***
"I wonder what time it is?" Athena stretched her arms in the air as she woke from her sleep. The fact she was up early in the morning blessing all the lands she has restored.
Within two days, the girl was able to recover to her usual self. So, within that day, she would go about and bless the lands. Since she was only adding and boosting the crop growth, it didn't do a great deal of problem with her health.
Like that, almost the entire summer has gone by... And so, it was time for her to try and restore more lands. Truth be told, the girl is actually anxious how she'll be doing it. The fact the people are out in the fields all day plowing the lands. Whilst doing it late at night was not wise since it might alert the people one guard at night.
Knock knock
"My Lady, are you awake?" Sefred was knocking at the girl's door as it was almost time for lunch yet she was still not awake.
"Yeah, I'll be down soon."
"Alright."
Athena got out of her bed and started preparing. Awkwardly, she always found it challenging to dress herself alone since there are a lot of layers that needed to be put on unlike in her modern world.
"I really need to ask Diana to prepare some better clothes for me."
Just changing her clothes along would take almost half an hour to do. She realizes that a servant was indeed necessary for those nobles who dress lavishly since goodness, the amount of things that needed to be put on was just too much for her to handle.
During lunch, Athena explained to the both of them her plans.
"So, how will you be going about your plan?" Lirius asked, knowing the girl had no intention for the villagers to find out the fact it was her who was restoring the lands.
"That, I don't know yet..."
"Hmm, Didn't you plan to talk to the Chief about something."
"Ah, that's right. I almost forgot." She ponders on it more as she tried to find a way around things, "Then, Serfred, you can go explain things to everyone. I will go with Lirius to the field and start restoring them."
"Me?" Serfred looked shocked and almost choked on his food since he was not the type to give out speeches in front of everyone.
"Don't worry, I'll write down everything for you." The girl assured him that it won't be hard since all he needed to do was read what she wrote.
"You sure?" Serfred doubted it would be easy since even reading in front of everyone would be challenging as well.
"Don't worry, aren't you her knight. Meaning, everyone will listen to you." Lirius's smirky face turned to Serfred shortly as he went back to finishing his meal.
Serfred swallowed his food hard as he couldn't think of any more reason after the man made his remarks. 'F*cking nerd, he just had to make it even harder for me.'
After their quick lunch, Athena went to her study, which was a room next to Lirius. The reason as to why her office or study was next to Lirius was because she too thinks like the man. It was kind of annoying having to walk distances just to reach the library. Plus, when she needed any help, Lirius had been just next door.
As of now, they've only cleaned a few rooms and repaired them. One would never believe that the state of the house would be this bad. None of the second floors have been clean nor fixed since they were all too busy and don't have to do so.
"My Lady, my I come in?" Serfred knocked on the door as he opened it and entered the girl's study. Whilst he entered the room, he was frowning since Lirius was walking behind him being such a bug and sticking closely to him. Torturing and teasing him nonstop.
"Lirius, you're here as well." Athena asked, surprised to see the man not burying himself in his experiment.
"Aren't we heading to the fields?"
"Ah, that's right."
Lirius smiled at his excused worked. The true reason why he was there was because he wanted to tease the man.
... I finished writing the letter, if you want to add some things, don't hesitate and do so. What's important is you explain to the villagers why such changes need to be done."
As Serfred grabbed the letter, Lirius took a brief peek and a word struck him.
"You want to sell the crops?"
"Yes," Athena got up from her seat and grabbed her cape. "Let's go."
The three of them headed to the village together. It was more like a drag for Serfred as he carefully studied what the girl wrote. As he read through it, he wanted to question the girl why it was necessary. Since he didn't want to bother her, he asked Lirius instead for some help in case the villagers were to ask her why such implementation was needed.
"Sell the crops?" Lirius thought about it, but he couldn't see a reason as to why they needed to sell them. The crops were theirs since they worked hard for it. "She has her reason, it's better we just trust her."
"It's for the taxes." Athena spoke as she overheard them conversing with each other.
Serfred: "Taxes?"
Lirius: "For the land?"
"That's right, we don't own the land. Of course we must pay taxes."
Serfred and Lirius were both impressed, they never thought of paying the landlord a single tax at all. Since the estate Lirius was managing belongs to his master, and all the surrounding lands, he never really needed to worry about such things like taxes. Even though the Northern Region belongs to the Empire, the land which Lirius is residing to be a land which can never belong to them. For once they find out the history of the manor and its master, they'll soon realize what a mistake they've made.
Lirius pondered on such a word "tax", for it was something his master had never told him to worry about.
"Is something wrong Lirius?"
"Well, if I recall correctly, my master told me that all the lands near the manor belong to us. So technically, we don't need to pay taxes."
"Wha-what? You mean, the entry field, garden…" Serfred couldn't believe such lands belonged to the nerd. To think he belittled him just to find out he is as rich as the nobles of the empire.
"Hmm," He nodded with the same emotionless expression on his face as he continued to explain. "If you don't believe, I can show you the maps and documents which state all the land under the manor. I'm sure you thought of me as some lowly apprentice, but, I'm far richer than those people in the empire."
Neither the girl nor Serfred doubted his words, for he was someone who would never show off. It made them wonder how much exactly does the man owns.
'Seriously, who is Lirius's master? To think he has more fertile lands than the empire.' Athena's mind was all muddled as she pondered hard on the subject. The fact she have once explored the lands under Lirius's name and he explained there was more to it.