Chapter 5 (1/2)

Flower Town was at the northeastern corner of Coral Island. It was not small, but Liszt did not know its specific size. As the most remote town on Coral Island, the town was only marked to the northeast of Thorn Hill and did not have a boundary.

It meant that Liszt could claim all the territory as long as he did not barge into the towns to the southwest of Thorn Hill.

Nobody would blame him even if he were to include Thorn Hill. After all, no one on Coral Island wanted it.

After twenty years of development by the Tulips, only less than two thirds of Coral Island had been really colonized.

The last one third was all desolate land.

Thorn Hill was one of such places. Knights were needed in battle, so serfs and farmers had to reclaim those areas.

Thorn Hill was barren and rugged. It was not valuable enough to be developed.

Besides, every ordinary person was delicious food for the monsters. Even hunters dare not pursue them casually. Of course, some adventurers still went after monsters because every part of the monsters could be exchanged for coins.

Liszt, riding Fire Dragon, was passionate about the tour.

Expansion was the instinct of every noble. Flower Town was as far as his horse could go. Now, he was riding on a street of the town. It was muddy and dirty, with feces everywhere—only nobles built toilets.

“Sanitation has to be implemented.” Liszt turned to Marcus.

Marcus gave no reply. He was not the administrative officer and was not interested in it. What enthused him was the power of nobles, as could be seen from the serfs and civilians who were bowing to Liszt on both sides of the street.

Their bodies were trembling.

Those who knelt were serfs, and those who bowed were free folk.

Most of them were serfs who had been sold to the nobles. As Liszt’s private properties, they had no rights. If Liszt intended to enforce droit du seigneur1, they had to clean their daughters or wives and send them to his castle.

Free folk were few. Most of them were artisans, such as hunters and tailors.

The town was small and had few habitants. Even though all the residents had come out, the atmosphere was still cold.

Liszt estimated that the whole town might only have a population of several hundred people.

The town was mostly made of cottages that were built on mud and grass. Even two-storied buildings were few.

For the first time, he realized the poverty of civilian life.

He had a lot of complicated feelings.

He felt lucky that, as a noble, he could live in a castle and enjoy white bread made of wheat flour.

Very soon, Fire Dragon carried Liszt through the only street of the son. With a heavy mood, he continued to Thorn Hill along the safe route that Marcus planned.

The town was surrounded by farmlands. Most of the crops in the farmlands were unknown to Liszt, but they were not delightful at all. Many weeds grew together with the crops, indicating a lack of management.

While marvelous creatures such as dragons and elves existed in this age, and there were unbelievable powers such as combat aura and magic, everything was still underdeveloped.