“So,” Hughes tinued, his sharp gaze sing the group, “you’re the ones who’ve been keeping this city afloat while we… took our sweet time getting here.”

  Richard faltered, unsure how to respond. Hughes had just insulted himself—a noble—and Richard didn’t know whether to agree or stay silent. “Ser, that’s…” he began awkwardly but trailed off.

  Hughes raised a hand, waving off the disfort. “Don’t worry about it,” he said smoothly. “There’s a reason for our dey, and there’s a reason why Her Highness summoned you here—and why she isn’t present at the moment.”

  Hearing this, the group perked up, their curiosity piqued.

  “We traveled through several towns on the way here,” Hughes expined, “gathering food supplies and having them ented to prevent spoige. We also purchased carriages to transport the sheer amount of food we brought. It was… a lot of work.”

  Hope flickered briefly in their eyes, but it was quickly extinguished by doubt. What good were supplies if they weren’t shared with the people? No hey’d ever known would distribute food without demanding something iurn.

  Hughes, seemingly aware of their skepticism, tinued. “The problem now is this: we don’t know where everyone iy lives or hoeople there are. That’s why you’ve been summoned—particurly you, Miss Sarah.”

  Sarah Bob, an illegitimate noblewoman who had been disowned and exiled to Jo, straightened up. Ever sihe previous nobles abahe city, she had taken it upon herself to dot the popution, rec names and household o fairly distribute the fish caught by Richard and his crew.

  “Yes, Ser,” Sarah said cautiously, “I do have a list of everyone’s names and the number of family members in each household.”

  Hughes smiled approvingly. “I know. That’s why you’re here. When we spoke with some of the townsfolk, they mentioned your records. Excellent initiative, Miss Sarah.”

  He then addressed the group as a whole. “Here’s what we’re going to do. We’ll use that list to distribute cooked food three times a day. Meals will be provided at the abandoned ates, divided into designated groups to ensure fairness. This way, everyoheir fill, and revent cheating or double cims.”

  The room fell silent as the words sank in. For a moment, it felt like a dream. Free food? Distributed fairly? No hey had ever known would propose such a thing.

  Richard stammered, “This… this is…”

  “Ser, I-I’ll fetch the list right away!” Sarah excimed, tears welling in her eyes as she thought of the hungry children finally having enough to eat.

  Hughes waved her gratitude aside. “You shouldn’t tha was Her Highness who ordered this. It’s also our responsibility as stewards of the empire.”

  The mention of Ravenhe group momentarily stuhe stories they had heard about her painted a vastly different picture. Could the rumors have been wrong?

  Hughes turo Jessiext. “Miss Jessica, we brought cotton from Willow Town during our journey here. Her Highness has requested that you and some volunteers sew clothes for the townsfolk. We’ve heard the nights here are bitterly cold.”

  Jessica’s eyes widened in disbelief. Free clothes? She quickly nodded. “Yes, of course, Ser. I’ll get started immediately!”

  Hughes then handed Nille a part. “Mister his is for you. Her Highness asked me to give you these designs.”

  Nille unfolded the part, his hands trembling. On it were three intricate designs, apanied by detailed instrus. His eyes widened as he sed them—these weren’t just tools; they were revolutionary.

  “Ser,” he said, his voice shaking, “when does Her Highness hese pleted?”

  “The mud collecte is to be pleted within a week. The others have a three-month deadline,” Hughes replied.

  Nille swallowed hard, nodding. “Uood. I’ll ehey’re made on time. With these… no one in Jo will ever go hungry again!”

  His words ignited a spark of hope among the group. What kind of tools could ehe city’s survival?

  Finally, Hughes turo Richard. “Mister Richard, we need you to stop fishing for the time being and assist with food distribution and farming.”

  Richard blinked. “Ser… did you say farming? And why stop fishing?”

  Hughes smiled faintly. “Her Highness believes the soil at the bottom of the o is fertile. We’ll use it to farm potatoes from the supplies we brought. Your task is to collect seabed soil aransport it innd.”

  Richard’s mouth fell open. Farming… in Jo? It sounded absurd, yet it made sehey had all seen green pnts growing uer. If they could use that soil, it might actually work.

  “And,” Hughes added, “one of the designs I gave Mister Nille is a mud collecte to help y up the soil more effitly. It’ll be ready within a week.”

  Nille nodded. “I’ll make sure of it, Richard. We’ll have that soil in no time!”

  As the group processed the overwhelming news, Hughes cluded, “This is all acc thness’s orders. Unfortunately, she’s uo meet you in persht now. She fell ill during the journey and is currently resting in her quarters. She asked me to apologize on her behalf.”

  “No, no, Ser Hughes,” Richard said quickly, his voice filled with respect. “Please let Her Highness knoish her a speedy recovery.”

  “Yes,” Jessica chimed in. “We’ll make sure everything is ready before her public appearance so she doesn’t see her people hungry or cold!”

  “Right!” Nille added enthusiastically. “We’ll start immediately!”

  The group’s excitement and gratitude were palpable. For the first time in years, they felt like hope wasn’t just a distant dream. The rumors about Ravenna, they realized, must have been lies spread by her enemies.

  Just as they were about to leave, Hughes stopped them. “One more thing,” he said, his tone serious. “Have any new people arrived iy before us?”

  Sarah stepped forward. “Ser, their names are all recorded in my list, including the new arrivals.”

  Hughes smiled faintly. “Good. Thank you, Miss Sarah. That’ll be helpful.”

  The group left the castle, their steps lighter than they’d been in years. ge was ing to Jo, and for the first time, it seemed like it might be for the better.

  Meanwhile, in the private sanctuary of the Lord’s bedroom, Ravenna sat upright on the grand four-poster bed, her emerald bck eyes fixed ily on the glowing system panel before her. The s dispyed several ly anized spreadsheets. Her fingers danced across the interface as she entered data with precision.

  “I ’t believe how useful this system is,” she murmured, her voice low, almost in awe.

  The truth was, Ravenna had no idea how to govern ae, let alone a struggli city like Jo. Even with the inal Ravenna’s memories, the task was daunting. The former Ravenna had bee at navigating the treacherous waters of politics, but her expertise ehere. When it came to resource ma, infrastructure, and the intricacies of administration, her knowledge ainfully ie.

  This left Ravenna with no choice but to rely on her own experiehose from a life far removed from this world. Ba her previous life, she had been a project manager in a reputable corporation. While managing sprawling urbaories was a far cry from overseeing corporate projects, she reasohat the foundational principles of pnning, anization, and exeust remain sistent.

  It was during her initial days of struggling in the carriage ride she stumbled upon a revetion: the system’s access to the i, frozen in time to the day of her death, was more valuable than she’d ever imagined.

  Even though the data was static, it was a treasure trove of information. Blueprints for bcksmithing tools, agricultural innovations, and urban pnning cepts y at her fiips. She discovered temptes and resources that could streamliasks that once seemed overwhelming. A particurly ued boon was finding a free spreadsheet ptform, one she had frequently used in her past life. Now, it served as the bae of her budding pns for Jo, allowio track resources, draft budgets, and chart strategies.

  “If I’m to live as Ravenna Sorius in this city of sun and sand,” she muttered, her voice carrying a blend of determination and resignation, “then I’d better do it right.”

  Ravenna leaned back slightly, her gaze lingering on the s. There was still so much to do, but for now, she allowed herself a rare moment of satisfa. This wasn’t going to be easy, but she was ner to challenges. After all, rebuilding hope from ruins roject worth p her heart into.

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