Chapter 24: Water Control Spell
After spending another night in the forest, Arthur and his followers set off back to the city. On the way, he noticed several valuable and useful herbs that he had previously ignored due to his focus on acquiring the magical artifact and eliminating the goblins. Without delay, he ordered the recruits to gather as many herbs as they could. Within a few short hours, they had filled several linen sacks.
After walking a few more miles, they reached the city. The recruits' morale was mixed—joy at their victory was tempered by sorrow over the loss of one of their comrades. Yet one thing was certain: their loyalty to Arthur had grown immensely.
As they passed through the city, Arthur noticed subtle changes in the expressions of the townspeople. It was clear that they had been worried about the recruits. This made him feel more satisfied with the current situation.
Upon arriving at the castle, Arthur noticed a few peasants gathered in front of the gate. The moment they saw his large procession, they bowed in fear, unable to meet his gaze. This piqued his curiosity, so he asked one of the soldiers:
"Why are these villagers here?"
"They came, my lord, to settle a dispute among themselves. Shall I send them away?"
"Leave them be. That's Edgar's concern." In this world, there were no courts or law enforcement; in the case of disputes or crimes, the feudal lord was the one who judged and ruled, serving as a magistrate over his people.
'I need to establish some laws to structure these people's lives... and I also need to create new governmental positions. Unfortunately, illiteracy is rampant in this place, and I doubt anyone is educated enough to serve as a judge or minister.
There's no need to overcomplicate things—I can select a few promising individuals and teach them myself. I think the first thing I'll do after getting rid of Edgar is build a school.'