"This will be our starting point."
I stood above the pile of small cut stones, looking at the maids who worked their magic.
They were using the top of their finger to direct the cut of the stones, making them perfectly cut like bricks.
"You look like a slave forcer from a distant perspective with them working at this kind of weather."
"You don't have to worry about anything. I've brought the others who would provide enough heat for them."
It was Lilith, holding a few chunks of food that were delivered for the working maids.
Three maids worked with Earth Magic.
Then there were two more maids from behind that stood behind them, continuously producing a warm area.
I wouldn't have them work in this kind of weather after all. There might be only a week before winter ends but the coldness is still not letting up.
I had those Fire Magic-users go through a certain training as well after the Earth Magic users.
If they were able to create fire out of nothing, then it means their mana would only work in a logic of 'igniting' and 'combustion' of oxygen in the air, continuously sucking it up.
It wasn't easy to teach them knowledge of how there are small particles in the air that is invisible even to the naked eye.
I had them imagine molecular balls floating in the air, and then putting those what was clearer to them together, then vibrating them.
It was the concept of heat. It was dangerous at first as they would create mini-explosions, but as they progressed in mere three days, they were able to create such heat barriers
"This is enough for now. Let us finish up and eat."
This pile of rocks was more than enough. It was a mountain of it and it would be possible to build ten houses made out of brick walls instead of wood.
I just need to take care of the other affiliates in the residents once I finalized the resources.
"Alright. Have these rocks transferred to the mansion, I will have a small routine around the city."
Lilith was left behind with the others. It was an order I projected to her. She didn't necessarily have to escort me everywhere.
"Even if you are confident in your skills, a Lord shouldn't be going around without at least one guard."
Stressful enough, I won't be able to discern my next experiments of magic. It was because of Jai who was put on escorting me instead, covertly.
I could see her follow me from the entrance of the town. She was just a terrible assassin.
In any case, the houses around the town were definitely either abandoned or disfigured.
They weren't getting any fixes, and there were some houses where I was able to see remains of those who didn't last.
I could only lower my head as the people from around looked at me with objective eyes while they had carried and cleaned the said remains. They were all beginning to move just as I had planned for them.
It was three days ago when the food I had ordered to buy arrived, however, as it did, the villagers themselves tried to rob the carriage that carried it.
I was there to witness it myself as they all held sticks and rakes aimed at the horses of the carriage. They were all desperate for it.
However, even with their number of almost thirty, they were no match for four maids that wielded Intermediate Magic, easily fended off by their simplest of attacks.
It was just pitiful to see them like that. It was also a moment where I could take advantage of the emotions they were engulfed in.
I tried to speak, but it was them who was able to take the first step.
"You nobles are all the same! Only caring for yourselves!"
Have they already forgotten the fact of why they were still here in the first place?
I could have missed something but they should have been able to remember my previous self's deeds. In any case, I should handle this as soon as possible.
"Robbing the food that is yours in the first place? Why do you all think that I've brought this much food here, haah?!"
I shouted atop of my lungs. They could see the clouds of smog come out as the coldness thickens in my throat.
It was this hard to speak in the cold.
They all went silent as they kept that gazes upon me. Those gazes that hated. Eyes full of contempt and malice. I will make those very eyes submit to me.
"Then why don't you give it to us then?!"
They all shouted as one asked.
I could only chuckle as if felt all too unreal. They couldn't be this much entitled.
They all see me laugh at them, but it was deserving of them.
"Fools! I will only give this food to those who will be willing to work under me. If you want to survive this hell, you will be following me."
They could only see how I preached them all back to obedience, however, I'm still a bit neutral from them since.
They still feel like I'm taking advantage of them. It is true, nonetheless.
However, I am the Lord of this place. I will do everything to make sure Hellsburg will rise once again.
"Master!"
As I stood in the middle of the city, there was one boy that ran after me. On the side of his waist, there was a sheathed short blade.
It was one of the tools I had the others make.
This boy was the same boy that I found lost in our garden.
"Marcus. What are you doing here?"
"I was told by Lilith to go aid the Master!"
Clad in a white fur coat, his dark skin and crimson eyes stood out from the others as they worked.
Their eyes pried on his appearance which resembled the Demon Race.
"You don't mind the others looking at you like that? You can stay at the Mansion for now."
"No. I will go with Master. It is my duty."
You might be asking as to why this boy became so loyal to me as well.
There was no other reason than being abandoned.
He was a reject from a village from the west, only wandering until he had found the 'heaven' which his late parents had told him before they were stoned to death.
It was the first thing he had told us when he woke up, but it was then the next statement that was unnecessary for me to hear.
"Even if I die looking for this 'paradise,' I'm sure it will be fine for them if I don't. At least I tried."
An idiotic statement. Now that I've heard that, it gave me more of an obligation to pursue it further.
Not to mention that he is an objective that God has given me.
"Worry not. This Lord right here will make that 'paradise' from hell itself."
I tried to reassure him. If he were to leave just now, I fear that I'd lose an opportunity.
It was just my goal to make this one hell of a paradise after all. It's for sure.
"..."
He stared at me for a moment, his eyes widened. He looked surprised as I tried to confidently claim such.
"Please let me stay here! I will serve you for the rest of my life if you will make the paradise my parents had said existed!"
I feel poor for the boy. I wouldn't know if his parents lied to give him hope or was it because this place was formerly the paradise they supposedly described.
We wouldn't know. Nevertheless, it will become true once again.
"Ah. W-Well, of course. Serve me and you will be granted food, shelter and you will be one of those people who made the paradise for lost people like you."
In any case, I'm glad that he was the one who insisted on staying.
I'm not good at communicating but I learned a thing two from my marketing managers in my past life.
"I will serve you for as long as I live, but promise me you will create that paradise we sought after. If you fail, I will strike you."
Just like a warrior, he kneeled before me. He was waiting for a vow for me to speak before he truly gives me his loyalty.
His crimson eyes struck intimidation even to the maid around, making them take a step back and take a stance as they felt the bloodlust emanating from him.
Even I was moved by his intimidation, but who is he trying to scare? I'm a man who's been through countless situations like this.
This was nothing.
"Stand down. Everyone."
I gestured my hand down as I stared back into the crimson abyss in his eyes. A small boy like him holding this much capability was an opportunity for me to take.
All I needed was to grab it.
"It's a deal. Strike me if I fail, but it will no longer be an outcome once you see me rise."
I smirked with confidence. It felt like there was an invisible blade up my throat, but it wasn't the same as my previous life.
A previous life where countless men and women went after my head.
This kind of loyalty isn't bad at all. We're benefitting from each other, and as long as both of us get what we wanted, our relationship holds up.
Going back to the present, the people have begun to build their own houses, yet there were some unable to due to only being consisting of women and or children.
I thought it would be obvious that the others would help each other but as I can see things go, it was still a man for themselves.
"You'd follow me everywhere, right Marcus?"
"Yes, my liege."
He just changed the way he addressed me. It feels weird but I'll allow it.
"What are you selling?".
Winter had begun to fade from the land, and some people began to set up shops even in this desolate land.
One of them was a woman, carrying a child wrapped in rags in her arms. It was skinny and dirty, they wouldn't last long in a few months if this keeps up.
"I'm selling... leather, my lord."
Even her voice was frigid and weak, she might have been able to survive through the winter with all the rations we gave.
But how were they not robbed or killed?
"My liege, your maids have been keeping tabs on the residents even in the night in winters."
Marcus walked up to me and whispered in my ear.
"They've told me that was the only thing that they could do that whilst you were asleep," he added as he steps back, nodding.
It seems like there was nothing to be worried about. These people are my people, and thus I will make everything far much better than it is now.
"I'll buy everything. It'll be paid with food."
I nodded to Marcus and immediately, he whistles loudly as if to send a message to the maids. It was their way of communicating.
I had Marcus grab the leathers the woman had sold. Her face was filled with happiness as she could finally feed her child a decent meal.
The leather she had been trying to sell was already in bad shape, it was almost unusable.
"My husband... before he died in the last winter, he was able to hunt down some wild demi-beasts for meat and leather in the forest."
I kept on looking down at her as she cried, I didn't feel empathy, but rather it was just the hardships people would experience.
"I'm so thankful that you would still buy them."
She expressed her gratitude by bowing, but as I looked at her with my eyes, I was undeserving of such gratitude.
After all, it was all an act. An act that would make all eyes look at me.
Anytime it will happen.
Anytime now.
"Wait!"
There it was. The workers had stopped. They saw the amount of food I gave her for a measly set of leather.
"That's unfair! We're working our asses here just to get food while she gets it for those worthless leathers!?"
It was step one, ignite the fire.
"I traded fairly. I bought it according to what I want, and what I feel about it."
I was deliberately trying to piss them all off as I walked through the huge bodies of workers. I was waiting for something.
"What do you mean feel about it? You started a deal with every one of us, to work exchange of food! You've only given us enough for a day for hours of work!"
With the words that came out of his mouth, I sounded like a slave driver. However, he was right. I did only give them a day worth of food with six days of work.
Why? Because the work that they do should have been able to be finished in just a week if they helped each other.
They were deliberately trying to make the days of work longer, expecting that they would be able to get enough food and money enough to travel to other cities.
I wouldn't let them leave yet, they haven't seen the best part of Hellsburg.
"Do you have a problem with that? It's only deserving for people who work for themselves. One scratch, one peck."
"You're trying to kill us with hunger!"
The man walked closer as his big figure tried to dominate the shadows around. The townspeople were agreeing with him, chanting and shouting out loud their opinions.
I couldn't feel an ounce of intimidation compared to Marcus who was smaller than me. This?
This man was nothing.
"If I did, then you lot should have died long before in the winter."
"—Argh! I'm sick of listening to you nobles!"
Just like I had hoped for, their first strike began.