IRER 60

Chapter 60 

 A Promising Village Chief

It was the dignity of someone who now stood firmly on her own two feet.

A life not dictated by the commands of others, but one they themselves planned, bore responsibility for, and enjoyed the results of.

Walking between the snowy fields, Connie’s eyes sparkled with both affection and pride as she gazed upon the land.

“Did you set aside seed potatoes properly?”

“Yes, of course. Look here!”

As she said so, Connie gestured widely—not just to the potato fields, but to the entire settlement.

“We’ve finished preparing for the winter, even if our fence is modest, and we’ve dug a moat as well. We built a well, too, and we’re even thinking of ways to draw water more easily.”

I knew it. So that’s how it is.

Brodie followed her explanation with her gaze, looking far ahead, before speaking.

“So, Connie is the village chief of this new settlement.”

“……”

At Brodie’s words, Connie halted.

The smile that had never left her face since they’d met vanished. She looked at Brodie seriously, then let out a sigh and nodded.

That sigh—it sounded like a sigh of relief.

“As expected, my lady sees it. That we really made this happen.”

“Mhm. Who else could it be? You’re the one who knows everything here.”

“Yes, but… usually, people don’t think it’s a woman who does these things. I can’t count how many times I’ve been asked, ‘So who’s actually in charge then?’ Honestly, if it were me back then, I probably would’ve asked the same question.”

Connie squinted one eye in a wry smile, and Brodie mirrored her expression. The two nodded knowingly at each other.

Yes, of course. This era belonged to men.

Without the approval of the male head of household, a woman couldn’t even decide where she lived.

Even if she outranked a man, she was pushed aside when it came to inheritance of titles, fiefs, or thrones.

Brodie honestly hadn’t expected things to turn out this way.

At first, she’d only wanted to save the lives of the captive women—doing what little she could.

But because of that, these sixty women now had something.

“You told us when you gave us the potato fields: this skill would be our lifeline, and we had to guard it carefully. That’s when our lives began to change.”

Brodie nodded.

That something was skill.

Anyone who possessed irreplaceable knowledge or technique gained power—especially if it was in a field that people desperately needed.

“For the first time, we could decide our own fate.”

Connie began smiling again, lifting her hand and curling her fingers around the air.

“It feels good. The feeling of shaping your own future with your own hands.”

Women who possessed “unique, vital knowledge” had preserved their lives.

To harm them would be to lose that knowledge forever.

And not only had they survived—they had gained power, and now even money followed.

With wealth came greater power, and with power came freedom—the ability to decide more of one’s own life.

“Who would have thought? That being captives would turn out to be such a blessing in disguise. With no husbands, no guardians, we became…”

Connie drew a breath.

“…our own masters.”

Her words carried both pain and awe.

The pain of not being able to return to the Empire to reunite with family. Yet also the wonder of stumbling into a new life—one of freedom.

“You can’t really know until you’ve lived it. To not be someone’s wife, someone’s daughter, or someone’s mother—but simply Connie.”

“Village Chief Connie, you mean?”

“Heh, yes.”

At Brodie’s teasing tone, Connie laughed.

She could tell—the woman before her truly understood.

Well, of course. Who else could persuade that terrifying Grand Duke of the Ice Wall and the waxen-faced marshal who seemed to bleed no blood, and then cultivate fields with a crop no one had ever seen?

The potato fields she herself had pioneered—she had shared the knowledge freely, handing it over to other women.

And then, she had even walked away from those fields, as valuable as gold itself.

Anyone else would have claimed the land, raised a fortress, and ruled as a lord. It would have been more than enough justification.

Yet she had abandoned it and fled alone, with that delicate body of hers, all the way down south.

What kind of woman has a spirit so vast? Connie couldn’t even imagine.

“But… you can’t return to the Empire, can you?”

“No. If we were simply captives, perhaps they’d release us. But we’re skilled artisans now. For the sake of secrecy, our movements are restricted.”

“Isn’t that difficult?”

“Well, some do miss their families. But do you know what’s funny? The fact that it’s impossible actually makes things easier.”

At her playful grin, Brodie tilted her head, urging her to go on.

“Look, if I stay here and work hard, it’s profitable. And since I literally can’t go back, there’s no guilt. Simple, isn’t it? Otherwise, plenty would have returned to live ordinary lives. For a woman to stay behind alone just for profit, to live as her own head of house—that would’ve been frowned upon. You know what I mean, don’t you?”

Brodie nodded, and Connie laughed heartily.

By now, they had circled around the potato fields.

“For people like us, it was always the same—we lived at the mercy of others. Plenty of girls never got to see their parents’ last moments because they were serving as maids in some lord’s household. Some mistresses even disliked when we showed grief. So—if the suffering is the same, but now we can earn money, and even choose our own husbands? Who could have imagined such a life?”

“Husbands? What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, right—there are about sixty women here, but far fewer men.”

“Didn’t the Grand Duke leave about the same number behind when you all came here?”

“Yes, but—ha! Some were expelled for bad behavior. And you know what? That’s actually a good thing. Normally, one scoundrel spoils it for everyone, and women just avoid him. But here, we’re the ones in charge. We can’t leave anyway, so we just band together and kick out the troublemakers. Eventually, only the good ones remain.”

“Ahh…”

What a positive cycle. It hadn’t been planned, but it was certainly a blessing for the village—and for the women.

“Besides, some are too old or too young. And we don’t have to force ourselves to marry men we don’t like, so it works out even better.”

“True. Just because there are fewer men doesn’t mean everyone marries.”

“Exactly! We’ve lived as captives, seen and suffered things. Many of us became skeptical about marriage. But now we actually get to choose—whether to marry or not. Some even say, once our restrictions are lifted, they’ll go find a good husband and bring him here. Others say they’ll never marry at all and just keep working. Honestly, it’s fascinating.”

Indeed, it was a revolutionary kind of community for this era. Brodie found herself listening with keen interest.

“So, what about you, Connie?”

“Me? I’ve been too busy to think about it. Back when I was a maid, plenty of men lined up for me. So if I ever decide I want to, I suppose I could. Ha ha.”

“Heh, already a promising tree. You seem born to be a village chief, Connie.”

“Oh, you flatter me. It’s not as easy as it looks.”

She shook her head—whether out of modesty or truth, Brodie couldn’t tell. Then, with sudden seriousness, Connie lowered her voice.

“…If you ever wished to return, my lady, I’d gladly step aside for you.”

The unexpected offer startled Brodie.

But she didn’t hesitate even for a moment. Words came out instantly—so fast she was proud of her own reflexes.

To falter here would have been disrespectful to Connie and the women of the village.

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous. Why would you give back what you’ve built to someone who abandoned it because it was too hard? I won’t. I can’t.”

Brodie’s immediate refusal made Connie widen her eyes before slapping her forehead.

“Ah! What am I saying? You’re not a village chief or a lady of a manor—you’re the Grand Duchess. Of course it makes no sense for you to stay here. I was being silly.”

Connie burst into loud laughter, enough to echo across the fields.

Her laughter was infectious, and Brodie found herself laughing brightly too.

Her chest felt ticklish, her heart pounding, and a strange warmth filled her.

At the time, Brodie didn’t understand what this feeling was.

“Something good happened, didn’t it?”

Aidan hesitated, then finally spoke up.

“…Me? Are you talking to me?”

Brodie, drying her hair with a damp cloth, pointed to herself in mild surprise.

When Aidan nodded, she tilted her head.

It wasn’t because he’d suddenly struck up conversation despite their usual awkwardness. She was simply puzzled—Why ask that? Do I look that happy?

“Do I seem like something good happened?”

She asked in genuine confusion, but Aidan reconsidered his words and answered anyway.

“Well… you came back laughing with that woman earlier. I’ve never seen you laugh like that before.”

Ah, so that’s why.

Now that she thought about it, she realized—her mood wasn’t bad at all.

In fact, she felt… good.

So Brodie nodded.

“Yes, I suppose so. I must be in a good mood.”

After their walk around the village, Aidan had sought Connie out to hear her report.

Technically, he’d been waiting for her—since the men who greeted them couldn’t give complete answers.

Their common refrain had been: You’ll have to ask Madam Connie about that.

That was how Aidan learned, without anyone meaning to say it directly, that Connie was the true authority here.

Thus the important reports and introductions had ended up being exchanged between Brodie and Connie instead.

Though nervous in front of the frowning Grand Duke—his expression more from a headache than anger—Connie managed her report smoothly.

Because Brodie had stood smiling by her side, giving her strength.

Afterward, Connie had personally escorted Brodie and Aidan to their lodgings.

It was a small two-story house she proudly said had been prepared especially for receiving important guests.

Though modest, it had everything they needed. Clean, neat, and dignified.

A reception room, dining hall, and kitchen on the first floor. Two guest rooms upstairs.

Most importantly, sturdy walls and a roof to shield them from the wind, and a blazing fireplace to keep them warm.

The straw-stuffed beds, soft and springy, were an added luxury.

Running her fingers like a comb through her still-damp hair, Brodie tidied it into place and looked forward to the night ahead.

Tonight would be a special night for her.