Chapter 41: Transformation

After sending off Saberi, Ethan held the first lord's meeting that night in the captain's cabin of the pirate ship. The goal was to assign tasks, clarify everyone's responsibilities, and determine each person's specific duties before winter arrived.

There were only six attendees: Ethan, Angelina, Lily, Robert, Tibbers, and Andreev. Robert, Tibbers, and Andreev were the old, weak, and sickly members assigned by the family. Andreev, at 53, was the oldest, and Ethan worried if he could still handle any work. Therefore, he assigned Andreev some light tasks.

Ethan himself took charge of all affairs, Angelina was to handle the role of housekeeper, and Lily was responsible for meals. The three wilderness experts were tasked with gathering supplies. Of course, there was one "person" not mentioned explicitly—Little Yellow. Its task was the simplest yet the hardest, known to all without needing further explanation.

Ethan also made specific arrangements for the upcoming tasks. Since winter was extremely cold and approaching fast, the initial focus was on ensuring warmth and insulation. He assigned Angelina, Lily, and Andreev to prepare the living quarters, including laying carpets, setting up stoves and chimneys, and ensuring windproof and fireproof measures. This work was crucial for a comfortable winter.

The most important element was the stove, as there was no underfloor heating in this world. The stove was the only tool for warmth, and creating a warm and comfortable room depended entirely on it. Given the wooden construction of the rooms, they also had to ensure fire safety and insulation while maintaining warmth. Ethan gave very detailed instructions for this. After assigning tasks to Angelina and the others, he turned to Robert and Tibbers. Their task was to collect firewood—not just any wood, but dried branches, which produce less smoke when burned. Collecting enough firewood for the winter was a massive task, involving chopping and storing the wood in manageable pieces. Robert and Tibbers were visibly disheartened by the assignment.

Everyone at the meeting wore a grim expression, including Angelina and especially Lily, who had looked forward to a grand castle but found only a vast primitive forest. Her suitcase had fallen to the ground in shock, her face full of despair. Now, learning she had to be the long-term, unpaid cook, her dismay was understandable.

Ethan could understand the others' dismay, but he couldn't understand why Angelina was also upset, as she was the mistress of the place. After the meeting, he confronted her sternly. "Angelina, I'm very disappointed in your behavior tonight. Your expression affected everyone's morale. If you didn't want to help, you shouldn't have agreed in the first place. I've decided that you will return with the ship in spring, and we will never see each other again!"

Angelina, like a scolded child, hung her head, trembling silently. She finally took out a few crumpled papers from her bag and handed them to Ethan. As he read them, his scalp tingled. The papers detailed the distribution of various supplies, including storage, location, and usage timelines, things they had previously discussed. She had meticulously recorded everything, even adding detailed plans Ethan hadn't mentioned, like using the ship's pulley to draw water, thus avoiding trips to the creek.

Seeing this, Ethan realized why Angelina looked upset. She had taken on the role of the mistress, planning the logistics in detail, only to have Ethan assign her tasks she had already planned for. He felt a wave of self-reproach. "I'm sorry! I didn't know you had prepared so much. I sincerely apologize!" Ethan said, hugging her awkwardly.

Angelina shook her head. "It's not your fault. I should have controlled my expression better. Ethan, when you told me to take on the role of the mistress, I was so happy. For the first time, I felt needed and useful. I'm sorry I didn't tell you my plans; I wanted to surprise you."

"You don't need to apologize," Ethan replied, wiping her tears. "I should be the one apologizing. You gave me a wonderful surprise. You're more capable than I imagined. You're an elegant, beautiful, and competent wife, and a qualified mistress. I'm proud of you!"

"Really?" Angelina asked, tearfully smiling.

"Of course!"

"Alright then," Angelina said with determination, wiping her tears. "From now on, you are not allowed to meddle in household affairs. If you need something or notice an issue, just tell me. You should focus your energy on more important tasks. Like today, you exhausted yourself digging a water channel. You're the only one who can protect us. If you focus on small tasks, how can we trust you? Even if you spent your days fishing by the sea, I'd feel safe knowing you're a responsible person. If you dared to fish, it means there's no danger in the territory. Am I right, Ethan?"

Ethan swallowed and nodded. "Are all Lawson women like this? You sound a lot like your sister, Sophia, with praise that leaves no room for refusal!"

"Just answer, am I right?" Angelina insisted.

"I understand," Ethan nodded seriously. "I won't interfere with your duties anymore, and I'll shoulder my responsibilities. But I need to fix the stairs in the next two days. It's a critical task that must be done quickly."

"Deal, my dear husband!"

As they shared this tender moment, Little Yellow suddenly screeched from the deck. Ethan tensed up.

"What's wrong?" Angelina asked, worried.

Ethan didn't answer immediately, furrowing his brows. After a moment, he relaxed and smiled. "Nothing, just a guest from the deep mountains who took a look at us and left. Let's get some rest. We have a lot to do tomorrow!"