Lord blessed by the elves

Chapter 20: Take heart
Rezal was jolted awake by Elena's slap, clutching the back of his head. His bewildered eyes instantly focused, followed by a surge of embarrassment and anger.

"Elena! You little brat, how dare you pat your second brother on the head!" He pretended to be angry and reached out to grab her.

Elena reacted quickly, like a startled fawn, and "whoosh" hid behind Kruze, tightly clutching her brother's clothes. She peeked out half her head, her voice sweet and crisp, with a hint of grievance: "Big brother! Look at second brother, he's bullying me!"

With a helpless yet indulgent smile, Kruse's tall frame shielded his sister behind him like a wall, easily blocking Rezael's feigned outstretched hand.

"Alright, Rezal." His voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable weight, bringing the siblings' playful banter to a close.

His gaze sharpened and became pragmatic again: "As for selling the knife, do as you said. Go find Butler Buffet immediately."

Kruze paused, his tone becoming unusually serious. "Tell him this is the first weapon our 'Lion's Roar Blacksmith Shop'—or rather, the first weapon I, Kruze the Lion, have forged for public sale. The price can be lowered a bit, just to build our reputation. But!" He emphasized, "Not a single gold coin from the sale will be kept; it will all be converted into jade powder! Immediately!"

“Jade powder?” Wilstone’s heart sank, and an ominous premonition gripped him.

The pea worm "Green" has always been his precious treasure, which he has carefully cared for.

"Young Master! 'Green Emerald'... what happened to it?" His voice was filled with barely concealed anxiety.

A heavy look crossed Kruse's face. He sighed, his voice low and somber: "The land is too barren, Wilstone. Maintaining this pea field is taking a far greater toll on 'Greenery' than we imagined. And... we've been owing it 'food' for far too long. It's not that it's in bad shape; its very life force is being continuously depleted!"

He looked at everyone, his eyes filled with an unprecedented sense of urgency. "If this continues, let alone its natural lifespan of ten years, it probably won't even make it through this year! That's why, no matter how much the territory is short of money, I must prioritize getting jade powder!"

"Origin depletion?!" Wilstone was struck dumb, his face turning deathly pale. His tall frame swayed as if hit by an invisible hammer. "Young Master! I... I deserve to die! I didn't even notice..." Overwhelmed by guilt and panic, he was nearly drowned out.

Kruse raised his hand to stop him, his tone understanding yet firm: "It's not entirely your fault, Wilstone. It's understandable that you can't communicate with it directly and are unable to perceive its inner weakness. But the problem must be solved!" His eyes were sharp, clearly indicating he had given it considerable thought. "My plan is: once this year's pea harvest is complete, immediately transplant the 'Green' cordyceps to the newly cultivated twenty acres of pea fields. Lowering the yield per acre will greatly reduce its burden. At the same time, we'll continuously supplement its nourishment with jade powder. With this two-pronged approach, I believe we can definitely help it recover its original strength!"

Kruse's clear and powerful plan was like a ray of sunshine dispelling the gloom.

Wilstone's tense shoulders visibly relaxed, and Rezael and Elena also breathed a long sigh of relief.

Pea Sprite Bug!
This is the most precious treasure of Lion's Tooth Territory, the seed of hope for the future of the territory!

Even if you sell it, you can easily get one or two thousand gold coins.

If anything were to happen to it, it would be a devastating disaster for this barren land and the families struggling to survive.

Kruse's clear and decisive plan was like a reassuring pill thrown into the dull air.

Although the crisis involving the pea nymph "Green" had everyone on edge, seeing their leader so thoughtful and methodical quickly replaced the initial panic with a heavy sense of trust. Wilstone took a deep breath, as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He straightened his back, placed his right hand firmly on his chest, and performed a perfect knightly salute, his voice filled with unprecedented respect and a barely perceptible choke: "Young Master! I understand! As for the miscellaneous affairs of the territory, please give the order, and I will arrange them immediately, ensuring that no trivial matter distracts you!"

Kruse's series of accurate judgments, decisive decisions, and clear plans completely won over the loyal but once worried old knight.

His eyes were firm, and he had no more doubts. He would become the most steadfast executor of Kruze's will and do his best to assist this young lord.

Rezael, standing to the side, had a very complicated expression on his face.

He looked at his elder brother's calm and steady figure, listened to him resolve the crisis in a clear and logical way, and compared it with his own struggle with the gains and losses of a short knife... An indescribable emotion surged in his chest.

He clenched his fists unconsciously, a question echoing in his mind: If I, Rezal, were sitting in the lord's seat today, facing a situation where the elf insects were on the verge of extinction, the territory was impoverished, and powerful enemies surrounded us, could I, like my elder brother, quickly grasp the core issue and come up with such a well-connected and incisive solution?
The answer, like a cold tide, instantly overwhelmed all his resentment and subtle jealousy.

He slowly loosened his fist, and in his gaze toward Kruse, the last trace of the brotherly rivalry quietly faded away, leaving only clear understanding and heartfelt admiration.

As expected... my eldest brother was born to sit in that position.

Elena keenly sensed the change in her second brother's emotions. She quietly tugged at Kruze's sleeve, earning a reassuring pat from her brother.

………………

With Wilstone managing the daily operations of the territory, Kruse really didn't need to worry about it too much.

The serfs were already accustomed to the ancient rhythm of spring planting and autumn harvest, and they cultivated the limited land meticulously.
The newly cultivated twenty acres of pea fields have also been planted under Wilstone's supervision, and a faint hope is being nurtured in the soil.

This rare period of "leisure" allowed Kruse to devote almost all his energy to the blacksmith's blazing furnace and heavy anvil.

Sparks flew everywhere in the blacksmith's shop, and the air was scorching hot.

Kruse was shirtless, sweat trickling down his bronze skin, running down his taut muscles.

Each heavy hammer blow was accompanied by a deafening clang as it struck the red-hot iron, sending up dazzling golden-red sparks.

With the help of the system's hammer, Kruse's forging skills improved rapidly, and the yield rate also increased significantly.

He was already able to forge qualified steel knight's longswords. This efficiency amazed old Miller, who had to admire the young master as a rare forging genius.

(End of this chapter)