CH 27

‘Hmmmm…They really did a number on you.’

Though Ruger’s face may have been clear of visible injuries, Luisen was sure his body was a mess underneath his clothes. Luisen looked inside the prison cell confining his servant. The people trapped in there were quite different from the other prisoners. They didn’t beg Luisen for release and instead looked at him with chaotic eyes. Their repulsed gazes seemed to convey complete disregard for their lives, daring the young lord to do as he pleased.

One could roughly guess the hardships Ruger had suffered while confined in a cell with those kinds of people.

‘Maybe…Was he purposefully jailed in such a situation…?’ Luisen thought.

It would fit with Carlton’s vindictiveness. Everyone was well aware of Ruger’s condescension and derision for the low-born.

Luisen knew that one day retribution would come for his loose mouth. 1

Honestly, he deserved some of it. Luisen hadn’t known in the original timeline, but he was now privy to some of Ruger’s despicable ingrained behavior. He was quite good to his master and the other nobles, but the low-born servants and Carlton’s men would have desperately wished to just punch him in the back of the head. How ugly must he have seemed in their eyes.

“Ugh, I’m dying! My duke, those people are truly evil. Even though they knew I was the duke’s servant….”

“…I’m sure you provoked them.”

“Ah! My lord! It’s absolutely unfair!”

“Then, why must you always talk in a way that raises others’ ire?”

“Me? What did I do wrong?”

“You’re always like that. Just consider what happened at the village today. Did you truly need to provoke the villagers in that situation? It’s like you’re trying to create trouble.”

“I would never! I wouldn’t dare! Those scoundrels were rude to the duke first; I said what I needed to as your chief attendant.”

“Why did you wield your bow?”

“You knew how dangerous the situation was! I was the only one who could protect my lord in that situation! I had to do something. I’ve only done my job…how mean of you to side with those bastards…” Ruger cried, claiming injustice. His pitiful form loosened the sternness in Luisen’s heart.

“My duke is not to blame–those bastards are bad people. They’re pretending to be good little villagers, framing me and deceiving my lord.”

“……”

“How dare they attack their lord! Please, execute them. They don’t deserve life.”

Was Ruger originally this extreme? Luisen clicked his tongue. ‘The death penalty…’

At that thoughtless word, the dungeon became a quagmire of chaos again. Screaming and pleading, the cries of the prisoners made Luisen’s ears throb.

“That’s enough. Enough…Please calm down. I won’t execute you.”

“My duke! You must show your dignity through harsh sentences!”

“Enough! I’m not killing anyone. I’m not in the position to recklessly do that. Helping me and the territory will be punishment enough.”

“What?” Both Ruger and the villagers were greatly surprised. The villagers in particular had pleaded to escape death but still expected extreme corporal punishment or exile. The crime of attacking the lord was that serious.

“Their punishment is to help my lord?”

“That’s right. I’ll be heading down to the village soon. Shouldn’t we distribute food to the villagers as soon as possible?”

“!!!!”

The villagers collectively widened their eyes as Luisen spoke.

“You mean….”

“We’ve decided to reinstate the distribution of rations; the retainers are currently ironing out the details. The full large-scale operation will take much time, so I’ll go down to the town first and distribute as much food as I can. To do this, I’ll need your hands. Those who still have energy left within them, come with me.”

Luisen predicted that the advisors’ conference wouldn’t end until after sundown. Nothing could be done in the dark, so rationing would have to be properly implemented the next day.

However, he couldn’t stand to sit around on his hands; he wanted to feed his people and soothe their anxieties, even if it was just one hour earlier. Luisen judged that, although he wouldn’t make a large difference, he could at least stabilize the situation and care for the people.

No manpower in the castle could be spared, so he could instead make use of the most energetic prisoners.

Ruger strongly opposed Luisen’s plans. “My duke! Those scoundrels attacked me. Hitting his servant directly challenges the duke’s authority–what a filthy bunch!”

“I said it’s fine. It seems, rather, like you’re challenging my authority now?”

“No, I don’t dare….”

Luisen’s stern demeanor silenced Ruger’s complaints. ‘In the past, he used to passively listen to everything I said, didn’t he?’ Ruger thought.

Since when did his master start drawing firm lines in the sand like this? Ruger couldn’t hide his embarrassment as he quieted down.

“Go get treated for your wounds.” Luisen turned his back on Ruger and ordered the guards to open the jail cell doors. “Now, everyone move. Ah, unless you have no more strength left. Have you eaten anything?”

“A while ago, some of the soldiers gave us some water and biscuits. They said they were following their boss’ orders.”

“Really?”

How surprising of Carlton. Luisen thought that perhaps the mercenary was more sensitive than he seemed.

There were quite a few able-bodied men among the prisoners, whether through the power of the biscuits or through hope. Luisen chose five or six of them and brought them to the warehouses.

A cart packed with a large cast-iron pot, firewood, hardened bread, and dried jerky had already been prepared. After running around fulfilling Carlton’s errands, Luisen was better able to navigate the geography of the castle and the hidden stashes of supplies in the warehouses.

In a way, he was able to prepare this much in such short notice thanks to Carlton…though the lord had no intention of voicing such thoughts.

The sun was gradually beginning to set by the time Luisen arrived back in the village. The usually bustling town was as quiet as death.

“Let’s get settled before the sun sets.” Luisen led his crew towards the largest square in town. All the shops surrounding the square were closed, but a curious crowd had still gathered.

News had already spread during the day that the lord had been embroiled in the riots. As Luisen drew closer, the people retreated quickly. The tension in the air could be cut with a butter knife.

“Will this be alright?” The knights who were following him had raised their blades in preparation for conflict. Though Luisen was scared inside, he resolutely raised his chin and attempted to show confidence.

“It’ll be fine. Let’s just start here.” Luisen divided the recently released villagers into two groups. One group was sent to gather the rest of the denizens and the other was left behind to help in his plan.

He had the people arrange the firewood and create supports for the pot–a large vessel usually used for feasts. The pot was enough to contain several dozen servings of soup.

Immediately, water was drawn from the well; the bread and the beef jerky were torn into many small pieces. While hard bread and jerky were normally hard to chew, the foodstuffs turned mushy with the moisture. Eventually, they all combined to create a thin, boiling soup.

Luisen had a small taste.

The soup was created without stock or broth ingredients. Bread, water, and jerky; that was all. Yet, the saltiness from the jerky and the butter from the meat leaked out to create a passable flavor. This much was fit to eat.

If the amount was insufficient, more water could be poured in. If the soup became too watery, more bread would be added. If it was too bland, beef jerky could substitute for seasoning. Too salty? They could once again add more water. As long as the fire burned, the soup could be boiled continuously–forever, even.

The food was rough and unappetizing; most wouldn’t have given it a second glance. However, for a person who had starved for a long time, it was a godsend. Proper bread and meat would not digest well in a malnourished stomach and would cause health issues. Luisen knew this fact well: during his wandering, he had developed a great stomach ache after eating bread given by a kind-hearted madame.

In his experience, it was better to consume watery soup to fill up the stomach and warm the body. Additionally, such soup could be quickly and easily made in large quantities with a small amount of ingredients.

“My lord, let us distribute the food.” The attending villagers tried to take the ladle from Luisen’s hands. They couldn’t allow the lord to serve them in good conscience.

However, Luisen declined. It was important to follow through with his convictions and to personally feed his citizens. “No, that’s alright. I’ll handle this. You all should just make sure to secure the surroundings.”

At Luisen’s decisive words, the villagers nodded. The knights stood on guard, their eyes flashing with spirit.

“This way! The lord is personally handing out soup!”

“There’s something to eat here! Bring a bowl or a cup! Come over!”

As ordered, the villagers scattered here and there while shouting. People gathered at the edges like rain clouds on the horizon as the smell of savory soup spread throughout the village square. However, no one was willing to approach any closer.

They were fearful of the untouchable lord standing with a ladle, situated between extraordinary knights. They couldn’t bear to turn their eyes and noses away from the food, but the memory of the earlier riots froze their feet.

‘This is going to take all night.’

Luisen looked around and pointed at the youngest-looking boy among the crowd. “You over there. Come here.”

“M-me?” The boy, who was wiping his drool with his grubby hands, startled.

“Come quickly,” Luisen gently urged. The boy approached him with a nervous heart. He couldn’t defy the lord’s request, but his pulse could not hide his fear. 

TL: Ruger really is a product of his upbringing…..