Crossroads Governor Appointment
As soon as the appointment of the Crossroads governor was complete, I felt something unlock somewhere.
"It's open! We can live here from now on!"
"Your Excellency! Thank you!"
"Oppa, thank you!"
"Hyung, thanks!"
I bolted straight toward home.
"Your Excellency!"
"Master!"
The Han sisters chased after me.
"Good call appointing the governor right away. That must've been the condition."
The moment we reached the second floor, I turned the doorknob on the second room. It opened. The now-familiar electric tingle coursed through my entire body.
"Master, this is..."
"Do-hyun, what's this room? It just looks like a plain storage shed."
"Hmm... maybe I expected too much."
I was a little disappointed when the information flooded into my head, revealing the room's true nature. The space was filled wall-to-wall with shelves.
"It's a Permanent Preservation Room."
Anything stored here—regardless of type—would be preserved indefinitely without rotting or decaying. It overlapped with the hydroponics room's function, but there was a key difference: veggies from the hydroponics room started spoiling the instant you took them out, like normal produce. This room, though, could permanently preserve even items brought in from outside—raw meat, vegetables, fruit... even human or animal corpses. Objects wouldn't rust or degrade either.
I'd built up such high hopes for the second room that I felt let down, but the Han sisters were over the moon.
"Master! Jackpot!"
"That good?"
Even Han Seol beamed as she spoke.
"We were already worried about all the harvested veggies and fruit piling up in the hydroponics room. We can store them here now. Spices and emergency rations that might spoil too."
"Master, medicine would be perfect here too."
Listening to them, I realized it was definitely useful. The drone room's impact had been so huge that I'd hoped for something flashy like a reinforced suit. The sisters managed the hydroponics veggies and fruits. Growth times varied, but small ones took about a week, melons around two. They'd been harvesting as soon as possible, but lately mentioned the space was getting tight. I'd suggested we just eat more, but they refused, saying they couldn't devour it all like that.
"It's a day worth celebrating, so call Governor Im and share some veggies and fruit. We'll eat too."
"Yes!"
The disappointment lingered, but considering the outside world, this room's performance was absurdly OP.
"Master, the Crossroads faction has arrived."
"Got it, I'll head out."
For the past month, I'd left dealings with the Crossroads faction and Jeong Su-hwan to the Han sisters. The leader showing up personally might undermine authority. Even Jeong Su-hwan, who used to treat me normally, started calling me "Your Excellency" and acting deferential. Conversations shifted from casual chats to him tiptoeing around my mood, so I handed his trades to the sisters too. Since the Im Jui incident, he brought detailed notes on everything he'd seen or heard, no matter how trivial. I let him have tiny amounts of his favorites—paprika and figs—as gifts.
Today's Crossroads trade, I decided to handle myself.
"Be careful out there."
I grabbed a folding chair and cloth bundle, stepped out the front door, and spotted the Crossroads faction far off. They bowed as they saw me approach, then flashed bright smiles.
"Your Excellency! It's been too long!"
The sisters had instructed them to address me as "Your Excellency" too. I unfolded the chair, sat, and spoke softly.
"A month is plenty of time for a human to realize their mistakes and reflect. Don't you think?"
"Your Excellency?"
They looked baffled. Without a word, I untied the bundle and upended it. The epaulets I'd removed from the bodies before dissolving them rained onto the ground. Their faces hardened.
I picked up one with silver stars—originally Heo Kyung-tae's—and showed it to them.
"Get it now? Honestly, if you'd come first, knelt, and begged forgiveness, I might've considered it. Didn't expect you'd play dumb for a whole month."
"Your Excellency! Th-that... we were just!"
"Don't interrupt."
"Your Excellency, forgive us!"
"I was honestly impressed watching you trade like nothing happened. Guess this is what beasts in human skin look like. Now, make your excuses."
"Y-Your Excellency, well, that..."
Their leader stammered like a broken record when one from the back dropped to his knees, forehead to the ground, and shouted.
"Your Excellency! Forgive us! We've committed a grave sin!"
The rest followed, kneeling and begging.
I pointed at the first kneeler.
"You be the leader from now on. This 'leader' guy's still trying to make excuses..."
"Your Excellency! Forgive us! We thought Heo Jun-jang hadn't gone your way since your estate was safe!"
"Still, you met him and should've mentioned he was looking for my place. Thought I wouldn't know you served him coffee and spilled everything?"
"Your Excellency..."
"Keep kowtowing and reflect."
With that, I headed home. Back inside, I went about my routine. I didn't want the kids seeing such ugly adult behavior, so I told them to stay indoors until further notice. As sunset turned to evening, I peeked through the curtains—they were still kneeling, heads to the ground.
"Ready to head out?"
"Yes, Do-hyun."
"Yes, Master."
The sisters followed me out with lanterns. I asked,
"Reflected enough?"
"Your Excellency... sob."
The Crossroads faction sobbed apologies.
"Enough rehashing the past. Let's talk future. I'll say it once, so listen well."
"Yes, Your Excellency!"
"Bring a thousand cans of good canned goods as compensation. And from now on, trades at five times the usual price. You've been getting water and charges for peanuts. No complaints, right?"
"Your Excellency, a thousand cans... we'll never make it through winter..."
"Don't bring 'em, and you won't reach winter—you die here."
"..."
Considering how cheap I'd sold them stuff, they had stockpiles beyond a thousand cans.
"If five times the price is too much, no more trades. But compensation by next week, or I'll assume you want me collecting personally. Don't want to end up in the same grave as Heo Jun-jang? Think it over."
I turned and went home. Truth was, there was no grave— I'd dissolved him completely.
"Your Excellency! Your Excellency!"
They wailed behind me but soon fell silent and left.
Inside, I asked the sisters,
"How was I?"
"Overflowing with dignity."
"Master could be called president right now."
"President's a stretch..."
With only ten citizens? Nah.
I figured it'd take days of agonizing, but the next day, the Crossroads faction hauled in multiple large carts of cans. They knelt immediately, begging to deliver all thousand within the week and pay five times—no, keep trading.
Meant even at five times, it was profitable for them. Felt how badly I'd underpriced before. The cans were pristine, varied, and best of all, unopened boxes of fruit cocktail.
"Fruit cocktail's supposed to be rare... another lie?"
"Your Excellency! No such thing! We really found them recently scouting an abandoned factory!"
"Fine. I'll believe you."
"Thank you, Your Excellency!"
"Governor, move all the cans inside."
Im Jui bowed to me, then strode out past the barrier, pulled a cart back in. The faction gawked at the gas-masked mystery figure casually crossing the barrier.
Intentional show of force: one governor could rip you apart anytime, barrier or not. Pre-planned performance—Han Byeol's scheme, actually.
Their new leader glanced up cautiously.
"Your Excellency... if I may... who is she...?"
"So many questions again?"
"S-sorry! Your Excellency! Forgive my impertinence!"
"She's the governor, but that doesn't click? Ever hear of the Ragged Wanderer?"
"..."
They stared silently at Im Jui hauling carts—knew the legends.
"Can't believe it?"
"N-no, Your Excellency."
Also intentional. Han Byeol figured rumors would spread anyway; better leak "Ragged Wanderer owners" for deterrence. Solid plan.
Over three days, they paid full compensation. Sisters said it'd hurt bad, but they'd scrape through winter tightening belts.
Next morning after they left, Seo Su-yeon showed up. Im Jui spotted her first during morning rations. She'd gawked at the expanded barrier and new buildings, then approached Im Jui. When asked what she replied, it was a notepad note: -His Excellency is eating breakfast. Don't make a fuss; wait quietly.- Han Seol nodded approvingly—very governor-like.
After breakfast, book, Han Byeol's coffee, and a shower, I grabbed the folding chair and stepped out. Seo Su-yeon and two underlings had waited over two hours outside the barrier, no irritation on their faces. She couldn't meet my eyes.
I unfolded the chair, crossed my legs, and sat. She spoke.
"Your Excellency... is that how I should address you?"
"Do what you want."
Flustered by my colder demeanor than last time, she nodded to her subordinate. He opened an icebox at the barrier's edge—far more pork belly than before.
"Bringing this much? Must have a guilty conscience. Think this bribe'll improve my mood?"
"N-no, that's not... Your Excellency, hear me out first..."
"I've thought it over alone for a month. Boils down to two options. One: you deliberately hid Heo Jun-jang's visit to test if I'm worth allying with. Two: you truly didn't know he'd come to me. And two's worse, honestly."
Her face paled. Avoiding my gaze, head bowed, her lips trembled.