Chapter 25
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Obtaining the Farm (4)
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Still busily chewing on the sweet potatoes, Dominic turned back to see Raki and his parents, along with three or four neighbors who looked awkwardly posed.
They had taken off their tattered straw hats in an attempt to show respect, but their eyes were all fixed unwaveringly on the bubbling pot, ignoring Dominic and Ian completely.
"We thought we should at least say hello. But..."
Raki trailed off with an embarrassed look on his face.
"Ah! Join us. There's plenty."
Raki had only chewed a few pieces of bread on the way here because Dominic had been out cold from the hangover. He was at that age where he could eat like a horse, so he must be starving.
'Don't be stingy about food.'
It was one of Dominic's few firm beliefs.
A cold shoulder lingered in the heart far longer than one might think.
"Oh, no, Village Chief! We're already so grateful for saving us that we don't know how to thank you properly, how could we..."
"We should be the ones treating you! If you like potatoes..."
"Potatoes are great, of course, but first, eat this with us. It's best when it's hot."
Dominic flashed a warm, friendly smile at their waving hands and pulled out extra bowls, serving them rice from the pot and the hangover stew.
'Basically just rice with meat broth.'
He chuckled inwardly as he distributed the bowls.
There was a good amount left, but after Ian and Dominic had already eaten their fill, it wasn't quite enough for the seven people including Raki.
Slurp-. Slurp-.
"Ah...!"
"Hoo, hoo!"
Despite the small portions, they dove into the meal with frantic intensity. It was a battle royale of eating.
One might expect aversion to the spicy food and unfamiliar ingredients, but there was none of that.
'This won't be enough...'
Watching them, Dominic set down his spoon and stood before the pot again.
He rummaged in his backpack for some seasonings, then naturally plucked a few sun-ripened potatoes from nearby, peeling them with ease.
"What can I help with?"
Ian set down his spoon and stepped up beside Dominic, volunteering as his assistant.
"Peel the potatoes and grate them."
"Got it."
"Slice them thin. Uniformly!"
"...Got it."
Dominic bossed him around as if he'd been waiting for it, nagging repeatedly with a face that screamed disbelief. By now, Ian had grown accustomed to Dominic's teasing and silently began slicing the potatoes without complaint.
Chop chop chop chop!
Raki glanced sideways at Ian's skillful knife work and misunderstood: 'Knights are naturally good with kitchen knives too!'
He had no idea it was the product of Dominic's relentless assignments.
Sizzle-!
Dominic heated a pan generously with oil and spread a thin batter of sliced potatoes mixed with flour and salt.
The edges turned golden as a savory oil aroma wafted everywhere.
"Raki, see that black sauce over there?"
"Th-this one?"
"Yeah. Just dip a little and eat."
"Yes!"
The group had wolfed down the hangover stew in the blink of an eye and now watched Dominic flip the potato fritters with enchanted hands.
Their eyes were desperate, like baby birds awaiting food.
'It's shameless toward our benefactor, but that looks too delicious!'
'It's been so long since I had something this oily...'
'Just a little more, please...'
The three families who had slaved away at the farm never had a day without dirt under their nails, rain or shine.
But the Rondo Merchant Group took all the harvest, leaving them just enough emergency crops to scrape by.
[Sir, c-c-could you spare just a little wheat?]
[What? Wheat? Hah! Your debt is piling up even now, and you have the gall? Get out before I whip you!]
Raki had even been dragged off as a laborer because of his sturdy build.
Then, a few days ago, stern soldiers from the territory arrived at the farm. The Rondo Merchant Group overseer who constantly watched the three families from the surveillance tower was bound in ropes and hauled away.
[Soldier, what's going on...?]
[Ah, it'll be clear after the trial, but it's practically decided already. The evidence is overwhelming.]
[Trial?]
[These scum were breaking the law, plain as day. You'll all be free soon. It's not much compensation for your hardships... but the Lord will likely dispose of the Rondo group's assets and send you compensation.]
That night, the three families wept through the darkness.
For the days they couldn't even have a proper slice of bread.
For the injustice of seeing each other's aged faces under the scorching sun.
And for the joy of finally escaping, even now.
"It's nothing fancy, but please eat."
As Raki's parents and neighbors hesitated with forks before the unfamiliar fritters, half-embarrassed and half-awkward, Raki jumped in.
He hadn't eaten much of Dominic's cooking himself, but during his stay in Evergreen, he'd seen villagers begging Dominic to cook whenever they could. That had instilled in him a firm belief.
Even if the cooking wasn't great, so what?
To Raki, he was already the greatest person in the world.
"Hoo, hoo! Wow! This is delicious!"
"Right? It's thrown together quick, but even if it's simple, you can't stop at one."
Personally, Dominic preferred grating them finely on a rasp, mixing with starch powder, and frying to crispy perfection, but the sliced version had its own nice texture.
'And food always tastes better outdoors anyway.'
Even plain rice wrapped in seaweed doubles in flavor outside.
"...It's, so good, so good... Sniff...!"
The fritters vanished in seconds, and suddenly sobs broke out. It was Raki's mother.
"Mom!"
"Hic, sob! S-sorry, sir! Ugh, on a good day like this... Sob sob!"
She tried to stifle the tears, but it wasn't easy.
Crying was contagious.
Even the men had red eyes, staring uselessly at the sky and clearing their throats repeatedly.
"Um... Not sure if this is the right time, but..."
Then Dominic spoke up awkwardly.
"I was going to bring it up later, but since you're all here, I'll propose it now. Do any of you have separate plans?"
It felt awkward bringing up business amid the emotion, but to proceed as planned, he needed to normalize the farm quickly.
"S-separate plans...?"
"Ah! Like going back to your hometown or preparing for a different job—something like that."
The farmers exchanged glances at Dominic's words.
Tension filled their faces.
It was the very topic they'd discussed every night since the overseer was arrested.
What to do next.
Leave or stay.
The decision was easy, but they hadn't concluded.
The land still wasn't theirs. Even if the farmers decided, if the new auction winner said go, they had to go—that was their fate.
"Sir, all we've ever done our whole lives is farm. If you'll allow it... could we keep farming this land?"
Raki's father said with a nervous expression.
You could tell how tense he was from how he wiped his sweaty palms on his clothes repeatedly just to say those few words.
"Oh! Thank you!"
Grab!
But the worries were unfounded—Dominic beamed and grasped the farmer's wrinkled hand.
"Phew, I was so worried you might want to leave the farm. Haha! Shall we draw up an employment contract then?"
"Y-yes?"
"My terms are simple: farm well. Ah, but I want all the crops. It's just barely enough for my needs. In exchange, I'll pay in gold coins. Four times a year. Sound good?"
"Ah, th-that..."
"Generously, too. No fertilizers, so it'll take more effort than usual. During harvest, let me know ahead if you need hands—I'll hire workers. Not bad terms, right?"
Employment conditions poured from Dominic's mouth as if he'd been rehearsing.
The farmers nodded dazedly, stunned.
"Maybe slow down a bit."
"Huh?"
"Can't see their faces."
"Ah! Sorry, I got carried away. Take your time to think it over and let me know. We'll be here another two days anyway."
Only at Ian's intervention did Dominic stop.
The farmers still looked bewildered, as if they couldn't fully grasp what was happening.
Raki would have a long night explaining, no doubt.
"Can we use that surveillance tower?"
"Of course. It's set up for overseers, so it'll be plenty for a few days."
The sun was already setting.
"You planned to hire them from the start?"
"Obviously."
"Out of pity?"
"Necessity."
The sunset from the surveillance tower was spectacular.
Dominic and Ian gazed at it, conversing as if by prior agreement.
"I don't know farming well, but I can listen. Planting times, harvest seasons, rainfall—they all vary by land and region. Even soil depth for seeds and watering amounts differ. Who else knows this farm better than them? Can't find that overnight."
"True. But you seemed certain they wouldn't leave. How'd you know?"
Dominic had asked 'Any plans to go elsewhere?' but Ian had caught that he was confident they'd stay.
"If it were me, I'd be sick of this farm. I'd want to leave the moment I was free."
"That's because you're strong, Sir Knight."
"...What?"
"People with strength like you can move homes or change skies easily. Live where you want, then return home. But ordinary folk can't. With family and land, that's home, isn't it? Home isn't anything special."
Ian was struck speechless by Dominic's casual words, lips twitching like he'd been hit by lightning. But he had no retort.
'Even being able to leave was a privilege, after all.'
Ripples began in the heart of the young knight who had left his homeland behind.