Warhammer Divine Throne-Chapter 528 - 229, A Quiet Winter

PS. Just for fun, here's a made-up attribute for the Lake Fairy Tower. Have a laugh everyone.

Lake Fairy Tower: Duchy Order +5, Uncorrupted +5, Agricultural Income +50%, Infantry and Knights Leadership +8 (Faction-wide).

PS2. Thanks to the book friend "Lord WV" for the fifty thousand reward, there will be two updates today, the second one is estimated to be in the evening.

A long continuous rain separated autumn from winter, and as time moved into November, the climate had become very cold. Once the winter wheat on the land was gradually sown, the peasants also began to enter their idle season.

Bountiful grains filled the granaries, and Gaspardon began leading the sergeants to collect the grain tax. After deducting the basic food rations, the Seventeen Percent Tax felt painful to the peasants despite the bountiful harvest. Yet, even the most greedy peasants understood that this was the mercy of the Holy Grail Master Knight, for elsewhere in the Kingdom, the Ten-Nine Tax was being collected, which was truly life-threatening.

At least many peasants who escaped from the Borelion Duchy said that this was the best year they've had.

The Baron issued a Free Movement Decree for his domain, allowing all registered peasants in the Baron's Domain to move freely. Over a year after arriving at the domain, Gene Town had already undergone earth-shattering changes. In the town market, people coming from afar could almost see most of the Old World's products, and even Dwarves and Wood Elves were often seen.

On nearly every street corner, groups of peasants sat or squatted, and whenever knights, nobles, or merchants passed by, they would shout with all their might, "Sir! Sir! Got any work? I can work! I'll do anything!"

After simple bargaining, these people would quickly be taken away.

There was work everywhere. The construction of the Wizard Tower, new textile workshops, the Baron's stables, and the renovation of half the town all required labor, and the peasants had become accustomed to working daily. Working days not only provided meals; at night, they could take home a handful of copper coins. Ever since someone personally witnessed villagers from nearby eating a full meal and returning with half a roasted chicken, peasants from Red Fish Village had been heading into town to find work. Their wives also eagerly pushed them out: Eat less of the household grain, earn more money, and have a good Winter Festival.

Brook was one such peasant. Not yet thirty, Brook was short but strong. He had been working for the Baron recently, bringing back a full bag of copper coins each time, which made the fellow villagers envious.

After several days of rain, an overcast day finally arrived. At dawn, Brook got up; his wife, pregnant, urged him out, "The kid's father, you've been home for days, hurry out and work! Otherwise, when the kid's born, we won't have anything to eat!"

"Alright, alright," Brook nodded repeatedly. He changed into a coarse linen shirt and then donned a fur cloak before leaving the house with a bag, heading towards Gene Town.

Since the Holy Grail Master Knight came to these lands, life for the peasants had improved greatly. At least they could eat their fill and keep warm. For peasants, after eating their fill, there were no entertainment activities when it got dark, so after several months, Brook's wife's belly began to swell.

This was a common sight in the village; recently, the birth rate was high, and nearly every household had a newborn baby.

Thus, the priests of the Merciful Goddess Church became the busiest people in the Baron's Domain. These loving female priests shuttled through Laine's lands, busy with childbirth and blessing newborns. The Baron generously donated three hundred Gold Crowns to the Merciful Goddess Church, and the Saintess Order of the Lake Fairy sent some Lake God Prophets to assist the Merciful Goddess Church, which barely provided enough manpower.

Following the well-paved stone road to Gene Town, there were many peasants heading to town looking for work. As Brook thought about it, he couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed, and quickened his pace.

In the cold weather, the gates of Gene Town had become very large. Many guards stood at the gate. Brook felt a bit fearful, but he still tried hard to squeeze through the crowd and find a way into the town.

There were several sharp-eared Wood Elves at the gate. Clearly, the sharp-eared enjoyed privileges and were prioritized because their goods were irreplaceably precious and in high demand.

"Hey! Brook! What are you daydreaming about?" At this moment, a young voice called out to him, "Do you want to work or not?!"

"Ah, Mr. Deni! I want to work! Of course, I want to work!" The peasant was startled and straightened up, noticing that a sergeant was speaking to him, and hurriedly nodded and bowed.

"Same old, lunch's provided, and how much you earn by tonight depends on how much work you do, don't think about slacking off!" Sergeant Deni, dressed in a full set of chain armor and chest armor, with arm guards equipped, and wearing a surcoat, looked really imposing! At least, Brook thought so.

A surcoat was tossed onto the peasant's face. It was a must-wear for work. The peasant grabbed the surcoat, hastily put it on, and joyfully went off to work. The Baron needed a better stable, and the peasants would work hard to earn their pay.