Chapter 45

Seasons changed, and the harvest season arrived at the Aster estate. The seeds of hope Rian had sown, nourished by the residents’ sweat and effort, bore brilliant fruit.

The estate’s landscape was completely different from a few months ago. The stream running through the village flowed clear, and thanks to well-maintained water and sewage systems, there was no longer a foul stench. Pumps had been installed all over the estate so that even children and the elderly could draw water easily. Above all, the greatest change took place in the fields. Thanks to the new plows, fertilizers, and crop rotation methods Rian supplied, this year’s grain harvest was expected to far exceed three times that of normal years.

“Is this… is this really wheat from our field?!”

An old farmer wept tears of joy as he looked at the golden wheat heads that had grown as tall as he was. A prosperity he had never seen in his lifetime unfolded before his eyes. The estate’s residents no longer worried about hunger. Hope and vitality filled their faces, and all their respect and gratitude were directed at the second young master, Rian Aster.

But prosperity birthed a new problem.

“Rian, this is serious. At this rate, there’s nowhere to store all the harvested grain. The current warehouses are utterly insufficient!”

Count Aaron came in holding a report from the warehouse manager and spoke with a grave face. With far more yield than expected, the joy was short-lived as the storage problem became real. At this rate, more than half of the hard-earned grain could rot or become food for rats.

“Don’t worry, Father. There’s a way to solve that problem, too.”

Rian had already anticipated the situation. He spread another set of plans before his father.

“This is a tower called a ‘silo (Silo)’ designed to store grain in bulk. It’s built for good ventilation to prevent spoilage and to block access by rats and pests. And this is… a ‘cold storage.’”

Rian pointed to the plans for an underground storage dug deep into the earth.

“The ground stays at a nearly constant temperature year-round. Add the cooling Magic circle I’ve developed, and we can keep fresh vegetables and fruits all through the winter.”

Count Aaron was no longer surprised by his son’s outlandish proposals. He simply looked at him with steady, proud eyes.

“Alright, I’ll trust you again this time.”

Under Rian’s command, another massive construction began across the estate. Craftsmen now trusted Rian completely, and the estate’s residents volunteered one after another, calling it work for their future.

A few days later, early-harvested potatoes and vegetables were stored for the first time in the completed cold storage. Rian toured the storage with his family.

“Wow, big brother! It’s summer out there but it feels exactly like winter in here!”

Lily blew white breath and marveled. The interior of the storage was cool thanks to the cooling Magic circle Rian had installed.

“With this, this winter all of our estate’s residents will be able to eat fresh vegetables.”

Mother Serena said in a moved voice.

That evening, a small banquet celebrating the bountiful harvest was held. Family and the estate’s leading figures gathered and laughed. Everyone was filled with hope for the future.

But even amid that laughter, Rian did not forget the shadow of the coming storm. After the banquet, on his desk in his room lay the latest report from Argos, secretly delivered by Kael.

He opened the report under the candlelight. The smile on his face slowly faded.

“‘An unexplained plague has broken out in Karnak village on the empire’s eastern border. Livestock are dying, spewing black blood, and dozens of residents are missing. Even the Holy State’s priests dispatched to the scene could not find the cause and withdrew. Observed phenomenon: soil and plants in the afflicted area turning a grayish hue.’”

Rian’s gaze went cold. ‘Ashen Worm cult.’ Those bastards had finally begun to move in earnest within the empire.

Rian looked out at his prosperous, peaceful estate visible through the window. Then he looked down at the report in his hand that announced a hellish scene.

This peace was by no means guaranteed. Everything he was building now was not merely for the estate’s prosperity. It was the last bastion and barrier to protect everything precious in the great war to come.