[Lord of Abundance] Chapter 3: Kun’s Wish

 Chapter 3: Kun’s Wish

“Surrounding Emerald Heart lies vast stretches of rich black soil. By all rights, this land should live up to its name and be abundant. Unfortunately, the environment here is simply too harsh.

The high-tier magical beasts from the Everdark Forest and the skeletal fiends crawling out of the Forbidden Scorched Lands constantly threaten the lives of the farmers. Security must be our top priority.”

Kun turned to the man seated at his left—the former captain of the guard.

“Dawn, your workload in the coming period will be heavy.”

“Y-Young Master… Lord.”

Dawn, long accustomed to calling him “Young Master,” awkwardly corrected himself.

“You must understand—if I take on the role of Chief Constable, it will be difficult for me to devote as much attention to your personal protection. Are you certain about this?”

The appointment had caught him off guard. Earlier, in front of everyone, he had maintained the lord’s authority and refrained from questioning it. But now, in this private meeting, he needed clarity.

Vittorio also fixed his gaze on the young lord. Ordinarily, a lord would keep their strongest combatant close at hand for protection. As for a constable?

The lives of commoners and slaves were worth less than a single strand of a noble’s hair. They were merely ordinary people.

A low-tier warrior with battle aura would be more than enough to manage them. Did anyone really believe the constable existed to protect their safety?

A territory was a noble’s pasture. The commoners and slaves were sheep—fed and shorn. And the constable was the sheepdog.

Driving off predators was simply protecting the lord’s property. The sheepdog’s true duty was herding.

To expose oneself to danger for the sake of herding—wasn’t that putting the cart before the horse?

From Vittorio’s perspective, Kun’s decision seemed… naïve.

Even foolish.

“This isn’t the capital,” Kun said earnestly.

With a casual motion, he traced a circle across the projected map on the table, encompassing the entire Fengrao Domain—and slightly beyond, though the others didn’t notice.

“And there shouldn’t be anything here capable of threatening me. I have a fair amount of confidence in my own strength.”

Nothing here can threaten me?

Dawn’s eyelid twitched. Where did that leave him, a top-tier high warrior?

But on second thought, Kun had said “threaten.” And naturally, Dawn himself posed no threat to his lord.

A third-tier existence was already near the pinnacle of what ordinary life could achieve on this continent.

Among humans, that meant high warriors and archmages. Among monsters, it meant high-tier magical beasts and powerful undead.

Unlike humans, who lived in groups, high-tier beasts typically roamed alone. And there had been no reports of dragons near the Fengrao Domain.

So long as Kun was careful, it was entirely possible that nothing nearby could truly threaten him.

Dawn sighed. “If you insist… as you wish.”

A faint smile touched Kun’s lips.

Dawn, a third-tier high warrior, was the most valuable asset in his entire domain.

For individuals like warriors and mages, the boundary between commoner and noble was already blurred. Though technically still a commoner under the law, a third-tier warrior held a status comparable to minor nobility.

Even commoners could freely choose where to live—let alone someone like Dawn.

He could serve any noble and be treated with respect.

Even Kun, as lord, could not force him to act against his will. Everything had to be negotiated.

“Of course, having a high warrior like you serve as constable is somewhat of a waste. I have other plans as well.”

“In another month, spring will arrive. Not only must we prepare for planting, but the beasts of the Everdark Forest—starved through the winter—will begin hunting again. Farmers working the fields will be their preferred prey.”

“You want me to take advantage of the cold to clear out the forest beasts?” Dawn frowned. “With all due respect, I’d rather fight a well-fed earth drake than provoke a hibernating bear.”

His wilderness experience spoke for itself.

Fighting a satiated drake was just a fight—you could retreat if necessary. But disturbing starving beasts was a fight to the death.

And enraged creatures were far more dangerous than usual.

Kun shook his head. “That’s not what I mean.”

He pointed to the boundary between the Fengrao Domain and the Everdark Forest.

“I want you to take advantage of this period, when beast activity is reduced by the cold… to cut down trees.”

“Cut down trees?” Dawn frowned.

“Yes. Clear the forest.”

Kun tapped the map.

“This area has the most fertile soil—ideal for farming. But just beyond it, the forest encroaches.

Not only magical beasts, but ordinary animals roam here. If danger arises, farmers won’t notice in time. Meanwhile, the beasts can retreat into the forest with ease.”

“Winter is also the best time for logging—trees stop growing, the wood is stronger, pests are fewer, and the impact on surrounding vegetation is minimal.”

“You want to push the forest boundary inward—create a buffer zone?”

Dawn’s eyes lit up.

“It’ll be a lot of work, but once the buffer is established, it will greatly reduce beast incursions. And when they do approach, we’ll have time to deal with them—and even gain fresh meat.”

Then he hesitated.

“But this is a massive undertaking. With just the dozen or so guards, we won’t finish before spring.”

Kun didn’t answer directly. Instead, he turned to Vittorio—the accountant Old Tate had recruited from the capital.

Vittorio stiffened.

From Kun’s earlier decisions, it was clear this lord was no fool.

He had a firm grasp of his domain’s strengths and weaknesses—and his own strategy.

A true magical prodigy of the kingdom.

Of course, mages weren’t fools.

Still… Vittorio couldn’t help but hope this one wouldn’t be like his previous employer—arrogant, dismissive, and deaf to advice—until ruin stripped him of his title.

“Vittorio, what is the domain’s financial situation?”

Kun said “the domain,” but Vittorio understood—he meant the combined resources Kun had brought with him.

At present, the domain itself contributed almost nothing.

Vittorio spoke gravely.

“Not optimistic. I’ve only had time for a rough review, but the situation is worse than I expected.

Aside from five hundred starving peasants and vast lands that cannot be monetized in the short term… this place is essentially barren.”

“If you only wish to experience farming, my professional advice is to abandon development entirely.

If you need labor, purchase slaves and grain elsewhere. This place is a bottomless pit. Better to spend your gold enjoying life.”

“Thank you for your honesty, Vittorio,” Kun said, taking a sip of tea. “But that’s not what I want.”

His gaze softened, filled with a vision others couldn’t understand.

“This will be my home.

I came here—to the Fengrao Domain—to turn it into a place where everyone can live happily. A true land of abundance. Red brick houses, white-tiled roofs, fields of golden grain stretching like an ocean.

Children laughing freely in the shade. Adults with skills of their own, able to support their families.

The elderly, even those who can no longer work, will not starve or be abandoned—they will be cared for, living out their years in peace.”

Vittorio rubbed his temples.

He had underestimated just how naïve this young noble was.

Then again, a prodigy born into privilege—what could he know of hardship?

“Well,” Vittorio said, “if you truly build such a place, you would be the most benevolent lord in the world.

But what you describe… that’s paradise. It exists in the heavens, in the realm of the gods—not in the human world.”

“It does exist.”

Kun’s golden eyes shone.

Because he had seen it.

That place had been perfect… yet he couldn’t truly belong there.

Because of something called “household registration.”

Since he couldn’t integrate into that world, he would build his own.

Dawn watched him, his gaze filled with confusion, curiosity… and something burning.

What kind of mind produced such ideas?

Kun was an anomaly—not just among nobles, but among mages… among all people.

Yet something stirred within Dawn’s hardened heart.

If such a place truly existed… he would willingly serve there for life.

Vittorio sighed quietly.

Perhaps it was time to look for a new employer.

The last one had been arrogant.

This one… might be insane.

Still unwilling to give up such a well-paying position just yet, he said:

“Let’s talk about something practical.”

“According to your agreement with the people you brought here, you’ll cover housing and pay each person at least one silver coin per month.

Those with specialized skills receive more. Over five years, that’s roughly eight hundred silver coins per month—even if they do nothing. That doesn’t include construction costs.”

“Eight hundred silver coins… that’s only eight gold coins. That doesn’t seem like much. My experiments cost more than that monthly.”

Vittorio felt a twinge of pain.

His own salary was only twenty-five silver coins a month.

Across from him, Dawn—earning fifty-seven silver coins—remained silent.

The gap between mages and warriors… was like the gap between nobles and commoners.

Completely different worlds.

Vittorio took out a notebook and adjusted his glasses.

“Let me calculate.

Personnel wages—minor expense.

Your experiments—around thirty gold coins per month.

Castle repairs—estimated twenty-two gold.

Spring planting—tools and seeds must be purchased from the nearest city.

And the Blackhorn horses—stables must be built, and they don’t eat ordinary hay…”

Kun, who could easily read complex Moon Elf texts, now felt his head throbbing.

“Enough. Just give me the total.”

“Next month, your total expenditure will be approximately one hundred thirty-six gold coins.

Your income…”

“Zero.”

“The following month will be similar. Until the crops grow, you’ll have no returns.

Even with all this investment, your harvest will likely sell for…” Vittorio raised a hand.

“Five hundred gold? That’s still a big loss.”

“…”

“Fifty gold? That can’t be right.”

“Five gold coins. That’s the best-case scenario.”

Silence fell.

Kun sat there, stunned.

If his thoughts were written across his face, they would read in bold letters—

The Ultimate Fool.