Tristan was the youngest son of the former Reeve, the third child in the family, although his family was a long line of Reeve's, they were unlike the other officials with tremendous wealth.
It was natural for the eldest to inherit the title, but his two older brothers were nothing but troublemakers. They spent their days gambling and courting numerous women, much to their father's dismay.
Their father, who disdained such frivolous pursuits, had often regarded Tristan as the most suitable to follow his path and become the next Reeve.
Unlike his brothers, he was a meek child who preferred to read in the corner rather than join in their reckless endeavors.
Upon their father's death, Tristan reluctantly took up the mantle of Reeve. It was during this time that he first encountered the new count of the territory, Stephen.
Many had expressed their displeasure at the new ruler, since he had the blood of a commoner, everyone labeled him as a bastard, even when he ascended to become the new patriarch.
However, when the officials were summoned to the manor a month after the former patriarch's death, Tristan felt a mix of dread and awe.
He had once gazed upon the former patriarch with unwavering reverence, but now he found himself facing the new count whose black hair and piercing eyes commanded attention and fear.
When Stephen spoke of taking them to court, a chill ran through Tristan.
He had no prior knowledge of the political corruption that swirled around him; his father had never told him of such matters.
Faced with the contract regarding their properties, Tristan was immediately struck by a sense of anxiousness.
As he read through the document, he recognized the potential consequences of signing. 'If I sign this,' he thought, 'even our small house will be taken from us.' Panic surged within him as he considered the prospect of his family living on the streets.
Summoning his courage, Tristan resolved to approach the count, desperate for a chance to redeem himself.
Yet, when he finally stood before Stephen, his plea was met with a flat rejection.
Dejected, he returned home, where his wife, Maeva, awaited him.
"How did it go?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Maeva was born a commoner.
Her brow furrowed with worry as she studied her husband's expression.
"It didn't end well," Tristan replied, slumping into a chair. His eyes were devoid of life, the weight of their dreadful situation hanging heavily on his shoulders.
Maeva fell silent, for they both understood the gravity of their current situation. With no name or noble lineage to protect them, their future was uncertain.
---
"So you confiscated everything, Roch?" Stephen inquired of his most loyal guard.
Roch had served the count's family faithfully, and Stephen had no doubts of relying on him.
When he first arrived in the estate, most had already fled bringing with them jewels. Even the officials did not hide their claws, many of the soldiers left in dismay.
Only Roch was left, even with the fact that Stephen was a bastard who ascended the title of Count, Roch still served him with utmost loyalty.
Thus, after just one month of his stay, Stephen began to rely on Roch.
"Yes, my lord. I've already confiscated everything," Roch replied, standing in front of Stephen.
"Good work. You may leave now." Stephen dismissed him, his attention shifting back to the paperwork scattered across his desk.
He had already examined the confiscated items; their value could fetch a high price, and he had already made plans for them.
The items were all useless for him, so he decided to sell them off. "At least they could fetch a reasonable price," he muttered with a devilish chuckle.
---
The following day, Tristan stood before Stephen, who was engrossed in paperwork. He had been summoned by Roch, who had informed him that the count required his presence.
After standing in silence for over an hour, Tristan felt a mix of anxiety and hope. Perhaps this would be his chance to prove himself, he thought.
Stephen finally glanced up, a smile forming on his lips. "Tristan, I called you here because I have a task for you."
Tristan's heart leaped at the prospect. "What task would it be, my lord?"
"Follow me." Stephen gestured for Tristan to accompany him, with Roch trailing behind as they made their way to the storeroom. "Roch, open the door."
Roch obeyed, revealing a room filled with numerous artifacts. Stephen turned to Tristan, his expression serious. "Have you been to Marquess Lafaille's territory?" he asked.
"Yes, my lord," Tristan replied, his brow furrowing as he sensed the direction of the conversation.
"Good. I've heard that they have a well-known auction house there." Stephen paused, watching Tristan's reaction. "I want you to sell these items at the auction house."
Tristan's eyes widened with surprise. "Are you serious?"
"Yes," Stephen said, a sly smile creeping across his face. "If you complete this mission, I will spare your family and even take you on as my assistant."
Tristan could hardly contain his excitement. "Thank you so much, my lord!"
"Don't thank me yet. Finish the task first," Stephen cautioned, his tone turning serious. "You may use the carriage. Roch will accompany you."
While Roch gathered the artifacts, Stephen returned to the office with Tristan, he leaned back in his chair. "Now, I want to know about the current state of the northeastern city."
The Northeastern City of the Territory known for it's agriculture, supplying the Territory every year, with endless supplies of fresh products.
Tristan took a deep breath, his expression shifting. "Due to the extreme drought, the crops are suffering. The drought has made the land nearly unplantable, and this will likely lead to starvation and a significant decrease in food production."
Stephen nodded, deep in thought. "I've calculated the value of these items. They should fetch around 15-25 million gold coins. Use a portion of that to buy new tools for farming and buy these specific seeds."
"Yes, my lord," Tristan replied.
After dismissing Tristan and Roch, who prepared for their journey, Stephen took a moment to reflect. With many affairs in the territory sorted out, he could afford a brief rest.
He checked the system's store, eager to explore the products he could acquire.
The items available were numerous, including potions from other worlds. However, Stephen sought something more familiar.
He browsed through the listings until a particular item caught his eye. A broad smile spread across his face as he read the description.
Though some items were available for purchase, there was also an option to produce certain goods with the right ingredients.
The costs were steep, so Stephen adjusted his strategy. Instead of buying machines, he decided to invest in modern agricultural books that could provide invaluable insights.
Fortunately, the books were priced at only 100 gold coins. As he didn't have the funds at the moment, he placed the purchase on hold for now.
---
Three days later, Roch and Tristan returned with a cart laden with farming tools and over fifty chests filled with gold coins.
The Lafaille Territory was close with the Genest County, although it would take a week to travel by carriage; but due to the enchanted carriage, a week of travel would only take a few days.
"You two have done an excellent job," Stephen praised, a broad grin illuminating his face. "As a reward for your hard work, here's 100 gold coins each." Though it seemed a small sum, for commoners like them, it was a considerable amount.
"Roch, we should head northeast to the farming lands. We need to immediately leave now." Stephen directed.
"But my lord, if you leave the estate unattended, it may cause unrest among the people," Tristan interjected, concern etched on his face.
"It's fine. You will manage the manor while I'm away," Stephen replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If you do well, my trust in you will grow. But should you attempt to flee or embezzle, I won't hesitate to take your head."
Tristan gulped, feeling the weight of the count's words. "Y-Yes, my lord."
"All you need to do is hold the fort while I'm gone. If I return and find even a single chest missing or the paperwork tampered with, you'll pay the price." Stephen said coldly.
A smile plastered on his face as he turned around. "Now, Roch, let's get ready. After all, it's your hometown we're heading to."
"Yes, my lord," Roch responded promptly, preparing the carriage. The journey would take a day.
Once they had loaded the necessary supplies, they set off. Stephen could hardly contain his anticipation.
However, he was mindful not to leave everything in Tristan's hands without precautions. He had already made arrangements, storing the chests in the basement rather than the storeroom or treasury, ensuring their safety.
Roch's unwavering loyalty eased Stephen's mind. At least he had one trusted aide by his side.
As for Tristan, any paperwork he encountered was merely useless documents that held no real value. Stephen wasn't merely cautious; he was plotting several steps ahead in case of betrayal.
Settling into the carriage, Stephen took a moment to read through a book he had brought with him. Titled "Farming 1 for Dummies," it was a compilation of the best agricultural methods from the modern world.
A drought, as the book explained, was a prolonged period of inadequate rainfall, leading to dry ground and rivers, leaving insufficient water for plants, animals, and people.
Since the primary food source in the territory was bread, Stephen understood the urgent need for a plan to stop the crisis.
For that, he needed to visit the town himself.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the landscape, Stephen remained lost in thought, formulating a plan, if he let everything be, the problems would furthermore grow.
Winter was near, and since the food production was on halt. Stephen could already feel the impending doom for his people.