"Ah…"
Lin Aether stared at the mountain of meat in front of him and slowly rubbed his forehead.
"So this is what it feels like."
The villagers around him were still looking at the piled venison, deer fur, and rabbit meat as if they had witnessed a divine miracle. Some had their hands clasped together. Others were whispering prayers beneath their breath. Even Rex, who had been trying to maintain a serious guard's expression, could not hide the shock in his eyes.
Only Lin felt a headache forming.
He had read plenty of kingdom-building webnovels before. He had seen countless protagonists receive overpowered talents, ridiculous rewards, divine treasures, legendary troops, and cheat-like systems.
From the reader's side, everything had looked so simple.
Get reward.
Become stronger.
Conquer enemies.
Repeat.
But now that he was the one standing in the middle of a primitive territory with a mountain of fresh meat rotting under the morning sun, Lin finally understood something important.
Having too much was also a problem.
A very big problem.
He took a deep breath and clapped his hands.
The sharp sound snapped the villagers out of their daze.
"Everyone, move!" Lin ordered. "We need to store the meat before it spoils. Tessa, check the warehouse space. Harman, clear anything unnecessary inside. Rex, have the guards help carry the heavier pieces. Hunters, separate the fur from the meat and keep the ground clean. We cannot let the smell spread too much."
The villagers straightened at once.
"Yes, Lord Lin!"
For the next hour, the quiet clearing turned into a battlefield of labor.
Men and women rushed back and forth between the meat pile and the warehouse. The hunters used their knives to separate meat, hide, and bone. The guards carried heavy portions with strained faces. Tessa directed the workers near the warehouse entrance, making sure the meat was stacked properly instead of thrown into a useless heap.
Lin did not stand aside either.
He helped carry bundles, moved supplies, and checked the system panel whenever a new item entered storage.
Unfortunately, the warehouse was not nearly large enough.
By the time they had worked for almost two hours, only part of the meat had been stored. The rest had been temporarily covered with deer fur and placed in the coolest shaded area near the Lord's Hall.
Lin wiped the sweat from his forehead.
His arms ached.
His back hurt.
His clothes smelled like blood, dirt, and raw meat.
This was not the glorious beginning of an invincible lord.
This was unpaid warehouse labor.
Still, when Lin looked around, he noticed that the villagers' expressions had changed.
They were tired, but their eyes were brighter than before.
The fear from earlier had faded. In its place was relief.
Food meant survival.
Food meant tomorrow.
Food meant their Lord was not useless.
Lin forced a small smile.
"Well," he said, looking at the exhausted villagers, "at least we do not lack meat anymore."
For a brief moment, the clearing went silent.
Then Tessa laughed softly.
Geralt grinned.
Even a few of the guards chuckled.
The tension finally loosened.
Lin let them enjoy that moment, but only for a moment.
Then his expression became serious again.
"However, meat alone is not enough. If we eat only meat for too long, people will get sick. We need clean water, fruits, vegetables, herbs, salt if possible, and anything else edible inside the barrier."
He turned toward the hunters.
"Geralt, Ainstrad, Gordand, take a few villagers with you and search the nearby forest. Stay inside the barrier. Mark anything useful, but do not eat unfamiliar plants without checking them first."
Geralt immediately bowed.
"As you command, Lord Lin."
Lin looked at Tessa next.
"Tessa, organize the remaining food. Separate what can be eaten today, what needs to be dried, and what must be stored first. If you need more hands, take them."
"Yes, My Lord."
"Harman," Lin continued, "we need a smokehouse, drying racks, or anything that can preserve meat. I do not care if it looks ugly. I care if it works."
The architect's eyes sharpened.
"I will inspect the available wood and tools immediately."
"Good."
Lin exhaled.
For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt like the situation was slowly becoming manageable.
Food was a problem, but it was a solvable problem.
Storage was a problem, but it could be expanded.
Labor was limited, but with ten villagers, careful planning, and his multiplier talent, he could survive the first week.
At least, that was what Lin thought.
Then his gaze drifted toward the shimmering portal beside the Lord's Hall.
The three-meter-tall structure stood quietly in the clearing, its silver surface rippling like liquid moonlight. Strange runes moved around its frame, glowing faintly before fading again.
[Iron-Tier Recruitment Portal]
Lin narrowed his eyes.
He had ignored the portal earlier because he wanted to understand his starting resources first. But now that the territory had food, even if storage was messy, manpower became the next issue.
Ten people were not enough.
They needed builders, farmers, cooks, scouts, laborers, craftsmen, and more guards.
Lin approached the portal.
The silver light reflected in his eyes.
The moment he focused on it, a system prompt appeared.
[Ding! Do you want to activate your daily recruitment quota?]
[Daily Recruitment Quota: 0/1]
[Note: You will receive 10 villagers with the maximum ceiling of Iron Tier per day.]
[The recruitment limit can be increased by upgrading the Village Core.]
[Activate responsibly.]
[Y/N]
Lin paused.
"Activate responsibly?"
His eyes twitched slightly.
After the meat incident, those two words sounded less like a reminder and more like a warning.
He stared at the prompt for several seconds.
Ten villagers.
That was manageable.
If his multiplier worked the same way as before, then…
Lin's expression stiffened.
Wait.
Would it multiply the quality of the villagers?
Would it multiply the number?
Would it create stronger recruits?
Would it summon ten villagers and increase their potential?
Or would it—
Lin's finger had already moved.
[Y]
[Ding!]
[10,000x Multiplier Activated!]
Lin's face changed.
"Oh crap."
The portal exploded with light.
A blinding silver radiance burst outward, forcing Lin to raise his arm over his eyes. The ground trembled beneath his feet. Wind swept across the clearing, scattering leaves, dust, and loose strands of fur into the air.
The once-quiet portal roared like a waterfall.
Then silhouettes began stepping out.
One.
Ten.
A hundred.
A thousand.
Then more.
And more.
And more.
The clearing filled in seconds.
The space behind the portal became packed with people dressed in linen, leather, wool, and rough working clothes. Some carried farming tools. Some held hammers. Some had bows, knives, ropes, baskets, ledgers, or medical pouches. A few wore slightly better armor. Others looked like craftsmen, servants, builders, cooks, scribes, dancers, laborers, hunters, shepherds, and guards.
The quiet forest became a sea of murmurs.
Confused voices rose from every direction.
"Where are we?"
"Is this the territory?"
"That must be the Lord."
"So many people…"
"Make way!"
"Careful, someone fell!"
In the distance, Geralt and the hunters came rushing back with weapons drawn. Rex and the guards sprinted from the edge of the barrier, their faces pale with alarm. Tessa stepped out of the warehouse and froze, still holding a bundle of rope in her hands.
Lin stood before the portal like a statue.
His back went cold with sweat.
Ten thousand.
It had summoned ten thousand people.
His Talent had not improved the recruits.
It had multiplied them.
Lin swallowed hard.
This was not recruitment.
This was migration.
No.
This was a population crisis.
He looked at the enormous crowd now filling his territory and felt his stomach sink.
Ten thousand mouths to feed.
Ten thousand people who needed water.
Ten thousand people who needed shelter.
Ten thousand people who needed work, order, protection, and leadership.
His mountain of meat no longer looked excessive.
It looked temporary.
The crowd slowly noticed him.
One by one, their voices quieted.
Thousands of eyes turned toward Lin.
He had spoken in front of crowds before when he was younger. School events, group presentations, church activities, community gatherings—he had stood before people and forced words out of his mouth even when his knees wanted to shake.
But this was different.
This was not a classroom.
This was not a stage.
This was not a friendly audience waiting for a speech.
This was more than ten thousand strangers staring at him as if his next words would decide whether they lived or died.
Lin's throat tightened.
For one terrifying second, his mind went blank.
Then he clenched his fists.
No.
If he panicked, they would panic.
If they panicked, people would get crushed.
If people got crushed, his territory would collapse before it even began.
Lin inhaled slowly.
Then he stepped onto a low wooden crate near the portal.
It was not much of a platform, but it raised him just enough for the front rows to see him clearly.
The crowd fell silent.
Then, like a wave crossing the sea, every person dropped to one knee.
Ten thousand voices thundered through the clearing.
"We greet you, Our Lord!"
The sound struck Lin like a physical force.
Birds burst from the trees.
The campfire flickered.
Even the golden barrier seemed to tremble faintly from the force of their voices.
Lin's heart hammered in his chest.
But his face remained calm.
"I am Lin Aether," he said, forcing his voice to carry. "Your Lord."
The crowd lowered their heads further.
Lin looked over them.
Farmers.
Workers.
Craftsmen.
Officials.
Guards.
Hunters.
Cooks.
Servants.
People.
Not numbers.
Not rewards.
People.
That thought steadied him more than anything else.
"It seems my Talent affected the Recruitment Portal," Lin continued. "Because of that, more of you have arrived than expected."
A few murmurs spread through the crowd, but Lin raised his hand.
The sound faded.
"I will not lie to you. This creates problems. We need food distribution, water, shelter, sanitation, defense, and order. But listen carefully."
His gaze sharpened.
"No one will be abandoned. No one will be allowed to trample others. No one will leave the barrier without permission. We survive first. We organize next. We build after that."
The words were simple.
But simple words were what frightened people needed.
Lin turned toward the crowd.
"All villagers with administrative, record-keeping, logistics, or official talents, step forward!"
For a moment, there was confusion.
Then the crowd began to shift.
A handful of people moved first.
Then more followed.
Two became four.
Four became sixteen.
Sixteen became fifty.
Then over a hundred people emerged from different parts of the crowd, gathering before Lin in a loose formation.
At their front stood a tall man with neatly combed dark hair, sharp eyes, and a composed expression. Unlike most of the others, his clothes were clean and well-fitted. A leather-bound ledger rested under one arm, and a writing brush was tucked behind his ear.
He stepped forward, placed one hand over his chest, and bowed deeply.
"My Lord, my name is Jarvis. I am a Peak Iron Tier administrative official. My abilities include census organization, labor distribution, document management, and basic territorial governance."
Lin's eyes lit up.
Peak Iron Tier.
Good.
Very good.
Behind Jarvis, several others stepped forward.
A woman with serious eyes and ink-stained fingers bowed next.
"My Lord, I am Elena, Iron Tier 5 Census Officer. I specialize in name registration, household grouping, and population records."
A broad-shouldered man with a square jaw and a thick notebook at his waist followed.
"Bran, Iron Tier 4 Logistics Officer. I can manage supply distribution, storage records, rationing, and transport teams."
Then came a sharp-looking woman with braided hair and a commanding posture.
"Cassia, Iron Tier 3 Labor Coordinator. I can organize workers by strength, skill, and assigned task."
An older man with sun-darkened skin stepped forward after her. His hands were rough, and his back was slightly bent, but his eyes were steady.
"Merek, Iron Tier 4 Agricultural Supervisor. I know farming, soil preparation, seed selection, irrigation, and crop rotation."
Finally, a young woman carrying a pouch of herbs bowed carefully.
"Dalia, Iron Tier 2 Herbalist and Medical Assistant. I can treat minor wounds, identify basic medicinal plants, and help prevent sickness."
Lin looked at them one by one.
Jarvis.
Elena.
Bran.
Cassia.
Merek.
Dalia.
This was exactly what he needed.
Not soldiers.
Not heroes.
Administrators.
The true backbone of a territory.
Lin jumped down from the crate and spoke quickly.
"Jarvis, you are temporarily appointed Chief Administrator. Work with Mira and Selene. I want an emergency command structure within the hour."
Jarvis bowed.
"As you command, My Lord."
"Elena, begin the census. Record every person's name, tier, profession, talent, useful skills, and physical condition. Prioritize identifying craftsmen, guards, farmers, builders, cooks, doctors, and anyone with special knowledge."
"Yes, My Lord."
"Bran, inspect the warehouse and all food supplies. Calculate how long our current meat can feed ten thousand people. Set ration levels immediately. No one eats freely until distribution is organized."
Bran nodded with a grave expression.
"Understood."
"Cassia, divide the crowd into groups of one hundred. Each group needs a temporary leader. Keep families or familiar groups together if they exist, but prevent crowding."
Cassia struck her fist against her chest.
"It will be done."
"Merek, search for possible farmland inside the barrier. If there are seeds among the supplies or among the new villagers, collect them. I want to know if we can plant anything today."
"Yes, My Lord."
"Dalia, work with Tessa. Set up a basic medical and sanitation area. Anyone injured, sick, elderly, pregnant, or too weak to work must be identified first."
Dalia bowed.
"I understand, My Lord."
Lin turned toward Rex.
"Rex, expand the guard structure. Find all combat-capable recruits and form temporary patrol units. No one leaves the barrier. No one approaches the forest edge alone. And keep order without unnecessary violence."
Rex's expression became serious.
"Yes, Lord Lin."
Finally, Lin turned to Geralt.
"Geralt, continue scouting inside the barrier, but take more hunters with you. We need water sources, edible plants, safe wood, stone, and signs of beasts outside the barrier."
Geralt grinned, though his face was still pale from shock.
"Aye, My Lord."
Orders spread through the territory like ripples across water.
Jarvis began shouting instructions to the officials. Elena's census team spread out with writing boards. Cassia formed the first groups of one hundred. Bran rushed toward the warehouse with a horrified expression, already calculating how impossible his job was going to be.
The clearing was still chaotic.
But it was no longer uncontrolled chaos.
It was becoming organized chaos.
Lin stood near the portal, watching thousands of people move under his command.
His chest felt heavy.
A few hours ago, he had been an ordinary man lying in a cramped apartment, reading a webnovel and criticizing someone else's choices.
Now ten thousand people were waiting for him to make the right ones.
Tessa approached quietly and handed him a wooden cup of water.
"My Lord," she said softly, "you should drink."
Lin accepted the cup.
Only after drinking did he realize how dry his throat had become.
"Thank you."
Tessa looked toward the crowd.
"There are many of them."
Lin let out a weak laugh.
"That is one way to describe it."
"My Lord," she asked carefully, "will we be all right?"
Lin looked at the villagers.
The original ten.
The new ten thousand.
The tiny Lord's Hall.
The insufficient warehouse.
The golden barrier that would vanish in less than seven days.
Then he looked at the system panel still floating before his eyes.
[Iron-Tier Recruitment Portal]
[Daily Recruitment Quota Used: 1/1]
Lin stared at the words.
Activate responsibly.
His mouth twitched.
"Next time," he muttered, "I am reading every warning twice."
Then another notification appeared.
[Ding! Territory Population has exceeded 10,000.]
[Ding! Emergency Governance Function unlocked.]
[Ding! Village Core upgrade conditions partially met.]
[Ding! Warning: Current shelter capacity is severely insufficient.]
[Ding! Warning: Current sanitation capacity is severely insufficient.]
[Ding! Warning: Current food storage capacity is severely insufficient.]
[Ding! Warning: Large population density may attract external threats after the Novice Protection Barrier expires.]
Lin closed his eyes.
Of course.
When he opened them again, the fear was still there.
But beneath it, something else had begun to burn.
Determination.
He had wanted resources.
Now he had people.
He had wanted manpower.
Now he had a town.
He had wanted a good start.
Now he had a disaster wearing the mask of a miracle.
Lin gripped the wooden cup and looked toward Jarvis, who was already organizing the officials with impressive speed.
"Jarvis!"
The Chief Administrator turned.
"Yes, My Lord?"
Lin's voice became firm.
"Before sunset, I want three things. A census report, a ration plan, and a shelter plan. We do not need perfection. We need survival."
Jarvis bowed deeply.
"It shall be done."
Lin looked at the massive crowd again.
Ten thousand people.
Ten thousand lives.
Ten thousand problems.
And all of them were now his responsibility.
He exhaled slowly.
"Fine," Lin whispered.
Then he lifted his head.
"If this world wants me to be a Lord, then I'll start by learning how to govern a mess."
Above the clearing, the golden barrier shimmered quietly.
Beyond it, deep within the forest, something let out a low growl.
No one inside the territory heard it.
Not yet.