CH 33

“Ah, yeah. It went well, thanks to my ancestors.” Luisen modestly told Carlton how he was greatly helped by his great grandfather. Somehow, the words fell glibly off his tongue. “As you’ve said, I owe it all to my forebears.”

“That’s…” Carlton stuttered uncharacteristically.

Luisen took no notice of this oddity and continued, “Anyway, I’m thinking of going back to the town square. I need to show people how best to eat the buried old hag.”

“Will you be alright?”

“I’ll be fine. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s eating.”

“Won’t it be dangerous? Will the knights be following you?”

“Well, since the cart needs to be escorted…maybe one?”

“…….”

Carlton’s words were not getting through Luisen’s imagination. If Carlton had been a bit more tender-hearted, he may have shed some tears at the pitiful lord who seemed to do everything by himself. Instead, Carlton frowned disapprovingly. “Then I’ll go with you to the village.”

“…..Why would you do that?” Luisen asked reflexively.

“I’m just going to watch. Don’t expect any help.”

‘…So, he’s not following to help?’

If Carlton escorted him, then the assigned knight could do other work that needed to be done.

Luisen stared at the mercenary. His prideful eyebrows and high nose beneath his wrinkled brow was quite striking–creating a handsome appearance. Luisen didn’t often have the time to appreciate his handsome features because Carlton always looked as if he was going to brutally murder someone.

‘Huh?’ Come to think of it, Luisen realized Carlton’s stare had looked less bloodthirsty lately. Somehow his ferocious spirit seemed to have softened, and the man didn’t look quite so frightening. Perhaps that was why he could look so comfortably at his face; previously, Luisen would have lowered his eyes. ‘No wonder the conversation is flowing so easily.’

It was the first time he didn’t feel so threatened by the mercenary. Luisen was shocked at this ease.

Carlton spoke bluntly, “Is there a reason why I shouldn’t follow?”

“You’re a bit….” What could Luisen say?

‘Why are you asking me this all of a sudden? You’ve become so kind, but why am I feeling so tense?’ the lord thought.

“If you don’t like it, then go alone.”

“No, I’d appreciate it if you escorted me.” Luisen swallowed the doubt in his heart. He wasn’t stupid enough to spoil a good opportunity with meaningless interrogation. Besides, he had a strong hunch that he shouldn’t voice these questions.

***

Soon afterwards, Luisen climbed into a cart containing the buried old hags. Next to him, Carlton rode on horseback.

The two arrived in the town square, and the young lord quickly began to inform the villagers of the new crop. After catching their eyes, he began boiling one of the roots to make soup at that spot.

Public response wasn’t very accepting. Some people grew angry at being made to eat pig feed. The atmosphere soon grew riotous, but Carlton played his part well.

Carlton stood beside Luisen, looking over the crowd with his arms folded over his chest. Just that imposing figure deterred anyone from moving forward. Even without a weapon, his strong body and large forearms were plenty threatening; to the villagers, his muscles may have very well been iron armor. Moreover, the man was known for his brutal nature; his presence, like an angry bull, was overwhelming enough to bow the villagers’ heads.

Thanks to this, Luisen could confidently grill the buried old hags in safety. The root–a remnant of an era of struggle–was always delicious.

The villagers could no longer protest when Luisen proudly began to eat the old hag in front of the people, providing evidence that this was no mere prank. In addition, Luisen went so far as to declare publicly that he would only eat food made of these buried old hags for some time.

As Luisen struggled, back at the castle carts continued to be loaded with supplies.

Since distribution was urgently implemented in a situation where both manpower and resources were lacking, progress was slow. However, thanks to Luisen’s efforts in the town square, the people were soothed and encouraged. The villagers patiently waited for their food, confident that their nobles would help them.

Like that, three days of rationing passed.

In the morning, Luisen woke up and headed for town. When he arrived at the town square, the villagers had already gathered. No matter how close the lower village was to the duke’s castle, the villagers would not easily have another chance to have the young lord right before their very eyes. They had all gathered when they heard that Luisen intended to eat every meal at the square. Since Luisen preferred there to be a larger crowd to drum up interest in the new crop, the lord calmly accepted the attention.

Tables were exclusively set up for Luisen’s demonstration in the town square–a provincial stage. When the lord sat at the table, after a moment servants would bring the buried old hags, roasted in fire.

With a fork and knife, Luisen skillfully peeled off the thick skin and ate the soft flesh of the root.

“Oh!? He’s actually eating it?”

“Didn’t I tell you? He’s been eating nothing but that for three days and he’s fine. Can’t we have some too? There’s a bunch in the vacant lot over there.”

The villagers murmured as they watched Luisen eating contentedly. A young man from the crowd stepped forward as if possessed, asking, “Excuse me my lord. Could I try….?”

Luisen could see at one glance that this young man was starving. His usually robust limbs held no power, and he was unable to tear his gaze away from the steaming old hags.

“Of course.” Luisen forked one of the grilled roots and held it out to the young man. The young man hesitated, recalling the innate repulsion he had for the ugly root, but ultimately he was too hungry to refuse. The man had used the flour and the other commodities to feed his younger siblings, but not enough was left over to fill his big belly.

“It doesn’t look quite so bad when it’s peeled, right?” Luisen kindly asked.

“That’s true….”

The buried old hags smelled savory and delicious–the smell could even entice a person to chew on stones.

The young man closed his eyes and popped the old hag into his mouth; a sweeter taste than he could have ever imagined captivated his tongue. The guardedness in his mind lowered at the fluffy texture that contrasted with its hideous exterior. In an instant, the young man ate up all that Luisen had offered and smacked his lips.

“Sit here and eat before you go. There’s enough, so eat your fill…and take some to go.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

The young man sat down at the table. Motivated by his bravery, a couple more villagers showed interest in the old hag. Luisen also granted them permission to squeeze a seat around the table.

The son of a farmer who was chained down in the village after the army disbanded, the heiress to the linen store, an old man caught by surprise while visiting the castle….and the Duke of Anies.

It would normally be impossible for all of them to sit at one table and eat together–the image left a strong impression in people’s minds.

Carlton was involuntarily struck with admiration. When he saw the lord digging around in the ground in the middle of the knight, he thought Luisen was insane. But he managed to overcome the prejudice they had for this hideous root….

‘He’s had such a harsh childhood, he deserves to indulge in some gluttony…’

Luisen peeled the old hag flamboyantly with his fork and knife and distributed the cut pieces onto the others’ plates. A persistent yet subtle smile spread across his face.

The same was true of Carlton. When the prejudice of a trash-like aristocrat was removed, he could better assess Luisen’s various faces. If he looked closely at the seemingly indifferent expression, he could distinguish when Luisen had no other thoughts and when he was planning something with determined will. When he was hungry, the lord looked fierce; on the contrary, his sated face became bright and languished, like a drowsy cat. Though he looked the happiest when full, that same expression appeared as he fed the hungry villagers and watched them eat their fill.

‘The duke may have been a good lord if not for his retainers’ machinations.’ No matter what, there would be power struggles everywhere. Carlton looked at Luisen with a mixture of pity and sorrow in his heart.

Two servants eyed their interaction meaningfully. One of them mentioned to the maid, who was flipping the buried old hags in the fire, “Look, Sir Carlton can’t tear his eyes away from our lord.”

The maid took a sly glance at the two and nodded. “You’re right. Look at his eyes. His gaze isn’t normal.”

“See? The rumors are true! I’m right!”

As the crisis showed signs of hope, Luisen’s popularity soared as high as the sky. His achievements, which had been devalued by his detractors, began to be reevaluated.

However, bright lights bring dark shadows.

As Luisen’s every move drew attention, the servants began to circulate suspicious rumors.

It started with Carlton’s men. They wondered if Carlton and Luisen had spent a short but intense moment of passion together. However, one of the duchy’s servants had overheard their conversation; stories spread from lip to lip, friend to friend. Of course, everyone had been lukewarm on the veracity of those rumors, but Carlton himself stoked the fires by chasing Luisen everywhere, giving the excuse that he was simply ‘watching over’ the young lord.

Carlton asked Luisen for his body by ransoming the rations!

Carlton is romantically chasing Luisen!

These were the two main points of the rumor. Many were hushed and told to be quiet, but the nature of rumors couldn’t be stopped. Nothing could stay secret forever. The rumors spread amongst the servants and eventually fell into the butler’s ear, who informed the general of what he had heard.