Chapter 205: A 'Family-Like Territory' (2)

Family.

Just hearing that word warms the heart.

Until now, no noble had ever used such a word to recruit talent. To them, administrators were disposable—people who could be used and discarded at will.

Unless someone had sworn loyalty and worked with them for a long time, it was impossible to hear such words.

Yet the person claiming to be the head butler of Fenris spoke of "family" even before starting work. It was as if he was extending a hand, asking to be together forever.

The students felt an overwhelming sense of joy at the thought of becoming part of this "family-like territory."

Marlon, too, held the contract tightly, resisting the urge to cry.

'Mom, Dad! I finally have a chance to become an administrator in a grand territory! Our hardships are over now! The pay is amazing—I'll make sure you live in luxury!'

Of course, it wasn't a decision he could make immediately.

He needed time to discuss it with his family and organize his thoughts.

Claude, still wearing a gentle smile, continued speaking.

"If you decide, come find me. I'll be staying at Seiron Academy for the time being. For families living in distant regions, just let us know, and we'll send soldiers to safely escort them to the territory."

The students smiled brightly.

For those nearby, moving with their families wouldn't be difficult. But for those whose families lived far away, relocating to another kingdom with them wasn't easy.

However, Fenris was offering to send soldiers to handle everything safely. Indeed, it was an extraordinary example of a territory with great welfare benefits.

Marlon, who had been worrying about how to persuade his parents to relocate, let go of his final concern.

'Incredible. This place is truly incomparable to anywhere else. I need to get home quickly and… wait, what's this?'

Marlon noticed a tiny line of text written in the corner of the contract.

"Duration… 20 years?"

Marlon's muttering prompted other students to check the clause.

"Why would they specify this?"

"Isn't it natural to stay until retirement anyway?"

Normally, it was difficult to become an administrator, but one could freely decide when to step down.

Being forced to work against one's will usually happened only when the lord was too intimidating to refuse or when declining a plea to stay on seemed impossible.

Betrayal or espionage would result in immediate execution, so it was rare to see a fixed term like this.

Claude, sweating slightly, quickly explained.

"Ahaha, that's just our way of guaranteeing employment for that duration. Since we're becoming family, it's our commitment to take responsibility to the end."

Marlon and the students immediately accepted this explanation and nodded. The assurance of stability felt truly familial.

The inability to leave for another place might be a downside, but in these times, that wasn't a significant concern.

Once the atmosphere had completely shifted in his favor, Claude whispered to Wendy.

"How was it? Pretty convincing, right?"

"…"

Since the territory was struggling due to a lack of personnel, Wendy couldn't oppose Claude's efforts.

Still, being around someone so cunning made her feel as if she was becoming just as bad.

In the end, Wendy chose to remain silent.

'At least they aren't being exploited mindlessly.'

It was Ghislain's principle to give more than enough—sometimes excessively—to those who worked for the territory. That's why Fenris's administrators earned several times more than their counterparts elsewhere.

The only problem was that they had to accept it whether they wanted to or not.

'Most of them don't have other options besides coming to our territory anyway.'

Without Fenris, most of the students wouldn't have been able to find decent jobs.

Better to work hard in Fenris than to starve elsewhere.

'Everything is aligning strangely well.'

If it weren't for the current hardships, even leveraging Claude's academic connections wouldn't have attracted so many people.

It struck her once again how perfectly timed the lord's actions always seemed to be.

***

A few days after the recruitment briefing, Marlon, whose home was nearby, was the first to visit Claude.

"My family has agreed to move. Please take good care of us, Head Butler."

"Oh, you made a good decision. By the way, what do your parents do?"

"Yes! My father is a carpenter, and my mother works with dyes!"

At Marlon's answer, Claude quickly turned his head and bit his lip.

Recruiting one new administrator came with two skilled workers?

Suppressing his laughter and maintaining his composure, Claude replied.

"We'll send soldiers to assist with the relocation, so don't worry about anything. And unlike here, there's plenty of work available, so as long as your parents are willing, they'll earn a lot."

"Thank you so much!"

Over the following days, many other students came to see Claude.

Most of them decided to follow him to Fenris. Due to the drought, many were struggling to make ends meet, and the opportunity to work in a grand territory was rare.

Staying behind would only benefit a select few who were exceptionally talented.

"I'll work hard! My family has decided to come with me!"

"My family will stay behind. The pay really is as good as you say, right? I need to send money home every month."

Claude welcomed them all with a bright smile, hugging each one as they arrived.

"Don't worry about anything. The territory will take care of everything. You won't have to worry about the well-being of your family, even those staying behind."

For once, he wasn't lying.

Fenris administrators earned several times more than average.

Additionally, the territory would take full responsibility for the well-being of both those relocating and those staying behind.

Of course, it meant they'd have to devote their lives to Fenris, but that was a minor detail.

'Sorry, juniors. I have no choice if I want to survive. Let's really be like family and stick together for a long time. As long as the pay is good, it's fine, right?'

Tears shimmered in Claude's eyes as he embraced the students.

***

Claude stayed at the academy for over two months, tirelessly recruiting people.

Not only did he have to meet students, but also senior disciples of his teacher and old friends.

Personally visiting everyone was terribly inefficient.

"Find everyone on this list and bring them here as soon as possible. Offer them food if they hesitate, and if they still refuse, drag them here by force!"

The soldiers quickly moved under Claude's increasingly Ghislain-like orders.

Those who had returned to their hometowns received detailed letters and provisions, while those closer by were persuaded with promises of food.

Many had lost their positions or faced poor treatment due to their association with the rebellion involving Claude's teacher.

Some looked at him with resentment, others with relief, and still others with a mix of envy and curiosity.

Claude persuaded each one to join him whenever they arrived.

"There's no hope left for you here, is there?"

"Well, that's true, but… leaving my hometown so suddenly feels…."

"Then do you want to starve to death here? No one's going to hire you. What can you even do here?"

"Ugh…."

Leaving one's hometown wasn't easy. But for those already abandoned, there weren't many alternatives.

The senior disciples and friends reluctantly agreed to follow him to Fenris.

After all, staying here meant living like beggars.

One of Claude's friends, Billy, spoke on behalf of the gathered group.

"We're grateful that you've made a place for us, but… why come for us instead of recruiting Lutania people?"

Feigning a solemn expression, Claude answered.

"Even if it wasn't my fault, I know I was the catalyst for the incident. Thinking about how much you've all suffered has weighed heavily on me."

Billy and the others gave him suspicious looks.

"You… don't seem like the type."

'This bastard?'

It was hard to fool those who'd known him for a long time. But Claude maintained his expression and continued.

"I'm not the person I used to be. I've worked tirelessly, through immense pain—so much that I wanted to die. Anyway, I've become the head butler of a grand territory. And all of it… for you. Can you believe me?"

Billy, covering his mouth with his hand, spoke with trembling eyes.

"You… why would you go so far…."

The Claude he knew wasn't like this. He'd been academically gifted but otherwise nearly a lunatic.

But now he seemed to be carrying a profound sense of guilt and friendship in his heart.

Claude looked warmly at Billy and said,

"We're… friends, aren't we?"

"Claude!"

Overcome with emotion, Billy hugged him. Claude, tearing up, hugged him back.

"I'm sorry… I'm really sorry…."

"Don't apologize, you idiot! It wasn't your fault! It's okay! We're okay!"

Seeing this, other friends—both male and female—joined in the embrace.

"Don't cry, Claude! You did nothing wrong!"

"It means so much that you're taking care of us now!"

"Don't ever feel sorry again!"

As the overly emotional moment passed, Billy, slightly embarrassed, cleared his throat and asked.

"Ahem. About the contract… The pay is amazing, and the benefits for our families and housing are great, but why is our term 30 years? I heard the juniors only have 20 years."

"Well… that's because I want you all to work stably and comfortably for a long time. No need to worry about making a living anymore—just focus on your talents."

'If you're more experienced, you work longer. Let's all die together there. Use your talents to the fullest.'

"Claude, you…"

Billy looked at Claude again with trembling eyes. Claude returned the gaze with warmth.

"We're… friends, aren't we?"

"Claude!"

The hugs started again, while Wendy sighed deeply and stared at the ceiling.

Claude spent over two months at the academy and managed to reel in many talents. It was a highly successful endeavor.

Even those he couldn't meet personally but contacted by letter were likely to come.

"Now, let's head to Fenris Territory!"

A large group followed Claude—students, friends, and their families.

Thanks to bribes of food given to nearby lords and nobles, the relocation process faced little resistance.

For those who couldn't make it this time, Fenris planned to send additional support.

Before leaving, Claude stared at the academy gates for a long time.

'Anna, I hope you're doing well.'

He hadn't been able to meet Anna, who was away at another academy working on a historical compilation project.

He had left behind plenty of money and provisions through the dean, ensuring she'd be surprised upon her return.

'…'

With a mix of regret and relief, Claude turned away.

***

Finally, the massive procession entered Fenris's borders.

Although they seemed a little tired, everyone was healthy. The journey had been slow due to the sheer number of people, but there had been no significant issues.

Ghislain greeted them all with a bright smile.

"Claude managed to reel in so ma— I mean, welcome, everyone. I am Baron Fenris, the lord of this territory. I will consider you all my family and ensure you receive the best treatment!"

"Waaaaah!"

The crowd erupted in cheers. Encouraged, Ghislain added with fervor,

"Never forget that we are now one family and one body! Live together, die together!"

The people were deeply moved. They had never heard of a noble addressing ordinary people this way, even in rumors.

Hearing the lord himself declare that this was a "family-like territory" eased their worries about settling in a new place.

Of course, they had no idea how literal the "live together, die together" part was.

Nonetheless, Ghislain fulfilled his promises, offering them the best treatment. They received homes, land, and even advance payments.

"This is like a dream! I can't believe we're treated this well!"

"Coming here was the best decision! This place is truly a land of opportunity!"

"The lord is amazing! So different from other nobles!"

Everyone was floating on cloud nine.

Though they noticed the area was slightly underdeveloped, seeing construction projects everywhere reassured them that things would improve quickly.

Families of scholars, in particular, enjoyed the abundance of work available.

Compared to the Kingdom of Seiron, life was far more comfortable and prosperous.

The newly recruited administrators began occupying key positions across the territory, managing important administrative tasks.

Billy, one of Claude's friends, initially didn't think much of the workload.

"There's a lot to do, but… I'll manage somehow. That bastard should've asked for help sooner."

Marlon and the other graduates were similarly full of enthusiasm.

"I must repay the lord's kindness! I'll become an administrator worthy of this treatment!"

Their days consisted of teaching at the Fenris Academy during the day and handling administrative tasks at night, an intense schedule.

Naturally, they held considerable power within the territory.

With high salaries and authority, they were highly motivated to endure.

But their responsibilities didn't end there.

Billy, who managed a particularly large region, began to sense something odd as he progressed through his tasks.

"W-What is this? Is this even a territory?"

The more he delved into his work, the more he realized that Fenris was anything but ordinary. Its operations were severely distorted and bizarre.

"This… this is insane…"

Staring at the ever-growing pile of documents beside him, Billy's face turned ashen.

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