Chapter 27: I’ve Become Strong (3)
Chapter 27: I’ve Become Strong (3)
“Now, that’s enough, both of you.”
Fortunately, there was exactly one person who could stop these two.
“Madam!”
Lawrence smiled brightly, looking as if he had encountered a goddess in the depths of hell.
Indeed, Ava, who grew more radiant by the day as she recovered her health, was beautiful enough to be mistaken for a goddess.
She looked at her husband and son, let out a small sigh, and spoke.
“First, let’s both calm down.”
“Ahem, I understand, dear.”
“Mother, Father is just being so—”
“You be quiet for a moment, too.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
No matter how unruly Patrick was, he couldn’t act out against his mother, Ava.
Ava turned to her husband with a warm smile.
“Our son has done a wonderful thing, hasn’t he? You should praise him first.”
“Ahem, well, I was just about to do that.”
Baron Schneider then looked at Patrick with a forced, heartwarming smile.
“Son. You have truly done a great deed.”
“Suuuure I did.”
Snap. A vein throbbed on the Baron's forehead.
“It’s not just because you brought back a lot of money. I am truly proud that you didn’t turn a blind eye to those children in need and chose to help them.”
“Riiiight, of course you are.”
“Hey, you little…!”
“Dear.”
“Urgh… fine. Anyway, you did a great job.”
The Baron couldn't help but think that his son was an incredibly difficult person to deal with.
Ava then looked at Patrick and said, “Son, I am proud of you as well.”
“Yes. Thank you, Mother.”
Look at this brat discriminating between people.
Whose kid is he? His home education is just fantastic…
‘Wait, he’s my kid. Sigh…’
Baron Schneider lamented the fact that blaming anyone else would just be spitting in his own face.
Ava continued, addressing Patrick.
“Simply saying thank you isn’t enough for someone who has contributed so much to the territory. If there is anything you want, tell me.”
At Ava’s words, Patrick’s eyes sparkled.
“Ooh, as expected of Mother. You really get it.”
“Do I?”
“Yes. It’s only natural that a great deed should be met with a fitting reward. You can’t just brush it off with a ‘thanks’ or ‘I appreciate it,’ right? Isn’t that right?”
Patrick looked at his father as he asked the last part.
Baron Schneider felt a pang of guilt and cleared his throat.
“Ahem, well, of course. It is only natural to give a fitting reward to one who has achieved great things.”
“Mm, as expected of my father. So very fair.”
“Hahaha. Yes, yes.”
Seeing that Patrick’s anger seemed to have subsided, Baron Schneider breathed a sigh of relief.
In truth, he wasn't a petty man who begrudged giving rewards to those who earned them. It was simply that he wasn't used to it.
‘It’s not like anyone has ever achieved anything for me to reward them.’
In the Schneider Barony, where everyone was busy just trying to survive the daily onslaught of monsters, who could possibly achieve a notable feat? Just maintaining the status quo required everyone's best efforts.
As a result, Baron Schneider had rarely had the chance to grandly commend his subordinates.
‘I was foolish, Jacob Schneider. Even so, my son returned after achieving so much, and I didn't even think to reward him.’
The Baron let out a deep sigh of self-reproach. He felt truly ashamed that he hadn't realized it until his wife pointed it out.
He spoke to Patrick with a serious expression.
“Son, tell me what you want. If it is within my power, I will grant anything.”
“Oh? Really?”
“Of course.”
“You said ‘anything’ with your own mouth, Father. You’re not going to take it back later, right?”
“Of course… not.”
“Hehehe. Okay then, first of all…”
Baron Schneider learned a lesson that day. One should never speak carelessly.
* * *
A Lord is a being who possesses a vast amount of authority.
The right to enforce the laws of the land they rule, the right to control the soldiers, the right to collect taxes, and so on.
Within their own territory, the position of Lord is no different from being a minor king.
This was true even for Baron Schneider, who was often called a pushover or a fool for being too kind.
“I’ll establish a merchant group under the family name and run it myself. Also, give me the authority to train the soldiers and operational command over them. And the right to confer knighthood… well, that might be a bit much, right? Let’s make it so I recommend them and you confer the title. Oh, and also the exploration rights for the undeveloped areas of the forest…”
“Do you just want to be the Lord?”
“Huh? Really?”
“No, no, no, no. That’s not what I meant.”
“Tch.”
Baron Schneider, hurriedly denying the offer, broke into a cold sweat as he saw his son clicking his tongue in disappointment.
He was serious. That brat would actually become the Lord right now if told to.
“Hey, even so, I haven’t even had my coming-of-age ceremony yet. It’s too early for me to be Lord. You keep doing it for a while longer, Father.”
“Yes. I’m so grateful I could cry.”
So grateful I could cry, you little brat.
“So, son.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“What do you plan to do with the children you brought back?”
“Well, first of all, there are too many children in poor health.”
“It seemed that way.”
“I think we need to build a communal childcare facility first to help them recover. We need to feed them well and let them sleep well.”
“And after that?”
“If there are people in the territory who want to adopt them, we’ll go through the adoption process. If not, we’ll have to raise them ourselves.”
Hearing Patrick’s explanation, Ava smiled warmly.
“You’ve already thought it all through.”
“Hahaha. This much is nothing.”
“You sound like someone who’s done this many times before.”
“…Sigh…”
At Ava’s remark, Patrick suddenly let out a long sigh and thought to himself.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I was just thinking about the old days.”
“…You were?”
When a ten-year-old son puts on a distant, nostalgic expression while talking about the "old days," what is a mother supposed to do?
Regardless, Patrick continued to sigh as he reminisced about the past.
‘Sigh. Orphans are actually the easy part.’
Supporting the social reintegration of slum beggars.
Rehabilitating commoners who turned into bandits because they couldn't make a living.
Finding jobs for scholars who failed their exams and fell into despair.
He had even helped a lovesick monk return to secular life and acted as a matchmaker for him.
How did he have such a diverse range of experiences?
If your master is a pushover, you end up doing everything.
The pitiful, the wretched, the desperate.
Wasn't he the Radiant Dragon Hero Jincheon, who had run here and there to satisfy the meddling nature of a master who insisted on helping anyone and everyone?
‘Compared to those times, a few dozen orphans are nothing. Absolutely nothing.’
“Well, I’ll take care of the kids. Don’t worry.”
“Yes. I trust my son.”
“Ahem, I also trust in your abilities, son.”
With his parents’ reliable support, Patrick stepped out of the mansion.
“If I’m going to do this, I might as well do it right.”
It wasn't just about the orphans.
The money he earned this time wasn't just mere currency. It was the seed money that could completely change the future of the territory depending on how it was used.
‘First, improve the food situation of the territory, distribute new equipment to the soldiers—oh, I should look over their training too. I’ll need to call a doctor to check on the orphans’ health. And also…’
There was a mountain of work to do.
Just like the familiar old days.
The thought made him chuckle.
‘My fate doesn't change even after being reborn,’ Patrick thought with a smile as he looked up at the sky.
“It’s fine. I can do it all.”
* * *
“Mom, I’m hungry.”
“Drink some water. It’ll make you feel a bit better.”
“I don’t want to. I’m hungry. Can’t I just have one more potato?”
Her four-year-old son wasn't asking for much, just one more potato.
As a mother, it was heartbreakingly sad, but she had to refuse firmly.
“No.”
“Moooom.”
“I said no. Are you going to keep upsetting me?”
“Hee-ing…”
The boy began to tear up. Though she maintained a stern expression, her heart was wailing.
Raising a child alone after her woodcutter husband was killed by a monster was brutally difficult.
Fortunately, the people of the territory were kind and helped a lot, but it was still never easy for her to raise a child on her own.
She helped in other people’s fields during the day and spent the night sewing repairs she had taken in, yet she couldn't remember the last time she had fed her child until he was full.
“If you’re going to keep upsetting me, go outside!”
“Ugh… hic…”
The young boy couldn't bring himself to go outside at his mother’s threat, but he huddled in the corner of the room, clutching his hungry stomach and watching his mother’s face.
‘I’m sorry. Mommy is… Mommy is sorry.’
Turning her head away to avoid looking at her son, she secretly shed tears.
She knew she had to be strong to raise him, but life was so hard that she couldn't stop the tears from flowing. But then…
“Is anyone home?”
A voice came from outside.
She hurriedly wiped her tears and went out.
“Yes, I’m coming.”
Waiting for her outside were men unloading something from a freight cart.
“Who are you? Oh? Chandler?”
“Hello, Auntie Becky. Is Deren doing well?”
“Yes, we’re doing fine.”
Since it was a small territory, most people knew each other’s faces.
As far as she knew, Chandler had been famous for his cleverness since he was a child and was now working as a servant at the Lord’s mansion.
But why was Chandler here?
And what were all these goods being piled in front of her house?
Chandler quickly answered her unspoken questions.
“The Young Master is distributing the grain and daily necessities he brought back from Parmas. This is the portion allocated to you.”
“What? You’re giving us food?”
“Yes. And for daily necessities, there’s clothing, salt, firewood, and even a bit of sugar.”
“…My goodness.”
She almost pinched her cheek. If this was a dream, she hoped she would never wake up.
After unloading everything, Chandler spoke.
“Please check the items and sign here. A thumbprint is fine if you can’t sign.”
“Are you really giving all of this to me?”
“Yes. We’re distributing it to the other residents as well.”
“……”
Becky bit her lower lip hard.
The amount of goods left in front of her house was by no means small. With this much, they could easily make it through the winter. She could finally feed her hungry, crying son until he was full.
As she struggled to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over again, Chandler said, “And in a few days, the Young Master said he’s inviting several doctors to the territory. They’ll be giving free checkups to the residents, so make sure you and Deren come and get examined.”
“Ugh… sob…”
The tears she had been holding back finally burst forth.
As she sat down and sobbed, covering her face with both hands, Chandler gave a bitter smile. He had already seen this scene several times today.
How desperate must they have been?
Feeling a lump in his own throat, Chandler patted Becky on the shoulder.
“Hang in there. The Young Master said things will only get better from now on.”
“…Yes. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Well, we’ll be going now. We still have many places to visit…”
As Chandler and the workers left, Becky grabbed her son, who was looking on in confusion.
“You’re hungry, right? Mommy’s going to make you something delicious.”
“Wow! Really?”
Watching her son jump for joy, she felt a deep, sincere gratitude from the bottom of her heart.
‘Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Young Master.’