Stepping out of the carriage, the delightful sunlight bathed me and swiftly dispelled my dark thoughts.
Upon entering the farm, I sensed a distinct change in the atmosphere. The wooden fence that surrounded the farm had been replaced with a massive barbed wire fence. The entrance was also reinforced with a sturdy iron door, giving a subtle sense of intimidation.
‘Is this meant to monitor the Xenosians more thoroughly?’
A few minutes later, an attendant from the Empress’s palace who manages the farm came out to greet me. I turned to him, puzzled.
“Why did the entrance change like this?”
The attendant looked a little embarrassed and spoke up.
“Lately, there has been unfavorable public opinion among the Empire citizens about Xenosian slaves. There have been a few instances where extremists have been caught sneaking onto the farms and trying to harm the slaves.”
Since the audience-day event, public opinion about Xenosians has not been favorable. Recently, extremists seemed to be traveling wherever there were large numbers of Xenosian people, causing trouble.
That’s why Briland Farm had to be extra vigilant about security to prevent any possible disturbances. Even if they did cause trouble and get caught by the police headquarters, problems involving Xenosians ended in reprimands at best. There was only one solution, and that was to increase security and post guards on the farms.
The Duke of Bledel was clearly behind the disturbance at the audience-day event. The timing was perfect, with propaganda posters calling for the extermination of the Xenosians and extremist rampages.
Disgust filled me at the despicable way Duke Bledel was trying to regain control of the farm.
Sooner or later, I would have to ask Ian to issue an order imposing punishment on those who harm the Xenosians at the Briland farm.
I headed to the farm. The wheat field, tinged with golden light, still looked beautiful and peaceful. After taking a moment to admire the picturesque scenery, I approached the central management office, where everyone was gathered.
And then I saw something I hadn’t seen before.
Women fetching water were chatting and laughing, while those working in the fields sat down to share a meal. Children gathered around, their gleeful laughter filling the air. Some were scribbling on the ground, while others played on a large swing hanging from a tree.
Except for the fact that most of the people here were Xenosians, it felt like an ordinary village.
At that moment, Jake, who emerged from the administration office, spotted me and approached with a warm smile.
“Miss Jane Hubenson, it’s a pleasure to see you. Have you been well?” Jake greeted me politely, his gestures and tone still carrying an air of nobility and refinement. He smiled so deeply that his scars twisted.
“It’s been a while. I’ve heard bits and pieces of news about the Briland farm. I understand that taking on the role of a caretaker can be challenging, so I wanted to express my gratitude for doing it so well.”
Jake replied in a gentle voice. “The gratitude should be ours. By sending away the previous caretakers and changing the farm’s management policies, the atmosphere has greatly improved. Everyone here is quite content with their lives now.”
His words made me look around the farm again. Perhaps because of the abundance of food and their extreme labor conditions had improved, the Xenosians’ expressions were brighter than ever before.
Although they were still slaves, they no longer worked themselves to exhaustion or suffered from untreated injuries.
A palace attendant nearby had even joked that, due to these improvements, slaves from other locations were eager to come to Briland Farm.
Following Jake’s guidance, I toured the farm.
The broken equipment had been meticulously repaired, and the shortages of supplies had been adequately addressed.
The dilapidated buildings that seemed to collapse at any moment were all renovated and transformed into new ones. In particular, the Xenosians’ lodgings, initially inadequate, expanded with the construction of additional buildings. In addition, spaces such as clinics and rest areas were also separately prepared.
“What is this place?” I asked as I noticed a new building under construction not far from the lodgings. Jake looked at it and smiled faintly.
“We’re building a school for the children. Roesha, who used to teach children in Xenos, has taken charge of it.”
As more recruits joined, the number of children increased. The goal was to let them move together with their families.
As I was talking to Jake, I spotted Noah and Julie walking toward me in the distance, holding hands. I waved my hand to greet them. As they approached, Noah smiled broadly and spoke.
“Sister!”
“Noah, it seems you’ve grown a bit taller since I last saw you.”
Indeed, Noah had grown not only a bit taller but also looked healthier. He, who was so much smaller than his peers, was growing up quickly thanks to better nutrition.
“Oh, Julie also looks so different that I almost didn’t recognize her.”
Julie, with her cheeks slightly fuller, looked even more adorable. With her hair neatly braided and dressed in clean clothes, she resembled a lovely girl raised in a normal household.
Today, Julie was still keeping her lips tightly sealed, but unlike before, she wasn’t hiding behind Noah. I was happily stroking Julie’s hair when a woman I didn’t recognize came up to me and said hello.
“Miss Jane Hubenson, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Kiara Terren, who arrived at Briland Farm not long ago.”
“She’s our mother,” Noah said excitedly. Kiara, with blonde hair and golden eyes, looked remarkably like Noah and Julie, revealing their familial connection.
“Thanks to Miss Hubenson’s kindness, I was able to reunite with my children. I’m not sure how to repay this kindness…” Kiara spoke with a slightly trembling voice.
Her clear eyes conveyed an overwhelming mix of joy and gratitude.
Not only Noah and Julie but also many other children who had lost their parents had found their families and are now living a relatively stable life thanks to Jane Hubenson’s generosity.
Feeling oddly satisfied that Briland Farm was running smoothly according to my wishes, I replied, “Calling it a favor feels a bit awkward. After all, I’m overall responsible here. For all of you to work hard for the farm, that’s all I could ask for.”
Kiara bowed her head in gratitude, and Noah proudly told his mother, “Mother, this sister is the nicest person I’ve ever met. She’s different from all the other Ashans.”
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
As Jake and I moved around, the first thing that caught my eye was the vast, contaminated land.
“Is there no way to use this land for something else, even if it’s not for farming? It would be good to build more necessary buildings,” I asked Jake with a curious gaze.
“Contaminated land has a weak foundation, so nothing can be built on it.”
He momentarily put his cane down and sat in front of the contaminated soil, running his fingers through the gritty dirt.
With a somewhat regretful expression, he gazed at the polluted land. He spoke softly, almost to himself, as he continued to caress the coarse soil.
“The only thing that can revive this land is the water magic of the Xenos royalty. It’s impossible now, though.” Jake’s words, declaring it impossible, felt a bit desolate.
I, too, sat down beside him and touched the contaminated soil. It felt like touching black sand, the kind unsuitable for building houses or growing crops. As I fiddled with the soil, I pondered silently.
Can water magic alone truly revive this dry soil?
At that moment, something strange happened. The dry soil, as dry as desert sand, began to emit a faint, bluish light on my palm.
Gradually, the color and texture transformed, morphing into the rich hues and texture of normal, fertile soil.
“Huh?” I was taken aback and hastily brushed off the dirt that had been on my hand.
Now…… what just happened? Was there some strange magic lingering in the soil?
Jake, who was next to me, was looking at me with a mysterious gaze.
I wondered if he’d just seen the strange phenomenon, too. Seeing how unfazed he was, it seemed like he didn’t see it. Jake remained silent for a while.
Feeling a little bewildered, I averted my gaze and stood up.
I didn’t want to get involved with magic, not when such ridiculous rumors were circulating in the palace that the Empress might be a witch. I cleared my throat awkwardly and said to Jake, who had been watching me with a mysterious expression.
“It’s a shame we can’t use it for anything else, but I guess it can’t be helped. I’ll take my leave now.”
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
As I carefully examined the building that would become the school, I couldn’t help but notice the emptiness in the surroundings. It seemed that they hadn’t paid much attention to the landscaping, given that the building had just been constructed.
Then, right next to the building, I noticed a small vacant space that could easily be turned into a garden.
‘If we plant some flowers or trees here, it would look much better.’
A few kids were playing in the dirt. I thought about turning it into a flower garden but then paused for a moment.
After a bit of deliberation, I ordered an attendant to bring me some vegetable seeds. Then I rolled up my sleeves and started pulling weeds.
It was a simple yet demanding task that helped me clear my mind. After neatly clearing the weeds, I sat down at the designated spot for planting. Then, by gently scraping the soil, the ground was leveled, and thin, long grooves were created.
I scattered the seeds in them and covered them with soil again. Finally, I sprinkled a little water. My hands became dirty, and my dress got messy, but I didn’t mind.
While tending to the garden, I momentarily got lost in old memories. When I was younger, my mom and I would sometimes go to the local farm and plant lettuce, squash, and cucumbers.
It was fun just to watch the worms and insects and get my hands in the dirt, but it was also exciting to see the tiny seeds we planted sprout and produce tasty fruit.
I felt proud knowing that the produce I grew would be served as a side dish for dinner that day. Now that I think about it, it seems like it was my mother’s clever plan to educate me, as I used to dislike vegetable dishes. As I reminisced about those times, my nose suddenly felt a bit tingly.
At one point, Noah, who had been pacing beside me, shot me a curious glance. I smiled at him and said,
“Do you want to join me?”
Noah nodded his head vigorously in excitement. Then, one by one, the children playing in the dirt nearby joined in. After a moment of wariness towards a stranger, the children quickly became chatterboxes.
“This is my land; don’t cross the line.”
“Then this is mine.”
“Silly, that’s not how it works.”
The kids looked at each other and giggled after every word. The innocence and freshness of the atmosphere made me laugh. After squatting for so long my knees felt a little sore so I stood up briefly to stretch.
As I turned my head, I noticed a familiar silhouette in the distance. It was Theo. As he approached, my heart inevitably started beating faster.
