Chapter 29

    Redwood Welcomes You

    As soon as they stepped through the village entrance, the entire traveling party felt the warm hospitality of the villagers, which was vastly different from what they had expected.

    The twilight sun cast a deep orange glow across the land. The soil was dry due to the season, yet the cultivated fields on the village outskirts displayed lush, unfamiliar crops that the inspection team had never seen before. The plants stood tall, their leaves and shoots showing no signs of withering.

    Despite the drought, the villagers had managed to plant for the third time this season… and the crops were thriving.

    The stream still carried a slow but steady flow of water—significantly less than the previous year—but underground reserves remained sufficient for drinking and daily use, as befitting a village near the headwaters of a forest. The village chief personally came to welcome the guests, even preparing a generous evening meal for nearly twenty travelers, allowing them to eat to their heart’s content.

    The main dish was sweet potatoes—once despised by everyone. However, their opinions changed quickly, contradicting the long-standing historical disdain for the tuber. Grilled rabbit meat and stew made with various vegetables were also available in abundance. The visitors found themselves more well-fed here than they had been in the grand cities they hailed from.

    This village was truly abundant. No wonder Father Jackson had been so eager to travel here with his trusted companions. This place was perfect for a retreat, especially at the foot of the mountains…

    This made it even more breathtaking. The path leading up the mountain was lined with imposing fortifications, resembling grand defensive walls, yet the atmosphere beyond them was remarkably humble. The church’s farmland was the only area that could still grow grains successfully.

    The inspectors spent the following morning touring the accommodations, food storage warehouses, and cultivated fields after having a fulfilling breakfast. Eventually, they arrived at the sweet potato fields, carefully tended by the children. The visitors were even given a detailed explanation of the propagation techniques for these crops.

    In the future, the Russel City would likely adopt this plant, turning it into a vital agricultural product for the kingdom.

    Although the government’s agricultural tax did not extend to religious institutions, the two nuns and Kit had already decided to donate a portion of the provisions to the city to aid the impoverished. The ten supply wagons brought by the inspectors were soon filled to the brim with sweet potatoes, sacks of wheat, peas, and Job’s tears.

    “This…this is—isn’t it too much?” One of the high-ranking inspectors was so moved that he struggled to find the right words to express his gratitude.

    “It’s not too much at all. The real challenge will be changing the minds of the city folk. That’s bound to be difficult,” said the elder of the church, handing over a small leather notebook filled with recipes.

    “Try following these cooking instructions. I’d say…they should be within the capabilities of your lord’s chefs. Besides, the original creator of these recipes would surely be delighted to see their work benefit so many people.”

    The return journey’s plans had to be altered. Half of the soldiers would first escort the provisions back to Russel. In response, the villagers provided six additional sturdy wooden carts for transporting goods so that the inspectors could continue their journey to other villages to collect taxes. Some of the surplus supplies might even be distributed to ease the famine in the lands under the lord’s care.

    Among these provisions… sweet potatoes remained the primary commodity, meant for distribution to those suffering from hunger. This inspection journey felt less like tax collection and more like an exchange of food for food.

    The representatives from Russel City now owed a great debt. The leader among them resolved to repay this kindness in the future, should the opportunity arise.

    Before setting off, his eyes fell upon a young boy with golden-brown hair, who was always by Father Jackson’s side. The inspector felt a certain fondness for the child and wished to approach him, but the chance never came.

    Father Jackson made the most of his three-day stay in Redwood. Besides evaluating the progress of his talented young ward and offering guidance on mana training, the old priest also shared his knowledge of mana-based healing. This technique was considered a closely guarded secret among the White Wings Order. However, since there were no written laws prohibiting its teaching, the use of human-discovered magic was not deemed a transgression against the great deity. As a result, Kit gained a new skill: minor wound healing.

    Once the traveling party left, life in the village returned to normal. The children continued training their abilities as usual, awaiting the arrival of the third harvest season.

    The scorching summer persisted. The sweltering heat, which would last for another three months, was bound to make life even more difficult for everyone. However, thanks to the unity within the community, the future did not seem too bleak.

    All they could do was pray… that external calamities would not creep into this distant land.

    .....

    The merchant caravan from Boral continued its journey back to their hometown with joyous hearts.

    The trade of sweet potato supplies and other exchanged goods along the way had earned them immense profits. Their visit to Redwood Village had proven to be an incredibly worthwhile investment. The twenty gold coins they had pooled together to obtain a valuable food recipe had caused their food stall within the trade guild to flourish, becoming a key source of income for all its members. Looking back, twenty gold coins had been a meager price for such an invaluable trade. If they had the chance to meet the recipe’s creator again, they would surely prepare a more generous gift.

    Moreover…every settlement they visited had the same question: where did these delicious crops come from?

    Without hesitation, they happily introduced them to Redwood Village. This response gradually laid a solid foundation for demand across various lands, shifting people's perceptions of so-called lowly foods at an astonishing pace.

    It was not just sweet potatoes gaining popularity. Carrots—once considered mere horse feed—onions—previously a cheap staple for the poor—and even other plants like wild water chestnuts were now in high demand. The difficulty of cultivation caused once-worthless foods to soar in value, making them difficult to regulate.

    However, not all merchants…conducted their business honestly. Although the booming economy ensured that local markets thrived, many groups suffered greatly from this year's natural disasters, leaving them with no means of survival.

    Countless people continued to starve to death.

    It was no surprise that reports of bandit raids for food were emerging across the land. The desperation of hunger twisted people's thoughts, driving them into selfishness. The old law of survival—'only the strong shall endure’—became an ironclad rule in these dire times.

    One rumor that frequently reached the ears of vicious bandits as they roamed the northern territories was of a land still abundant with food—a place overflowing with provisions at the very edge of the kingdom, bordering the Foris Forest... Redwood Village.

    Driven by hunger, multiple groups of marauders independently set their sights on the same destination. Along the way, some perished in violent clashes, but the survivors formed tighter alliances. What started as a handful of scattered bandits soon grew into a force of several hundred in just two weeks.

    Their resolve was clear… They would slaughter every villager and seize the rich resources of this land for themselves. Their new home would be a haven where their descendants could thrive in comfort.

    Such a selfish mindset… yet all too common among mankind.

    .....

    Meanwhile, the Lord of Russel sat reading the inspection report on the farthest village under his jurisdiction, unable to believe his own eyes. Yet, the tantalizing aroma of freshly cooked food placed on his table was undeniable proof.

    The villagers of Redwood had managed to cultivate both sweet potatoes and grains in enormous quantities. The city's central food warehouse had to allocate one-tenth of its space just to store the countless sacks of sweet potatoes. The unloading of supplies from ten wagons caused quite a stir.

    Officials and soldiers who had never before tasted such lowly food were initially disheartened. However, when the lord publicly released the recipe for sweet potato dishes and hosted a casual city-wide feast, allowing everyone to sample them.

    The outcome… remained the same, just as everyone in Redwood had long since grown accustomed to.

    The significance of this border village skyrocketed. It had become not only a prime source of high-quality timber for fuel, building parts and materials for wooden houses and furniture, but also… a pioneer in cultivating new crops to combat famine.

    And another piece of good news—three villages along the edge of the Foris Forest had begun to unite.

    The letter from the three village chiefs, whose combined population was nearly five hundred, signified their status as one of the most populous small village groups in the Seris Kingdom. It was expected that they would soon be reclassified as a large village. The formal relocation of the community would likely take place the following year. In the meantime, their interactions were limited to trade and resource exchanges.

    By uniting their efforts, their workforce would grow, and so would their productivity. Lord Audric foresaw a prosperous future for the land and thus issued a letter officially recognizing and approving their union. As a gesture of support, he also decided to dispatch over a hundred soldiers to protect the settlement—soldiers who volunteered for the assignment out of their own will. Within half a day of the public announcement, the special rural protection unit had reported in full force. Surprisingly, the number of volunteers exceeded the required quota by twofold.

    With this unexpected development, Lord Audric called upon his trusted advisors—the head priest of White Wings Church in the city and one of the leading military officers… Captain John—to deliberate further.

    “If we send such a large force… would it strain the villagers’ food supplies?” The elderly lord's wrinkled face was etched with deep concern.

    “Uh…I hadn’t considered that…” John admitted in a hushed voice before turning to seek guidance from Father Jackson, who stood beside him.

    “Mm…” The old priest pondered for a moment. His thoughts drifted to the new food storage warehouses in Redwood, which stretched nearly the entire length of the ridge. The left side was stocked with sweet potatoes, while the right side housed grains. Though already over half full, the upcoming harvest would likely leave no space unused. Additionally, the village had an immense central storage facility…larger than most would expect.

    “I believe… it won’t be an issue. If you’re uncertain, you could call William for further confirmation.” Jackson was convinced that the settlement could sustain over a thousand people for several months. Beyond that, the Sunwood Village had its rabbit farms, pumpkin and butternut squash harvests set for the autumn, while Blackwood would soon bring in a vast quantity of Job’s tears...

    At times, he couldn’t help but feel that the gods were playing favorites… A peculiar mix of bitterness and amusement flickered across his aged face.

    “If you’re certain, then I’m relieved. This means the central food reserves can be rationed for a longer duration. Please extend my gratitude for their generous sacrifice…”

    “Lord Audric… have you heard the reports about the moving groups?” Before leaving to prepare for his journey, Jackson turned back to inquire about a critical matter.

    “I have. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sending warriors of this caliber to oversee such a rural area.”

    With that, the aged hands waved his guest away without much ceremony…

    There were still countless matters of governance to attend to. The solitude of leadership was truly a dismal burden.

    For a brief moment, the old man lifted his gaze toward the bright sky. Melancholy gnawed at his heart—he missed his son and wife terribly. Deep down, he knew it wouldn’t be long before he followed them to the afterlife.

    Soon enough, his weary green eyes, dulled by age, returned to focus on his work.

    Only these stacks of paperwork could keep him too busy to dwell in sorrow.