Chapter 16
** That Evidence of the Curse is That Snow?**
All available people were mobilized.
That was the plan he had established. He had even called the women to manage the kilns.
And so he continued to increase the number of kilns.
“……If we keep increasing the number of kilns like this, eventually all the people will be tied up working only on charcoal.”
Nigel came to him with a worried face.
Cliff had been wondering when he would show up.
‘There’s no way the old man would just let this slide.’
Even now, women were being made to operate the charcoal kilns.
What were the men doing?
They were building even more kilns in the midst of all this.
So it was natural for Nigel to be concerned. This would dramatically increase charcoal production, but it also meant the territory would be overflowing with people who only knew how to work the kilns.
Cliff answered.
“I know.”
“Then… are you thinking of transforming the territory into one specializing in industry?”
Charcoal could be a good commodity even outside. Just like selling ropes and baskets to Tom’s merchant group, it meant they could make money by selling it.
After all, this was a territory where farming was difficult. It wouldn’t be strange for Cliff to abandon agriculture and choose industry.
‘But that won’t do. I must prevent that.’
Nigel was earnest.
Cliff chuckled.
“If this territory had transportation routes open in all directions, that might be good.”
Nigel’s frowned expression relaxed.
Cliff had accurately grasped the reason for his concern.
It was difficult for the territory to survive through trade. Unless the canal Cliff had planned succeeded, but now that that was blocked…
The territory only had the northern side path.
‘Self-sufficiency in food must succeed at all costs.’
Suppose an enemy appeared in the territory.
If they only blocked the northern road, the territory would have no choice but to starve to death.
“The harvest is already over anyway. We need to run the kilns, make winter supplies, and repair houses. We just need to prepare to spend the winter warmly. After all… we have enough food.”
There had never been a time when the territory had such an abundance of food.
The supplies received from Tom’s merchant group and the food Beluman had stockpiled.
All of it had come to the territory’s storehouses. Furthermore, he had signed a five-year supply contract with Tom.
‘Unless the merchant group goes bankrupt, they probably won’t betray me.’
It was a transaction with a noble.
They wouldn’t be so bold as to betray him first.
So now was the time to distribute food without hesitation.
Instead, he needed to secure other things.
“Then…?”
“It means some of the kilns we’re working so hard to build now will have to be abandoned later. But it’s not too much of a shame. Repairs won’t require much manpower. And then… whether through the merchant group or by going outside the territory ourselves, we can buy people.”
Just as the territory’s people had been sold as slaves, this time they would buy them.
Until then, they would partially suspend the charcoal factory’s operation and focus on farming.
When farming ended, they would run the factory again.
It was a simple matter.
At Cliff’s plan, Nigel nodded.
“I understand the Acting Lord’s intentions well. For now… we just need to survive the harsh winter season, is that it?”
“That’s right. Tell the people that too. They will be paid for their work at the factory in charcoal, so they should use that charcoal to get through the winter.”
The people were probably having a hard time right now.
But they could endure it.
Because they knew all of this was ultimately for their sake. They had to work hard now to survive the harsh winter season, as Nigel said.
“Besides charcoal, there’s a lot to do. Houses need repairing, and winter clothing needs to be prepared.”
Things he had even convinced Nigel to do.
And it had clearly paid off.
—
**- Acquired 50 territory experience.**
**- Acquired 50 lord experience.**
—
He was able to complete the quest early.
But there were still quests remaining.
—
**<Winter Preparation 2>**
**Content:** A harsh winter is approaching. As lord, you must prepare so that your people can spend the winter warmly and safely.
Secure sufficient heating resources and food, as well as measures to prepare for unforeseen accidents.
Give your people a warm winter!
**Conditions:**
– Secure Blackwood (charcoal) (100,185 / 150,000 t)
– Secure stored food for winter (231 / 150,000 t)
– Produce winter clothes (618 / 800 units)
**Rewards:**
– Territory experience: 75
– Lord experience: 75
– Environment category ‘Climate Immunity’ skill +1
—
“……This should be easy to succeed.”
The number of kilns had already increased more than enough.
They would achieve the desired charcoal production before the snow fell. Furthermore, the territory had excellent craftsmanship.
Even without him saying anything, they were producing winter clothes on their own.
‘Even though they’re busy with the work I’ve assigned.’
The production of winter clothes was mainly done by those entering old age.
They had lived in this territory for decades. They had seen countless people die when winter came.
Even without being told, they knew that what Cliff was doing now was necessary.
—
* * *
The territory had been busy for a while.
The charcoal kilns had been constantly spewing smoke.
The elderly, with their children, had been continuously sewing inside their homes.
The men who built kilns, carried charcoal, or repaired houses to block drafts had all been moving.
Then, all that motion stopped.
—
**- Blackwood (charcoal) secured (152,375 / 150,000 t)**
**- Stored food for winter secured (229,751 / 150,000 t)**
**- Winter clothes produced (800 / 800 units)**
—
The Winter Preparation quest was completed.
And as if they had been waiting, snow began to fall outside.
“……I’ve always been scared when winter comes.”
Priscilla came beside him and subtly leaned her head on his shoulder.
She had changed a lot, too.
She wasn’t the kind of woman who would naturally initiate such physical contact before.
‘As expected, people need to be educated well.’
She smelled nice.
Enjoying that, he recalled her words.
Her saying winter was scary.
“Why? Because it’s cold?”
“That’s part of it, but… what was colder than the weather were the people. When winter approached, things grew dark, and until winter passed, it was always grim.”
“…….”
Cliff nodded at her words.
He understood.
It was the same in the Aindred Ducal family, not just here. Though he had felt it less because he was a bastard, even the ducal family grew tense when winter came.
And they were always on edge due to news of various accidents.
‘She means it was the same in this territory.’
How many people would die this winter?
They were malnourished from not eating well. Also, having prepared for winter himself, he knew.
The winter clothes made in the territory had their limits.
People who couldn’t eat properly had to huddle together and endure the cold with body heat. Sometimes, accidents occurred where they died from inhaling fire smoke.
Then the entire household would be wiped out.
‘And yet, the ancestors of the Elimeas family who monopolized charcoal or gave it only to the important ones are also remarkable.’
That many people died.
The roads were blocked, too.
And sometimes, people would die buried in the snow on the roads.
‘The snow really falls heavily, too.’
The snow fell without stopping.
There were still people outside.
Looking at them, the snow had already piled up to their ankles.
“Sometimes I listened to the maids’ stories. Things like, ‘So-and-so died today,’ or ‘Yesterday, an entire family was wiped out.’ There were also many stories of people selling their children when winter came.”
They must have done all that to survive.
It was fortunate that there were no stories of people eating people, at least.
“There were many disappearances, too. People who vanished would sometimes be found as corpses in the snow after winter passed…”
Her eyes looked sad as she spoke.
The Elimeas territory where she was born and raised.
And this territory that her family had ruled.
“Sometimes I thought: Is this land forsaken by the gods? And does a curse fall upon the territory once a year to kill everyone who lives here?”
“And the evidence of that curse is that snow?”
“Yes.”
He hadn’t known she thought of snow as a curse from the gods.
He felt strange.
Truly, words have power. Hearing such negative stories, he found himself being drawn into that emotion.
The reason she was so talkative today.
And the reason she was so emotional.
‘She’s had too much to drink.’
He could smell a pleasant scent of wine on her.
She had been drinking today.
For the record, today was her eighteenth birthday.
‘She was born in winter, yet she thinks of winter as a curse…’
Winter was the day she was born.
Perhaps she thought of her own birth as a curse?
Cliff gently stroked her head.
Having drunk, she was showing her inner self more than usual. He liked that, but he didn’t listen to her lonely story any longer.
Smack.
As expected, her mouth smelled of the sweet scent of wine.
The true first night with her, now an adult, was even sweeter.
So he made a promise.
‘The day you were born is not a curse.’
He made a decision in his heart.
He should hold a winter festival.
This winter, at least, he wanted the people to perceive it differently.
‘What should I do?’
In his previous life, there had been many such festivals.
But honestly, he hadn’t been interested in festivals.
‘If we’re talking about a festival we can hold in winter…’
The snow falling on the world right now would probably be best.
Snow is evidence of a curse?
Ridiculous.
The snow is heaven’s gift for her birth.
He intended to prove it.
