episode_0004

The sun hadn’t risen yet, but Chloe was sleeping soundly next to me.

‘happy.’

I now felt like I knew why my adoptive father wanted me to start a family.

‘So I have to work even harder.’

I kissed Chloe’s forehead and quietly walked out so as not to wake her.

Then I headed to the field I received from the village chief.

“Am I a good farmer now?”

My main occupation was a hunter, but if I had to live in a village and raise a family, I had to farm.

“First of all, it’s just plowing.”

The harvest season has already passed.

So, for proper farming, it had to be next spring. So, nutrients had to be supplied to the soil in advance.

“Anyway, the field is a bit large.”

My current field was a combination of the field I received from the village chief and the field owned by Chloe’s family.

In particular, the field the village chief gave me was not only abundant, but overflowing, so I had no idea how to use it.

Is this the heart of a rural person?

“Well, if you keep doing it, something will work out.”

First of all, the soil quality in the field given to me by the village chief was not bad, as it had probably not been used for a while.

However, because it was not managed, weeds grew in abundance. Chloe’s field was managed in the opposite way, but the soil was not very good.

‘I want to get fertilizer, but is there any way to get it?’

The sun began to rise while I was wondering if it would be a good idea to use monster feces as fertilizer.

“Phew… This will be enough for plowing.”

Fortunately, I was able to finish plowing the field within the early morning hours.

“Sian, let’s have breakfast!”

I heard Clia calling me from afar. It was still early in the morning, but I was surprised that she woke up early.

“Yes. I’ll go right away.”

. . .

My mother-in-law, Sylvia, prepared breakfast.

The menu consisted of rye bread, milk, jerky I made, and vegetables.

“Wow~ It’s a sumptuous feast.”

“Really?”

“Yes! I didn’t know there would be meat in the morning too. After Leon left, I couldn’t even imagine something like this.”

“Clia, don’t talk nonsense and eat.”

“Yes~Mom.”

According to Clia, he didn’t seem to like eating meat much.

Looking at Chloe’s body, it doesn’t seem like that at all.

“Good morning everyone.”

Chloe, who was the last to wake up, attended the meeting while holding her waist.

“Sister, what’s wrong? Does your back hurt?”

“Clia, because there is such a thing. Don’t bother my sister.”

“Hmm? Okay.”

Hum hum, it seems like I overexerted Chloe yesterday.

After breakfast, I went to see Sylvia to ask about farming.

“Silvia, can I ask you a question?”

“Huh? What are you curious about?”

Sylvia welcomed me with a bright smile.

Who would see me as a mother of three with that look?

Even though I know her age, I still mistake her for Chloe and Clia’s older sister.

“I checked the field today and it looks like it needs fertilizer.”

“You mean fertilizer? Obviously, most of the livestock has been slaughtered due to the recent war. There won’t be any fertilizer for next year in the village either.”

“So I’m curious, can monster feces also be used as fertilizer?”

“Then it’s perfect. Monster feces are very nutritious for the earth. Even among agricultural villages, monster feces are sold at a high price.”

Thanks to Sylvia, I was able to gain new knowledge.

‘Monster poop can make money.’

It was a bit dirty knowledge, but it was useful knowledge.

“Here is the draft. It’s herbal tea.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Sylvia offered me tea.

The tea had a fragrant smell, perhaps because it was brewed with herbs.

“Hey Sian, as Chloe’s mother, can I ask you a question?”

“Yes.”

“Was your affair with Chloe okay last night?”

“Cluck!”

I was taken aback by Sylvia’s sudden words.

“Was it a bit of a burdensome question?”

“Trigram, it’s okay.”

“Then can you tell me?”

“I am confident that I am not lacking anything.”

“Really? Thank goodness.”

Sylvia smiled brighter than before at my answer.

I guess my answer is pretty good.

“As you know, there are no men in our family.”

“I know.”

Sylvia’s family was filled with sorrow.

Three years ago, Glock, Sylvia’s husband and my father-in-law, died of an infectious disease. My eldest son, Leon, replaced his father Glock as the head of the family at a young age, but was drafted into the war.

Sylvia waited for her son Leon, but there was no news of her son due to the ongoing war, and she could no longer leave the situation as the only woman in the house, so she consulted with the village chief and quickly arranged Chloe’s marriage.

“So I want to see my grandson soon.”

“Don’t you miss your granddaughter?”

“Granddaughters are good, but if possible, grandchildren are better.”

It was an answer befitting an era where labor power is economic power.

“…I will try my best.”

“Hehe, I’ll look forward to it. Son-in-law.”

. . .

After talking with my mother-in-law, I looked for Chloe. She was doing laundry and looked quite tired.

As expected from a rural area without modern culture, doing laundry is hard work.

“I will help you.”

“Ah, Mr. Xian… It’s okay.”

“No. I just want to help.”

The amount of laundry was more than expected.

It seemed like it was probably taken out for cleaning when moving.

“Sian, you must have a lot of work to do, but you’ve been working since early this morning.”

“It’s okay. Even looking at it like this, my body is full of stamina, so it’s not hard.”

Chloe quickly refused, but I didn’t hesitate and did the laundry with her.

“Thank you.”

“It’s natural for me to be thankful as a husband.”

To be honest, it’s because I want to be with Chloe.

Just looking at her gives me strength.

“Mr. Sian, what are you going to do this afternoon?”

“First, talk to the village chief and then go to the dark forest. Because we have to prepare for winter.”

“I see. If you need anything, please let me know. I don’t know if I can help… ”

“What do you need? Then, will you kiss me?”

“Yes?”

Chloe blushed and felt embarrassed, as if she didn’t know I would ask her this.

But what should I do? I want to kiss you.

“Ji, it’s outside now, but inside… ”

“No, I want to kiss you now.”

“Ugh, okay. Honey,”

That’s how I was able to receive Chloe’s kiss again today.

. . .

“Excuse me.”

I visited the village chief’s house.

But the village chief wasn’t the only one there.

“Tom?”

“Xian! Did you have a good first night?”

“Stop making fun of people.”

“Haha, if not today, when will I make fun of you? Just sit here for now. There is a town meeting today.”

It looks like there is a regular village meeting today.

It’s annoying.

When that thought occurred to me, the village men gathered together one by one, and finally the village chief came in.

“Hehe, did Xian come too?”

“Hello. Village chief.”

The village chief approached me with a smile.

I thought about it before, this old man likes me so much.

Why?

“First of all, this month, we will begin the regular meeting of Rugeron Village.”

‘Ah, the name of the village is Rugeron. ‘I didn’t know.’

I didn’t know that this rural village had a name in the first place.

Anyway, among the men attending the meeting, there was no younger man than me, and the only person younger than me was a bald man who looked to be over 50.

“Because of the war, the lord says he has to collect taxes this month as well.”

“Again? I collected taxes last month and last month, so this makes sense!”

“It doesn’t make sense. But what can you do? They claim that it is food to feed our children.”

“At least if our children are alive, bring evidence!”

“That’s right! You won’t be able to notice it forever! We’re having a hard time too!”

“You guys… Are you planning to rebel against the Baron?!”

To be honest, the atmosphere of the meeting was somber.

Because the count was forcing the war to continue, the subordinates were suffering, and the lowest among them, the peasants, had to suffer.

“What is it like? What about the village meeting?”

Uncle Tom, sitting next to me, asked while sipping tea, and I answered while sipping tea.

“I can’t say it’s a good thing with empty words.”

“I can’t help it. It’s scary because there’s been a war recently.”

The meeting is more like an argument than a meeting.

It seemed like a competition to see who was right, who had the right idea, and who had the loudest voice.

“This is my first time, so what happens if I pay taxes this month?”

“It must be hard to get through the winter.”

“Aha, I see.”

To be honest, things didn’t look good.

However, it doesn’t mean that I, an outsider who wasn’t there until recently, could step forward and do something, so I just watched quietly.

I just want to talk to the village chief.

“I’ll just pay the tax. Everyone, prepare your taxes as I said before.”

“Chief!”

“Stop it! Aren’t you ashamed of your children who went to war!”

But this was my first time seeing the village chief speak so loudly.

After all, the village chief can’t do anything.

“Chit.”

At the village chief’s declaration, several people went out cursing.

It seems that the factions within the village are divided into two groups. The village chief’s faction and the faction led by that limping bald man.

‘I wonder what kind of power there is in this small piece of land and why we are fighting over politics.’

It’s ridiculous, but it has nothing to do with me.

“Thank you for your hard work. Village chief.”

“Okay. I wasn’t even called to the design meeting on purpose, so is there a reason why I came here?”

“I need wheat seeds to plant in the field next year, can you sell them to me?”

It is said that the village chief has been an excellent farmer for generations.

So, he must have been the village chief.

Anyway, the wheat seed used by the village chief could be considered the highest grade, at least in this village.

“Wheat seeds… I’m sure you’ll need it, but I’m sorry I don’t have any wheat seed to give you for tax reasons.”

“Yes?”

I was dumbfounded by the village chief’s words. It seems the village is in worse condition than I thought.

“Is the tax collected that high?”

“That’s right. That’s why I deliberately didn’t invite you, now that you’ve started a family, to the meeting. Because if you call it that for no reason, people from other families may become jealous of your family.”

It looks like the village chief is trying to exclude me from this month’s taxes.

I was wondering why you didn’t tell me there was a meeting, and I guess that’s why.

“It’s okay. I am now a decent member of the village, and if there is any tax that needs to be paid, I will pay it too.”

“But you can’t pay taxes because you don’t farm, right?”

“Even if there is no wheat, there is money.”

I handed over a gold coin to the village chief. It was some money left over from selling monster skins and by-products to peddlers.

The village chief’s eyes widened when he saw the gold coin.

“This month’s tax and the wheat seeds I mentioned are enough, right?

“That’s enough.”

“Then, Mr. Mil, please deliver it to my house. And I’m going to the dark forest. Do you need anything?”

“I don’t have any right now, but I’m running out of mints, so I’d appreciate it if you could get some for me.”

“Then, can I borrow a cart?”

“You can borrow as much as you want.”

After all, money is convenient.

“Hey.”

“Huh?”

Let’s end the conversation with the village chief and go outside.

A bald, limping man was glaring at me along with his gang.

“Are you the guy who married Sylvia’s daughter?”

“But.”

“Ha, how can I speak informally to an adult?”

what? Who is this idiot?

“He’s flattered that the village chief looks favorably on him!”

Suddenly, my body was hit and I lightly broke my arm.

“Ugh! It’s broken! It’s broken!”

“It usually doesn’t break with something like this.”

I let it go because it hurt so much. Then he glared at me with a red face and said.

“We’ll see!”

“What is that person?”

“He’s just an idiot.”

I asked Tom, but the answer was so clear that I couldn’t ask him any more questions.

There are idiots like that living in rural villages.