Chapter 8: Recruitment

To accomplish a task, one must first sharpen the tools.

Standing next to this elderly woman is a robust middle-aged man, dressed in several garments made of animal hides, holding a large axe. He has come to apply for a carpentry position, as such a large castle has many areas that require timber, a task that neither Yulian nor O'Farrell can accomplish.

You Lian reached out and took the teapot from Oufalier's side

Let us see how many individuals we can recruit in our first batch

Materials

The next individual is a hunchback who has come to apply for the position of gardener. This person appears to be quite old, hunched over, with the wrinkles on his face tightly compressed together, giving him an unsettling appearance

A solid foundation is the only ladder to success

"Adult, why do you not grant those wandering souls a body? Since they are all very obedient to your commands, I believe that if you were to materialize these souls, it could at least resolve part of the manpower issue."

Although the magic they possess is quite powerful, it is not yet sufficient to weave a body

After all, Eufaliel's body is woven from magical power, so it does not possess the digestive and excretory functions typical of a human body. There is no need to worry that this noble young lady will experience any adverse effects from overeating or drinking too much. Those foods, upon entering the body, are dissolved by magical power, digested, and transformed into a part of that magical power. However, everything must have its limits, mustn't it? Those foods, upon entering the body, are dissolved by magical power, digested, and transformed into a part of that magical power. However, everything must have its limits, mustn't it?

For Ophalia, she had never encountered such a recruitment before. Although, as a princess with considerable prestige among commoners, she had occasionally visited areas where they lived, it was clearly a different matter from leisurely spending her days in her own estate. In Ophalia's memory, maids were supposed to wear serious expressions, diligently and sincerely performing their duties while maintaining respect for the nobility. This was unlike the middle-aged woman before her, who regarded her lord with a cheerful smile that even made a young girl feel somewhat embarrassed. The carpenter also made Ophalia feel somewhat uncomfortable; after all, for this princess, the man's attire was far too revealing. He simply draped a few pieces of animal skin over himself, leaving his chest, arms, and legs exposed. Ophalia's gaze lingered on him for only a fraction of a second before she quickly looked away. Fortunately, the black cloak concealed most of her face, preventing anyone from noticing her flushed cheeks.

It must be said that the situation is somewhat better than Yulian had imagined

We need manpower, and in order to have manpower, we also require considerable financial assistance

You Lian nodded slightly, while glancing at the empty teacup beside Oufalier. After being resurrected and regaining her physical form, it seemed as though this former princess was making up for the lost years by indulging in food without reservation. At present, she had already consumed sixteen cups of black tea, yet still showed no signs of satisfaction. However, it must be said that for nobility, tea tasting should be a pleasurable affair. Observing the movements of this princess, it is evident that she has received a good education; her actions are graceful and unhurried. This former princess truly spares no effort in enjoying food, and despite having drunk sixteen cups of black tea, she remains unsated. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that for nobility, tea tasting should indeed be a delightful experience. Watching her movements, one can see her well-bred demeanor; her actions are elegant and deliberate, exuding a noble composure akin to 'the mountain may collapse before one’s eyes, yet one remains unperturbed'—if one disregards the fact that she had already consumed an entire pot of tea within half an hour.

Could it be that he is ... ...

Perhaps in order to leave a good impression on the new lord, or possibly due to other considerations, on the morning of the third day, Twilight Town sent someone to pay the taxes, and at the same time, brought the first batch of individuals seeking employment here

She is only twelve or thirteen years old, but her small, underdeveloped body due to malnutrition makes her appear only ten, or even younger. She has long brown hair, a face dotted with freckles, and her large eyes shine with curiosity, fear, and unease. Unlike the other three, the girl clearly does not know what she should do; she merely timidly expresses her hope to find a job in the castle, no matter what kind of work it may be.

Eufaliel blinked and did not respond to this obvious joke. In fact, she did not know much about the young man before her. Although Yulian introduced himself as a descendant of a fallen noble family, his experiences indeed proved this point. However, Eufaliel still believed that he was certainly more than just a fallen noble. Take the previous incident as an example; in Eufaliel's memory, even the palace mages had never cast such a powerful spell capable of materializing a wandering soul. Yet, Yulian not only could cast it but did so with remarkable ease. Although Eufaliel was not a mage, even an ordinary person could understand how unimaginable it was to give a wandering soul a body. Even the Holy Grace Church had never witnessed such an occurrence; in their sacred texts, the resurrection of the dead was already considered the highest miracle, and what Yulian accomplished was undoubtedly of a higher order than that of resurrecting the dead.

However, the young girl instinctively harbored doubts about Yulian's claim of being a knight. It is important to note that knights are held in high honor; if the boy before her were truly a knight, he should have long since entered the core of the royal family, rather than struggling to survive in such a desolate place. Moreover, based on Yulian's description, those noble families regarded him as nothing more than a disposable asset, which undoubtedly does not align with the identity of a knight

However, now facing these people and the *illustrated* books, O'Farrell felt somewhat uneasy

However, as Yulian stated, he is not a mage. Throughout the castle, Ophariel did not find any items related to magic, no magic circles, no robes, nor spellbooks, and similarly, there were no magical servants or anything she had previously seen on the royal mages.

Eufalia clearly did not know this proverb, however, she expressed her thoughts using another saying

The time is almost up

Eufalia shook her head, casting aside the strange and unbelievable judgment in her mind, and then put forward her own suggestion

Regardless of what You Lian ultimately intends to do, it is essential for this castle to function properly, and this is also the greatest challenge facing everyone.

Eufalier looked at Yulian with a puzzled expression, unable to understand why such a term suddenly emerged from the mouth of this young man. Could he, like those alchemists, use some peculiar materials to create something? At this moment, the princess was increasingly curious about Yulian's true identity. He did not seem like a mage, a knight, or an alchemist, yet his knowledge surpassed what an ordinary noble scion should learn. It is worth noting that even Eufalier herself found it difficult to keep pace with Yulian. Moreover, she had not overlooked Yulian's earlier remark about comparing his magical power with that of a grand mage. After all, grand mages are the pinnacle of the mage class, often appearing and disappearing without a trace, or holding high positions within the kingdom. Given Yulian's status as a "fallen noble," it would be highly unlikely for him to encounter a grand mage, let alone have the qualifications to evaluate the power of one.

The young girl gazed at the worn-out map before her with a hint of helplessness

After confirming their relationship, Ophalia made appropriate changes to her address for Yulian. It must be said that this princess has quite a knack for transformation; she quickly set aside her pride as a princess and began to wholeheartedly serve the young man before her. Although she did not know much about Yulian's background, it was precisely because of this uncertainty that Ophalia was convinced that this young man was certainly not one of those ordinary noble scions. As a former royal princess, Ophalia believed she had a considerable level of insight when it came to judging people. After all, to survive in the royal court, one must possess the skill to discern the characteristics and personalities of others without drawing attention. Otherwise, it would be akin to foolishly offering oneself to be sold. Even with such exceptional skills, Ophalia could not fully see through Yulian's background, and this alone was enough to earn her respect.

You Lian did not pay attention to Oufalier's confusion; he took out a silver pocket watch (the only relatively valuable item the young man carried) and carefully checked the time before standing up

This castle was solely designed for military purposes

There is a shortage of manpower, a lack of funds, and no good economic sources. After a brief investigation, Oufalier arrived at the same conclusion as Yulian.

As you mentioned, this place does not have the conditions for transportation and trade

Exactly so

You Lian shrugged his shoulders; he had actually already considered Oufalier's suggestion.

Sir, are you really planning to hire these individuals

Who exactly is this young man

The last candidate, however, was a young girl

Standing at the far right is a nearly fifty-year-old woman. She has a sturdy build and is dressed in worn yet clean clothing. Her hands are covered in calluses, and her disheveled gray hair is wrapped in a white cloth. Her skin lacks the delicate softness typical of women, appearing somewhat rough instead. She introduces herself as Marfa Ben. Yulian has heard this name from the old town mayor, who mentioned that she has been working in the castle with the Tushu family for decades. Judging by the expression on this lady's face, it is clear that she intends to continue this tradition.

Eufalir raised her head, extended her hand, and gracefully and gently filled her teacup with black tea, then spoke.

In addition to the carters responsible for transporting grain, a total of four individuals are willing to work here with Julian. At this moment, Julian is standing at the door, assessing the four people standing before him.

However, when listening to You Lian, who speaks without any pride or arrogance, in a calm and unassuming tone, Oufalier finds it impossible to associate him with those ordinary boys who merely dream and fantasize about being knights. Even those who imagine themselves as knights tend to speak with a tone full of longing and self-importance. Yet, You Lian's manner of speaking is gentle, mild, and so understated that it seems he is merely stating a fact, rather than indulging in illusions or delusions. Even those who imagine themselves as knights tend to speak with a tone full of longing and self-importance. Yet, You Lian's manner of speaking is gentle, mild, and so understated that it seems he is merely stating a fact, rather than indulging in illusions or delusions.

I believe you have yet to realize how powerful you truly are, Miss Ofaliel. With your current reserve of magical energy, you are capable of standing alongside figures of the Archmage level, which is not something these wandering souls can compare to. Even if I were to create a core for them, they would still be unable to form a complete body. However, you are correct; I do not intend to abandon them. Given sufficient materials, I will grant them a form. After all, as you mentioned, I greatly need their assistance, especially at this moment.

This is the seventeenth cup

If you have a stash of money or a secret fund, I believe this is not a difficult problem to resolve

As for that hunchback—by the grace of the Holy One, Ophariel could be certain that even in the slums of the imperial capital, she had never encountered such an ugly person. That face resembled a crumpled piece of paper, twisted forcefully into a ball, with the features barely remaining in their rightful places. The rough skin was marred by filthy, unsightly blemishes.