William’s concerns deepened as time went on. Siod traveled with the children outside the capital to explore small towns on some days, and on other days, they visited the territory of Lord Loddenga.

Lord Loddenga’s territory was a desolate wasteland with a towering mage tower, surrounded by vast empty plains. However, as they ventured into the outskirts, they encountered people.

“Are there people in this territory?”

The impoverished were everywhere. Siod divided coins among the beggar children and spoke.

“They are vagabonds.”

Vagabonds referred to wandering individuals like Gypsies, right? Watching the refugee-like children with cunning eyes shattered William’s preconceptions.

“They became vagabonds because they don’t have a registered residence. They might be descendants of those who considered this territory their homeland, or they could be individuals who committed crimes in other countries and fled. Alternatively, they might have been born without a registered residence.”

“Like me?”

Larisa, who had been in Siod’s embrace, spoke. Larisa was born into poverty in the capital and didn’t have a registered residence due to Marina’s lack of citizenship.

While the urban poor couldn’t cross the city walls without proper status and lived isolated within the city, the impoverished in cities without walls scattered, becoming vagabonds.

“Yeah. They are not official residents of the territory, so Lord Loddenga has no obligation to take care of them. They are abandoned people.”
“Unless the lord takes them in, creates a registration, and settles them.”

William tightly sealed his lips.

“They’re living here for now, but they might leave anytime. Don’t worry too much.”

“If you didn’t want me to worry, why did you show me this?”

William, who harbored dreams of helping people, expected to be affected upon learning about people living in poverty on his future territory.

Siod, observing a more excited reaction from William than anticipated, intentionally spoke nonchalantly.

“I just wanted to inform you about what a lord can do. You’re not a lord yet, so there’s nothing you can do.”

William’s face turned angry. They were people living openly on Lord Loddenga’s territory; to just ignore them was dismissive.

That evening, William confronted Guinevere.

“Mother, do you know that people are living on Lord Loddenga’s territory?”

“I do.”

“Why are you letting it be?”

Guinevere nonchalantly replied.

“Should I drive them away?”

“No!”

William shouted in surprise. He was bewildered.

The story that his mother was an emotionless witch with no tears or blood was just a fabrication by people. William believed she wasn’t emotionless; she was just overly indifferent to things outside of magic.

Feeling betrayed in his trust, William started to stutter.

“Not to drive them away, but, um…”
Guinevere patiently waited for William to organize his thoughts. She wasn’t accustomed to enduring things, but a recent parenting book mentioned that parenting required patience as a virtue.

“Well, those people living on your mother’s territory are under her lordship. She should take an interest and care for them, right?”

“Why should I?”

Guinevere merely expressed genuine curiosity, without any twisted intentions. However, William felt his resentment building.

“…Never mind.”

The tactless Siod intervened.

“William, I was planning to explain it tomorrow, but let’s just do it today. If Guinevere officially accepts the beggars as residents, they’ll have to pay taxes from then on.”

“What?”

“You have to pay taxes according to the population. Do you think those beggars, settling in the wasteland, will pay taxes? Loddenga has to bear the cost while cultivating the wasteland and settling people in the territory.”

Guinevere had never considered such a story, but it seemed to be part of Siod’s teaching, so she silently listened.

“How much money will be needed? Who will supervise the cultivation project? How much time will it take? Moreover, Guinevere has no obligation to do such things.”

“But if you’re not going to do anything, why did you become a lord?”

William looked at Guinevere. Guinevere shrugged her shoulders and said,

“The king gave it to me.”
Only then did William recall Adelia’s history. Loddenga was originally the borderland of the hostile nation. Now, the country that invaded Adelia 120 years ago has vanished and is no more.

Guinevere erased the city with extensive magic and gained the title of Adelia’s protector. It was an event that led Adelia to become an empire.

William, realizing how terrifying he had become, quietly straightened up and sat down. Seeing the dejected William, Larisa, who had been silent, intervened.

“Mom, William wants to help those people.”

“…Really?”

Why? Guinevere swallowed the words that almost reached her throat. She should support what the child wants to do without questioning. She recalled the phrase from the parenting book.

“Then, give it a try.”

“Huh?”

William replied absentmindedly.

“Me?”