Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 111: Cornered and Manipulated [Bonus - ]

Chapter 111: Cornered and Manipulated [Bonus Chapter]

[How can a river dry up in a matter of months? The dryad has only gone asleep because she’s gotten so weak after the forest was burned. But it shouldn’t hinder the growth of new trees and plants. It seems there’s more to this. The magician from earlier must be involved. He seemed to have a lot of mana for a human.] Ferdinand thought.

’A magician can even affect drought? They can manipulate things to go this far?!!’ Arabella was shocked. But then again, she recalled Alwin even made it rain in the entirety of Riva in her past life.

"The rain barely came too until it didn’t fall once even in spring. The summer became hotter and the winters became colder. It made the situation in Safiro even worse," Nadia continued.

The former fertile lands that were now unproductive were easily abandoned by the nobles from Dempsey since there was nothing to gain from it anymore.

Meanwhile, Safiro was left with no source of food and water.

They dug up springs and wells but they also dried up very soon.

They imported food from Dempsey County and the other nearby territories but their money soon began to run out.

It was then that Dempsey proposed mining the mountain again. The tribesmen and Nadia’s father were still against it though.

The people of Safiro still hoped that their guardian deity Esmeralda was still alive even when the Sacred Tree got burned and dried up.

But since they kept refusing, Count Dempsey refused to trade food with Safiro anymore.

Safiro had no choice but to trade in other territories which were a bit farther.

It costed them even more money. Thus, Safiro’s coffers were soon emptied and the situation grew worse by the day until both their money and food ran out.

One day, Nadia’s father and eldest brother were suddenly caught by Count Dempsey’s men. They were accused of sending people to steal food supplies from the county’s storehouses.

Nadia and everyone in the tribe knew the Chief and his eldest son would never do it since it was against Safiro’s principles. But Dempsey’s men said they had proof with them.

Using false evidence, Nadia’s father and eldest brother were condemned as guilty and imprisoned in Dempsey.

The decision-making in Safiro was left to Nadia and her older siblings.

Some of their people had gone to other territories to work there and send food to Safiro so they still had a way to survive.

Thus, they refused to budge about the mining in Mt. Esme.

However, one day, going outside of Safiro was prohibited by Count Dempsey. And from then on, everyone in Safiro was forbidden to go out or to communicate outside their territory.

Those who do were considered to have forfeited their lives. Those who had the courage and boldness and tried to go out were indeed caught and executed.

It left the people shaken and afraid to disobey especially with the Tribe Chief still imprisoned in Dempsey.

The situation in Safiro got worse as they no longer had any source of food. Their food supply totally ran out soon and starvation began.

It was crystal clear then that Dempsey was cornering them until they give up and agree to the mine.

And one day, Count Dempsey arrived and showed a document signed by Nadia’s father that said he had granted Dempsey total control over Safiro in exchange for providing them with food and water.

Everyone had no choice but to obey since it was signed by the Tribe Chief.

Thus, mining in Mt. Esme began. It was first done by Dempsey’s people. But then, the promised food supply and water didn’t come to Safiro even as starvation and poverty became worse and worse.

Dempsey then declared that food would only be given to those who work for him. And working for him meant working in the mines.

The people of Safiro who were so against mining in Mt. Esme were made to mine it themselves.

Most of them didn’t want to do it even if they died of hunger but they cannot just let the children starve.

Fathers of most households who were former warriors had no choice but to become miners.

However, what they did not expect was Dempsey meant that those who do not work would not receive any food. Meaning only those who work at the mines received food. They have to share their portion with their entire family.

"Even I and my younger sisters were not exempt from this. My brothers had to work in the mine and share their portion with us. We realized then that what the Count wanted was for everyone to work in the mines," Nadia narrated.

Thus, even the ladies became part of the mining. They were warriors as well so labor was not new to them. Even Nadia and her sisters worked in the mines.

But soon, things got worse to the point that even children above the age of ten joined in working in the mines too because the food the Count and his men distributed grew less and less too so sharing it became difficult.

Thus, all those who were able to work had to join them in the mines to be able to eat enough food.

Because they could not get food elsewhere, they had no choice but to keep working in the mines.

They became fully dependent on Count Dempsey since they had no money to trade with other territories. They had no salary in mining as well. Just the food which was given to them. Thus, they cannot escape from the Count’s control.

Those who tried to search for work and food in the nearby territories were caught and executed with false charges.

Soon, sickness became prevalent too because of the lack of clean water for personal hygiene.

A lot of their people died from sickness but Dempsey’s people only gave medicine to those whom they think would recover to be able to work in the mines again. They didn’t care about the children and the elderly.

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A/N:

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