CHAPTER 101: CHAPTER 101: PAST EVENTS_1

If a domain in a normal medieval worldview came with the effect of "increasing agricultural production by 30%," it would definitely be an excellent place.

But in this world, when encountering such a great benefit, one must consider the reason. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. This exaggerated plant growth, far beyond normal levels, was likely an influence of the Flesh Ancient God’s corrupting power.

Corruption didn’t just appear in humans and animals; it also affected plants, causing them to grow wildly.

Walter didn’t understand why the Lord frowned upon hearing this good news. Sensing something amiss, he could only remain silent.

After some thought, Lance realized he truly had no alternative. Could all these people simply not eat? After all, people die after seven days without food. Although eating these strange and bizarre things carries risks, at least they could stay alive.

So, even though he knew there was something wrong with the crops and that eating them might cause flesh mutations, he could only brace himself and accept the situation.

Survival must be the first priority, then comes living. Problems could wait for later. And frankly, the fact that this small piece of land could feed so many people was indeed a good thing in this era.

"You’ve been to many places on business. I need you to draw out the routes of Hamlet and the surrounding towns and villages," he said.

"My lord, are you going to start reclaiming the territory?"

Walter’s question was quite strange, making Lance curious. He didn’t bother with small talk and asked directly.

"Why do you say that?"

"Doesn’t my lord know?" Walter’s expression was a bit strange, seemingly surprised that the Lord was unaware of this matter.

Noticing that there really was an issue, Lance’s brows furrowed slightly, but Walter still explained the current situation to him.

"I’m not a local. When I inherited the domain, the Butler colluded with the town mayor to try to get rid of me. I took care of them, so I’m not familiar with the surrounding circumstances."

Listening to this, Walter felt an inexplicable pressure. To dispatch the Butler so easily... that was truly something.

However, he dared not doubt the Lord’s identity. Instead, he recounted a significant event that had occurred in Hamlet, one which had further complicated the domain’s situation.

Lance learned from Walter that his Hamlet surname represented an Earl of the Empire—and a border Earl at that.

As an Earl’s domain, it naturally couldn’t have been as small and humble as a mere town. On the contrary, the Hamlet domain spanned a considerable area; this place was merely the center of the Earl’s territory in the past.

The domain lay in the northeastern part of the Empire’s eastern region. It stretched northwest to the end of a branch of the Misty Mountains, well within the Empire’s borders. To the domain’s northeast was the renowned strait corridor that separated the two continents. Reynard’s expeditionary force had passed through this route.

As border Earls, the Hamlet Family, upon gaining power, also had to undertake corresponding responsibilities. They defended the Empire against enemies from two directions: the Barbarian Tribes in the mountains and the indigenous people of the desert across the corridor.

Thus, the Hamlet Family had originally been powerful lords with a vast territory and a formal army. Their domain guarded a strategic passageway, and caravans traveling between the two continents had to pass through here. The region also yielded furs, herbs, and various strange treasures from the mountains, unknown to common folk.

Under the leadership of successive Lords, the land had prospered magnificently. Wealth and power were the hallmarks of Hamlet, until the previous Lord took over.

This Lord was indulgent and dissolute. Coupled with long-standing peace at the borders that led to neglected military preparedness, the territory’s condition began to decline. The true catalyst, however, was an event that occurred over a decade ago.

Overnight, all the nobility in the territory vanished, leaving only the reigning Lord. At that time, rumors abounded.

After that, far too many strange events occurred, accelerating the territory’s decline. The situation worsened when an unannounced disaster struck, ravaging the town. The original town was destroyed, leaving only a field of broken ruins.

The current Hamlet is merely a farming village south of the original city, established by those who fled and rebuilt.

After the city’s destruction, the territory plunged into chaos. A large number of residents fled, leading to further decline. With no one traveling, the roads between various locations were swallowed by the wilderness. Once-connected regions gradually lost contact, and the territory became fragmented.

Lance listened to his words, falling into contemplation. If the previous Lords of Hamlet were all diligent and devoted, then the old ancestor was an utter spendthrift who squandered the family’s accumulated fortune with his actions. So, those buildings he had seen earlier on the old roads and in the wilderness were merely remnants of Hamlet’s glorious past.

"How did you come to know all this?"

"I became a soldier at seventeen. I was young and in the army back then. At that time, the name Hamlet resonated across the entire continent. Its wealth even made the king envious. I still remember its prosperity... but all of that eventually turned to dust."

Walter was over fifty now. In his youth, he had witnessed Hamlet’s zenith and had even fought to protect it. He held a deep affection for this place, and his expression grew quite emotional as he spoke of it. Who, in their youth, hasn’t dreamed of heroically turning the tide against collapse? Unfortunately, he was just a common soldier at the time. He could only watch helplessly as the territory declined, unable to do anything. After all these years, having grown older, he thought he had lost that youthful fire. But discussing it today, he realized he had never truly let go. Those feelings of powerlessness and resentment had merely been buried deep within his heart all along.

However, he quickly refocused on Lance. In the current Lord, he saw a glimmer of hope for the territory’s revival.

Honestly, after the bandits’ raid, Hamlet had been swiftly divided by several factions. In such circumstances, even with a full complement of Caravan Guards, he couldn’t have achieved what Lance had in just over ten days, let alone defeat over a hundred bandits. He had some understanding of those bandits’ strength. Whether the Lord led thirty new recruits or acted alone, it clearly demonstrated the Lord’s power.

That was why he had asked about the Lord’s intentions when the map was requested.

Unfortunately, Lance’s response was not what he had hoped.

"I have no intention of recapturing any territory. The matters here are troublesome enough for me. I need the map simply because I need to know the surrounding area to rebuild a caravan."

Lance showed no intention of reclaiming the territory. Everything he did now was aimed at opposing the old ancestor, and within that goal, seeking the greatest possible growth and strength.

With only these thirty soldiers, managing this area is already their limit. Wasting time recapturing territory would be foolish.