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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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For the territory’s people, who had been in a state of destitution for a long time, Ed’s response was a perfect and effective remedy.
Just as there is a saying that a single action is more valuable than a thousand words, he convinced them with a definite action without rambling on and on.
“This is heaven… All hail Edgar Fix-nim…”
And that action was to let them enjoy the benefits of civilization, even for just a few hours.
It was to let them enjoy the cool breeze of the air conditioner and drink sweet Sikhye inside a huge PVC tent that completely blocked the scorching sun.
“Get a good night’s sleep. To work for me, you also need sufficient rest.”
Ed didn’t stop there and even provided bedding.
He provided soft pillows and beds for all 500 people to lie on.
And, the bedding Ed provided was on a different level from what the commoners used.
The beds that commoners used were nothing more than dry cloth randomly filled with straw and cotton, so one couldn’t expect much of an effect as a bed.
It was only slightly better than sleeping on the bare ground.
“Wh-What is this…!?”
But the bedding Ed provided was modern style.
It was a mattress made with an ergonomic design, maintaining elasticity with springs and then filled with memory foam made by processing polyurethane.
It was to the point where it even made one feel as if they were lying on a cloud.
“T-T-This texture!!!”
Not only that, but the texture of the blanket was also on a different level.
To the commoners who had used a scratchy cloth, almost no different from a rag, as a blanket, the blanket Ed provided was no different from silk.
An even greater pleasure came over them when they rubbed their legs against the blanket.
Better than masturbation.
This was happiness.
“Aah… Aaaaaah… This is the life…”
And so, the territory’s people fell into a nap in heaven.
They savored the luxury they had never had in their lives, falling asleep covered in a blanket while enjoying the air conditioner breeze.
These people, who had always lived in constant anxiety about the future, fell asleep in a comfortable mood for the first time in a long time.
“Hwaaaam~”
It was when they woke up after a good night’s sleep.
Since it was the first time in their lives they had slept in such a comfortable environment, they had slept without realizing the passage of time.
It was already 7 in the evening.
“But what is this smell?”
However, after waking up, there was a delicious smell coming from somewhere.
It was a scent they had never smelled before in their lives, but they could clearly tell that the source of this smell was damn delicious.
The awakened territory’s people began to move as if possessed, following the smell.
The smell was coming from beyond the curtain of the tent.
Someone was busily moving and cooking beyond that curtain.
“Th-There… who are you?”
So, Grick, who could be called the representative of the territory’s people, opened the curtain and confirmed their identity.
And the ones who were busily cooking beyond the curtain were none other than the SIBALSAEGI club members.
They, who had sworn allegiance to Ed, had received Ed’s call and were frying chicken.
“I am Anthony, Ed-nim’s closest friend. I am preparing a meal for you at Ed-nim’s earnest request.”
At this, Anthony, who was wearing an apron, sanitary gloves, and a bandana, puffed out his shoulders and boasted about himself.
At that, David, who was coating the chicken, glared at Anthony and spoke in an angry voice.
“Ed-nim’s closest friend? How dare you lie. Ed-nim’s number one loyal subject is none other than me, David.”
David and Anthony bickered, each claiming to be Ed’s most favored loyal subject.
In any case, Grick could tell that they were subordinates who had come at Ed’s call.
The new lord-nim was planning to bestow some kind of food upon the territory’s people.
“W-Wait and see… The new lord-nim seems to be giving us something again…”
At this, the territory’s people swallowed hard and nodded.
They gathered in groups of twos and threes and chatted, smiling about what kind of food it could be.
“Everyone, line up! Receive it one by one in order!”
Just as the smell of chicken spread everywhere.
Finally, the 17 slaves came out with a lot of chicken and began to distribute it to the territory’s people.
The Golden Olive Chicken, fried with a modern recipe, was enough to drive the territory’s people crazy with just its smell.
It was when one chicken per person had been distributed to all the territory’s people.
“It’s a shame if beer is missing.”
Ed, who had been to the capital at some point, came inside holding a large beer keg.
As soon as Ed entered, all the territory’s people hurriedly bowed their heads and showed their respect.
“Chicken goes with beer.”
Soon, Ed placed the beer keg on the table and began to distribute it to the territory’s people.
He provided one glass each as a basic, but he had brought plenty so that they could get refills anytime they wanted more.
It was the point when one chicken per person and beer had all been distributed to everyone.
Ed stood on a makeshift platform.
“I know you must be hungry, having fallen asleep without eating anything. For now, eat to your heart’s content. We’ll talk about what needs to be said later.”
Ed, who stepped down from the platform, telling them to eat first.
The moment Ed stepped down, many of the territory’s people thought.
That the new lord-nim was definitely different.
That he was someone who knew how to look into and be considerate of other people’s desires, rather than just what he had to say.
“Wh-What… what on earth is this taste?”
And so, the chicken tasting party began.
The crispy fried and saltily marinated chicken meat entered their mouths.
And at that moment, their mouths became a festival.
A stimulating taste they had never experienced before began to run wild like crazy.
“Aah… Aaaaaah…”
Why were tears falling like this?
This was like the sight of a baby kitten, who had been starving for a long time, tasting Churu for the first time and shedding tears.
These were people who had been dipping hard bread, no different from a brick, into frog stew, so they could be greatly moved just by eating chicken.
“It’s so… so delicious…”
And so, a strange scene was unfolding inside the hall.
All the territory’s people were sobbing and eating chicken, to the point where it was hard to tell if they were eating chicken or crying.
This was because the sorrow they had felt until now had exploded in an instant.
These were territory’s people who had a grudge against food, to the point where it was common to see villagers starving to death, so when they ate such a delicious, high-calorie food, their sorrow welled up and tears flowed.
“W-We must have fried it properly…?”
At this, the SIBALSAEGI members scratched the back of their heads and smiled awkwardly.
They, who had lived a luxurious life their whole lives, couldn’t understand the feelings of the territory’s people, but they felt good, as if they had done something good.
“The food you just ate is called chicken.”
After the tearful chicken tasting party ended.
Ed went up to the platform and began to give a speech.
Everyone focused their gaze on Ed with their puffy eyes.
Soon, Ed spoke.
“As you can tell from the taste, it’s not a dish you can eat commonly. It’s a dish that mainly appears on the tables of nobles.”
“……”
“But I can promise you. From now on, this chicken will be on your dining table once a month, or once every two months.”
…!?
Everyone had a startled expression.
They could already be satisfied just by tasting it once in their lifetime, but such a food could be on their dining table regularly?
“Of course, that is impossible at present. It’s a story that’s only possible when the plan in my head is realized to some extent.”
However, Ed changed the subject here.
He turned their attention to the fact that his plan had to be preceded in order to eat chicken.
The audience now began to wonder what Ed’s plan was.
“And my plan is to make my territory the richest territory in history.”
And the plan Ed announced was ‘the richest territory in history.’
While everyone was swallowing hard and concentrating on Ed’s words, Ed uttered shocking words.
“And at the center of this plan, you all must be there. I need your help.”
He had said that the territory’s people were needed for that grand plan.
To them, who were mere commoners.
“I will start an industry. And the soldiers of the industry I envision are you all. Only your passion and labor can make my plan a reality.”
“……”
“So work for me. Work with all your heart and soul. Then I will give you a definite reward. I will make you a member of the richest territory in the Empire, and make chicken and beer your daily life. The bedding you slept on today. This comfortable temperature. All of it will become your daily life.”
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Their hearts beat at a fast pace.
They were already itching to work for Ed, to the point where they thought they would go crazy.
What the territory’s people wanted.
It was nothing more than to eat well and sleep well.
But what Ed promised was more than that.
He had guaranteed them a ‘life worthy of a human being.’
“Be rewarded as much as you have worked. Be loyal to me with ambition. If your abilities are recognized, I will give you a reward worthy of them.”
The atmosphere was heightened.
The territory’s people, who had been sobbing and tearing at the chicken until just a moment ago, began to stand up one by one.
They looked at Ed with hot eyes that seemed like they would destroy everything right away.
Soon, a villager raised a hand and began to chant a certain word.
“Fix!”
That word was ‘Fix.’
The surname that symbolized Ed, who was from a blacksmith background.
And Fix was also a commoner’s surname.
It was an endlessly familiar surname to the territory’s people.
“Fix!”
“Fix!”
“Fix!”
However, the Fix that the territory’s people were chanting today was not simply a surname that symbolized a blacksmith.
It was a surname that symbolized the surname of their lord, to whom they would dedicate their lives in loyalty.
These people, who were fascinated by the vision and values presented by Ed, shouted the surname of Fix to the point where it echoed loudly.
“Fix!”
“Fix!”
“Fix!”
Now, to them, Fix was no different from a religion.
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Ed, who had made the biggest troublemakers of the territory his subordinates, gave them their first order.
It was an order to approach the other demonic cult groups scattered throughout the territory and persuade them.
And this was a possible strategy because the scale of the demonic cult that Grick operated was the largest in this territory.
This was because the demonic cult, which had established itself in the form of a cell organization, was influenced by the largest demonic cult group, so Grick had unknowingly influenced other demonic cult organizations.
In other words, Grick had a firm grip on the demonic cult organizations within the territory.
“Yes, Lord-nim! I will definitely persuade them.”
And so, Grick began to contact the other demonic cults he knew.
He met their leaders and urged them to quit the demonic cult.
“Are you out of your mind? You want us to bow our heads to the nobles?”
“You’re talking like your head is broken.”
“……Yes?”
“You too must taste the greatness of Edgar Fix-nim. Follow me.”
And the way Grick recruited other demonic cults was simple.
First, he would invite their leader to his camp and then treat them to a bowl of cool Sikhye with a cool air conditioner.
If he preached Ed-nim’s plan while having chicken and beer, another ardent follower of the Fix-cult would be born.
“I regret that I believed in such a foolish religion. I will lead everyone and come here right away.”
“Good. Offer your heart for Ed-nim.”
And so, several cell organizations began to gather at Grick’s camp.
It was to undergo heart surgery and return to being human.
Since Sophie still didn’t have the ability to purify the heart itself completely, Ed’s surgery was absolutely necessary.
“Now there’s one day left.”
And so, Ed succeeded in eliminating a considerable number of cell organizations by using Grick’s influence.
Now, all that was left was to participate in the ‘ritual’ that would be held tomorrow and execute the Bishop, the root cause of all this.
The damn Bishop who was becoming a half-human, half-demon by raping the corpse of a dead virgin.
“I’m looking forward to the look on that guy’s face when he’s flustered.”
The Bishop who appeared at the gathering wearing a red mask.
However, the number of followers at the gathering to be held tomorrow would be considerably reduced.
This was because Grick had visited countless cell organizations and stitched up their broken heads.
“I’ll wipe them all out.”
So, Ed smiled, gripping the handle of the still-incomplete Crucible.
If the plan he had devised with Grick and his gang worked well, he would be able to charge a considerable amount of hell energy, the main power source of the Crucible.
The strongest magic sword he had been looking forward to for a long time was being born.
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