Reborn as the Genius Son of the Richest Family

Chapter 1222: Unwilling to change

Michael began to learn more about the Mining Estate’s situation. It was more or less the same as with what the Shadow Orcs reported to him.

But what he didn’t know was that the inhabitants of this Mining Estate knew exactly why they were riddled with disease. They knew exactly what caused the ’curse’.

"Those rocks... They are a dangerous thing," Hopper said.

Michael frowned. "If you know, then why do you stay? If you know that the Uranium ore is killing you, why inhabit a place that has tons of them?"

Hopper laughed. "It’s not so easy, young man."

"Is it a matter of where?" Michael asked, lightly hinting about the Nation of Reborn. "There are better places. Places where you don’t have to offer up most of your mining ores to another company. Places where you don’t have to live in a place that is actively killing you."

And for a moment, the old man’s eyes glazed with hope. It’s as if he had those thoughts, long ago, when he was but a child.

But soon, the creases on his face showed. His old age was in full show.

"We can’t," Hopper said. "Even if we move far away, the curse will still follow us."

Michael could see how that could happen. After all, radiation sickness was a hard disease to fight. It could persist for a long time even without contact with uranium itself.

"We have been settling here for a long time," Hopper said. "Generations have passed. My grandfather, his grandfather, and his grandfather before him... they all stayed here at this place despite being afflicted with the curse with every generation."

This... this was quite different from what Michael expected. At first, he thought they were just staying out of pure ignorance.

But it looked like these people were staying simply because of culture. Because of convention. It’s what’s familiar.

"This curse... this curse is a reminder, my father told me. This curse is something that will tie us back to our forefathers, back when the world wasn’t what it was now."

Hopper looked at Michael. "So... we will not leave. That rock... that rock may kill us, but it is our life. It is our livelihood. It is who we are. It is our burden to bear."

It was at this point that Hopper raised from his seat and walked away. He only turned when he was about to leave through the door.

"I am very grateful that you fed us today, merchant. But I hope you don’t visit us again."

Then, the door closed.

Michael just sat on that chair, stewing on the words he just heard. Was there really nothing he could do? Were these people so stubborn in their ways that there was no way that he could change who they were?

Then, it was at that point that he caught his own words.

He’d been so focused. He’d been so adamant in trying to get these people to join the Nation of Reborn.

He thought that if he offered them food, land, and joy, they would leave this place and become Rebornians.

But... not everyone wanted to leave their place to go somewhere better. They just wanted to stay where they were. They didn’t want to change.

In his quest to unite the entire world under his ideals, he was bound to encounter people like them more and more.

They’d be even more stubborn, more unwilling to change for the better.

They were just like the Ersatz. Just lke he instructed, he had been immersing the Ersatz warriors in the lifestyle of Reborn.

However, they weren’t getting caught into the lifestyle as he wanted. They were adamant in rejecting anything that wasn’t related to Ersatz, even if they knew that the life in Reborn was better.

So, what was he to do? Should he just ignore them and let them lead their own lives, even if it was to the point where they ruined themselves?

Was that the future he was going to usher forwards?

No, he found himself answering.

That was not the future he wanted. He wanted the whole world to be comfortable and live happy lives, even if they weren’t a part of the Rebornian banner.

He wanted their friends and allies and enemies alike to be comfortable.

This includes the inhabitants of this Mining Estate.

So, the only thing he could do was help them. Aid them. Make their lives better without changing their lives.

It was at that point that he felt his own core thumping at him, whispering to him, telling him what to do.

It was for this exact reason that he had this power. Why he had the ability to change reality itself.

Michael walked out Hopper’s dilapidated house, finding himself in the middle of their estate.

People still crowded their carriage. Sheina and Umisu still gave out water and food to anyone who wanted it. Jaku threw apples to bed-ridden citizens from the carriage.

"People of the Mining Estate, heed my words."

Michael started to emit power, power that captured the attention of every single person in this estate.

They felt this power before. And they knew what this meant.

Nascent Spirit.

Their eyes widened, seeing such a godlike power being wielded by someone so young. Hopper was shocked, but not like the others. His was confusion more than anything.

"I cannot change what you all want to do. I cannot make you all move away from this place for safety. But I can make it so that you wouldn’t have to suffer this sickness anymore. Forever.

No more deaths. No more suffering."

Nascent Influence started to surge from Michael’s core. Bubbling, building to a crescendo.

"If you do not want my help, turn away now."

But Michael could see the hope in their eyes. The tiredness they felt suffering in sickness every single month.

None of them turned away. Hopper held his heart, as if bracing himself.

It was at this point that Michael released his Nascent Influence. A blanket of power emerged out of him, encompassing the entire Mining Estate and its inhabitants.