“Uncle Chu! What are you doing here?”

Ikasa asked with surprise as he got down from the carriage and saw Chu Kuang loitering near the gates of the Villa.

“Oh? Master, you are back? Great! I was just about to bring Caretaker Han to the plot of land we have selected. Would you like to join us?”

“Sure. Let’s go.”

Caretaker Han arrived just as Ikasa agreed to accompany them. They set off to the plot of land Chu Kuang mentioned.

“Coachman, head to the eastern gates.”

Sitting beside the driver, Chu Kuang guided him to the correct route. On the way, he also appraised Ikasa of the live situation of the people they had brought over from Sal City.

“I have made temporary arrangements for them in the southern part of the City, where there is a Tavern and many empty plots. They are living in a tent, but the environment is much better than in the Slums.”

After providing the initial funding of 500 Gold on their arrival, Ikasa did not have a chance to meet up with Chu Kuang. Still, he was very satisfied with how he handled their food and shelter problem.

“Are they working? Did anyone relapse into old habits?”

Ikasa asked the crucial question.

“This…” Chu Kuang rubbed his hairless head awkwardly as he thought of words to explain the current situation without angering Ikasa.

“Speak without fear, Uncle Chu.”

“Actually, no one except a select few adventurers are working. Finding work is hard in this new City. Many of the workers who had jobs in Sal City are unhappy and grumbling.”

Ikasa already had an inkling that something had gone wrong from the hesitance he displayed. Still, he didn’t expect the situation to deteriorate so much!

“Why is it hard to find work?”

Ikasa asked with concern. He feared he might’ve ruined the lives of people who followed him out of trust.

“The Farmers who can afford to hire farm hands prefer locals over the unknown foreigners like us. Even the few who were hired from our group were paid pitifully low wages.”

With a hand holding his chin, Ikasa listened to the reasons with rapt attention.

‘This situation was not uncommon on Earth.’

Ikasa’s mind wandered as he drew similarities between the Earth and this world.

Smaller Industries like shops or agro-industries hired from the locality instead of preferring those with better qualifications but lived far. A business owner was assured because he knew the character of the person he hired before employment.

He expected the person would not steal or commit crimes for the sake of their acquaintance. Even though there were bad apples everywhere, the trust was not misplaced most of the time.

And not having to pay the fuel allowance for hiring from the locality was an added bonus!

However, in this case, only the first condition applied.

Accepting that he couldn’t do anything about it, he asked Chu Kuang about the other jobs.

“Most of the people we brought over are unskilled workers. They can only perform menial tasks. Other than working as Farm hands, they can only work as Porters to help merchants load and unload goods.”

Ikasa acknowledged the bitter truth. Even though he knew this, he had promised these people the moon to gain Feng Yan’s loyalty. If he couldn’t keep his word, he might become a villain in everyone’s eyes.

Still, working as a porter was a start. Ikasa brought his spirits up. The next moment, they crashed due to the former vice captain’s words.

“Due to the current volatile situation, the merchants are avoiding this City. As a result, the job market for Porters has shrunk considerably. If the established Porters are having problems, how can we, the new people, find jobs?”

Chu Kuang voiced the grievances of the people at the bottom to Ikasa. Listening to the problems, the problem-solver in him tried to think of other jobs requiring untrained manual labor.

‘The adventurers and former guards are already taken by Feng Yan for his force. I also need to pay them a visit sometime.’

He made a mental note as he went through the various people who performed manual labor in his company or house.

Then he remembered the jobs like house-helps on Earth. Comparing them to this world, they would be servants and maids. Ikasa decided to ask why this category of jobs was not being considered.

“What about working as servants and maids?”

Chu Kuang looked revolted by the suggestion.

Caretaker Han, sitting beside Ikasa, quickly explained the reason for the revulsion.

“Master, that is not temporary work. Anyone who works as a servant or maid would be bound to the person or family who hired them. Thus, losing their freedom. They have no hope to get out of the job unless they are released by their employer.”

Even though all his servants called him ‘Master’, he had not signed any contract with them. So, he was unaware of this practice.

And now that he heard about it, a look of understanding and then horror emerged on his face.

‘This is no different than being a paid slave!’

Ikasa realized he had unknowingly insulted Chu Kuang and the others who came with him. One look at the outraged Chu Kuang, and he regretted asking the question.

Upon hearing the explanation, he was nauseated. He could only imagine how harsh his words might sound to the prideful Chu Kuang, who was trying to change his ways.

He immediately made reparations by apologizing with sincerity.

“Uncle Chu, I am very sorry. I didn’t understand how the whole Master-Servant system works. Hence, the mistake. I hope you forgive me.”

“It’s okay.” Chu Kuang accepted the apology without looking back.

After this, the rest of the trip was spent in uncomfortable silence. The gloom of the blunder committed shrouded Ikasa’s mind.

So, when a large swathe of land that had weeds growing all over appeared before them, they were relieved.

Chu Kuang excitedly pointed to the vast farmland and exclaimed,

“This is the piece of land I wanted to show you!”

Everyone turned their attention to the scenery outside. Their carriage traveled on the road passing through the center of this farmland. At the end of the road, they could see a derelict residential area.

“I have seen the residence, and it is good enough to house a hundred people and some more.”

Chu Kuang explained as he saw Ikasa fixated on the built-up structures in the distance. However, Ikasa had another reason for his fixation.

‘Why is a building in such good condition, abandoned?’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep