The Path to Lordship Begins in the North

In any case, the gray-collar workers finally got on the right track. Under the guidance of the new system, the serfs showed unimaginable enthusiasm for work. What could be seen on the territory was no longer the overseer waving a whip to urge his subordinates to work, but the subordinates constantly urging the team leader to come and inspect and accept the work.

Most of the supplies sent by the Lars family were marked with work points by Lind and offered to the people for exchange. However, because the territory was still in the early stages of development, not many people came to exchange them, and most of them only came to exchange for some food.

Currently, due to the lack of contact with the outside world, work points have temporarily replaced some of the functions of currency. However, once the territory begins to develop, work points will become a simple contribution point. Territories that cannot be self-sufficient will inevitably have to rely on wages to purchase goods from merchants in the future. This is why Linde not only issues work points but also wages.

As usual, Linde stretched and got up in his tent. When his arms were stiff from stretching, he realized that he had assigned Lila and most of the literate maids to their jobs. The aristocratic life he had enjoyed for only two days was destroyed by his own hands.

Just as Linde was lamenting that he too had been corrupted by the extravagant lifestyle, he discovered that Lena, who usually went hunting in the mountains early every day, was now standing unusually at the door of his tent.

After confirming that Linde was dressed, Lena entered the tent and bowed to Linde with all the skill she had acquired in her life.

This gesture gave Lin De goosebumps. He quickly helped Lena to a seat and examined her closely, seemingly trying to discern from her expression whether she had taken the wrong medication today.

Although they are officially engaged, Lind and Lena's relationship is very delicate. They have both tacitly avoided mentioning the engagement and are basically living separate lives. Neither of them wants to get married. In any case, the North is far away and the royal family is not urging them to get engaged. It seems that Lena has been forgotten.

Seeing Linde circling around her, Lena finally couldn't help but say, "Brother, don't worry, I'm fine. I just have something very important to discuss with you today."

The more Lena said this, the more frightened Lind became. In the game's storyline, Lena had quite a few outrageous and bad ideas. She even impersonated a man and wrote love letters to the female protagonist in order to distract her.

"I'm just a little nervous. I don't know how to tell you, and I don't know if you will support me."

Lena's originally spirited and proud face was now filled with tension and unease, but Lin De bluntly said, "If you don't know how to say it, then don't say it."

Linde was genuinely afraid that Lena would suddenly say, "Brother, I'm going to rebel. You won't support me, will you?"

It's important to understand that although Linde currently holds absolute power in the territory, the main armed force there consists of over fifty professional knights brought by Lena. These knights alone could probably wipe out Linde's veteran troops. If Lena so desires, she can easily give Linde a major boost and take back power.

"How about that?"

After saying that, Lena excitedly slammed her hand on the table and stood up, seemingly because Lind's words had a provocative effect.

"To tell you the truth, brother, I was originally the fourth prince's fiancée, but I was forced to come to the gray and white collar by villains."

After making that start, Lena seemed much more relaxed, so she went on to say, "If you help me return to the capital, I will ask the royal family to uphold justice for me and help me become the princess again. When I become queen, I will appoint you as the prime minister of the kingdom!"

Lena's words were so full of flaws that Lind didn't know how to respond for a moment.

First of all, are you sure you want to go back to the capital and go against the female lead? You're going to hit her? Seriously?

And how do you get back to the capital? Sister, are you planning to fight your way back to the capital?

Even if you do return to the capital, and the old king suddenly goes mad and actually reinstates you as his princess, and you do become queen, how can you appoint me as the kingdom's prime minister? Is it harem interference in politics or a power grab by the empress's family?

Okay, while such rotten things were not uncommon in the Middle Ages, at least we should wait until the king is dead before talking about them, right?

What Linde found most objectionable was that Lena's words always gave him the feeling of a scam text message saying, "I am Qin Shi Huang, and I'll make you the Prime Minister of Qin if you VIP me for 50 yuan." In fact, it was no different from a scam text message at all.

But Linde managed to control his expression well. To prevent Lena from actually going to fight her way back to the capital, Linde carefully asked, "Miss Lars, I really want to help you, but how will you get back to the capital?"

"Of course, it's to become the heir to the Lars family."

Lena answered matter-of-factly.

At this point, Linde, who hadn't paid much attention to the plot, finally remembered a setting in the game: the heirs of the four Grand Dukes were required to stay in the academy in the capital to study. Although they were somewhat like hostages, they were actually much freer and had a much higher status.

This setup was originally intended to allow the female protagonist to legitimately interact with the heirs, but now Lena sees it as a lifeline for returning to the capital.

After all, when it comes to otome games, don't worry about whether the settings are reasonable or not; just focus on whether they're useful or not.

"Does the Lars family still have no heir?"

Linde looked at Lena with a puzzled expression. In the game, the heirs of the other three realms in the royal capital all had feelings for the female protagonist, but it seemed that Lena was the only member of the Lars family, and Lena was not the heir of the Lars family.

Mentioning this, Lena's expression suddenly darkened, and she said with some sadness, "My father was the original heir, but he disappeared five years ago."

No wonder the game's storyline makes no mention of who the heir to the North is.

Just as Linde was about to comfort Lena, she immediately regained her usual spirits and continued excitedly, "So the position of heir of the Lars family is completely vacant now. Grandfather has established a rule that among the descendants of the family who have fiefdoms, whoever governs their territory best and has the most military merits can become the next Grand Duke."

Although Lena's words were vague, Lind could roughly guess what Grand Duke Lars was thinking. The heir he had painstakingly cultivated had disappeared, and the forces below were restless. In order to prevent his descendants from using underhanded means to fight for the position of heir, it would be better to set a rule that whoever wins would take the throne.

This method has its advantages and disadvantages. If successful, it will nurture a hero and restore the glory of the North. If it fails, it will directly lead to internal strife or even division.

Grand Duke Lars dared to play this game because he was confident that none of his descendants would dare to act recklessly while he was still alive. However, this also shows that Grand Duke Lars could no longer completely control the entire family. At least the Lars family was no longer a one-man show under Grand Duke Lars.

"So, brother, you see, we're not officially married yet, so I still belong to the Lars family, don't I?"

“That’s right.” Lind nodded slightly. Lena would only need to change her surname after the official marriage. For now, Lena still belongs to the Lars family.

"And since gray and white-collar workers are managed by you and me together, can't that also be considered my territory?"

"Of course." Linde felt a little embarrassed, but he still admitted it. After all, although Lena was easy to fool, the knights behind her already had their hands on their sword hilts.

"Since I am a member of the Lars family and have real land, do I also meet the conditions to participate in the succession struggle?"

Seeing Lind's bewildered expression, Lena continued, "Originally, I didn't care who the heir was, since I probably wouldn't belong to the Lars family anymore anyway. But since you're capable, why don't we give it a try? You manage the territory, and I'll lead the troops. If we brothers fight together, how can we possibly defeat a general?"

Upon hearing this, Lin De nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. It turned out that this whole thing was caused by him.

Lena thought Lind was worried about not being able to compete with the other members of the Lars family, so she comforted him, "Brother, don't worry. Although my uncles and younger siblings are richer than the Gray and White Collars, they don't have Grandpa's support. Grandpa gave me so many resources, he must want me to be the heir!"

Linde wanted to say that if Grand Duke Lars really thought that way, he wouldn't have arranged the territory in such a remote place.

But Lena's next words made Lind swallow his sarcastic remark.

"I'll show those people in the capital who mocked me that fortunes change, and never underestimate a young girl's potential!"

Lin De finally stopped in Bengbu and tentatively asked, "Is it Imperial Jade Liquor?"

What? Bro, you want a drink?

"No, no, it's alright now."

Lin De took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Cao Dan's alternate world actually had this line? Thinking about it carefully, although he wasn't a live-in son-in-law, wasn't Lena the genius who was jilted? Could it be that there was a herbalist or a spirit inside Lena's ring?

This also explains why Lena's strength has reached the level of a powerful figure at such a young age.

However, on the other hand, Linde thought it was worth a try to compete for the position of heir. If Lena really became the heir, wouldn't his engagement with Lena be canceled? Moreover, with Grand Duke Lars in charge, the succession war certainly wouldn't dare to go too far. It was a win-win situation, so there was no reason to refuse.

After Lind expressed his support, the two became much closer. Taking this opportunity, Lena recounted the game's story from her perspective.

But when Lena was halfway through her story, Lind suddenly called a halt, looking at her with some suspicion and asking seriously, "Wait, Miss Lars, what's the name of the newly appointed saintess who abducted the fourth prince in the capital?"

"Lilith Dorian? She seems to be a minor noblewoman from the East. Although she is petite, she is indeed very cute. However, I don't really like her. I always feel that she has two different faces in front of His Highness and in front of other people."

Lena continued talking to herself, completely oblivious to Lind's unusual behavior.

Not right.

Lind tapped the table nervously. Wasn't the official female protagonist in the game named Isa Nebert? And she wasn't the black-haired loli that Lena described, but a silver-haired beauty.

More importantly, even though the heroine's name and appearance can be customized in the game, her birth is fixed. Wasn't the heroine a commoner born in the North? How did she become a minor noblewoman in the East?

To verify his suspicions, Lind interrupted Rena's endless chatter once again.

“Miss Lars, do you know a Northern commoner named Isa Nebert at the academy?”

Lena was initially a little angry because she was interrupted, but seeing Lind's serious expression, she also began to recall. In fact, the Lars family had been paying attention to the Northerners at the Royal Academy, let alone a commoner, who was a rare species in a noble academy.

"Is she the one with the silver hair, the really pretty one? I do remember her, but I was brought here before I even graduated. I don't know where she went after graduation. Is she your relative?"

Linde's expression turned horrified—there were other transmigrators, and one of them had successfully taken over the female lead's identity.