Chapter 48 You can Try to Believe me
Thunder roared, followed by a downpour, the final rain to ripen the autumn wheat, with only a dozen days left until the harvest.
Henry sat with his eyes closed at his desk, Willow gently massaging his shoulders while Mila and Ellie fought over pastries at the new table.
The sound of knocking echoed through the room. Henry opened his eyes and said in a faint voice, "Come in."
Wyatt entered, now in his butler attire, having shed his knight's armor. He smiled, "Henry, the War Wolf Battle Squad's mission was a success. Your instructions helped calm their restlessness."
Henry chuckled lightly, "They deserve a reward."
"It's all taken care of," Wyatt assured him.
"Have they confessed?" Henry interlocked his fingers, "Tomorrow is crucial, and I can't afford any mistakes."
"Those merchants are weak. Just a taste of your methods made them faint," Wyatt replied.
Wyatt shuddered at the thought of those brutal punishments. The bamboo shoots being driven under the fingernails, the skin being sliced open to allow maggots to infest, and the most terrifying of all, death by a thousand cuts. The mere thought of these punishments sent chills down his spine.
"As long as they confess, let me handle their punishment," Henry said calmly.
The merchants thought their plan was foolproof.
No one could have expected that the drunken ramblings of a grain merchant, babbling about wanting to kill Henry and so forth, would be overheard by an underling. The information was swiftly relayed and landed on Henry's desk in no time.
Merchants tend to prefer short-term workers because they can be easily compensated after a few days of work.
However, this particular short-term worker's entire family worked for Henry. Because of this, they were able to eat their fill every day. If Henry, the lord of the city, were to die, their family would once again face starvation.
Henry had already won the hearts of the common people of Eldoria, though it was still a bit superficial.
"Henry, are we really going to do it tomorrow?" Wyatt hesitated but finally voiced his concerns. "I'm afraid the common people will be scared!"
Henry glanced at the nervous Mila and Ellie nearby, "Don't underestimate them. They're brave."
"But won't the shock be too great if we suddenly let the orcs in?" Wyatt added, his worry deepening.
Wyatt was shocked when he first heard Henry's plan. Integrating orcs into Eldoria was unprecedented.
Even in the Royal City, most orcs seen on the streets were slaves, only catching glimpses of free orcs in dark corners.
In Wyatt's eyes, orcs were known for their appetites and rudeness, and he didn't particularly like them. Of course, he couldn't bring himself to dislike Miss Mila or Miss Ellie.
"No, it's a good opportunity. We need the orcs, and they need us," Henry said.
Henry gently patted Willow's hand on his shoulder, stood up, and looked at the dark rain outside. "Let me break the chains of thought. They see it as a great terror, but I see it as a new hope." Henry said.
Wyatt opened his mouth but then closed it without saying a word. He bowed, then turned and left.
Since Henry was fearless, it was up to Wyatt, as his steward, to prepare for any potential risks.
"Lord Henry, why are you going to such lengths for us orcs? You should know that it will be difficult for the humans to accept us all at once," Ellie asked seriously.
When she first heard about this plan, she was filled with anxiety. It seemed a bit wild.
She initially thought that Henry would provide a secluded place for her companions to live in his territory. However, his response was completely different from what she had imagined. He actually wanted her companions to live openly in Eldoria.
"Because I need the orcs; I need all of you," Henry said gently, looking at Ellie and Mila.
"Lord Henry, I'm always ready," Mila said, her military knife appearing in her hand with a flick of her wrist.
"I..." Ellie lowered her head, her heart in turmoil. The corrupt nobles actually thought they needed the orcs.
"You can try to believe in me once. If you don't even dare to try, then the result will always be in the realm of fantasy," Henry said gently.
Eldoria's population was indeed a bit small, and in this era, population was a resource. Many of Henry's plans required a large population.
"I, I will let them into the city tomorrow," Ellie said, raising her head, her voice firm. "I believe in Mila's judgment. If, and I say if, Lord Henry can really integrate the orcs into Eldoria, then I, Ellie... I will be yours, Lord Henry."
Henry thought, 'Mine? What kind of development was this?'
Henry's mouth twitched as he looked at the blushing fox-eared girl.
In Mila's astonished gaze, Ellie covered her face and quickly ran out of the study.
On the way, she cursed herself in her heart, 'Ellie, have you lost your mind? How could you say such embarrassing words? It's so embarrassing.'
Ellie also thinks, 'Shouldn't I say that I serve Lord Henry? Why did it come out differently? Haven't you always said that you can't trust humans? It seems that Lord Henry is a little different! Will tomorrow really be the beginning of hope? My attempt should not be a nightmare... that's right!'
The inner world of the fox-eared girl was truly rich!
