The Abyss of Negative Favorability

The current favorability of the territory residents stood at -397,800 points.

It was a negative figure on an entirely different scale from anything before. To Chloe, the sharply plummeted number felt exactly like the bitter resentment of Idor Village’s residents aimed straight at her.

A little scary, isn’t it?

Chloe rubbed at the goosebumps prickling along her forearms while she calmly mapped out her priorities.

She was glad she had already converted some of her favorability into hidden points ahead of time. If she had rushed straight into opening Idor Village without thinking, buying what she needed from the hidden shop would have been impossible. Or the status window would have kept taunting her with suggestions of high-interest loans disguised as helpful advice.

She set aside the tangled mess of thoughts that felt like a hopelessly knotted ball of yarn and called out to the butler who stood beside her like a silent shadow.

“Handsome.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Handsome answered in less than a second every single time, as if he had been eagerly waiting for her voice. His almost foolishly loyal, kind, and diligent nature had become her greatest support.

Besides, looking at him was an instant eye cleanse every time.

The status window, which somehow read even her private thoughts, abruptly shoved an impure line at her.

She admitted he was handsome. But a man who sulked so easily was not her type.

When Chloe shot back, the status window trembled violently as if it had received a shock, unable to even erase the previous sentence it had displayed. Yet it continued.

The status window quickly drew a clear line between itself and Taechang, as if determined to prove they were completely different.

Although the text was eventually erased, it was obvious at a glance that the action hadn’t come from the status window’s own will but from Taechang’s mischief inside it.

Honestly, the thing really has nothing better to do.

Chloe shook her head as she watched new letters stubbornly appear the moment three were wiped away.

How could anyone even describe the strange relationship between the two that somehow felt like one entity and two at the same time?

She quickly swiped away the status window cluttering her vision and turned to Handsome—the true definition of eye purification.

“I plan to stop by Idor Village on the way back to the castle. Will that make the journey much longer?”

Traveling by carriage at night was no easy task. Handsome gazed seriously at the village across the river. Even the vertical wrinkle between his brows looked attractive. Chloe was learning firsthand that the aesthetic value of a wrinkle depended entirely on the face it rested upon. In the meantime, Handsome answered.

“It will be a slight detour, but if we leave right now, stopping at Idor shouldn’t delay us too much.”

Idor Village lay south of Morta and to the west of Grace Territory. Leaving Morta, passing through Idor, and heading to the castle would let them arrive before full darkness fell.

“That’s a relief.”

Chloe let out a deep sigh, then turned to look at Builder. He was staring at the wide stretch of land with intense eyes, busily jotting notes in the small notebook he carried. It was a tremendous blessing to be surrounded by so many diligent, good-hearted workers.

“Builder.”

Chloe called again, but Builder was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t even turn around. Only when Hope poked him in the side did he finally lift his head.

“What is it?”

“The Lord is calling you.”

“Huh? Ah! Yes, My Lord. I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you.”

Builder jumped in surprise, closed his notebook, turned, and bowed deeply in apology.

“No need to apologize. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I’m sure a factory is already being built inside that head of yours. Am I right?”

Builder scratched the back of his head shyly, his face turning red.

“I’m counting on you. The Dural Bread Factory will be the first step toward turning Morta Village into a good place to live.”

“Yes, My Lord. I will give it my all.”

“If you need anything, just tell me. Anything at all.”

At Chloe’s words, Builder beamed like a child turned loose in a toy store.

“Oh, right. On the way back, I’d like Bakey and her son to come with us to Grace Castle. I promised I would invite them, but too much time has passed already.”

Hope had assumed the Lord must have forgotten about Bakey and Kevin by now. After all, the Lord had countless matters to handle and had even been gravely injured during Cullen’s attack. Yet not only had she remembered them, she had even recalled Bakey’s name with perfect accuracy.

Once again, moisture gathered in the wrinkled corners of Hope’s eyes.

“Yes, understood, My Lord. That Kevin boy will probably jump for joy until ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he bursts.”

“Ah, the child’s name was Kevin. He’s five years old, right?”

Unlike Bakey’s name, Kevin’s didn’t come to mind as quickly.

“Yes. For a boy who’s only five, he’s incredibly clever.”

“Really? Then we’ll have to raise him well and turn him into an outstanding talent.”

Everyone present thought the Lord was simply making a lighthearted joke. But inside Chloe’s mind, a school for the children of Grace Territory was already taking shape.

The road leading to Idor Village was so narrow that a single carriage could barely pass. On both sides, the sharp, pitch-black branches of the remaining trees stretched thickly toward the path like spider legs.

“Are those trees naturally that black?”

Just looking at them sent a chill down her spine.

“Yes, the branches have always been that color. They’re called ebony trees. The bark is very hard, so they’re often used as roofing material.”

“Ooh!”

Hearing they made good building material made the previously gloomy-looking trees suddenly seem rather admirable. Now that she looked closer, she could see scattered trees with peeled bark among the dense forest.

Bakey and Kevin, who had joined the carriage to travel together to Grace Castle, stared wide-eyed at the unfamiliar scenery outside the window, too stunned to speak.

“Mom, it’s scary.”

Eventually Kevin buried himself in his mother’s arms and squeezed his eyes shut.

“It’s all right. Don’t worry. There are plenty of knights here, and the Lord is with us.”

At his mother’s words, the anxiety that had filled Kevin’s face vanished in an instant. He might not trust anyone else, but with the Lord present, it felt like they could defeat any monster that dared attack.

Chloe flashed a playful smile at Kevin, who was gazing at her with fervent eyes. She stuck out her tongue and used one finger to pull the corner of her eye upward.

With just one finger, the beautiful Chloe’s face instantly turned comical and ugly.

“Hehe.”

Kevin, still half-hidden in his mother’s embrace, couldn’t laugh out loud but let out a small giggle. Chloe puffed out one cheek for the frightened boy, then pressed her nose and mouth together until her philtrum disappeared.

But Kevin only bit his lip; he wouldn’t give her the big laugh she was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hoping for. In that case, there was only one option left.

Chloe reached over and yanked the corner of Handsome’s eye. Unable to dodge the Lord’s sudden finger, Handsome’s eye was forcibly stretched. He looked at Kevin with a flustered expression.

“Pfft, hehehehe.”

Even though he covered his mouth with his fist, Kevin’s laughter still escaped. The child’s bright giggles alone made the bleak landscape far more bearable.

“Once we pass the Cave of Lamentations, we’ll reach Idor Village.”

“Cave of Lamentations? We actually have to go through a cave?”

Chloe wondered whether a carriage could even fit inside one.

“That is simply the name of this road. The trees grow in a round arch that resembles a cave, and the wind passing through makes a sound like mournful wailing. That’s why it’s called the Cave of Lamentations.”

“You really do know everything. It would have been so much better if someone like you had become lord from the very beginning.”

Chloe had spoken sincerely, but Handsome turned deathly pale and looked horrified.

“My Lord, how could I possibly presume to show off my knowledge in front of you!”

When Handsome grew tense, Kevin and Bakey sitting across from him stiffened immediately as well.

“Handsome. If you keep misunderstanding me like that, I really will get angry. I meant every word. I can’t even express how proud I am that someone like you is my butler. You’re truly outstanding in every way.”

Receiving such lavish praise from his lord left Handsome flustered and blushing furiously.

At some point the lord had stopped her previous extravagance of buying dozens of nearly identical dresses and the foolish habit of trailing after men. She no longer fell for Viscount Patrasche’s obvious schemes and handed over the territory’s best lands.

He didn’t know what had caused the change, but Handsome was incredibly proud of the lord who now perfectly embodied every quality of an excellent ruler. If he could, he would have gone around the neighborhood telling everyone what an amazing person the lord he served truly was.

“I consider it the greatest honor imaginable to be allowed to serve you, My Lord.”

Handsome spoke with genuine emotion. While the two exchanged shy compliments, the carriage carrying Chloe drew steadily closer to Idor Village.

.

.

The moment they entered the village entrance, the familiar messages flooded in without pause. It seemed the residents were genuinely furious at the sight of the lord’s carriage. After so long, the brutal lines felt almost accompanied by the warning chime she had muted—ringing relentlessly in her ears.