I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 212

Chapter 212: Those Who Rage (12)

From afar, Shatrain looked like any other ordinary agricultural territory.

Neatly tilled fields. A clear, sparkling river. A humid climate, perfect for growing crops.

It was, without a doubt, fertile and bountiful land.

But the moment he entered the territory, Talfon had to reconsider.

The earth always had a distinct scent.

A rich, earthy aroma, a natural fragrance that was unique to each location.

How the land was managed, the type of soil, the crops cultivated… all of these factors influenced the scent of the earth, but the underlying aroma of nature always remained.

But Shatrain was different.

Here, that natural scent, that fragrant aroma of the earth, was completely absent.

And in its place… a foul stench.

A repulsive odor that assaulted his senses the moment he stepped foot in the territory.

“That scent…！ It shouldn’t exist here!”

Different types of soil had different scents, of course.

But this wasn’t a scent.

It was a stench.

A foul, familiar odor that Talfon, and all the other Lilpet tribesmen, recognized instantly.

The reason… was simple.

The West.

The mana-corrupted lands.

That stench was the same repulsive odor they encountered whenever they cleansed the land of monsters.

This kind of smell shouldn’t exist in a normal agricultural territory.

Unless… the land had been corrupted, just like the West.

“There!”

Talfon, following the stench, located its source.

He practically leaped off his horse, his eyes fixed on a particular field.

“Haa… Haa… I-It’s… calming down…!”

“Let’s take care of this!”

“Damn it!”

A group of Shatrain villagers were huddled together in the field, farming tools in hand.

And in the center… a plume of smoke.

The smoke curled upwards, its acrid smell assaulting Talfon’s senses. This was the source.

“You idiots! Have you lost your minds?!”

Like a wild beast, he charged towards them, roaring.

The villagers, startled by Talfon's sudden appearance and booming voice, turned around.

“Wh-Who…?! Where did he come from?!”

“Where are the lookouts?!”

“Wait… There’s something… different about him…”

“Oh my god… He’s a Westerner!”

Realizing he was a Westerner, they gasped and raised their farming tools threateningly.

“Get out of here!”

“A Westerner…!”

“How dare you set foot in our territory, you barbarian!”

“That crazy lord must have sent him! He’s trying to ruin Shatrain again! Now he’s bringing in barbarians?!”

But their feeble threats were meaningless against a seasoned warrior like Talfon, who had slain countless monsters.

-Grab!

“U-Ugh?!”

Talfon effortlessly lifted one of the villagers, a middle-aged man wielding a hoe, into the air. The man, dangling helplessly like a rag doll, let out a pathetic whimper.

Talfon glared at the source of the smoke, his jaw clenched.

‘That stench… it’s the same as the one I smelled from those sacks at the entrance to the village… Which means…!’

These idiots were destroying their own land and blaming others for it.

Unable to contain his rage, Talfon grabbed another villager by the collar and tossed him aside.

“U-Ugh?!”

Map, the village enforcer, known for his strength, was flung away like a child.

“You fools! Dig up that fertilizer! Now!”

Map, caught in Talfon’s grip, dangled helplessly. The other villagers tried to attack with their farming tools, but the Lilpet tribesmen quickly subdued them.

“You barbarian…!”

“You don’t know anything!”

“That fertilizer is the only way to restore our land! The land Carsein ruined!”

“You idiots! That’s not fertilizer!”

“What?!”

“It’s destroying your land!”

The stench emanating from the strawberry and grape fields was the same as the one from the sacks.

Something within that fertilizer was corrupting the soil.

Talfon, and all the Lilpet tribesmen, knew it.

“You’re destroying your own land with your own hands! That’s not fertilizer, it’s poison!”

But…

“Hmph. That lord must have put you up to this.”

“They’re all the same! Trying to stop us from using the fertilizer!”

“This is high-quality fertilizer, made with rare ingredients! What do you know?!”

“You’ll regret this! We’ll tell everyone that you barbarians are working with Carsein to ruin Shatrain!”

These foolish villagers were still clinging to their delusions.

“Everyone knows! Our land has been cursed ever since Carsein arrived!”

“You don’t understand! Our crops, our livelihoods, our lives! Everything has changed!”

“That incompetent lord ruined everything!”

Such preposterous accusations!

How dare they blame Carsein after doing this to their own land?

“You’re all liars! Shifting the blame, making false accusations… That’s why Shatrain is in this state! How can a liar like you, a deceiver, be a lord?!”

“He’s the worst lord! He doesn't care about our territory!”

“We don't need someone like him!”

Talfon, despite their past misunderstandings and disagreements, remembered Carsein’s desperation.

He had come to the West, his body covered in wounds, seeking a way to save his territory.

And they were blaming him?

After everything he had done for them?

After all his sincerity, his dedication?

-Ding!

▶ Agent Trigger: Lilpet’s Fury activated. ◀

▶ Affinity increased for Talfon and the Lilpet tribesmen. ◀

[ Talfon: 51% ]

“You’re not worthy of a lord like him.”

These villagers were nothing but obstacles.

Should he beat them? Cripple them?

Or should he just…

“I gave you a direct order. No outside goods are allowed in Shatrain, except for those from Lusmire.”

As Carsein approached, Talfon, sensing his intentions, stepped back.

“A-A sword?”

“What are you…?”

“You’ve trampled on my generosity. You have no right to complain.”

-Thud.

“Aaaaagh—!!”

Map’s thigh was pierced by Carsein’s sword, and a scream echoed through the field.

“Shatrain is now under complete lockdown.”

***

After Map’s scream ripped through the air…

The villagers, trembling with fear, retreated.

While their land was important, their lives were even more precious.

That problem was dealt with.

And now…

▶ You have injured a Shatrain villager! ◀

▶ Penalty: Villager Affinity and Field Reputation decreased! ◀

It was time to pay the price for breaking a cardinal rule.

The immutable law of territorial management.

Harming a villager would inevitably result in a decrease in affinity and reputation.

It was a forbidden act, a taboo.

There was no avoiding it.

“…There must be a reason for such drastic action, wouldn't you say, Carsein?”

Talfon, as I was observing the status window, asked cautiously.

Unlike him, I had drawn my sword and attacked a villager, inflicting a direct injury. I knew that the Shatrain villagers would soon retaliate, their anger fueled by my actions.

However…

“Of course.”

I had a plan.

I needed to make an example of them.

“Tell me your reasoning.”

“They’ll deny it, even if you point out that the fertilizer is corrupted. They’ll accuse you of lying, even if you tell them about the stench.”

“But it’s true! That fertilizer reeks of corrupted land!”

“I know. I’m not doubting you.”

I added that I had suspected the fertilizer myself, which was why I had issued the lockdown order. Talfon calmed down slightly.

“But even with a complete lockdown, it won’t be easy.”

“Why?”

“There are agitators within Shatrain. They’re the ones spreading these rumors, inciting the villagers. You’ll have to deal with them before you can address the fertilizer issue.”

“Then we should take action.”

“Unfortunately, they’ve already closed their ears. They see this fertilizer as their last hope.”

“Those fools…”

Talfon’s fists clenched.

He seemed to understand the situation, so I proceeded with my explanation.

“That’s why we need concrete evidence.”

“Evidence?”

Even if the choices had appeared, I would have chosen this path.

“Talfon, with your sense of smell, you can tell who has been outside Shatrain recently, can’t you?”

“Of course. I can remember a person’s mana signature for months, even years. And even if I couldn’t, the other tribesmen can.”

Talfon smirked.

“So that’s your plan.”

There was no better way to identify the internal enemies.

“I’ve already informed the guards. Unlike those villagers, they’re reasonable. You can trust them.”

With this, I could utilize all three of Talfon’s Agent skills.

The next Clue and Proof event was just around the corner.

***

After sending Talfon away, I sat down at the table.

-We investigated with the Lusmire villagers, and they found several suspicious items in the trash bins.

Dyke, Frikt, and the other guards arrived shortly after.

They presented their findings, the suspicious items they had retrieved from Shatrain’s garbage.

“I understand the issues with the farming tools and the fertilizer, but… what about this?”

◆ Piece of Wood

[ A piece of wood that appears to have been cut or broken off from something. ]

They had brought a piece of wood, identical to the one I had found in the field a few weeks ago. They thought it might be a clue.

It still felt out of place.

A few days later…

I summoned the Shatrain villagers.

▶ Clue and Proof event initiated! ◀

This time, I didn’t call them to the central hall.

I gathered them outside, in the open space before the hall.

“Why have you summoned us again?”

Map, his face etched with displeasure, asked gruffly.

I gave Talfon a signal.

-Nod.

“You.”

“What?! What do you want?!”

“And you. And you.”

“What’s going on?!”

One by one…

The Lilpet tribesmen, following Talfon’s instructions, pointed at specific villagers and separated them from the group.

And the last one…

“You.”

“Wh-What…?”

“Step aside.”

…was Map, the village enforcer.

Map opened his mouth to protest, but a quick glance at Talfon’s imposing figure made him swallow his words and step away.

“That’s all of them, Carsein.”

All of the people Talfon had identified were now separated from the rest of the villagers, standing outside the designated boundary.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

“Are you planning on punishing innocent people?!”

“Innocent? Don’t make me laugh.”

“What did you say?!”

-Swish.

▶ Agent skill activated. ◀

[ Dyke and the guards raise their weapons, surrounding the designated villagers. ]

[ Talfon and the Lilpet tribesmen raise their weapons, surrounding the designated villagers. ]

-Click!

At my signal, they raised their weapons, surrounding the villagers in a tight formation.

“We have to separate the true culprits from the innocent, to prevent any further injustice.”

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