Chapter 7

‘Ha……. Maybe I should’ve let it go.’

Brody sighed internally as she swung her arm, using a hoe-like farming tool to cultivate the soil. The warm glares from the surrounding soldiers made her exhale deeply.

All the soldiers who violated military law received punishment.

It seemed that the soldiers thought the ‘harsh’ punishment was due to the ‘female prisoners,’ especially ‘Brody.’

The women prisoners who had been brought in were fortunate to be alive, and it was a pity to add the word ‘fortunate’ to their names, but I wonder if it was any consolation that they had been properly punished.

***
‘I can’t let it go, after all…….’

Brody recalled the moment she overheard the conversation between the Duke and the Chief of Staff.

She had been so shocked that she had impulsively interrupted.

Since she had entered the Duke’s room, no woman had been taken away, so she thought the other women were safe.

‘But to kill them all? Should one be grateful for not being violated to such an extent? Of course, dying without suffering might be better than a painful death. However, why must they die at all? Why is that the only option?’

The biggest victims of war are women, the elderly, and children—those vulnerable.

They have no choice and end up falling like objects.

Especially women.

Treated as commodities, their individuality beyond gender is not recognized.

So among women, there exists a sense of solidarity born out of an understanding of each other, like lending a sanitary pad to an enemy in a fight.

She was really surprised because she had lived in a civilized society, not wartime

Brody, momentarily overwhelmed by fear and anger, shook her head to clear her thoughts.

Time is running out. She needs to start planting quickly.

Brody turned to the women, who were standing in a circle watching her, and gave them a demonstration.

“Everyone must be going through a tough time, but now is a crucial moment. If we succeed in this, we can protect our lives. I’ll do my best, so please muster the strength for yourselves.”

The women, with anxious expressions, asked, “Are you sure we’ll be safe?”

The aura of the soldiers surrounding the field was ominous, whether they were standing guard or harboring ill intentions—it was an understandable reaction.

To reassure them, Brody deliberately responded with a more confident attitude. As if speaking to the soldiers, she spoke with a clear voice.

“Yes, of course. The Duke promised. No one will be harmed during this task. However, he also mentioned that anyone attempting to sabotage this important task should not entertain thoughts of preserving their lives.”

Putting up a front like this with the soldiers was not comfortable for Brody herself.

But even if it was uncomfortable, the task had to be done.

To inject more energy into the now lively atmosphere, Brody concluded with a final statement.

“Once we’ve succeeded in this, success in itself will ensure your safety, for this is a skill that is both absent in the North and invaluable, and this knowledge will give you the strength to fend for yourself until you’re established.

Brody’s powerful words began to change the expressions of the women.

All they knew was that this woman, Brody, was a prisoner.

She was a favorite of the Duke’s, and she had voluntarily put herself in this difficult position, even though it would have kept her own life safe.

Whether Brody’s attitude was convincing or not, the women, nodding as if understanding, dispersed with determination, gripping their farming tools.

They were unskilled at farming, as was typical of maids who served a noblewoman so closely; they were quick to learn.

For the women who had been trembling in fear, not knowing when they would be called or when they would die, a small vitality began to emerge.

Of course, it was awkward to describe it as vitality when they had not eaten anything.

“Okay, enough motivation.”

Brody silently observed them working for a while.

Then she chose and assigned the responsibility to a person among them who seemed capable and had a good reputation.

The person chosen as the leader was a middle-aged woman named ‘Connie.’

“Oh! You are…”

After choosing, Brody realized that the woman was none other than the one he had kindly explained things to on her first day in this world.

Connie had apologized tearfully for not being able to stop Brody from being taken away, and Brody reassured her that it was okay.

Thanks to the small connection with Connie, Brody could naturally connect with the captive women.

Things were starting to get organized.

“Now, I just need to do well.”

Brody had a mission to select and procure crops.

“I’ve already selected the crops.”

Browsing through the memories of the original Brody, she was surprised to find that there was no ‘potato’ in this world.

“No potatoes?”

Potatoes were one of the crops that grew well in cool regions and under poor nutritional conditions.

Brody had secretly created potato seeds in the palm of her hand.

“Wow! Impressive, Brody?”

It seemed that there were no restrictions on the plants that a plant mage could create.

Brody decided to cultivate an improved variety of potatoes that grew quickly.

Growing up under the guidance of her grandmother, who farmed in her early years, Brody never knew that the knowledge she had acquired then would be so helpful.

‘However, even with extreme cultivation, it typically takes two months. To shorten it to one and a half months… I’ll have to use my abilities. First, I’ll use my abilities to quickly create them at the first harvest, and when distributing later, I’ll convince them to allow a generous timeframe. I’ll just vaguely mention that it’s something related to my expertise, and they wouldn’t question it.’

The problem was how to obtain potato seeds. While Brody could create them, it would be suspicious if someone suddenly asked where the potato seeds came from. Thinking about it, Brody asked to be guided to the place where the captives’ belongings were stored.

Fortunately, the captives’ belongings were gathered and not discarded. While some found it odd that she was carrying potato seeds, nobody questioned it. As the one with extensive knowledge about plants, it wasn’t surprising that she carried plant seeds.

“This seed is highly confidential. I’ve researched it for a long time, so it’s not easy to share. Please provide a separate space for it.”

After showcasing the potato seeds, Brody secured a discreet space and quickly proliferated the potato seeds. While she explained it as “multiplication,” in reality, it was simply something Brody created.

If Brody claimed to have the ability to multiply, people would believe her. Since no one knew about potatoes, whatever Brody said became the law.

“I’ll save this one for later.”

Now the potato seeds were ready. Brody then selected another crop.

“Let’s grow turnips.”

Turnips were also a fast-growing, extreme cultivar. Although they might not provide as much sustenance as potatoes, they offered some fullness and supplemented various nutrients, like vitamins. Plus, they grew faster than potatoes.

Brody pretended to retrieve turnip seeds from her belongings, making it easy since turnip seeds were small.

***

The work progressed diligently. While Aidan received regular reports and knew the overall situation, he visited several times to see for himself. He rationalized it under the pretext of supervision to prevent soldiers from slacking off.

“What a surprise.”

Brody, who had been languidly stretched out like a winter mouse hibernating in the Duke’s room, was moving as if she were a different person.

Hair bunched up, arms folded.

She was dressed for work, even though she seemed to be vulnerable to the cold.

Aidan found himself out in the fields more often than he would have liked, both for the excitement and the sight of her.

And, when she finished her work and returned in the evening…

Even though she moved so tiredly, Brody would always make sure to brew tea for Aidan and watch him fall asleep before she did. It eventually became a routine.

Feeling sorry for her holding back sleep, Aidan tried to finish work quickly and get to bed. As he slept deeply with her by his side, Aidan’s condition improved day by day.

With improved conditions, daytime work became more efficient.

So it became a virtuous cycle, where getting more sleep helped him get things done.

And in the morning…….

Aidan would wake up earlier. He would watch her sleep comfortably, feeling this brief morning moment had become his most anticipated time.

Unbeknownst to himself, he found himself eagerly waiting for that moment every day.

It was a strange sensation for Aidan, who hadn’t expected anything from people. People were supposed to be the ones he took care of, not beings who could be present beside him.

Even his close confidant, River, despite growing up like brothers, to Aidan, he was the Duke of the North before becoming a friend.

It was only natural since that’s how River treated him. River wished to treat him like a friend, but there was an insurmountable barrier that made it difficult for Aidan to accept.

The situation in the North was dire. His people were dying every day, and the war, reluctantly started, seemed challenging to win.

Facing new despair daily.

However, with determined effort, Aidan managed to overcome that despair and face the new day.

Then, she suddenly appeared in his life.

“Getting a wife like this is truly a great stroke of luck.”

Luck for the North and himself.

Having a woman lying next to him like this was something Aidan could hardly believe. It was an unimaginable turn of events.

He hadn’t dreamed of ending up with a woman, especially one he desired so much.

He had no expectations for people, let alone himself.

Being around people was a matter of taking care of them, not having someone who could be by his side.

But now, lying beside a woman, Aidan couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of wonder.

Since she arrived, many things have changed.

Aidan recalled the day he first met her. It hadn’t been that long ago, but it felt like a lifetime.