OFTPE 22

Chapter 22

A maid’s monthly salary ranged from 1 to 4 silver.

The longer the experience, the higher the pay—but all the maids gathered here were just barely over twenty, so most earned just 1 to 2 silver a month.

But getting 5 bronze for making just three coats?

If they did well, this month’s income could double—or even triple.

The hesitant expressions the maids had earlier while looking at the expensive dresses were now ablaze with determination.

“I’ll work hard to make them!”

Donghee gave a bright smile to the maids burning with motivation.

 
The Next Morning.

“You’re going too, My Lord?”

When Donghee appeared in front of the logging team waiting to depart, Scrooge looked up and asked.

“Yeah. I have to go too.”

“Why would you go to such a dangerous place?”

“Because these people are going.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I can’t just sit back and ignore it while my people head into danger.”

“My Lord! You absolutely mustn’t! It’s too dangerous! Even in broad daylight, you never know what might happen out there.”

Scrooge reacted as if a monster had suddenly appeared, trying to stop Chloe in panic.

Donghee felt a bit nervous at the butler’s over-the-top response, but she couldn’t take back her words now. Raising favorability was hard enough already, and if she backed down now, she might lose the points she’d just earned.

With a resolute expression and a firm voice, Donghee shook her head.

“No. I must go. I can’t send just the people alone.”

“You absolutely cannot. If you get hurt, or if a real monster appears, your life could be in danger.”

She was starting to get scared. But if she insisted at least three times, even if she gave up afterward, she’d have an excuse. Thinking this would be her final push, Donghee said one more time:

“That’s exactly why I must go.”

She was hoping Scrooge would try to stop her one more time, giving her a chance to gracefully step back. But—

“Sigh… If that is truly your will, My Lord, then I won’t stop you. But please, stay in a safe place.”

“…What?”

Wait, you’re not going to stop me again?

Donghee was a little flustered but couldn’t show it. Instead, she quickly looked back and forth between Scrooge and the knights waiting nearby. It was too late to say she was staying behind—it would look ridiculous.

Completely unaware of Donghee’s inner turmoil, Scrooge stared at her with shining eyes.

He seemed genuinely moved.

And not just him—the knights behind Donghee and even the scruffy logging team had tears welling up in their eyes as they looked at her.

Moments later—

Favorability with the villagers has increased by 10.
Favorability with the villagers has increased by 10.

Ding, ding! A loud chime echoed, and a flood of favorability increase messages popped up like mushrooms after rain.

“Jackpot!”

Donghee bit her lip to suppress a grin.

She wasn’t completely over her fear yet, but with such a huge spike in favorability, she figured it was worth the risk. Especially since so many knights were accompanying them.

Ding, ding! As the cheerful sounds rang in her ears, the fear she’d been clinging to melted away like fog in the wind.

If she laughed strangely now, she might lose all the favorability points she’d just earned. Trying hard not to smile, she didn’t realize her face was starting to look strange.

“Why does My Lord look so terrifying…?”

Scrooge, who’d been deeply moved just moments ago, felt chills at Chloe’s odd expression.

Trying to maintain a dignified appearance, Donghee confidently stepped to the front of the logging team.

“Let’s move out.”

She composed her voice and spoke solemnly.

At her words, the knight commander shouted loudly.

“Move out!”

“For the revival of Grace!”

“For our Lord!”

“Wooooahhh!”

Donghee cringed at the unexpected and grandiose cheers.

But revival? Sure, why not!

Lifting her chin proudly and raising one arm high toward the distant black forest, she marched ahead.

“Woooooah!”

“Hooray for the Lord!”

Hmph!

Donghee, who had never even been a cheer captain during school sports days, was empowered by the deafening roar in response to her one gesture.

Just wait a little longer, people of the estate.

I’ll make sure you get rice and meat stew on your table!

Suppressing the urge to laugh out loud, Donghee’s nostrils flared.

“Does the Lord have heavy thoughts on her mind?”

Scrooge, misinterpreting her expression again, grew even more worried.

The Black Forest was far more beautiful up close than from afar.

Since it was untouched by people, there wasn’t a single damaged part in sight.

“Once you go deep into the forest, the thick branches block out the sun, so it’s dark even in broad daylight.”

“That’s why they call it the Black Forest.”

Donghee quietly added to Scrooge’s explanation.

Scrooge was overwhelmed with emotion as he watched Chloe—who until recently hadn’t cared at all about estate affairs—start to change.

The strange expression the Lord had earlier was now forgotten.

After countless days of holding back the desire to leave Grace estate, Scrooge finally felt like he was being rewarded.

“The trees are really big and thick. Must be very old.”

Even the smallest trees were so thick, an adult’s arms wouldn’t be able to wrap around them.

“Yes. It’s been hundreds of years since this forest has seen a human hand.”

As she craned her neck to look up at the tree towering overhead, Donghee felt an indescribable sense of awe.

It wasn’t fear of the Black Forest, but a deep humility before untouched nature—like a worthless speck daring to intrude.

Sorry. We’ll just trim a little. You know, like managing overgrown hair.

We’ll just thin it out enough to let the sun touch the ground.

Donghee silently muttered these thoughts, neither prayer nor spell, while staring at the Black Forest.

Within a day, the temperature had dropped sharply, and it felt like winter was truly approaching.

“My Lord, this man is the one in charge of the logging.”

As Donghee tried to clear her cluttered thoughts while looking at the dense forest, the knight commander’s voice called from behind.

When she turned around, a tall man stood with his hands neatly folded.

He looked a bit sharp-featured, probably from not eating properly.

“He’s the supervisor? I thought the butler was in charge.”

Looking puzzled, Donghee glanced at Scrooge, who gave her a gentle smile and explained.

“He’s a former carpenter. He knows far more about trees than I do, so I entrusted him with full responsibility for the logging work.”

“Really?”

As Donghee looked at him with surprise, the former carpenter bowed deeply.

“A carpenter, huh?”

“Yes.”

“What did you usually build?”

“Houses, mostly.”

Bingo!

Where did such a talent suddenly come from?!

Feeling excited, Donghee grabbed his hands.

“What’s your name?”

Startled by the sudden contact from a noble, the man stuttered as he replied.

“B-B-Builder, ma’am.”

What a straightforward name. Donghee looked at him mischievously and asked:

“Your father’s name isn’t ‘House,’ is it?”

“How did you know?!”

What?!

Though shocked, Donghee quickly composed herself.

This system pretended to be complex, but it was laughably simple.

“I have my ways. I’m counting on you.”

Builder bowed so deeply, it looked like his forehead might touch the ground.

Your attention to the people proves you have what it takes to be a great Lord!
Villager Builder has gained deep respect for you. Reward: Hidden Points +50.
Your total Hidden Points: 520.

If it’s “deep respect,” shouldn’t I get 500 points?

Donghee grumbled inwardly, but the system pretended not to hear and continued:

More important than earning points is using them efficiently! Would you like to start a customized point management system?

No, you’ll just take more points again. I’ll manage them myself.

Tch!

Leaving behind a single annoyed syllable, the system vanished again.

Despite being underfed, the people worked surprisingly fast.

As the logging team cut the trees, the transport team loaded them onto carts.

Donghee had worried the work would be slow and inefficient, but under Builder’s direction, everyone moved like a well-oiled machine.

Looks like Builder’s the cheat code for Grace Estate’s revival.

Not even three hours had passed since they started logging, but the sun was already setting.

The Black Forest seemed to darken earlier than other places, with inky blackness rolling in from the deeper parts like fog.

The temperature suddenly dropped, and white puffs of breath came from their mouths.

Just as Donghee was about to suggest heading back, she noticed a familiar plant spread out across a wide field at the edge of the forest.

From a distance, she’d thought it was a large defensive herb, but the leaves looked different—larger and more pointed.

“Huh? Isn’t that a potato? Scrooge!”

Though it was hard to see clearly in the dimming light, the plants covering the field definitely looked like potatoes.

Donghee had worked in a potato field before, so it would’ve been strange if she hadn’t recognized them.

Scrooge, who had been directing the end of the work, hurried over and squinted toward the field Donghee was pointing at.

“Yes, My Lord?”

“That plant—doesn’t it look like a potato?”

“That weed, you mean?”

“Yeah. Looks like a potato to me.”

“That’s Dural, ma’am.”

“That’s Dural?”

Donghee had seen that name in the system before.

The name was so unique, she remembered it clearly.

But no matter how you look at it, those are potatoes.

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

Scrooge glanced indifferently at the plant, as if it were nothing special.

Donghee figured it must go by a different name in this world and stepped closer to the Dural.

“My Lord, the sun’s almost down. We must leave soon!”

Scrooge glanced nervously into the now-dark forest, his voice growing anxious.

He seemed frustrated that his lord was so interested in such a worthless plant.

But Donghee ignored him and ran up the hill, grabbing the Dural stalk with both hands and yanking hard.

Then—

A massive cluster of potatoes, nearly the size of a human face, came up with the plant.

Jackpot!

Such perfect potatoes—what a treasure!