Chapter 90
We blocked one of the two entrances leading into the village with carriages. Carriages gathered from the rental shop were piled up like a mountain.
At the other entrance, we dragged all sorts of furniture to barricade the way.
Our goal was to block the monsters’ line of sight from the outside, so this would serve as a temporary measure for now. In the meantime, we decided to fell trees from the forest to build a proper defensive wall.
I didn’t reveal that there was a passage in the basement of the police station. As a police officer, Eden was put in charge of managing the station, and access was granted only with his permission.
Still, just in case, Eden kept the door leading to the basement jail locked with a key at all times.
The villagers divided into two teams: one to build the defensive wall and another to clear away the monster carcasses.
In truth, the village was currently a complete mess and was in no state to be self-sufficient.
Even if we raided the village’s grocery and general stores, there wasn’t much left considering the number of people.
I had made up my mind to take over Brunel because I couldn’t let those Kintne bastards steal the food… but because I ended up saving the survivors, it looked like it would be difficult to claim all the remaining food in Brunel for myself.
Then again, I couldn’t exactly ignore these people and hoard all the food and supplies for myself like those Kintne thugs, could I?
‘I suppose I gained a labor force instead?’
And unlike the village, Happy House was equipped with a system for self-sufficiency.
‘If I manage the necessary manpower efficiently, it might actually be better than surviving alone.’
I had vowed that I was confident in surviving by myself, but the truth was, I didn’t seem to have much of a talent for farming. Therefore, the people who had lived in this rural village their entire lives would actually be of help.
‘Or I could just not care about anyone at all. I can just set a few rules. Then everyone lives for themselves and only asks for help when needed.’
Actually, out of all the ideas I’d had so far, this method seemed the best. Just because I saved their lives didn’t mean I was responsible for their futures.
Hmm. I stood in the middle of the village and pondered as I watched the busy people. After a long deliberation, I came to a conclusion.
‘Right. I really shouldn’t get any more involved.’
Once the entrance to Brunel was blocked, I would go back into Happy House and never come out. I was too busy looking after my own skin to worry about everyone else.
‘I’m not Eden. I’ve done my best.’
Rationalizing my decision like that, I made a mental to-do list for when I returned to Happy House.
Of course, I didn’t forget that I had to mince that guy from Kintne nicely to extract information. There was always the possibility they might send more people to Brunel.
While moving carriages, while dragging monster corpses, and while cleaning and tidying the village, the people’s eyes remained fixed on Cherry.
Brilliant cherry-colored hair that was almost deep pink. She was a petite woman with a lovely, pretty appearance, to the point where it was hard to believe such a woman had brandished an axe and sent monsters flying.
Gary, the butcher, envied the physical strength Cherry used to slice through monsters so effortlessly.
Just then, Basilio, the priest of Brunel’s small church, sidled up to Gary and struck up a conversation.
“Isn’t she truly amazing? How does such power come from such a small body?”
“I was thinking the same thing. I heard she was a very famous lady in the capital.”
“She’s the heiress to the Sinclair family.”
It was Philip, a boy who worked part-time at the antique shop, who jumped into their conversation.
“What kind of family is the Sinclair family? Are they nobles?”
“Not nobles, but bourgeois. They say that family has more money than the nobility.”
“Psh. Even if they’re bourgeois, they’re still commoners. How can you compare them to nobles?”
At Gary’s response, Philip shook his head firmly.
“On the day the world turned out like this, a story about Cherry Sinclair was in the newspaper. I saw that and got some information from the mailman who came from the capital. The Sinclairs aren’t just any bourgeois. Even the nobles had to take a step back for them.”
At Philip’s words, Gary the butcher and Basilio the priest tilted their heads with skeptical faces. Then Philip added one more thing.
“You know that Southrumble Whiskey you always praise for being delicious, Mr. Gary? That was a brand launched by the Sinclair family. And what else, oh. The cigarettes you enjoy smoking, Father Basilio. Rozek! That’s from the Sinclair family too. What else? Oh, right! There’s that huge hotel in Kintne. That’s a Sinclair hotel too. They own dozens of hotels like that across the country. Not only that, they have trains. I heard the train from Kintne to the capital was built with investment from the Sinclair family. And most of the ships docked at Creden Port are owned by the Sinclair family.”
As Philip rattled off this enormous list of achievements, Gary asked back with a dizzy expression.
“Is… is that for real?”
Why on earth would such a grand young lady choose Brunel…!
This could only be explained as Brunel being chosen by the Sinclair heiress herself. But why…!
Just then, James, the owner of the carriage rental and a coachman, appeared and delivered new news to them.
“Have you all heard? Emma from the clothing shop and Victor, the head chef from the inn restaurant. They say they’re staying at that young lady’s manor, the ‘haunted house.’ That herbalist kid is staying there too.”
“Hey, what do you mean ‘haunted house lady’? You should call her the Candy Lady instead.”
When Philip rebuked James the coachman, Gary the butcher suddenly changed his tune and defended Cherry.
“Philip is right. That title doesn’t seem appropriate for our savior.”
The expression Gary wore as he scolded James was stern, dignified, and very serious.
James scratched his cheek and fell silent with an embarrassed face.
“Anyway, I only said it because I was jealous that they’re staying at the Candy Lady’s mansion. Jealous. That place looks very safe.”
“You were calling it a haunted house just a moment ago, and now you’re jealous? James, have you no conscience?”
At Gary’s words, James let out a deep sigh, admitting he was wrong, and turned away. He then said his goodbyes, saying he had to go move more carriages.
Then, Father Basilio, who had been watching the atmosphere, spoke up tentatively.
“But don’t we have to go there to know if the mansion is actually safe? How safe could an old house like that be…?”
At Father Basilio’s words, Gary remained silent with a thoughtful face before looking back at Philip and Basilio.
“True. Even if the Sinclairs were great, what does that matter now? Everyone’s in the same boat now.”
Philip looked at Gary with an incredulous expression. How could his attitude flip like a palm?
Gary continued.
“And the people who were with the Candy Lady. The policeman and that lawyer fellow. Isn’t it a bit strange how they hang on her every word? No matter how strong she is… isn’t she just a young woman after all?”
Just then, Cherry, who was passing by, suddenly approached them and spoke. Specifically, to Gary.
“Hello. I heard you used to run a butcher shop.”
She tilted her body toward Gary with her hands behind her back. The axe was still tucked into her belt behind her.
“Gah! Yo-you startled me!”
Gary looked back at her with a shocked face. Moreover, since he had been badmouthing her just a moment ago, his conscience pricked him even more. Regardless of anything, Cherry was the savior who had rescued them.
‘I’m an adult who has lived several years longer than this girl, yet I’m so shameful.’
Gary felt inwardly embarrassed and glanced at Cherry. Basilio and Philip watched Gary and Cherry closely with curious faces.
“It’s nothing else, but Mr. Ruskin caught two deer the day before yesterday. Could I ask you to dress the meat for me?”
Deer…! Deer! They all stared at Cherry with wide eyes, looking shocked.
Since the world had fallen into this state, they couldn’t even remember the last time they’d had a proper meal.
They had barely managed to scrape by on emergency rations found in their respective hiding spots, which could hardly be called proper meals.
“Of course, there will be payment. I have no intention of exploiting free labor. And I also have no intention of giving anything away for free.”
Cherry said firmly. She was so resolute that she almost sounded sharp.
They swallowed hard and waited for her next words with tense faces.
“The payment for your help will be a share of the venison. Since everyone worked hard today, I plan to share some with the others as a token of thanks.”
“…!”
Deer! They could eat deer meat! If they worked hard today, that is.
Only then did Gary realize. This was why everyone hung on Cherry’s every word!
Not only had she cleaned up the village that had been a monster den, but she had also eliminated all the looters. That alone was extraordinary, but the skill with which she quickly established a system while organizing the village was no ordinary feat.
Even obtaining food didn’t seem to be a particularly difficult task for her.
At this moment, Gary, Philip, and Basilio all had the same thought.
‘I have to stay on Cherry’s good side!’
They instinctively realized that being chosen by her was their best chance of surviving even a little longer in this hellish world.
