Upon hearing the knock, Patril dragged his somewhat weakened body to stand up. After opening the door, he was surprised to see the figure in front of him.
"Rekel, are you alright?"
Rekel grinned and stepped inside, his tall frame dimming the room slightly.
"Uncle Pat, I'm doing great. Lord Kachar hired me to help cook food to distribute freely to the townsfolk.
The wheat porridge and bread are already cooked in the square. You can bring little Pat along to collect them later."
"Oh, and remember to bring your identity papers. Each person can only collect once, and without the papers, you won't be able to collect. Got it?"
Patril looked astonished at Rekel.
"You've been hired by vampires?"
Oli, following behind Rekel, retorted unhappily.
"Uncle Pat, they're not vampires; they're Saintlight Vampires.
Lord Kachar has put Brother Rekel in charge of the logistics department to help cook food, and each person gets ten Silver Pucks a month."
Patril's face froze; he almost thought he had gone deaf.
Vampires hiring humans and paying ten Silver Pucks a month?
Goddess of Life above, this was the most exaggerated thing he had ever heard.
Seeing Patril's expression, Oli, annoyed, took out the cloth bag full of Silver Pucks from behind and shook it a few times.
The crisp sound of metal clinking rang out.
"Uncle Pat, see? This is what Lord Kachar personally gave us as advance payment.
If you help cook food for everyone, each person can get an advance of five Silver Pucks, with the rest paid after a full month."
After saying this, he proudly looked at Patril, "Well, Uncle Pat, am I lying to you?"
Patril sucked in a breath of cold air.
"Sss… The Lord not only gives out free food but also pays you. This, this…"
He didn't know how to describe it anymore.
If this was a vampire conspiracy, it made no sense. They were completely powerless to resist. Who would use a conspiracy on a bunch of pigs waiting to be slaughtered?
Their lives were in the hands of the other party.
Rekel looked at Patril's expression with complex feelings. He himself was just as surprised when he first heard this.
"Uncle Pat, we have nothing worth the Saintlight Vampires coveting in Dawn City. If they wanted anything, they could just take it. Could we resist?
But Lord Kachar's actions have already shown that they are truly different from evil vampires.
Goddess of Life above, the gods once said that even the greatest conspiracy would reveal its true face over time.
Since we can't resist, why not join them? If they really mean harm to us, we can quickly inform others.
Uncle Pat, I know you are a very respected warrior in Eric Town. I hope you will take on this task with me.
Accept Lord Kachar's employment and become one of us. This is not just for us but for all the residents of Eric Town."
Patril was moved by Rekel's sincere eyes.
Yes, since they couldn't resist the other side, and these Saintlight Vampires hadn't harmed any humans, why not try to understand them?
If there really was a conspiracy, they could discover it faster.
Looking back at his still sleeping son, little Patril, he nodded firmly.
For his child, he was willing to take this risk.
Central Square of Dawn City.
Though it was only 1 PM, the sun was already blocked by the towering peaks on both sides.
The design of Dawn City was ingenious. In the middle of the two peaks, except for the Southern District, the Central Area and the Wall Area received no more than three hours of sunlight daily, greatly satisfying the vampires' preference for darkness.
In the center of the square, five large pots were set over huge fires, with wheat boiling in the water.
Next to them, ovens for baking bread were placed on fire stands.
The refugees who were notified to come out and collect food were all excited.
Most people were highly skeptical of the vampires' promises, but they never expected the other side to fulfill their promises one by one.
Not harming them, protecting their property, providing clean houses, distributing free food.
This change delighted everyone.
If everything the vampires said was true, would they really give them the promised land?
Silently, many people's perceptions underwent significant changes. Especially the allocation of land, which quickened their heartbeats, held their attention firmly.
Although they knew it was unwise to deal with vampires, who were more terrifying than demons, they couldn't control their thoughts.
What if it was true?
What if they really were Saintlight Vampires who wouldn't harm humans?
Humans were never without desires, especially these civilians living on the borders of the Nolan Empire. They were forgotten people.
Without their own land, they could be attacked by magical beasts at any time, worrying every year about the Beastmen starting a war, and the lofty nobles wouldn't protect them.
These commoners never lived in a stable environment, so their desire for peace and a safe life was unimaginable.
With even a glimmer of hope, even if it meant living with vampires, they were fearless.
This was precisely why Li De chose border refugees. Only those who had experienced turmoil and war would yearn endlessly for a stable life, and Dawn City could offer them such a life.
He believed that under his management, this place would eventually become a holy land for humans—and for vampires.
"Line up, show your identity papers. Each person is allowed only one portion of food. Anyone violating the rules will be deprived of today's food distribution."
Patril wore a red armband and loudly maintained order with a few others.
"Uncle Pat, is this food really free?"
At the end of the line, a half-grown boy in tattered linen clothes looked up expectantly, his eyes filled with longing.
Patril paused, then revealed a gentle smile and reached out to pat the boy's head.
"It's free, Rick. I'll make sure they give you an extra piece of bread. Young lads need to eat more to grow tall."
"Uncle Pat, didn't the priest at the temple say that vampires were man-eating demons? Why are they giving us food?"
Rick's small eyes were filled with deep confusion.
"Because vampires can be good or bad, just like our town has thieves and bandits."
Patril patted his shoulder, "Rick, believe only what you see with your own eyes. Don't blindly trust others' words, even if they are priests."
After saying this, he turned to look at the townsfolk who had finished collecting bread and wheat porridge, leaving the square happily. These words were also for his own ears.
Perhaps, Dawn City really was the godly place for the residents of Eric Town—if Lord Kachar wasn't deceiving them.