30. Start Recruiting

The families initially didn't want to sell their houses, but Lord Jason Easter offered them such a high price that they couldn't refuse. Feeling lucky, they moved out and planned to build new homes outside the Winter Market town.

After buying several nearby houses and the small courtyard at the back, Jason Liu's property now spanned over 2,000 square meters. However, the old wooden houses were in bad shape, with some even having leaky roofs. Jason decided to tear them all down and rebuild. His priorities were to set up a warehouse for his modern goods and construct a tall wall around the entire area. He also planned to build a storefront, main house, staff quarters, and kitchen. If possible, he even wanted to create a training ground for the young men he'd recruited, who were still learning to use swords properly.

The townspeople crowded the store on the first floor, eager to apply for jobs. The dirty-faced children laughed and pushed through the throngs, while their parents shouted and scolded, creating a noisy, chaotic scene.

Finally, Jason Liu asked Old Rhodes, who came to help with the hiring, to restore order. Old Rhodes wasn't just helping out for free; his youngest son, Dick, was among those hoping to be recruited. At 16 years old, Dick was tall and sturdy but had a timid expression. Although Old Rhodes often called his son "useless," Jason found the boy's honest nature and strong build to be a good fit.

After Jason assured Old Rhodes that he'd hire Dick as a guard, the old man was thrilled. With a loud, booming voice, Old Rhodes called out to the crowd, "By the Old Gods, quiet down, you noisy lot! If you don't settle down, Lord Jason won't hire any of you! So shut your mouths!" He even singled out a farmer named Harrison, shouting, "Harrison! I hear you all the way from here! Shut your mouth before I use my fist on you!"

Harrison obediently fell silent, and the rest of the crowd quieted down as well. Old Rhodes even scolded the rowdy children, warning them, "If you keep running around, I'll have Dick toss you into the forest to feed the wolves!" Frightened, the kids quickly returned to their families.

With the room finally quiet, Jason Liu began interviewing applicants. Martha stood beside him with her daughter Lillian in her arms, quietly giving him her insights on each person. Since Jason didn't know anyone, he relied on Martha's evaluations.

"This is Dillion and his wife Vamida," Martha introduced a humble farmer and pointed to his three sons behind him—Barlow, Baron, and Bard. She whispered, "They're all honest boys, but the family's too poor. None of them can afford to get married."

Jason Liu nodded, asked a few questions, and told them to wait outside. He continued interviewing more people with Martha's help, and after a few hours, he finished.

In the end, Jason hired five boys and two girls:

Dick, Old Rhodes' 16-year-old son.

Dillion's three sons: Barlow (17), Baron (16), and Bard (15).

McCann, a 16-year-old blond boy supporting his younger sister.

Farmer Hogg's daughters: Susan (19), recently abandoned by her husband, and Vanessa (15).

These were like high school-aged kids to Jason, but in Westeros, where people rarely lived past 30, 16 was considered an adult.

The chosen ones were thrilled, and those who weren't selected were assured that they'd have another chance in the future. Jason handed the first month's wages, six silver stags each, directly to the parents of those selected. The teenagers beamed with pride, having never seen so much money before.

After the parents left, Jason turned to the seven recruits. Suddenly, McCann, the blond boy, dropped to his knees and pleaded, "Lord East, please let me keep my sister with me!"

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