In A Fantasy World I Can Absorbs Abilities-Chapter 305 Conspiracy Behind The Locust Swarm

One serf fell to his knees outside the manor gates, sobbing.

"My lord! Please—help us! We're all going to die!"

But his plea vanished into the wind. All he received in return was the soldiers' brutal beatings.

The Zark Company representative saw his moment.

"In the Crassus Territory, they use fertilizer made from the droppings of dragons and magical beasts. It keeps the locusts away. Just a little bit in the soil and they drop like flies!"

Those with enough silver to spare immediately purchased the fertilizer.

And the results were undeniable.

A light sprinkle of the mixture across the fields, and the locusts fell to the ground en masse.

When the steward cautiously approached to report this, the lord scoffed as he spun his wine glass between his fingers.

His expression was a mixture of irritation and disdain.

"Only apply the fertilizer to my personal estates."

His tone was cold, without a trace of emotion.

"What about the serfs? Why are you asking me that?"

The steward hesitated, lips parting—only to fall silent again beneath the noble's frigid stare.

The lord turned away and added,

"If they want fertilizer so badly, let them borrow gold to buy it. Whether they sell their land or their bodies, that's their problem, not mine."

The steward bowed, unable to speak—but his hands trembled ever so slightly.

When the serfs and villagers heard the lord's words, their despair turned swiftly into rage.

One of them clenched his fists, trembling until his knuckles bled.

"He says this… even knowing we're dying?"

Another raised his voice, and a low murmur of agreement spread among the crowd.

"A man who abandons us to protect his own wealth—does he deserve to be called a noble?"

All around, torches were lit with oil-soaked cloth.

On the barren, ruined land, they looked into each other's eyes. freēwēbnovel.com

Now, only two options remained:

Starve to death—or march on the lord's manor.

And there was precedent to consider.

"Do you know the Northwestern Province? They used to suffer under oppressive nobles—until Grand Duke Michael took over. Now their lives are completely different."

A Zark Company agitator stepped forward.

"And guess what? These southern pigs… they want to claim that land for themselves. To stuff their already full bellies even more! Do they deserve to live?"

"No! Let the greedy die—those who would watch others starve while gorging themselves have no place in this world!"

The people's hunger turned to fury.

Later, in the history books of Lania, the uprising of that day was recorded as follows:

"On that day, the rage of the peasants shattered the walls. Their cries echoed across the southern provinces. The lords fled in panic, and the noble system of Lania would never be the same again."

Princess Astrid and Michael shared a brief embrace upon his sudden return.

She pressed her face against his broad shoulder and exhaled a soft sigh of relief—only for Michael's next words to shatter that fleeting peace.

"I've come because the locust plague is devastating the entire kingdom."

Astrid's expression darkened.

Her sky-blue eyes met Michael's crimson gaze.

His eyes brimmed with resolve and conviction, but deep within, they also held traces of exhaustion and the heavy burden of duty.

Her usually clear and calm eyes, which resembled the open sky, were now shadowed with concern and worry.

Her expression hardened as she imagined the catastrophe brought by the locusts.

"Was your territory affected too?" she asked quietly, her voice soft and composed—like ripples across a still lake.

If even Michael's territory, located in the far north, had suffered damage, the situation would be more dire than she feared.

Something about her gentle tone washed away Michael's fatigue, built up from nonstop travel.

He shook his head firmly. A decisive glint sparked in his crimson eyes.

"Crassus Territory is unharmed. I mentioned it before, didn't I? We created highly effective fertilizer from the droppings of Marcus and the magical beasts."

Astrid nodded as she recalled the story.

Gradually, a glimmer of hope returned to her eyes.

"Yes… You said it was about to enter large-scale production."

Her expression, previously filled with dread, began to brighten noticeably—now lit with surprise and anticipation.

"Could that fertilizer… stop the locusts?"

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Michael smiled softly and nodded.

"That's right. Even approaching a field treated with the fertilizer causes them to drop dead. If we can begin mass production, we might be able to hold them back."

Astrid's eyes sparkled at the news. She leaned forward slightly in her chair and asked,

"Then there really is a way to stop this disaster. If this works, you could save the entire continent. How far along is the production plan? I assume it will take time to stabilize full-scale output?"

Michael let out a heavy sigh and nodded.

"I've already ordered every available hand in the territory to ramp up fertilizer production. With the kingdom's support, it could go even faster."

Astrid paused in thought, then nodded with resolve.

"The Royal House of Rania will spare no resources to support you."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Michael's expression grew serious once more. He took Astrid's hand gently as he spoke again.

"From what I saw on my way here, the southern regions have been hit the hardest. In the north, we've banded together to ease the burden on our serfs and commoners. Has there been any communication from the South?"

Instead of replying, Astrid turned her gaze to the window.

After a brief silence, she spoke—her voice tinged with bitterness.

"They've locked their gates and done nothing to help their people."

Michael nodded slightly, then leaned in to whisper.

He informed her that, through the Zark Trading Company, he had already incited organized peasant resistance in the South.

"…But won't that result in more harm to the farmers?"

"I'll make sure it doesn't," Michael said calmly.

Astrid's eyes narrowed as she deliberated—then slowly, decisively, she nodded.

"If that's what it takes to save my people, so be it. Carry out the plan."

Michael looked at her for a moment, then began explaining the darker truth behind the locust swarm.

"There's more. I believe there's a conspiracy behind this infestation."