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Chapter 52: Before Toma II Truly Begins
A Summary So Far
Toma, caught up in a reincarnation summoning while still alive, was imprisoned in a dark void by three self-proclaimed divine envoys.
Rescued from the void by the "Nameless, Forgotten One," Toma found himself reincarnated. Later, he would come to realize that the "Nameless, Forgotten One" was, in fact, the true god, Deuro.
Grateful to Deuro for his salvation, Toma began fulfilling the terms of their contract by leveling up diligently. He also deeply appreciated his adoptive father, who rescued him and his mother from a life of hardship.
Toma eventually discovered that his mother was not just a former slave but had been a kidnapped noblewoman—a duke’s daughter.
As Toma’s gratitude toward Deuro grew, he brewed sake as an expression of thanks while advancing his territory’s development. However, when Cardinal Daldel, dispatched from the temple, confirmed Toma’s title of "Apostle of Deuro," Toma was officially recognized as a divine envoy.
Current Status
I am Toma Roxfall, now ten years old.
My mother, Alyusha Ashud Roxfall, is twenty-seven.
My adoptive father, Rob Ashud Roxfall, the baronial knight, is thirty-three.
My younger brother, Siegvalt Ashud Roxfall, is three.
My mother’s true name is Hermina, and she is a daughter of the Bayerlein ducal family. However, she was kidnapped at the age of thirteen, lost her memories, and gave birth to me while enslaved. To this day, her memories have not returned.
I recently learned that nobles have family registries. It turns out I have officially become the adopted heir of the Roxfall family.
In this country, an adopted heir refers specifically to a child adopted to inherit the family’s title.
However, since I am not biologically related to my adoptive father, Rob, I believe the family title should pass to my younger brother, Siegvalt.
Growth in the Ashud Territory
When I was first adopted, the Ashud territory had fewer than a thousand residents. Today, it is home to roughly five thousand people.
This fivefold population increase in just four years can be attributed to the territory’s industries, its dungeon, and the support of the Bayerlein ducal family. The port we built, which boosted logistics, is another significant factor.
The population continues to grow and is expected to exceed ten thousand within two or three years—a rapid pace of expansion.
Key Industries
The territory’s primary industries include cheese production, sake brewing, Light-Collecting Lamps, and materials harvested from wild and dungeon monsters.
Sake Brewing
We produce large quantities of sake in two breweries.
Horse King Sake: This was the first sake I ever created. Current production is 225 barrels (18 liters per barrel) per month.
Affelpop: A sparkling apple sake brewed from late winter to early summer. It takes three months to produce, with an annual output of 19,200 bottles (750 ml each).
Affelpop is marketed by the temple as "the sake of the gods," with 20% allocated for temple sales and the remaining 80% often purchased by merchants acting on behalf of the temples.
Medicinal Sake: We produce three varieties—Chōmeishu, Reihashu, and Katsutanshu. These are extremely high-end due to the expensive medicinal ingredients and limited quantities. Production takes place in the autumn to avoid overlapping with Affelpop.
All these beverages are now managed by skilled brewers, including Jin and Ram, while I focus on other matters.
Light-Collecting Lamps
These lamps are sold across the country, with temples acting as the main distribution channel. The temples were the first to adopt these lamps, which paved the way for this arrangement. Cardinal Daldel, the formidable elder managing the temple in Ashud, has been instrumental in this endeavor.
Smithy Expansion
Bowman’s smithy has grown into a massive operation, employing over twenty blacksmiths. In addition to maintaining village tools, it serves as the primary production center for Light-Collecting Lamps. Even the production of the lamps’ cores has shifted from my hands to Bowman’s workshop.
Dungeon Exploration
The Ashud Dungeon has been explored down to the fifteenth floor, which appears to be the deepest level as no stairs to the next floor were discovered. While rumors suggest that dungeons have bosses, none were found here.
The monsters on the fifteenth floor are considerably strong, providing excellent opportunities for leveling up. My group, the territorial army, and a group led by the explorer Kozmi have been dividing the tasks of exploring the dungeon.
Kozmi’s Decision
Kozmi, now thirty-five, has begun considering retirement. I invited him and his group to join the territorial army, and all five agreed. They had all married women from Ashud, making the decision to settle here an easy one.
I now understand why Father arranged marriages for Kozmi and his companions.
Personal Status
Name: Toma Roxfall
Species: Demigod (Human-God Hybrid)
Gender: Male
Age: 10
Title: Apostle of Deuro, the God of Creation
Rank: G
Attribute: Divine
Blessing: Conversion
Level: 199
Skills: Conversion, Level 4
Life: 33,097
Stamina: 33,433
Mana: 34,32