episode_0036

Some time later, the trading party including Liberon returned safely.

The money they brought back from selling the village’s produce was not that much.

Crops and fish are readily available anywhere, and our village’s goods are not particularly unique.

Still, the money earned from the first trade holds great significance.

All this money went into the magistrate’s treasury.

There is a large safe in the village hall containing important documents related to the village and operational funds.

Initially, it was almost empty, but upon opening it this time, it was evident that a fair amount of money had accumulated as the village was gradually developing.

With self-sufficiency in food, a militia composed of knights armed properly, mass production of timber at the logging site, and pigs thriving, it seems like we could upgrade to a city soon.

In the game world, cities are classified into 5 grades.

Grade 1 is a remote rural village with almost no administrative presence, more like a temporary refugee camp.

Our starting village is at Grade 2, recognized as a small village with some administrative capacity.

So, there is a magistrate, five guards for show, and even an accredited potion shop.

Small villages scattered across the land are mostly at Grade 2.

Upon reaching Grade 3, they are called ‘cities,’ with various amenities and improved living conditions.

Odelin City, under our administrative control, is a Grade 3 city.

Grade 4 is a regional hub city, and Grade 5 is a metropolis, currently with only one capital.

However, to move up to Grade 3, population is crucial, and our village lacks people, too few indeed.

We took in refugees from the Jilke Republic last time, but that was a temporary increase. We need a continuous influx of people.

Is there no good solution?

Sitting at the desk, I spread out the map and delved into the original knowledge.

It would be great if there were a way to bring in people on a large scale like during the Jilke Republic incident…

At that moment, loud noises echoed from the stairs.

Brasha bounced down the stairs and playfully hid behind me.

“What’s wrong there?!”

Following closely behind, Mirera, visibly angry, came running down.

“Why?”

“That goblin was teasing me!”

“What did he say to make you so mad?”

“He said my underwear is too tight around the chest, and that’s why I got so upset.”

“You’re saying my chest is small!”

“No, I never thought that. I was actually envious. Not having shoulder pain and feeling light must be nice.”

“Look at that! He’s teasing you!”

As Mirera spun the lid, Brasha hid even further behind me.

“Calm down, Mirera. How is that teasing you? Brasha, go to the farm quickly, and Mirera, clean the dust off the shelves in the store.”

Assigning tasks to both, Brasha giggled and ran outside, while Mirera, still visibly upset, grumbled.

“Why are you so angry?”

“Because it’s annoying.”

Getting worked up over such trivial matters…

“But what are you doing?”

After Brasha disappeared, Mirera, now somewhat calmer, approached me with a slightly softer tone.

“I’m looking at the map. Wondering if there’s a place we can bring people from.”

“Is there such a place? Everyone must have their own homes.”

“Well, last time with the refugees and many homeless people in the world, you never know.”

“Will looking at the map provide answers?”

Leaning in beside me, pointing to a specific area on the map, Mirera mentioned Alaina, where Aleyna sent a letter previously, in the southeast at the Predegrund County.

Mirella’s fingers, grasping the Predeground, moved smoothly as we arrived at our starting village.

It seemed like she was estimating how far it was from here to there.

“Hmm, where are we?”

“It’s far. It’ll probably take over a month to get from here to there.”

“Alright then.”

I wonder what she meant by that. Alaina seems quite concerned.

Mirella sat down on my knee suddenly, wearing a satisfied expression.

Then, she leaned on my shoulder, put her arms around my neck, and smiled as if in camaraderie.

“What are you doing?”

“Just hanging out.”

“What are you doing?”

As Liberonne entered the shop, Mirella sprang up like a spring with her head colliding against my chin, causing stars to appear before my eyes due to the pain.

Why is this girl’s head so hard?!

“Ouch…”

“Master Behind-the-Scenes!”

Liberonne approached briskly and gently stroked my face with a radiant hand.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine… I don’t think anything’s broken.”

“Mirella, come here. Please check if she’s hurt.”

“Eeek! Why is everyone bothering me?!”

As Liberonne gestured, Mirella angrily ran outside.

“Why is she acting like that?”

“I don’t know.”

Actually, I do. She’s trying to seduce me, that’s why.

Lately, even second-rate saints are making moves whenever they can.

How childish. At least be at the level of an administrator for the story to make sense.

I definitely need to educate them firmly. They might cause a big accident later.

“What are you looking at?”

This time, Liberonne came to the desk and looked at the map.

After mentioning finding a place to bring people, Liberonne pondered quietly.

Then she nodded.

“I can’t think of anything specific. However, I heard from another holy knight that there are marginalized people who have not benefited from civilization in very remote places. I haven’t been there myself, but a fellow holy knight who was dispatched there shared this information. How about persuading and bringing back such communities?”

“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea.”

It’s really not a bad idea. But the problem is that places that small aren’t even marked on the map.

“Can we gather some relevant information?”

“I will send a letter to the Order of Knights. Since it’s for a good cause, they will likely provide the information.”

“Great, thank you.”

Liberonne sat down and immediately began writing a letter. Glancing at it briefly, her handwriting was quite impressive.

Perhaps she learned well, as her writing is good.

I turned my gaze back to the map. Besides Liberonne’s suggestion, let’s think of another way.

Hmm, hmm.

Suddenly, my eyes caught a strange line.

It wasn’t actually a line, just a virtual line between the Predeground Mirella drew and our village.

On that straight line, a very suspiciously colored curve wriggled and writhed.

It didn’t actually wriggle; I just imagined it like a game effect, thinking to myself.

That curve looked like a bus route, and after staring at it for a while, I realized.

This is the slave traders’ trade route.

Right. In the central part of the continent, slavery is still openly practiced.

Of course, in the bustling western regions where many kingdoms gather, there are also slaves, albeit more discreetly, not treated like livestock with chains around their necks.

There is no filtering out in the civilized west, where slaves are hunted all over the continent.

Instead, well-managed western women are highly sought after and hunt slaves more diligently than elsewhere.

The quest to establish prosperity and first contact involves ambushing these individuals and rescuing the slaves.

The memories of escorting all those kidnapped slaves, who were so corporate, and bringing them to the village are vivid in my mind.

Let’s stay still… One of those paths happens to pass near our village…?

Hmm… These must be slaves…

The slave traders from the central region are ruthless, burning down entire villages and taking away everyone there.

Even if they try to escape, there’s nowhere to go. If we can liberate those slaves, we might be able to bring them to our village.

“Libellone.”

“Yes, Master Behind Angel.”

“What do you think about the slave liberation movement?”

“I think it’s very commendable.”

“Let’s give it a try.”

“Agreed.”

* * * * *

“Attacking the slave carriage… this is it…”

Hosutante stroked his chin and nodded approvingly.

“Not a bad idea. This is an opportunity for the knights to engage in real combat.”

“Libellone will lead the charge, weakening the enemy forces, while the knights clean up the remnants.”

“Then let’s prepare immediately.”

Under the command of Hosutante, around thirty knights were summoned. It was the size of a platoon.

They were all armed with equipment plundered from the Remugen Mercenary Corps armory, looking quite formidable.

For this operation, the steward mobilized all the wagons in the village.

Ten people rode on each of the three wagons, while I, Libellone, and Mirella rode on the remaining wagon.

Potion boxes, cooking utensils, provisions, and more were fully loaded.

Wait, why is Mirella here?

“But why are you following us?”

“What do you mean? As the vice-captain of the knights, I should come along, right?”

“Even Captain Hosutante isn’t coming.”

“Hosutante is too old for this kind of thing. I’m young and fresh, you know?”

Fresh, what an expression.

“Ugh, Jack… Hasn’t it been long since you escaped the city, yet you’re willingly walking back into danger…”

The steward choked up, holding onto the wagon railing.

“If you don’t return this time, I’ll have to live as a widow for the rest of my life…”

“Widow? What nonsense!”

“Mirella, if Jack dies before returning, raise a black flag… If he’s alive, raise a white one…”

Mirella grimaced, while Brasha chuckled beside her.

“Keep an eye on the pig farm.”

“Don’t worryyyy. Hehehe.”

“Then let’s depart!”

The wagons carrying the knights moved one by one towards the eastern road of the village.