"We don't need a puny lord! We can just take the food for ourselves!"
The large man raised his man, delivering a punch to my face. It connected, but it didn't move my body except for my face.
Marcus quickly drew his short blade but I had a hand reaching out to him. He immediately withdrew with a pained expression on his face, looking at me.
"Something like this..."
Somehow, I expected the punch to send me flying for a much more dramatic action for the masses.
However, it felt nothing of the sort. It was just like a tickle on the side of my face.
Everyone was looking, but they kept their distance, this is just the beginning.
"...is nothing. Do you think that I will face you all without a reason at all? Who do you think has helped you all in the time of crisis?"
I raised my head back up, there was a bruise on my face. I could feel it swell up, except for the pain. There must have been a delay in my sensory nerves.
"Your father failed to help us! You will be no different than him—"
"You don't have the right to address my father if you don't acknowledge the help he did for all of you imbeciles! He sacrificed even his family to burden the challenges you all lot go through as well! You know nothing about our history at all!"
It wasn't me who had shouted out, however, it was my mouth and body that acted on their own.
I felt like a passenger behind a car, watching as the driver led me to a destination. This must have been the previous me.
So he was still alive, inside of my head, dormant.
"If you all lot will not consider working for once, then so be it. Leave this city and try your luck out there! I will stay here and finish what my father started."
They were all silenced by those words. Even the angry man who had managed to hit me lowered his head.
They were all stressed and sad. Their actions were being affected by the emotions they carried.
Afraid of the future, lacking hope.
"Isn't that why I am here. To give you all a sense of hope. Your lord, standing here on equal grounds with you."
This previous me was doing a much better job than I am. I could feel the emotions drive through the course of this body.
His blood rose to his head and tongue. Like a true leader.
Who says that I am not? I'll be taking that spotlight back once again, after all.
Thanks, previous Grantt. I will use the motivation you struck unto this body to enlighten these fools.
"So, what will you do? Will you all help me turn this hell into heaven from scratch?"
As I offered my hand to them, I clenched the other. There was no other exciting thing than a deal to be struck.
Work for me, and I'll grant them eternal sustainment. This is just how it normally goes.
"Tsk. We don't have any other choice, do we?" The man in front of me uttered.
"Of course. That is why we will be expanding them later on."
I chuckled, leaning forward to the man as he fell into his rear, sitting into the stone steps as if defeated.
"Expanding? In just about three more days, we will be plagued by drought by then. Do you think you could expand a village without water?"
Those very words. They raise a flag that tickles my back. Those questionable words were like candy to the ears. I couldn't help myself but just anticipate them.
I would just laugh loudly like a madman, covering my face to hide my grimace.
Like a villain, they all saw and heard me laugh.
"Of course. Who do you think I am?"
I raised both of my hands into the sky.
Clouds formed, encircling the whole village as if it was a storm.
Lightning stuck above, brewing a big one. Winds were beginning to become strong as well, and just like that, a storm was created.
"This is...!"
According to the books, it almost has been over 50 years since it had rained in this region.
Most of the rain would deplete into the high and lower part of the continent, leaving that one central spot in the continent without rain for decades.
That was Hellsburg, and now;
I offered them the pleasure of living.
"Serve under me, and I'll grant you everything you want."
Like a devil's fruit, I offered them my hand.
△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼
"I know you promised them that, but how are you supposed to do just that...?"
We headed back to the mansion, specifically to my office as I contemplate the decisions I'd made.
I held my head in dismay. I couldn't even lean unto the desk that seems on the verge of collapsing.
"Why did I say that... I just sounded very arrogant."
I was a businessman, but I never said something preposterous in front of the masses like that!
This might be the influence of the previous owner of this body. I'm feeling a lot remorseful than I thought I would be.
From the way the maids look at me, it seems like he'd always promise something and fail to comply.
"Empty promises kill, my liege. Arrogance is—"
"Can you stop threatening me for five minutes? I can't think with you standing there menacingly."
Marcus was there, standing in front of the desk while his other hand was ready at that blade that was tied on his waist.
A rusty blade that he had been carrying since we found him. It must be something important to him.
His presence was waiting for me to fail at any minute now, but is this what the Goddess wanted me to pass? Is this some sort of trial?
In any case, I should use my other-worldly knowledge to some extent that they wouldn't be suspicious of me.
"Marcus. Call the other maids."
"Yes, my liege."
I had them gathered in this small office again, but this time there were only five that I was able to choose and stay accordingly.
"Grace, Sophia, Lilith, Quera, and Jai."
They were all women.
I'm not trying to be misogynistic but it would be also good if I had more men other than Marcus.
"Yes, master!"
They all greeted me as they faced me in this run-down room.
The dust was visible in the air as the winter daylight crosses through the slightly closed windows.
"I've assessed your abilities accordingly. I'll be assigning your roles you will withstand until I say so."
Marcus was standing beside me, closely listening as I layout the work.
"Lilith would continue to be the head of the financial department, but she will also now handle the rewards the laborers would be doing."
"Yes, master."
As I've spoken my words previously at the town center, I definitely cannot fail and or disappoint them. I'm just taking my first step.
"Grace. I've seen your capability to handle your team of Earth Magic users with ease. You will be in charge of the re-constructions of the houses."
Grace is already a team of Earth Magic users as I've sent them out in the quarries before. They'll be doing the same thing but this time, it will involve moving them now.
It won't be a problem for them since I've taught them ways how to transfer them.
One includes cutting them as boulders and then later cutting them at the town.
Although that method terrifies the residents since it looks like boulders are rolling down to the town.
"Yes, master. We will do our best."
For Jai, it will be easy but a vital task.
"Jai, you will be the one in charge of gathering lumber. Cut down a fourth of the forest for now. You can ask the people in the town in carrying it back since it's near."
"Yessus master!"
The only ones left are Quera and Sophia.
Quera had been talking to the residents with relative ease than me and the others. Her capability to gather information is rather outstanding, considering the place that is.
With her superb communication skills, she will do great when the time comes.
"Quera, for now, you will gather opinions and observe the state of the city. We don't want them suddenly leaving."
"Yes, master. Please count on me."
The last one is Sophia.
"I've heard you were the one that finished the last bottle in the winery."
"Ack—?!"
She reacted. It's obviously her.
It was a question out of the topic but this will be a commodity this town will have soon.
"W-What are you talking about? I definitely didn't touch it! The Blood Red Wine is apparently the most expensive wine now and a lowly servant like me wouldn't even dare to!"
"Sophia. The wines in our kitchen had their labels removed since it was stocked away. For you to even name the wine is..."
I'm not even sure about wines in this world but the books regarding how to make one were here, however, the method of distilling them is non-existent here.
"I-I'm sorry! Am I being punished?!"
Sophia bows down in defeat, she was just a bad liar.
"No—It's just I want you to learn how to make wine soon. Once winter has ceased, we'll be growing plants that will be able to produce such."
They all looked at me in unison, seemingly interested.
"Once we get enough, we can trade the wine we will be making for food and resources. You said that wine is expensive and thus, we can get a lot of profit from that."
"But master, the making of wine is well-known that we don't have a chance in selling them better than the ones that already been."
Lilith spoke out her mind. It was true that suddenly selling wine wouldn't work, but they were unknown of the common techniques in the other world.
"We'll give them a free taste each. That way they can consider buying them. It would even just cost us one bottle. With it, we can have free samples of up to 20 shots or more."
"That's... a great idea."
Crap. I got carried away. She was surprised to the point that her voice fell in intonation instead of going up.
Even the others are looking at me as if I said something ridiculous. This might be bad.
"S-Since I thought that sharing it first to the public would get us some attention! I've read it in a book somewhere..."
I tried to steer away from that dangerous impression as I nervously scratched the back of my head.
Please work! please work!
"I might not be good in assessing people but I must say, that's impressive of you to think of, my liege."
Just how dumb was the previous Grantt Maximilian to be praised by thinking of these simple things.
I cannot wonder enough.
"In any case...we'll be starting construction tomorrow. As soon as possible."
I declared before hitting my palm into the desk, which immediately collapses from that strike.
"..."
It was a small pause as we observe the fragile furniture almost disintegrate into pieces of wood.
"Do you have any questions?"
I awkwardly asked with a smile.
With this final preparation, we were ready to move.