Chapter 8: Arrangements

Zhao Hai nodded and continued, "Grandpa Grimm, how are we currently handling our meat supply? Haven't we bought any meat-producing magical beasts to raise?"

Grimm didn't know why Zhao Hai was asking this, assuming he was worried about a lack of meat, so he immediately replied, "Young Master, don't worry. We have already purchased some Blue-Eyed Rabbits and Long-Haired Pigs for our meat consumption. You don't need to worry about having meat to eat."

Zhao Hai was left between laughter and tears. It seemed the previous Adam’s reputation was truly poor; he was simply trying to find an animal that reproduced quickly and wasn't a picky eater to raise, yet Grimm thought he was worried about going hungry. What a misunderstanding.

Just then, Merine and Meg walked in carrying several food trays. The trays held some food, though it was much simpler than what Zhao Hai had.

Zhao Hai looked at his own tray: a piece of white bread, two eggs, a piece of meat, and some vegetables. Given the current circumstances, his meal was actually quite decent.

In contrast, Grimm and the others only had black bread and some vegetables on their trays—no eggs, no meat at all. Zhao Hai felt a pang of heartache, but he didn't say anything. He simply picked up his knife and fork and began to eat. Seeing him start, Grimm and the others began to eat as well.

Grimm and the others didn't eat very quickly, though Wood and Stone ate quite fast. It was also evident that Merine had given them much larger portions than the others.

He had to admit, the food Merine prepared tasted quite good. Although it wasn't as delicious as Chinese cuisine, it was truly impressive that she could make such simple ingredients taste this way.

Zhao Hai nodded in satisfaction and ate his food quickly. Even though he wasn't used to using a knife and fork, he was genuinely hungry, so he ate at a rapid pace.

However, by the time he finished, Grimm and the others had long since finished and were standing there watching him. Zhao Hai felt quite helpless, but he knew this wasn't something that could be changed in a day or two.

After the meal, Merine and Meg cleared the trays and brought over a pot. As soon as he smelled the aroma coming from it, Zhao Hai knew it was Koya. Koya was a drink similar to coffee and was the favorite beverage of the continent's nobility.

Grimm hurriedly poured a cup for Zhao Hai. Zhao Hai took a sip; it tasted much like coffee. He nodded, picked up the pot, poured a cup for Grimm, and gestured to a stool nearby. "Grandpa Grimm, sit down. I have some things to discuss with you. Come, have some Koya."

Grimm quickly said, "I wouldn't dare. This old servant is fine standing."

Zhao Hai stood up, pressed Grimm into the chair, and said, "Grandpa Grimm, you are of my grandfather's generation and watched me grow up. In a way, you are my elder. This time, the Buda clan has suffered such a disaster; if it weren't for you, I fear my life would have been lost. You don't need to be so formal. Sit; I really have something to discuss with you."

Grimm sat down, looked at Zhao Hai, and suddenly tears began to stream down his face. He muttered, "This old servant will sit, I will sit. The Young Master has grown up; he is sensible now."

Zhao Hai feigned a sigh and said, "After experiencing so much, it’s time to grow up. I’m sorry, Grandpa Grimm. I’ve caused you worry in the past, but that won't happen again."

Grimm shook his head. "No, Young Master, don't say that. It was this old servant's failure to protect you that caused the Young Master to suffer and the Buda clan to fall into such a state."

Zhao Hai shook his head and smiled bitterly. "That wasn't your fault. How could my father have listened to what you said? Anyway, let's not talk about that. Grandpa Grimm, do you know of any magical beasts on the continent that aren't picky eaters, grow quickly, and have a fast reproduction rate?"

Grimm was taken aback by the question, but he was knowledgeable about such things, so he immediately replied, "There are many such magical beasts on the continent. The Blue-Eyed Rabbits and Long-Haired Pigs we raise belong to this category. They are Tier 1 magical beasts with no real offensive power. Blue-Eyed Rabbits take only about three months to grow from birth to adulthood, and once mature, they can produce a litter on average every month or so, with each litter being no fewer than five. Long-Haired Pigs have a longer growth cycle, taking about eight to ten months to mature, after which they can produce a litter about every four months, with each litter being no fewer than seven. These two are the main sources of meat on the continent and are raised by many."

Zhao Hai nodded. "Which of these two is more commonly raised?"

Grimm said, "Long-Haired Pigs. Although Blue-Eyed Rabbits aren't very picky, they are herbivores and generally only eat plant leaves, unlike Long-Haired Pigs, which eat anything."

Zhao Hai nodded, realizing the Blue-Eyed Rabbits were no different from the rabbits on Earth. He stood up immediately and said, "Grandpa Grimm, didn't you say we bought Blue-Eyed Rabbits? Take me to see them."

Although Grimm didn't know what Zhao Hai was planning, he was happy to see the Young Master finally taking an interest in the family's affairs. However, he still said, "Young Master, it is getting late. I think it would be better to go tomorrow. You should go back and rest early."

Zhao Hai looked at the sky outside and realized he was being a bit impatient. He nodded and said, "Alright, let's go see them tomorrow. But Grandpa Grimm, I noticed there are still many supplies in the open space of the castle. Why haven't they been moved inside?"

Grimm looked troubled. "Young Master, it's not that we don't want to move them, but the castle is too small to hold so many supplies. We are currently organizing the slaves to build wooden sheds so we can store those items there."

Zhao Hai nodded and looked at the sky again. "Do those slaves have places to live? It's already April, and the rainy season is coming soon. We must ensure those slaves have shelter. The Buda clan only has this many people left; we will have to rely on them in the future."

The uneasy expression on Grimm's face vanished, replaced by relief. When Zhao Hai asked about the supplies, Grimm had been afraid he would ask about the slaves, because in the eyes of the continent's nobles, slaves were far less valuable than supplies. If Zhao Hai had thought the same, he would have surely kicked the slaves out of their shelters to make room for the goods.

But Grimm knew very well that the Buda clan had so few people left, and with the rainy season approaching, if the slaves were forced to live outside, they would easily fall ill, leaving the clan with no one to work.

Grimm hadn't expected Zhao Hai to think of this, which made him realize his Young Master had finally grown up. He quickly said, "Young Master, please rest assured, everything has been arranged."

Zhao Hai nodded. "With you here, Grandpa Grimm, I am at ease. Alright, I'm going back to rest. We'll discuss other matters tomorrow." With that, he headed upstairs.

Just then, Merine and Meg came out of the kitchen. Seeing Grimm standing there with an excited expression, Merine asked curiously, "Old man, what's wrong with you?"

Grimm suddenly burst into laughter. "The Young Master has grown up! He's sensible now, hahahaha! Heaven has not forsaken the Buda clan!" He then recounted his conversation with Zhao Hai to Merine, adding with a smile, "The Young Master knows how to care about the family's affairs now. This is a good thing. As long as the Young Master can manage the family well, even if the Buda clan cannot grow powerful, it can at least continue. In any case, the Buda clan will not disappear."

Merine was also very happy. "Whether it grows powerful or not doesn't matter, as long as the Young Master is safe. I think things are better this way. When we were in the Imperial Capital, although the Buda clan was glorious, it was too conspicuous; otherwise, we wouldn't have been framed by those people. Now, far away from that circle of trouble, living our own little life here is better. The Black Waste has nothing, so no one will set their sights on this place. Our Buda clan is actually safer here."

Grimm nodded with a smile. "Yes, that is exactly the point. That is why I bought an equal number of male and female slaves this time—to prepare for the family's future development. I don't think about anything else now; as long as the Young Master is safe and the Buda clan can continue, I am satisfied."

Merine nodded, her face full of smiles. Meg stood behind her; although she had no expression on her face, a hint of joy appeared in her eyes.

Zhao Hai heard Grimm's laughter, and recalling Grimm's expression earlier, he understood why he was so happy. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. He hadn't expected that simply acting like a normal person would make them so happy. It seemed the former Adam really hadn't done anything good.

Back in his room, Zhao Hai couldn't sleep. Perhaps it was because he had slept too much during the day. He lay on the bed, eyes wide open like lightbulbs, unable to drift off.

After lying there for over an hour, Zhao Hai still couldn't sleep. He thought about it and decided to go into the Space to see how the radishes were growing.

As soon as he entered the Space, Zhao Hai was stunned. He hadn't expected that the radishes he had planted only a few hours ago had already sprouted large leaves. It looked like they weren't far from maturity.

Zhao Hai stared blankly at the radishes. He really hadn't expected them to grow this fast. Although the Space soil and water could increase plant growth speed, wasn't this a bit too fast?

He couldn't help but walk to the edge of the plot, dig up a radish to look, and found that a small radish had already formed underground. However, because the time was so short, it wasn't very big yet; it would need a bit more time to mature.

Zhao Hai chuckled foolishly, covered the radish back up, and stood up, muttering, "At this rate, they should be mature by tomorrow morning. When that happens, I can ask Grandpa Grimm if there is such a thing as a radish here, and also see if those Blue-Eyed Rabbits eat radish leaves. If they do, then we can start a ranch. Hehehe."