The Grace of Free Meals
“She looks a lot younger than I expected.”
“Yeah, she does.”
Seeing a lord who looked like someone’s little sister only made their anxiety worse. The mercenaries’ eyes darted nervously around the clearing, half-expecting the young noble to snap at them to leave at once.
The young lord swept her gaze over the gathered mercenaries, then leaned in to whisper something to the knight beside her before disappearing again.
Henry and his friends were certain they wouldn’t be hired. A heavy disappointment settled over them.
A short while later, the knight who had appeared with the lord stepped forward and shouted to the crowd.
“I am Red Bear, commander of the Grace Knights!”
His powerful voice instantly commanded everyone’s attention.
Henry swallowed hard. His friends were just as tense, clasping their hands like they were praying as they stared at Red Bear, desperately hoping for any kind of work.
Once all eyes were on him, Red Bear continued.
“From now until tomorrow, I will be selecting mercenaries to enter the Black Forest with the Grace Knights.”
The moment he finished speaking, knights who had been waiting on the right side of the clearing lined up neatly in front of the murmuring mercenaries. The sight of their disciplined formation prompted the mercenaries to straighten their own postures.
The knights moved among the lined-up mercenaries, picking out those who looked strong enough and sending them to the left side of the clearing.
“Over there!”
“You, here. That way.”
Voices calling out selections rang from every direction.
Those chosen beamed with obvious joy as they hurried to the indicated area, while those passed over hung their heads in disappointment.
Henry watched an approaching knight with hopeful eyes, but the man merely glanced at him and his friends before moving on to the next mercenary without a second thought.
“That way!”
Henry stared enviously at the man who had been selected. The relief of being chosen made his face light up brightly.
“Ah…”
Tears welled in Henry’s eyes. If he couldn’t find work here, he had no idea how many days his little sister would have to go hungry. He had left her with the neighbor, but returning empty-handed would only add to the debt they already owed. He couldn’t ask the neighbor for free food when their own situation was so dire.
Henry wasn’t the only one disheartened. His friends, who had come here hoping to find something—anything—also bowed their heads, looking ready to cry.
“Looks like we have to go back,” Ned whispered, his voice trembling.
The moment his words ended, Henry and his friends began sniffling. Then—
Red Bear, who had been watching the mercenaries with sharp eyes, suddenly shouted.
“Those not selected as mercenaries may leave now!”
Plop. Plop.
The tears that had been brimming finally spilled down their cheeks.
But then—
“However, our estate is severely short on laborers. If you’re willing to do any kind of work, not just mercenary work, then stay!”
At the commander’s words, Henry and his friends, still crying, looked at each other and cheered.
“Waaah!”
“We can work! Thank goodness!”
“Sob!”
They weren’t the only ones relieved. Other mercenaries who hadn’t been selected embraced their companions and jumped for joy all across the clearing.
The surprises didn’t end there.
Henry, who had resigned himself to sleeping on the road after hearing work would start tomorrow, was stunned when he was shown to the special lodgings prepared for laborers and mercenaries.
“We can really sleep here?”
Each room was meant for five people, and simple blankets had been provided. Henry and his friends, who had braced themselves for sleeping under the night dew, were so moved by the lodging that tears came to their eyes.
After being assigned rooms and stepping outside, they saw that a temporary food station had been set up in the clearing that had been empty just moments before.
A large pot was filled with soup that gave off a rich, savory aroma, and beside it were mashed dural prepared for easy eating.
The smell made their mouths water and their stomachs growl loudly.
“I want to eat so badly, but we don’t have any money.”
Since they had come empty-handed, Henry and his friends didn’t have a single coin.
Just as they were thinking it might be better to go inside rather than watch others eat, an older-looking maid tapped the pot and shouted loudly.
“Food distribution is starting! Please line up!”
“Are you trying to put us in debt for food before we even get paid?” someone shouted angrily.
But the answer that came from her mouth was unbelievable.
“What are you talking about? This food is being provided free of charge by our lord.”
“The food is free?”
Henry could only blink in disbelief.
His stomach growled insistently, urging him to hurry and eat. But having been scammed or saddled with unexpected debts in similar situations before, Henry and his friends remained frozen in place.
“You’re really just giving it to us?”
They weren’t the only ones harboring doubts—a voice full of suspicion suddenly rang out from behind.
“Who do you think our lord is? If you don’t want to eat, then don’t! You’re making me want to take it all back.”
Delma, who had been tapping the pot, spoke in an irritated voice.
The first to move were the mercenaries, who seemed to have a bit more leeway.
One of them walked leisurely to the food station, accepted a generous portion with a cheerful smile, and found a spot in the clearing to sit.
All eyes turned to him.
He began eating slowly, as if savoring the attention.
The sound of people swallowing saliva at the savory smell of the soup could be heard everywhere.
“Oh! This is delicious!”
After one spoonful of soup, his eyes widened, and he began devouring the mashed dural as well.
“I want some too!”
Ned, who had little patience, dashed past Henry toward the food station. One by one, more people gathered until the station was packed.
By the time a hesitant Henry finally stepped forward, the food had already run out.
Half the people still hadn’t received anything and stood there in a daze when another cart loaded with food rolled into the clearing.
“Alright! Those who haven’t eaten yet, come this way. Those who want seconds, go over there.”
At the loud call of a servant with a sparse beard, the crowd split into two groups and rushed toward the cart.
The laborers’ favorability toward you is gradually increasing.
Would you like to combine the laborers’ favorability with the existing residents’ favorability?
After a moment of thought, Chloe decided there was no harm in combining them since she had fed them.
Since the favorability was bound to rise anyway, there was no need to delay. Even if the negative number grew larger, it wasn’t something to worry about too much.
Yes. Combine them.
The laborers’ favorability has increased by 5.
The laborers’ favorability has increased by 8.
The laborers’ favorability has increased by 3.
The laborers’ favorability has increased by 10.
Unlike the residents whose favorability rose in increments of 10, the laborers who had come from outside showed varying increases.
At least nothing had decreased. Just as she thought this, the system message continued.
Please raise the trust level of laborers who still harbor doubts about you to over 90%.
The current trust level of the laborers toward you is 49%.
Upon mission completion, the activity range in certain areas will expand.
The total favorability of residents and laborers you have obtained so far is -72,500p.
The number was higher than expected.
She had anticipated that the negative favorability from the newly arrived laborers would cause another sharp drop when combined.
However, perhaps because favorability continued to rise in Morta and Enol, the negative value didn’t increase—instead, it decreased.
Chloe, who had been enjoying her bath leisurely, felt her heart race at the sudden system window.