CHAPTER 12: [BOSS OF MEN.]

The following day.

As expected, all ten of the workers who had come the previous day were present at the site first thing after the sun came out.

But what they met was not something they expected.

Somehow, Dorian had already set a table and chair at the side, with contracts stacked on them.

At the other side of the table was the sack of silver coins meant to pay their wages.

When the first three people arrived, they stood in front of the table, shocked and speechless. The fact Dorian did not say a single word, either, and instead remained seated with a serious look on his face, only made them worry even more.

Could Lord Dorian be fighting the urge to run away with the money? Or perhaps he was planning to ambush them in order not to pay.

Different thoughts began swarming their heads in large numbers.

It got so bad that they would all remain in a straight line as they continued to grow, their faces masked to conceal their anxiety and their eyes dark.

When all ten of them were present, they were finally complete.

Suddenly, Dorian changed his seating position, reaching slowly for the sack of money.

Spotting this, the ten villagers glued their eyes to him. Finally, he was about to give them their salary.

"Here, there you go."

Dorian reached out to the first person on the line, a man looking to be in his 20s with a small black beard at the base of his chin.

With a smile on his face, the man reached out as well to take the single silver coin he was being offered.

However, as he grabbed the silver coin, Dorian stretched the contract as well.

"In the meantime, why don’t you consider working for me from now on?" uttered Dorian with a warm smile on his face, rainbows and flowers dancing around him.

The man paused; since Dorian was grabbing his hand, the option to run away was no longer valid. And from past experience, he knew to avoid working for Dorian at all costs.

"L-Lord Dorian, you said it was for a single day alone. A single day."

"I know I did. But think about the money you can make from this. Do you know what is below those X markings on the ground?" Dorian pointed at the site. "Dragon iron ore. A single one would cost more than 10,000 gold coins. Can you fathom the price? Profit, just one?"

The villager gulped down his saliva.

Even on a bad day, just one thousand gold coins could feed his entire family for a good time, let alone 10,000 gold coins.

That said, dragon iron ores are rare; not even the kingdom is able to locate them. Who is to say the young lord isn’t lying?

And who is to say he is?

Taking his silence as a signal to keep pushing, Dorian whispered in the man’s ear once more.

"What if I told you you get paid monthly for your survival, 10% of every dragon iron ore you mine? Imagine you mined 3, and they all cost 10,000 gold co-"

"I am in."

The man muttered before Dorian could complete his words.

Those who were at the back, eavesdropping, wasted no time in stating their opinion as well, considering they found the offer rather tempting to just let it slide.

Just as the first man, they all agreed to sign the contract and work with Dorian on the mini mining ground.

As they were receiving their wages, they would sign the contract as well, all with a big smile on their faces.

Soon, all ten of the villagers had registered under Dorian as official workers under the barony. By doing so, he also established the mining ground as legal under the kingdom, making it less prone to other higher nobles claiming it.

By law, in order for a land tasked with a job to be claimed, it needs at least five workers under the leadership of said land. If another noble should establish their workers there, it would automatically be theirs, or partially.

While there is a way to turn it around after it has happened, it is better to be safe than sorry.

’I was initially worried about the neighboring baronies trying to claim it, especially with my father’s financial struggles. But now, I can start selling beyond this barony, as I planned.’

Dorian was seated on the table, his arms folded as he watched his newly acquired workers getting ready to work on the site.

Diggy, right beside him.

’This is a first step. It can only get better from here.’

[Congratulations on contracting workers under your name.]

[You have gained a new title.]

[Title: Boss of men.]

[Effect: All of your employees’ work rates and knowledge related to that work increase by 80%.]

Dorian leaned forward after seeing the system notification.

His eyes widened in joy and surprise.

Slowly, he looked at his workers, watching as they were digging relentlessly without uttering a single word to each other.

He then looked back at the system.

Then back at the workers.

Grin.

’I love this system.’

Dorian uttered in his mind, with a devious expression etched on his face.

Moments after,

"What are you doing?"

Maria’s voice echoed.

She was standing behind him, wearing her usual unimpressed look while hugging a sheet of paper close to her chest.

"Oh, you’re back. I assume it went well with your father," Dorian replied, not taking a second to look at her.

Maria remained at his back as well.

Before she responded, she handed him the paper.

"Yes, Father has connections with other blacksmiths outside of this barony and even in the main capital. He is willing to help you distribute the goods when you have them ready."

Dorian kept his eyes glued to the paper.

The paper contained a list of potential buyers in every single land in the kingdom. And most of the names that emerged were from merchants in the county of Roziro, west of the Aurelian barony.

’I knew this man would come in handy. In exchange for his help, I offered to let go of the remaining 9000 gold coins he owed me. A fair trade. Ah-’

He suddenly looked at Maria.

"Come to think of it. Your father knows where I harvested the first dragon iron ore; why hasn’t he tried to dig it up himself behind my back?"

"That is because he gave up after trying once," Maria responded. "He claimed he could not tell their exact location and knew he would dig forever to find anything. If he finds anything, that is."

Dorian grinned in response.

"Bingo, that is what I like to hear. Business is popping already, and I haven’t even started."