Starting Life as a Lord Again from Zero

The wisteria restaurant was located below the entrance of the national park hiking trail.

Being a popular spot among hikers, the restaurant had arranged a wide outdoor seating area.

Just as the group settled at one of the outdoor tables, a siren sounded in the distance.

"Looks like the police are finally coming."

"My goodness, they sure are early."

"If it weren't for young Ahn Bin, they would've come after all of us were dead."

The villagers grumbled among themselves.

"That's why I say we need to make a volunteer patrol in the village."

"Right. Now it's only natural we do so."

"Volunteer patrol?"

When Ian asked, the man sitting next to him tilted his head and explained.

"There aren't enough police in the countryside. So, don't you think we should protect our village ourselves?"

He said that when a wildfire broke out on Mount Jiri, there were places even fire engines couldn't reach, so a volunteer fire brigade formed by residents would be dispatched.

They would hike up the mountain and put out the fires themselves.

Likewise, the villagers had apparently been talking about creating a group similar to the police to prepare for this situation.

"You missed it because you left early yesterday, but at the meeting, the idea of making a volunteer patrol was raised."

"It was just talk yesterday, but now with a monster appearing in the village, we have to create a patrol."

The adults around the outdoor table began to chime in with each other: that's right, that's right.

"Ahn Bin, you'll join us too, right?"

"Oh, of course he should. He's leading the way in protecting the village like this."

"Of course. He's the youngest, isn't he? Smart, brave too. Young Ahn Bin should just be the captain."

The village men kept sneaking glances at Ian, egging him on. It was a scene distinctly different from Ahn Bin's memories.

Before, no one cared to ask Ahn Bin's opinion about village matters, but now they were watching Ian closely, almost pleading.

'So now they think I'm necessary to the village? Fine, that's a good decision. I've always been a useful person, after all.'

Ian didn't resent the villagers for their changed attitude.

It was just that Ahn Bin's personality hadn't meshed well with theirs—the villagers weren't bad people.

Inevitably in life, there are some people you don't get along with.

That doesn't mean you're always right and they're always wrong.

Ian believed that if his attitude changed, so would others.

He even found himself quietly enjoying the looks of expectation the villagers were giving him.

"I don't know about being captain... But sure, the volunteer patrol. Naturally, I'll join too."

Protecting the domain oneself is only natural.

When Ian readily agreed, cheers erupted once more among the men.

At that moment, a police car pulled up in front of the restaurant.

A police officer in his twenties and another man, looking to be in his thirties, got out of the car.

The man in his thirties wore plainclothes, and the dark circles under his eyes suggested he was overworked. He spoke with wide eyes.

"We heard a monster appeared, but why does it feel like a party here?"

"It's all over here! We've already caught the monster!"

Someone shouted. The man cocked his head, then gave a thumbs-up.

"Amazing! Truly amazing. Seriously, how did you catch it?"

The man who appeared with the officer was the son of the Donggu Mart owner, a local store in the village.

Apparently, Kim Yongcheol, the owner known as the neighborhood's news source, had already contacted his son and relayed a brief account of the situation here.

His son, Jeongnam, was a public official at the county office, investigating the monster incident on duty.

"You want to know how we caught it? Have a seat and we'll tell you all about it."

"Yes, but first, we need to check the scene."

"Well, there's nothing left at the scene. Ahn Bin, show him what you're holding."

At Kim Yongcheol's words, Ian raised the black lump he'd been holding in his hand.

"This?"

Ian still had the black lump in his hand. The slime core had already been fully absorbed, and what remained was nothing more than residue.

"Um. This isn't monster remains, just some synthetic fiber residue."

Looking at the lump Ian held out, Jeongnam's face filled with puzzlement.

"Synthetic fiber residue?"

"Ah, see, we caught the monster with a blanket. Haha!"

Yongcheol replied and let out a hearty laugh.

That prompted the village men to all jump in, eager to share how they'd gone about it.

After all, Ian had single-handedly caught the monster, so they had to at least tell the story.

Ian kept his mouth shut, letting the men talk.

It was fun listening to the story through someone else's words, and he was curious how humans would interpret and process what had just happened.

Besides, their excited chatter was nice to behold.

"Isn't it amazing?"

"In the end, all that was left was just that residue."

"Oh, then there's nothing left at the scene. Still, we have to check... Officer Park?"

"Yes! I'll go to the scene."

Officer Park headed to the police car.

"It's down that way... you know the path leading up the back hill from the village hall? It's the grassy area below the side. There should be burn marks—you'll find it quickly."

Yongcheol described the location of the scene.

"Okay! I'll go check!"

Once Officer Park left, Jeongnam turned back to Ian and started speaking.

"To catch a monster in such a sure and clean way, that's truly impressive."

"Thank you for the compliment."

"I have a lot of questions I'd like to ask and things to tell you, but first—the matter of compensation. When an individual eliminates a monster, the government has decided to provide a reward."

"A reward?"

Ian perked up.

Of course. It was only right. Ian used to reward his domain's residents when they handled monsters themselves as well.

"I'll fill you in on the details, but the issue is with the report. There's nothing left of the monster after burning it, so..."

He could tell what was troubling Jeongnam—there was no evidence.

In the Praeri, there were places where you wouldn't get a reward unless you brought back the monster's head or ear.

"You mean, there's no evidence the monster was caught?"

Ian got straight to the point.

"Right, there's that issue in reporting to higher-ups. Of course, with this many witnesses, it shouldn't be a huge problem, but..."

Just then, Haeyeon, who had been carrying a big tray out from inside the restaurant, shouted.

"Don't worry! We have evidence!"

"We do? Really?"

Jeongnam turned to Haeyeon. She set the dish tray down on the table, pulled out her cell phone from her pocket, and grinned.

"I got the whole thing on video."

"When did you take a video?"

"Good thing Haeyeon followed us. None of us even thought of filming."

"Yeah, it's lucky. There's nothing more convincing than a video."

The men praised her, and Haeyeon straightened her shoulders with pride.

"See? I told you I'd join the volunteer patrol too! I'm actually pretty useful, you know!"

"Well done. But shouldn't a student retaker be studying? Not doing patrol duty?"

"Mister, I was a student retaker last year. I'm not one anymore."

"So you're a student triple retaker?"

"I gave up on the college entrance exams, okay!"

When Haeyeon snapped, everyone fell silent.

Ian had assumed Haeyeon was a high schooler, but now it was clear she was an adult.

Even so, why did the atmosphere feel uncomfortable? The men seemed to be watching Haeyeon's father nervously.

The wisteria restaurant owner Jang Sungwon cleared his throat a few times and then spoke up.

"What's there to be proud of in quitting college? Anyway Haeyeon, show us the video."

"Yes, sir. You all enjoy the footage. I'll go set up the side dishes."

Haeyeon spoke cheerfully, fiddled with her phone, and began playing the video.

Everyone gathered around the table, heads together, to watch the video.

Ian was no exception.

'I wonder how it turned out?'

His heart thumped needlessly. There weren't any cell phones in the Praeri, so of course he'd never filmed a video.

"Wow, she caught everything on film!"

"Look there, see? The monster wriggling in the bush? Then Ahn Bin just—bam—with the blanket!"

"That's brilliant. Who could've thought of catching a monster like that?"

Jeongnam exclaimed.

"He's as brave as a general!"

All the villagers, even though they'd seen it live, exclaimed and praised Ian again while re-watching the scene.

By the time the video finished, everyone clapped as if they'd just watched an inspiring movie.

Ian was satisfied too.

'It came out well. This should be enough as evidence.'

For some reason, his cheeks kept twitching upward. He felt fluttery inside.

Jeongnam scooted closer beside Ian and continued.

"With this video, the proof issue is settled. Not only that, but it's really valuable as a reference. Even the military hasn't found an effective hunting method yet."

"Oh, really? What's important is that you must never cut open the monster's belly. Please make sure to let them know that."

Ian replied briefly. There were some details he couldn't fully explain, so he'd just stick to the key point.

"Understood. But the most important thing is you, Mr. Ahn Bin. The hunter. With these skills, wouldn't you like to move up to the central scene?"

"The center?"

"Yes, it's a national crisis right now. This isn't official yet, but the government is gathering hunters."

Jeongnam carried on in a subtle tone.

The gist was that monsters were appearing in cities other than Seoul, too.

The military had been deployed to suppress them, but many problems had arisen.

Just as Haeyeon had said earlier, those who tried to subdue the monsters had developed lung issues, and the surrounding air became polluted.

Plus, with portals and tower spaces still open, there were urgent issues to resolve. The government seemed to be troubled indeed.

Listening quietly, Ian was reminded again that he needed to get himself a cell phone.

'I need to watch the news. I can't afford to fall behind alone.'

He also remembered the portal still open in the backyard. He would have to close that first thing.

"There are people called hunters now. Monster hunters. This isn't official either, but among those who've tried the hunts, some people developed special abilities."

Jeongnam lowered his voice further.

Ian was curious about these special abilities. Could it be that they'd absorbed the Praeri's energy? He wondered what form it would take on Earth.

"Special abilities, you say...?"

Ian showed his curiosity.

"I don't know the details either. But since I'm interested, if I get the chance, I plan to try a hunt myself. Anyway, Mr. Ahn Bin, how about working as a government hunter?"

Just as Jeongnam whispered that much, a man next to them butted in.

"What's this? Jeongnam, are you trying to steal our village hero?"

"No, Baekmu Lodge uncle, it's not like that. I'm just passing on information to Mr. Ahn Bin. He should know how the world stands."

Jeongnam waved his hands quickly.

Ian smirked inside.

'Not like that, my foot. He totally wanted to recruit me.'

But passing on information was also true. In chaotic times, information was everything.

"Right, you should share information. But listen well—we've formed a volunteer patrol for our village, and Ahn Bin has agreed to join."

Lee Donghoon, who ran Baekmu Lodge, said this in a deliberately loud voice for everyone to hear.

Then, the village chief and others also added a few words each to Jeongnam.

"We need to protect our home first."

"Of course. One must put one's own house in order before the country."

"Jeongnam, the state and military matter, but in a disaster like this, it's our village that must be protected first."

Still, none of them spoke too harshly—they acted as if they weren't all that bothered.

It was because in the end, the decision was up to Ian.

So, while seeming to scold Jeongnam, they kept glancing at Ian for his answer.

Ian had already grasped the crux of their conflict.

'Protect where I live, or go defend the continent's gates—that's the question.'

As both a lord and master of a great farm, Ian's viewpoint on such matters was clear.

'Of course I need to protect my own domain first.'

The continent was made up of land, but it only had meaning because people gathered and lived in domains.

Wanting to protect the place one lives in is only natural for all creatures.

'Even if this village can't strictly be called my domain...'

He had a house, land, and even a portal in the backyard. Not to mention the land of the Praeri beyond it.

'It's as good as my own domain.'

Besides, Ian liked this place called Mount Jiri. It was beautiful.

"Come on, elders. I'm a villager too, aren't I? But of course, we have to protect our country as well."

Jeongnam tried, however lightly, to persuade the others.

He glanced sideways at Ian.

Now was the time for Ian to state his position.

"I've decided to join the Mount Jiri volunteer patrol. I've heard what you said, Jeongnam, but it's too soon for me to say if I'll be a government hunter."

Ian spoke clearly.

"That's right!"

"Macheongri's hero!"

The villagers clapped and slapped their thighs, delighted with Ian's decision.

"Yes, understood."

Jeongnam bowed his head.

"Still, thank you for the information. Please keep me updated on news from the center, okay?"

"Of course, of course! Here's my business card. Leave the news to me."

Jeongnam quickly handed over his card.

Ian put the card away carefully.

Thanks to Jeongnam's story, Ian could now guess not only the current reality but also what might happen next.

Situations could change at any moment, and a domain's size and boundaries could shift, too.

But Ian never meant to just sit still and guard some fixed patch of land.

If Seoul and other regions had been polluted, new problems would soon arise.

Pollution would not clear easily. The land would become unfit for farming.

'If I were my Praeri self, maybe...'

But Ian still hadn't fully recovered his energy yet and couldn't immediately clear the pollution.

He would have to wait. Until then, he would focus on farming and securing food for the people.

'Food is national power, after all. That's why I'm not just a lord, but also master of a great farm.'

Until he figured out how to link Earth's nature with energy, he planned to use the portal in his backyard to prosper this region first.

'It'll be fun.'

Starting life as a lord again from zero.

His heart thumped with excitement.

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