Chapter 60: Gao Ertai’s psychological struggle

"Lister's demands have multiplied; I haven't had a decent rest for a whole week, Isaiah," Gort grumbled as he vigorously fanned himself with a thick parchment in the town hall of Flower Town. "I initially thought this post would be a leisurely one, but it's turning out to be exhausting."

"I suppose Lister doesn't expect an idle official," Isaiah mused, counting taxes for the quarter without lifting his gaze. "Gort, you should strive to be industrious. A comfortable life can dull a knight's spirit."

"It seems you've grown fond of Flower Town, just like Blair. I recall your complaints when you first arrived," Gort observed.

"At first, I was indeed disappointed - rundown, crude, and sparsely populated," Isaiah stretched his fingers, numbed from arithmetic. "But after living here for a while, I find a unique vitality in Flower Town. Marcus and I have talked, and he believes Lister is a noble unlike any other."

"Indeed, he is unique," Gort acknowledged with a shrug.

"Therefore, I think Marcus's aspiration to rise in the ranks of nobility lies with Lister, and perhaps my hope to revitalize our family also rests here."

"You seem serious about this."

"I can't continue being unproductive. For the sake of my dim-witted son, I must pull myself together."

"Alright then, time to step up. I'll check on the progress of Oyster Village's housing construction. The whole town is short-handed, so I need to figure out how to assemble a logging team."

Though the words were said, Gort didn't head for Oyster Village after leaving the administration office but returned to his residence in the town instead.

It was a two-story house that had once served as the dwelling of a tax knight—only lords were entitled to live in castles, and even when unoccupied, they weren't accessible to ordinary folk.

"Milord, you're back. Have you finished your work for the day?" A young girl dressed in a coarse linen skirt hurried over to help Gort remove his coat.

With a wandering hand, Gort pinched the girl's bottom. "Work is never done, but life goes on."

The girl's face flushed. "Won't Lord Mayor be upset if you don't attend to your duties?"

"I am Liszt's mentor and the magistrate of this town. I have the right to take a half-day off... Frya, I miss you. I can't concentrate on work." With that, Gort embraced Frya and kissed her cheek, then gently nudged her towards the bedroom.

Frya hurriedly broke free, stammering, "M-Master, it's daytime now."

"What's wrong with daytime? I've been eating too many oysters lately, so there isn't enough time at night." Gort conveniently forgot that he still could only manage one session each night, lasting no more than thirty seconds.

Frya seemed flustered, seeking a topic to divert the conversation. "You seem upset. Is it about the advisor position?"

"Of course I'm upset. He's the lord and has the right to order me around, working day and night. But it's already been three months since I arrived in Flower Town, and I still haven't been appointed as an advisor. Damn it, who else here is qualified for the role besides me?"

Gort fiercely pounded the wall of the house, his tone laced with frustration. "I'm starting to regret coming to Flower Town!"

Frya's expression shifted. "My lord, are... are you planning to leave?"

"Not for now, Frya. You're the one who has made me linger here, unwilling to depart." Gort drew her back into his arms and kissed her.

Frya pushed him away with force.

Gort's face darkened instantly. "Frya, what do you mean by that?"

Frya took a deep breath, recomposing herself into a smile. "I know you're unhappy. Lately, you've been preoccupied. I suspect you long to return to Coral City, a metropolis far more bustling than Flower Town... I want to assure you, my lord, that Frya will stay in Flower Town and raise your child. There's no need for concern."

"What are you saying?" Gort's countenance shifted through a range of emotions.

"I'm pregnant."

With those soft words, all expression froze on Gort's face. It took him a moment to regain his composure. "You're... pregnant?"

"Mm." Frya touched her still-flat stomach, but she could sense a strong, tiny heartbeat thumping within.

In the midst of their conversation, she suddenly fell into a fit of nausea.

Gort was now certain that Frya was pregnant, but he was unsure whether to feel thrilled or astonished. He had a wife and children in Coral City, with an adult son who was already married and even a grandson born the previous year. He had sought only a fleeting affection to alleviate his loneliness here.

He never imagined such a day would come.

"Oh, my, Frya, I mean... I'm just so overwhelmed right now. I'm sorry, I don't know how to react to this news," Gort stammered.

Frya simply smiled. "It's alright, sir. I know that as a slave, there's no brighter future for me. I'm grateful that you've given me some happy memories. I'll raise him on my own, and he'll grow up healthy and strong... I just hope, when you leave, you could grant him the status of a freeman?"

"Freeman?"

Gort was torn and conflicted, but Frya continued to watch him with a gentle smile.

After a moment, he let out a deep breath, finally making a decision. "I'm sorry, Frya. I've let you down..."

Frya's smile quickly faded.

But Gort's next words brought a radiant glow back to her face.

"I hesitated just now, and that shouldn't have been the case. I assure you, I won't—no, at least not now—leave Flower Town. I want to witness his birth and tell him his father's name, Gort Mast... I think I know what to do now. I've always struggled to integrate into Flower Town."

Gort embraced Frya warmly, without any hint of lust. "Because I'm already a noble, accustomed to enjoying rather than striving. I complained about List not giving me the advisor position but didn't work hard. But now, I must strive and regain the glory of a noble for our child!"

"Is this true, my lord?" Frya asked, her eyes wide.

"Of course, I swear it by the name of a knight!"

After a brief moment of tenderness, Gort extricated himself from their embrace, put on his Frac Abie, and strode out of the house—this time, genuinely heading to Oyster Village to inspect the construction of the houses.

...

In the evening, another small banquet was held in the castle.

Before the feast began, Marcus, Blair, and Isaiah engaged in casual conversation. In the study, Gort was reporting the progress of his work to Liszt.

"The main road from Thorns Ridge to the town is currently half complete. We have ample sea sand, but we're running low on stones. I've already started conscripting strong farm slaves to form a logging team. At the same time, we'll break down the rocks in Thorns Ridge and transport them to pave the road. If there's enough stone in Thorns Ridge, we can also use the crushed stones to fill the sandy roads between the villages."

"A fine plan indeed, Teacher Gort. I approve." Liszt nodded with satisfaction.

Not only was it the plan, but also Gort's attitude. At previous banquets, Gort had merely shown up to eat and drink, entertaining the crowd with witty remarks, never taking the initiative to discuss work.

Today was a pleasant surprise; he had proactively reported on his duties.

As a lord, Liszt naturally favored proactive subordinates over those who merely freeloaded at meals.