Tami Village

Norsen Continent, Amon Mountains

"Young Master Nord, we're approaching the Amon Mountains. Your territory, granted by Grand Duke Besser, is just ahead," a middle-aged man who looked like a butler said to the young man beside him.

"Your territory spans a hundred li and is entirely mountainous. There's only one village with fewer than a hundred people, and it's right up ahead."

The young man, known as Nord, had black hair and black eyes. He wore quality leather armor covered by a black cloak made of ayamian fabric, and a one-handed knight's sword hung at his waist. His gaze calmly took in the village in the distance.

"How many mountain dwellers are there in the mountains?"

"The Amon Mountains are located in the northern part of the Norsen Continent. The mountain ranges are continuous, and it's said there are still uncivilized barbarians in the deepest parts. Moreover, the Amon mountain people are fierce and make a living by hunting. The mountain villages are remote, so no one really cares about the number of mountain dwellers."

Nord smiled when the butler finished speaking, then swung himself onto his horse. "What do you mean, no one cares? Let's go, we'll enter the village first." With that, he rode towards the distant village.

Tami Village was a small village on the outskirts of the Amon Mountains, situated in a buffer zone between two mountains. A small amount of flat land allowed for crop cultivation, and the villagers could also hunt in the mountains. This was enough to support a hundred or so households, but life was still extremely difficult.

Marco was a hunter in Tami Village. Whenever the village's harvest was lean, he would go hunting in the mountains with his father, honing his skills from a young age. On this particular day, Marco was taking some companions into the mountains to hunt for wild game when he saw two people on horseback approaching the village entrance from a distance.

The two riders galloped closer from afar. Judging by their attire, they were dressed even more lavishly than the tax collectors who visited the village. Marco figured they must be important figures, so he had his companions wait respectfully on the side of the road for the two to arrive.

As the sound of hooves grew nearer, Marco and his companions lowered their heads. It wasn't tax collection season, so they wondered why these two important figures were here. Normally, these noble lords stayed in their manors enjoying themselves; they wouldn't come to such a poor and remote place to suffer.

"What's your name?"

"Are you asking me, my lord? My name is Marco." Marco looked up, meeting Nord's calm gaze.

Nord's lips curled slightly. He looked at the burly Marco and, without dismounting, rode straight towards the village.

"Yes, I'm asking you, Marco. Take me to your village chief."

"Alright, my lord, please follow me."

With that, Marco gestured to his companions and ran towards the village chief's house.

"Marco, are you planning to go hunting in the mountains?"

"Yes, my lord. This year's harvest isn't good, so we can only go into the mountains to hunt for food to fill our bellies."

"Don't call me 'my lord.' I am Nord Isaac. You can call me Lord Nord. Do you go hunting in the mountains when you're not farming?"

Marco's eyes dimmed at this, as if recalling something sad.

"Lord Nord, our village has very little land to cultivate. If we don't want to starve, we have no choice but to risk our lives in the mountains."

"How dangerous is it in the mountains? Are there many casualties from hunting?"

"Yes, Lord Nord. A few years ago, my father went hunting in the mountains and encountered an Amon Giant Bear. Only one of the five people accompanying him escaped; the others all died at the hands of the giant bear."

Nord didn't ask any more questions after hearing this and turned to observe his surroundings. The Amon Mountains were located in the north. Although the massive mountain range blocked most of the cold winds from the extreme north icefields, the occasional northern winds still made the climate here unpredictable. The village roads were somewhat muddy, as if it had rained recently, and the wooden houses in the village were dilapidated. Animal hides hung all over the outside of the houses, and the air carried a strong, fishy smell.

"Lord Nord, that's Chief Colin's house," Marco said to Nord, pointing to the small courtyard ahead. "I'll go call him."

Nord dismounted. The chief's small courtyard was in the center of the village, surrounded by a large open space, which seemed to be where villagers gathered to discuss matters.

While Nord was looking around, Marco led an old man, around 50 years old, towards him. The old man wore a faded, but patch-free, linen robe. His graying hair and facial wrinkles showed that he was no longer young, and his calm eyes revealed a hint of weariness.

"Chief Colin, this is Lord Nord."

"Lord Nord, I don't know why you've come to our small mountain village. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Colin scrutinized Nord, thinking that these two must be nobles. He wondered why they were here and if they would bring disaster to the village. With these thoughts, Colin's demeanor became even more respectful.

"No need for formalities, Chief Colin. I am Nord Isaac. Grand Duke Besser has granted Tami Village to me. From today forward, Tami Village will be under the jurisdiction of the Isaac Territory."

As he spoke, Nord took the deed of enfeoffment, issued by the House of Nobles, from his butler's hand. He opened it and showed it to Colin and the others.

"Ah! Lord Liege, Colin, chief of Tami Village, salutes you. The village taxes will be submitted to you after autumn."

After confirming the authenticity of the deed, Colin quickly bowed to Nord. He also thought about this year's harvest, fearing that after paying taxes, the village might not survive the winter. If they didn't pay, given the temperament of noble lords, the village would surely face ruin. A hint of sorrow flashed in Colin's eyes at this thought.

"No matter. First, take me on a tour of the village. I might be staying in Tami Village from now on, so tell me about the surrounding area."

"Lord Liege, you can stay at my house for now. Little Marco, go clean the upstairs room. Don't delay his lordship's rest."

"Young Master, please look around for a bit. I'll go prepare your room."

Upon hearing Colin's words, Butler Abel proactively went to prepare the room.

"My lord, this way."

Marco led Butler Abel away to prepare the room. Nord looked at Butler Abel, who was following Marco, then turned to Colin and said, "Chief Colin, take me on a tour."

"Please follow me. To the east of the village is a flat area, about two hundred mu of land. This year's harvest…"

Nord followed Colin to the farmland, where he saw a few elderly farmers. The crops in the fields were sparse, some even withered and yellow.

Nord sighed internally and smiled at Chief Colin.

"You brought me here first for a reason, didn't you?"

"You've seen through me, Lord Liege. After paying taxes in the spring, the village had no stored grain left. Now, the harvest in the fields isn't good, so the autumn taxes will likely be…"

"You don't need to worry. I didn't come here for the small amount of tax from this village. There isn't much stored grain in the village, but I will work with everyone to find a solution. I won't let my people starve. You don't need to call me 'my lord'; you can just call me Lord Nord."

"Thank you, Lord Nord! You are truly a benevolent liege. May the great Amon God bless you!"

I've read webnovels for ten years, and this is my first time writing. I don't know how it is. If you think it's alright, I hope you'll support it. I'll keep writing until it's finished.

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