Sean read the letter several times, finding it quite surprising. The Earl of Hamilton, an outsider, had shown such enthusiasm toward him, a remote lord.
Since Denty had learned only a few characters, his letters were written with the simplest words possible, never adding more than necessary. The entire letter was just a few brief lines:
"I am well! The Earl of Hamilton is very enthusiastic, etc."
Then it went on to describe how the other party highly valued the disaster in Taylor Mian and intended to send people over, with a simple example of what they would bring. Finally, it mentioned they would likely arrive in a few days.
The language was concise, and the meaning was clear!
Still, Sean couldn’t figure out why the Earl of Hamilton, with whom he had never had any contact, would be so warm.
He remembered that at his "own" father’s funeral—the previous Baron Viger—not a single noble had attended, not even a greeting. Yet now, out of the blue, this happened! It was so sudden that Sean found it hard to believe it was a stroke of luck.
"Luke..."
"I’m here, my lord."
Sean needed to consult this scholar.
"Did Taylor Mian have any dealings with Koga City in the past?" If there was any connection, he needed to check if there had been interactions before his time.
"Koga City is the nearest large city to us. Its ruler, the Earl of Hamilton, has been a local lord even longer than us. He was likely a leader in the southern region before the Viger family rose to prominence. However, there have been no interactions in recent years. The earliest contact was during your grandfather’s generation, back when there was a war..."
"Alright, I understand."
Sean quickly interrupted what he was about to say.
The great-grandfather of the previous Baron Viger had participated in a southern earl-led cleanup mission. Since arriving in this world, Sean had heard countless versions of this story, including every detail and various adaptations.
Some versions even claimed his great-grandfather had gone to the city to pick up women...
Uh...
Sometimes, small places could be terrifying. It had been a hundred years, and the tale was still being told!
There wasn’t much news locally, and this story was the only one that could be endlessly adapted. Back home, Sean had even heard drunken old guards say that in their youth, they had been inspired by the tale to go to the city and bring back a beautiful woman, only to fail and sigh, "Baron Viger really had charm!" Sean didn’t even know how to respond.
But then again, since several generations had passed on both sides, it was the same.
Moreover, as a true local noble family, even a simple greeting carried weight. Sending relief supplies as well... Should he then be so grateful as to leave the town to welcome them?
The Basharan Empire Sean lived in was a joint kingdom governed by nobles. Though the king’s rule extended everywhere, local nobles held true authority over their lands. Even a higher-ranking noble, when entering another minor noble’s territory, was theoretically bound to follow local customs.
This was the foundation of the state, not something a few nobles could shake.
So there shouldn’t be any threat... The Earl of Hamilton might have other motives.
"Then what do you think we should do, my lord? But those supplies are indeed very helpful to us." Luke was a smart man and likely understood Sean’s concerns.
Taking gifts puts one in debt...
But with his meager income as a minor noble, he couldn’t support the entire town’s disaster victims through the crisis. In the first few days, he had provided food from his own warehouse, but after the previous Baron Viger’s funeral and the avalanche disaster, his stockpile of several years was now running low.
Luke had calculated that if they kept spending like this, they might run out within a month. Replenishment would have to wait until the empire’s subsidies arrived in spring.
A life of spending without earning couldn’t last.
"Take them! Why refuse gifts..."
It would be a chance to see what the famous Earl of Hamilton had brought as a "greeting."
…………………………
In fact, it hadn’t snowed since a few days before the avalanche. The snowy season was nearing its end.
Every day in Sean’s view was clear, and the heavy snow had mostly melted over several days. However, the temperature remained low, and the melting snow revealed the village beneath—especially the damaged houses and messy roads.
The current focus was on cleaning up, followed by reconstruction.
A simple calculation showed that aside from labor, the costs were very high. Bearing it all alone was indeed difficult.
On the fourth day after that, Sean finally received another message from Denty. This time, one of his guards came to report that Denty had entered the mountains with the Koga City team and would likely arrive at the town the day after tomorrow. The team was led by the Earl of Hamilton’s third daughter, Aria Hamilton.
A daughter.
He was sending his daughter.
Sean looked at Luke beside him, who was also deep in thought.
"Share your thoughts, Luke," Sean prompted.
"The Earl of Hamilton sending his daughter shows his sincerity and willingness to befriend us. I think this is an opportunity for you, my lord, to connect with higher-ranking nobles," Luke said, clearly suggesting that Sean should prepare a proper welcome for this noble lady.
"Alright, Luke... Have someone clean the streets thoroughly, especially the main roads into town. Ask how many people are coming and try to free up some lodging. House Miss Hamilton and her close aides at home, and put the rest in nearby inns. If there are too many, set aside an open area for them to camp. For now, pull the young workers off their tasks." Sean thought through what he could do.
"Oh, and bring me the town’s economic reports from recent years. Go ahead."
"Yes, my lord... Have you finally decided to seize this opportunity? I’ll handle it now."
He saw the [Excited] status appear above Luke’s head again.
Sometimes, he really didn’t understand why Luke worried about so many things!!!
For now, all Sean could do was maximize the benefits for Taylor Mian Town. A barefoot man isn’t afraid of someone wearing shoes—small places had their advantages.
Who couldn’t play the victim?
He could even tell a few heart-wrenching stories!
Sean was a bit grateful that in his past life, he had watched too many talent shows.