I Became a Barbarian's Bride - Chapter 165
âShaman Territory was originally a barren land with nothing at all.â
âReallyâŚ?â
It had looked far more fertile than anywhere else Nisha had seen in Xieman.
Of course, that was only in comparison to the rest of Xieman.
âYes. It was my great ancestor who first took charge of this territory. He bought fertilizer little by little, spread it, and studied the soil. The result of all that effort is the current Shaman Territory.â
At Ulbachâs explanation, Nisha nodded.
Indeed, without such relentless effort, growing crops on this land wouldnât have been easy.
First of all, Xiemanâs temperature difference was far too extreme.
During the day, the sun blazed down with a nearly deadly heat, and at night, an unbelievable cold swept in.
Having once experienced that bitter chill through an open window just after sunset, Nisha had grown extremely reluctant to go outside.
Thatâs how cold it was.
What surprised her even more was how the soldiers and people of Xieman didnât seem fazed by it at all.
âSo Iâm planting various seeds in this land and trying to sprout them.â
âBecause you hope Xieman can be self-sufficient?â
Nisha tilted her head slightly as she asked, and Ulbach nodded with a smile.
âThatâs certainly part of it.â
âIs there another reason?â
âYes. A very, very, very long time ago, this land was said to have been quite fertile.â
How long ago must that have beenâŚ
As Nisha followed behind Ulbach, she glanced at Kagan, who was walking beside her, matching her pace.
He was silently taking in different parts of Shaman Territory.
His gaze seemed indifferent, but it was clear enough that he cared about Xiemanâs land.
Of course, Ulbachâs concern had long since crossed into something closer to affection.
âIf it was that long agoâŚâ
âYes, itâs not something recorded in writing. Itâs just a story passed down by the oral tradition. They say that, over time, the land gradually died because of the poison from fighting monsters for so long.â
At Ulbachâs words, Nisha nodded.
There were many tales in the world, so what he said wasnât implausible.
After all, no one knows what happened in the past if it wasnât recorded or remembered.
Catching Nishaâs glance, Ulbach smiled faintly as he continued.
âThey say this land was once full of abundance. Green in all directions, overflowing with plants and fruit, with countless animals running free. It was a beautiful place.â
Ulbachâs face softened.
Seeing the gentle smile beneath his rugged features and the affection shining through, Nisha slowly looked around her.
No matter how much he described it that way, all her eyes could take in was a land endlessly barren.
Crops that had barely taken root in the parched earth but failed to grow lush and strong.
Here and there, she could see cracks splitting the ground.
ââŚI would love to see that.â
Ulbach murmured, a faraway look in his eyes.
As if a paradise of abundance were unfolding right before him.
Theyâd only come out to tour the territory at his suggestion during breakfast, but it wasnât so bad.
âAh, you mentioned wanting to see the greenhouse as well.â
âOh, right.â
Ulbach, looking oddly excited, stepped ahead to lead the way.
It seemed he genuinely enjoyed showing off his land and crops.
âHow curious.â
To be so engrossed in something, to the point of wanting to explain it to others, that mindset was quite a wonder.
Nisha had never really considered such a thing.
Sheâd never thought of wanting someone to admire the plants sheâd nurtured or giving speeches about the people sheâd healed.
âStill⌠with this size, Iâd probably have to do it two or three times.â
She had brought her medicine, but whether Kagan would actually allow it was another question.
Well, he had come all the way with her, so he probably wouldnât refuseâŚ
Though the nagging would likely never end.
