Chapter 146

While I was focused on farming, I heard Erich calling me from behind.

“Village Head Heintz! Come over and have some porridge! It’s very warm and delicious!!”

“Ha ha, alright. Give me a bowl as well.”

Upon hearing that, Erich took the largest bowl he could find and filled it generously with porridge before handing it to me.

“Oh dear… Even this old man could be satisfied with just half of this! How could you…”

“Just eat it all. I’ll bring pickled herring with the porridge for dinner.”

Pickled herring… In the past, it had been quite an expensive dish for villagers like us living in the countryside…

Since coming under the rule of Croilet Count after defeating Architel Duke, it had become a food we could eat relatively frequently.

Before the relief supplies that the Count sent a few days ago arrived, Architel Duke’s officials had been mercilessly collecting taxes.

So, we had to worry about how many would starve to death before this year’s harvest.

Without even the luxury to mourn for the dead, we lived in constant worry of starvation…

Thinking about such things, I settled down near the fields and began to eat the porridge.

The rich flavors of barley and wheat, the light saltiness, and the faint aroma of pickled herring…

In the past, eating such thick and delicious porridge was only possible during years of great harvest.

Even then, when they took the taxes, we would end up back to eating the bland stuff we were used to.

As I was lost in such memories, the people beside me spoke loudly.

“Hey… The porridge is well-seasoned, and it’s delicious. The porridge is thick enough to fill your stomach!”

“True, but making porridge has to be done in front of the soldiers, which is a bit… And we have to eat all three meals like this.”

“Come on, just a few days ago, you and I were worried about our wives and children starving to death… What are you even saying?”

A little while later, the one who complained muttered under his breath, just loud enough not to be heard by the nearby soldiers.

“Ugh… Still, because of the Count’s thunderous rod… Mark, Henry, Jack… So many died… And my brother was so happy to be getting married soon… Yet he goes and dies, leaving Sarah behind.”

“That’s unavoidable… It’s war. The Croilet soldiers we faced must have died in droves as well… But only Count is taking care of us like this. Isn’t that right, Village Head?”

Both what complainant Jackson said and what he was reproached by Lef was true.

As Jackson mentioned, none of the serfs in this village… no, in Architel’s territory had lost a friend or relative without the Croilet Count’s army.

Right now, I had lost my son Hans and my brother-in-law Rail in that war.

With such a brutal war, the soldiers on the other side must have also died endlessly.

And as Lef said, without Croilet Count’s consideration, we would be suffering without even the time to remember the dead.

But the dead could never come back, so I had to forget them.

So I intervened to mediate their argument, saying.

“It’s always a possibility that one could be dragged into war and die. This time, many indeed died, but… Isn’t that unavoidable? And now we can eat to our fill because of the benevolence of Count Croilet. So let’s just work hard under Count Croilet and enjoy our meals.”

At those words, the two of them seemed unable to argue further, nodding their heads and going off to work while holding their farming tools.

As the Village Head, I didn’t have to work, but I picked up a hoe to contribute a bit to the restoration of the village.

“Ha… When I came here long ago, I heard that the people in the Croilet territory eat black bread and herring every day. I wonder if we can really live like that?”

**

Today, just as I was about to dress up to go help the villagers with farming, I heard a loud voice outside the door.

“Village Head Heintz!! The Bailiff Harf has sent a letter.”

Upon hearing that, I opened the door to let him in and said, “You’ve worked hard to come. Have a glass of cold water before you go.”

He quickly emptied a glass of water, then placed the letter down and went outside.

I hastily tore open the letter sealed with Bailiff Harf’s emblem, beginning to read its contents slowly.

[Since the war has ended, we’ve been struggling to rebuild the ruined village. I haven’t been able to rest properly while trying to lift this area that has been half-destroyed… It’s no wonder my wife… (omitted) …By the way… Architel Duke has personally commanded us…]

A direct order from the Duke… No matter how I thought about it, it seemed impossible for the Duke to directly issue commands to lowly officials like Bailiff or me…?

[You must remember… The Duke was proud of our loyalty, and during the last war against Croilet Count, he personally allowed us the honor to command infantry… However, after the defeat in war, everything returned to how it was. Yet, the Duke has given us another opportunity.]

And attached behind it was a small note, which bore the Duke’s seal.

With trembling hands, I opened it, revealing remarkably shocking content beyond what I expected.

[To my loyal vassal, Bailiff, and the Village Heads, I command you. In one month, incite the disgruntled serfs to prepare for rebellion all at once. Then, I will gather soldiers and fight alongside you. Furthermore, if we reclaim the territory, I will make you nobles according to your merits.]

Already, Architel Duke had allowed us lowly ones to command infantry, opening a path to ascend.

Even though we lost in this war… What if we had won? Perhaps I could have been made a Bailiff instead of remaining as a village head?

And if I were to become a Bailiff, I could perhaps take a girl just over 20 as a concubine like Harf and live happily in my old age…

I would leave a great fortune for my children, and even support my grandchildren’s tuition if they wished to go to university…

No, even more than that, even though I am a Village Head, it would be possible to step on those city people who used to look down on me as just a serf…

Especially, stepping on that damned merchant guild’s Mark would be delightful too…

All these possibilities would open up if I followed Architel Duke and my status changed…

Although Croilet Count treats us well now, there’s no telling when he might change his mind.

As my thoughts temporarily tilted toward helping Architel Duke… I recalled a conversation I had just a few days prior.

The soldiers were watching from a distance, but while both serfs were saddened by the deaths, they held no resentment towards the current ruler, the Count.

On the contrary, others were rather happy that even though people died, they were not worrying about starving… and were eating well.

To persuade them that, since it’s an order from Architel Duke, everyone would follow it, would be futile because they would likely oppose me claiming they would die under the soldiers’ flaming clubs.

No, even if they were just opposing, they might try to report me just to survive.

The flaming clubs in their hands, or rather any properly trained soldiers seemed like demons straight out of hell.

In any case, betraying those soldiers would seem like a much better choice than opposing them.

With that in mind, even though I felt sorry for the Duke and Bailiff, it would be better for me to report first.

After coming to such a conclusion, I went to find the soldiers next to Saxon handing out food over there.

The soldier asked upon seeing me.

“No, Village Head. What’s going on? Is it that something has happened in the village?”

I spoke sincerely. “Hand this letter to your superior. It’s sent by Architel Duke through Bailiff Harf…”

At my words, the soldier, releasing a fierce aura, took the letter in his hand.

“Bailiff Harf has sent a letter… I will check its contents.”

For a moment, even though I was just a Village Head no different from a serf, I felt insulted for being treated rudely by a mere soldier… but I held it in.

A while later, he finished reading the letter and spoke with an arrogant tone.

“It seems this letter is definitely sent by Architel Duke. Damn it, I suspected that damned Short Lieutenant… The Count ordered that the Duke might pull some tricks, so we should keep a thorough watch…”

Even if he claimed to be a soldier of the Count, seeing him handing out food in a place like this made him no different from a serf…

Is he looking down on me just because he’s supposedly a soldier?

So, I raised my voice to express my annoyance.

“No, that letter is important! Why are you opening it? Our lives, my life, and the lives of the villagers depend on that letter. Even though I am just the village head of this small village, I should not be disregarded by some mere soldier!”

At my words, he simply chuckled and produced a document with the same emblem as the Count’s.

“I am Second Lieutenant Mant, affiliated with Count Croilet’s intelligence unit. I was ordered to watch since there’s a chance that the Duke might incite you to start a rebellion, so I was dispatched here for both support and surveillance purposes.”

Second Lieutenant… I didn’t know much about ranks, but since I couldn’t even speak back to someone with the rank of Second Lieutenant in front of Bailiff Harf before, he must be quite high up.

Who would have thought such a high-ranking individual would come all the way to this countryside?

Even if he was unaware, if he’s higher than Bailiff, he’s practically nobility.

“I’m sorry!”

“Don’t worry about any offenses. I am treated like a low noble myself, so I’m not in the subject’s scope.”

After escaping from the life-threatening situation, I let out a deep sigh of relief.

And the officer named Mant placed a hand on my shoulder and patted it.

“Thanks to you, I can shout at that damned Short Lieutenant. Since I’ve accomplished such a significant feat, perhaps I’ll get promoted this time. Why would I torture someone who did me a good turn?”

“Ha ha… Thank you.”

As I awkwardly smiled, he whispered something in my ear before leaving.

“Due to your wise judgment, you have saved your life. No, if you do well, you might just receive a reward from the Count. Congratulations.”

**

After issuing the summons order to the bailiffs, reports came in two weeks later from Colonel Samuel and Short Lieutenant.

And the content was roughly as follows.

[Using Colonel Samuel’s authority, the letter sent by Architel Duke to the bailiffs was intentionally delivered to the bailiffs throughout the Architel territory. Additionally, for precautionary measures, surveillance is being conducted through intel unit soldiers stationed around various parts of the Architel region and regular soldiers. Most village heads and bailiffs appear to be participating or tacitly approving the Duke’s scheme… (omitted) However, some, including Village Head Heintz, have reported the Duke’s scheme, thereby expressing their loyalty.]

When people become blinded by desire, they fall for ridiculous scams.

In Korea, it’s like those sites claiming to give out winning lottery numbers or those fake stock investment tips.

In fact, if you closely examine the Duke’s scheme, it only leads them to become scapegoats, ultimately pushing them towards doom.

Logically thinking, if you gather a disorganized bunch of serfs and expect them to rise in rebellion all at once…

If the 10,000 stationed soldiers open fire and begin a massacre, it’s clear that the serfs will try to sell out their village heads and bailiffs just to survive.

Instead, the Duke will likely take advantage of the chaos as they frantically try to suppress the rebellion.