The Seven-Year-Old Village Chief in Exile - Chapter 106

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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 106
Not stinting in one’s generosity toward those who are surely on one’s side.
And solidifying one’s power by embracing even their weaknesses—their families and acquaintances.
“You’re doing well, Village Chief.”
That way, when new people arrive later, the chief’s authority won’t be shaken.
“Especially in this village, the chief’s authority is crucial. You understand that.”
“Hebenia is the village, in a manner of speaking. Everything here is her creation.”
The old herbalist nodded slowly, as if to say: precisely.
‘Young as she is, Clavis remains Clavis.’
Most of the time she seemed like a scatter-brained elder trapped in a child’s body, but when she revealed strategies like this—schemes that caught one off guard—she resembled a seasoned veteran who had weathered every storm.
How many sly foxes did she keep hidden inside herself?
“You’re the only ones capable of protecting a gifted seven-year-old.”
“Is that so? It feels like we’re the ones being protected more…….”
“All the more reason to protect her.”
“No matter how strong we become…….”
Elba murmured.
“We’ll never match Hebenia. That child is stronger still.”
“Then protect her in a different way.”
The old herbalist gestured with her eyes toward the promotional flyer.
A Performance Festival whose sole purpose was to praise the Village Chief.
“She’s being so childish about it, asking you all to come play.”
“But you said it was a brilliant strategy just now.”
“Well, it serves multiple purposes, doesn’t it?”
“Will that really be enough?”
“Children thrive best when adults look after them properly—otherwise they grow crooked.”
…….
“Just let her live happily, as she does now.”
The old herbalist smiled kindly, as if those words contained all the wisdom of life itself.
* * *
The inaugural ceremony and Performance Festival, motivated purely by my own amusement, satisfaction, and a touch of ulterior motive, was scheduled to take place in autumn.
“To maintain authority, one must hold such events periodically. And of course, provide material rewards that satisfy the participants.”
“Populism…….”
“Populist policy, if successful, makes for excellent governance!”
“Enough—sit still. You’ll get hurt otherwise.”
Snip!
Verity was trimming my fingernails one by one.
Normally Ian and Livi took turns, but they’d abandoned me to go prepare the stage for the Performance Festival.
“The priorities are all backwards.”
I grumbled.
“They’d get a house just for participating, so why are they working so hard?”
“Well, since the priorities are backwards as you say, it’s become a matter of pride.”
Verity finished my right hand and examined my left.
Click-!
“Did you know? Saudi and Audi are competing fiercely right now.”
Saudi.
A five-member boy group whose name means “Male Friendships Don’t Wear Out,” led by Modi, and including Popina, Pex, Organ, and Ian.
A versatile group that writes and composes their own songs and choreography.
And the visual member is Popina, for the record.
“This is ridiculous…….”
“How are we supposed to beat that femme fatale!”
“That’s just plain dirty, it really is!”
“In all fairness, let’s bench Popina, please!”
The villagers immediately lodged protests of foul play the moment they learned about the idol group’s formation and positions.
And then their rival appeared: Audi.
Audi was the opposite of Saudi—a girl group whose name means “Female Friendships Don’t Wear Out.”
But there had been a dramatic shift here in just a few days.
“Blast it all—if that’s how it’s going to be……!”
“Come on, my young daughters!”
The original member aunties, desperate for victory, had recruited their own daughters into the group.
As a result, Livi, who had been the youngest member, was promoted to eldest member and leader.
By the way, the youngest member of Audi is thirty-three months old.
“Blast it, those cunning women……!”
“You lot put Popina in charge of looks too, didn’t you!”
“That’s entirely different! Popina is inherently alluring by nature!”
“Well, our children are inherently adorable by nature!”
As a result, the village has fallen into unprecedented chaos.
The old herbalist grandfather summed up the situation succinctly, saying it was like a dog’s dream—the most absurd and illogical dog’s dream imaginable.
I too was dissatisfied with the current state of affairs.
“They should be singing my praises, not squabbling among themselves…….”
“Humans are creatures who live and die by pride alone, after all.”
“I’d throw pride away in a heartbeat if survival demanded it.”
“Our lady will never go hungry anywhere, that’s for sure.”
Verity finished filing my nails and sealed them with a rose-scented oil.
“So then.”
Verity asked as she organized her tools.
“Who are you planning to take to the Southern Region?”
“That’s the problem……!”
I rapped my clenched fist against the table.
“They all said they won’t go to the Southern Region because they’re preparing for the Performance Festival!”
But the moment I mentioned I’d booked a private suite, suddenly they all wanted to go.
“Puhahaha!”
“Don’t laugh!”
“Why did you have to reveal it now anyway? You should have waited until everything was done.”
“Ugh…….”
Yet I harbor no regrets.
If anything, I’ve grown fonder of the village as it is now.
‘It’s full of humanity.’
Once the population swells to hundreds or thousands, such uninhibited merriment won’t be possible.
The notion of gifting houses to the village residents stemmed from a similar sentiment.
One of the bitter lessons I learned living in Korea for twenty-five years was this grim truth: human malice surpasses imagination.
‘So when people’s goodwill and loyalty toward me are clear, I need to fortify my power base just a little more.’
And there was another thing.
‘If people own buildings…….’
They must pay property tax.
Once the Izel Trading Company establishes itself and money begins circulating through the village, I promised to begin collecting taxes in earnest.
‘I should expand my tax base in advance. Oh, then I’ll have to give them land too.’
Just giving them houses feels insufficient.
They need land beneath the houses to make it a truly perfect gift.
‘And since multiple property owners face progressive tax rates…….’
They’ll owe even more!
‘Foolish villagers! I’ll get it all back through taxes later!’
Blissfully unaware of my ulterior motives, they busied themselves with Performance Festival preparations in anticipation of receiving their houses—and I found them utterly endearing and pitiful.
“Ehehehehe!”
“Good heavens, look at that smile. You look just like a corrupt official scheming to rake in taxes.”
Having finished organizing, Verity took a seat across from me.
“So, who will you be taking to the Southern Region?”
“Popina, for one.”
I asked him to recreate Ramen Soup for me.
It would be impossible to replicate it exactly, but if he could approximate the distinctive spicy and umami flavors, the product would have ample commercial value.
“The Southern Region has abundant ingredients, and seafood is especially renowned there, so I intend to purchase plenty of umami-rich materials.”
“And next?”
“Modi is absolutely necessary.”
He’ll have to acquire the factory on my behalf.
And lastly…….
“The pups.”
The pups lying on the sofa perked up their ears and sprang to their feet.
They scampered over and, stretching their tiny bodies upright, scratched eagerly at my legs.
“Arf! Arf!”
“Arf! Arf!”
I scooped up the excited pair and settled them on my lap.
Verity looked down at the two dogs sitting proudly on my lap with an expression of deep mistrust.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
I stroked both Ppoppi and Chutchu at once. The dogs, delighted, licked my palms eagerly with their red tongues.
“We need to find the orphanage where the kidnapping victims stayed.”
Olive had already discovered that the orphanage was located in the Southern Region, in the Tomari Estate.
But we still needed to find the families who had decided to adopt the children from the orphanage, and the caretaker who took them away.
“Since Olive has to keep her identity hidden, it’ll be difficult to get the orphanage’s cooperation. So…….”
“We use the dogs’ noses?”
“Ar-ar-ar!”
“Woof! Grrr!”
I quickly shut the mouths of the two dogs trying to bite at me.
“It’s not a dog’s nose—it’s a search using their superior Enhanced Olfactory Tracking, if you please.”
These were spirited little creatures that actually ventured into the Primordial Forest to breed.
‘Just because they look cute on the surface doesn’t mean they’re not incredibly strong.’
I was confident.
“Lord Ppoppi, Lady Chutchu. Will you help us?”
“Woof!”
“Pant-pant-pant!”
The excited dogs licked my chin with their tongues.
Their warmth and the ticklish wetness made me laugh without thinking.
Had I ever seen companions so reliable and adorable?
“Besides, if we need any other residents, we can just use our abilities to bring them along then.”
“It’s almost disgustingly convenient, this power of yours.”
Verity chuckled and relaxed her shoulders.
* * *
And on the day of departure.
“Hello!”
Arriving at the Deste Estate, I greeted her with a cute and cheerful smile.
…….
Olive’s face, looking down at me, twisted in displeasure.
“I am quite certain this is not what I asked for.”
“You asked me to bring Ian and Nema, right?”
“But why dogs…….”
“Ar-ar-ar!”
“Ar-ar-ar!”
“……You have brought four-legged, small, and adorable creatures.”
Olive extended her hand slightly toward the Chihuahuas, but the already displeased Duke and Duchess bared their fangs and wrinkled their snouts.
“You know that rumor? About how Clavis got his title…….”
“Ah.”
From a dog, supposedly.
Olive wisely closed her mouth.
I nodded and introduced the dogs one by one.
“This is Lord Ppoppi and Lady Chutchu. They’re both incredibly strong.”
“Are you hoping they’ll assist in the search?”
“Exactly. These aren’t ordinary dogs.”
To be safe, I’d already verified the dogs’ olfactory abilities back at the Village.
I took a towel that Ian used during training, rubbed it lightly against another cloth, and let the dogs smell the rubbed cloth.
The dogs immediately found Ian.
‘I tested them several more times after that.’
I was genuinely amazed when they found the comb that Popina had hidden deep in the Primordial Forest.
‘But why does that man even have a comb?’
What use would a comb be to someone who shaves his head bald with a razor every morning?
Just then, Olive asked.
“So the party consists of the young lady and the Duke and Duchess?”
“No, once we board the train, we’ll pick them up straight from the Village.”
“How is that…….”
Olive, who had been confused, then pressed her lips together.
I grinned and opened the door I’d just come through.
Click.
“The abyssal depths of my left eye!”
“Ha! Ha!”
“Village chief, I’ll lock you away! Yes, only you!”
“You! You!”
The door swung open, and there stood Saudi—a boy group in the midst of a choreography rehearsal, the peaceful Village of Izelium stretched behind them like a painted backdrop.

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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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