"So, they've been completely integrated, huh…"
Humphrey sighed. Earlier, he had visited some of the officers of Vinewall's defeated soldiers. After a few subtle tests, it became clear that they were now utterly loyal to Ivan. No amount of temptation could sway them.
It seemed inevitable that the position of Vinewall's lord would fall into Ivan's hands. But what would he do after that?
Humphrey could clearly sense the young man's boundless ambition. Ivan wasn't the type to simply collect taxes and move on.
The day after the official transfer of power, Humphrey found himself puzzled by Ivan's actions.
Ivan placed a log at the southern gate and announced to the citizens that he was the new lord of Vinewall. He declared that if anyone could carry the log to the northern gate, they would be rewarded with one gold coin.
At current prices, one gold coin could buy a donkey, and it was equivalent to a month's wages for a skilled construction worker. Ivan's seemingly nonsensical move left the citizens bewildered.
No one dared to act. After all, nobles were known for their capriciousness. What if this was some cruel game designed to amuse themselves?
What if, after painstakingly carrying the log to the northern gate, the nobleman suddenly shouted, "How dare you actually ask for the reward?!" and snap—off goes your head.
Or perhaps the log was rigged with weights. If it wasn't delivered to the northern gate, the nobleman would roar, "You can't even do this simple task? Are you mocking me?!" and snap—off goes your head again.
Or maybe it was a trap: "To claim this one gold coin, you must first pay ten gold coins as a processing fee. What? You can't pay? Then you must die!" and snap—yet another head rolls.
In short, the reward was tempting, but one had to be alive to enjoy it.
Though many were tempted, no one stepped forward.
"Are you doubting that I've tampered with the log, or that I won't honestly give the reward? Or perhaps both?" Ivan asked, his voice calm but carrying an edge.
The crowd remained silent.
Ivan amplified his voice with magic. "The reward is now five gold coins."
The crowd stirred, murmurs of excitement spreading.
"The reward is now ten gold coins."
Many eyes gleamed with greed, but years of oppression under noble rule kept their feet rooted to the ground.
"The reward is now twenty gold coins."
"I'll do it!"
Under the weight of such a reward, a brave soul finally stepped forward.
A burly middle-aged man in tattered clothes and patched shoes rushed forward, almost tripping over himself in his haste to claim the log. His comical appearance drew laughter from the crowd. At first, the man flushed with embarrassment, but he soon straightened his back, determination replacing his shame.
"Lord Ivan, may I begin?"
"Of course, whenever you're ready," Ivan replied with a nod.
The man lifted the log onto his shoulder with ease, proving that the nobleman hadn't tampered with it. He began walking steadily toward the northern gate, Ivan following a few steps behind. A crowd of curious onlookers trailed after them, eager to see if the man would actually receive the twenty gold coins.
The man walked carefully, afraid that the log might slip and give Ivan an excuse to declare the task failed. He also worried about potential obstacles or sabotage along the way.
His wife had fallen ill with a lung disease during the winter, and the cost of her medicine had drained their savings. He had even considered joining a suicide squad during the next demon attack to earn money with his life.
When he saw the new lord's offer, the twenty gold coins had overwhelmed his rational mind. Before he knew it, he was already holding the log.
Whether it was a trap or not, he had no choice but to go all in. For a man on the brink of losing everything, recklessness was his last bargaining chip.
The path between the southern and northern gates had been cleared, and there were no obstacles, but the man still found the journey arduous.
More and more people gathered to watch, their eyes fixed on him like he was a performing monkey. Their expressions varied—curiosity, mockery, pity, envy, malice, and schadenfreude.
The man was just an ordinary dockworker. This was the first time in his life he had been the center of so much attention. The weight of their gazes felt like invisible hands, trying to strip away his patched clothes and shoes, exposing the desperate man beneath.
The log on his shoulder seemed to grow heavier with each step.
He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to ignore the onlookers and focus on the road ahead, his right big toe peeking out of a hole in his shoe.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally reached the northern gate.
"Am I… here?" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
"You've arrived," Ivan said with a warm smile. Using his amplified voice, he addressed the crowd that had gathered along the way. "Congratulations to this brave man for completing the task I set. Now, it's time to deliver the reward."
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ivan pulled out a leather pouch and began counting out the gold coins, one by one. The coins glittered in the sunlight, and when he reached twenty, he handed the pouch to the man.
The crowd erupted in excitement.
No one could believe it—Ivan had actually given out twenty gold coins for something as simple as carrying a log from one gate to another.
Oh, my goddess, what is happening to the world? Has this nobleman started throwing money around as a form of entertainment?
"I could've done that!"
The onlookers' initial mix of emotions—curiosity, mockery, and pity—quickly turned to envy and regret. If only they had been braver earlier!
"Lord Ivan, we adore you! Can we do it again?!"
"I can carry two logs at once!"
"Two? I can carry ten!"
"I can carry a hundred!!"
"Lord Ivan, I want to have your children!"
Amid the chaos, a few odd comments slipped through, but Ivan paid them no mind.
Raising his hands, he quieted the crowd and continued, his voice amplified. "There's one more thing I must announce. If anyone dares to steal or extort the rewards I've given, then the next day…"
"Their entire family's heads will be displayed on the city walls."