Come to another world and become a lord

What does it feel like to travel through time? Obtaining the golden finger and becoming the chosen one, this is the basic plot that Carl saw in the novel when he was still in the world called Earth. However, when he actually traveled through time, it was completely different. He became an ordinary serf and lived a hard life. This seems incredible, but it is the most in line with probability. After all, compared with the rare nobles, ordinary serfs are the majority.

Losing his freedom, he had to work all day, but could barely avoid starvation, and he was sweating profusely every day. The only difference between Karl and other serfs was that he would insist on taking a bath in the river, which made him look a little whiter than the people around him.

However, this only lasted in summer and autumn. Once winter came, the biting cold could only make him stay away. As for hot water, it was something only the nobility could enjoy, so he didn't have to think about it. Even if he could wash his body, the only set of clothes he had on was already dirty and full of odor because he had no change of clothes.

Two years of living like that had finally turned him into a smelly, dirty medieval peasant, so he could totally understand when Arya looked at him with surprise and contempt.

When the girl kept questioning and even refuting the prime minister's decision, he also felt that it was reasonable. However, these could not change the girl's fate. The prime minister had made up his mind, and he was in urgent need of help. So in the end, the female swordsman was left behind, along with the entire Fire Rose Guard.

When the king and the convoys of various noble palaces left the castle one after another, Alia looked at them reluctantly, then turned back and stared at Carl, her eyes full of resentment, which made Carl shudder.

But even so, things still have to be done, regardless of whether the other party is dissatisfied or not. There are more important things than the relationship between the two right now. The northern army may arrive at any time, and the city defense must be deployed before that. There is no time to lose.

In this regard, Alia did show her professionalism as a captain. In just half a day, she was familiar with the basic military situation of Rickburg. At this time, Carl was walking on the wall of Rickburg, while Alia was reporting the current situation of the castle, and Jim followed behind with a confused look on his face.

"The inventory of the armory has been completed. There are 32 sets of cotton armor, 9 sets of chain mail, 25 short swords, 15 long swords, 50 long bows, 12 wooden shields, 10 bows and arrows, and war horses..."

"Yeah." After hearing the girl's report, Carl nodded pretentiously, "How is the garrison?"

Hearing his question, Alia sighed slightly:

"His Majesty the King took his personal guards with him when he left. Now we only have the local militia left, a total of 10 swordsmen and 30 archers. Add to that my 13-man Fire Rose Guard, and our total combat strength is only 53 people."

"53 people? That's just a few?" Carl wanted to vomit blood when he heard the number. He knew that Rickburg had few people, but he didn't expect it to be so few. According to the rumors, the northern nomads had assembled a cavalry of people to march south. Even if it was just an exaggeration and half the number, cavalrymen, their spit could drown his small number of people.

However, Alia remained calm and replied calmly:

"Considering the length of the city wall, this is within an acceptable range if we only defend the inner city."

"You mean to just defend the castle and abandon the town?" Carl asked.

The girl replied:

"That's right. After all, the town wall is too long. It's hard to defend it with just this few people. It's also much lower in height than the inner city, so it's too easy to be breached... Of course, we can also recruit some hunters and townspeople who can use bows, but I don't think it will be enough. In addition, there are about twenty servants left in the castle, but I doubt whether they have the ability to fight. More than half of them are women."

"If that's the case then we need to consider moving the town's residents into the fort," Carl replied.

"Or we could just leave them there and not care about them," said Alia.

“What did you say?” Her sudden words stunned Karl for a moment.

"The influx of too many people will only create unnecessary chaos and increase the consumption of supplies."

"Do you know what you are saying?" For some reason, Alia's words made him feel a little angry.

But Alia didn't care about his mood changes at all, and just continued to speak calmly:

"Of course, we can also select some strong and useful ones to enter the city, and let the rest guard the outer city wall by themselves. Even if they are not very useful, they can still delay some time."

"Wait, you are sending the townspeople to their deaths!" Jim also shouted after hearing what Alia said. However, Alia ignored him and just stared at Carl, waiting for a response.

"Alia, I think you should know that the local militia is called the militia because they are all residents of the town. Among those you are saying you want to abandon are their families. If this is your professional advice, I'm afraid I can't adopt it."

"I've thought about this. We can give some privileges to the militia members. Each of them can have two places to enter the city. Even so, these extra 80 mouths are still no small burden." Alia replied.

"They won't agree to that," said Carl.

“They had no choice,” Alia said.

Looking at the girl's resolute attitude, Carl couldn't help but sigh helplessly:

"You might cause a mutiny if you do this~"

When Carl finished speaking, he saw Alia's confident look on her face again:

"No, they don't have the guts. Everyone knows that the northerners are going to move south, and now food is in short supply. Each person has two places. Although they will have to give up some of their family members, at least they can survive. Mutiny is just courting death."

"This is just your own subjective speculation. Doing so will inevitably cause resentment."

Alia let out a long breath and said:

"Then let's both take a step back and say, 'Those whose families have members serving in the militia can enter the inner city.' How do you think that's going to work?"

"That's not necessary! We're only going to hold out for a month and a half. We have enough food and supplies to sustain everyone."

Carl answered, but was met with a sneer from Alia:

"Sir, reinforcements will never arrive on time. If it takes a month and a half, then we must be prepared to hold out for at least 3 to 4 months."

"Even so, we have no reason to abandon the townspeople until the last moment." Carl answered firmly, "Stop talking, Alia, and prepare immediately. Make enough space to receive the townspeople. This is the lord's order!"

After hearing the lord's order, Alia just shook her head indifferently.

"Yes, sir~" she replied lazily, turned around and was about to leave, but as if she had thought of something, a sneer appeared on her face again, and she turned back and said:

"You know, even though you are a lord in name, you are still just a serf at heart~"

"So, the quality of a noble is that you can ignore the lives of your subjects? That's really noble~" Carl retorted.

"You know, people's lives are divided into noble and humble. Some people's lives are worthless."

Carl suddenly laughed too, and then replied:

"If this is true, then you and I who are left here are probably worthless."

As soon as these words were spoken, Alia, who had been sneering before, was stunned. The girl put away her smile, and a trace of loss appeared on her face. She said no more, but silently walked down the city wall and disappeared from the sight of the two.

After making sure the other party had gone far away, Jim came over and said:

"I don't like this woman. Although... well... she is indeed very beautiful, she looks down on us and acts condescendingly!"

Carl smiled at Jim's answer and then said:

"She is just a discarded pawn that can be sacrificed at any time, just like us."

"But even so, she shouldn't be so cold-blooded, Carl, you are right. You can't just watch the townspeople die. This woman has no conscience at all!" Jim continued.

"Indeed, we can't just stand by and watch the townspeople die." Carl replied, but this was not out of kindness. In fact, he knew Alia's considerations. Given the current crisis, the girl made the best decision, but it was only the best decision at the moment. As a lord of a place, nothing is more important than the number of people. Those townspeople are his future capital and his productivity. If they are exhausted in this war, then the so-called lord is just an empty title and meaningless.

"But no matter what, Carl, you are the lord now, then, am I the lord's servant? Butler? In any case, we are no longer serfs! From now on, even the village chief will have to salute us when he sees us! Humph, no one can bully us anymore!" When Jim said this, a smug look showed on his face.

Karl just turned his head and silently looked at his carefree expression, then sighed and said:

"Jim, I'll give you a pass right now, and you can go back to the village."

"Ah, why?" Jim asked puzzledly.

"It's going to be unsafe here soon," he replied.

"Ah, what about you? Aren't you going with us?" Jim asked again.

"Foreign enemies are invading, the lord cannot leave~" he replied again.

The two of them fell into silence for a while. This silence lasted for two or three minutes, and then Jim asked again:

"Karl, you don't think you can hold on, do you?"

"Not entirely, but..."

There were only 53 of them, and the enemy might have nearly 5000 cavalrymen. This exaggerated contrast was really enough to make him sweat. He didn't think he had no chance at all, but this battle would be extremely dangerous, with a narrow escape. Such a dangerous situation was his chance to turn things around, so he had to take a chance. But Jim, he didn't need to take the risk.

"So, Carl, we are just abandoned pawns of His Majesty the King?" Jim asked tentatively.

“How should I put it? He is a discarded pawn, but not completely…” Even Carl felt that this question was a dilemma. The king’s decision to make him the lord was indeed to let him die in his place, but considering the importance of Rickburg, the king did not want to see him die. Such a contradictory idea…

Prime Minister Aaron also promised to bring the troops back in a month and a half, or three months. As long as they can hold on, they will not be abandoned.

"Carl, let's run away, run away far away, run away from the kingdom!" Jim shouted.

Carl smiled again:

"You can run away, but I can't."

"why?"

Because I am already a baron, Carl complained in his heart, and then patted Jim on the shoulder:

"Do you know how much it cost to build Rickburg?"

"Huh? How much?"

"Gold coins." He paused and continued, "It took 100 craftsmen four years to complete. It has the strongest walls in the kingdom. And now, this city is mine."

Yes, he knew very well how difficult it was to attack a city in the era of cold weapons. There were also cases in history where a city was defended by only dozens of people.

"I think, if I give it a try, maybe I can really hold on." When he said this, his eyes became particularly determined.

"I understand. Then I won't leave either, Carl. We will live and die together."

After saying this, the two of them clasped their hands tightly together.