In A Fantasy World I Can Absorbs Abilities-Chapter 304 Sleep Is For The Dead!

Now all that remained was to combine the elements and fan the flames of rebellion—and that, he was exceptionally good at.

"Marcus, let's make rounds across the kingdom and neighboring nations. But first, we need to visit the castle. I must speak with Julian, and we'll need to bring Edward too. Let's go."

Marcus, who had been dozing off, lazily lifted his eyes. His body slouched, tail dragging limply behind him. With a groggy tone, he muttered:

[Huh…? You want to go to the castle and then travel across the continent? I'm exhausted.]

His words melted into a yawn. Understandable—he'd been through a lot lately.

Michael smiled as he looked down at the dragon. He knew exactly how to motivate him.

"If you help me with this…"

He paused deliberately, waiting for Marcus's ears to perk up—and they did.

"…I'll make you a golden chain that wraps around your entire body."

Marcus's sleepy eyes flew wide open. He leapt up, tail whipping behind him as he shouted excitedly:

[Seriously?! Let's go! Right now!]

His fatigue vanished instantly as he stomped and bounced in place.

Michael raised a hand to stop him.

"First, to the castle. I need to instruct Julian to start large-scale fertilizer production. And we'll need support from the Zark Company as well. This is our chance to bring down the southern aristocracy—and the Holy Kingdom."

The southern farmlands were the most fertile regions, making them the prime target for the locust swarms.

"But… knowing how the high nobles behave, they won't lift a finger for their serfs or commoners."

Julian and Arnaldo, upon receiving Michael's orders, quickly grasped his intent.

"We'll be using the enemy's weapon against them," Arnaldo remarked. "Clever as ever, my lord."

His gaze toward Michael brimmed with admiration. Such strategy… truly worthy of respect.

Julian huffed confidently.

"We'll switch fertilizer production to a 24-hour cycle immediately. Sleep is for the dead!"

Arnaldo, a youma, looked at Julian with a slightly pitying expression.

"Poor thing… doesn't even realize the dead still have to work, too."

Under the blazing sun, the land shimmered darkly—not from the wind-rustled wheat fields, but from the sheer mass of locusts that had overrun them.

They swarmed from the skies, blotting out the sun, devouring not only the wheat but even the roots.

Just days ago, the fields had gleamed with green waves. Now, they looked like a barren wasteland.

The rich smell of soil and fresh herbs had vanished, replaced by the stench of rot and insect decay.

"Get out! Damn you! Get out!"

The faces of the serfs who rushed out with clubs were painted in hopeless despair.

Children screamed and ran into their homes. Mothers sobbed into worn-out dresses, covering their faces in sorrow.

An old man stomped and crushed the locusts beneath his feet, but it was futile. For every one he killed, dozens more filled the air above.

"This is the will of Radiance! The divine punishment for your lack of faith!"

Priests of the Church of Radiance roamed the villages, spreading their doctrine.

Many villagers lowered their heads in shame. Some drew the sign of the cross and muttered prayers.

But most… simply turned away, eyes hollow with hopelessness.

Thanks to the efforts of the Zark Company, led by Michael, many superstitions and taboos had already been swept away.

In the Crassus Territory, stories had spread like legend: that serfs and commoners were treated as equals and lived with dignity.

There, people weren't forced to pay heavy tithes to temples or crippling taxes to their lords. Even the children of serfs could become knights or magicians.

The belief that only nobles could awaken magical power had been shattered.

The Zark Company sold goods at affordable prices and actively spread word of Michael and Crassus.

These subtle messages, repeated across the land, slowly began to reshape the public consciousness.

Now, the priests were at a loss.

Why weren't people reacting as they should? They were only following the orders from above—so what had gone wrong?

The more the people remained unmoved, the louder the priests shouted.

"This is divine punishment! If you do not pay your tithes, Radiance will bring even greater suffering upon you!"

The local lords made no effort to rein them in.

It was easier to let people believe the disaster was due to a lack of faith than to admit the nobility's failure.

In the fertile southern lands,

the manor atop the hill remained still and silent.

Inside the high stone walls, gardens full of vegetables and flowers bloomed peacefully—as if mocking the destruction outside.

"Darling… the locusts are eating through the wheat. Shouldn't we do something?"

"It's just a bit of pestilence. These things come and go. Once the cool winds arrive, it'll pass. No need to worry."

"But… the serfs and villagers are suffering terribly."

The lord frowned at his young wife. So this is why they say a merchant's daughter is never suitable…

Still, considering her large dowry, youthful beauty, and noble appearance, he forced a smile and tried to soothe her.

"If their damage is severe, we can release some grain later. It'll look charitable, and we can profit from it too. Everyone wins."

The steward, standing nearby, bowed slightly but shook his head discreetly at the lord's not-so-subtle plan to engage in loan-sharking.

The lord, meanwhile, sipped his fine wine and ordered that magical barriers be activated to ensure the locusts could not enter the manor.

"This plague feels different somehow… but what power do I have? I'll just do as I'm told."

Outside the walls, the serfs and commoners stared up at the impenetrable manor and the fortified temple, their teeth clenched in silent fury.

To them, the locust plague wasn't some abstract judgment—it was a nightmare.

They worked all year, hands blistered and feet bloodied, just to keep themselves fed.

And now, with their fields ruined by locusts, they'd be forced to borrow from the lord just to survive.

Those unable to repay their debts would see their fates fall even further—commoners becoming serfs, and serfs becoming slaves.