Tami Village

Norsen Continent, Amon Mountains

"Young Master Nord, the Amon Mountains are ahead. The territory Grand Duke Besser granted you is almost here," a middle-aged man dressed as a steward said to the youth beside him.

"Your territory spans a hundred li of mountainous land. There is only one village ahead, with fewer than a hundred people."

The youth called Nord had black hair and black eyes. He wore fine Leather Armor beneath a black linen cloak, with a one-handed Knight's Sword at his waist. His gaze remained calm as he looked toward the distant village.

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

"The Amon Mountains lie in the north of the Norsen Continent and stretch endlessly. It is said that uncivilized barbarians live in their deepest reaches. The Amon Mountain Dwellers are fierce by nature and survive by hunting. The mountain villages are far apart, and no one cares how many mountain dwellers there are."

Nord smiled after hearing the steward's explanation. He swung himself onto his horse and said, "How could no one care? Let's go. We'll enter the village first." With that, he rode toward the distant village.

Tami Village was a small settlement on the outskirts of the Amon Mountains, located in the buffer zone between two mountains. A small patch of flat land could be used to grow crops, and the villagers could also hunt in the mountains. That was enough to support around a hundred households, though life remained extremely difficult.

Marco was a hunter from Tami Village. Whenever the village faced a gap between harvests, he would follow his father into the mountains to hunt, honing his skills from a young age. That day, Marco had brought several companions to hunt for game when he spotted two riders approaching the village entrance from afar.

The two riders thundered over from the distance. Their clothing was even more splendid than that of the Tax Officer who came to collect taxes, so Marco assumed they had to be important figures. He hurriedly had his companions stand on both sides of the road and await their arrival.

As the hoofbeats drew closer, Marco and his companions all lowered their heads. It was not tax season, and they had no idea why these two important men had come. Those noble lords usually stayed in their estates enjoying themselves; they would never come to such a poor and remote place to suffer.

"What is your name?"

"Are you asking me, sir? My name is Marco." Marco raised his head and met Nord's calm gaze.

The corners of Nord's lips rose slightly. He looked Marco over, noting his sturdy build, then rode straight toward the village without dismounting.

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

"Yes, sir. Please follow me."

With that, Marco called to his companions and ran toward the village chief's home.

"Marco, are you planning to go into the mountains to hunt?"

"Yes, sir. This year's harvest was poor, so we can only hunt in the mountains to fill our stomachs."

"Don't call me sir. I am Nord Isaac. You may call me Lord Nord. Do you go hunting in the mountains whenever you are not farming?"

Marco's eyes dimmed, as though he had recalled something painful.

"Lord Nord, our village has very little land fit for farming. If we do not want to starve, we can only risk our lives in the mountains."

"How dangerous are the mountains? Are there many casualties among hunters?"

"Yes, Lord Nord. A few years ago, my father encountered an Amon Giant Bear while hunting in the mountains. Of the five people traveling with him, only one escaped. The others all died at the bear's claws."

Nord did not ask any more questions. He turned to survey the surroundings. The Amon Mountains lay in the north. Though the enormous mountain range blocked most of the cold winds from the far northern ice fields, the occasional northern gust still made the climate here unpredictable. The village roads were muddy, as if it had rained not long ago. The wooden houses were dilapidated, their exteriors hung with animal pelts, and a rank stench lingered in the air.

"Lord Nord, Village Chief Colin's home is up ahead." Marco pointed to a small courtyard before him. "I'll go call him."

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

While Nord was surveying the area, Marco returned with an elderly man around fifty years old. The man wore a linen-colored robe, faded from washing but free of patches. His graying hair and wrinkled face showed that he was no longer young, while his calm eyes carried a trace of weathered experience.

"Village Chief Colin, this is Lord Nord."

"Master Nord, may I ask why you have come to our little mountain village? Is there anything we can do for you?"

Colin looked Nord up and down, thinking that these two men must be nobles. He did not know why they had come here or whether they would bring disaster upon the village. With that thought, Colin's manner became increasingly respectful.

"There is no need for such formalities, Village Chief Colin. I am Nord Isaac. Grand Duke Besser has granted Tami Village to me. From today onward, Tami Village will fall under the jurisdiction of Isaac Territory."

As he spoke, Nord took the land grant decree issued by the House of Nobles from the steward, opened it, and showed it to Colin and the others.

"Ah! Lord, Colin, Village Chief of Tami Village, pays his respects to you. The village's taxes will be handed over to you after autumn."

After confirming the decree's authenticity, Colin hurriedly bowed to Nord. Then he thought of this year's harvest. Once the taxes were paid, the village would likely struggle to survive the winter. But if they refused to pay, the village might face ruin at the hands of a noble lord. A trace of sorrow flashed through Colin's eyes.

"It is fine. First, take me around the village. I may be staying in Tami Village from now on, so tell me about the surrounding area."

"Lord, please stay at my home for now. Little Marco, go clean the upstairs room. Don't delay the lord's rest."

"Young Master, look around first. I'll go prepare your room."

After hearing Colin's words, Steward Abel took the initiative to prepare the room.

"My lord, this way."

Marco led Steward Abel away to tidy the room. Nord watched Steward Abel follow Marco, then turned to Colin and said,

"Village Chief Colin, show me around."

"Please follow me. To the east of the village is a stretch of flat land, with around two hundred mu of fields. This year's harvest..."

Nord followed Colin to the farmland and saw several elderly villagers working in the fields. The crops were sparse, and some had already withered yellow.

Nord sighed inwardly and smiled at Village Chief Colin.

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

"You saw through me, Lord. After paying taxes in spring, the village had no grain left in storage. Now the crops in the fields are poor again. As for the autumn taxes, I'm afraid..."

"You needn't worry. I did not come here for the village's meager taxes. The village does not have much grain in storage, so I will think of a solution with everyone. I will not let my people go hungry. You do not need to call me lord; Lord Nord will do."

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

I have been reading novels for ten years, but this is my first time writing one. I do not know whether it is any good, but if you think it is alright, I hope you will support it. I will persist until I finish it.

A quick announcement: we have a group now. The number is 343384208.