In the end, Rest spent the remainder of the day treating the injured throughout the village.
A typical mage would have likely succumbed to mana depletion given the sheer number of patients, but for Rest, endowed with infinite mana, it was a trivial matter. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, he had finished his work and returned to the inn.
That evening, a grand banquet was held in their honor.
Rest and Celestine sat in the inn’s great hall before a staggering spread of fish dishes. Men and women from across the village crowded the room, prostrating themselves as they offered food and drink.
"The Count is our savior! Please, stay for as long as you wish!"
"This is today’s fresh catch! We lost so much to the monster, but we managed to secure this much at least. Please, help yourselves!"
"A-Ah... I appreciate it. Everyone else, please, eat as you like as well."
"Yes, my Lord!" the villagers shouted in unison, bowing low.
They were utterly overwhelmed with gratitude. They bowed their heads incessantly, treating Rest with the kind of reverence usually reserved for a deity.
"How should I put this... in a way, being here is incredibly awkward," Rest whispered, leaning toward Celestine.
"Well, I believe they are all very kind people, even if they are a bit intense," she replied with a small smile.
"Yeah... I'm sure that's true." Rest exchanged a wry look with her.
"Fresh sashimi! Please, try some!"
"And a cup of liquor to go with it!"
"Madam, please, you must eat your fill as well!"
"No, we aren't exactly a married cou—well, I'll take the sashimi, thank you."
The food was exquisite. While dinner the previous night had been excellent, this feast was on an entirely different level. The villagers had pooled their finest ingredients and rarest spirits to serve their guests.
"They seem to be struggling because of that monster... is it really okay for them to treat us to such a feast?" Rest asked.
"I suspect it is not," Celestine answered in a hushed tone. "They have likely scraped together every bit of food they had left. That is the depth of their gratitude to you, Rest-san."
Rest fell silent. He was touched by their appreciation, but the guilt was mounting. If his presence resulted in their starvation, it would weigh heavily on his conscience long after they left.
"Celestine-jou... I hate to ask this of you, but could you arrange food aid for this village? Naturally, I will cover all the costs."
"Of course. I shall make the necessary arrangements immediately."
Celestine readily accepted the request. To some, providing this much support for a random village might seem overly sentimental, but Rest wasn't cold-hearted enough to watch people suffer when he had the power to help.
He knew it was partly for his own peace of mind, but he felt he could afford it. He currently possessed more wealth than he could ever spend, much of it originating from the Queen Dowager’s legacy—the inheritance transferred to him by Rodel.
Ultimately, this wealth came from Shoko. Returning it to the village she loved seemed only right.
"Since you are becoming so involved, it might be simpler to just buy the village outright," Celestine suggested.
"Buy the whole village? Wait, is that even possible?"
"It depends on the local lord. Some refuse to part with even an inch of land, while others are happy to relinquish territory and titles for the right price. If you’ve taken a liking to the inn and the local cuisine, you could acquire it as a villa for the Count Clover House. My father owns several territories beyond our primary holdings."
"Is that so..." Rest mused. For a high noble, holding multiple lands and titles was standard. Once again, he was reminded of the sheer influence wielded by the Duke Crocus House. "Well, I'll keep that in mind for the future."
"Now, please, have a drink!" a villager urged, pouring a glass.
"Ah, thank you."
Rest took a slow, measured sip of the amber liquid, his eyes widening in surprise. There were no age restrictions on alcohol in this kingdom, and while Rest had sampled various drinks before, this was remarkably strong.
"This is quite unique," Celestine noted, her own expression turning curious after a sip. "It isn't wine or ale."
Unlike the grape and grain spirits common in the kingdom, this had a distinct character.
"Ah, we make this from the sweet potatoes harvested in our fields," the villager explained proudly. "It is stronger than usual because we apply heat to it."
"Heat... Wait, is this a distilled spirit?" Rest asked.
Brewed alcohols like wine were the standard here. Distilled spirits, which used heat to concentrate alcohol content, were not common knowledge.
"A distilled spirit... I have heard of such things," Celestine said. "They are produced in the Empire. It is a rarity that only royalty and the highest-ranking nobles ever taste. Many have tried to discover the production method, but the Empire guards the secret fiercely."
It seemed distilled spirits did exist in this world. Given that there had been other reincarnated people over the centuries, it made sense.
"Madam Sanada taught us the method," the villager added. "We can only produce it in small quantities, so we save it for special celebrations."
Rest looked at the glass. A distilled spirit made from potatoes—essentially shochu. It had remained a local secret only because the villagers lacked the means to produce and market it on a larger scale. If it could be commercialized, the potential was staggering.
"...Rest-san, will you let me handle this?" Celestine whispered. "I promise you won't regret it. If we can bring this to market, I will ensure you receive your fair share of the profits."
"I'll leave it in your hands, then."
A golden egg was hidden here in this humble fishing village. The place where the Queen Dowager had left her mark was proving to be even more precious than he had ever imagined.