<strong><b>Chapter 21</b></strong><strong><b></b></strong><strong><b>Unlock new building: cksmith Shop!</b></strong>


    A stray dog suddenly dashed out of nowhere and grabbed Harvey’s head in its mouth. One of the knights’ squires was about to stop it, but the scribe standing byughed and held him back. Turning to Richard, he exined, “My Lord, that dog belonged to Harvey.”


    Richard was momentarily surprised but then burst intoughter. He couldn’t help but find the situation ironic. However, he quickly gave a new order, “Someone, follow that dog! If it buries Harvey’s head, then kill it and skin it! But if it eats Harvey’s head, make sure it never goes hungry again!”


    He intended to use this dog as a reminder to everyone in Long Eagle Territory of Harvey’s fate.


    He then turned his attention to themoners, saying, “Remember this well! If anyone dares to act like Harvey and tries to steal from Long Eagle Territory, this is the fate that awaits them! Hang Harvey’s body up and let the vultures feast on it!”


    The children were so frightened that they started crying softly, their parents quickly covering their mouth, fearing they might anger the lord.


    Afterpleting all these actions, Richard gave a broad wave of his hand andmanded, “Form lines, everyone! It’s time to distribute the food!”


    No one dared to misbehave now; Harvey’s body hanging there, with fresh blood dripping down, served as a constant reminder to all of them.


    As the food was handed out, everyone grew excited. They sat on the open ground outside the town, enjoying the steaming hot meal.


    “The lord is truly a kind-hearted man! He’s giving us hot food, such a good person!”


    “Yes, when the old lord was alive, we never got food for our work. We always had to bring our own.”


    “True, it’s so unusual to have a lord who provides us with food like this!”


    “But honestly, we didn’t even have food to bring from home since everything we had went to the lord.”


    “Are you dissatisfied with the lord’s decision? Remember, this food belongs to the lord in the first ce. We live in Long Eagle Territory, and even we are the lord’s property! Your attitude is risky; I worry you might end up like Harvey.”


    “Now that you mention it, you’re right. Working for the lord is our duty, and yet he’s giving us food on top of that, even having people cook it for us. In the past, we never had anything like this. I swear on my old bones, I’ll work hard for the lord in return for his kindness!”


    They were talking amongst themselves as they ate. In reality, they were only eating simple oat porridge and a small amount of jerky. It was enough to sustain them, but far from avish meal. Still, they were grateful.


    In just a short moment, the overall loyalty of the poption reached a new threshold.


    [Congrattions, Host! You have earned the loyalty of your people through yourmand and authority. Overall loyalty level has increased to the fourth stage—’Loyal’!].


    [Current overall loyalty: 81, Poption growth rate: 100%, Labor enthusiasm: 100%.].


    Richard nodded in satisfaction. Finally, things were as they should be.


    This 100% wasn’t just an increase—it represented a return to the normal growth rate. In other words, if loyalty had remained at 75%, the poption would have decreased over time, dwindling to three thousand from the original four thousand over twenty years.


    Now that loyalty had reached the highest phase, everything could proceed normally. The same applied tobor enthusiasm; he wasn’t misled by the 100% figure. It merely signified a standard working attitude. Some would still ck off, but overall, the work would be more engaged and less mechanical than before.


    These people truly were like swine, he thought. He was using their own food to prepare their meals, cooked by their own women, yet they sincerely thanked him from the bottom of their hearts—a bunch of brainless livestock.


    But that suited him perfectly.


    As he nced at the system panel, he noticed that he’d gained 6 Kill Points for executing Harvey. He casually allocated the points to his strength stat and then continued to inspect the panel.


    [With the increase in loyalty, you have unlocked the cksmith Shop!].


    [The cksmith Shop can recruit cksmiths and forge beginner-level extraordinary equipment. Please construct and explore this facility at your own discretion.].


    Richard’s eyes lit up.


    <em><i>The ability to craft extraordinary equipment?</i></em>


    <em><i>Even at the beginner level, that’s remarkable!</i></em>


    Ordinary equipment, no matter how well-made, would eventually rust, corrode, and degrade over time. But extraordinary equipment had unique abilities and properties that could be tailored to specific needs, making them highly effective.


    Once he could produce such equipment on arge scale, he would be able to field a force of knights equipped with supernatural gear. Their increased strength would allow him to delve deeper into the nearby forest to gather even more resources.


    Since this was a lord’s domain, securing a stable and abundant source of resources was crucial for the growth of Long Eagle Territory. Only then could it be a significant force on this continent.


    After closing the system panel, Richard stood up from his seat. Themoners had finished their meal, and with no further orders, theyy aroundzily, basking in the sun.


    Richard’s brows furrowed in displeasure. He cracked his whip in the air, creating a loud crack that echoed across the field.


    “Who gave you permission to lie around in my presence? Get up! Line up and assemble in front of me!”


    The sound of the whip triggered their muscle memory, and themoners jumped to their feet immediately. This time, they quickly assembled and stood in neat lines, awaiting their lord’s instructions.