Our Family Has Fallen

"This must have been the main thoroughfare leading to the original site of Hamlet, and the checkpoints set up at different crossroads were probably equivalent to post stations or similar structures back then," Lance remarked. He stopped before a ruin, inspecting the collapsed debris. From the brick and stone construction, one could tell that Hamlet had been wealthy once, even using such materials in remote areas.

"Judging from these torch holders, there must have been guards here at night, or they were for the convenience of those traveling this road after dark, or perhaps they had a military purpose," Lance mused. He propped up a fallen torch holder, which was basically a wooden pole with a small frame supported by iron bars at the top. After inspecting it, he found nothing of value—only some charred marks from smoke and fire. However, he did find several of the old torches nearby, which, thanks to a resin coating, had not decayed and were preserved.

"Let's camp here tonight." Although the building had collapsed, the ground was free from mud and weeds due to the foundations. With just a little cleaning of the fallen leaves, it made for a suitable spot. The remaining brick and stone walls provided some shelter, offering a modicum of protection in case of sudden incidents. He didn't mind, but he had to take care of the other members of the team.

The tents went up quickly, a campfire was soon crackling, and a pot hung over it, bubbling with boiling water. Everyone sat around it, their tense nerves finally getting a moment's respite. After a day's search and travel, not only were the people exhausted—even the energetic Wang Cai was lying beside Lance, unwilling to move. But their mood didn't improve with the rest; on the contrary, feelings of disappointment and pessimism grew in their hearts.

Boudica had expected many battles, powerful enemies. Paracelsus had hoped for abundant materials to study. William had thought he and Fergus could do something with their own strength, to uphold justice. But a day had passed. An entire day had gone by without a single discovery or battle. For this nascent team, largely untested, this was a crushing blow. The atmosphere became oppressive as they sat in silence. The gap between expectation and reality increased their stress inexplicably—even Lance, who usually had the best attitude, felt the pressure.

He needed to stabilize the team and also needed to understand what the Old Ancestor really wanted. Pressures both internal and external were bearing down on him. But there wasn't much he could do, other than silently adding ingredients to the pot, stirring the thick soup.

He made a vegetable soup with potatoes and carrots, paired with soft white bread, plus the chicken they'd slaughtered that day, marinated in herbs and roasted over the fire. The satisfaction from the fats and carbohydrates finally eased their stress somewhat. Even Fergus and Wang Cai each had their own roasted chicken.

"Boss, this is delicious!" Boudica's appetite was by no means small; the worse her mood, the more she ate, taking out her emotions on the roasted chicken.

"Of course," Lance replied. "There's a trick to preparing this chicken: bleeding it, removing the glands, then marinating it with herbs, stuffing the belly with onions..."

Lance wouldn't claim superiority in other areas, but when it came to food, he doubted even the Empire Emperor had tasted as many delicacies as he had. The food in this world is too poor, he thought. I need to find time to create some sauces and discover more spices.

Finding an opening, Lance began talking about the lavish dishes he had enjoyed in his past life, describing their colors, aromas, tastes, and presentation so vividly that he successfully diverted everyone's attention. Their minds were no longer fixated on the day's failures, but on the tantalizing foods they imagined.

He had delivered an inspiring speech only once, before venturing into the wilderness, and it had greatly boosted morale. While repeating it now might still be helpful, the effect would undoubtedly be much diminished. Moreover, since they were preparing to rest, reviving their spirits now would be pointless. It would only leave them agitated and unable to sleep, draining their energy and having a counterproductive effect. It would also make it harder to use the same tactic to relieve stress and boost spirits in the future.

By using food to satisfy their most primal desires and then diverting their attention with talk of delicacies, Lance managed to relax the atmosphere. Once they were satisfied, the team's state finally improved slightly. They began to talk, and the oppressive atmosphere eased.

"I'll take the night watch tonight. You all eat and rest early," Lance said.

Well-fed, they naturally wanted to sleep. Proper rest would help the team's condition recover. It didn't matter to Lance; going without sleep for three to five days made no difference to him. Such was Supernatural Power.

「Deep into the night」

While the others rested in their hastily assembled tents, Lance alone sat by the campfire, using its light to write something. This was the real reason he wanted to take the watch: he was compiling educational materials.

Among those they had brought back, about one-third were children under sixteen. He didn't care much for the adults; as long as they worked diligently and contributed to Hamlet, that would be sufficient. But he couldn't ignore the children. He had to intervene in their development, plant Hamlet's Seed in them. Thus, the educational materials were especially important.

He would first create basic literacy textbooks, then slowly gather and organize materials for other subjects: history, geography, mathematics... It was a good thing he was raised in an intellectual family and had been a gifted student, not to mention his higher education in his previous life; otherwise, he really wouldn't be able to handle all this.

Lance wasn't any great philanthropist. He was investing in education to control their minds, just like the Church did.