Chapter 45 Anna and Yura

Bernard was obviously stunned when he heard that Gervis would pay in silver coins in advance.

"Thank you for your generosity, Lord Gervis. I will start forging for you tomorrow. It should be completed within a month."

It was normal for poor people to come to the blacksmith shop and pay some wages in advance. After all, it was common for the blacksmith to make the product but not come to pick it up. Paying some wages in advance could recover a lot of losses.

It was rare for a noble to pay wages in advance. This was the first time Bernard had encountered such a thing in all his years of blacksmithing, especially since Gervis took the initiative to pay.

The nobles generally pride themselves on being noble. If a blacksmith asks the nobles to pay their wages in advance, it is an insult to the noble master and he will definitely be dragged out and beaten with dozens of whips.

Another reason is that as long as one is a noble, it is definitely easy to find him locally, and there is no such thing as not being able to find someone to receive the goods after making them.

Unless the item is ready but the noble lord doesn't want to pay for it, this kind of thing happens from time to time.

"No need to thank me, just guarantee the quality." Gervis also knew that the nobles did not need to pay the wages in advance. They would have to pay sooner or later anyway, so it was better to pay them quickly. After all, a lot of iron was needed to make his batch of long swords and round shields, so as to avoid delays due to financial issues.

Recruiting soldiers is urgent. The sooner the swords are forged, the sooner I can equip and train them.

"By the way, Bernard, can you make leather armor?" Suddenly, Gervis thought of another question and asked Bernard.

The manufacture of leather armor seems simple, but there are many tricks involved. The most important thing is the treatment of the leather. If it is not handled properly, it will not only have no defensive effect, but will rot in a few months.

Gervis suddenly remembered that he had a wild boar skin in his castle, so he asked about it.

The leather armor in this world is generally made of wild boar skin or cowhide. The effects of the two are similar. The defensive power of leather armor mainly depends on the iron plates inlaid on it.

The defensive function of leather armor is generally to defend against slashing. If it is used for direct stabbing, it will have the same effect as what happened to Ike that day, which is better than nothing.

However, leather armor is the most economical type of defensive armor. Many nobles, both big and small, equip their soldiers with leather armor, and only a few elite soldiers can be equipped with chain mail or other types of armor.

"Lord Gervis, if you can provide the leather material, I can make it for you. One piece of leather armor costs 4 silver coins."

Weapons and protective gear are matched. Since Bernard can forge a sword, he can definitely forge armor. Leather armor is also a kind of protective gear, so Gervis got an affirmative answer from Bernard.

"Very good, you gave me a big surprise, Mr. Bernard." Gervis looked at Bernard with a high opinion again. Although weapons and protective gear are indeed inseparable, there are many blacksmiths who can't even make weapons properly. It is indeed rare to find an all-rounder like Bernard.

"I also want to make 20 pieces of leather armor. However, I only have one wild boar skin in my castle. I'll send someone to deliver it to me later. You can make two pieces for me first, and you can make the rest after I find the leather material." Gervis thought about it and decided that since Bernard could do it, he didn't have to go far away. As for the leather material, Gervis planned to mobilize his subjects to see if he could catch a few more wild boars.

The skin of a wild boar weighing three or four hundred pounds can be used to make two sets of leather armor. Just catch nine more and you'll be done. The wild resources in this world have not been over-exploited, so it's easy to catch a few if you want.

"No problem, Lord Gervis."

"Very well, Mr. Bernard, it's settled. I look forward to your cooking. See you next time."

The matter was settled, and Gervis didn't stay any longer. There was nothing else for him to do here, and because he had stayed in the stuffy environment of the blacksmith shop for too long, he felt a little uncomfortable.

"You will be very satisfied then. Take care." Bernard bowed and said goodbye.

…

"Anna, you really won't attend?"

In the small town, in a tattered thatched hut, a young girl was squatting on the ground, adding firewood to the mud stove from time to time. The small clay pot on the stove had a broken edge, and a stream of steam was coming out of the gap, mixed with the smell of herbs that filled the entire thatched hut.

"I'm not going. Yura, you go quickly and don't worry about me, otherwise you will miss it." Anna squatted on the ground and added firewood, her big eyes looking at the stove absent-mindedly. The blazing fire in the stove flickered on the girl's fair face, but the girl didn't know what she was thinking.

"But if you don't go, your mother won't get better, and you've learned writing from Brian. As long as you let the butler know, he will definitely choose you to be a maid in the castle. This is a rare opportunity, you can't miss it like this." Behind Anna stood a girl about the same age as her. The girl had a slightly darker skin, and she looked anxious when she saw that Anna was unmoved.

"If I become a maid in the castle, no one will take care of my mother!" Anna remained unmoved. Only when she thought of her mother did she turn her head to look at the 'bed' made of stones and broken wooden boards beside her. A pale woman was lying on the bed. Although the woman had fallen asleep, she would still cough from time to time.

Yura and Anna are very good friends. When he heard yesterday that the castle was going to select a maid, he was very happy. Although he might not be chosen, Yura felt that Anna would definitely be chosen because she was the only literate girl in the town.

When she couldn't wait to tell Anna the good news, Anna was not going to the square to participate in the maid selection. She had to take care of her only relative, her mother who had been ill in bed for more than three months.

"Anna, as long as you become a maid, you can use your salary to find someone to take care of your mother, and you can also save money to go to other towns to buy medicine for your mother's treatment." As time passed, Yura became more and more anxious, and his tone began to rise.

"If you continue like this, you and your mother will starve in a few days."

After Yura said this, Anna, who had been absent-minded, finally reacted slightly and asked hesitantly, "But the salary will not be paid until at least a month later. If I become a maid, there will be no one to take care of my mother in this month."

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"Silly Anna, as long as you become a maid in the castle, will she worry that you don't have money to give her? You can owe her the money first and pay her when you get paid!"

Seeing that Anna finally showed some signs of movement, Yura immediately became happy. Although Yura's family life was very difficult, she had a capable father and an adult brother, and they could barely make ends meet.

But Anna's family is different. Anna has no father. Her mother is a woman after all, and the harvest from farming is not high. Although the well-behaved Anna has found a job in the small town to supplement the family income, her family's life is still hard.

Three months ago, Anna's mother fell ill. In order to take care of her mother, Anna quit her job. It can be said that Anna's family has fallen into despair.

Yura knew that the castle's choice of maid this time was Anna's family's last straw, but Anna was too concerned and confused to think it through.

"Then Yura, you go first. I'll feed the medicine to my mother and come right back." Anna was finally persuaded. Ever since she heard the news that the castle was selecting maids yesterday, she had also fantasized about becoming a maid, wearing decent new clothes and working in the castle with a generous salary.

It was just that her mother needed care, so Anna had to give up. This made Anna feel lost for a day and a night, but for the sake of her mother, she had no complaints.

"I'll help you. We'll go together after feeding you the medicine." However, Yura did not go alone. Instead, he quickly brought a wooden bowl and spoon to help Anna.

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Thanks to the book friend 'nilcole' for the tip, thank you very much!!!

(End of this chapter)