[Lord of Abundance] Chapter 27: The Tale of Wizard Tom

 Chapter 27: The Tale of Wizard Tom

“Although the days of heavy rain didn’t cause flooding, they still destroyed quite a number of houses and farmlands. I’ve seen many areas in the territory where water has accumulated. Tate, take the guards and help the villagers clear the blocked drainage channels. Before sunset today, all the drainage systems in the fields and villages must be fully restored. Time waits for no one—we need to seize the moment and begin spring planting.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Latifa stood up on her own initiative. “Whether it’s resetting traps or clearing waterways, we can help with all of it. Please, my lord, grant us the opportunity to contribute.”

Kun smiled.

“I was planning to ask for your help anyway. I’ll leave it to you.”

“Since we chose to follow Your Excellency the Archmage here, we are already part of the Fertile Territory. It is our honor to share your burdens.”

For once, the old mage Melvord didn’t say anything inappropriate enough to give Latifa a headache. She quietly let out a sigh of relief.

Although having such a socially oblivious companion was somewhat worrying—one careless remark could offend the Archmage—overall, Latifa was quite satisfied with him.

Compared to those whose eyes constantly wandered over her face and chest, Melvord—who devoted himself wholeheartedly to magic, had a gentle temperament, and a good reputation—was far easier to get along with.

Kun turned slightly, looking toward the one who gave him the most headaches—Vittorio.

“Don’t worry about the money. I’ve already made arrangements. The first batch of funds will arrive soon—around one hundred and fifty gold coins. Construction in the Fertile Territory will continue as planned.”

Vittorio’s expression turned complicated. He had prepared himself mentally for the worst before coming, only for all that preparation to be unnecessary. Yet this outcome was several times better than his most optimistic expectations. He couldn’t help but let out a relieved sigh.

“Understood. Please rest assured, my lord—I will manage every expenditure carefully. However… I have one question. Where did this money come from?”

“I’ve partnered with someone in the capital on a small business. As for who that person is, and what business we’re doing—you don’t need to know. Just understand that everything I’m doing is legal, and there will be no hidden risks.”

“Then I have no further questions.”

At the side, Li Tianyun’s face reddened slightly as he subtly covered his eyes.

He was the only person here besides Kun who knew—and had participated in—that deal. After all, those… hard-to-describe little blue pills had to be procured by him.

Who would believe it?

Humanity’s first trade with an extraterrestrial civilization—and it involved those blue pills. And he had taken part in it.

If word got out, he’d probably be nailed to the pillar of historical shame for ten thousand years.

Ten thousand years!

“Vittorio, there’s another very important task I need you to handle.”

“My lord, please instruct me.”

“I want you to take everyone remaining in Emerald Heart and prioritize the burial of animal carcasses drowned by the floods around the villages. These bodies have been soaked in rain for who knows how long, and with rising temperatures, they could easily trigger an epidemic. Inform all villagers: any carcasses they collect can be brought to Blackstone Castle and exchanged for an equal weight of fresh meat—or converted into copper coins at market value.”

Vittorio hesitated. The entire hall exchanged uneasy glances.

The lord… was being reckless again.

They had only just survived a financial crisis, and now he was already throwing money around.

Seeing their confusion, Kun patiently explained.

“Joel, Nia, Redo—you’re all locals from Emerald Heart. Let me ask you: if the lord ordered villagers to hand over the meat they found, what would you do?”

Redo shrugged. “Whatever the lord says goes.”

Joel’s face flushed red. He opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say. Speaking honestly would mean defying the lord, but lying would betray him even more.

Nia answered openly and casually:

“If it were the previous lord, we’d probably hand in a little just to get by. But if it’s you, my lord… then maybe… half?”

She laughed awkwardly after speaking, rubbing the scar at the corner of her mouth.

The lord was kind—but that was food. Meat, no less.

“Half, huh…”

Kun murmured the words a few times under his breath. Not in disappointment—on the contrary, he was rather pleased.

What was food to these villagers?

Life.

The fact that they were willing to hand over half already left him somewhat flattered.

The hall fell silent. Representatives from all sides looked at Kun with complicated expressions.

If the earlier display of the astonishing magic scroll only proved that Kun was an extraordinary archmage, then this command—trading rotten meat for fresh—revealed something deeper.

He truly saw the people as his subjects, not his property.

And he was only sixteen.

In both thought and action, he already surpassed more than ninety percent of the lords on this continent.

Some who had knelt earlier out of pressure now felt their reservations vanish completely. Even Redo, the most ambitious among them, had to admit—

If he were in that position, he would never do such a thing. In fact, no rational lord would.

To merely warn villagers not to eat dead animals was already the mark of a rare, qualified lord.

But to exchange rotten meat for fresh?

Even the king of the kingdom wouldn’t do that.

For the first time, Redo found himself thinking—

That man sitting in that seat… wasn’t bad at all.

“Grace.”

“My lord, I’m here.”

With her silver hair, Grace looked at Kun with gentle eyes, like a grandmother gazing at her grandson.

“After heavy rain, mosquitoes breed easily, and disease spreads quickly. I’d like you to prepare herbal sachets that repel insects and prevent illness. Prioritize the elderly and children in Emerald Heart, then the guards and security teams, and finally the labor crews. You won’t be able to handle it alone, so I’ll assign castle maids to assist you. If you have any other difficulties, let me know.”

“You’ve thought of everything, my lord. Leave it to me. By tomorrow at the latest, the sachets will be ready.”

Kun nodded in satisfaction. “With your expertise in herbalism, I have full confidence in you.”

Although Old Tate had recruited many skilled commoners for him in the capital, the only ones Kun truly valued were Anton the blacksmith and Grace the herbalist.

These two were genuine talents.

Anton, despite his rough appearance, was meticulous in his craft. With partial highland dwarf blood, he had once traveled to the dwarven highlands—Odmagnum—and apprenticed under a true dwarven master craftsman. Given sufficient materials, he could even forge magical equipment.

As for Grace—

She was an unexpected treasure.

A renowned potion master in the capital, her name was known even to Kun, who rarely left the marquis estate. That alone spoke volumes of her reputation.

The title “Master” was not easily earned—especially in the capital, where experts abounded. For an apothecary to bear that title was like painting a target on her back.

According to the Mage Association, apothecaries were a branch of alchemists, who themselves were a branch of mages. At one point, they were even proposed to be excluded from the mage category altogether.

And yet, despite belonging to such a marginal field, Grace had carried the title of “Master”—a title normally reserved for third-tier mages—for over twenty years.

Many in the Mage Association envied her.

Yet she remained unscathed, her reputation only growing stronger.

Her ability and methods spoke for themselves.

Ordinarily, someone like her would never agree to come to a remote territory. Even if Kun’s father, Marquis Lawrence, personally invited her, she might refuse.

But circumstances aligned.

Grace had one flaw—

She doted excessively on her son.

A man in his thirties, spoiled like a child. In the capital, he was infamous—gambling, drinking, visiting brothels—indulging in every vice alongside idle noble heirs.

Unable to target Grace directly, others set their sights on her son. He was “accidentally” led to offend a noble lady.

Under normal circumstances, even minor nobles would let it go out of respect for Grace. But this particular lady was notoriously temperamental. She refused all mediation and insisted on enforcing the law.

According to the kingdom’s law:

A commoner who molests a noblewoman is fined one hundred gold coins and has both hands severed. If unable to pay, they must serve forced labor.

The fine was manageable.

But the punishment—

That, Grace could not accept.

Despite exhausting her connections, she failed to resolve the matter.

In the end, Kun had to use his business partner’s connections—at the cost of being extorted for an incredibly rare ancient magical plant.

The Fountain of Youth.

Despite its name, it was a flower resembling a narcissus. Placed in an area rich in water elements, it would condense a single drop of true “Fountain of Youth” on its petals every seven days.

Consuming it preserved youth indefinitely—

But only with continuous use.

Otherwise, the effect would gradually fade.

Kun had revived that plant from ancient magical seeds he had collected, using fertility magic. Fortunately, he had kept a few seeds—otherwise, the deal might not have been worth it.

Just how valuable was it?

Even his fearless business partner had hidden it away completely, never letting a single hint leak out.

At one point, Kun even suspected—

Grace’s misfortune might have been collateral damage from a scheme orchestrated by his cousin and her friend, targeting that very plant.

Otherwise, why would Grace remain unharmed for over twenty years—only to encounter trouble at the exact moment Kun was preparing to leave the capital?

It taught him one thing clearly:

Once a secret is known by more than one person—

It is no longer safe.

Soon, everyone dispersed to carry out their tasks. The council chamber—and even the castle itself—became empty, as all servants had been sent out to assist.

Li Tianyun stood up.

“I’ll go help as well.”

Kun, visibly tired, pinched the bridge of his nose.

“No rush. I actually have something to discuss with you privately. If you still have the energy afterward, go ahead. Not like I’m paying you anyway.”

The only unpaid laborer in the Fengrao Territory—Li Tianyun: …

If you hadn’t mentioned it, I’d have forgotten.

Li Tianyun smirked. “What’s so secretive that it requires a private talk?”

“Heh. Something good.”

Kun opened his bloodshot eyes, his gaze filled with mischief—and something vaguely ominous.

“Come with me. I’ll show you my laboratory first.”

“The laboratory? That hidden room from when I first arrived?”

“That’s right. It used to be a concealed chamber for storing… questionable items. I’ve reinforced it with magic. Until the mage tower is built, it’ll serve as my temporary lab.”

Li Tianyun nodded and followed him toward the hidden room behind the third-floor study.

Kun’s ominous tone didn’t scare him. He didn’t believe Kun would harm him—but whatever it was, it probably wasn’t entirely safe.

In the study, Kun tapped a specific black stone brick behind the bookshelf. Mechanisms set centuries ago activated with a soft click, and a narrow doorway appeared in the wall.

Kun stepped aside and gestured.

“Welcome. Oh, by the way—do you know there are only two kinds of people allowed into a mage’s laboratory?”

“Which two? Family and friends?”

As soon as Li Tianyun stepped inside, Kun shut the door behind him—like he was afraid he might escape.

“Heh heh heh… Of course—it’s the mage and his test subject.”

Li Tianyun stared at him, speechless.

“Seriously? How many times have I told you—what kind of villain laughs like that? Think about your favorite great wizard—Tom Marvolo Riddle. Did he ever laugh like that?”

“You’ve got a point.”

Kun nodded in sudden realization, eyes gleaming with admiration.

“Next time I go back, I’ll reread the entire Chronicles of Wizard Tom. As expected, for a little mage like me, starting research on Horcruxes this early might be a bit too advanced…”

Li Tianyun: …

Wait—hold on.

Horcruxes?

I think I just heard a very alarming research plan.