Lynn looked at the person who had suddenly appeared before him, feeling somewhat melancholy.
The man's features were sharp, his frame thin and gaunt like jagged cliffs.
Those gray-blue eyes of his always carried a hint of a smile.
Like all travelers who had endured long journeys, he wore a gray cloak, leather-lined high boots on his feet, a wide leather belt with a silver-plated buckle at his waist, and around his neck hung a string of tiny deity idols.
Lynn studied the elite profession he had just drawn, but no matter how he looked at it, he couldn't see anything special about it.
Facing the half-centenarian old man before him with little interest, Lynn felt that next time before drawing cards, he really ought to wash his hands.
Lynn let out a soft sigh. Not drawing a steward left him somewhat disappointed.
Lynn: "Traveler…?"
"Yes, my lord!"
"As an elite profession, what can you do?"
"My profession is traveling, my master." The traveler bowed slightly, maintaining a humble smile.
A profession of traveling?
Mm, a great profession. If possible, Lynn would also like a job where he didn't need to work, just travel around and still get paid.
Lynn forcibly suppressed his emotions, took a breath, walked up to him, and squeezed out a strained smile.
"You're already at such an advanced age. If you continue traveling and facing danger, it will be very risky. I wonder if you have any special skills? If you know how to manage affairs, you could stay in the castle as a steward."
Lynn made his final attempt.
However, the old traveler didn't buy it at all.
He stubbornly lifted his head and stared blankly at Lynn, insistently correcting him: "Master, I am a traveler. This is my mission. If I lose my mission, I will soon pass away. Do you wish to see me like that?"
These words completely blocked Lynn, leaving him speechless on the spot. It seemed that not letting this old gentleman go traveling would be tantamount to murder. Kind-hearted Lynn clearly couldn't give an affirmative answer to that.
Only after a long while did he blink and say, "Then… where do you plan to travel? That would require quite a bit of expense, wouldn't it?" After saying that, he added, "Recently, your master—I—have just faced bankruptcy."
The traveler hurriedly waved his hands, explaining in a hoarse, aged voice: "No, master. Traveling doesn't require much money. Just prepare a horse for me. I will wander everywhere, and I'll find ways to survive on my own."
Lynn could tell that this old man truly loved traveling. As long as Lynn agreed to let him continue being a traveler, the dullness in his eyes immediately lit up with vitality.
Lynn could only accept this result. Finally, he asked, "Then, Traveler sir, I'll sponsor you with a horse. But when you return from your travels, what will you bring back for me?"
Hearing this, the old man said proudly, "You can just call me Alibaba. When I return, I will bring you a big basket full of—"
"Gold?" Lynn felt his heart stir.
"A basket full of stories, my master."
...???
Alibaba took one of the few remaining horses from the stable.
Lynn personally watched the old man leave joyfully.
All he felt was bitterness at the corner of his mouth. Just look at what kind of profession I drew—a storytelling troupe?
Damn it!
With no suitable steward, Lynn decided to temporarily take care of these trivial matters himself.
He had the old scholar take up the pen and write down on a sheet of paper the manpower he planned to recruit, then ordered his attendants to post it on the notice board at the castle gate.
"Seafaring sailors, male only, ages 20 to 40, strong and healthy. Monthly pay: 8 Silver Stags."
"Blacksmith, no gender restriction, age 18 and above, with forging experience. Monthly pay: 8 Silver Stags."
"General laborers, male only, age 14 and above. Monthly pay: 6 Silver Stags."
"Masons, no gender restriction, age 14 and above. Those who have participated in fortress construction will be given priority. Monthly pay: 8 Silver Stags."
"Supplementary clause: Exceptional swordsmen and those with steward experience may also apply. Suitable candidates may be granted the status of retainer or the title of steward by the lord. Compensation to be discussed."
The moment the notice was finished being read, the crowd in front of the board erupted into noise.
A dark-skinned, thin middle-aged fisherman exclaimed in delight, "Eight Silver Stags a month! That's equivalent to two hard months of pay going out to sea!"
Someone immediately slapped him down. "But can you build walls? Or do you have experience constructing fortresses? You probably couldn't even stack a decent latrine!"
"What's it to you? Even being a general laborer isn't bad. My wife has recently been working in the lord's estate, stitching up wounds for the mercenaries from the battle two days ago. It's simple work, and she earns twenty copper coins a day."
A young, sturdy man said excitedly, "I've hunted at sea. I once killed a seal that leapt onto our boat with a sword. Does that count as an exceptional swordsman?"
"Get lost, get lost! Being a retainer is impressive, sure, but your skills are only good for splashing around in the sea. You can't even ride a horse—how are you going to be a retainer!"
Dani was a girl with a layer of mud smeared across her face. She squeezed to the front of the crowd, not paying attention to the jobs the others were discussing.
All of her attention was focused on the supplementary clause at the end of the notice.
The title of steward, compensation negotiable!
This job looked pretty good.
The lord here seemed to be lacking a steward.
Dani stared unblinking at the text at the bottom of the notice board.
Unlike the others present, she didn't need to listen to Old Scholar Hill's recruitment speech to know what was written on the board. She was literate, and she could even write a neat and elegant Westerosi Common script.
As for what should be done to apply for the steward position in a minor lord's household, she also had a fairly good idea.
Recalling her childhood in Riverrun, as Edmure Tully's illegitimate daughter, she had been arranged from a young age to be cared for by a maidservant. She knew very well what a servant's work and life were like.
"Count me in!"
She raised her hand high in the crowd and chose to register, thinking that there was no harm in trying.
Ever since the Lannister army swept across the Riverlands and Riverrun was surrounded by Jaime Lannister's men,
she had nowhere left to go. She could only flee with the maid who had cared for her since childhood, all the way to the maid's hometown—Fishing Village Port.
Old Hill carried out a simple registration for Dani and informed her that there would be an interview tomorrow.
She gladly agreed, then squeezed her way out of the crowded mass in front of the notice.
Her face full of excitement, she ran back home.
She wanted to tell the former maid, Hili, about her plan to seek a respectable job.
Typos and awkward sentences can be pointed out in chapter comments—will fix them when seen.
...
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(End Chapter)