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After the departure of Freya and her apprentice, River Bend Territory returned to tranquility and became an ordinary newly - built village again.
Apart from the kobold cubs crawling all over the place, there were also more and more The Kobold Blacksmiths!
Similar to all newly - developed pioneer territories, the villagers started to worry about a two - ton boulder blocking the road and were afraid of minor colds and fevers.
The militiamen on night watch would suddenly beat gongs and drums in the middle of the night to scare away the wolves and brown bears that tried to approach.
The children who used to run around with Freya on adventures were now confined to the settlement camp and started to learn the empire's writing and basic arithmetic from Olivia.
It was at this time that Leo suddenly realized he was illiterate.
He couldn't understand a single word of the writing in this world at all.
So during this period, besides learning to ride a horse from Ulyan every day, he also had to learn the empire's writing and refined language from Olivia and Little Mouse, which made his life extremely painful.
Only then did everyone discover that Little Mouse was actually proficient in the empire's history, writing, and refined language, and she also knew all the noble etiquettes.
However, she was too introverted and timid. She often only replied after being asked three times, so she wasn't a good teacher.
Leo also tried to learn about her background, but unfortunately, as long as the past was slightly mentioned, Little Mouse would turn deathly pale with fear and even tremble in the middle of the night.
To this day, Leo only knew that Little Mouse's real name was Gulveig and that she had escaped from a slaver in the northern lands.
As time passed calmly, River Bend Territory changed with each passing day.
For example, with the establishment of the sawmill, a large amount of timber was sent into the settlement camp every day to become the main frames of the villagers' wooden huts.
Several small rooms in the lord's mansion were also paved with thick wooden boards first. Ulyan and his daughter, along with Leo and Little Mouse, moved into their new home.
Leo was assigned to a small room next to Olivia's. Inside, besides a large bed, there were also a wardrobe and a desk made by Valery.
When Leo saw the two - by - two large bed covered with thick furs, he couldn't help bursting into tears of joy. He excitedly jumped onto the bed with Little Mouse and kept rolling around.
After working so hard for so long, he finally got to sleep in a bed!
Ulyan, the pioneer lord who was forced into the position, finally enjoyed the benefits that a lord should have.
There were already two rows of small wooden huts along the gravel road from the lord's mansion to the The Camp Kitchen, forming a small street.
For example, the number of small fishing boats transporting iron ingots and grains had unconsciously increased. Thanks to the industrial upgrade from iron ores to pig iron ingots, there was a surplus in transactions, and many villagers who had never left the village and always bartered saw the empire's coins for the first time.
Besides the necessary supplies, the fishing boats would also occasionally bring one or two artisans who couldn't make a living in Isonpol and wanted to seek a living in River Bend.
These people were not displaced persons from outside the city with unknown backgrounds, but local freemen introduced by the fishermen.
Most of them were the second sons of local free farmers or craftsmen. Their meager family businesses couldn't support so many people, so they had to let these newly - adult sons go out and make their own way.
As for The Plan to absorb displaced persons, although preparations had been ongoing, considering the stability of River Bend Territory, Ulyan and the others had always been hesitant.
The issues of resettling displaced persons and the villagers' exclusion of them are minor ones. The biggest problem is the restlessness of the displaced persons.
If most of the Wild folk are equivalent to mountain bandits and robbers, then most of the displaced persons can also be said to be equivalent to hooligans and outlaws.
They don't have any noble moral qualities and won't easily be deeply grateful to the River Bend Territory or develop a sense of belonging to their new home.
Maybe among ten displaced persons, half are truly homeless refugees. The other half are fugitives who can't return home, spies from nearby bandit gangs, and petty thieves with grand ambitions.
Adhering to the principle of safety first, Ulyan was reluctant to absorb displaced persons for a long time. Instead, he cautiously accepted the inclusion of some freemen.
Some opportunistic peddlers would also risk coming to the River Bend Territory on fishing boats, bringing some goods and hoping to buy furs and herbs.
The more than sixty - li journey from the Western Watchtower to Isonpol is not entirely desolate wilderness. There are also some villages that have been developed for many years. Some small villages near the Anzerno River even have small docks for fishing boats to dock.
However, once one crosses the Western Watchtower, it is beyond the patrol range of Lord Frolov's army. Not all fishermen and peddlers have the courage to cross the thirty - li wilderness to reach the River Bend.
Freya, who was traveling outside with her teacher, would also often call Leo.
She definitely wouldn't call during the day. She had so much fun during the day that she simply forgot about her good friends.
When it was quiet at night, a distant, faint call from Freya would ring in Leo's mind.
"Leo, Leo..."
"I'm here."
"Tell Little Mouse for me that I miss her..."
Leo said, "Little Mouse, Freya says she misses you."
Little Mouse rustled over and pressed her little head against Leo's forehead, but she couldn't hear anything. So she said to Leo, "I miss her too."
Leo relayed, "Freya, Little Mouse says she misses you too."
"Leo, Leo, tell Olivia that I miss her!"
"Olivia isn't here. She's sleeping next door."
"Then ask her to sleep with you tomorrow."
"Okay."
"Leo, Leo, ask Sister Olivia to bake a wheat cake for me every day and store them under your bed! When I come back, I can eat several more every day!"
"Okay... fine?"
"Leo, Leo, I've made up my mind. When my teacher isn't paying attention tonight, I'll sneak back to the River Bend and eat the wheat cakes you've stored for me!"
"Hey... Have you thought that your teacher might hear us?"
"Ah?"
"Wuwuwu... Leo! Save me!"
"Leo, Leo! Hello? Hello?"
Leo got fed up and suddenly thought Freya was no longer cute: "Are you done? Go to sleep!"
The next night, after Ulyan fell asleep, Olivia quietly sneaked into Leo's room and lay down beside him. Trying to hold back her laughter, she asked, "Are you sure it was Freya who asked me to come, not you yourself?"
During the day, after receiving Leo's invitation, Olivia immediately told her best friend.
Several of her close friends condemned Leo, feeling a mix of envy, jealousy, and hatred towards him. A married sister and the widow Agatha even pulled her aside and secretly shared a lot of insider knowledge, wishing they could give a demonstration themselves.
Leo argued, "It was Freya who called. She wanted to have a chat with you."
"Then where is she?"
"Maybe she's asleep?"
Olivia straddled Leo, propping her hands on his chest and gently stroking downward. To ease her nervousness, she casually asked, "Where did you chase Little Mouse away to?"
Little Mouse poked her little head out from under the bed and weakly replied, "I'm here..."
Olivia quickly covered her bare body. While vigorously pinching Leo's waist flesh, she said to Little Mouse with a big smile, "Can I sleep in your room tonight?"
Little Mouse crawled out of the room with reluctance. She peeked through the doorway for a while. Seeing that neither of them meant to keep her, she finally left reluctantly.