands, and had warhammers, longswords, daggers and other melee weapons at their waists.

If they suddenly swarm me, I will inevitably be caught in a fierce battle, and if I want to escape safely, I will probably have to turn back into my original form.

On the wasteland, the enemies Karula faced were all dressed in simple animal hide armor and used extremely primitive weapons, which allowed her to move freely across the battlefield as if it were empty.

The situation in the south was quite different; the difference between bone and iron tools, and between unarmored and armored weapons, was still too great.

Before long, the two arrived at the entrance of the second-floor reception room, led by the guards.

Lynn's captain of the bodyguard, Carroll, had been waiting there for a long time.

With a cold expression, Carol stared at the terrifying bone bow on Carla's back and said in a broken barbarian language, "I'm sorry, please hand over your weapons for safekeeping for now."

Old Hafdan quickly explained, "It's a Southern custom that you can't bring weapons during negotiations."

As he spoke, he took the dagger hanging from his waist and handed it to Carol as a demonstration.

At the same time, old Hafdan glanced into the hall and saw that Count White River and old Soward were both there. He even saw old Soward winking at him, which made him feel a little relieved.

Clearly, these guards on the road were prepared for the female war goddess of the Rift Valley tribe, not for him, the weak, pitiful, and old chieftain of the High Cliff tribe.

Karula laughed heartily and took the bone bow off her back: "It's alright, but you have to keep this bow safe for me, it's very important to me."

“Of course.” Carol’s expression changed abruptly as she took the bone bow, feeling as if the heavy bow pressed down on her.

He looked down in surprise, only to find that the inanimate object in his hand was emanating a chilling aura. In a daze, he even heard faint whispers echoing from the bone spikes of the bow.

What exactly is this bone bow?
Carol looked up again and saw that the woman was already walking barefoot into the hall.

A storm raged in his heart. Could this woman really be the Goddess of War?
Meanwhile, Lynn is observing Carula's appearance and inner self.

Upon closer inspection, the female warrior's figure and features are exquisitely sculpted, captivating the heart while exuding an inviolable and awe-inspiring aura.

As for her inner self, Lynn could see it all through the panel.

【Kalura ★★★★★】

[Command D-] [Strength A] [Constitution A] [Intelligence C+] [Internal Affairs E-] [Charisma B]

[Loyalty: 37 (Cannot be taken as a follower)]

【Trait 1: Valiant General - Increases strength and physique in battle, greatly enhanced when surrounded】

[Special Feature 2: Resilience - Less prone to injury, resistant to severe cold, and significantly increased lifespan]

【Characteristic 3: Alcoholic – Addicted to alcohol, strength decreases slightly with prolonged abstinence, but increases significantly with a full drink】

Five stars, three characteristics?!

This was the first time Lynn had ever seen a five-star rating on the panel; the highest rating he had ever seen before was four stars.

His A-level strength rating far surpassed that of his brothers and generals, and was comparable to his own strength.

In other words, according to the panel's evaluation criteria, Carula and Lynn have comparable overall combat strength.

Lynn's A-level strength is all thanks to his hard work (magic stone points). Moreover, he has only reached A-level in strength, while his physique, which represents physical strength, is still at B-level.

Moreover, the fact that Karula, despite her young age, possesses such terrifying strength and physique can only mean that she is a true natural-born superhuman.

This doesn't even look human anymore; it's practically a monster in human skin.

If Lynn were to fight Karula bare-handed without any weapons, he estimated that he might be at a slight disadvantage.

In addition, Carula also possesses two excellent traits, [Valiant] and [Tenacity], which further enhance her already formidable base attributes.

Of course, Lynn had long since passed the stage of personally engaging in combat.

He deployed two rows of elite guards to deflate the so-called goddess of war's arrogance and avoid unnecessary trouble.

For example, she might be feigning surrender while secretly plotting to assassinate someone.

Therefore, the necessary precautions are definitely not to be neglected.

Given Lynn's level of security, even two more female warriors wouldn't pose much of a threat to him, let alone one.

Faced with the power of a strong collective, an individual's fierce strength has little destructive power.

Furthermore, judging from the loyalty displayed on the panel, it's safe to rule out the possibility that Carula came to assassinate him.

37 points of loyalty may not seem high, but it's better than zero, right?
Keep in mind that when Lynn first negotiated with old Soward in the northern forest, the latter's loyalty was only 28 points.

Now, Old So has become the most obedient ball in Lynn's hands, who can mold him into a ball or flatten him as he pleases.

With 37 loyalty points, it means that Karula is truly committed to serving, but the conditions for her commitment have not yet been agreed upon.

Just as Lynn was observing and pondering, old Hafdan had already led Karula to the long table.

“My lord, she is the Goddess of War worshipped by the Rift Valley Tribe. Her strength far exceeds my comprehension. I came on horseback today, but she ran barefoot all the way, and was no slower than a horse. She is willing to be your spear and shield, to expand your territory, and she also has a great reputation in the wasteland.”

Old Hafdan bowed deeply and spoke at length, as if he were vigorously promoting a product.

Lynn, not wanting to listen to his nagging, raised his hand to stop old Halfdan and smiled at Karula, asking knowingly, "How should I address you? God of War of the Rift Valley."

Karula had a strong liking for the handsome man in front of her.

On the one hand, Lynn exuded a strong enough aura to earn her respect; on the other hand, Lynn's willingness to treat the wasteland people kindly was a big plus.

Karula still has some affection for the people of the Rift Valley.

If possible, she hoped that those hardworking people in the wilderness could live a good life with enough to eat and wear, just like the people of the high cliff tribe in the salt mine.

Therefore, her answer was quite frank: "Just call me Karula. God of War is just what the people of the Rift Valley tribe call me. I am not the real God of War."

No, with your combat prowess, you're more than capable of being a war god in the wasteland where technology and tactics are far behind.

Lynn silently complained to himself, but smiled and replied, "Please sit down, Karula. Hafdan already sent someone to tell me about your situation. What I want to know now is, what do you want from me?" Perhaps Karula was truly a wild woman with superhuman strength, or a magical beast that had transformed into a human, or perhaps a humanoid race beyond Lynn's knowledge.

The continent of Dievas is vast and diverse, with many regions yet to be explored by humans. It is quite normal that there are indeed some extraordinary powers present there, and some unknown alien races are hiding in certain corners of the world.

But none of that matters. Karula is a genuine five-star rating. In terms of personal combat strength alone, she should already be at the pinnacle of the Northern Kingdom.

The only trait that is somewhat unclear is the 【Drunken Maniac】.

As far as Lynn knew, arable land on the wasteland was extremely scarce, and with the wasteland people's backward level of productivity, could they even brew liquor?
How exactly does this "drunken maniac" trait come about?
Of course, with a five-star rating, such minor flaws are completely insignificant.

Just like playing a card collecting game, players naturally prefer high-star characters.

If Karula is loyal to Lynn and cooperates with him to take down the Rift Valley, Lynn is willing to grant her reasonable wishes and demands.

Everything in this world has a price, including ability, beauty, loyalty, and even life.

With the resources Lynn currently possesses, he can meet the price offered by most people.

His territory is developing well and is gaining momentum. Since September, a steady stream of talents have been flocking to Baihe Territory from all directions.

When looking for a job, it's best to talk directly with your immediate supervisor.

In Sanhe City, job seekers with connections and influence would use these connections to send letters of introduction and resumes to Lynn. Even the clerk Victor couldn't resist using his connections to help him 'sell' his goods twice.

Those without connections or influence would try to find the city council of Sanhe City, or simply submit their resumes to the western suburban military camp where the fourth brother, Andrei, was stationed.

Jobs are in high demand in Baihe County right now, and hotels in Sanhe City are so expensive because of these job seekers eager to make a name for themselves.

Lynn believed that the arrival of the female warrior was both unexpected and reasonable.

Resources are so scarce in the wilderness that it's normal for some people to harbor ulterior motives.

Lynn got straight to the point, which suited Carula's taste perfectly.

She casually pulled out a chair and sat down, staring intently at Lynn with her azure eyes, and said, "I need two promises from you."

Karula spoke rudely, but Lynn didn't care. He thought it was normal for wild people to be uncouth, especially high-ranking members of tribes who were used to being arrogant in the wilderness.

Therefore, Lynn simply nodded slightly: "Okay, go ahead."

Kalu stretched out his right index finger and said in the Wilderness language, "First, if I persuade some members of the Rift Valley tribe to serve you, or if you capture Rift Valley warriors on the battlefield, you need to accept them with tolerance and equality, and their treatment should not be lower than that of the High Cliff tribe."

Old Hafdan, standing behind her, was overjoyed upon hearing this.

Not lower than the high cliff level?

Isn't that just mining?
That's great! You chose to mine yourself! Don't go back on your word later!
Lynn readily agreed: "No problem. I can promise you right now in front of everyone here that I will never let any of the wasteland people who are willing to pledge allegiance to me go hungry."

Lynn was never stingy with food when it came to the cattle and horses at the bottom of society.

How can a person work with full energy if they don't eat their fill?
What he needs are high-quality laborers who can work proactively, not skinny bamboo poles forced to work by being whipped.

It is self-evident which side is more efficient.

The White Bear Territory is not short of food now, so there's no need to be stingy with food.

Old Soward, who was sitting next to Lynn, had been observing the female warrior. Now he spoke up in her defense:

"You can rest assured about that. The Earl's promise carries more weight than armor. Our people in the Lowlands have now been allocated land and houses and are living the same life as the local people."

Old Hafdan chimed in, "Yes, our High Cliff tribe is no less capable. We only need to mine some salt ore to exchange for enough food to feed the entire tribe, and occasionally we can even get some extra ironware or cloth."

With the two clan chiefs vouching for her, and considering what she had seen and heard these past few days, Karula naturally believed Lynn's promise.

She quickly held up her second finger, her expression unchanged, and said, "My second and last request is that I want an endless supply of fine wine, preferably mead."

In old Hafdan's house, she tasted all kinds of wine and finally found that the wine made with honey was the sweetest and suited her taste the best.

Moreover, mead is a childhood memory for her, as her people are very skilled at brewing wine from honey.

Huh? That's it?
The two clan leaders exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

An endless supply of alcohol?
What kind of requirement is this?
You might as well ask for a large plot of high-quality farmland. Once you have the land, you can plant grains and brew as much wine as you want.
And this is a chance to make a wish to Count Shirakawa!

If you don't want it, give it to us! Just asking for some wine is a complete waste!
"No problem, my wine cellar is now open to you. You can take as much as you want!"

But Lynn had already made a final decision, and he was afraid of making a mess of things by bidding, so he decided to settle on a price first.

Wow, so that's what the [Alcoholism] trait is all about.

In Lynn's eyes, Carula truly lacked any complex 'humanity'.

Her demands were arbitrary and capricious, as if they hadn't been considered at all, but were simply driven by impulse.

Perhaps this Goddess of War isn't human? Or perhaps her actual age is far younger than her apparent age?

Old Hafdan glanced at Old Soward, then looked at Karula in front of him, and asked doubtfully, "Uh, is this all? Are you sure?"

He now felt a little sorry for the girl.

You betrayed yourself and Chief Augusta, and you'll have to serve Earl White River in the future, all for this little bit of treatment?

Unexpectedly, a satisfied smile appeared on Carula's face: "That's all, I'm very satisfied."

Lynn smiled and said slowly, "Then I think it's time to talk about my requirements."

That night, Karula stayed at the castle in White Bear County.

She got to drink the most delicious mead as she wished, and even indulged in a luxurious bath in a tub filled with ale.

Meanwhile, Lynn was also working closely with the two clan chiefs to finalize the battle plan.

According to the plan, Karula needed to inform the Rift Valley tribesmen who were accompanying her about the 'true' situation in White Bear County, thereby urging Augusta to lead the entire tribe south to attack White Bear County.

To make the performance more convincing, Lynn will transfer all one thousand new recruits to the south, creating the illusion that the territory is empty.

Once Augusta arrives, Lynn will lead the new recruits and the Three Rivers City garrison northwards to wipe out the entire Rift Valley.

Although the plan looks rough, it is highly feasible.

A plan is one that is simpler and easier to implement.

The next morning, Karula returned to the salt mine with old Hafdan. She was still the War Goddess of the Rift Valley and would have to cooperate with Augusta to capture the salt mine from both inside and outside.

Lynn also promised that whenever she wanted to drink, she could go to Old Hafdan's house late at night, and Old Hafdan would pay for everything.

Two days later, Lynn awaited the arrival of the former dynasty's princess at the castle in White Bear County.

(End of this chapter)