Chapter 69: The Life of a Villager
As the third spring month arrived, the atmosphere in the barony began to change. The lives of the villagers and farmers grew more active as they became busy preparing and getting ready for the harvest season, which was only a few days away. However, despite all of that, everyone’s morale was very low, as they knew that this year’s yield would be much less compared to the previous year.
In one of the small villages far from the main town, all the residents gathered in front of the village chief’s house and discussed what they would do. Their worried and exhausted faces were evidence of how bad the situation was.
The village chief, an old man with a healthy face and clear eyes unlike theirs, spoke with obvious concern, "Everyone, the situation is worse than we expected. All the eastern lands have been damaged by harmful pests, and it seems we will only be able to save very little. As for the southern crops, they didn’t grow very well, and most of the grains are small and thin."
Everyone shook their heads and sighed. After a short moment of silence, one of them sighed, "What are we going to do? At this rate, we won’t have anything to eat by next summer."
Another added sorrowfully, "The land becomes less fertile with each passing year, and I’m sure next year’s harvest will be even worse."
"It’s useless. I think I’ll leave. This place is hopeless."
The chief listened to their complaints silently. After a brief moment, he raised his hands and reassured them, "Don’t be afraid, and don’t despair. We will find a solution to this problem. Leaving isn’t a solution, unfortunately; most likely, no one would accept you."
His response calmed the villagers a little, and they began to think carefully. However, his words displeased a certain person—a young man in his early twenties, with a rough face and tanned skin. His eyes were green and his gaze extremely sharp, making him seem angry all the time. But this time, he was truly angry.
He took a step forward and stood at the front of the small crowd, then spoke in a very rough voice, "Enough with your nonsense. You just don’t want us to leave so you can keep your position. And besides, what can we even do?"
His harsh way of speaking displeased those present, but they couldn’t contradict his opinion.
The village chief worked under the Baronet’s command and received a certain percentage from the taxes he handed over to the landowner. Remembering this, they stared at him sternly and waited for his answer.