episode_0009

Two months since the establishment of the knights’ order, spring was in full bloom.

Thanks to smooth food supply, the village began to thrive.

The chronic food problem in the village was perfectly solved with just two things: fertilizer and feed potions.

Food piled up in the warehouse, and the surplus was sold.

With that money, we bought flour, and finally, the smell of bread baking started to spread throughout the village.

In this world, bread holds a position similar to that of white rice in the present life, so baking bread is not just a simple act.

The makeshift shower facilities by the riverside that I suggested to the administrative officer were also completed.

It wasn’t a difficult task, just erecting pillars in a square and surrounding them with thick screens.

Naturally, we separated men and women, and provided basins, soap, and towels so that people could use them.

Now that it was a warm spring, people flocked to the riverside to shower, and thanks to that, they no longer suffered from foul odors.

Very nice.

“Want to smell my armpits? It’s a pleasant scent.”

Except for suddenly raising her arms and making a crazy sound after taking a shower, Mirella said.

“Oh my! Mr. Jack!”

Following behind Mirella, the village girls came out and shyly smiled when they saw me.

“Hello, everyone.”

“What brings you here…?”

Mirella looked closely at the girls, blushing and brushing their wet hair behind their ears.

Mirella’s gaze moved sequentially from the girls’ ample chests and hips to her own somewhat petite figure.

Then she widened her eyes and had a sudden outburst.

“What?! Why are you flirting, ladies!? Didn’t I say it?! Mr. Jack is the man who lives with me!”

As Mirella grabbed a lid opener, the girls got scared and hurriedly ran towards the village.

“That’s how strong women protect their homes.”

Watching the retreating girls, Mirella proudly muttered, leaving me with a bewildered smile.

By the way, today is an external schedule day.

And by “external schedule,” I mean a genuine one.

It’s a day to go outside the village.

Since possessing this body, I have never been outside the village.

My body was too weak, and I was too busy settling down in the village.

Now I’m somewhat stable, so I’m thinking of going out to take care of some business.

I stopped by the store, put on a coat, grabbed a map, and started walking. Mirella followed closely behind me like the moon following the sun.

“Oppa! Where are you going?”

“I have somewhere to go. Stay at the store.”

But instead of returning to the store, Mirella glanced at the map in my hand.

“You’re going to a dangerous place. I’ll go with you.”

“You? Well…”

Suddenly, Mirella swiftly struck a boulder with the lid of a tin can opener.

The rock split in half.

“Would that be helpful?”

“Gasp….”

With the inexhaustible stamina typical of her age group and the buff from the tin can opener, it seems such a thing is possible.

“Okay. Let’s go together.”

We were heading to Mestophin’s landfill, not far from the village.

It used to be the stage for the activities of the infamous bandit Bint, who came to rob me before being beaten up by the villagers.

When Bint, who had posed as the owner here, disappeared, the landfill became public property, now being used as our village’s exclusive disposal site.

I’ve heard that occasionally ragtag monsters and riffraff appear, but with Mirella around, there’s nothing to worry about.

I am an NPC from the starting village store with nothing to my name.

Even fighting one-on-one with a goblin ends in a miserable defeat.

So, it’s absolutely necessary for someone to protect me like this.

But suddenly, I became curious about what kind of abilities Mirella actually possesses.

Judging by her actions, she seems to be a warrior type, but her smart head suggests she might be a mage.

“Status window.”

I whispered quietly, but naturally, nothing appeared.

Mirella, with her keen ears, turned around and asked.

“What are you muttering to yourself?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just said you’re pretty.”

“Eek?!”

Mirella was extremely startled, clutching her chest with both arms.

“I knew it! You were planning to force yourself on a helpless young girl and impregnate her in this remote place!”

Is Mirella trying to take off her pants?!

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

“Sob.”

It’s fortunate that she’s truly a minor.

It would be really difficult to handle her once she becomes an adult.

* * * * *

We continued walking along the path heading north and turned right at the fork.

“Wow.”

Mirella exclaimed involuntarily at the magnificent scenery unfolding before her.

The Mestophin landfill was literally a wave of garbage, a mountain range.

I had visited during gaming, but seeing it in person was a completely different world from viewing it on a monitor.

It’s truly a tremendously vast place.

From a distance, one might mistake it for a city filled with skyscrapers.

The warning that beginners could easily get lost if they entered incorrectly was not an exaggeration at all.

If I hadn’t distributed several maps based on my original knowledge, there would surely have been missing persons among the villagers.

Of course, it goes without saying that creating a map of the landfill only added to my “devotee” status without needing further explanation.

“Let’s go in.”

Unfolding the map, as we entered the valley of garbage, the surroundings instantly darkened.

Surprisingly, the piles of garbage on both sides were so high that they momentarily blocked out the sun.

Where on earth did all these things come from?

“Oppa, hold my hand. We must not be separated.”

Holding Mirella’s hand tightly, I looked at the map and navigated through the complex garbage pathways.

“I think this is about the right place.”

I stopped walking, pointing at the map with my finger.

“There’s nothing here? What’s supposed to be here?”

“We arrived a bit early. Let’s wait.”

As we stood there for a moment, Mirella glanced at me with a start.

“Something’s coming.”

However, I didn’t feel anything at all.

Seems like being a basic shop NPC means my senses are quite lacking.

Nevertheless, Mirella, whose exact class I couldn’t determine, had outstanding abilities, having noticed them first.

Shortly after, several people appeared with footsteps audible enough for me to hear.

People of all ages, looking disheveled and worn, with no distinction between men and women.

Dressed in tattered clothes, they staggered forward carrying small bundles, their faces weary from wandering the landfill for some time.

“Hello.”

As I greeted them, the people halted their steps.

The eyes of the people looking at me were filled with fear.

“W-who are you?” “You’re blocking the way!!”

“Please calm down. I have no intention of harming you.”

I raised my empty hands and offered a friendly smile.

Mirella followed me, revealing her white teeth.

The people’s gaze shifted from me to Mirella.

Mirella was so beautiful that it seemed to ease the tension on people’s faces.

Not missing the opportunity, I spoke.

“You seem lost.”

“H-how did you…?”

“There’s only one reason for someone to look like that here in Mestofin’s garbage dump.”

“Are you lost too?”

“No, I have a map.”

As I took out the map from my pocket and unfolded it, the people’s eyes widened.

“A-a map?!”

“I will help you find your way out. Follow me.”

However, the people didn’t move willingly.

I felt wary of their hostile glances towards me.

They were refugees who had fled from the Keulke Republic several months ago, escaping the war that had broken out.

They were part of a large group of refugees who had been fleeing eastward, evading pursuit by the enemy army, and had ended up here at Mestofin’s garbage dump.

In the original setting and story, the lost refugees here eventually fail to escape and all die.

In the game, they are depicted as piles of white bones in the garbage dump, and when interacted with, it is briefly mentioned that they died in such and such a manner.

Furthermore, in the game, certain classes can use skills to estimate the time of their death.

Of course, it’s meaningless in the game.

But now, the situation is different.

I know when those bones died in the game, even remembering that it was about a week from today.

So, I ordered the reconnaissance team to intensify surveillance around the area where the bones were found, and eventually we were able to find the refugees still wandering in the garbage dump, not yet dead.

We will rescue them and bring them to the village.

For two reasons.

First, knowing about people’s tragic deaths and doing nothing is not an option.

The second is to solve the fundamental problems of the village.

It is related to the population of the village.

Our village is a rural area that has escaped the attention of kingdoms and empires.

It is a small village where everyone who used to live well has left, and only those who cannot go elsewhere remain.

No matter how much they manage to make a living on their own, if the population does not increase, it will all end here.

I’m not talking about birth rates, I’m talking about external influx.

But who on earth comes to such a village?

There are no jobs, and the domestic economy, relying on primary industries such as farming and fishing, is also unsatisfactory.

For these reasons, with no population influx, we plan to accept these refugees to increase the size of the village.

After all, the Republic of Jilke is completely collapsing, and there is nowhere for them to return.

Furthermore, the people of the Republic of Jilke are famous for being diligent and honest.

They are grade A individuals who stand completely opposite to the negative image that comes to mind when thinking of refugees.

Surely, if they are helpful to the village, they will not cause harm.

Of course, we have no intention of forcing settlement in our village.

We plan to take them in, wash them, feed them, put them to rest, and then calmly discuss things.

Up to this point, these are matters that have been agreed upon with the administrative official in advance.

Maintaining a smile while looking at the frightened people, she opened her mouth.

“It seems like you’ve been walking and wandering for quite a long time. If you continue to stay here in that state, I can’t guarantee your life. There’s a village nearby, so let’s go there together.”

“It’s okay, everyone. We are from that village, and we are a couple living together. We came here to throw away trash and happened to come across you.”

Mirella casually lied.

“A couple…?” “She wasn’t your daughter…?”

People murmured in response to those words.

“That’s right. We’re a couple. I’m pregnant now, and we’ll have a baby next year. We’re not dangerous, so please follow us.”

Finally, with Mirella’s repeated lies and friendly smile, the people hesitantly moved their steps.

“How was it, darling? Was I okay?”

Mirella whispered and laughed, pinching her cheek.

“You were excellent.”

Mirella ran as if she were being escorted, following behind the people.

“Stay strong, everyone! We’re almost at the village!”

“But wait…”

The man at the front cautiously spoke to me.

“When you say nearby village… are you referring to the starting village?”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s where I came from. But how do you know? People who know our village…”

“Then the Potion Knights…?”

“Um… yes…”

What’s going on? How does he know about the starting village, which isn’t even on the map, and even about the Potion Knights?

“Oh, my goodness! The gods have not forsaken us!”

Suddenly, the man fell to his knees, weeping.

“What’s wrong? Please get up!”

The refugees, who had stopped in their tracks, looked at each other with puzzled expressions.

“The Potion Knights! These are the knights of the Potion Knights!!”

The man urged the refugees, who began to kneel one by one.

“The gods have sent these knights to save us!”

The people cried out in excitement.

In this bewildering situation, Mirella and I exchanged foolish looks.

What’s going on? Is this some kind of hilarious prank?