Build the Kingdom

Chapter 11: Chip (1)

A single serf stood in a not-so-large field.

There was also a hut, wider than Hu’s.

Behind it, a small forest made up of twelve trees came into view.

If Hu’s place was a hill, then this was a land with a forest.

“Welcome.”

A gentle voice resonated through the vocal cords and reached Hu’s ears.

Hu’s smiling eyes turned toward the source of the voice.

A freckled girl stood there.

Her name was Lota, around twenty? No, considering she was Western, she might have been younger than that.

An old man stood beside Lota. Hu smiled and cast his gaze toward him.

His eyes scanned Lota and the elderly man next to her.

White hair and eyebrows, a reasonably wrinkled face for someone with gray hair, and well-trained muscles beneath plain cloth clothes.

‘A wise advisor.’

He could tell at a glance.

It explained where Lota’s caution came from and why, when she proposed a trade with the rope, she didn’t say she made it herself. The reason stood right by her side.

Lucky, too.

The advisor Hu had was nothing but a fool who only knew strength, but this one was a “prophet of foresight” known for wisdom.

‘If her traits manifest later, she’ll be even more terrifying.’

In [God Hand], the traits a character awakened determined everything.

But that didn’t matter right now.

Swish.

He spun the cloth in his hand and laid it down with a firm thud.

As the cloth spread open with a sharp sound, five cold loaves of bread were revealed inside.

“...What am I supposed to do with this?”

Lota hesitated as she spoke.

What else? Should he persuade and explain?

Hu didn’t feel like it.

He had a goal.

‘Just wait, you bastards.’

First, tear them apart from the groin up and strike back at the ones who had hit him from behind.

Second, achieve the accomplishments he couldn’t in the previous round.

And finally, fight back against the ones they called “invaders.”

To do that, what was necessary?

‘Do things differently from the last round.’

And do it faster.

There was no need to waste time.

Normally, he would calmly take time to persuade her, speak in a non-threatening manner to bring Lota to his side for her talents.

But that would be a waste of time. He didn’t have the luxury to coddle anyone.

“Can you make a plow?”

Straight to the point.

Lota’s pupils trembled.

She glanced between the bread and Hu, then turned her head to the side.

The wise advisor stared directly at Hu.

The middle-aged man with white hair, expressionless, asked,

“Why do you think so?”

“Why ask when you already know?”

A wise advisor matured late.

In other words, for now, he was just a man who could talk big.

Hu ignored him and spoke.

“Five loaves of bread for one plow.”

Lota’s blue eyes wavered.

She seemed to think it was a bad deal, but it wasn’t.

Hu knew better than anyone the power of flour gruel. Back in the first round, he had eaten so much of it to survive that it left him traumatized.

Later, on the battlefield, he even kicked over a pot of flour gruel without realizing it.

In other words, that stuff was inedible, even if it meant starving.

“It’s simple. If you refuse, I leave.”

As he spoke, he wrapped the cloth back up.

“Or, you can eat this and make the plow.”

Unfolding the cloth again as he spoke.

Lota didn’t hesitate.

“How does he plan to get a plow?”

Rader muttered.

Baker, who was busy kneading dough and baking bread, wiped his sweat and tried to ease his fatigue with a lukewarm glass of water.

“If he said he’ll get it, he will.”

Baker spoke.

Rader snorted.

“What, does everything just drop from the sky when he speaks? Unless he requests it from the kingdom, it’s impossible.”

There was a way to get a plow through a royal merchant, like last time.

But to do that, he would have to achieve a new accomplishment, like the “First Harvest,” and that achievement had to benefit the Pandemonium Kingdom. It wasn’t an easy task.

“...Are you just going to lie there all day?”

After soothing his throat with water and biting into a piece of bread, Baker asked Rader, who was lying around before the serfs gathered the harvested wheat.

Rader was sprawled out, leaning against the hut.

Unlike everyone else who was busy working, he seemed relaxed. Scratching his belly and yawning while discussing future tasks—it was annoying to watch.

‘Disgusting.’

“Ah, it’s just that the sun hits this spot perfectly right now.”

Lazy. Baker thought so but kept his mouth shut.

It wasn’t his responsibility. Managing the serfs was the lord’s duty.

He got back up and headed toward the gathered wheat grains.

“Yeah, just leave it there. No need to shake it off.”

At Baker’s words, the three serfs bowed their heads.

Living together in a cramped hut, the three serfs and Baker had grown close, loyally working the land with care and devotion.

‘Hmm.’

That was how things should normally be.

But Marcus Rader was anything but normal.

Baker gathered the grains and pounded them with a mortar.

Thump, thump.

Thinking back to the time when he didn’t even have a name, Baker found it hard to believe how healthy he had become.

His strength had increased, and his muscles had grown solid.

Thanks to that, working had become enjoyable.

Baking bread was even more fun.

Thump, thump!

How many times had he pounded it now? As he watched the wheat grind down, someone brushed past him and muttered,

“Should we just bury that bastard already?”

“You’re here?”

It was the lord. Black hair, black eyes—not a fierce-looking face, but with a presence that made anyone think twice before approaching him.

“You’re doing well. Baker, it’s always you I can count on.”

It was a compliment. Even though Baker knew it was just flattery, it still felt good.

The lord’s eyes turned toward the field. The three serfs bowed their heads as they met his gaze.

“You’ve worked hard today. You’re eating properly, right?”

“Yes, Lord Landowner.”

After checking on the three serfs, the lord opened his arms toward Krurr.

“Come here.”

Krurr dashed over, feet tapping the ground, and jumped into the lord’s arms.

The lord spun around and gently set Krurr down on the ground.

“Were you having fun?”

“Krurr!”

“Oh dear, Lord Landowner!”

Noticing the lord belatedly, Rader quickly got up and rushed over.

“Oh, Rader.”

Baker glanced behind the lord.

No sign of a plow.

‘As expected, it was too much.’

If you request it separately from the kingdom's merchant guild, maybe you could get it, but getting a plow on the spot was indeed a difficult task.

Annoying as it was, Rader was right.

Rader chuckled and said,

"Did everything go well with your trip?"

The way he rubbed his hands together made him look like a sycophant from any kingdom.

Of course, his thick forearms didn’t match that image at all, making him seem unreal.

A man who looked like he could wrestle a bull was playing the role of a petty flatterer.

"Rader, why don't you rest a bit more?"

Baker doubted his own ears. When they first arrived, he had overheard the landlord muttering to himself. Judging by that reaction, it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had slapped Rader right then.

"Rest, Rader."

"No, sir. This humble body shall burn for the advancement of this land…"

"That's an order, Rader. Rest without getting hurt, especially your thighs or shoulders."

"…Huh?"

Hu smiled faintly. Seeing that, Rader’s eyebrows drooped.

"I got a plow."

Getting a plow meant that Rader Cow’s time to fulfill his role was approaching.

"How…"

Rader muttered unconsciously.

‘Good grief, that idiot.’

Baker, pounding something in a mortar, glanced at Rader.

The landlord didn’t get angry. Instead, placing a hand on Rader’s shoulder, he spoke quietly.

"Where there’s a will, there’s a way."

Baker had to admit it. This landlord was truly something else.

Five loaves of bread for a plow.

It was clearly a profitable deal.

Hu personally pushed Rader’s shoulder and let him lean against the hut.

"The sun feels nice here. Rest here."

Rader didn’t see Hu as an angel, but with the sunlight streaming behind him, he looked almost radiant.

In two days, Lota would bring the plow, and as annoying as it was, Hu needed a strong ox.

"Rest well."

Hu spoke, and Rader nodded.

Rader was aware of his role, but he had thought it was impossible without a plow anyway.

It wasn’t like the three serfs, Baker, and Hu could just tear down the hut themselves.

But they got the plow—just like that.

"So, where should we expand the field?"

Hu cheerfully started making plans.

"Huah!"

Turning bare ground into farmland was no easy task.

And they had to follow Hu’s instructions, too.

"Not there."

Hu took it upon himself to act as overseer.

It was only natural.

Through Fluffy, the spirit of the land, they had to cultivate only the most fertile soil.

It would’ve been nice if this was a plain.

'No, that's not it.'

Even though he had met only one landlord beyond the black mist, just by looking at that land, he could get a rough idea of the surrounding terrain.

Lota’s land showed part of a forest.

That meant there was more forest beyond.

'So, it’s not a vast plain.'

A shame.

If it had been plains, there would’ve been much more land to cultivate.

And now, Hu had a craftsman who could create tools for him.

"Oh, is he pulling that by himself?"

Lota asked as she watched Rader drag the plow while receiving some bread.

"Better than an ox."

Hu casually answered while checking on Rader’s condition.

Strong calves and thick arms.

An idiot who’d probably kick you if you gave him a brain, but physically, he was an incredibly sturdy advisor.

"Uh, is that okay?"

Lota asked.

Hu answered without much thought.

"He's tough."

Lota nodded.

"Is there anything else you need?"

Still a bit wary, Lota seemed to have decided to go all-in since she was already involved and spoke without hesitation.

Might as well make some money by selling her skills.

Hu offered her a gentle smile.

Lota found that slightly creepy—it was a smile that only appeared when something was absolutely necessary.

"I could use some iron."

"Well, it’s not iron, but… Jack mentioned something about finding something as his land expanded."

Jack Park—that fool’s name.

"Huah!"

Crack!

Rader, designating fertile land through Fluffy, let out a spirited shout as he worked the soil.

At the same time, the black mist around them cleared a little more.

Once during the tutorial—and again now.

Though the mist still lingered faintly, it was almost the end.

Once it cleared completely, it would be time to face the real intensity of [God Hand].

"This is actually important information."

Lota bit her lip as she spoke, but Hu didn’t listen.

Nor did he smile.

There was no time for that.

Before he could ask her for what he wanted, his eyes caught sight of land revealed by the clearing mist.

A field full of weeds.

Among them, some plants stood tall with tilted leaves.

Brown stems and green leaves—crops growing up to about 150 cm in height.

"We need to build a fence. Once the mist clears completely, the barbari…"

"A press."

"…What?"

"Make me a press."

Hu said this and strode forward.

'Jack Park’s land has something.'

Since she mentioned iron but didn’t spill everything, it was likely a mine.

The fact that Lota only hinted at it instead of giving all the details was probably due to her conscience.

As he walked, Hu glanced at the serfs planting potatoes in the newly tilled fields.

The potatoes would grow.

That meant new food.

The Cooking King, EmptyDragon, once said—

The most vulnerable moment for a person is when they can’t eat what they desperately crave.

It sounded like nonsense back then, but it wasn’t wrong.

Imagine feeding a Korean nothing but bread for a month, then putting steaming white rice and well-cooked kimchi stew right in front of them.

Gulp. It would make you swallow without realizing it.

Hu’s steps came to a halt.

Lota, following behind, asked,

"What is this?"

Being from Northern Europe, Lota might not know.

But Hu recognized the plant immediately.

"Perilla leaf."

"Perilla? What’s that?"

Lota muttered to herself.

Hu ignored her, plucking a perilla leaf and putting it in his mouth.

As the mist cleared, the surrounding resources revealed themselves.

Some lands might hold mines, while others could be close to the sea.

In that sense, Hu’s land wasn’t exactly lucky.

But so what?

If he wanted resources, he could just seize them all.

'Nutty.'

Hu savored the taste of the perilla leaf in his mouth. He was generous enough to nod when Lota asked, "Can I try one?"

"Ugh, ptooey! What is this?"

After trying one, Lota spat it out onto the ground.

Hu watched and laughed as he said,

"One press for five loaves of bread."

This was a treasure. If only they had a handmade press.

And conveniently, he had a skilled craftsman landlord right next to him.

"Yes, I’ll do it."

Lota nodded.

Five loaves of bread—it wasn’t something she had to think twice about. She had planned to make something anyway.

Hu grinned, thinking of another way to fleece that fool.

'Let’s go. I’ll rip them apart as I go. You bastards.'

Lota saw Hu’s smile, different from before, and thought, though it wasn’t creepy, it was a little unsettling.