Chapter 154
Translator: penny
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Refugees - 9
"I never imagined the difference would be this stark."
The Village Chief stared at the crops Dennis had brought, muttering in a deflated tone as if he felt utterly defeated as a farmer.
"They say the land determines a man's life, and seeing this... it rings true."
I found myself nodding in agreement at his lament.
'Even with all that fertilizer drama, this is still decent at best.'
Without the gods' blessings, a harvest like this made me wonder if the soil itself was something special.
"Are you really okay giving all these crops to the villagers for free?"
"Yes. Storing them is a hassle anyway. Better in their bellies than rotting away. But..."
I perched on the one load that gave off a pleasant aroma and added,
"No booze. That's all mine."
"Got it. I'll let the villagers know."
With food distribution handed off to the Village Chief, I grabbed portions for our house and the refugees, then headed home.
"Oppa! Oppa! What's that?"
"Food. Help me sort it—go call Gloria, will you?"
"Okay!"
I handed her a plump fruit, and Clia happily dashed off to fetch Gloria.
"Whoa, so many fruits."
"Sian, what are these?"
Sylvia and Elsia, who happened to be out for a stroll, approached me.
"A friend of Father's sent them as a gift."
"Ian's?"
Sylvia's ears perked up with curiosity at the mention of Father. Unable to resist her adorable expression, I smiled and told her what had just happened.
"To come repay a favor after thirty years... that's impressive."
"Must mean Father had that kind of reputation."
And thanks to that reputation, his son was reaping the benefits.
'I need to build up that kind of karma to pass on to Ciel someday.'
I worried if I could pull it off. My past life hadn't exactly been one for accumulating good deeds.
"Sian, so we'll get this much every harvest season?"
"Exactly double this amount, actually. Roads were rough this time, but next year and beyond should be easier."
Elsia started tapping away on her abacus at my answer.
"Elsia, you carry that everywhere?"
"It's a gift from you, Sian... And Sylvia, don't talk to me while I'm calculating."
Once done, Elsia offered her advice.
"Sharing with the villagers is nice, but what about selling the surplus? Other villages are struggling with refugees too."
"Not a bad idea, but the only other option is Hippo Baron's territory. Sahad Duchy has borders locked down."
"Sahad Duchy might not be overflowing, but they're not starving either."
"So where do we sell?"
"There's a faction in the west starving just like us, isn't there?"
I paused at Elsia's words, then jolted in realization.
"You mean sell to Hadron too?"
"They're short on food, same as anyone."
I had to admire Elsia, merchant through and through. To a typical Saint Kingdom noble, arming a notorious faction like that would be outrageous, but not to me.
"Great idea. Let's do it."
One of the three great villains—they had to be loaded.
Plus, as enemies, I could gouge them without a shred of guilt.
"Sian and Elsia's faces look sneaky now."
"Sylvia, at times like this, you say 'scary'."
"R-Really?"
Following Elsia's plan, I stored the surplus food in my <Inventory> and headed to Hippo Baron's territory first to sell.
'Hm, more people than last time.'
Hippo Baron's land had taken in plenty of refugees too—it felt like the population had swelled by over half since my last visit.
'Our village's refugees must've passed through here, but they only took families with men.'
Infuriating, but I couldn't fault Hippo Baron for it. Everyone preferred a safe, ordinary place like his over a dangerous spot like Lugeron Village.
"Y-Your Grace the Duke!"
Having heard the rumors of my promotion, Hippo Baron came rushing over at the sight of me.
"T-To think such a noble guest would grace our humble domain..."
Too nervous, he misspoke.
"F-Forgive me! I'll rip out this insolent tongue that insulted Your Grace."
"It's fine. Tongues slip sometimes."
Once Hippo Baron calmed down with a sigh of relief, I got to the point.
"I got a huge haul of crops from that fellow this time."
"Ah, you mean the noble guest from the south."
"Yes. Got so much, I'm selling cheap."
"I-Is that true?"
"You're hurting for food with all the refugees, right?"
"Yes. We turned to gruel to stretch supplies, but even that's not enough—riots broke out."
He said he'd taken in about 250 refugees.
'All of them?'
I knew Hippo Baron was soft-hearted from the rumors, but this was next level.
'He might starve his own people at this rate.'
Hippo Baron wasn't hateable, but he lacked serious leadership chops.
'Gregor needs to act as proxy lord from now on.'
Hippo Baron's territory had to serve as a garrison for defending Lugeron Village. No room for screw-ups.
"For the refugees' sake, I'll give you the crops free this time."
"Ooh, Duke... no, Hero! Thank you!"
"Just don't forget it's all thanks to Hestia."
"Of course. I'll announce it to my people."
I'd ended up handing them out free, but it was fine. I'd gotten them for nothing anyway.
'Good enough confirming Hippo Baron's situation.'
I instructed Gregor to manage Hippo Baron's territory going forward.
"Thank you for the high regard. But I'm even less suited for administration than you think."
"You'll still do better than Hippo Baron."
"...Understood. As you command."
"Count on you."
To check on the garrison city's progress, Gregor and I patrolled all three territories. Outside the domain, soldiers were clearing corpses.
"What are those bodies?"
"Bandits."
"Bandits?"
In medieval times, banditry was commonplace. Farmers even moonlighted as such.
One good raid could net a year's profit—in this savage era, only fools avoided it.
But this was the west. Monsters infested forests and mountains, with a lunatic force like Hadron underground.
Bandits here? Either Hadron-level crazies or desperate survivors.
"That many means you had your work cut out."
"Not at all. Untrained rabble—easy cleanup."
That size could've raided a territory, but Gregor, knight-captain level, was guarding.
'A disaster for them.'
As encouragement for his gatekeeper role, I pulled a suit of armor from my <Inventory>.
"Bought it in the Saint Kingdom. Better than your old one."
"Thank you."
Overcome with emotion, Gregor knelt to accept it. No need for that.
"Keep guarding this place."
"As you command."
With Gregor's loyalty confirmed, as I prepared to return to the village, dozens of men approached me.
"We wish to serve you, Your Grace."
Recognizing their faces, I couldn't help but marvel.
"They say enemies meet on a log bridge—turns out it's true."
"Pardon?"
"Anyway, didn't expect you to come in person. Thanks."
I immediately drew Robera from my <Inventory>.
"Hestia desires your suffering."
Maybe because I held the village's top power. The female-only refugees started propositioning me.
Women sneaking into my bedroom every night was a real headache.
"Colin, tighten security. It's annoying every night."
"Why? Don't you wanna spend hot nights with young ladies, nephew?"
"At least send ones prettier than you next time."
"What? Flirting with your auntie? Just like your master's son."
"Cut the jokes? I might actually throw it."
"Heehee, fine."
After warning Colin the freeloader-guard, it quieted down—until a young girl slipped into my bed.
"You?"
"I-I'm Lucy, a maid."
"Right, Lucy. Didn't Gloria tell you? No nighttime service."
"I came to plead with the hero."
"Plead?"
Intrigued by the sharp-tongued pink-haired girl, I listened closely.
"Please kill the man who raped my only friend."
But damn, it started heavy.