79: Chapter 59: Recruiting Servants_2 79: Chapter 59: Recruiting Servants_2 Spending money to win hearts, why not?
Moreover, as long as the ransom ultimately reaches the villagers, they naturally would be able to repay themselves for the coffin expenses.
In reality, the actual burden of the coffin expenses for the decimated family isn’t much, just the cost of hiring someone to dig the tomb is a pure expense.
Turning his head to look at the house that was to be his, Leon also planned to buy a few high-quality coffins for the family of the deceased Matt.
Occupying someone’s house on the surface, one should also make the underground resting place look decent.
This isn’t Earth; in this Otherworld, ghosts and spirits are genuinely and objectively existent—he had already seen it with his own eyes.
And if Miss Lora’s words were true, there even existed an afterlife in this world.
Leon still remembered the descriptions of the spell—”…in the name of Yin Nie, abide by the laws of the Dead Sea of the eternal tundra.”
Yin Nie, was that the name of the Grim Reaper of this world?
Was the so-called “Dead Sea” similar to what Miss Lora perceived as Hell or Netherworld?
Little Lina’s cheery voice brought Leon back from his thoughts.
Seeing her savior, the girl hurriedly ran over from inside the house, happy.
“From now on, you should address him as ‘my lord,’ Lina.” the old blacksmith reminded.
“Oh, sorry, big brother…
Lord.” Upon hearing Uncle Brian’s admonishment, Lina halted, shrank her neck, and obediently bowed her head.
“It’s okay, you can keep calling me brother.” Leon smiled gently at the little girl.
Thank you, big brother.
I haven’t properly thanked you and the other two brothers for saving me yet~….
Listen, I helped Aunt Milaya today and learned a particularly tasty dish, wait until I make it for you guys to taste…”
Little Lina’s youthful voice promised to let Leon and the others taste her cooking skills.
Leon reached out and touched her head, sighing inwardly.
He had asked Olivia before, the little girl’s family had perished, she had no relatives left, and now she was being looked after by the old blacksmith and his daughter.
Such a sensible and well-behaved child, facing orphanhood and desolation at this age, how can one not feel compassion for her.
In his previous life, children her age would still be carefree in school, attending classes, but now she had encountered the calamity of losing her family…
Come help me.” A woman’s voice called from inside the house.
Okay, I’m coming.” Little Lina looked back, responded, then waved goodbye to the big brother and ran back inside.
Watching the child return to care for the wounded, a thought struck Leon, and he considered his options.
He turned to Olivia and asked, “In the village, like Lina, children who have lost all their family members and have become orphans, and are of this age…
I mean, those under the age of fourteen, how many are there?”
In this world, there wasn’t a strict concept of adulthood, strictly speaking, nobles usually granted their offspring an official name around the age of sixteen, shedding the childhood nickname.
But for ordinary lower-class civilians, above the age of fourteen, is the limit to measure whether a person is capable of living independently.
“In that situation, besides Lina, there are four girls and three boys, all children from ten to fourteen years old.” Olivia nodded her chin, thinking and then replied.
Just so, it could also be considered as accumulating virtue.
Leon inherently lacked servants who could help with chores, and employing these children, who were already unencumbered, could be more reassuring to some extent.
“When you have time, help me ask if they are willing to become my servants.”
Leon did the math, then spoke to Olivia and the old blacksmith, “I need servants to help with cleaning the house, maintaining armor and weapons, and other miscellaneous tasks.
For those under eleven, I can provide housing and food; they just need to sweep the floors and wipe the tables for now, learning from the other older children.”
Children who were already eleven years old and nimble with their hands and feet, I would pay them three Dier a month.
If they could work for me after the age of fourteen, I would continue to employ them at the normal wages for male and female servants.”
couldn’t help but sigh at the Young Knight’s kindness.
If those orphans hadn’t encountered this calamity, they might never have had such “fortune” in their lifetime.
Brian was well aware of how much nobles paid their servants.
Ordinary male servants serving nobles could earn nearly 20 Dier a month.
And ordinary female servants earned about 10 Dier a month.
This was far better than the fate of farming and herding the children would have faced as they grew.
Although it was cruel, this opportunity came entirely because of their tragic status as orphans now.
“I’ll thank you on behalf of those children for your kindness, Mr.
Leon.” The old blacksmith knew that those destitute children could not refuse such an opportunity and way out.
“Speaking of which, do you know anyone in the village who would take care of livestock?
Someone good with horses would be ideal.” Since Leon was on the subject of servants, he proceeded to inquire.
“Hawk knows how to look after horses, my father taught him, and the two horses we had at home were often cared for by him,” Olivia immediately responded.
“Hawk?” Leon recalled that naive-looking face.
“Is he the young man who stutters a bit?”
“Yes, if you don’t mind his stuttering, I think Hawk can manage your horses and livestock well.”
The old blacksmith also recommended, “That boy is not bad.
His parents died early, and he grew up on village charity alone; actually, he’s smarter than he looks and learns things quickly.”
Olivia raised a finger, shook it with a smile, and said, “Do you remember the trouble you encountered when you first came to Selva?
I got there so quickly because Hawk had come to warn me earlier; he has always been keeping an eye on that scoundrel Boris for me.”
Upon hearing this, Leon then remembered that at the rear of the group of thugs Boris had brought, indeed Hawk was there, and he was the only one among them who was unarmed.
“Alright, I’ll try hiring him and see.” Leon nodded.
Of course, relying on just Hawk alone definitely wouldn’t suffice to look after all the warhorses.
Even splitting horses among the crew to care for his own three warhorses wouldn’t be feasible without several skilled professional coachmen.
However, seeing Olivia and the old blacksmith’s recommendation of the young man, Leon decided to let Hawk lead as the chief stableman instructing others.
After all, any one of the warhorses was of considerable value, especially those three fine Urian warhorses ridden by noble knights.
According to an estimate by Baron Eriv, their market price was around 180 gold crowns each, which was more than ten times that of an ordinary Urian warhorse.
Such a fortune could tempt any desperado to take a risk.
Without trustworthy servants guarding day and night, if someone targeting to steal—perhaps even the coachmen he employed—there would be nowhere to turn if theft occurred.
Leon rubbed his chin, now increasingly understanding why so many nobles resided in castles—living in an ordinary house, it felt difficult to protect one’s own property; armor, swords, warhorses, losing any item would be a huge loss.
It seemed that in the future, even if without the funds to build a stone castle, he would need to figure out how to put up a wooden palisade…
Thus, in the matter of choosing servants, with the selection of general servants and a stableman to manage the stables settled, Leon then found a candidate to manage his meals through Olivia’s recommendation.
It was that young woman named Milaya.
Leon remembered when he and his companions were staying in the windmill, preparing to leave Selva; he had tasted the pastry she made, given to him by Olivia—the woman’s skills were indeed excellent.
However, her fate was truly pitiable; not only had she been ravaged by those thugs, but her two children had also died tragically.
Now, seeing her bustling about caring for the wounded in the village, one could only admire her strength; fortunately, her husband had been conscripted and had escaped this disaster, leaving a pillar in the home.
“By the way, the money you gave me is still under my bed in the room, don’t forget to take it.” After recommending the cook, Olivia didn’t forget to remind him of another more important matter.
“No worries, you’re the best fighter in the village; it’s safer to keep that money with you for now, safer than in our hands.
I’ll fetch it when I move next door to your house,” Leon waved his hand.