For the residents of Mulberry Valley, the arrival of a new lord was definitely a big deal, and nearly everyone who could leave their homes did so.
A quick glance around revealed crowds everywhere.
Ivan roughly estimated that there were over a thousand people. It seemed that the residents of Mulberry Valley had not fled, which was contrary to what the administrative office had reported. Observing those who dared to speak of ousting a lord, he pondered thoughtfully.
He spurred his horse forward a short distance and eyed the burly man leading the crowd, “You’ve got guts. Are you a refugee?”
The burly man’s face changed slightly as he shouted, “Everyone knows, I, Zieg, grew up in Mulberry Valley. We, the residents, do not need a lord.”
“Tell me one thing, how can there be residents without a lord?”
Stunned by these words, Zieg snapped back to his senses, raised his unsheathed Longsword, ready to teach the noble in front of him a lesson. To his surprise, the opponent waved his hand, and a green vine wrapped around Zieg, tightening and pulling him to the ground as his Longsword fell to the side.
“Sorcerer!”
“Lord is a sorcerer!”
Even the displaced people, no matter how destitute, had heard tales of sorcerers.
Seeing the method he used, the crowd around exploded into a commotion, looking at the new lord with awe.
“That’s the way of a sorcerer.”
The Mercenary Group behind Ivan had their eyes opened wide and involuntarily lowered their weapons; it seemed there was no need for them to act, as the lord alone could subdue everyone.
Ivan looked around and commanded, “Repeat after me, I am Ivan Marichardon, the new lord of Mulberry Valley. I don’t care if you are residents or refugees, now, immediately, pay homage to the lord of this land, or I will deem you all as refugees.”
Empowered by mental power, his voice clearly reached all around.
Immediately, some people knelt on the ground, and others followed suit, offering their respect and greetings to the lord. Even Zieg, who had just been freed from the vine’s grasp, did the same when he realized the two behind him possessed Combat Energy; the tide had turned.
Behind them, Sean whispered to Peggy, “Ivan is truly imposing.”
Paul and Beaman exchanged glances, feeling that their younger brother had changed a lot upon his return, having gained a decisive and ruthless edge. His experiences over the past two months must have been extraordinary.
Once the residents had submitted, the subsequent matters became simpler.
Ivan did not pursue the responsibility of the more vocal individuals, only inquiring among the surrounding residents if anyone had served the former lord. Three guards stepped forward, one in his forties or fifties, and the other two, seventeen or eighteen.
He ordered others to return home and had the guards take him to the castle of Mulberry Valley.
“Hank, is the castle being maintained?”
Ivan asked the oldest of the three guards, who looked like an old farmer, while the other two appeared to be his sons.
Old Hank replied with a wry smile, “Danny, Ronnie, and I take turns cleaning it.”
“Tell me the situation.”
“Originally, when Lord Bart left, he emptied the castle, even taking the decorations off the walls. Later, a noble sent people over to repair it. Now, it is habitable, but it lacks furniture, which needs to be remade.”
Hearing his report, Ivan could envision how empty his castle was, but fortunately, they had brought everyday supplies, and they could purchase the rest later.
The castle was situated on a slight rise, far from the entrance and away from the Black Fog Forest.
Soon, they saw the castle.
Like Black Pine Castle, it was surrounded on three sides by cliffs, with a road leading to the territory at the front. Constrained by the area on top of the hill, the castle was even smaller than Black Pine Castle but had all essential features, including walls, watchtowers, and a training ground.
However, there were no machines or furniture, making it exceptionally bare.
Leading everyone around, Ivan remained calm throughout, while Leider and Paul, the father and son duo, had a strong fascination with the castle, touching every part as if they were caressing a treasure.
The group eventually reached the tower at the castle’s highest point, a place usually used as the lord’s collection room and to overlook Mulberry Valley.
“Brother Ivan, don’t you like it?” Peggy asked curiously.
“Look at the gorge directly behind us, the winds at night must be significant, probably not as comfortable as home in Flying Fish Port,” Ivan said, pointing at the intersecting ravines between two mountain ridges, which were blocked by the foothills and the castle.
It didn’t take much thought to realize there was no water on the mountain; guessing one would have to fetch water from below, but no river was in sight at the mountain’s base.
“Hank, does the Mulberry Valley lack water?”
“Yes, every year there are three or four months of water shortage, but if we use it sparingly, we can manage it. You don’t have to worry about water, there are two ponds at the foot of the mountain. We’ve covered them with wooden planks and bark to keep them clean, and we’ll open it for you in a moment.”
“Then the territory definitely doesn’t produce much grain.”
“You are absolutely right.”
Mulberry Valley has springs and ponds. Every year there is a shortage of water and grain, but neither is severe; with some endurance and economy, life can go on. The territory is close to Black Fog Forest, which is rich in game, so households with hunters can manage a better life.
When asked about the villagers and the territory, Old Hank honestly explained the situation.
Five years ago, the mulberry leaves in Mulberry Forest began to yellow, initially thought to be a minor accident. However, the leaves continued to yellow extensively, and the growth deteriorated year by year, becoming unsuitable for sericulture, leading to financial difficulties in the territory.
Three years ago, mulberry trees began to wither and die, starting with a few and then spreading extensively.
There were rumors in the territory that it was a plague, and at that time, some villagers began fleeing the territory.
More than a year ago, the territory’s finances were extremely difficult to sustain. Suddenly, Baron Bart sold the territory, transferring Mulberry Valley to the Hobson family.
The Hobson family sent people intermittently, but they were unable to determine the cause of the changes in the mulberry trees, thus no lord was appointed. Without a lord, the villagers were not required to pay taxes, which eased their lives a bit, and many who had fled returned, attracting a few new settlers.
“Lord, Zieg and his people are not utterly ruthless. Otherwise, we would have driven them away long ago. Could you perhaps spare them?” Ronnie, Old Hank’s youngest son, suddenly spoke up, startling Old Hank so much that he slapped him, leaving a handprint on Ronnie’s face.
Seeing the two flustered, Ivan didn’t mind; he waved them off, signaling them to leave first.
Now with a lord, the villagers of Mulberry Valley needed to pay taxes, and he, the lord, had to pay taxes as well.
Though nominally different, what he needed was to offer tribute to the Aromatic Wheat Grand Duke and prepare a generous gift each year for the Hobson family, his benefactors. These were the unwritten rules among nobility, which he must faithfully obey to avoid being ostracized by other nobles.
Nobles without a territory were exempt from these obligations.
As the lord, he also had to ensure the villagers did not rebel, that they didn’t turn into vagrants in large numbers, otherwise the Aromatic Wheat Grand Duke would reprehend and punish him, and in severe cases, strip him of his lordship.
“The biggest issue right now is the problem with Mulberry Forest, without solving this, unrest is inevitable, and my tenure as lord of Mulberry Valley remains unstable.” Given the Hobson family spent over a year without resolving this issue, Ivan did not believe it to be an easy fix.
Specific details would require a trip up the mountain to see for himself.
The pointed tower where they stood was the Lord’s Hall, consisting of four and a half floors, the very top being a half-floor pointed attic without windows. Below that were two floors of the tower, the upper containing windows housing the collection room, the lower without windows.
Beneath that was a floor four times larger than the tower, typically serving as the lord’s bedroom and study.
The very bottom was the Lord’s Hall, to the right of which was a corridor connecting to a two and a half story round house with a pointed roof.
Ivan, in the Lord’s Hall, clapped his hands, “Let’s go, we’re heading to Mulberry Ridge, the biggest issue of our territory. Danny, you and Ronnie go notify the leaders of the four villages to come and meet me.”
Mulberry Valley comprises four villages named after silk, mulberry, valley, and luxurious silk. The first three villages are adjacent to two Mulberry Ridges, while Luxuriant Silk Village is closer to both Black Fog Forest and the entrance to Mulberry Valley, serving partially like a small town accommodating distant merchants and explorers.