Chapter 37

Chapter 37

#37. The Faith of the Northern Region (2)

Whether the knights of Frosthaven knew how they were perceived or not, Ariana and Arad continued their warm conversation.

“Anyways, you really went through a lot on your first day. You must be tired, so go rest already! Yeah, that’s the spirit! Take three days off from work.”

“Huh? Three whole days?! No way! I’m fine! I can keep coming to work!”

“Not at all. Rest is very important.”

“W-Well… Did I do something wrong?”

“Wrong? Not at all! It’s a reward for your hard work.”

“…Huh…”

“This is what we call a ‘flexible work schedule.'”

“Flexible… What now?”

“That’s a thing. Anyways, go get some rest. If anyone from your main job says anything, let me know. I’ll go argue with His Grace, the Duke.”

“Yes…?”

“By the way, where do you live? Should I escort you home?”

“I’m good! Totally fine! Seriously, no need!”

“Is that so…? Though security is important. Got it. Then go inside already.”

“Yes… Can I visit the trading post even on my days off?”

“Why would you come to work on your days off? I am not that kind of trash.”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Go rest already!”

“Yes…”

Flexible? Main job? What the heck is that? Eopte, Roji, and Karot who overheard this had a hard time fully understanding what was going on.

They just exchanged glances and gestures as they kept eavesdropping on the two.

‘He’s offering her a break, so why does she seem reluctant?’

‘That’s true… There are people who want to rest but can’t.’

‘Maybe she won’t get to eat the food Arad prepared? Is this “chicken” really that amazing?’

‘Pfft, no matter what, working on your days off doesn’t make sense.’

‘True, but back in the old days, we didn’t even have Arad’s salt.’

Above all, Mary’s lack of joy at being given three whole days off made them curious.

‘Whatever this “flexible” thing means, still, getting three full days off is enviable.’

‘When was the last time I had a proper rest?’

‘Should I quit being a knight and apply to Arad’s company?’

‘I’ll endure until this case is over. Once we’re fully staffed, we might be able to take turns resting.’

But there was no real need to understand.

Their sole mission was always one – the safety of their target.

“Well then… I’ll be heading home.”

“Safe travels. You really worked hard today.”

And so, Mary left work looking bewildered at Arad’s thoughtless consideration.

‘Roji, guard Silver until she enters Lenslet Castle.’

Eopte, also their leader, gave instructions to Knight Roji after spotting Ariana walking towards the inner castle.

‘Really, is guarding her until there enough? What about her days off?’

‘The inner castle will be handled by Lady Isabel and Valkyrie.’

‘Understood.’

Sure enough, another bloodline of the former Duke. Roji, the youngest of this team, nodded at Eopte’s explanation and discreetly followed Ariana from behind.

‘We’ll continue secretly guarding Gold.’

The remaining two stayed focused, protecting Arad and his creations.

Sometime later.

Bureaucrats and witches from High City were amazed at the detectors Arad created.

Then they cheered at the fertilizer he introduced, only to be shocked when they heard its name.

* * *

There once was a farmer. He lived in a small village in the north, growing rye generation after generation.

The farmer originally had nine siblings, but six passed away before adulthood.

Two couldn’t withstand illness and cold before they could even walk, while four were eaten by monsters and beasts just as body hair started to grow.

His parents died in an avalanche while gathering firewood when he became an adult.

Being originally the third child, the surviving farmer became the eldest son and head of the household.

He did his best as the head, successfully raising the two younger brothers and sister his parents left behind to adulthood.

The farmer’s efforts bore fruit.

His sister grew into a fine young lady and married a blacksmith from the neighboring village.

The two younger brothers declared their independence, deciding to become adventurers and leaving for the city.

All the farmer could do was give them two silver coins each as they departed for the city.

Ten years passed. In the meantime, the farmer married late and had five children.

But that was the end of happiness.

His sister from the neighboring village died giving birth to her third child.

The two younger brothers who left for the city over ten years ago haven’t been heard from since – they must be dead.

The fruits of the farmer’s efforts and dedication were ultimately bitter.

And right now.

The farmer muttered despairingly as he looked at his field.

“Ancestors… Is it finally my turn?”

Beside him stood three of his children and his heavily pregnant wife.

Originally, he had five children, but two couldn’t survive the harsh northern winters and were buried without names.

“The leaves in the field are all withering!”

“Daddy, I’m hungry!”

“What should we do…? Honey…”

The innocent complaints of his children.

The worried voice of his wife.

None of it reached the farmer’s ears.

He just silently stared at the fields that had suddenly died overnight.

What should he do now? He heard the lord would provide food. The problem was, it wasn’t free – it was a loan secured by the land.

Even though he was uneducated, he knew all too well what that meant.

Krrrr…

At that moment, witches riding brooms appeared in the village sky.

Creatures rarely seen. Even the farmer wouldn’t have seen one in his lifetime if not for this incident.

‘So this happened because spirits suddenly went berserk?’

Apparently, someone evil made the spirits go berserk, and these berserk spirits were rapidly draining the mana from the earth.

The witches said they came down from High City to contain the berserk spirits as much as possible.

Krrd…

But watching those witches, the farmer unconsciously gritted his teeth.

‘Because of these witches…!’

He didn’t trust that story.

Because of another rumor quietly spreading through the village.

‘The farms in High City! The farms directly managed by witches! They’ve become far more fertile!’

He burned with anger inside.

What had he done wrong? They should have just raised taxes instead!

‘May the ancestors not forgive them!’

The lifelong reverence and loyalty he held for High City showed cracks.

Grief, doubt, despair, and frustration took their place.

* * *

One day, as the sentiments in the northern region quickly turned restless.

In Shuen, one of the few fiefs where farming was possible even in the harsh north, a distinguished figure arrived.

It was an executor sent from High City.

Executor. A walking judiciary composed solely of high knights.

Iron men among iron men, against whom the entire village couldn’t inflict a single wound.

Their overwhelming presence made them seem not quite human.

They truly seemed like beings from another dimension, as if blue blood flowed through their veins.

Just seeing the executor from afar was enough to make the villagers’ rising dissatisfaction and resentment subside.

“For a while, I’ll be patrolling the village and its surroundings. Five of you remain to assist me while everyone else continues with their daily work. Those who help will be paid in copper coins.”

“I’ll do it! I’ll do it!”

“Me first!”

“Tsk, Village Chief!”

“Yes, sir. Hey! You idiots! Be quiet already?!”

The executor from High City visiting the village was rather unique.

In his hand was a magical artifact about the size of two adult male fists combined.

Made from leather and wood forming a circular frame, with a flat circular plate of magic stone embedded inside, glowing faintly with a magic circle.

“Carefully… Carefully…”

Even though he was an executor, he handled this incredibly expensive and precious item as if it were a sacred relic.

Five sturdy villagers selected through fierce competition followed the knight closely.

Fortunately, the farmer also managed to join this group.

So, how long did they patrol the village?

About one-third of the day had passed since the executor first arrived in the village.

“Here it is! Here! We found it!”

A bright shout erupted from the executor’s mouth, like discovering a gold mine.

“Here? Just a moment…”

Responding to that shout, a middle-aged witch who had somehow ended up walking with the executor reacted immediately.

The witch planted her broomstick into the ground and closed her eyes, concentrating.

After about three minutes…

The witch’s eyes slowly opened.

“What do you think?”

“Woah! To think they could set up such a clever barrier! No wonder we didn’t notice!”

“Did you find it? The location of that vile thing?”

“Yes! I’ll break the barrier right away!”

As soon as the witch finished speaking, she began muttering a spell.

While chanting, she took out mysterious powders and liquids from the pretty and strangely-shaped bag at her waist and sprinkled them around.

“…”

The executor silently guarded the witch.

Anyone who dared approach recklessly would meet the executor’s glare filled with killing intent.

Because of this, the villagers, including the farmer, couldn’t intervene even though they felt uneasy and worried about the witch’s actions.

“It’s done! Now dig up the ground!”

The witch’s spell wasn’t long.

Surprisingly quickly, the cleverly set barrier was broken.

“Dig here! Right now!”

The moment the witch finished speaking, the executor ordered the sturdy villagers holding shovels to start digging.

When they dug up to thigh-deep…

“Huh…? Whaaat?!”

They really found something in the ground.

A small black stele that looked extremely ominous just from its appearance.

“This is… the spellcraft of the Empire’s Golden Mage Tower?!”

Seeing the stele, the witch furrowed her brow and spoke.

“The Empire bastards! This stele was planted by the Empire bastards!”

Upon hearing that, the executor immediately drew his sword and smashed the stele while cursing the Empire.

[Keearrrrrk!]

At the same time, a chilling scream echoed throughout the village.

“The Empire! Definitely the doing of the Empire bastards!”

“The Empire conspired with wicked dark wizards to dry up our northern lands!”

The sentiments and public opinion of the entire village flipped instantly.

“The Empire! The despicable bastards of the Empire!”

“May the ancestors punish you bastards!”

Even the naive farmer immediately redirected all the grudges and hatred he had harbored until now toward the Empire.

This wasn’t limited to the farmer’s village.

It happened simultaneously across the entire northern region.

“But… What do we do now?”

“It’ll take at least several years for the land to recover… What do we eat in the meantime…?”

“Damn Empire bastards! So that’s why they weren’t willing to lower the price of grain?!”

“Ancestors, please look kindly upon these pitiful descendants.”

The cause was found, and it was removed.

But the problem remained unsolved.

And around that time…

“Did you hear?”

“What about?”

A certain rumor quickly spread across the entire northern region.

“Our His Grace hasn’t eaten or slept, praying fervently to the family’s patron deity.”

“Praying? What kind of prayer?!”

“For blessings and salvation to be bestowed upon the people who have lost their mana.”

“!!”

That news brought immense emotion to the disheartened northerners, especially the farmers.

“We should pray too! Let’s all pray!”

The wave of emotion swept across the northern region like a tidal wave.

“Our His Grace hasn’t eaten or slept while praying, we should do something too!”

“Let’s hold a prayer meeting at the square every morning starting today in our village!”

“Let’s pray in Haven too!”

“If Haven is doing it, our city can’t be left out!”

“His Grace commanded it! While praying, don’t neglect eating and drinking!”

“Ohhh! How merciful! How could we have doubted him even for a moment!”

“Your Majesty… We want to eat, but there’s really nothing left…”

“Shut up and pray already!”

An unexpected wave of prayer swept across the entire northern region.

“But who should we pray to? Should we offer sacrifices to our ancestors?”

“No, this time let’s pray to Lenslet’s patron deity. It’s better to focus our prayers in one direction rather than scattering them everywhere.”

“Then let’s build an altar to pray to the patron deity in the village!”

“Rune Lenslet! Rune Lenslet!”

The loyal cry of the faithful knights and soldiers of High City began to echo from the mouths of all the commoners in the northern region.

May the patron deity of Lenslet pity this land.

Grant something to revive the dead earth.

This marked the beginning of the first PR campaign and viral sensation in the north.

And it became the origin of the Lenslet religion, which would later become the official religion of the northern region.

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