In the evening, in the village of Raven's Crest, a solitary cart creaked along the worn path, bearing goods of distant places.

Amidst the cargo, a figure emerged, draped in black priestly robes. The man, in his early-twenties, possessed an air of enigmatic elegance. His handsome countenance, framed by a cascade of raven-black hair, revealed a cleanly shaved visage. Piercing black eyes observed the surroundings.

With a grace that hinted youth, the man descended from the cart, his tall frame casting a shadow over the dusty ground. He has a well-maintained seemingly lean physique beneath the priestly attire.

Approaching the cart driver, "Thank you for giving me a ride."

The cart driver, responded with a casual shrug, "Glad to be of help. Take care."

The man in black priestly robes ventured into the fields with a suitcase in hand. After a while, he spotted a middle-aged farmer walking ahead on the path. With a polite tone, he called out, "Excuse me, old sir. Can you help me with some directions?"

"You are?" the farmer questioned in confusion at the newcomer.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I am a new pastor who will be taking care of the church in this village for some time," the man in black priestly robes explained.

Enlightened, the farmer spoke, "Oh! I had heard about you from the church's priest. He has informed us that he will be transferring to another area and will soon be retiring. And someone else will soon come to replace him. Nice to meet you."

“Glad to meet you too.”

After observing for some time, the farmer expressed, "We were anxious about what kind of person the new pastor will be. You seem to be someone nice. I am relieved. But you seem to be young. Will you be alright? If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask. We will be glad to help you out."

"Ha ha ha, thank you."

"You should be on your way to the church. Let me take you there."

"No, I can't trouble you. Just give me some directions; it will be enough," the priest insisted.

The farmer chuckled, "No trouble, no trouble at all. I am on my way there anyway. Let's walk together."

"Alright."

Copyright © [2023] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.

As they walked through the village, the pastor asked, "Can you explain about the village?"

"Sure," the farmer replied. "In the center is the baronial castle, surrounded by houses forming the village streets. To the south, there's a graveyard. Northeast of the castle, you'll find the church and clinic, and to the north, there's a market. Various craftsmen and artisans built their workspace within the village. The village is enclosed by a stone wall and a wooden fence. Outside the fence are fields where villagers work."

The pastor nodded trying to picture the architecture of the village in his mind.

As they walked along the fields outside the castle, the farmer gestured toward a flowing water source.

"Here's a water source flowing through the fields outside the castle," the farmer explained. "Inside the village, we have water wells that act as our primary source of water."

"This is the largest village around here. About a thousand families are living here. The baronet oversees not just this village but 5 others in the territory"

"So, in total, it's only 6 villages. Why is it so little?" the pastor inquired.

"Actually, it used to be around 10 villages, but the baroness combined 5 villages into this single large village," explained the farmer.

As they continued their walk, some other villagers joined in, also on their way back to the village. The farmer introduced the pastor to others.

"Pastor, meet Jonas, he tends to the fields on the eastern edge. And this here is Sarah, her family runs the bakery near the market square," the farmer continued to introduce some other people.

The pastor greeted them warmly, "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I look forward to getting to know each other."

"So, where are you from, Mr. Pastor?" inquired Jonas while walking.

"I am coming from the capital. I just finished my training. I was assigned to be a pastor for this village for some time," replied the pastor.

Sarah, the baker, looked intrigued. "The capital? That must be quite different from our humble village. What made you come here?"

The pastor smiled, "Well, it is not a choice but a mandate, and I'm here to learn and contribute in any way I can. Moreover, I believe every place has its own unique charm."

As they continued their walk, the pastor asked, "What kind of person is this baroness? Is she arrogant and tyrannical?"

The farmer chuckled, "No, no, not at all." The others in the group chimed in, eager to share their thoughts about the baroness.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

"Oh, she's a gem," said Sarah. "Generous and caring. She's done a lot for the territory."

Jonas nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. She's fair in her decisions, always considering the well-being of the people."

"The baroness is known for her wisdom and kindness. She even combined villages to ensure better resources for everyone." The farmer added.

The group continued to praise the baroness, painting a picture of a leader who was not only respected but genuinely cared for the welfare of the people in her territory.

"Wow, she must be a very noble and virtuous lady if you are putting her on such a high pedestal. I thought all the nobles are just arrogant pricks."

“Indeed, she is.”

"But why is a woman managing the lands? It's not uncommon for noble women to take the role of the family head, but it is generally under special circumstances such as when there are no male heirs, or if the noble household is matriarchal, or if all the men are dead in battle. Usually, it's the men who take up the role," the pastor inquired, expressing his curiosity.

The farmer nodded, "Well, it's a bit unconventional, I suppose.”

Everyone became silent for some time as they continued walking towards the village. The pastor gave them some time to reflect. After some rumination, the farmer started narrating.

"Well, everyone in the village tries not to speak or divulge this matter out of respect for the baroness. But since you are going to stay with us for some time and you might be curious, and this also not a secret, so I will tell you. Make sure that at least don't bring these matters in front of the baroness, okay?"

The pastor nodded.

"Well, to begin with, the baroness was never a noble lady. "

"Huh, she isn't a noble?" the pastor was surprised.

"Yes, hmm... Where should I start?" the farmer contemplated.

Copyright © [2023] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.

"The Ravencrest household existed for more than three centuries. The first lord of the baronet was Sir Aldric. Because of his impressive contributions on the battlefield, he was given the household title of Ravencrest, along with a territory and the peerage of a Count. Thus, he became Sir Count Aldric Ravencrest. For three generations, the Ravencrest household was glorious. However, in later generations, though they maintained good character, their capabilities dwindled.

“As time went on, the later generations degraded and turned into degenerates. Due to wrongs and crimes, they committed, they were slowly stripped of their lands and peerage, falling from the noble status of Counts to Viscounts and Barons. This village was the hometown and the first established by Sir Aldric. Thus, he gave the name Raven's Crest to this village and constructed a castle. When the territory was confiscated, they relocated to this village, holding on to only about 20 villages.

“However, they did not turn over a new leaf and continued their ways of debauchery. Consequently, they slowly lost their land, territory, and wealth. By the time of the current generation of the Ravencrests, they only held control over 10 villages, the castle, and had a large debt on their backs."

“The current generation of the Ravencrests, numbering more than 30 members, was a sprawling web of degenerates. The patriarch, along with his brothers and sisters, their respective spouses, and children, formed a corrupt and despicable household. The patriarch himself had three wives, five sons, and seven daughters, each one inheriting the family's penchant for cruelty.

“Every member of the Ravencrest family, without exception, was a rogue and an abhorrent being. The women of the household were particularly arrogant, acting with impunity. If they took a disliking to someone, they would torture them to death without a second thought. Their heinous actions included the sale of women and children from the villages to underground merchants and illegal slave traders. They laid their hands on anyone who happened to catch their eye. The Ravencrest name, once a symbol of nobility, had become synonymous with wickedness and malevolence.

“The Ravencrests had a small army of 100 men as they cannot afford to pay more people. They acted as hooligans and lackeys, behaving like bandits. They abused their authority, extorting villages in the name of taxes and causing suffering throughout the territory.

“Once, the baron’s last son went to travel in other territories. When he returned, he brought along a new wife – the current baroness.”

“Haa…she is a really pitiful and unlucky girl.” The farmer sighed.

“Everyone was surprised at that time. Because, if a ravencrest took a liking to someone, they would rape them and leave. She wasn’t a great beauty but still had a pretty face. On the night of his return, the servants of the baron household heard the sadistic bastard bragging at the dinner table that he had encountered her during his travels in one of the villages. She was a peasant girl. He took a liking to her so, he forcefully married her. When she tried to refuse or kill herself, he blackmailed her and her family stating that, he would kill her family if she did not comply. Left with no choice, she followed him back to raven’s crest.

“In those days, she would dress up like a doll and stay silent. Her eyes always seem to be dead. She did not interact with anyone. But those bastards did not leave her as is. The woman of the household would scorn her and abuse her. The men would ravish her every night.

“The servants of the household gossiped with everyone as a way to relieve their frustrations held against the Ravencrests. Unable to take direct action, the servants often lamented how they were powerless to stop the abuse inflicted on a girl of similar age to their own children.”

"That's quite tragic," the pastor said, stunned by the distressing details of the story.

The farmer continued, "Indeed. It is heart-wrenching. This continued for some months. Soon, the girl became pregnant with a child. No one was sure who the father was."

"But the women did not stop their abuse. Months went on and the bulge in her stomach grew. Luckily, both the girl and the child were safe.

“As days continued, it was time for her to give birth. However, the Ravencrests, heartless and indifferent, neglected her health and left her alone in her room. The servants, out of compassion, brought her some food from time to time, preventing her from starving.

“At that time, an old woman who had previously worked as a wet nurse in the county was staying temporarily in the village. Concerned villagers seeking to help the girl explained her situation to the kind old woman. She willingly took on the responsibility of being her caretaker and wet nurse. In a few days, she gave birth to a baby girl who has features similar to her mother. She did not inherit any of the men’s features.

“The girl was at peace for about a month, before they started to abuse her and rape her again. The wet nurse was also kicked out of the castle.”

Sarah interjected, “Damn degenerates.”

“….” The pastor was unable to say anything.

“Then what happened?”

As they walked, they reached the village gate. Two young men who seemed to be the guards were standing guard leisurely. They weren't wearing any armor or weapons, only carrying a spear each as their weapon.

Seeing the group walking towards them, the guards greeted joyfully.

Guard 1 asked, “Hey guys, are you on your way home?”

“Yes.” Jason replied while chuckling. “You guys are as lazy as ever”

“Ha ha of course. What is there to be worried in this laid-back village”

“Who is the new guy? He seems to be wearing priest's robes.” The second guard enquired. “Ah! I know, you must be the new pastor for the church.”

“That's correct. Nice to meet you both.” The pastor replied while chuckling.

“Alright, you may go in.”

“Hey Sarah inform my wife that I will be a bit late today.”

“Sure.”

“Welcome to Ravens Crest, Pastor!”

“Thank you.”

The group entered the village while continuing their story.