NOVPUBFor a while, everyone silently stared at the vast fields of wheat.
They had seen the sprouts before heading to the capital, but seeing the entire field filled to the brim made them realize just how remarkable Ghislain’s work had been.
Moreover, even though it wasn’t harvest season yet, the golden glow of the wheat was dazzling. Its growth rate far exceeded that of normal wheat.
Ghislain meticulously examined the wheat and nodded in satisfaction.
“It’ll be ready for harvest soon.”
There were still a few stalks with a slight greenish hue, indicating they weren’t fully ripe, but most of the wheat was ready for immediate harvest.
Lowell smiled as he responded, “Yes, we’ll begin the first harvest shortly. Everything is already prepared.”
“Good, make sure to share plenty with the villagers. We’ve got a lot of work ahead, so they need to be well-fed.”
“We’ll have more than enough to distribute among the villagers. We won’t have to worry about food until next year, and with another harvest in a few months, we should be set for several years.”
Ghislain chuckled at Lowell’s confident reply.
“Don’t worry about stockpiling. Just make sure everyone eats their fill. We’ll need to expand the farmland several times over.”
“Why’s that?” Lowell asked, confused.
“There’s a reason. I’ll explain when we get back to the castle,” Ghislain said, turning to Claude.
“Claude, gather the retainers immediately. We need to discuss the overall situation, identify any shortcomings, and plan the next steps.”
“Understood.”
Although Lowell had been acting as deputy steward, there were bound to be areas that hadn’t been fully addressed. After all, he didn’t yet command the same authority as Ghislain or Claude.
On the way back to the castle, Claude leaned over and whispered to Lowell.
“Hey, bro. Did you set aside what I asked for?”
While Ghislain and Claude were in the capital, Lowell had been responsible for the dealings with the merchant guild. Claude had specifically asked him to negotiate for lower prices and to set aside a little extra gold on the side.
Lowell, however, responded awkwardly, “I couldn’t do that. How could I?”
“Come on! You’ve been a scoundrel your whole life, skimming off the top whenever you could. Why act all righteous now? You suddenly have a moral compass or something?” Claude teased.
“I don’t do those things anymore! That was all under orders from the former lord!” Lowell protested.
“Wow, turns out I’m the real villain here. I had no idea wanting a little pocket money after 20 years of unpaid work was such a crime!”
“...”
Lowell chose to ignore him, knowing that engaging in an argument with Claude would only end in frustration.
Claude sighed dramatically, then spoke calmly, “Alright, fine. But for all your hard work, you do deserve a reward.”
Lowell, who had been holding his ground, perked up at the word “reward.”
“What kind of reward?”
Claude smirked and raised his fist.
“A fatal reward.”
Thwack!
“Ouch! Why did you hit me?!”
As Claude’s fist landed on Lowell’s shoulder, Lowell instinctively adopted a defensive stance—perfectly textbook.
Unfortunately, in doing so, his arm struck Claude’s jaw.
“Ow! Did you just hit me? That’s mutiny!”
“Oh no! I’m sorry! Can I just count that as giving you a reward?”
“Do you think that’s acceptable? Come here, you’re dead!”
The two began swatting at each other, their movements as feeble as paper dolls caught in the wind. Watching from the sidelines, Belinda shook her head in disapproval.
“Honestly, neither of them can fight properly. What a disgrace,” she muttered.
Ghislain, hearing the bickering behind him, couldn’t help but laugh.
There was something comforting about the lively, carefree atmosphere of the estate.
The retainers gathered to report the progress of their duties to the lord, who had returned after a long absence.
Lowell, who had been acting as steward, was the first to speak.
“The wheat is nearly ready, and we’ll begin harvesting soon. With the expected yield, we’ll no longer need to purchase grain from the merchant guilds. In fact, we’ll be reducing those purchases gradually.”
As he finished speaking, a sense of pride was evident on the faces of the retainers. It hadn’t been long ago that the estate struggled to feed even a small portion of its population.
The once-poor estate was now secure in its food supply.
Belinda, however, tilted her head in curiosity.
“So, how much are we talking about?”
“The harvest will be so plentiful that you’d have to combine several northern estates to match what we’ll bring in,” Lowell answered.
“Oh, come on. The other northern estates are all poor. They don’t have much farmland and rely on importing food. Adding them up won’t make much of a difference,” Belinda said, pointing out that most northern estates, apart from Rayfold, lived in tough conditions, relying on mountains, forests, and rivers rather than agriculture.
Lowell nodded in agreement, then offered a more grounded explanation.
“With a bit more expansion, we’ll rival even the great estate of Rayfold. We’re still a little behind in total yield, but our per-acre production is likely the highest in the kingdom.”
“Wow...” Belinda exclaimed, her eyes widening.
The estate of Rayfold, ruled by Amelia’s father, had the largest plains in the north, which allowed them to produce a massive amount of food. That was how they had become one of the great estates.
But the fact that the small Fenris estate could even be compared to Rayfold’s yield was astounding.
While they didn’t yet match Rayfold in total production due to the difference in land size, the efficiency and output per acre were unparalleled.
Belinda finally relaxed, her earlier concerns melting away.
‘My lord has really accomplished something great. How did he even know this would work out?’
Watching Ghislain all this time had been a source of constant anxiety for her. Every project he undertook had succeeded, but none of them had been conventional by any means.
Now, however, with the food supply secured and a steady income from the cosmetics business, there was no longer any reason to worry. The estate was set to thrive.
‘Fenris will continue to grow, and when he inherits Ferdium, he’ll become a great lord. Oh, how proud the lady would be if she could see this! I’ve raised him so well, hohoho,’ Belinda thought happily.
Not only Belinda but the other retainers also began to feel a sense of relief.
Though they were still busy managing the estate, the worst seemed to be behind them. They could finally see a future without major concerns.
But that relief was short-lived, as Ghislain’s next words threw them all off.
“What do you mean, reduce food imports? I told you to keep buying until I say it’s enough.”
Ghislain’s tone was one of incredulity, and Lowell, taken aback, quickly replied, “But, my lord, we already have more than enough! With what we’ve received and what we’re about to harvest, we won’t be short on food for a long time.”
“I don’t care. It’s not enough for me. Keep buying until I say stop.”
“Understood...”
Though perplexed by Ghislain’s adamant order, Lowell nodded reluctantly. It didn’t make sense to hoard so much, but stocking up on food wasn’t a terrible idea either. If it ever became too much, they could deal with it later.
The other retainers shared similar thoughts, exchanging glances with one another.
Ghislain continued with a nonchalant expression, “How’s the construction of new housing going?”
Lowell glanced at Alfoy and the other wizards before responding.
“The timeline has been slightly delayed, but everything should be completed within the next month. The roads and water channels connecting the villages were our top priority, and they’ve been completed.”
“No accidents?”
“No, my lord. The mercenaries have been patrolling in shifts, so there have been no issues with public safety.”
There weren’t many residents in the estate, and none of them wanted to return to the hardships they had previously endured. As a result, they were cautious and kept each other in check. Even those inclined to cause trouble found it difficult.
“Any other problems?”
“Well... the standard of living for the villagers still needs to be improved. We’ve been negotiating with the merchant guilds to purchase essential goods. We’re also working on increasing the number of welfare facilities like hospitals and libraries by bringing in more specialized personnel.”
Providing food and shelter wasn’t enough. They needed to raise the quality of life, offering goods and facilities that would make living in the estate more comfortable.
But Lowell, always optimistic, smiled as he reassured Ghislain.
“With the supplies you brought back, there shouldn’t be any major issues for the time being. These things will just take time.”
After the general report on the estate’s situation, the other retainers eagerly began reporting the progress of their respective responsibilities.
“We’ve used up a few Rune Stones, but maintaining the pastures went smoothly. We’ll soon be able to start breeding horses.”
“The workshops, grain storage facilities, and bakery are almost complete.”
“As you instructed, we’ve built offices in each village to manage public affairs.”
The retainers were excited as they shared their updates.
The estate, once thought to be beyond recovery, was beginning to flourish.
Though they were only now reaching the level of other estates, the retainers were already content with this achievement.
When all the reports were finished, Ghislain simply nodded, as if everything was proceeding as expected.
“Good. It looks like we’ve reached the bare minimum.”
For the others, these developments felt like a miracle, but Ghislain was far from satisfied.
Despite the retainers’ optimistic reports, most of the improvements were limited to the city around the castle and a few nearby villages. The infrastructure they had built was the bare minimum needed for survival.
It was only now that the estate could start resembling a place where people could live comfortably.
‘It’s not enough. Not nearly enough. If things stay like this, we won’t last long.’
In Ghislain’s eyes, Fenris was still a small, poor, and fragile estate. The only advantage it had was the increased agricultural output, thanks to magic.
The others might have been satisfied with the changes compared to the past, but Ghislain knew this was only the beginning. From here on, everyone would need to work together, focused on achieving his vision.
“Good work, everyone. Before I lay out the next phase of our plans, let me share the results of our time in the capital.”
The retainers had already noticed the substantial wealth Ghislain had brought back with him, and now, they eagerly awaited his words, hoping for praise or rewards for their hard work.
“First, Marquis Branford has agreed to become my sponsor. Additionally, my father and I have officially joined the Crown Prince’s faction.”
“Oooh!” The retainers gasped in amazement.
The Marquis of Branford was a powerful and influential noble, widely known even in these distant lands. With such a figure backing them, no one in the north would dare make a move against the Fenris estate.
For the retainers, who had grown increasingly concerned about attacks from neighboring estates as they developed, this news was nothing short of a blessing.
“And that’s not all. The Marquis has also invested 300,000 gold into our cosmetics business. Our products are already a hit in the capital, and soon, we’ll expand throughout the entire kingdom.”
“Oooh!” The retainers’ excitement only grew.
But Ghislain wasn’t done yet.
“Additionally, a large number of people will be relocating to the Fenris estate. They’re being sent here by the Crown Prince’s faction as a form of support.”
“Oooh!”
The retainers were beyond thrilled. In terms of resources, nothing was more valuable to an estate than people. The population was the foundation of both the economy and military power.
One of the retainers, giddy with excitement, asked, “How many people are we talking about?”
“At least 50,000,” Ghislain replied.
“Hahaha, you’re joking, right?” The retainers laughed, thinking Ghislain was making one of his usual jokes. That many people seemed impossible.
But neither Ghislain nor Claude nor Belinda were smiling. In fact, their expressions were completely serious.
Realizing this wasn’t a joke, one retainer broke out in a cold sweat and nervously asked, “My lord... Are you serious? Fifty thousand people? That’s impossible!”
“What’s so impossible?” Ghislain asked, his tone even.
“Our estate can’t handle that many people! We don’t have enough homes, and we certainly don’t have enough food!”
Ghislain nodded as if the retainer’s concerns were completely valid.
“You’re right. So now you know what we need to do.”
The retainers looked at Claude, hoping he would somehow reason with their lord.
With all eyes on him, Claude cleared his throat and stepped forward.
“I know you’re all shocked by this news. I get it. But the decision’s already been made. There’s nothing I can do to stop it now.”
His casual, almost indifferent tone baffled the retainers.
‘Why is the estate’s steward so nonchalant about this?’ they wondered.
But ignoring their confused looks, Claude simply shrugged and continued.
“It’s just the same as what we’ve been doing, really. We’ll just be doing a lot more of it. Building more homes, expanding the farmland... adding more welfare facilities. What else is there? Right?”
Claude turned to Ghislain for confirmation.
“Of course, those are all things we need to do,” Ghislain agreed. “But there’s something else we need to prepare for.”
“What’s that?” Claude asked, genuinely curious.
“War. We need to prepare for war.”
At that, the retainers’ expressions twisted into ones of utter disbelief.
