Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World C.134 The East and West - III

Accompanied by a gray-haired old man who appeared to be the elder of the village, Henry guided his horse through the narrow roads of Salveng. The small wooden houses, huddled closely together were an evidence of how the villagers adapted to the harsh weather of Stahl.

As he passed, Henry could see, from the corner of his eye, curious gazes of children peeking out from the huts. They quickly hid when he looked their way, a funny and pure scene created by sheer curiosity.

"I'm sorry, your majesty. The children aren't used to new faces around here" - the old man hurriedly said, worried that the king might misunderstand and become angry - "We've gone years without anyone from outside this village visiting us, and it's only recently that soldiers chasing bandits and merchants have come back to this part of the East."

Henry couldn't help but chuckle softly - "No need to apologize. It's natural for children to be curious" - he reassured the scared man, as the village's central area came into view.

The heart of Salveng Village was much like all other villages in Stahl, even Orsus, the barbarian village, shared similar characteristics. The center served as the meeting place for the community, where a large bonfire was used to cook communal meals a few times a week, with ingredients collected by all hunters. In order to survive, there was a need to create a sharing society.

"Your majesty, we didn't know you were coming, or we would have dug out the old alcohol" - the old man said, rubbing his hands nervously, his eyes anxiously scanning the king's face for any signs of displeasure - "Though it may not meet your standards and may be lacking, the people are preparing food to honor your presence." At those words, Henry's eyes swept across the bustling scene happening in the center of this village. Men and women worked together, stirring a large cauldron over the fire and adding meat and other ingredients to what appeared to be a brown stew. Meat and other condiments were floating in the food.

Suddenly, a skinny woman hurried towards them, calling - "Village Elder!" - She extended a small wooden bowl to the gray-haired old man, filled with that strange brown stew.

Henry noticed her thin arms peeking out from beneath her fur clothing, the outline of her bones clearly visible. Her frail body was a testament of her past, one without enough food on the table to grow even a single fiber of muscle.

"Let's offer it to his majesty first!"- the elder said, hurriedly gesturing towards the king, signaling for the woman to offer him the food first. He didn't want to be misinterpreted and get the village exterminated. Although he wasn't well-versed in etiquette, he was old enough to understand about hierarchy, a rule that was present even in the animal world. Those above you should always eat first.

"Y-Yes!" - The woman stuttered, her eyes looking at the royal man on top of his horse. His gray eyes were fixed upon her, creating some kind of pressure.

Fighting against her fear, she approached the king. With trembling hands, she offered the wooden bowl to the king, only to feel a cold sensation on her throat as something sharp nicked her skin, drawing a thin line of blood. She swallowed hard, feeling death looming near, as a warm breath grazed her ear.

"Leier, is this how we treat someone offering food with such kindness?" - Henry's voice came from atop his horse, his gaze fixed on the silver-haired woman behind the frail figure of the villager.

With swift and silent movement, Leier used the shadows of the flickering flames to flash behind the woman. The injured Henry didn't even have the time to stop her and could only see her move with a desire to kill. She was silent as an owl.

"My liege!"- Leier called respectfully, her tone grave, as the woman in front of her trembled, her breath caught in her throat - "These people might be plotting to poison you. It's unwise to taste it first. We must ensure it's safe before you try it. Let's make her do it." freewebnσvel.cѳm

Henry glanced at her briefly before dismounting, striding over to the woman until he stood before her. He took the wooden bowl from her trembling hands.

"Thank you for the meal" - Henry said, offering a warm smile before consuming the contents of the bowl in one gulp, not even chewing the small slices of meat. It was surprisingly good, the taste reminded him of Earth's beef stew with with carrots and potatoes, but a little bit different.

"Your majesty!" - Leier exclaimed, her tone tinged with concern and panic.

She had been overly protective of him since learning of his near-death experience in battle, blaming herself for not being there to protect him. She swore to never leave his side, ever again. She would be his shadow.

"It's not poisoned" - Henry reassured her, turning the empty bowl over before returning it to the woman's still outstretched hands, frozen in fear - "It was delicious, thank you! It reminded me of a dish I used to enjoy a lot." - He flashed a bright and gentle smile.

"You can release her now, Leier. We have matters to discuss with the village elder" - Henry said, instructing his loyal guard to drop her killing intent. Reluctantly, Leier withdrew her dagger from the woman's throat, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief and clutch the bowl close to her chest. The encounter had been scary, almost leading her to the ancestors.

Turning to the elder beside him, Henry gestured to his soldiers. "The food was really good! Would you mind serving it for everyone?"- he asked. "I would also like to have a chat with you. I plan on revitalizing the East, and your vision and assistance would be of great help." The old man glanced at the soldiers behind Henry and then at the large pot on the fire, realizing it would likely feed the soldiers but not the villagers. Nevertheless, he couldn't refuse the king.

"We have alcohol to share" - Henry added, noting the discomfort in the elder's eyes as he rubbed his trembling hands - "And we'll bring some game to add to the food. I wouldn't leave my subjects starve, no one under my throne should never lack food or wood."

Henry knew he needed to win the hearts of the East. It had been neglected for years, and the people had lost respect and affection for the throne. Though there was still some fear, thanks to Iosif's previous visits, there was not the same respect and admiration as in the capital and the south of the kingdom.

"Yes, your majesty," the elder replied, a bit more comfortable.