Lord of Rot

The crowd was mainly gathered in the small square.

Although the comedy show hadn’t started yet, a group of children had already carried their little stools to the front of the stage to wait.

A few of them were still too young; they were saving two spots each and couldn’t help but doze off.

Other children kept looking around, wondering why their families hadn’t hurried over yet.

After the demolition and reconstruction of Maitian Village, a portion of the area had been allocated to the square. It could now easily accommodate several thousand people, though it was hard to say if those at the back would be able to see or hear once the performance actually began.

As Leech walked along, people constantly bowed and greeted him.

Everyone has a vain side. As he walked, the crowd would automatically part, and people would call out, ”Greetings, Lord.” It was so gratifying that Leech was tempted to say, ”You’ve all worked hard,” on several occasions.

He waved his hand. ”Just enjoy yourselves. Don’t mind me.”

The Brass Dragon perched on Leech’s shoulder retorted, ”You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

”You can’t put it that way,” Leech corrected. ”I’m enjoying the territory I’ve built, enjoying their genuine smiles. Don’t you think there’s a great sense of accomplishment in providing for so many people through your own efforts?”

”You are indeed... a barely passable lord, I suppose,” the Brass Dragon said.

In truth, recreational activities in Porcupine Territory were somewhat lacking, mostly consisting of drinking and chatting.

Suddenly, he heard laughter from a distance.

Leech walked over and found a small group of people in a circle. Pilite, the Minstrel’s son, was tapping out a rhythm on his lute as a middle-aged woman couldn’t resist stepping out to dance to the music.

People began to clap spontaneously.

’Where is she from?’

Her dancing wasn’t very good, but the confident expression on her face was infectious. Someone started singing a folk song from their hometown, likely in the dialect of Soaring Valley.

Others also joined in the dancing.

The crowd grew lively.

Leech decided to take back his earlier thought. ’The human spirit and its need for entertainment aren’t impoverished just because of material lack.’

After watching the dancing for a while, Leech headed to the commercial district, where he happened to run into Pitz and Arkke, who were wearing new dresses.

To be honest, their dresses were a far cry from the ”exquisitely designed” maid outfits Leech had come up with. The tailor clearly hadn’t used any fine fabrics either, but the bloom of youth was its own invincible secret weapon.

’Who could see such lovely, youthful girls and not break into a smile?’

”Lord!”

The two were holding hands and stopped when they saw Leech.

”Your new dresses are very pretty,” Leech complimented them.

Both girls’ cheeks flushed red.

Arkke: ”Th-thank you...”

Pitz glanced at Arkke, and seeing her press her lips together without speaking, had to steel herself and say, ”Lord, um, we... we were just invited by Little Eyes and the others to go see the baby cow at Lady Rem’s place.”

Leech said, ”Go on and have fun. Don’t mind me.”

”Yes, sir!” The two of them held hands, whispering to each other as they hurried past Leech. Once they were a good distance away, they suddenly covered their mouths and started giggling, ”TEE-HEE-HEE.” Then they picked up their pace and ran. As they ran, they stole a glance back at Leech, and when they saw he had turned to watch them, they let out a little ”Ah!” and ran even faster.

After a lap around the commercial district, Leech asked the Brass Dragon, ”What do you think?”

”It can’t compare to the great human cities I’ve seen, but your place here is not bad.”

”You’ve been to great human cities?” Leech was skeptical. With the Brass Dragon’s tiny wings, its flight speed was probably no better than a moth’s.

The Brass Dragon felt underestimated and immediately said, ”Of course!”

The moment it opened its mouth, that long-unused verbal tic returned: ”I have journeyed south to Panbo and east to Heckson! With a single unfurling of my Dragon Wings, I can go anywhere in this vast world!”

”Panbo? Heckson?”

’These are places I’ve never heard of. Considering the Brass Dragon’s most recent memories are a thousand years old, and this world lacks systematic historical records, the fall of a single noble house means a piece of history vanishes into blankness.’

’The Panbo and Heckson the Brass Dragon spoke of have probably long since been renamed.’

”How provincial,” the Brass Dragon said with disdain.

Leech didn’t argue with a tea pet. He wasn’t about to ruin his great mood today with a squabble.

After walking a little further, Leech spotted a familiar figure facing a wall and stomping her foot.

”Chuina?”

”Ah!” Startled by someone suddenly calling her name, Chuina spun around. Seeing it was Leech, she let out a sigh of relief and patted her chest. ”Lord Leech, you scared me to death.”

Leech found her reaction quite interesting. ”What are you doing here by yourself?”

”I had a fight with my father,” Chuina pouted. ”He wants me to get to know a blacksmith from the forge.”

’Even in another world, you can’t escape the New Year’s matchmaking pressure from your elders.’

’The experience really is complete.’

”Fanong Gold and I already have an agreement,” Chuina said. ”He said he would marry me.”

Leech asked, ”What will you do if he can’t marry you, whether because Iron Stone City is too far from Porcupine Territory, or for some other reason?”

He looked at Chuina, feeling that she had plunged headfirst into a whirlpool of love, completely reckless.

One could already see this ”love-struck” side of her from when she’d intentionally provoked the Red Stone Mercenary Corps.

”That won’t happen,” Chuina said. ”But if that day ever comes, I’ll beat him up, spit on him, and tell him to get as far away from me as possible.”

”Haha!” Leech said with a laugh. ”You could tell Old Toe your decision.”

”I already did,” Chuina said, puffing out her cheeks. ”Father said there’s no way he’ll let me wait.”

”Then tell him it seems the Lord very much agrees with your decision.” Leech gave her a slight wink with his right eye, then turned and walked away.

Chuina instantly understood Leech’s meaning. If she used the Lord’s authority to pressure her father, he wouldn’t dare object, no matter how reluctant he was.

On the way back to the castle, the small square was already packed with people.

Children who couldn’t see were riding on their fathers’ shoulders.

It was bustling and noisy. Leech was sure he wouldn’t be able to see a thing, but he could guess that the comedy show must have started.

「After the New Year.」

The third year since Leech arrived in this world.

The snows came a bit late, but they covered the rooftops in a thick layer.

He got out of bed and exhaled, a puff of white mist escaping his lips.

Breakfast was hot milk and bread, as usual.

But by the time the hot milk was brought from the kitchen to the table, it had already become lukewarm, and the bread had gone slightly cold.

”It’s much colder this year than last.”

Leech suddenly thought of a dish that would be perfect for such cold weather.

Something that would warm you up as you ate it.

Hot pot.

You could eat while warming yourself by the fire, and the food would warm your body from the inside.

By noon, a hot pot was set up next to the dining table.

It was a hanging pot, with a fire burning below and the hot pot of bubbling soup suspended above.

The happiest of all was Kuai Ren. On cold days, Leech would drink a little wine to warm himself up, but at every meal, most of the wine ended up in Kuai Ren’s belly.

Kuai Ren took a bite of the thinly sliced meat from the pot, put down his chopsticks, and raised his wine cup. ”Kro! Jo! And you, Lord! Cheers!”

He was in high spirits, and the others also raised their cups and took a sip.

’If this were Earth, Kuai Ren would have to be from Shandong, a master of drinking culture.’

”Come on, come on! Finish this cup, there’s another one waiting!” Kuai Ren said, his cheeks flushed red. ”And after that one, there are three more!”

Leech had to make a slight correction. ’No, he’s probably from Taiwan, one of those guys who loves to provide backup vocals.’