Lord: My Shop Connects to Modern Times

Gavin stared at Lynn's "amiable" smile and unconsciously swallowed.

Lynn didn't wait for Gavin's reply and continued talking to herself.

"Ironstone Fortress and its affiliated villages, farmland, mineral veins, population and all other resources shall henceforth be under the jurisdiction of Grayrock Town."

"Nominally, you, Viscount Gavin Hossman, remain the master here, enjoying a portion of your pension, but you no longer possess any administrative, taxation, or conscription powers. You and your remaining family members can leave with dignity to live in the capital or elsewhere, or you can remain here and continue to be a viscount in name only."

"Of course, you must sign a legally binding transfer agreement and publicly declare that you are voluntarily entrusting the territory to your ally, the Cole family, in order to repay war debts and ransoms."

This is essentially a disguised takeover, but disguised under a relatively mild guise.

This plan preserved Gavin's title and some semblance of dignity, but in reality stripped him of all his foundation.

For a nobleman who was defeated, captured, and whose main force was wiped out, this was almost the best possible outcome—at least he saved his life and some of his property, and his family's reputation was not completely ruined.

Whether the other party leaves or stays, the outcome is actually pretty much the same.

However, Lynn actually preferred the other person to stay here, even if the other person wanted to kill him before dawn, Lynn still hoped that the other person could stay here.

There are two reasons.

Firstly, with the other party here, it's essentially like they're right under my nose and under my control.

Gavin and Carl knew the most about his own technological prowess and the advanced creations in Grayrock Town. To be honest, Lynn didn't want too many people to know too early. He preferred a steady approach to development, which was the experience of many previous transmigrators.

Even if we let him go and let him talk about Grayrock Town, most people probably wouldn't believe him anyway, and Count Karl already knows quite a bit about it.

However, the slower this information spreads in the early stages, the better.

Secondly, and most importantly, none of Lynn's men were capable of managing a territory.

No matter how incompetent Gavin may be, he is still a nobleman who has systematically studied this kind of knowledge. Combined with Lynn's own knowledge, it would not be difficult for him to develop this land into a second Greyrock Town.

As for whether the other party would turn against them, Lynn wasn't worried at all.

Just kidding, having a system store means always being ahead of these traditional nobles in military industry.

If you can take Ironstone Fortress once, you can take it a second time.

Lynn has that confidence.

Gavin's expression shifted constantly, a mixture of struggle, resentment, and fear.

He glanced at Lia's cold gaze beside him, then recalled the terrifying explosions and fire-breathing iron pipes, the inhuman power of the messengers and their eventual collapse... He shuddered.

Having lost his army and his lord's authority, even if he stubbornly stayed, what good could come of it, facing the terrifying weapons of Grayrock Town and this completely unfathomable young lord before him?

Will Count Karl and those mysterious figures above him stand up for him?

Seeing how decisively those messengers fled, Gavin had no confidence whatsoever.

"...I...I agree."

Finally, Gavin seemed to have all his strength drained away, slumping into his chair, his voice hoarse:

"But I need to ensure the safety of myself and my family, and... enough money for us to live on after we leave."

Unsurprisingly, Gavin did not choose to stay.

Lynn raised an eyebrow. This outcome was within his expectations. If he were Gavin, he probably wouldn't want to stay here any longer either.

"Alright." Lynn sighed slightly and agreed, "I'll arrange for someone to finalize the details with you. Now, hand over the castle's warehouses, ledgers, and land deeds. Leon will bring people to take them over."

He stood up, no longer looking at the distraught Gavin, gestured to Leah, and the two walked out of the cold main hall.

The sun shone brightly outside, casting its light on the dilapidated square. The crowd of onlookers had not yet dispersed, still watching them with unease.

Lynn walked to the center of the square, raised his voice, and made sure everyone could hear him:

"People of Ironstone Castle! I am Lynn Cole, Lord of Grayrock Town. Viscount Gavin, having been defeated in battle, has voluntarily relinquished the governance of Ironstone Castle to me in order to repay his debts."

There was a stir in the crowd, but more than anything, there was bewilderment and resignation.

For them, the change of lord might not change their lives much, or it might even make them worse.

"From this day forward, Ironstone Fortress will follow the rules of Grayrock Town!"

Lynn's voice was clear and forceful: "First, abolish unpaid labor, that is, slavery. All slaves can become free citizens through labor! Private ownership and the slave trade are prohibited. Second, conduct a land survey, encourage reclamation, and halve the taxes on newly reclaimed land for the first three years! Third, form a militia to defend the homeland, and reward those who perform exceptionally well! Fourth, establish a public treasury to buy and sell necessities such as salt, cloth, and grain at fair prices!"

These simple and direct decrees, like pebbles thrown into water, stirred up ripples among the apathetic crowd.

Abolition of slavery? Tax cuts? Public treasury sales at fair prices? These terms were both foreign and alluring to them.

"Gray Rock Town..."

Someone murmured to themselves, as if they had heard of this place somewhere before, and for the first time, a hint of curiosity appeared in their eyes.

Lynn knew that change would take time, but the seeds had already been sown.

He instructed Leon to begin organizing manpower, inventorying castle supplies, reassuring the people, and sending fast horses back to Grayrock Town to bring more manpower and some food to stabilize morale.

Lia stood beside him, slightly lost in thought.

She looked at everything before her, at the faint but real hope burning in the eyes of her subjects, and then at the young lord beside her who was issuing orders in an orderly manner.

Ironstone Castle, the place where her nightmare began, has been transformed in a way she never imagined.

"Are you alright, Lia?"

Lynn's voice interrupted Lia's thoughts.

Lia snapped out of her daze: "Huh?! Oh! It's nothing..."

Lynn glanced at the half-elf forcing a smile, then at the somewhat oppressive atmosphere of the place.

He knew that returning here must have stirred up some unpleasant memories for the other person.

"My lord, did you call me?" Lia blinked, suppressing the slight daze in her eyes, and tried to force out her usual playful smile, but it seemed somewhat forced.

Lynn glanced at her but didn't expose her.

"Hmm. I'm going to check out the castle warehouse and dungeons. Want to take a walk together? And... chat a bit?"

Lia paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."