After a grueling march of over ten days, Louis finally led his caravan into Crimson Tide Territory.

What greeted his eyes, however, was a lifeless wasteland.

"What a backwater dump," one of the southern knights muttered, staring at the scene before him.

Louis didn't respond. He dismounted and surveyed the surroundings.

Barren. Desolate. Devoid of life. The entire expanse lay still and silent. Even weeds were rare. It truly was a bleak and forsaken land.

But Louis, armed with the Intelligence System, knew with absolute certainty that this territory was a hidden gem loaded with untapped resources.

Geothermal heat. Mineral deposits. Fisheries. Vast tracts of arable land. All it needed was willing hands to develop it, and it would transform into a land of wealth.

"This place will become the richest territory in the Northlands someday," he murmured, making a vow to himself.

He wasted no time. "Set up temporary tents. Once we've confirmed the settlement site, we'll start building. Begin timber harvesting now."

"Send men to find water sources along the river and ensure everyone has sufficient drinking water and food supplies."

"Clear an open area and establish a basic training ground. The soldiers cannot neglect their drills."

Under the stream of directives, soldiers and slaves sprang into action.

The sounds of axes and shouted orders rose across the land that had lain silent for so long, breathing the first spark of life into it.

As the new lord of Crimson Tide Territory, Louis needed to personally confirm the land's condition before drafting his development plan.

Over the next several days, he conducted a thorough inspection.

At the southern edge, he noticed steam rising from patches of melted snow. He hurried forward, crouched down, and felt warmth against his palm.

"Geothermal vents!" His eyes lit up.

The Intelligence System had tipped him off about the geothermal resources here, and it was right on the mark.

In the Northlands, geothermal heat was an incalculably valuable asset. Properly developed, it wouldn't just keep people warm—it would also give the coming spring planting a massive head start.

Even better, he discovered several hot springs nearby.

Hot springs. In the Northlands. Just putting those two words together felt absurd.

Imagining himself soaking in steaming water while other lords shivered in the icy wind, Louis grinned. It would make the comfort twice as satisfying.

He decided then and there to build his manor near the hot springs.

Next, he made his way to the river. The ice layer had already begun to crack, and water flowed beneath. A few birds perched along the banks, occasionally diving to snatch fish still sluggish from the cold.

The fish population wasn't large yet, but according to the system's intelligence, the river would become a breeding ground once spring arrived, providing a stable food source for the territory.

Just as he was contemplating how to maximize this resource, the scouting party he'd dispatched earlier came galloping back with electrifying news. They'd discovered rich mineral deposits deep in the mountains.

"My lord! We found Cold Iron veins in the northwestern mountains! And deeper in, we discovered a dark-red glowing ore—possibly Mana Marrow!"

Lambert drew a sharp breath. "Mana Marrow?! If that's true, it's a literal gold mine!"

"Yeah," Louis said coolly, nodding.

He'd known about the vein all along thanks to the Intelligence System, so the news didn't particularly surprise him.

The value of Mana Marrow went without saying, though extracting it under current conditions would be extremely difficult.

But as long as the territory could develop steadily, this deposit would one day become Crimson Tide Territory's greatest strategic asset.

By the time the inspection tour concluded, both Louis and his knights had grown considerably more confident in this land. The system had been right. This truly was a territory brimming with potential.

Yet the gulf between the land's potential value and its current reality was brutal.

When they entered the native settlement, they were greeted by utter dilapidation.

Stagnant water mixed with rotting sludge. The air reeked of damp decay.

Ramshackle wooden huts and mud-thatch hovels leaned crookedly, looking as though they might collapse at any moment.

Most of the inhabitants were gaunt elders, women, and children. Thin and frail, wrapped in rags barely stitched together, nowhere near sufficient to block the northern cold.

"Did anyone manage this place before?" Louis frowned at the sight.

"The previous steward ran off long ago," one of the natives answered.

Several scrawny children huddled behind a doorway, their cheeks flushed red from the cold. They pressed their thin bodies into the shadows, peering warily at Louis and his party.

Their eyes were timid, filled with the caution and fear of strangers.

Louis felt a tightness in his chest. Having received a modern education, he simply couldn't bear watching children suffer like this.

He dismounted, pulled some dried rations from his pouch, and crouched down, holding the food out. "Here, take this and eat."

The children only stared at him with guarded eyes. None dared move, fearing it was a trap.

But the aroma of the food was unbearably tempting. They swallowed hard.

"Go on. Eat," Louis said softly.

The children finally couldn't resist. They snatched the food from his hands and devoured it frantically, cramming it into their mouths as though terrified it might vanish the next second.

Then Louis noticed something. One small boy hadn't wolfed down his share like the others. Instead, he had quietly hidden his portion inside the folds of his tattered clothing.

"Why aren't you eating?" Louis crouched beside him.

The boy looked up, his dirty face fearful. In a tiny, trembling voice, he answered, "I… I want to save it. To eat with my mom."

Louis froze.

He suddenly remembered that the nobles in the south fed their dogs the finest cuts of meat.

Yet here, a child had to carefully hide a single piece of dried ration.

It was absurd.

Something rose in his chest—responsibility, maybe anger. He wanted to do something for the people of this land.

Louis straightened and swept his gaze across the starving, freezing natives around him. He raised his voice. "Anyone willing to work can come to my camp! I'll give you food, shelter, and a chance to live!"

The natives exchanged glances, their eyes still dull with numbness.

They had endured too much suffering to trust anyone anymore.

But looking at the children who had just been given food, they eventually nodded. They might as well try. After all, what outcome could possibly be worse than this?