Inheriting a Lost Bloodline, My First Task is to have heirs?!
Chapter 194 - 194 - Freyheimr's Outer District (Part 2)

I simply smiled at them and nobody was brave enough to ask how I was able to take out so many things at once. As for the volunteers in the cooking brigade, they were surprised alright but only for a few seconds as they chose to move their focus on the tasks I have assigned to them. After that brief pause, they immediately got back to working to ensure we will all have our lunch the soonest. Hmm... They are quite good at working together and they are quick to follow instructions to the tee. Should I just take the whole outer district out of this place then? This is giving me a very evil idea. There are only more or less 70 elves and heralds here. It is not like they are being treated well or being fed enough so I think it would be easy to convince them to come with me instead. I still have more than a week to think about my next move anyways. Let's focus on feeding our hungry stomachs first.

I immediately got back to work and started cutting up the meat I brought into bite-sized pieces and then gave instructions to the others on how to cut the rest of the vegetables and other ingredients. I brought several trays of eggs with me that you may think I own a hatchery or I'm a seller. I love having them for breakfast and I use them for soup and baked goods so I always make it a point that I have tons of eggs in my storage at any given time. I brought out about 100 pieces of it and asked some of the volunteers to boil them. I gave instructions in the amount of water and time it takes to make hard-boiled eggs. They simply nodded and got back to work.

After I cut the meat, I gave instructions to the people who will man in front the pots on what ingredients to put first and other things they need to do next like the order of when the rest of the inhredients will be added into the pot. The young ones volunteered to wash the ingredients at a nearby well, carrying several basins that look too big compared to their bodies. They were struggling with the weight at first but they still pushed forward as they strategically assigned three people to carry a full basin to even out the weight. Instead of complaints, they were simply quite happy they could help out even with the simple task. These adorable young ones are making me excited on how my children with Ioannis and Makisig would look like when they have grown up to this size.

Since I have capable assistants, I simply said the things they need to do while on my end, I brought out two types of flour made of out corn and potatoes. I decided to make corn bread and also potato pancakes. I did not have enough rice so lets just go with this alternative for now. The menu will then be meat and vegetable stew (tomato-based), corn bread, potato pancakes, boiled eggs, fresh wild vegetable salad and for dessert, the fresh fruits that everybody readily took out from their homes and the ones I bought from the market earlier. It took us about an hour to prepare everything. This is quite quick with the menu and the amount of people that needs to be fed. I then tasked the other adults that were not part of the kitchen brigade to get bowls so that everybody can start eating the stew soon.

We all ate together and I saw the happiness of the people not only because they were eating well but also because they fed the whole territory with their own combined efforts. I am technically just providing ingredients and utensils here if you think about it. While having the meal, I already noticed several young men eyeing my every move. They were wearing red bracelets just like Vaelion. After the meal, they all approached me together and kneeled in front of me. There were seven of them, five male elves and two male heralds. In unison, they asked if I could take them in as personal slaves in exchange for a full meal each day for the district during my stay here and knowledge on how to cook and identify which plants from the forest are edible. They were giving up their life to ensure that those that will be left behind in case I take them away will survive. How desperate can you be to offer your freedom for a full meal and knowledge. Either way, I won't push away people that are willing to follow me. I think, I have to push my evil plan forward then.

I closed my eyes and created an illusion barrier around the whole outer district. It creates a trick where the managers will still see and hear us but what they are seeing and hearing is what I permit them to perceive. As for us inside, we started talking about serious matters. Everybody in the district felt the sudden silence that enveloped the area. I bluntly told them that for the next 30 minutes, the managers won't be able to see or hear anything we do or we say.

I lifted my hand to make them rise and bluntly asked the seven men, "Are you banking on the fact that I can use magic and assumed that I have enough resources to feed everybody indefinitely? I know you have seen this ring the managers gave me right and fully know what it is for? So here's a question for you. What can you offer me besides your bodies to convince me to take you in? I am not being mean here. Vaelion here is currently working on convincing me to take him and his father out of here as well. Buying a slave isn't cheap you know?" The seven immediately looked down and their bodies started shivering in nervousness.

I continued my statement by saying, "Don't be disheartened though. I am not saying that it is impossible. The managers gave me a list of things I can use to buy any slave I want. On that list, they made conversion for other items your territory needs that they will deem to be equivalent to the price of a slave. I can trick them into thinking I am saving up to exchange it with precious items from this territory and not slaves. If you are interested, I can take 10 people with me each day to venture into the forests to collect the items that I need for the payment. Buying all of you here will take a lot of resources but if you all help out, I think it would be possible. Are you with me?"

All the elves and heralds looked at each other in surprise then at me as if they did not understand a thing I said. Vaelion suddenly spoke up to clear everyone's confusion, "A total of seventy slaves at 50 silvers each would be 3,500 silvers or about 3 gold and 500 silvers. That's gonna be a stretch." I looked at him and responded, "They are willing to take money, food items, alchemy materials, alchemy knowledge and even labor. I have more than one gold with me when I came here and a bunch of food materials as well. As for the alchemy materials, I believe that it is connected to labor. They want me to harvest them fresh from the surrounding forests. It maybe because they are lazy or they do not have the capabilities to protect themselves but that much is doable for me." I then showed them the list of items that the managers deem to be equal to 50 silver coins or one slave. Some of the adults started talking with each other about where some of the alchemy materials can be found. They said that some grow in safe places and they can easily harvest it with no issues little by little. They can do it during the normal hours they are allowed to gather food from the forests for their everyday needs. We decided to set who will accompany me each day to gather materials. I can simply hire them as bodyguards or porters of the items. They easily agreed to my suggestions. I am amazed at what one hearty meal can do to my long-term plans. I then told them that I will place a storage item in Ithil's house where they can deposit the items they have gathered so that the guards that do their rounds won't notice the extra items they are bringing back. It looked like a normal wooden box on the outside and they simply put in their haul inside and it will be sent over to me. I also told them that the food I fed them will greatly weaken the effects of the full moon but they have to pretend to be weak and fragile the next day so we won't be found out. They all laughed and said that it would be a piece of cake since they always have to do some acting so when someone is beating them, the abuse stops quicker. They talked about it like it was just saying that the sunshine was warm. I can only sigh at how resilient these guys are.

Just as we have finished all our plans down to the minute details, the illusion barrier lost its effects at the thirty minute mark. I bid all of them farewell with the promise to have lunch again in the community kitchen the next day. They also promised to gather more ingredients for me and help with the cooking.

Since it is still in the early hours of the afternoon, I asked Vaelion to report to the managers that I decided to go around the forests to gather alchemy materials today and that I will be back before sunset. I then asked him to wait for my return near the gate at the border of the outer district and the forest afterwards.