The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - Chapter 230

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 230. The Fallow-Field Lord (1)
Morning sunlight bathed the Central Plaza of the Whitewolf Territory.
From the Blacksmith Workshop, the Dwarves’ roaring voices carried louder than the ring of hammers.
“This isn’t ordinary metal—it’s dragon claw!”
“This pathetic heat won’t cut it! Turn it up higher!!”
The Elves’ footsteps were equally hurried as they prepared for farming.
“You’ve gathered all the rakes and hoes?”
“Of course. We brought the seeds from the storehouse too.”
“We can finish plowing the fields this morning, so let’s start sowing in the afternoon.”
In the workshop, women rolled up their sleeves and stirred dye vats.
“Careful—too much water will cause streaking.”
“Stir it gradually so the color spreads evenly. Don’t mix it all at once.”
Production facilities that had languished idle.
Spaces that had stood hollow and abandoned.
Now they filled with people and hummed with full operation.
The Central Plaza of the Whitewolf Territory, brimming with vitality.
Everyone greeted the bustling morning with purpose.
Then, without warning, a commotion surged into the plaza.
“Where’s the resident roster we organized?!”
“The one sorted by district! Pull out the morning rations first!”
The newly assigned Administrators rushed about clutching stacks of documents.
“Watch that box!”
“Hey! The Administrator told us to sort that separately earlier!”
Newly stationed soldiers carried large crates through the square.
Passersby halted in their tracks.
“What’s happening?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Looks like they’re distributing something.”
At someone’s words, everyone tilted their heads in unison.
“Distributing? What?”
“Haven’t we already finished distributing farming tools?”
“We received plenty of food rations yesterday too.”
“Let me see….”
A tall figure rose onto their toes to peer into a crate.
The crate bore three large inscriptions: bathing use, laundry use, medical use.
And beneath them.
[Soap].
“…Soap?”
Everyone’s heads tilted in bewilderment.
Everyone’s heads tilted in unison with confusion.
“Soap…?”
“What is soap?”
People murmured among themselves.
No one knew what soap was.
Unable to contain their curiosity, someone finally approached the Administrator.
“Hmm, the inventory count doesn’t match the distribution list. Could there be a missing box—”
“Over here.”
“…Ah, yes. Please go ahead.”
“What are all these things?”
The Administrator lowered the documents he was holding and answered.
“It’s called soap. Iliana developed it.”
“Iliana did?”
“Yes. The boxes you see here contain bathing soap.”
The Administrator pulled a bar of soap from one of the boxes.
The people who had been murmuring nearby gradually gathered closer.
“…What is that?”
“It looks like a block of cheese.”
“Is it food?”
“Ha, no, it’s not for eating. You use it to wash your body.”
“Wash your body?”
“With cheese?”
The Administrator chuckled softly.
Then he extended his hand as if to demonstrate.
“My hands are quite dirty right now.”
The Administrator’s hands were caked with dirt and dust.
Beneath his fingernails, snow and mud were packed in.
“If I wash them with just water in this state…”
Scrub, scrub.
“They don’t come clean, do they?”
The people nodded in agreement.
The Administrator picked up the soap.
“But if I use this soap, like this—”
Squeaky clean.
“The dirt washes away simply and thoroughly.”
“Ooh…!!”
“It really got clean in one go!”
“And would you like to smell my hands after washing with soap?”
The Administrator held out his soap-washed hands.
The person singled out hesitated for a moment.
But pushed forward by the eyes of those around him, he brought his nose close.
Sniff, sniff.
“It smells wonderful!?”
“Huh? You say it smells good?”
“Really? Let me smell it too!”
People from all around rushed forward to catch the scent from the Administrator’s hands.
“Wow! It smells like nobility!”
“It’s completely different from just washing with water!”
“And it’s not just the fragrance—the skin feels incredibly soft!”
“It’s truly like a noble’s touch!”
“How is something like this even possible?!”
“Could Iliana have used magic for this?!”
“That’s right! She’s a mage after all!”
Wonder and admiration bloomed simultaneously across their faces.
The Administrator smiled faintly and spoke.
“It’s not magic, but in any case, I’ll distribute portions to each household, so anyone who needs it can take some.”
“Y-yes, what?!”
“You’re giving away something this precious?!”
Shock and astonishment washed over their expressions.
“Really?! You’re truly just giving it away?”
“Me too? My entire family?”
“We can become as clean as the nobles?”
The Town Square erupted in commotion in an instant.
Soon after, someone pointed at a box labeled “For Laundry” and asked.
“Say, what about that one over there?”
“Ah, that’s soap exclusively for washing clothes.”
“Soap just for laundry?”
“Can you wash clothes with this soap?”
“Of course.”
The Administrator produced the laundry soap this time.
Its appearance differed slightly from the bathing soap.
It was larger and more solid in form.
Its color was also darker.
“See these rough patches here? You rub this against the grease stains and dirt on your clothes.”
“Is it different from washing with lye water?”
“It’s in a different league entirely.”
The Administrator retrieved a cloth he’d prepared beforehand.
Stained with dirt and some inexplicable green sap, it looked so filthy it might have been rolling around in a sewer.
“That’s at a level that can’t be washed clean.”
“No matter how much you scrub it, it won’t come out. You’d have to throw it away.”
“Even the spirits’ power would struggle with that.”
“Not even fit to use as a rag.”
All the women shook their heads in agreement.
But the Administrator silently poured water into the basin and submerged the cloth.
“Once you rub it with laundry soap like this, and knead it firmly a few times—”
Scrub-scrub!
“Oh my, oh my, oh my!!”
“Good heavens!!”
“All that grime just… vanished?!”
“Is this not some kind of magic?!”
All the women gasped in wonder, covering their mouths in astonishment.
The Administrator carefully unfolded the cloth to display it.
“This is the power of laundry soap. It’s gentler on the fabric, and with moisturizing ingredients included, it’s easier on your hands as well.”
“Oh my goodness!!”
“I should save that soap for washing my finest clothes.”
“There’s no need to do that. We have plenty of laundry soap.”
The Administrator gestured toward the stacked boxes.
“My, is there really that much?”
“I should bring out all the clothes from home!”
“Now I can wash my child’s undergarments without worry!”
The women’s eyes gleamed with delight.
At that moment.
One of the laborers raised his hand eagerly.
“Then we can wash our work clothes with this too?”
“Of course. Not just work clothes, but gloves and shoes can be cleaned spotlessly as well.”
“Ha! That’s one less thing my wife will scold me about!”
“Haha! Now I won’t have to work in smelly clothes anymore!”
With the sound of people’s laughter, a subtle fragrance of soap spread throughout the Whitewolf Territory.
The children played with the soap as though they’d discovered a new toy.
“Bubble bomb!!”
“Look at this! White magic is coming from my hands!”
“Kyahahaha—!”
The Whitewolf Territory was busier than usual.
And far more fragrant than it had ever been.
* * *
Rielin gazed at the small bar of soap in her hand.
This curious thing called soap.
As she brought it to her nose, a familiar and comforting scent emerged.
Lilies blooming in the forest and moss.
And the subtle essence of dried bark.
A homeland I can never return to.
It was a fragrance born from Sylvandir Forest.
Rielin drew in a deep breath.
Then Silmarien beside her smiled brightly and spoke.
“That’s right, Forest Keeper.”
“Mm.”
“Adrian said so.”
Rielin’s ears perked up attentively.
Adrian was the human who had saved Rielin.
More than that, he was a deeply cherished benefactor who had even given the homeless Elves a place to call home.
A human so utterly different from the vile humans of old.
His words could never be taken lightly.
“He said the Dwarves absolutely despise this soap’s scent.”
That seemed plausible.
The Dwarves were a race buried underground, filthy and foul-smelling by nature.
“But since we Elves love it, he said they have no choice but to use it.”
“…What?”
Rielin’s head tilted to the left in confusion.
“The Dwarves… use this soap because of us Elves?”
“Yes! We complained so much about how we smelled that the Dwarves said ‘Fine, fine!’ and each took a bar of soap with them!”
“…Really?”
“Yes! Adrian told me so!”
Then it could be trusted.
“And that thing you’re holding, Forest Keeper.”
“This?”
“Yes! That’s a special forest soap made by the Dwarf Clan Leader!”
“Special…?”
“Well, using that soap means you won’t get scolded by the Forest Keeper, so they feel reassured!”
Rielin fell silent for a long moment.
And so, Adrian’s words from back then.
-Broombar doesn’t view you as merely a troublesome Elf, does he?
‘Was that… actually true?’
…The tips of Rielin’s ears flushed slightly red.
* * *
Broombar gazed intently at the soap in his hand.
Contrary to common misconception, Dwarves didn’t actually enjoy being filthy.
It was simply that they lacked an efficient means to wash themselves clean.
Stubborn grease, metal shavings, and dust clung to them all day long.
No amount of scrubbing with quality herbs could wash away such grime.
But with this soap that Iliana had developed?
Squeaky clean.
In an instant, every trace of metal dust, sweat, oil, and grime was washed away.
“Impressive.”
Indeed, she was a mage whom Broombar himself had acknowledged.
Of course, the concept had originated from Adrian’s idea.
But implementing it with such practicality and power was entirely Iliana’s craftsmanship.
Thus, the Blacksmith Workshop was currently in the midst of mass-producing soap.
All the Dwarves had volunteered to participate.
Accordingly, Srandel and Broombar themselves were engaged in the manufacturing process—
“Listen, clan chief.”
“What is it.”
“Gwesuau was saying something.”
Broombar set down his hammer for a moment.
Adrian was their benefactor, the one who had protected the Dwarves’ homeland.
Whether it was those arrogant leaf-ears who thought themselves superior,
or greedy, despicable humans—
Adrian’s words could never be dismissed lightly.
“Those leaf-ears were so impressed with our craftsmanship that they use only our soap, he said.”
“What?”
Broombar’s eyebrows twitched.
“Those arrogant leaf-ears… they use only the soap we made?”
“Yes. They marvel that we Dwarves understand the forest’s fragrance best, and they use only our soap.”
“…Is that true?”
“Yes, that’s what Gwesuau said.”
Then it could certainly be trusted.
More precisely, Adrian could be trusted.
“And that forest guardian, she—”
Srandel continued, gesturing toward the forest soap Broombar held.
“She praised the soap you made, saying it wasn’t just the scent that was good, but the way it felt in her hands was different.”
“….”
“Apparently, she said the soap lather was so soft and luxuriant that it felt like the breath of a spirit.”
Broombar fell silent for a long while.
And so, those words Adrian had spoken back then—
—Rielin regards the Dwarves as fellow Elves and kindred.
‘Was that… actually true?’
…The corners of Broombar’s mouth twitched slightly upward.
* * *
◆Rielin thinks, ‘Perhaps I misunderstood them a little…?’
◆Broombar thinks, ‘Perhaps I was too rough…’
A message flashing brilliantly before their eyes in that instant.
◆They secretly care about each other!
◆But neither of them knows any of this!
◆Your discord strikes a critical hit!
◆Misunderstanding Protocol activated!
◆The relationship between Broombar and Rielin has shifted!
…This one really is something.
I wonder how far he intends to spiral into madness.
◆The relationship between Broombar and Rielin has reached [Intimate] status!!
◆Those in an [Intimate] relationship hold basic goodwill toward one another.
◆They demonstrate consideration in each other’s words and actions, tending to prioritize the other’s needs before their own.
◆However, continuous attention and care are still required, and the relationship can easily deteriorate if neglected.
In any case, I had managed to elevate them from [Indifferent] to [Intimate].
Only one more step remained to reach [Favorable]—the Quest completion condition.
The results exceeded my expectations.
And the effects weren’t limited to just their relationship.
The cries of people echoing from outside the window.
-I never thought we’d get to use something this precious!
-The age where only nobles had cleanliness is finally over!
…The reaction to the soap was more explosive than I’d anticipated.
Perhaps that’s why.
◆The Territory’s [Hygiene] level surges dramatically!
◆Disease outbreak rates decrease significantly!
◆Child mortality rates drop noticeably!
◆Quality of life satisfaction improves substantially!
◆Labor efficiency increases greatly!
◆Medical resource consumption decreases!
◆Population growth rate rises!
◆Disputes between residents decrease!
◆Visitor satisfaction from outside increases!
◆The renown of Whitewolf Territory spreads its fragrance throughout the surrounding regions!!
Effects rivaling an entire 【Territory Buff】 were cascading forth—
◆At last, you awaken to your qualifications as a proper lord!
Fanfare matching that of a Legion Commander-tier Quest came rushing in.
◆Truly, what kind of world was it that existed without soap until now?!
◆Regardless of the world, you fall short of the qualifications to be a proper lord!
◆…Huh? You’re asking what a proper lord is?
◆Not telling!!
…Certainly.
This one was clearly out of his mind.
◆Anyway!
◆There are countless national rules that a proper lord absolutely must follow!
◆But what’s that expression on your face right now?
◆As always, “I don’t know anything, you know?”
◆For someone like you, I’ve prepared something special!
And then my vision flashed brilliantly.
◆Territory-linked Quest, [Complete National Standard Compressed Edition in One Quest! Hey, You Can Become a Lord Too – Chapter 1] has arrived.
…Truly, that boundary was an aleph-null phrase.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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