Mist Empire’s Rise: Fake Noble to Fog Queen

The afternoon sun stretched shadows long and slanted, yellow grass waves undulating in the gentle breeze across the barren slope, carrying hints of spring in the wind.

The Western Calendar was established two thousand years ago by a master astrologer based on agricultural timing. Unlike the Chinese calendar with its 24 solar terms, it was a lunar calendar like the Chinese lunar calendar.

Early European calendars were mostly based on lunar phases, like the early Roman and Greek calendars. However, because calculating lunar years was too complex, they later adopted the Egyptian solar calendar.

But it's said that ancient Egypt's earliest calendar was also lunar-based. They divided the year into twelve months of thirty days each, and because this was five days short of the solar year, they added five days as festival days for worship.

In the ancient Egyptian calendar, a year only had three seasons: Flood, Growth, and Harvest. The Wastes of Star Galan used this same system.

This world bore Earth's shadows everywhere. Whenever she nearly forgot that she had crossed into a game rather than being reborn into another world after death, these shadows would remind her that she didn't belong here.

Luo Wei walked through waist-high wild grass, her cashmere skirt covered in countless grass seeds - the maids would have their work cut out for them again.

As the sunlight weakened, she got into the carriage and left the wilderness behind.

Yves drove the horses back toward the city, slowing down as they approached Star Luo Residence.

The carriage swayed gently. As they neared the entrance, Bella suddenly exclaimed: "My goodness, why are there so many beggars!"

Luo Wei looked out the window. Thirty to forty dirty little beggars were gathered at Star Luo Residence's gate, some squatting, some standing. They were wrapped in tattered clothes, as thin as mountain monkeys.

Hadn't Roman said there were only twenty-one? This looked like far more than twenty-one people.

"Bella, help me down."

"Yes, mistress."

Bella opened the door, lowered the small steps, and helped Luo Wei descend from the carriage.

All the little beggars squatting outside stood up, exchanging glances as they backed away, their dirt-covered faces showing only fearful eyes.

They scattered to both sides of the gate voluntarily, pressing against the walls. Some even ran 70-80 meters away, peeking from around corners.

Luo Wei withdrew her gaze and called to Bella: "Let's not frighten them. Let's go in first and ask Roman what's going on."

"Alright." Bella followed behind her, walking through the gate with head held high.

The little beggars outside breathed sighs of relief and gathered to discuss in whispers.

"The noble lady didn't chase us away!"

"I heard her tell that fierce steward not to scare us. Little Mouse was telling the truth, right?"

"Must be true! Little Mouse used to beg on the streets too. Look how much meat he's put on now, and he can even go to school!"

"Little Mouse got lucky, being taken in by a noble lady."

"Little Mouse was always good-looking, even when he was skinny. He got beaten the least when fighting for food!"

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"It's because that noble lady is kind-hearted, or why didn't any other ladies take him in?"

"Keep your voices down! Don't call him Little Mouse anymore - his name is Roman. What if he hears us and won't help?"

The discussion immediately quieted down, dozens of eager eyes fixed on the gate, anticipating who would appear next.

In the courtyard, Luo Wei found Roman lying on a flower stand writing.

"What are you writing?" she walked over.

"Miss!" Roman turned around happily, "You're back!"

"Did you see the people outside?" he held up a water-soaked plane tree leaf, "I'm writing down their names."

"Are you finished?"

"Not yet. There were only twenty-one people originally, but when I called them to come today, more than a dozen extra showed up."

"More than a dozen? Are there that many street children in Siria?" Luo Wei asked curiously.

"Some aren't really street children," Roman said worriedly. "Someone must have spread the word that you're willing to take in strays, so people from outside dressed their children as beggars and sent them here."

"Didn't you tell them I only provide meals, not copper coins?"

"I did, but they said meals were good enough, they still wanted to come," Roman frowned, his eyebrows like caterpillars, "Miss, are there too many people?"

"More is fine," Luo Wei praised, "You've done very well."

"Really?" Roman brightened up again.

Luo Wei said firmly: "Of course it's true. Go bring everyone inside to the side courtyard. I'll have Rosie bring down some parchments, and you can register them together."

"The registration needs to include their names, gender, age, address, and family situation for those who have families. No false reporting - anyone who lies won't be accepted."

She patted Roman's small shoulder: "I'm leaving this task to you two. You're the main person in charge, Rosie is your deputy. If anything goes wrong with anyone on the list later, I'll hold you both responsible!"

Though young, Roman shouldered this great responsibility. He bowed solemnly: "Please rest assured, Miss. I will definitely complete this task well!"

Children were so easy to convince. Watching him stride out like a little adult, Luo Wei instructed Bella: "Keep an eye on them later. If there's anything they can't handle, step in to help."

Bella nodded: "Then how should we arrange these little beggars?"

"After registration, take them to the back courtyard, separate boys and girls, let them take hot baths and change clothes. Teach them hygiene and etiquette. Once the mulberry garden's buildings are ready, we'll send them over in groups."

This group of children would be the first management trainees for the mulberry garden. She would select the most loyal and clever ones from among them to form the future management team.

Early February, a few days before construction officially began on the mulberry garden.

Luo Wei attended classes at the academy in the mornings, drew architectural plans at Star Luo Residence in the afternoons, and patrolled the warning lines at the academy at night. After five or six days of non-stop work, she finally made it to Troy's return just before collapsing.

"Why are you back so late?" she asked from her chair by the fireplace, dark circles under her eyes that even pearl powder couldn't hide.

"There were Church people at Black Reef Coast. I hid in the Plague Forest for two days to avoid being discovered," Troy explained.

Luo Wei frowned: "Church people? Why would they go to Black Reef Coast?"

Troy wasn't entirely sure: "I heard that a Holy Son from the Temple of the Wastes is coming to the Western Continent for training. The Church people got the news and were waiting at the shore."

Luo Wei: "Are relations good between the Temple of the Wastes and the Western Church?"

"Neither good nor bad," Troy gave an ambiguous answer, "But the Temple of the Wastes is different from the Western Church. They have many temples, and each temple only worships one deity."

"Only one deity? They don't worship the Sun and Moon Gods?"

"They do, but in the Wastes, the Sun and Moon Gods aren't supreme deities. Their temples are separate too."

Luo Wei drummed her fingers on the armrest. By that logic, relations between the Temple of the Wastes and Western Church shouldn't be very good, since there was conflict between them.

"Which deity's temple is this Holy Son from?"

"Don't know," Troy shook his head, "No one said."

"No one said," Luo Wei laughed softly, "That means the Church isn't there to welcome someone, but to intercept them."

Intercept? Troy showed a thoughtful expression.

"Did you complete the task I gave you?" Luo Wei closed her eyes tiredly.

Troy immediately replied: "Yes, I scattered ten baskets of leaves at the dock, and some were blown into Black Reef Town by the wind."

"Good," Luo Wei's red lips parted slightly, "I'm going to rest for a while. Wake me when it gets dark."

"Yes." Troy set down his sword and quietly sat in the chair beside her, silently watching the charcoal fire in the hearth.

The charcoal burned quickly. After adding wood only twice, night had fallen.

He woke the young lady from the couch and personally escorted her back to the Magic Academy.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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