Chapter 117: Damage Assessment

He crossed to her. Knelt beside her chair. Took her hands.

"Are you alright?"

"I’m fine." Her voice was sharp. "I’m fine. I’m always fine. I’m the cripple in the chair. I can’t fight. I can’t run. I can’t do anything."

He stared at her.

"Isolde—"

"I used to be able to hold my own. I used to be able to fight. To protect myself. To protect others. And now—" She stopped. Swallowed. "Now I just sit here. Waiting. While you fight. While you bleed. While you almost die."

He squeezed her hands.

"That’s not your fault."

"I know." She looked away. "But it doesn’t make it easier."

He reached up. Touched her face. Turned her to look at him.

"I’m going to help you."

She blinked.

"What?"

"Your condition. It’s not going to last forever. I’m going to find a way to change it. I’m going to help you walk again. Fight again. Be who you were."

She stared at him. Her eyes were wet.

"Emeric. My condition is permanent. Tatia has been helping me with physical therapy. But there’s no miracle for me. There’s no cure. There’s no—"

"There is."

She stopped.

He met her gaze.

"I’m going to find it. I’m going to undo this. I’m going to give you your life back."

She stared at him.

"Trust me."

She was quiet for a long moment.

Then she smiled. It was a sad smile. A broken smile.

"I do."

He pulled her into his arms. Held her. Kissed her.

She kissed him back.

The system pulsed.

---

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[STATUS REPORT — GREYFELL ESTATE]

POPULATION: 312 → 309

CASUALTIES: 3 DEAD — 27 INJURED

VILLAGE DAMAGE: 60% STRUCTURAL LOSS

ESTATE: UNTOUCHED

[NEW SPECIES IDENTIFIED — REGION]

IRONHIDE BOVINES — MAGIC BEAST — HERBIVORE

THUNDERHOOVES — MAGIC BEAST — HERBIVORE

ASHMANES — MAGIC BEAST — HERBIVORE

[SYSTEM NOTE: THESE SPECIES ARE NOT NATIVE TO THIS REGION. ACCLIMATING MAY TAKE A WHILE]

---

Emeric read the notification. He had not stopped to think about actually keeping these new species. He had a choice.

Hours later.

The sun was setting. The village was quiet. The fires were out. The dead were being counted. The injured were being treated.

Emeric walked through the ruins. Inspecting the damage. .

The villagers watched him.

He could feel their glare on him but it was different. Different from when he had first come to the estate.

Gaius beside him, flanked by two knights. There was a grim atmosphere over the village.

The damage was worse than he had thought.

Half the houses were destroyed with roofs gone. Most of the walls he could see were chewed and the timber splintered. The locusts had eaten everything they could get their grubby little mandibles on.

The well was choked with dead locusts. The market square was a mess of broken stalls and scattered goods. The old temple had lost its roof.

Emeric stopped in the square, taking it in.

This was already a poor village. Now it’s worse.

An elderly woman approached.

She was thin, frail and her hands were gnarled. Her face was weathered. She stopped in front of him. Looked up at him with eyes that had seen too much.

"My lord."

Emeric turned.

"You saved us."

"I was doing my job."

She shook her head. "The other barons—they would have hidden in their mansions. They would have left us to die. But you—you came and you fought for us."

She reached out. Touched his arm. Her fingers were cold.

"Maybe you’re different after all."

Emeric was quiet for a moment.

"Maybe I am."

She nodded, turned and walked away.

He continued to walk when he was flanked by a few children.

A group of them. Five. Six. Seven. They ran toward him. Stopped a few feet away. Stared at him with wide eyes. The girl he had saved was among them. She was holding her mother’s hand. She was smiling.

"My lord! My lord!"

He knelt, getting to their level. .

"You’re the one who saved us!"

"You fought the bugs!"

"You’re the best baron ever!"

He smiled the rose to address the adults that were within earshot.

"The estate will cover the repairs. Your houses will be rebuilt. Your well will be cleaned. Your temple will be fixed."

The children cheered. They hooted. They jumped.

"We’re saved! Finally, a baron that cares!"

A woman’s voice from the crowd. "About time someone did."

A man’s voice. "He’s not like the others."

Another voice. Older. "Don’t get too excited. Words are cheap."

But the children didn’t hear. They were too busy cheering.

Emeric stood, looking at the crowd and continued.

"I should have protected you better. I should have been prepared. I wasn’t. That’s on me. But I promise you—this village will be rebuilt. Stronger than before."

The crowd was quiet for a moment.

Then someone clapped. Then another. Then another. The applause spread.

Emeric turned and walked toward the edge of the village. Gaius followed. The knights followed.

He stopped at the northern edge. Looked at the damage. At the fields. At the ruins.

The system pulsed.

---

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]**

[DAMAGE ASSESSMENT — GREYFELL ESTATE]

[STRUCTURES DESTROYED: 47]

[STRUCTURES DAMAGED: 23]

[STRUCTURES INTACT: 12]

[WELL: CONTAMINATED — REQUIRES CLEANING]

[TEMPLE: ROOF DESTROYED — REQUIRES REBUILDING]

[MARKET: STALLS DESTROYED — REQUIRES REPLACEMENT]

[CROPS: 80% LOSS — REQUIRES RESEEDING]

[ESTIMATED REPAIR COST: 45,000 GOLD]

[ESTIMATED TIME: 3-4 WEEKS]

[SYSTEM NOTE: THE VILLAGE WAS ALREADY IN SHAMBLES. THIS HAS MADE IT WORSE. THE ESTATE’S FINANCES ARE STRAINED. FIND A SOLUTION.]

---

Emeric stared at the numbers.

Forty-five thousand gold. On top of everything else.

He ran a hand through his hair. Frustration bubbled in his chest.

The village was already poor. The estate was already in debt. The Guild is coming tomorrow with lawyers. And now this.

He spoke aloud in a mow and frustrated tone. "How am I supposed to fix this?"

[RESPONSE: THERE ARE OPTIONS.]

"Like what?"

[RESPONSE: OPTION ONE: TAX THE VILLAGE. NOT RECOMMENDED. THEY HAVE NOTHING. THEY WOULD RIOT.]

"Not that."

[RESPONSE: OPTION TWO: REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THE CROWN. UNLIKELY TO BE GRANTED. THE CROWN IS STINGY.]

"Not that either."