My Witch Cultivation Manual: A Feudal Lord’s Guide to Absolute Power

Farra Jago, a man who transmigrated to the Nosbaro Kingdom nineteen years ago, begins the story as a former serf who rose through military merit during a four-year war against the Blue Wing Kingdom. Despite his battlefield prowess, the Noble Council strips him of his Count title and demotes him to Baron, exiling him to Bichi Village in the remote East Mead region. The King and nobility mock him, viewing his appointment as a fitting punishment for a commoner who dared to rise in rank. Farra accepts the decree without resistance, hiding his true capabilities and the mysterious System that has accompanied him since his arrival. This System grants him faction management abilities, allowing him to gain Attribute points and Resource points by killing enemies, and unlocks a Retainer System that lets him bind loyal subordinates.

Before departing the royal capital, Farra visits an underground slave market to purchase labor for his barren fief. He buys three hundred canine beast-man slaves for heavy labor and, by chance, discovers a young woman named Freya in a cage. Using his Information Probe skill, Farra detects her abnormally high Mana stat and realizes she is a Witch, a rare and persecuted species in the Kingdom. The Church considers Witches abominations and executes them on sight. Farra blackmails Freya into submission, revealing that he knows her secret and threatening to expose her unless she becomes his retainer. He purchases her freedom and signs a magical Retainer Contract that binds her loyalty absolutely, preventing any betrayal or harm to him. Freya, initially terrified and resentful, is forced to accompany Farra on his journey east.

The six-month journey from the capital to East Mead is perilous, traversing regions plagued by banditry and decay. Farra personally kills hundreds of bandits who ambush their carriage, demonstrating his superior combat skills. Freya attempts to use her magical powers to help but hesitates to kill, having never taken a life despite crippling many pursuers in the past. Farra criticizes her mercy, calling her a Saintess in a mocking tone, and insists that she must adapt to the brutal reality of their world. He reveals that the Kingdom is rotting from within, with the nobility exploiting the common people while the royal family holds little real power. Farra’s goal is to build a stronghold strong enough to survive the impending collapse of the current order.

Upon arriving at Bichi Village, Farra finds a desolate settlement with fewer than a hundred emaciated residents. He immediately asserts his authority by expanding his territory, using intimidation and legal threats to seize two hundred li of land from neighboring local lords Kone and Kaida. He then consolidates control over the thirteen surrounding villages, forcing their inhabitants to relocate to Bichi Village and surrender their entire grain harvest. Farra establishes strict rationing systems and standardizes weights and measures, unlocking System achievements that reward him with Resource points. When villagers resist his authority, he executes them publicly to instill fear, quickly suppressing any rebellion. He also survives an assassination attempt by four hired killers, severing their hands and capturing them, which further cements his reputation as a ruthless and capable lord.

Farra’s development of his fief involves organizing the beast-man slaves for agriculture and construction, while Freya serves as his guarded retainer. He implements a merit-based reward system for his subjects, encouraging them to earn status through service. The story follows Farra’s methodical efforts to transform a worthless backwater into a functional domain, utilizing his System’s resources to upgrade infrastructure and manage his growing population. As he consolidates power in East Mead, Farra prepares for future conflicts, knowing that his rise will eventually attract the attention of more powerful nobles and the Church, which views Witches as heretics. The narrative establishes a foundation for political intrigue, military expansion, and the struggle for survival in a harsh feudal world.