Chapter 172: A Glimpse into the Carriers Duchy [1]
Lately, Trevor had been living a new life.
He had a glorious past, but now he didn't really miss it. Life in the Carriers Duchy was so satisfying that those memories seemed distant.
"Honestly, can you see this anywhere else?"
Let's say you can wash yourself in pouring hot water and change into clean clothes. But here, there was also liquid soap, which you could use as much as you wanted, and incredibly convenient, high-quality clothes. These were luxuries even a high-ranking noble might not experience.
Plus, there were the latest board games you could enjoy endlessly! If you looked closely at the Carriers Duchy, it seemed like a completely different world.
The people living here always had happy expressions and overcame hardships together. For example, there might be a major event in life, such as a wedding.
"…I wish you a happy married life."
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
Trevor blinked with a blank expression. Even though Bernard and Martin next to him were applauding enthusiastically, his face remained stiff.
"Why are you like that?"
Sensing something strange, Bernard asked the question. Trevor finally shook his head vigorously.
"No, can't you see that person now?"
"Are you talking about His Highness?"
"What kind of Supreme Court judge attends a commoner's wedding? And he's officiating it!"
"He's been like that for a while. He shows up whenever possible. And he pays for all the ceremony expenses. It's part of the employee benefits."
"Haa!" Trevor shook his head in disbelief.
No wonder everyone got excited whenever the story of Duke Carriers came up. They always said they must help His Highness the Duke.
The absurdity lasted only a moment, and Trevor soon erased the Duke from his mind. Whenever he thought about that person, he had a really mysterious feeling.
He had gotten involved for no reason and ended up doing community service for ten years without getting his initial investment back. Of course, there was still a way to escape.
"I could take the oath of knighthood and serve him as my lord, but…"
The last bit of pride held him back from making the decision.
Besides, living like this wasn't so bad. There was so much to enjoy.
Experience tales at empire
It was his day off, so he was heading to the arcade when he suddenly saw some fellow lumberjacks. They were all wearing overalls and carrying pickaxes, heading somewhere. Trevor absentmindedly asked a question.
"What's going on?"
"Oh, Mr. Trevor. It's nothing. They say the embankment on the southern bank of the river has collapsed. It must've been built a long time ago."
"Forced mobilization, is that it?"
"What? Forced? Puhahahaha!" His colleagues burst into laughter as if he had said something absurd.
Trevor furrowed his brow.
If something happened in the territory, wouldn't the commoners be mobilized? It seemed like there was no choice. What if the lord called, and you didn't come without a reason? You'd pay a huge price.
"Why are you laughing like that?"
"I didn't mean to tease you, don't get me wrong. It's just, I haven't heard that word in a long time."
"I don't understand."
"If you're new here, then that's understandable. It's not mandatory. We volunteer."
"Voluntarily?"
"Only for those who want to earn more money. Do you see the job posting next to the bulletin board over there?"
"Yes."
"You can apply there. Just be careful—they only accept applications on days off."
The lumberjacks left, still laughing.
Trevor stood there for a while, tilting his head in confusion. What he just heard hadn't yet sunk in.
"There's nothing I can do. If I want to resolve my curiosity, I have to try it myself."
Trevor went straight to the employee standing by the bulletin board. Judging from his attire, this person seemed to be the mansion's butler.
"Hello?"
"Are you here to apply for overtime work?"
"Yes, but…"
"Please tell me your name and affiliation."
"Trevor. I'm a lumberjack."
"Since it's a holiday, full-time work is possible. Would you like to work until the afternoon?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll apply for you. You can pack your gear and head to the south embankment right now."
The butler explained the attire and equipment requirements in detail. Trevor nodded and was about to head off when the butler's words stopped him in his tracks.
"Oh, right. I'll give you today's wages separately."
"How much is it?"
"If you work full-time, it's 2 shillings."
"Okay… yes?" Trevor nodded absentmindedly, then gasped in surprise.
A lumberjack's monthly salary was around 12 shillings. It was absurd to receive that much in just one day.
But he agreed with the butler's explanation.
"It's not usually this high. Today, it's a bit of a dangerous construction job, so the pay is higher."
"Oh, I see."
"Then, always be careful not to get hurt and stay healthy."
Trevor looked at the butler, puzzled. The butler smiled bashfully and explained,
"His Highness the Duke always says that health is the most important thing."
Anyway, Trevor couldn't understand this man from start to finish. He nodded and headed towards the south bank with his pickaxe in hand.
The task wasn't too difficult. All they had to do was break up the collapsed embankment, remove the debris, and rebuild the stones. But because the materials were heavy, accidents happened.
WHACK! CRACK!
"Kwaaah!"
As expected, a pile of rocks collapsed, crushing one of the workers pushing a cart. Reflexively, Trevor assessed the situation.
It looked like the rocks had crushed the man's legs. His condition was more serious than expected.
"The bone must've been broken into several pieces," Trevor muttered. In such cases, even if a splint was applied, it wouldn't heal properly. In severe instances, the limb could rot.
In the field, amputation was the standard solution—it increased survival chances. But the workers' reaction surprised him. They spoke nonchalantly, and soon a carriage arrived to take the injured man to the temple.
"How much does divine treatment cost? Shouldn't they ask for his consent first?"
Trevor's question was valid. The laborer would likely have to pay off that debt for the rest of his life. Although the Carriers Duchy wages were high, divine healing usually cost hundreds of goldens.
But the answer shocked him.
"Since he got hurt at work, His Highness the Duke will pay for it. It's called industrial accident compensation."
"Haa!"
What kind of fool were these people? No matter how much he tried to think positively, Trevor's common sense couldn't comprehend it.