chapter_0006

6 – The Storm is Coming

6 – The Storm is Coming

Noah had returned to the White family’s estate after a long time.

She was there to report to the head of the family and her father, Malek White, that she had become an advisor to the Crones Family.

At the age of fifty, Malek looked more like a grandfather than a father to Noah.

With his white hair and plump demeanor, he resembled the kind of grandfather who gives gifts in winter.

Upon hearing Noah’s report, Malek was surprised by the young lord of the Crones Family’s policies that transcended common sense.

He was doubly surprised to learn that Noah had become an advisor to the Crones Family.

“What a surprise! For someone who has always focused solely on the affairs of the family, to decide to step out like this, even when nobles and lords suggested otherwise.”

“That’s how it turned out, Father.”

Noah replied with her usual cold expression.

Malek was not a bad father, but he was not an ideal one either.

He had shown affection to Noah, but at the same time, he constantly pressured her to follow his path.

From suggesting positions that would benefit the family, such as ‘the head of a powerful noble family’ to ‘the wife of a great lord,’ he had pushed Noah towards a future that he deemed beneficial, and to survive in that environment, Noah had become a merchant.

Having achieved results and become a crucial talent for the family, Malek had no choice but to respect Noah’s decision.

To be precise, he had come to respect it.

“This is your choice, so I won’t say anything. But let me tell you one thing, my daughter.”

“Please speak, Father.”

When Malek said this, it meant he would concede a point.

It was a request for honesty, and Noah accepted the question, looking directly into her father’s eyes.

“What do you think is the value of the Crones lord, as seen through your eyes?”

Regardless of anything else, Malek evaluated Noah’s perspective as the best in the family.

When he heard that she had decided to step out, he became curious.

Just how valuable is the young lord of the Crones Family?

Is he capable of surviving the impending chaos?

Or could he be a vessel to become a new ruler of the empire?

As Malek waited for his daughter’s answer, Noah smiled brightly and said,

“I don’t know either.”

“You don’t know!?”

Malek was taken aback by his daughter’s lackluster response.

This was surprising because he had always known Noah to avoid making statements without conclusions.

“Yes… Lord Calix is not a vessel I can discuss.”

“Is that so…?”

Malek was surprised for the third time by Noah’s words.

He knew she looked down on many lords and nobles.

Hearing her say that someone surpassed him as a vessel left Malek confused about whether to view it positively or as a danger.

“Ah, there is one thing I am sure of, Father.”

“What is it?”

“Although I don’t know how far Lord Calix will go, surely…”

The young lord who suddenly appeared from the southern edge.

He was gradually making a name for himself with remarkable reforms in a short time, but most thought the young lord was merely struggling to establish his foundation and paid him no mind.

However, from her perspective, his actions were not at such a simple level.

“He will surely bring a ‘storm’ to this Novarens Empire.”

He would bring a storm to the empire.

Noah was certain of that.

“They say a storm is coming.”

On a day when Hart was extremely busy with the administrative work increased by customs reform, a report came in.

“A storm, you say?”

“Yes, we received word from the Blue Magic Tower yesterday. It seems a strong storm will reach our Crones territory in a week.”

According to Calix’s memory, the Crones territory was located by the sea and regularly experienced severe storms.

I recalled Calix’s memories and checked with Hart about the storm preparations.

“I see… Are the preparations for the storm in order?”

“Of course. We have prepared cloth and ropes to minimize storm damage in the warehouses, the castle, the salt fields, and the stables. You need not worry.”

Hart answered confidently.

By Calix’s standards, this was sufficient preparation.

But I could not be satisfied with that level now.

“Are the serfs prepared?”

“Yes, of course. My lord. The serfs have been informed about the storm, and we have prepared cloth and ropes for their share as well.”

Hart seemed to have adjusted his preparations to fit my changed demeanor.

But it was still lacking.

“Is that all?”

“Pardon?”

In my previous life, my hometown was by the sea.

So I could say with certainty.

If a storm hit with the level of preparation Hart mentioned, some of the serfs would die.

“What about the breakwater repairs? Are the shelters ready? And what about the drainage system?”

“That… is still…”

Hart looked flustered at my words.

It was understandable since I had never pressed him this hard before.

I usually refrained from excessively pushing Hart due to the Confucian dragon within me, but this time I felt I had to press him.

“From now on, our territory will begin storm preparations. Make storm preparations the top priority among all tasks, mobilize all workers, and have the knights stop their training and join the storm preparation efforts. Do you understand!!?”

“Y-Yes! Understood, my lord.”

I wasn’t sure what expression I was making.

But Hart, seeing my face, turned pale and hurried out of the office.

The sky outside the castle, visible from behind, was already cloudy, perhaps because the storm was approaching.

“A storm in another world… how annoying.”

I disliked storms, both in my previous life and now.

Baron, who worked at the Crones Family’s salt fields, was experiencing the happiest time of his life recently.

Thanks to the lord doubling the wages, he could finally move out of his parents’ house and get a new home with his wife and children.

And that wasn’t all.

Thanks to some magic the lord had cast, the prices of goods in the market had dropped significantly.

As a result, Baron could now enjoy proper bread and meat with his family at every meal.

Moreover, the market had become filled with clothes, toys, and alcohol that he had never seen before.

With the prices being low, Baron could buy the clothes and toys his wife and children wanted, allowing him to spend joyful times with his family.

It felt like a dream compared to last year when he had to suffer through days without work at the salt fields, feeding his starving children.

“Alright! Let’s all get to work!!”

“Let’s do it!!”

That day, he went to work at the salt fields with his friend Leon, just like usual.

However, everyone was gathered in front of the salt fields instead of going in.

Baron and Leon approached the crowd and found Solar, the elder managing the salt fields.

“Well, is everyone gathered now?”

“What’s going on? Elder Solar, is there something happening?”

“A public notice has come from the lord’s castle. Let me see… It says a storm is coming in a week.”

“A storm!?”

Everyone’s faces turned pale at the mention of a storm.

The storms in the Crones territory were notorious for their ferocity.

Last year, the roof of Baron’s house had almost been blown away, and some workers had lost their families to the storm.

“So, by the lord’s command, we will begin storm preparations from now on. All salt field work is to be paused, and we must focus on storm preparations as per the lord’s orders.”

“The lord!?”

“Yes, the knights will also come to help, and they will provide ropes and cloth needed for storm preparations, so anyone in need should go to the castle.”

Previous lords had also made preparations for natural disasters like storms.

But they had never mobilized knights and provided equipment to this extent.

Baron felt grateful for a lord who took such care of them.

At that moment, his friend Leon asked,

“What about our wages?”

“Let me see… The lord has ordered that we will be paid as usual, so don’t worry.”

“Wow! They’re even giving us wages!?”

“Long live the lord!!!”

Not only were they grateful for the preparations, but the fact that they would still receive their wages as usual was incredible!

Baron truly believed that Lord Calix was a lord sent from heaven.

Once the arrangements were made, Elder Solar said,

“Now we need to distribute the work, so I need the foremen to step forward.”

The foremen of the salt fields, including Baron, stepped forward and received their respective tasks.

They divided the work into drainage repairs, breakwater repairs, and securing houses and salt fields with ropes and cloth, all working hard to protect their properties.

Calix personally toured the territory, overseeing the preparations.

As Noah followed him and observed, she asked,

“Are you afraid of the storm, my lord?”

“I am afraid… Aren’t you, Noah?”

“I am scared, but not afraid. If I stay inside the house, I’ll be fine.”

Noah had seen stormy days before.

The rain and wind would lash out, making it feel like everything would be swept away, and terrified, she would stay locked inside until the storm passed.

Imagining what kind of experiences she had gone through, Calix said,

“You are blessed.”

“B-Blessed!?”

Noah was momentarily taken aback.

Very few people knew she had a blessing.

Could he possibly know about my blessing?

As she pondered this, Calix continued,

“The storm experienced by those who have nothing is akin to the wrath of the gods. Noah, it would be wise for you to remember that.”

So that is the meaning of the blessing.

Noah sighed in relief and said,

“I understand. I will remember, my lord.”

Calix’s words, as if he had experienced the lives of the serfs, piqued Noah’s interest.

What kind of experiences had he gone through in the past?

Deciding to ask later, Noah changed the subject.

“Still, if we have prepared this thoroughly, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“I hope so…”

Everyone capable of working in the territory was involved in the preparations.

With such thorough preparations, surely nothing would happen.

Yet, despite that thought, I felt uneasy.

It seemed like something bad was about to happen.

A word from the author (Author’s note)

What will happen to the protagonist on the day the storm arrives?

I will strive to reveal it shortly (in about 12 hours)!

Thank you for reading today!!