The next day, after training and breakfast, Arvind spread the census maps across his study table, his fingers tracing the outline of Ravengarde. Shankar stood nearby, a cup of herbal tea beside him.

  "The vilges are our lifeblood if we want to reform and develop Ravengarde smoothly," Arvind muttered. "But they've been neglected for generations. The brutal lord should be damned for his negligence."

  Shankar nodded. "Each vilge has unique potential. The River Vilge's fishing, the Mountain Vilge's herbs, the Forest Vilge's timber and hunting grounds. But they've never been properly integrated or nurtured by the predecessor lord."

  Arvind's eyes gleamed with determination. "That changes today. Faen and I, along with the others, pn to visit them. I intend to leverage their geographical features to stimute the local economy and establish a connection with Ashford. This approach will kill two birds with one stone: it ensures their livelihood is secure while Ashford benefits from trade with them."

  Arvind's eyes narrowed as he stood up and said, "Shankar, I will go now. You take care of the castle while I am away to facilitate Ravengarde's transition."

  Shankar nodded and said, "Don't worry, my lord. Be careful along the way."

  Arvind nodded as he departed, accompanied by Anika and four knights. Once they arrived in Ashford, he waited as the knights informed Faen and Eldrin. When Faen and Eldrin arrived, he noticed the fatigue in their eyes. He smiled and said, "Let's go. It will take us a week to come back, or more if we are deyed."

  ---

  Two days passed as Arvind's group rode their horses along grassy paths, hills, and tall trees as high as two-story buildings. As the horses climbed the hill, Arvind appreciated their help. He said, "Faen, don't you think the horses are our companions on this journey now? Imagine how much time and effort it would take to reach here without them."

  While gazing forward, Faen replied, "Yes, my lord. I read about the unification of the Kingdom of Larnhelm, where King Albert strategically formed a knight order with horses. This resulted in the kingdom now ruled by his son, King Alden. Learning from our history, nobles have been keen on acquiring horses and forming knight orders." He smiled at Arvind and continued, "From ancient times, horses have been the best companions of the human race."

  As they spoke, they passed the hilly region and approached the pins of central Ravengarde.

  Arvind gazed ahead at the central pins of Ravengarde and said, "See this pin ground? This is perfect for agriculture. Look at the small river flowing and the lush grass. If we plow this nd, Ravengarde will never go hungry again. Yet, there are not enough people to settle here."

  Eldrin interjected, "My lord, I have a better idea. From my understanding of Ashford and the nobles—not you, my lord—due to distrust among the people and the slow reaction of the lords of the two baronies, fleeing is their only option. So, if we welcome these refugees, the vilge pn will come true, my lord."

  ---

  Time passed, and it had been almost two days since they entered the pins of Ravengarde. They had not yet seen any sign of the river vilge. They crossed countless small rivers and tall grasses that tore at their clothes. The beautiful scenery—birds flying in the sky and animals searching for food—was breathtaking. As Arvind took in these sights, he was reminded of the vastness of his territory.

  A few hours ter, Arvind and the others were talking and ughing together as they rested during their break. Anika, staring at the ants busy working, sometimes smiled. She gnced over at Arvind and the others, then back at the ants. She thought, "I don't know why, but I love the ants' way of life. It's so simple, without hesitation or ambition, just like me." Her mind went bnk as she continued gazing at the ants.

  Turning to the grassy pin, she remembered how she became a personal maid. "It was a fortunate day for me. Many women in my vilge have no other choice but to become housewives after turning 17. I was beautiful back then—smart and quick-witted. I felt joy when I became a trainee maid. I knew that by becoming a maid, I had a chance to become a noble's lover and perhaps bear his children. It wouldn't be a happy life, but it would be different for me. I would not have to worry about survival and warmth. This is how we dream."

  Raising her hand and seeing the blue light glow, she felt a mix of emotions as she looked at Arvind. She felt her inner self wanting to do something. "What is it? I have no idea." She shook her head and joined Arvind and the others.

  ---

  A few hours ter, Arvind and the others stood on the shoreline of the river—approximately 125 meters wide, like half the River Thames at its widest. As Arvind looked ahead, trying to see its end, he marveled at its width and felt confused about how they would cross it. He looked over at Faen and said, "How are we going to cross this river, Faen? And during the census, how did you cross it?"

  Faen smiled at Arvind and replied, "My lord, we just have to walk along the shoreline. We'll spot the vilgers' raft, and then we can cross the river to arrive at the river vilge."

  A few minutes ter, Arvind and the others rode on the vilgers' raft. Arvind examined the raft with curiosity—it was big yet primitive from Earth's standpoint. As the raft approached the vilge, he could see a temple at the edge of the river and said, "Faen, do you see that temple? I have never seen a temple so close. I thought in Atheron, only the Elemental Pantheon was the prevalent religion. Right?"

  Faen was stunned for a moment and then said, "Oh, my lord, that is a Land Spirit Temple, where most serfs or commoners worship the nd. They think of it as their mother and believe it blesses them in their lives. Yes, you're right about the prevalent religion like the Church of Light in our kingdom, one of the Elemental Pantheon, but, my lord, most rural and isoted vilges still follow traditional religions—even Ashford."

  Eldrin interjected, "My lord, I also worship the nd. It is our mother that we depend on and are grateful for her help. So you can say I am devoted to the temple just like you are to the Church of Light."

  Arvind realized and mused, "Forget the novel's influence," and said, "Haha, that's great—many religions and different ways of life. You are wrong about the religion I follow, Eldrin. I follow the Ignis Church of Fire. I believe in strength and guiding my life with my own hands."

  As Faen instructed the vilgers on their destination, Arvind smiled at Faen but noticed the vilgers' darting eyes scrutinizing him like he was an actor. He could see fear and dislike in their eyes for someone of his status. Arvind sighed and turned to the current and noticed fishing boats drifting with vilgers casting nets with practiced ease as the shoreline grew nearer.

  The Kelnar River, glistening under the midday sun, framed the vilge with its shimmering waters. Its gentle current reflected patches of reeds and fishing boats drifting. As they arrived closer, he saw the vilges nestled along the shoreline.

  After nding, they guided their horses while walking. Arvind observed the temple clearly. As he approached, he noticed thatched roof cottages built from pale river stone and timber, blending with the natural ndscape. The air carried the faint, sweet scent of wildflowers clustered by the banks. Children darted barefoot through the narrow dirt pathways, and as Arvind and the others approached, they stopped and stared at them like they had never seen people like them before.

  A few minutes ter, an old man with a wiry figure and a deeply tanned complexion, draped in flowing robes adorned with patterns that symbolized harmony between the nd and its people, approached. He held a polished staff carved with river motifs, resembling a shaman. Seeing him, Faen greeted him like an old friend and said, "Elder, long time no see. May the Mother Earth be with you. Oh! Yes, this is my lord, the Baron of Ravengarde."

  The old man bowed deeply, his voice a mixture of respect and wariness as he greeted Arvind. "My lord, I am Eamon Waters, the leader of the vilge and elder over there at the temple. What can I do for you, my lord?"

  Arvind nodded at him, feeling a bit amused by his surname, and said, "My name is Arvind, the lord of Ravengarde. Tell me about your vilge—what do you cultivate? What challenges do you face?"

  As Eamon heard his words, he couldn't help but think, 'Another noble, another promise. How many times have I heard grand words that never materialized? Our people struggle daily. The river gives, but it also takes. Magical beasts disrupt our fishing. Floods destroy our crops. And now this young lord speaks of change...'

  He replied respectfully, "My lord, we fish the river. But magical beasts make our work dangerous. Our crops are minimal—some root vegetables, barely enough wheat. We survive but barely. If the fish harvest is abundant, we can have more, but if it's less, we starve." He sighed and continued, "An abundant fish harvest doesn't benefit us yet; it spoils easily, and where to trade? Even the closest mountain vilge takes 4-5 days to reach."

  Arvind maintained eye contact with Eamon. He furrowed his brows, signaling concern and deep thought as he listened. His eyes occasionally flicked sideways, reflecting his internal skepticism.

  Meanwhile, Anika gazed at the simply-dressed vilgers with straw hats, hearing their curious murmuring and vigince as they stared at them, especially at Arvind's clothing. Anika clenched her fist, remembering how she helped solve the Nexus crisis. Her face then rexed as she turned her gaze to Arvind, her eyes reflecting determination. "I can do more," she resolved.

  Arvind nodded to acknowledge Eamon's concerns, demonstrating understanding and empathy. He then stroked his chin, contempting Eamon's words and the vilge's situation. "We will stay three days," he said. "To understand your vilge fully."

  Eamon said, "Why not stay in my nephew's house? The conditions will not be as good as your castle, my lord. Forgive me for that."

  Arvind nodded and accepted the arrangements, a slight, reassuring smile on his face. After finishing talking with Eamon, he felt a bit amused by his surname but had a sense of distrust. He considered Eamon's position as the elder of the temple and thought, 'Who knows what kind of fanatic he might be? Yet, he also recognized Eamon's cunning mindset and ck of vigor compared to younger people. I don't believe he will fully align with Ravengarde and my interests.'

  After noticing the absence of vilgers around, he said to Faen, "I don't trust Eamon Waters at all. I pn to choose a vice leader from the vilgers, someone who could align better with us."

  Faen was stunned for a moment by Arvind's transformation but nodded, understanding the unspoken challenge. Political survival meant reading between the lines, understanding the subtle currents of power. Anika, overhearing Arvind's words, clenched her fist and said, "My lord, I—vice leader... I want to help with choosing the leader, my lord. You know I am from a vilge and have a keen eye."

  Arvind was stunned for a moment but then smiled. "Why not? Anika, I believe in your vision."

  ---

  The next day,

  under Faen's lead, they visited the wheat field. Arvind's first reaction was one of shock, "What? Rice?" As they approached, Arvind realized it was wheat. "Who are the idiots cultivating wheat like rice? No wonder their yield is barely enough," he excimed.

  Faen replied with understanding, "The vilgers have a long tradition and a deep fondness for water. They see it as a blessing and use it abundantly in the fields. To them, it's good practice."

  Arvind muttered, "What a weird practice." Then, more resolutely, "We have to change this. Look at the vast, fertile pins! They're wasting their potential to yield more wheat."

  Faen remembered something and said, "My lord, let me introduce you to a unique pnt here."

  As they approached, Arvind saw a tall, reed-like pnt growing near the field. He noticed farmers chewing on stalks as they walked. Faen presented him with a long stalk and said, "This is very sweet when you chew it, my lord."

  Curious, Arvind took the stalk, imitated Faen's chewing, and tasted the sweetness. His mind clicked. "Sugar! Energy!" he excimed. "Faen, do you know that nobles are crazy about honey? This pnt could repce it. Imagine the price of honey—about one gold coin. We could sell this for copper and still make a fortune. This is a trade revolution for Ravengarde."

  Faen, though confused, nodded at Arvind's words, excited about the potential of this sweet pnt.

  With renewed energy, Arvind visited the river. He saw fish moving beneath the surface—some normal, some bearing strange mutations due to elemental energies. "Potential and challenge in equal measure," Arvind said. "Faen, Eldrin, this river has the potential to propel Ravengarde to heights you never imagined. It can supplement our food supply and even provide fish to the kingdom. Look at the river's flow direction; it flows toward the Barony of Edor. Imagine if we could build a port here. Prosperity and bustling activity—it would be a sight to behold."

  Faen nodded, understanding the importance of the river vilge to Ravengarde, while Eldrin gazed at the river, lost in thought.

  Meanwhile, Anika observed a young woman—Lira—organizing younger vilgers and distributing meager supplies. She moved with quiet authority, born out of necessity and leadership.

  On the st day of their stay, Arvind and his group had a clear picture of the vilge. The inefficient farming methods and fishing techniques had made the vilgers poor and below town living standards. As Arvind contempted this, Anika approached with a young girl she had observed for three days and had decided was fit to be the vice leader of the vilge. Arvind was surprised by her choice but had no objection to a woman being the leader.

  He called Faen, Eldrin, and the knight to the center of the vilge. As the vilgers gathered, Arvind spoke, not in the formal way of traditional nobles, but with genuine understanding.

  "Your vilge will connect with Ashford," he procimed. "We'll help you preserve fish, explore new crops, create trade routes, and bring development opportunities to your vilge."

  Lira stood beside the old elder—a symbolic passing of leadership, bridging old fears and new possibilities.

  The river flowed, indifferent to human pns, yet bearing witness to this moment of potential transformation.

  After concluding his speech, Arvind and his group bid farewell to Eamon and Lira, and continued their journey toward the Mountain Vilge to the south.

  To be continued...

  Magicknight