Oasis (1)
A few days ago, I finally returned to Toypus Earldom after nearly a month away. My dear, sweltering, empty territory. If the lord vanishes for almost a month with topaz in hand, anyone would think he'd bolted. But the residents just eyed my return with a mix of suspicion and hope, saying,
"You've come back."
That single phrase seemed to confirm they accepted me as their lord. I had no idea why they thought that way, or why they'd worked the mines for free before.
"Kyu-ing, how's my shoulder? Healed up nice and proper?"
-Kyuung!Kyeng!
Kyu-ing bounced on my shoulder—the spot where a monster's fang had sunk in. It was like he was scolding me for getting hurt.
"I didn't want to get injured, y'know. And the hole closed up fine after a few days anyway."
-Kyut!
I twisted to check the scar in the mirror. It was still there, but no functional issues. Erasing scars entirely was healing territory, not regeneration—something only a saintess with divine power could pull off. Thanks to Kyu-ing, my natural healing had kicked into high gear, mending the wound.
"Man, why'd that punk Arthur show up so damn late?"
I recalled rescuing Lily from the manor. Monsters swarmed, and I'd spotted a soldier bolting out the back door. Figuring it led inside, I debated rushing in but decided to wait for the hero first. Except Arthur never came. The baron's place and the duke's were close by—maybe he was tied up, or taking a dump. Whatever. Things went sideways, so I charged in anyway.
Dealing with the rampaging monsters one by one delayed me. Hell, if I'd just skipped waiting for Arthur from the start, Lily might not have gotten clawed up. Or maybe I should've stopped that baron's wife from slapping her when we first met. Lily looked so precarious amid those beasts. Any second, fangs could've ripped into her throat.
So I brutally offed one monster to draw their aggro. "They didn't even clock me properly at first."
While I called out to Lily and handled the monsters, she reached out in the wrong direction. I figured her vision was messed up and grabbed her hand, yanking her out from the pack. I stashed her in a room, bought time clearing beasts, then heard Arthur's voice and bailed.
"At least these were weaker than the mine monsters."
Lots of lucky breaks. The wolf monsters were pushovers compared to the mine ones, but they mobbed me. The manor's corridors helped mitigate their group attacks.
-Kyuung!
"Got it. Won't get hurt next time."
-Kyung.
Escaping the manor without the hero's party spotting me. Getting out of the North. From the carriage ride to now—Kyu-ing kept nagging. Commendable loyalty from my little guy.
"Enough griping. Time to check on that thing."
I threw on a loose desert robe, front open. Come to think of it, a Geumtaeyang didn't need to hide his muscles. Especially not in the desert.
-Kyuiiing…
"What's with the weird noise?"
Kyu-ing made another odd sound. I perched him on my shoulder and headed out. Residents milled about—unlike the old days when streets were ghost towns by day. They spotted me and trailed behind.
Part of it was my request, but mostly their own anticipation.
In the village center: traces of the sunken oasis. A small puddle had formed in the middle.
'This much in just a few days.' Not bad—impressive, even. It meant the aquifer was filling, and soon the oasis pit would pool proper.
"Ahem."
"Lord, you've arrived."
"Yeah, that... no water thieves, right?"
"None, my lord. Some eyed it covetously, but they backed off once we explained."
The man guarding that tiny puddle: Haul. The guy who'd volunteered as unpaid miner and now self-appointed oasis watchman. Good frame, but muscles wasted away. For some reason, he was playing voluntary slave. Great for a lord, but it bugged me. Made me curious why.
'I'll ask later.'
I stared at the puddle. The water level crept up in real time.
"No one here doesn't know me. Yuran La Toypus, lord of this place."
"…."
"…."
The gathered residents hung on my words—partly curious, partly waiting for me to wrap it up. They craved this clean water.
"First off, my apologies. I'm an incompetent lord. Even when my father—the previous lord—died, and after, I avoided it all. And when I came back, I still couldn't do jack for the territory."
Dad died while I was at the academy. I heard the news but didn't return. Just wanted to dodge responsibility, avoid that crushing helplessness.
"But with the saintess and holy knight's help, we reclaimed the collapsed Toypus Mine. Using the ore we mined, I headed north and struck a deal with the Vanderbilt family. Now we have steady, if modest, income. Early on, that'll buy food and seeds."
They needed to hear my plans, even briefly. Only way they'd start trusting me a bit.
"Soon, no more sour, numb stew. No more fishy cactus juice."
I stepped aside, scooped water from the puddle below with both hands, and scanned the crowd. Spotted a girl up front. Looked maybe six years younger than me, but malnutrition made it hard to tell.
"Little one, come here."
"M-Me…?"
She hesitated. Hmm, how to play this? Nothing hits like using a kid for impact.
Just before I chugged it myself,
"Bell, it's okay. Go on."
Haul spoke up, and only then did the girl—Bell—relax and approach.
"My daughter, my lord."
"Ah."
Seemed he'd warned even her off the puddle. Must've torn his heart telling his own scrawny kid that. Made me even more curious about Haul's deal.
"Here, have a drink."
I offered her the water in my hands. Born from the Dragon Heart ice I'd brought from the North, melted by desert heat. Not freezing now—just refreshingly cool.
"C-Can I really…?"
"Of course. Soon you'll drink your fill anytime."
She bowed her head and sipped.
"Ahh… It's cool and clean…."
Bell's eyes sparkled. Could've used a cup, but that lacks punch. This was impression time. Toypus Earldom has no water shortage anymore. And I made it happen. Cue evil laugh.
Why stage this? Showboating's necessary sometimes.
Once Bell finished, I sent her back to Haul and spoke up.
"Seeking volunteers for unpaid labor."
Slave hunting. Had to be done.
After Yuran left the North, a holy knight arrived. His name: Tecus. He was supposed to come with his comrades, but he'd gone ahead alone. He had a heartbreaking request to deliver.
"Holy Knight Tecus requests an audience with the Saintess."
Tecus's first stop in the ducal territory: naturally, Cecily.
"It's been a while. I hope you've been well?"
"Yes, by the grace of the divine."
"And how fares Toypus Earldom?"
Cecily spoke to Tecus with eyes closed. Opening them let in too much; she still needed time to control her power. Even so, she sensed his emotions: pity, sorrow, joy, ecstasy—everything but raw anger. She focused on the pity and sorrow. Bad omens—had something worse befallen Toypus?
"With the Toypus lord's aid, we…."
Tecus reported everything: supporting the territory, the residents' thanks and tragic tales passed via Cecily.
"Ah…."
Reclaiming the monster-held Toypus Mine. Yuran awakening both divine power and mana, barely felling beasts but taking heavy wounds—yet recovering in days.
"That's a relief…."
And mining topaz to secure a trade partner.
"Well done, Sir Tecus. You must've suffered."
Cecily penned another letter to the Pontiff post-report: requesting the Church buy Toypus topaz. Not forever—just fair deals until startup funds built up. Low-profile enough.
The reply via messenger bird days later surprised her.
"They already have a trade partner?"
Yuran had lined up a deal already. Trades were fine, but Toypus's plight meant they might get screwed short-term. That worried Cecily—right as vitality stirred, no room for losses.
"Who'd they partner with…."
She soon found out.
"Where are you headed?"
"T-To… Toypus Earldom…."
"Why?"
"M-Master says the first deal needs personal oversight… s-sent me…."
Ah, Vanderbilt family. No worries then.
"When will you return?"
"W-Within a month, at least…?"
"Understood. Safe travels, Lady Hera."
"Y-Yes…!"
"Hoo… Heading there? Mind if I tag along?"
"Lady Eldra too…?"
"Sounds fun."
But a month passed—no Hera or Eldra.
"Saintess…! D-Did something happen to Hera and Eldra…? With Yuran maybe…? Should I go? But Kairen's due soon…."
Arthur's fretting was a tale for another time.