The hall fell into a silence as deep as death.
No one spoke, no one moved.
They only looked at each other, seeing the same struggle and pain mirrored in every face.
Leave?
The thought was indeed tempting.
But…
After an unknown stretch of time, Hans, the chubby cook who usually only knew how to smile foolishly and study recipes, was the first to move.
He awkwardly squeezed through the crowd and stepped in front of Leo.
Then, gathering all his strength, he bowed deeply, his plump body bending into a comical arc.
“Young Master, I’m just a simple man, clumsy with words, and I can’t say those fancy things.”
Hans lifted his head, his face flushed bright red.
“All I know is, back then, in the backstreets of the Royal Capital, when I was about to starve, it was you who passed by, gave me a piece of bread, and let me come to the manor to be a kitchen helper.”
“It was you who gave me a home and helped me marry a wife.”
“This favor, I, Hans, will never forget in my life. Wherever you go, I’ll follow! Even if it means going to hell!”
“That’s right!”
Old Tom’s hoarse voice followed immediately.
He rarely spoke, but every word landed with weight.
“My life was saved by the old steward from bandits. The old steward served you faithfully his entire life, so this life of mine belongs to you.”
“Whether I’m cracking the whip here or in the Royal Capital, it makes no difference to me, Old Tom.”
“As long as there are horses, I can drive the carriage for you.”
“Young Master, we’re not leaving!”
Lila and Nia, the two girls, cried out in unison, their voices trembling.
Tears hung on their faces, but their resolve was crystal clear.
“We grew up in this manor. You protected us from being bullied. You are our family!”
“Yes! We’re not leaving!”
“Wherever the Lord is, that’s where we’ll be!”
The rest followed suit, voicing their agreement.
Not one chose to leave, not one stepped back.
Leo quietly looked at them.
At their honest and sincere faces.
He felt the hardest, coldest corner deep in his heart slowly melting under a warm current.
He had thought taking in these followers was just dealing with a “historical leftover issue” inherited through his transmigration, a burden he had no choice but to bear.
But at this moment, he truly felt the weight of their loyalty, the wholehearted trust they gave without reservation.
It turned out that the lonely boy, abandoned and despised as a useless waste in the Royal Capital, had once possessed a family willing to endure hardship alongside him.
This made the tragic memories even more heartrending.
In the original fate, it was these very people who had fallen one by one during the monster siege to protect him.
That helpless despair was enough to break any normal person completely.
But now, things were different.
He had arrived.
It was up to him to rewrite everything completely.
A genuine smile finally appeared on Leo’s face, one born from the heart.
“Good.”
He said just one word, but it carried the weight of a thousand pounds.
“Since you’ve all chosen to stay, from today on, we are family.”
“From now on, don’t call me Duke anymore. That title was burned along with the letters from the Royal Family.”
“You can call me Leo, or like before, Young Master or Lord. Either way, we have nothing more to do with that hypocritical Royal Family.”
He looked around at everyone and continued, “You are willing to entrust your future to me, so I won’t hide anything from my family.”
A trace of absolute confidence appeared on Leo’s face.
“The fools in the Royal Capital did take everything from me. But what they don’t know is that when I lost those shackles, I gained something… much more interesting.”
“I’m confident I can lead everyone to survive and thrive on this cursed land because of this!”
Before his words finished, he suddenly raised his hand.
Under the horrified gazes of all, a massive figure made of rocks and soil materialized from thin air in the center of the hall!
Boom!
The Earth Elemental giant, towering three meters tall, pressed down heavily on the floor, which groaned and trembled under the burden.
But this was only the beginning.
Immediately, two pitch-black magic circles unfolded behind the giant.
Two Skeleton Soldiers, sword and shield in hand, eyes burning with eerie blue soul flames, stepped forward.
Then two more magic circles ignited, from which two Skeleton Archers carrying bone bows followed silently.
They arranged themselves quietly behind the Earth Elemental, their hollow eye sockets turning in unison toward the servants in the hall.
A chilling aura mixing death and elemental power instantly swept through the entire hall.
“Ah!”
The servants retreated in fright, their faces drained of color, their eyes filled with terror and disbelief.
Only the old steward Alfred stood calmly in place, his clouded eyes flashing with a nearly fanatical pride.
“Is this… magic?”
Lila covered her mouth, her teeth chattering.
“It’s Summoning.”
Leo’s voice was clear and powerful, dispelling the fear in everyone’s hearts.
“Everyone in the Royal Capital, including my own father, said I was a talentless waste with no magic.”
He stepped before the summoned army and patted the Earth Elemental’s rock-formed thigh, producing a dull thud.
“They were wrong.”
“I do have talent.”
“But my talent is too strong. Strong enough to instinctively terrify them!”
Leo turned toward the stunned faces of his family.
“This is my power! And it is the guarantee of our future!”
“With them here, the monsters in Blackwood Forest will no longer be a threat!”
“They are our prey, our resource, the foundation for us to rebuild our home and move toward prosperity!”
Witnessing this beyond-imagination spectacle and hearing Leo’s boundless confidence sweeping away all lingering doubts and confusion, everyone’s hearts were filled with an unprecedented burning excitement and hope!
“I knew it! I knew Young Master wasn’t a waste!”
Lila could no longer hold back and cried tears of joy, this time not from sorrow but pure excitement.
“You are the best! You’ve always been the best!”
Her shout seemed to ignite a fuse, instantly detonating the emotions of everyone present.
They looked at Leo, looked at the powerful servants radiating death by his side, their expressions shifting from awe to fervent worship.
Leo smiled and opened his arms wide.
“Then, my family.”
“From now on, for the sake of our shared home and a better tomorrow, let’s work hard together.”