Chapter 245 Wartime Situation, Good News, Bastards and Hybrids
Food prices have gone up.
This is one of the most direct feelings people have about war.
To limit hoarding, the amount of flour each person can buy each day is limited.
After deducting the portion of grain harvested during the summer harvest from taxes, the surplus grain from farmers' households was bought up by the state at a fixed price.
Most of the grain sold in grain stores today is old grain. Only when there is a shortage of grain will the national government step in to allocate grain to various regions.
Of course, ordinary people are unaware of these circumstances.
All they knew was that although there was a war going on, food was still available and they would not run out of food anytime soon.
All of this is thanks to the great leadership of the Regent.
On the street where the vegetable store is located, apart from shops selling grain and daily necessities, the other shop owners are not having an easy time.
The reason is simple: everyone is actively tightening their daily expenses and spending their money on necessities.
As for expensive non-essential items such as jewelry, hair accessories, and gorgeous clothing.
I'm sorry, I can still wear those old ones, so I don't really need to buy new ones now.
The pedestrians on the street are wearing clothes with increasingly simple and elegant designs, and their clothes have more pockets for carrying things.
This is good, and quite practical.
Victor Manor is located in the suburbs of the royal city, where everyone lives their own lives behind closed doors.
There were virtually no neighborhood disputes. Lai felt that life here was actually more comfortable than in the royal city.
After the first harvest of vegetables from the estate, he had Vincent plant corn instead.
Besides feeding livestock, if things get really bad, the corn kernels can be ground into powder and baked into cornbread, which people can also eat.
It's filling and keeps you full. It saved many people during famines when there was nothing to eat.
The estate has a lot of crops, but there are not enough people to help. Only Ray and Cher's family are there, which makes it easy for thieves to steal.
Edmund got three puppies from the same litter for Rye to guard the house. They would grow up in a few months and be big, promising puppies.
Tata has a new companion. Tiandi is seen running around the manor with three puppies, already acting as their little boss.
Furthermore, the little monster itself possesses the dignity and self-awareness of a leader.
Besides playing around, he also intentionally taught the three little ones how to patrol and hunt.
Don't underestimate these three small creatures. When they get serious, the three of them working together can easily hold off an adult.
The three puppies are very alert; their ears perk up at the slightest sound. They don't bark unnecessarily, eat random things, or run off to bite people.
Tata has trained them into exemplary dogs.
"Awooo, awooo awooo."
"Woof!"
"Woof!"
"Woof!"
Tata sat upright in front, teaching the three little ones a lesson, and the half-grown puppies responded enthusiastically.
One of them stepped forward, lowered its paws, and bowed its head deeply towards Tata. The little monster raised a front paw and patted its furry head.
Tata seems to have her own unique way of communicating with the three puppies.
It's obvious who the little monster is imitating with this action.
They huddled together and whispered among themselves for a long time.
"Aww!"
At Tata's command, the three puppies scattered in all directions. It seemed they were off on patrol duty.
The little monster nodded in satisfaction.
"Auntie Kama, give Wangcai an extra big bone today!"
"Okay, I got it."
Only by combining kindness and severity can you win over a dog's heart.
Tata was very satisfied with his "thunderous methods".
"Haha, your little monster is so cute. I'll send a few more over tomorrow so Tata can train them properly before taking them back."
Edmund stepped off the carriage and saw Tata holding a meeting with her three puppies. Like Cher and the others, he found it both amusing and quite strange.
"You've arrived."
Ray went out to greet him.
The dogs had already run far away, but they all ran back when they heard the stranger's noise.
They sniffed around Edmund's trousers, recognized the familiar scent, and wagged their tails. After a few hops, they obediently went back to carrying out the tasks Tata had assigned them.
In their puppy brains, Tata's words were an inviolable decree.
And only the one who performs the best will receive a super-sized bone as a special reward from Boss Tata.
The two went to the study together, followed by Tata, a little tail.
"What did Tata say to them just now?"
Edmund also loves small animals, and he couldn't help but adore Tata, such a well-behaved little monster.
"We're having a meeting with Wangcai and the others. Yesterday, Wangcai caught a yellow weasel that was stealing bird eggs. We should give him a good commendation."
The little monster speaks with the serious demeanor of a leader.
With his fluffy fur all over his body, he looks like a little adult pretending to be mature, which is incredibly cute.
After chatting for a few more minutes, Ray and Edmund finally got to the main topic of the day.
"It's good news."
Edmund said.
Which side?
"Good news from Eaton Forest."
Ray's eyes lit up. Edmund didn't keep him in suspense and told him directly about the situation there.
"Half a month ago, Willard led his army to launch a surprise attack on a demon stronghold near one of the main boundary markers in Eaton Forest."
The battle lasted for seven days and seven nights. In the end, Willard revealed his dragon form and used dragon magic to clear a vacuum zone.
Taking advantage of the situation, the Holy Archmage used a spatial forbidden spell to temporarily seal the exit, giving the main boundary marker time to be repaired.
"The main boundary marker was repaired so easily?"
Lei couldn't help but ask a question.
"Of course it's not that simple."
Edmund smiled.
"The alchemists of the dwarf race spent a year working together to forge a sealing device, which barely made up for the part missing after the main boundary marker was destroyed."
"Is one of the raw materials for the prop dragon bone?"
"Um."
"You know about this too?"
Edmund was somewhat surprised.
"No, I guessed."
"Even if it's just a guess, it shows your quick wit."
Lai smiled but didn't say anything. He was just thinking about how Golden Oak had asked White Tower to collect dragon bones.
"To be honest, this isn't really a secret, it's just that so much time has passed that everyone has gradually forgotten about it."
Edmund then changed the subject and brought up another matter.
Do you know what materials the main boundary marker is made of?
"I don't know that." Lei hadn't really looked into this matter in detail.
"They are dragon bones, the skeletons of six holy dragons. The demon race wreaked havoc, and the other six races mobilized their entire strength to fight against them."
Back then, the number of dragons was not as small as it is now. They inhabited every corner of the land, and dragon nests could be found on almost every mountain over 2,500 meters high.
In order to fight against the demons, the dragons made great sacrifices.
In the final battle, the spatial mage tore open subspace, driving most of the demons inside. However, the spatial rift remains and must be sealed to prevent the Demon King from re-entering the continent.
However, suitable materials could not be found in time.
The dragon clan's elders volunteered to sacrifice themselves, sealing the demons there.
Not long after, the leaders of the various races who had participated in that holy war all passed away one after another for various reasons, as well as from the hidden wounds they sustained on the battlefield.
"I never expected something like this to happen."
"Lay murmured."
"Yes, all the inhabitants of the continent owe the Dragon Clan a debt of gratitude."
Edmund became somewhat melancholy as he spoke.
Even so, it did not stop the various races from hunting dragons.
Dragons have always had difficulty producing offspring, as young dragons take a very long time to grow up. Later, as humans rapidly expanded and squeezed the living space of other races, the dragons moved to the west.
No one knows the exact location.
"If that's the case, then just nail the seal down forever. Why is there still a key?"
"I'm puzzled," Ray asked.
"That's a different kind of seal, where the different races don't trust each other. They're allies when fighting together, but once the war is over, they become enemies fighting over land."
Even during the peaceful period before the demons broke the seal, battles still frequently occurred in the border areas.
The key is just one link in the seal. There's a symbolic meaning to it.
"I see."
After Edmund's detailed explanation, Ray got a general understanding of the history at that time.
These are contents that are not recorded in detail in "The History of Magic on the Continent of Casa" or other related books.
Tata lay on the recliner, her little tail wagging, listening intently as if it were a story.
Ryan lay on Tata's soft belly, swaying up and down with the little monster's breathing, like a large, soft bed with a built-in lullaby.
"The main boundary marker is related to the lifeline of the demon race, so there must be a lot of troops guarding it."
"yes."
Edmund gave Rye his approval.
"From this perspective, Willard's strength should not be underestimated."
That's right.
A cold glint flashed in Edmund's eyes.
"With a lord of such strength emerging from the Third Territory, the world of our human race is likely to change after the Demon Rebellion ends."
"That lord is a half-dragon."
Lei reminded him.
The residents of the royal city are generally extremely xenophobic, and they are born with an inexplicable arrogance.
Having lived here for so long, Lai rarely sees people of other races in the city.
Especially for mixed-race individuals, their appearance is often accompanied by various disdainful looks.
There's practically no place for mixed-race people in this city; even jobs that require manual labor are reluctant to hire them. If they are hired, they only receive a third of the salary of an average person.
Edmund immediately understood the unspoken meaning in Ray's words.
He was also aware of the Wangcheng's discrimination against mixed-race people.
People can accept illegitimate children inheriting family businesses, but they cannot accept children born to two people of different races who truly love each other.
"Under absolute power, bloodline is merely a small decoration on luxurious clothing."
This continent is still a continent where the strong rule.
It is savage and ruthless, yet it also follows a natural law.
Edmund left after sharing the latest news, as he still had a lot of work to do.
Ray brought Edmund several cases of fine wine made in Elven countries.
Wine is made from grains. Fruit wines account for 30% of the market, wines made from other plants account for 20%, and wines made from grains account for a full 50%.
After the war officially began, alcohol became a rare commodity, and its price more than tripled.
Edmund was active in high-ranking positions, and alcohol was an indispensable part of his life.
Fortunately, Lai had plenty of wine, more than he could drink, and it was fine wine from the Elven Kingdom.
After figuring out these tricks, Ray gave some of the wine to Edmund.
As the war spread, Anderson called back the deputy commander and his men who had gone out to help.
The group of people were making a living by running a small tavern, but they couldn't buy enough food, so Ray gave them two bags.
He would often go to Commander Anderson's tavern by himself, and it was Anderson who told him about the rising prices of alcohol.
He also complained to Ray that it was hard to get alcohol these days, and once his stock was sold out, his little tavern would become a tavern without alcohol, and he didn't know what business to switch to.
Despite his complaints, several months passed and Ray's tavern still hadn't gone out of business.
Before we knew it, it was strawberry planting season.
This year's situation is very different from last year's.
To be honest, the price of white strawberries is indeed inflated. Lai had a premonition that they wouldn't fetch a good price this year, so he only planted five hundred plants.
The total amount of strawberries planted has been reduced by half, leaving more land for growing vegetables.
Lai had calculated that, with the blessing of the Wood Element Stone, early-maturing varieties such as spinach, cilantro, and romaine lettuce could be harvested in about thirty days.
Vegetables like bok choy can be harvested in as little as twenty days.
The arms resale business only lasted a few months; he and Edmund only provided some initial funding and did not leave behind any written agreement.
Later, things took a turn for the worse, and the dwarf said he wanted to dissolve the partnership and didn't want to continue.
Even so, the two of them received a considerable share of the profits. Not only did they get their principal back, but they also made a small profit.
It was an unexpected outcome.
However, Rae would never dare to continue such a business. He only did it as a last resort to suppress the Duchess.
Without the Marquis of Torland's support in the capital, and with the court getting involved in dealing with the weapons issue...
Her business became very difficult, and there was no need for Ray and Edmund to pull those dangerous little tricks behind her back.
Neil always behaves in annoying ways when he's alone with Anne Toland. In short, he does whatever is most obnoxious and sleazy.
This successfully wore down Anne's already dwindling patience.
She ran home every day and cried to the Marquis de Toland that she did not want to marry Neil, that annoying bastard.
She would accept being married off to the heir of a minor noble family.
However, the reality is far more complicated than the girl imagined.
Even without Neil, there would be Roll, Riel, and Will.
There is no love involved in marriages between noble families, especially since she was an illegitimate daughter who was forcibly placed under the care of the legal wife.
Her mother had also been the Marquis's favorite mistress. Hatred extends to everything connected to the person in question; even without deliberate harassment, things wouldn't turn out well. Human nature is unpredictable; not everyone wants to be a saint.
The Marchioness will make the most of her years of upbringing of Anne.
Of course, a good marriage wouldn't fall into Anne's lap. She had two older sisters born to the Marquis herself, as well as a younger sister who was still quite young.
There are so many nobles in the capital, and they live long lives. It's highly likely she'll marry into a noble family and become the old patriarch's second wife.
The marriage remains valid unless the Marquis of Torland requests annulment.
Anne hated Neil and spent every day alone with him, those times that she called cultivating feelings.
For her, it was nothing short of torture. But in front of the Duchess, she had no choice but to put on a happy facade.
The girl knew her limits; she could make a scene at home as much as she wanted, but her father favored her more and would always back her up.
But in the Arcanis family castle, the Duchess, her strong-willed aunt, is someone you don't want to mess with.
Neil was delighted to see Anne Toland hate him so much.
The more annoyed they are, the better. It's best if they stay far away from you, so that any subsequent lack of cooperation won't be your fault. The wedding should be postponed as long as possible, the longer the better.
Neil also had his own considerations.
This unexpected accident made him mature a lot.
In the capital, there might be a shortage of food, wine, and tobacco, but there would be no shortage of fuels like firewood and charcoal for getting through the winter.
Hundreds of miles from the capital lies a vast forest that provides ample timber for most of the cities in the First Territory.
Therefore, the two greenhouses in Lei have no shortage of fuel to operate throughout the winter.
The forestry farm owner would love to have more big customers like him.
One autumn rain brings one chill.
As the busy harvest season comes to an end, another winter arrives as scheduled.
The regent issued a decree that no extravagant banquets were allowed to be held until the war was over.
What constitutes "not too extravagant," and where is the bottom line?
No one was sure to what extent it should be done to meet the Regent's requirements.
But it can't be cancelled, since such banquets are actually used for matchmaking.
Families with children who have just come of age or are not yet married hope to take this opportunity to find a suitable partner for them.
The grandest event of the year is this winter ball.
There are summer balls in the summer, but the royal city is too rainy in the summer, so it is not suitable for going out.
Due to the ban, the number of banquets held in the royal city was cut in half.
Those who really plan to hold the event don't dare to make too much of a fuss; they usually only hold it for seven days at most.
Very few customers are ordering white strawberries as dessert at parties; instead, people are starting to choose the more adorable pink strawberries.
However, the order for the white strawberries sent to the Regent's residence is still there.
As the banquets began, the tailor shop's business finally picked up a bit. However, it was mostly just alterations to old dress orders.
In wartime, everyone should save where they should and spend where they should; it's not shameful.
Everyone sincerely hopes that this chaos will end as soon as possible.
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Author's Note: Tata: Awwwww?
Wangcai: Woof!
Gousheng: Woof woof woof!
Tata: Aww!
Wangcai: Woof!
(Tata nods)
The unsuspecting crowd: ...
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