Ned's Greedy Claim

Blue flames erupted around the gathered seedlings, their unnatural brilliance causing the farmers to gasp and stumble back. Some flinched. Others dropped to a knee, half-expecting a monstrous rice demon to burst out of the fire.

But when the flame died down, there was no monster. No destruction. Just quiet awe.

Where a tangled heap of ordinary sprouts had once been, now stood forty radiant seedlings, unlike anything the farmers had ever seen. Their leaves shimmered with an ethereal emerald hue, each stalk upright and proud. Delicate veins pulsed faintly within the blades, translucent and glistening like polished jade under sunlight.

They looked… divine.

[You have successfully created Starlight Rice. A hyper-nutritional rice grain of excellent quality. Super delicious. Clears the mind. Contains a small quantity of mana that nourishes the body and matures in a month!]

Kaelor stared in wonder. 'Mana-rich rice…'

In this world, warriors and Acranists trained their bodies and minds for years to harness mana. It took endless meditation and ruthless physical discipline to draw the ambient energy of the world into themselves.

But this rice? It gave mana, directly. Eat, digest, and grow stronger. Even a bowl a day could push a man a step closer to the supernatural…hypothetically.

His heart raced at the implication.

Behind him, murmurs grew as the farmers slowly edged forward again, drawn to the majestic green glow.

And that's when a familiar, grating voice rang out.

"Lord Kaelor, what are you doing here?" Ned's voice cut through the field, sharp and condescending. "This is no place for nobles. The dirt here will ruin your coat. Best you return to your residence."

Kaelor didn't even glance back.

"I am the lord of this town. It is my duty to ensure everything runs as it should."

'You didn't remember that when you drowned in wine and women,' Ned seethed inwardly.

'Have you grown wise now that you've lost everything? The same women who once clawed for your attention wouldn't spare you a look now. Hmph!'

Outwardly, though, his expression remained calm, meek, even.

"But the rice fields aren't part of the town's affairs," he said lightly. "They belong to me. The rest of the land is available, if you'd like to plant your seeds elsewhere."

Kaelor smiled thinly, rising to his full height. "Even if they are yours, they concern the people under my care. Their health, their work, their wellbeing, it all falls under my authority." He took a slow step forward. "Besides… I heard this rice wasn't planted by you."

Ned's smile twitched, a faltering thing.

Kaelor's eyes drifted past him. A few men stood nearby, Ned's sons and their usual tail of loyal thugs. Kaelor didn't miss the daggers they kept close, nor the tension in their postures. A hint of intent clung to the air like static. Did they truly consider killing him here?

Fools.

If they tried, they'd be dead before the first blow landed. Not just because of Kaelor's system, but because of the monsters he'd already unleashed.

Kaelor tilted his head ever so slightly.

Across the rice field, just beyond the golden rows, figures dashed through the tall grass, half a dozen wolf-men, sprinting with terrifying speed, their fangs bared, their eyes gleaming like coals.

Hound was leading them.

Even from a distance, their presence alone struck fear into the hearts of men. They moved like predators and they were.

Kaelor's smile deepened.

"Tell me, Ned," Kaelor said softly, his tone casual, almost too calm. "Don't you think the people need this new rice I've cultivated with my arcane gift? It stores mana… and will mature within a single month. No one has to starve."

"Lies!" Ned snapped, his voice sharp with disbelief. "Rice can't mature in a month!" But as his gaze lingered on the glistening Starlight seedlings, the indignation on his face began to falter. His throat bobbed, swallowing hard, whether from fear or greed, it was hard to tell.

"I'll pay for the seedlings," Kaelor offered smoothly, just as Hound and the Dreadclaw warriors arrived behind him, standing like towering shadows at his back. "You know I have coin."

Ned's eyes darted between the wolf-men and Kaelor, then snapped toward the rice. "I don't want to sell. It's mine."

"How dare you—!" Hound snarled, fangs bared as he stepped forward, claws flexed.

But Kaelor held out a hand and gripped Hound's thick, sinewed arm, holding him back with a firm glance.

His eyes swept over the nearby workers, the women clutching baskets, the gaunt children peeking from behind their mother's skirts. Their faces were pale with fear, more afraid of the beast than of the greedy man in their midst.

"Let's leave."

Kaelor turned away, his coat sweeping behind him. As they walked, he glanced sideways. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ned fall to his knees, almost reverently cradling the emerald-green seedlings as if they were sacred relics. The man's lips stretched into a wide, avaricious grin.

"Lord Kaelor," Hound growled, his tone brimming with frustration, "why let him have his way?!"

The other Dreadclaw warriors shared the same sentiment, their expressions tense and unsightly.

But Kaelor's gaze remained calm, and on his face bloomed the faintest smile.

"Simple," he replied. "I want the people to stop fearing you. And ripping Ned limb from limb in front of the entire town wouldn't exactly help that, would it?"

He paused as they reached the edge of the settlement, turning back to gaze at the golden fields swaying in the breeze.

"The people heard what that rice can do. I've planted a different kind of seed, right in their hearts. And once they see those seedlings grow... once they realize that rice matures faster, feeds better, and carries power..." He smiled thinly. "The tide will shift. We'll wait just one week. One week… and Ned will no longer be their provider."

Kaelor then turned to Hound, his voice firm but thoughtful.

"For now, I need something else from you. Teach me how to fight. I need to learn how to defend myself."