Chapter 10: Standard Weight

For roughly 100 li both north and south of Bichi Village, the land was truly desolate, with no more than a dozen scattered hamlets between them. The paths they followed were overgrown with weeds, clearly seldom trodden.

Farra traveled with Mas, uncovering every unexplored section on the System’s map and sketching in his mind how this vast tract should be developed.

“Who manages your village?” When they reached the first hamlet, Farra had not yet spoken before Mas tactfully stepped forward to ask.

“The steward is Reis…” the villager replied blankly, unsure why Mas was asking.

“Tell him to come out and meet us,” Mas said, “and say that Lord Jago has come to claim his land!”

“T-The Lord?!” The sallow villager paled at the title. “P-Please wait a moment, I’ll fetch Reis right away…”

“Hurry up!”

“Yes, sir!”

Even though Farra had only just granted him the title of butler, Mas already displayed a firmness utterly unlike that of common villagers. The change in status and the mindset it produced were vividly apparent in him. Farra glanced over but said nothing.

Soon a man named Reis hurried over and stopped before Farra.

“L-Lord, I am Reis…”

“Good. I came to inform you that from today onward you belong to the Jago Barony and will be governed by me, Farra Jago. Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes, understood!” Reis answered, bowing hastily.

“All right, you may return.”

“Yes, sir…”

Farra did nothing further; he had come solely to give notice. In a backwater this remote there was no one official to deliver such messages. The messenger who had previously informed Mas had only appeared because of special circumstances… who knew how many hands the message had passed through? It might have seemed superfluous, yet it was necessary. Farra still needed to notify each neighboring village in turn. Once he finished a single circuit, he would not need to come again; his subordinates could handle the rest.

So Farra and Mas pushed through weed-choked paths and tangled woods, visiting all thirteen villages north and south of Bichi Village. He also took the opportunity to survey the local terrain. Along the way they met virtually no resistance or questioning. At the mere mention of the word “noble,” every village reacted with fearful reverence; some simply looked astonished. None had imagined their wretched settlements of barely one hundred souls would one day become a noble’s domain.

After Farra left, the villagers gathered to talk among themselves.

“How did a noble suddenly show up out of nowhere?”

“…No idea… I just hope nothing bad happens…”

“Relax; even if the lord wants to do something, this dump hardly has anything worth his trouble…”

“True, things cannot really get any worse anyway…”

“Sigh, the weather’s been poor this year; the harvest will suffer.”

“I’d been worrying about how to answer to Master Kone; now I get to worry about how to answer to Lord Jago…”

By the time Farra returned to Bichi Village, night had fallen completely.

“Mas, have someone cook and make some porridge.”

“Yes, sir…”

Mas agreed, though his expression showed difficulty. Seeing this, Farra asked bluntly, “The village doesn’t have enough food, does it?”

“Uh, yes, Lord… last year’s harvest was poor; we have almost no stores left…”

“You haven’t paid last year’s tax to Master Kone yet, have you?”

“Not yet…”

“Then use that portion.”

“Yes, sir…”

“I have some as well; cook it all.”

“But, Lord, that is your…”

Mas looked stunned and tried to refuse on instinct, but Farra cut him off in a calm tone: “Follow orders.”

“Yes, sir!”

Mas stared in shock as Farra tossed three huge sacks of grain from the wagon. He managed only one; the other two were too heavy.

“Fetch some people to carry them, light the pot, and cook for those three hundred half-beastman slaves… don’t let them starve. If you’re hungry, you may eat a little as well.”

“Yes, sir!” Grinning, Mas left with one sack of barley.

It was the first time he had seen a noble share food with them! When Mas delivered the news, the neighbors stared in disbelief.

“Are you joking? The lord is giving us food?”

“No joke… come help me!”

A cauldron was soon set up, and the aroma of cooking drifted through the night.

“Lord Jago, may we really have some ourselves?” someone asked.

“Of course,” Farra replied with a casual smile. “This is my gift to you. You may take some for your families once my slaves have eaten.”

“Y-Yes, of course. Thank you, Lord Jago!” the man stammered, prostrating himself before running to fetch his household.

Scenes like this repeated across the village. More than once, a man would approach Farra, bow fervently, and dash back home. Farra always gave a similar reply, never showing impatience. The quiet night became unexpectedly lively.

“…Will someone really bring food in two days?” Freya, chewing on hardened black bread, asked.

“Perhaps,” Farra replied casually.

“Perhaps? Didn’t you promise?” Freya exclaimed.

“I said we’ll have food in two days, but I can’t guarantee how it arrives,” he said with a smile.

“…” Frustrated by his evasiveness, Freya returned to her bread.

Farra leaned against the wagon, studying the System map. He had already marked every tract of arable land in Bichi Village and sketched layouts for new settlements. By the time he finished, the villagers were full and content.

“It’s time I make another announcement,” Farra said as he approached the assembled crowd. All eyes turned to him.

“I hear you pay seventy percent of your grain to Master Kone each year?”

At those words, faces went pale.

“Y-Yes, Lord…”

“This land is now my fief, and all here belongs to me, which means your entire harvest is mine,” he declared. The villagers’ cheer turned to dread. None dared speak until a man finally muttered, “Y-Yes, Lord…”

“Since this land is mine, I will set a new rule: starting tonight, you will hand over every grain you have.”

“All of it?” a villager cried, “Kone only took seventy percent! What will we eat?”

Farra stared at him. After two seconds he asked, “Do you object?”

“I… I do! At least leave us ten percent!”

“So you refuse to be my subject?” Farra’s voice was cold. “Do you know the penalty for defying a lord in the Nosbaro Kingdom?”

“I’m not…” the man stammered, but Farra’s gaze froze him.

Farra drew the iron sword that had claimed countless lives and said evenly, “From today you will obey without question. Defy me and the only punishment is…” He swept the blade down.

“Shlk!”

The man’s body slumped as blood spattered the onlookers.

“Aah!” a woman screamed as the corpse fell. The crowd stood frozen in horror. Farra wiped his blade and finished, “… death.”

He scanned the villagers; none dared meet his eyes, not even Mas.

“Is there anyone who still objects?” Farra demanded.

“…”

Dead silence.

“Answer me!”

Finally, a voice trembled, “N-No, Lord…”

“Good.”

Farra nodded, then turned to Mas: “Tomorrow morning have everyone bring all their grain here. Anyone caught hiding any will be charged with defiance.”

“Y-Yes, Lord…” Mas shivered.

“Dismissed.” The villagers dispersed, their spirits plummeting. Tonight would be sleepless.

“Will you really take all their grain?” Freya asked later.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Farra replied.

“But what will they do without food?”

“That’s not my concern.” His face was unreadable.

Freya, uneasy, realized she still did not understand this man. Any good opinion she’d held vanished. “You’re no different from those pot-bellied lords,” she muttered.

Farra laughed. “When did I claim to be different?”

Freya turned away, silent and annoyed.

Farra checked the System panel.

『Achievement unlocked: Establishing Authority』

『Reward: 1 Resource point』

A new feature… Achievements… had appeared, but only unlocked ones were visible. He made a note and dismissed it.

The night passed without incident. At dawn, the reluctant villagers rose and, at Mas’s urging, brought every grain to the clearing. The entire harvest of the year lay before Farra.

“Search for hidden stores,” Farra ordered. Mas returned empty-handed.

“Good. Clear a room and move all the grain in. From today, each person may draw only one day’s ration. Mas, measure how much a person needs in a day… use yourself as the standard. Anyone who takes more will lose a hand.”

“Yes, Lord…”

Farra pointed to a man. “You, what’s your name?”

“A-Axi, Lord.”

“Send word to those seven villages to the north and six to the south. Instruct them to gather their grain and repeat my orders. Bring any objectors to me; if an entire village refuses, record its name.”

“Understood.”

Farra fetched the scale he had purchased and began distributing food: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The villagers, uncertain if it was their final meal, ate heartily. Afterward, Farra calculated the average daily consumption, rounded it to the nearest whole amount, and piled pebbles to mark the standard weight.

“From today this pile of stones equals one jin. Each household may draw as many jin per day as it has members,” he announced.

“Understood…”

Farra’s plan amazed everyone. They would receive far more under his rule than under Master Kone. To eat one’s fill… it was a luxury they had never known.

“Anyone who dares take extra will be beheaded and displayed. Understood?”

“Understood!!” The villagers knelt, overcome with joy.

Farra watched as the final System message appeared.

『Achievement unlocked: The So-called Standard Weight』

『Reward: 2 Resource point』

—-

A/N: Ruthless? No! Maybe…