CHAPTER 454: CHAPTER 332: THE GROWTH OF MANAS

In the end, only 7,000 foreign auxiliaries remained here, concentrated within the Todledo Village for easier supervision and management.

As a result, Todledo had not yet appointed an administrative officer, but instead designated the Fourth Legion Commander, Oluus, as the military supervisor of this village composed entirely of foreign auxiliaries. Additionally, the Foreign Auxiliary Civilian Management Bureau had established a branch within the stockade to manage and organize the foreign auxiliaries for labor.

The adjacent military camp, which was finally vacated, was initially planned to be completely dismantled—releasing occupied farmland for use, reclaiming resources such as tents, blankets, cloth coverings, wood, pottery jars, and other materials for redistribution across the tribe...

However, Pigeris objected, arguing: Currently, the territory of the Nixes is expanding rapidly, and travel from the westernmost Snowdonia to the tribe’s new center in Ophelia takes several days. Since Todledo cannot immediately support resting tribespeople, part of the outside camp should be retained and transformed into more comfortable temporary lodging. This would serve as a resting place for tribespeople living along the Kupa River and for caravans transporting various supplies and goods en route to Ophelia. Additionally, the tribe could earn profits from the lodging to maintain its operations.

This proposal was adopted by the Political Affairs Hall, and the camp was entrusted to the Commerce Department for management.

Not long after this decree was issued, Maximus and the chief officers of various departments recognized that, with the tribe’s large-scale migration activities about to begin, this undeconstructed camp could play an important role in the process. They were relieved as a result.

The arrival of migration teams prompted the Fourth Legion soldiers to tighten their control over Todledo to prevent any incident.

The usually reticent Oluus emerged from Todledo to greet Maximus’s wives and the family members of department chiefs.

Nexia, acquainted with him, exchanged a few friendly words with Oluus before he led the group to the adjacent camp. Under Oluus’s orders, the Fourth Legion soldiers stood ready to assist the tribespeople’s family members as they arrived in waves to rest in the camp.

When Nexia and others arrived at the camp entrance, Commerce Department clerks were already there, waiting to welcome them.

Chief of Internal Affairs, Acronis, widened her eyes in surprise: "Manas, you little devil, what are you doing here?!"

This comment caused the attendants behind Manas to stifle their laughter.

Manas awkwardly reminded her, "Aunt Acronis, I am now an official subordinate of the Commerce Department, responsible for managing this camp!"

"Don’t underestimate Manas because of his age. He’s quick-witted, articulate, and proficient in writing and calculations—skills our Commerce Department desperately needs. So, I assigned him here, and he’s been managing very well during this time!" Pigeris praised his young subordinate without hesitation.

Nexia smiled and encouraged him, "I’m pleased to hear this, Manas! If the leader learns about your achievements here, he’d surely be proud!"

When Nexia married Maximus, Manas and the other children were still his attendants, and Maximus cared deeply for them. This influenced Nexia’s attitude toward them; in Maximus’s busy moments, Nexia and Acronis cared for their lives, especially after Nexia learned she couldn’t bear children, transferring some maternal instinct to them. Seeing Manas now made her genuinely emotional.

"Mistress... Madam!" Manas almost blurted out the private term "Mistress Mother" he often used to address Nexia. With visible confidence, he said, "You can rest assured, I will manage everything here excellently, then receive promotions, and one day help the leader and contribute more to the tribe!"

Nexia smiled affectionately and patted his head gently, reminding him in a soft voice, "Did you forget what the leader taught you? Do more and talk less. Hurry and lead us into the camp to rest!"

Nexia deliberately adopted a scolding tone to avoid upsetting Manas’s superior, Pigeris. Yet her gestures revealed her tenderness for him.

Observing this, Pigeris’s eyes twinkled in thought: Assigning Manas here was surprisingly fortuitous! This little fellow is bound to be a treasure of the Commerce Department!

Manas led Nexia and the group to the center of the camp. Initially, separate tents had been arranged for the leader’s three wives, but Nexia refused them.

With an earnest tone, she said, "Manas, this tent is large enough for the three of us to sleep together. Reallocate the other two tents to others—the lodging situation must be constrained with so many people arriving at the camp. We can’t have tribespeople gossiping negatively, as that would upset the leader!"

Having served Maximus for so long, Manas was familiar with his ways and dared not argue further upon hearing this. He simply replied, "Understood!"

Nexia waved him off, urging, "And you, as the camp’s manager, need to ensure everyone accommodated here is well cared for. Make sure no mistakes occur; hurry back to your duties and don’t linger here!"

Reluctantly, Manas left. Before departing, he said with concern: "Madam, I’ll leave someone by this big tent. If you need anything done, just—"

"We have the Internal Affairs Department here! What do you need someone for? Are you trying to steal Aunt Acronis’s job!..." Acronis feigned indignation as she shooed Manas away.

The tent where Nexia and her companions would stay had previously been the camp’s Central Army Tent; it was spacious enough but contained only one wooden bed. Acronis and her team quickly began organizing it.

The Internal Affairs Department Acronis oversaw had grown significantly since its founding. With the increasing number of Maximus’s wives and the expansion of the Secretariat, the department charged with caring for them had also expanded, now boasting twenty-five members.

They were all women, half of whom had once been Acronis’s subordinates, while the other half had married into the tribe from Segestica or the Skodisqi. After thorough vetting by Acronis, only trustworthy women were recruited into the department.

No direction from Acronis was necessary—her subordinates naturally divided into teams, some fetching hay, blankets, and sheets to prepare the bed; others retrieved wooden basins of hot water; still others brought pottery jars of meat soup as well as dry provisions to reheat... They quickly tidied the big tent and got dinner ready.

After washing their faces and hands with warm water, Nexia and the others gathered to eat.

When Acronis entered the tent holding a wooden bowl, she said cheerfully, "That little Manas really thought things through—he specifically prepared several buckets of boiled goat milk for the infants. I took a bowl for myself, and it’s still warm."

Nexia was surprised: "That child used to be playful and carefree, unlike Casius, who’s always thinking things through. I didn’t expect him to be so meticulous in his work."

"Entrust him with true responsibilities and his desire to work for the tribe will naturally polish his skills. Just like when I first joined the Supply Camp..." Acronis recalled Maximus appointing her as the kitchen supervisor, feeling a swell of emotion.

"Indeed..." Nexia empathized, remembering being assigned as a nurse supervisor in the Medical Camp.

Acronis handed the bowl of goat milk to Florist Luscia.

Despite the typical gaminess that could trigger nausea in pregnant women, Florist Luscia took the bowl without hesitation and drained it completely.

Ever since Maximus learned about her pregnancy, he sent messengers to Snowdonia specifically instructing her to drink goat milk daily for the fetus’s healthy growth. She had adhered to this routine. Traveling today had made preparation impossible, causing her concern; this bowl of milk now eased her worries.

"Call Naisuya over to join us for dinner," Nexia suggested.

Acronis shook her head, saying, "Naisuya is presumably eating with the Secretariat children; she won’t join us."

"The children are older now and have their own ideas," Nexia remarked sentimentally before turning to Florist Luscia. "You’ve been walking all day. Are you tired? Feeling unwell at all?"

"Not tired, truly, I’m fine!" Florist Luscia answered confidently.

Nexia then turned to address Geniandafra. "What about you? Are you tired?"

Geniandafra was slightly taken aback by the inquiry and hesitated before replying, "I’m also not tired... just... my legs feel a bit uncomfortable."

"Let me have a look," Nexia promptly moved beside her, crouching and reaching to lift her long skirt.

Geniandafra instinctively shrank back momentarily before voluntarily revealing her legs.

Upon pressing her calves, Nexia noticed some swelling.

Her brows knitted tightly: Though Geniandafra appeared sturdier than Florist Luscia, the latter had grown up enduring hardship as a servant, enabling her to walk all day without issue—even while pregnant. In contrast, Geniandafra, unaccustomed to adversity, suffered minor edema from the extended journey.

Having been a nurse supervisor, Nexia had considerable experience addressing such march-induced ailments. After considering briefly, she said, "Acronis, before bed tonight, get two basins of hot water for them to soak their feet. I’ll massage their legs thoroughly—after a night’s rest, they should feel better walking tomorrow."

"Understood," Acronis responded.

"Thank you, sister!" Florist Luscia accepted gratefully without hesitation.

Geniandafra hesitated: "I... don’t think it’s necessary. It’s just a bit of leg swelling. A good night’s sleep should suffice. If I really can’t walk tomorrow, I can ride in a carriage or on horseback."