Chapter 110

Third's Shadow

The Lord of Korelia's Command Tent

The girl whom Sigmund ushered forward was becoming the center of attention. She had her hair in a ponytail and wore a simple brown garb, marking her peasant background.

"Sigmund," Sir Harold called lightly. "This area is off-limits."

"I know," Sigmund replied. "But her ideas are quite convincing."

"Who is she?" Lansius asked while Audrey approached the girl.

"Her name is Agatha," Audrey revealed, guiding her in front of him.

Lansius glanced around and caught Sir Harold's gaze. "It's the girl Sigmund found in the village," the knight informed.

"Ah, the one who warned him of the impending attack," Lansius recalled, remembering a story from two days ago.

Audrey patted the girl's shoulder and turned to Lansius, saying, "She's joining us as Carla's assistant. Without Sterling around, she needs help from time to time."

"I see..." Lansius nodded.

Audrey noticed the girl staring at Lansius in awe and quipped, "Lass, if a noble hero you seek, look elsewhere."

The remark made Lansius chuckle. "That's uncalled for," he protested.

The rest of the council members chuckled as well.

Agatha was surprised to find that the famed Black Lord and his top retainers had a sensible sense of humor.

"Can you keep a secret?" Lansius suddenly asked Agatha.

She nodded eagerly.

"Alright, I'll tell you one." He then whispered, "I'm actually a nice person."

Audrey and the others stifled their chuckles while the girl, not recognizing the jest, looked confused.

"How old are you?" Lansius asked.

"I'm twelve, My Lord."

Lansius frowned as the girl looked much older than twelve. Still, he continued, "So, Sigmund says you have something to say. Can you tell us?"

Agatha furrowed her brow in thought, then remembered, "About food. Families in the village have plenty, and nobody wants to keep old grain for another year."

"Go on," Lansius encouraged.

"If your Lord's men help us with the farm work, the villagers will gladly help with food. Just remember to bring something to eat with. We don't have cheese, but we have plenty of grain and vegetables."

Lansius looked at his retainers. "This is an interesting find."

Servius, who had been silent, spoke up. "My Lord, let me investigate this."

"Do so quietly," Lansius instructed.

Servius nodded and left the tent.

Meanwhile, Sir Harold, towering over Agatha, knelt down and asked, "Lass, we're talking about feeding many people. I'm sure the villagers can't cook for us all."

"Cooking is hard, yes. You'll need to help with that. But there's plenty of grain."

Lansius became curious. "Is the grain good to cook?"

"It's brown, but it's good for winter soup. You'll need salty bone broth and fat, though."

Lansius nodded, intrigued by this unexpected development.

"Is your father hiding the grain from bad men?" Audrey asked.

"No, My Lady. Nobody wants it, not even the bad men."

Audrey looked at Lansius. "Must be leftover legumes, peas, and rye."

"In short, horse bread," Sir Harold commented as he stood up. The girl gazed at him in awe, and he scooped her up, carrying her like a toddler in one arm.

"Given the situation, I doubt the Nicopolans will complain," Sigmund suggested.

Audrey's face looked disturbed, while Agatha giggled. "But they're delicious."

...

Before long, Servius confirmed the girl's statement. "It's true, My Lord. The villagers seem to have plenty of leftover grains that nobody wants. But they are of such poor quality that grinding them would take too much time and labor."

"If we use the city mill, can we produce flour for bread?" Lansius inquired.

"We can, but don't expect all of it to be suitable for bread-making," Servius reported.

Lansius scratched his head. "We need a culinary breakthrough."

Agatha, seated beside Audrey, suddenly spoke up. "That hunter knows how to make good gruel. His was tasty."

"Where is this hunter? Do you remember his name?" Audrey asked.

"Fanther? Fafner? Furkus?"

"Farkas...?" Audrey ventured.

Sigmund's eyes widened, recognizing the name of his lieutenant.

"That's the one! He visited my house, and my father gave him some of our brown grains. He mixed them with his blood sausages to make a tasty gruel."

Without needing instruction, Sir Harold, Sigmund, and Servius headed out.

***

South Hill, the Lord's Command Tent

A young man clad in camouflage attire, with a crossbow slung across his back, was escorted into the tent by a group of guardsmen led by Sir Harold.

Upon seeing who awaited him inside, the young man panicked and exclaimed, "I'm innocent! I took a little extra, but I was the one who hunted that deer!"

The Lord and Lady appeared disturbed by this revelation.

Spotting Sigmund entering the tent, Farkas pleaded, "Captain, please."

Sigmund raised an eyebrow and grinned. Turning to the Lord, he explained, "He's a rather energetic fellow, but I'd trust him with my life in a fight."

Farkas had just sighed in relief when a child suddenly exclaimed, "Yes, that's the one!"

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"D-don't say that. I don't even know you," he recoiled thinking it was an accusation.

"But I know you," the girl insisted.

"By the Ageless, spare me..." Farkas groaned, almost comically.

Watching the pair, the Lord burst into laughter, even the Lady giggled.

Farkas left puzzled, watched as Sir Harold approached and patted him firmly on the shoulder. "Relax. We're not here to punish you."

The young hunter nodded gratefully.

"The girl said you visited her family two days ago and received some grains. Is that true?"

Farkas seemed to remember and exclaimed, "Ahh, you're the farmer's daughter."

The girl grinned. "Yes, you cooked a good meal. And My Lord wishes to know more."

The Lord clarified, "We need to know what kind of grain you used and how you turned it into a decent meal."

"It's mostly rye, along with bran and peas," Farkas revealed, seemingly unsure why the Lord and his staff were inquiring about his meal.

Noticing their serious demeanor, he continued, "They're too coarse, not good enough to be ground into flour. But, if we soak them in water for a quarter day, the hard parts will soften. Then we can boil them over a roaring fire in an iron cauldron, pressing it tightly with an iron pan and weights on top."

The Lord and Lady nodded in understanding.

"Where did you learn this?" the Lord inquired.

"My father taught me," Farkas replied, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "He also advised mixing in fat or blood sausages for flavor."

The Lord turned to the tall knight. "Have you ever heard of such a meal?"

Sir Harold mulled for a moment. "I've seen it, but never really knew or tried it."

"Sir, it's unlikely anyone would dare to offer such a humble meal to a knight. It's mostly a hunter's meal," Farkas explained.

"Why is it a hunter's meal?" the Lady asked.

"Well, one can buy such grain cheaply in the market. And hunters usually have plenty of leftover blood sausages, since the butchers rarely pay us all in cash. Also, almost everyone prefers meat."

The Lady seemed satisfied with the answer.

The Lord finally motioned for Farkas to approach. When he did, the Lord handed him ten silver coins.

"Eight for aiding the reinforcements stuck on the goat path, and two for the information about the meal."

Farkas was overjoyed. And it wasn't over yet. The Lord handed him a quiver, explaining, "These bolts fly far. Use them for hunting and bring us good meat."

...

After further deliberation, Lansius' staff agreed to experiment with the available peasant's grain. They formed a group of hunters to show and teach the Nicopolans how to cook the brown grain. To enhance the otherwise unsavory, bland, and bitter gruel, they added blood sausages and salted meat to the rations.

Servius encouraged his men to eat what the locals had to offer and began reducing the grain rations. Fortunately, he faced little rejection, as the portions of salted meat from Korelia kept the men content.

With the food issue partially solved, Lansius and his staff quickly organized the first wave of approximately seven hundred people. They were divided into a dozen groups to be sent to neighboring villages. Each group included locals from the recently freed two hundred South Hill men, ensuring that the policy was well received and didn't cause confusion.

These groups were tasked with assisting in work, particularly on the Baron's communal lands. Men of war they were, but temporarily they would adopt the lifestyle of farmers.

As the first wave set off to their assigned locations, Lansius and his staff watched sombrely. They placed their hopes for the upcoming harvest squarely on these men's shoulders.

***

Korelia City

The colder wind had prevailed over the summer sun as Korelia celebrated its harvest season. Despite the lackluster harvest results due to the past siege, the people held a modest celebration.

Yet, life in the growing city continued to be exciting, thanks in large part to Sir Anci and Lady Felis, who were seen everywhere in Korelia.

A few weeks ago, Sir Anci, the Champion of the Imperium, had returned from Korimor riding alongside the White Lake cavalry. Since then, he had been staying in Korelia, seemingly enjoying all that the city had to offer. His remaining task was to escort Lady Felicity, who was scheduled to return home.

With Sir Anci's presence, Lady Felis became even more adventurous. She explored everywhere and tried everything she desired. Every place they visited soon became popular.

Recently, she dedicated her time to the newly opened orphanage. Felis arranged for a field kitchen to introduce the orphans to a variety of foods, hoping that good meals would inspire them to learn cooking and grow their own vegetables.

Lady Felis funded the project with her own money, but Calub quickly reimbursed her, feeling it was the right thing to do. The field kitchen's success, and the joy it brought to her heart, encouraged her to extend similar support to the neighboring complex housing veterans.

The veterans and their caretakers warmly welcomed them, grateful for the visit. Lady Felis was a popular figure, and the appearance of Anci, the current Champion of the Imperium, made their visit even more special.

As the field kitchen prepared the meal, Anci engaged in conversation with the veterans. Initially reserved and sympathetic towards the crippled veterans, he came to deeply respect them for their laughter and positive attitude.

After these events, Lady Felis was on the brink of organizing an archery competition for the city's defenders when a large convoy entered the city. Among them were two carriages, escorted by armed cavalry and bearing red banners with twelve silver dragon insignia, unmistakably the Imperium's royal envoys.

Lady Felis knew the envoys were here to bring Lord Lansius' official patent of Baronage. And also served as her escort home. Her fiancé, Lord Arte, had confided in her about the importance of winning their hearts to garner more support for Arvena's cause.

Lady Felicity and Sir Anci quickly collaborated with Calub and Cecile to welcome the royal envoys. As was the custom, they organized a feast on behalf of the Lord of Korelia.

...

Sir Justin

While others were busy welcoming the royal envoy from the Capital, the Marshal was expecting a different carriage.

"Boss!" a member of a particularly armed group called out, escorting a carriage and cart.

Just then, the cart's door swung open, and a young girl burst out, running towards Sir Justin. "Father!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Eleanor!" He embraced her tightly, lifting her up. "Where's your brother and mommy?"

"Brother chose to stay, and mother is taking care of him. I'm the only one who cared enough to come for you," the child spoke rapidly. "See, am I not your best child?"

"Indeed, you are my bravest and best," the knight affirmed, holding her close. "But to travel to Korelia alone, accompanied only by thugs and violent criminals..." He shook his head in pity.

"But daddy, I trust them. They're good company. Tradesman one-ear has the funniest stories, Maester red-face cooks the best meals, and funny-baldy is so thorough with his cleaning."

Sir Justin chuckled, looking proudly at his men, who grinned back.

"Sir, she'll make an excellent little boss," one-ear remarked.

"She's not stingy with money either," the bald one added, prompting laughter from the rest.

"I almost bought you guys a drink, almost..." Sir Justin jested.

The crew groaned, then laughed even harder, knowing Sir Justin was too generous to let good work go unrewarded.

***

Korelia Castle

The next day, before the banquet honoring the royal envoys, Sir Justin met with them privately. He had previously deliberated with Lady Felis, Anci, Calub, and Cecile.

The envoys, middle-aged men weary from travel, spoke as though they had journeyed continuously from the Capital to Korelia. However, Sir Justin, informed by Anci, knew this was an act. The messengers had actually been in Midlandia for months, stalling as they anticipated a battle.

It was only after Lord Lansius emerged victorious at the Battle of Korelia that they begrudgingly made their way to the city. Their intention now was to exploit the situation, hoping to extort Lord Lansius for his patent of Baronage.

Unfortunately for them, upon their arrival, they learned that Lady Audrey had taken over as the Baroness of Korimor. Her claim was legitimate as she shared blood ties to Omin, the previous Lord of Korimor.

This turn of events lessened the importance of the official patent of Baronage. With Audrey as Lansius' wife, he could legally hold Korelia even without the peerage.

Consequently, after brief negotiations, Sir Justin suavely persuaded the envoys to settle for a small sum of gold as a token of appreciation. While some might view it as wasteful, Lord Lansius had confided to him that their House couldn't afford another front to wage.

Instead of provoking enmity, Lord Lansius had encouraged Sir Justin to promote their commodity, particularly the unique shawls of the nomads, refined by the Korelians to suit noble tastes. In a stroke of ingenuity, the Marshal invited the envoys into the bathhouse and presented them with these shawls as luxurious bathrobes.

The materials were not only soft to the touch and comfortable to wear, but also remarkably warm despite their lightness. Their lustrous sheen and delicate yet strong texture immediately captivated the envoys.

"Is it imbued with magic?" one joked, admiring the fabric.

Sir Justin laughed. "It's our most unique product, only made in winter and in small quantities. What we sell to the market is of lower quality, but what you're wearing is the purest form. We reserve it only for the most distinguished individuals."

Intrigued, the envoys coaxed Sir Justin for more. After feigning reluctance, for a price, he promised to secure another shawl for each of their lovers back in the capital.

That same week, following a short ceremony, the royal envoy officially confirmed Lord Lansius' status as the Baron of Korelia. A royal patent signed by the High Lords Council served as proof. With this, the legality of Lord Lansius' hold over the city and his noble status were affirmed.

While it was only a legal matter, when the Korelians heard about it, they spontaneously threw a modest but city-wide celebration to commemorate their Lord's achievement. Even in his absence, the people of Korelia continued to feel Lord Lansius' presence.

Soon, the burgeoning city would witness the arrival and departure of more important figures as it evolved into the de facto capital of Lowlandia. With sections of its city walls completed, operational windmills, vast agricultural projects, and a thriving market, Korelia had become a magnet for traders and migrants seeking better lives and opportunities.

While this city in faraway Lowlandia was enjoying a peaceful season, outside the province, in Tiberia, a large-scale war was raging. After several pitched battles with inconclusive results, the Imperium forces, led by the high lords, were losing ground.

The ambitious Lord Gottfried of Brigandia, emboldened by Midlandia's favorable reaction, was exerting his utmost efforts to breach the Capital's outer defenses before winter's onset. His northern army was besieging towns and cities, forcing the populace to flee westward.

With the losing battle against the western nomadic incursions in Centuria, the Nicopola famine disaster, turmoil in Elandia, and now a raging rebellion disguised as a civil war in Tiberia, the crisis had fully engulfed the Imperium.

***