The named slaves stepped forward hesitantly, their hearts full of dread.

Louis waited until they had assembled before speaking.

"Over the past days, you have poured tremendous effort into building Crimson Tide Territory. Today, I will give you the reward you deserve."

Without any further preamble, Louis took the slave contracts from Hilko's hands and flung them into the bonfire.

The flames devoured the writing that marked their bondage.

"From this day forward, you are no longer slaves. You are freemen!"

Everyone froze. For a heartbeat, even breathing stopped.

"Free…?!"

The slaves stared at one another in disbelief, their eyes wide with shock. They couldn't trust their own eyes or ears.

Then, in the next instant, the crowd detonated.

"Freemen?! We're freemen?!"

"Great lord!"

"Heavens above… freemen… I… I'm a freeman?!"

A middle-aged slave, his face weathered by years of toil, threw himself to the ground. He smashed his forehead against the frozen earth again and again. Blood seeped from the impact, but he didn't stop. His voice came out in a hoarse, broken sob. "Great lord! Our savior!"

"Great lord! You were sent by the heavens!" A young woman slave covered her face and wept, her shoulders heaving.

An elderly slave raised his trembling hands skyward and murmured under his breath, praying to the Dragon Ancestor or offering his most devout gratitude to Louis himself.

The slaves still standing around them stared wide-eyed, watching those kneeling on the ground. Regret burned in their chests. *Why didn't I work harder? Maybe I could have been one of them…*

Once the scene had calmed somewhat, Louis dropped an even heavier bombshell.

"Starting today, every month, ten or more slaves who have contributed to Crimson Tide Territory will be granted freedom. As long as you are willing to work hard and contribute, every single one of you has the chance to become a freeman—and even own your own land!"

The entire slave population stared at Louis in collective disbelief.

If the first wave of liberations had shown them a glimmer of hope, this declaration gave them a genuine future.

As slaves, they had been nothing but Louis's property. Their lives and deaths were his to decide at will. Their children would remain slaves. Their grandchildren would remain slaves. Generation after generation, with no way out.

But now, Louis was telling them that through hard work, they could cast off that identity and become true freemen.

For them, this was stepping from hell onto solid ground.

A few quick-witted slaves dropped to their knees, shouting, "Great Master!"

More joined in immediately. The cry spread wave after wave, sweeping across the entire square.

Their voices were hoarse and trembling, charged with uncontrollable fervor.

"Great Master!"

"GREAT MASTER!!"

The shouting grew louder and louder, more and more unified, until it coalesced into a single deafening roar. A cry that seemed to erupt from the very depths of their souls. It echoed beneath the night sky, lingering long after.

"GREAT MASTER!!!"

The knights watching from the sidelines exchanged glances.

They had witnessed many miracles wrought by their lord, but this scene still left them shaken.

One man. A few words. And he had transformed a mob of numb, shuffling corpses into fanatical believers.

Some of the younger knights were practically dumbfounded.

How had these lowly slaves come to look upon Louis with the reverence due a god?

Standing atop the raised stone, Louis gazed out with a look of deep reflection.

A single verbal promise, and it had wielded this much power.

As someone who had inherited modern values, he fundamentally disapproved of slavery.

It had to be abolished in stages. If he granted universal freedom all at once, he feared it would trigger chaos.

By using a reward system to liberate slaves incrementally, he could fill them with motivation and accelerate Crimson Tide Territory's development.

Besides, in this place, the practical difference between slave and freeman wasn't all that great. The freemen's harvests still had to be turned over to Louis for unified distribution.

The key was creating two tiers with room to climb. That alone was enough to ignite their drive.

"And you are not forgotten either." Louis shifted his gaze to the soldiers and knights standing at the outer edge.

He raised a hand. Behind him, attendants swiftly pried open several heavy wooden chests.

The bonfire's glow spilled across rows of thick leather armor and insulated boots neatly packed inside. In an instant, every soldier's eyes were locked onto those crates.

"Every soldier receives one set of beast-hide armor and one pair of Northlands boots. Knights receive an additional reward—a full wolf pelt suitable for armor lining."

The words had barely landed before the soldiers rushed toward the chests.

This was the Northlands, where cold and poverty made every piece of gear desperately scarce.

Many soldiers still wore tattered boots, and numb, frozen feet were a daily reality on patrol.

A new pair of boots. New armor. These were the stuff of dreams.

The attendants distributed the thick leather armor piece by piece.

"Heavens! Real leather armor!"

"These boots… these are the best boots in the Northlands!"

"My lord, are you serious?!"

They clutched the gear in excitement, eyes gleaming, hearts overflowing with gratitude.

Standing atop the stone platform, Louis watched the soldiers below, wild with joy, and allowed himself a faint smile.

He had purchased these supplies in advance at Frostspear City, always intending to equip his men.

In the Northlands, every resource was scarce. Even the smallest kindness was enough to buy undying loyalty.

And these particular rewards, gleaned from the Intelligence System, were exactly what his men needed most. He'd struck precisely where it counted. How could they not be overwhelmed with gratitude?

With the distribution complete, the banquet continued. Several wild animals, roasted to a glistening golden brown, were carried in.

Hot fat dripped into the flames with a satisfying sizzle. The rich aroma of meat saturated the air, tantalizing every palate.

Everyone received a portion. Even the lowest slaves were fairly given their share.

When the first bite of succulent roast meat slid down, the long-absent warmth and satisfaction brought many to tears.

"So good…"

"I haven't tasted real meat in years…"

Laughter and cheers filled the clearing. People danced around the bonfire.

A Northlands drifter excitedly blew into a bone flute, and several native women linked hands and spun in joyful circles.

The soldiers, not to be outdone, began singing along and even challenged each other to dance-offs around the flames, bellowing with laughter.

Children raced through the open space in packs, their faces lit with pure, innocent delight.

And atop the highest boulder, Louis watched it all in silence.

As their lord, he now carried their hopes on his shoulders. He had to lead them—to survive on this frozen land, and one day, to thrive.