The Boy's Treasure
The bread inside the crinkling clear wrapping came in every shape and color imaginable.
Chloe picked up a piece, peeled away the packaging, and demonstrated how to open it.
Scrooge couldn't hide his amazement at the strange transparent material.
"Tear it open like this when you hand it out. This is all we have for now, so start with the children. Once the carts arrive from the castle, distribute to the elderly and infirm first, in proper order."
"Yes, my lady. Understood."
The bread the lord offered carried an incredibly sweet aroma.
It was a luxurious bread that even Scrooge—who had served as butler at the castle for more than forty years—had never tasted before.
He swallowed hard without realizing it and busily stripped away the wrapping. The knight standing beside him pitched in as well.
The knights guarding the carriage kept stealing glances at the bread.
Watching them lick their lips made her feel oddly guilty.
"As soon as we return to the castle, I'll make sure the knights who accompanied us today receive the same bread."
"Th-thank you, my lady!"
Broad smiles bloomed across the knights' faces at Chloe's words.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Red hearts erupted relentlessly above the knights' heads.
Some sent up dozens at once, so the cheerful popping continued for a long while.
She hadn't actually given them anything yet—she had only made a promise—and still they were this happy.
By the time all the bread was unwrapped, a crowd had gathered around them, buzzing with excitement.
The starving villagers stared with gleaming eyes, as though they might rush forward at any moment.
It was the kind of situation that should have been tense, yet Scrooge seemed used to it. He straightened his back, stepped forward, and began to speak in a loud, clear voice.
She never would have guessed that the frail-looking butler's back could appear so dependable.
"Her Ladyship will now distribute food supplies to Morta Village."
The moment Scrooge finished speaking, the people staring at the carriage broke into murmurs.
She had expected cheers to erupt immediately, but that wasn't what happened. Instead, their expressions grew even more guarded as they tried to figure out what scheme might be behind the gift.
"First, only those from households with children five years of age or younger, please step forward."
The bread Chloe had brought wasn't nearly enough to share with every child in the village.
At Scrooge's call, adults carrying small children began to approach hesitantly.
Even as they drew nearer, they kept glancing back, still uncertain. The stern presence of the knights flanking the butler was intimidating, and approaching a noble's carriage for the first time clearly made them nervous.
The first to reach the carriage was a young woman holding a child of about two.
She looked to be in her early twenties. Like the others she was painfully thin, but she possessed the courage to come forward first and her eyes held real strength.
Chloe, standing before the carriage, studied the young woman carefully.
Clutching her child tightly while warily watching both the knights and the butler, she resembled a hedgehog with every quill raised.
It seemed she would have charged bare-handed at armed knights if it meant protecting her little one.
"Here you are. Take this for now. You'll receive grain shortly."
Despite her obvious tension, the woman's eyes widened when the bread was offered without any hindrance.
"Y-you're really giving this to us?"
"Take it and go."
As he spoke, Scrooge pulled the bread from its plastic wrapping and held it out.
Once the child's mother safely received the bread, more people holding children began to gather.
The front of the carriage was soon swarming with villagers.
The remaining bread disappeared in moments, and around the carriage parents bustled about, tearing off pieces and placing them in their children's mouths.
Perhaps because the knights stood watch with sharp eyes, no one dared try to snatch bread from the parents.
The parents also deliberately fed their children near the knights—just in case.
The woman who had been nursing her baby at an empty breast tore the bread in half, ate one piece, and offered the rest to her husband. He shook his head and urged her to eat it instead. A bright smile lit his face, as though simply watching his wife eat brought him joy.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
The sound of changing favorability rang out from every direction.
Even from a single piece of bread, large and small hearts kept rising above people's heads and popping like soap bubbles.
But right now, Chloe didn't particularly want to check the numbers.
With a heavy expression, she silently watched the villagers devour the bread as though afraid it might disappear.
"My lady, it's time to return."
"Already?"
It felt as though they had barely been there thirty minutes, yet Scrooge had approached the carriage to speak.
At Chloe's surprised look, the butler grew flustered and stammered.
"Ah… Y-you usually depart right away. W-would you prefer to stay a little longer?"
"Yes. I want to see the carts arrive. And I need to confirm the distribution."
"Of course! Yes, my lady!"
Scrooge looked visibly delighted and hurried off toward the seated villagers.
Before long, a temporary distribution station had been set up at the village entrance.
It was nothing more than a few tables hastily brought from the village hall and some worn chairs, yet hope now flickered across the people's faces.
"The carts are here!"
Someone shouted loudly.
"Waaaaah!"
Only then did cheers finally fill the once-silent village.
Despite Scrooge's suggestion that she wait comfortably inside the carriage, Chloe insisted on sitting in one of the chairs prepared at the distribution station.
"The chair is uncomfortable, my lady."
Scrooge fidgeted as he brought over a seat with neither cushion nor backrest.
"It's fine. I'm comfortable."
The old chair had loose legs and wobbled side to side with the slightest movement. Still, Chloe balanced herself and sat perfectly upright, gazing straight ahead.
Dressed in a simple navy dress with only the barest accessories, the young lord looked as though she truly shared in her people's hardship.
To Scrooge, who knew Chloe's extravagant tastes better than anyone, her attire today was profoundly moving.
"If it becomes uncomfortable, please tell me at once. I will escort you back to the carriage."
When Scrooge bowed with genuine sincerity, Chloe answered with a bright smile and a nod.
Thelma, who had arrived with the grain-laden carts, remained at Chloe's side as well.
Ever since reaching Morta Village, Thelma had been in tears.
At first Chloe assumed she was crying over the villagers' wretched condition, but after catching her sniffles and muttered words, it became clear there was another reason.
"To think our lady has finally begun to care for the territory… Now I can die without a single regret."
Thelma's tears were for none other than Chloe Grace.
The selfish, immature lord who had only ever thought of herself had at last started paying attention to her people's lives.
Feeling awkward, Chloe pressed her lips together, unsure how to respond.
Up ahead, food distribution was already underway.
As the villagers received the limited grain, they kept offering Chloe heartfelt thanks.
How long had she been sitting there?
Her back and tailbone had begun to ache from the hard chair. Fortunately the distribution was nearly finished.
"You can stand now, my lady."
Thelma, who had been hovering close, spoke while eyeing the short remaining line.
Chloe had already been wondering whether to get up, so she rose from the chair as if yielding to the suggestion. That was when it happened.
A boy who looked about five years old approached hesitantly.
"What is it?"
Chloe asked the child standing before her. Beneath pants that had become far too short, his ankles were as thin as twigs. Yellow snot ran from his reddened nose.
The boy quickly wiped his nose with the back of his hand, then held something out to her.
It was hard to tell what lay in his grimy little palm.
"What is that?"
"It's a… gift."
Shyness and nervousness made the boy's voice tremble slightly.
"For me?"
"Yes."
Chloe glanced once at Thelma beside her, then bent down and extended her hand.
The boy beamed with joy and carefully placed the object he had been clutching with both hands onto her palm.
"What is this?"
It was a small white stone no larger than a 100-won coin. It felt warm against her skin, as though he had been holding it for a long time despite the cold weather.
"It's my treasure, but I'll give it to you, my lady."
It was an ordinary, plain object to call a treasure, yet its smooth, polished surface showed how dearly the boy had cherished it.
"You're giving me something this precious?"
Instead of answering, the boy nodded vigorously.
"Mom said if you hadn't come today, my little brother would have died. She told me I could endure a little more hunger, but my brother couldn't hold on much longer. We boiled the bread you gave us in water and ate it, and it gave us strength. Mom said she'll make porridge for me too with the grain we received today."
She had thought he was about five, but listening to him speak, he seemed older.
"How old are you? What's your name?"
"I'm nine. My name is Denny."
Denny's thin cheeks flushed bright red as he introduced himself.
"You're a wonderful big brother, Denny. Your little brother is very lucky to have you."
Chloe removed the cloak she wore and offered it to him.
"This is my thanks for your gift. Use it to cover your brother."
She deliberately mentioned his brother, sensing the boy might refuse if she gave it to him directly. Denny accepted the cloak with a dazed expression.
"It's going to get cold soon."
When she saw him hesitate, Chloe added gently.
"Thank you!"
At the reminder of the coming cold, Denny bowed deeply. The unwashed boy carried a musty scent.
Chloe watched Denny's small figure run home after bowing, then slowly took in the sight of the village.
As soon as they returned to Grace Castle, Chloe opened her status window and checked the favorability rating first.
-171,010
"My goodness!"
The favorability that had been more than two hundred thousand in the negative had risen by nearly thirty thousand points.