[The Other Name for Construction Experience (1)]
A large map of the North was spread across the massive table in the center of the office.
It was crude and didn't quite meet Aiden's standards, but it contained enough necessary information.
"I really need to find a day to overhaul this map."
"Still, thanks to your progress on the census and the accompanying terrain survey, it’s at least this complete, so you should be proud, sir."
"Let's start the meeting."
Jamie brought over a long pointer and tapped on several villages.
"These villages are already connected to the Lord's Castle. There are very few paved sections, but unless there’s a heavy downpour, it’s not difficult for carts or carriages to pass through. The movement of goods and people is already quite frequent."
"Hmm. So, Jamie, is your opinion that we should prioritize connecting new roads, excluding the villages that are already linked?"
"Yes. The northern villages are interacting with each other now, but the distances between them are so vast, aren't they? If we pave even a few roads, it will significantly reduce travel time, which I believe will be advantageous for balanced development."
"Hmm."
Aiden nodded, finding it quite logical, and fell into thought.
Seeing this, Kalisa quickly interjected.
"Balanced development is certainly good. But isn't the reason you're suggesting new roads now because you have in mind the operation of high-end carriages and faster, higher-volume logistics?"
"That's right."
As Aiden readily agreed, Kalisa placed a few markers on the map.
"If that's the case, the priority should be expanding and paving the existing roads centered around the Lord's Castle. No matter what anyone says, the heart of the North is near the Lord's Castle. Most of the goods and manpower are concentrated here. As Adjutant Jamie mentioned earlier, the movement of goods and people near the castle is increasing significantly; it's already reaching the point of congestion whenever a market opens. At this rate, the roads will be paralyzed within a year or two."
"So you're saying we should preemptively expand them before that happens?"
"Yes. That is the priority."
"But the roads are already blocked?"
"The use of carts and carriages has surged, centered around the trading posts and markets."
"And in contrast, the roads are still only wide enough for two carts to pass side-by-side."
"If we start now, we can finish before the rainy season arrives."
"Roland, what do you think?"
Finally, he gave the floor to Roland, who had been deep in thought with his arms crossed.
Roland tilted his head and asked in return.
"Do we absolutely have to choose one or the other?"
"Hmm?"
"Both seem plausible. As Kalisa said, expanding the roads near the Lord's Castle is an urgent issue."
"That's true."
"But it’s also difficult to ignore Jamie's opinion. It’s not necessarily true that villages far from the Lord's Castle have low economic power, so to properly absorb the economic potential of those areas, we really do need to open up the roads..."
"In the end, the problem is money."
Aiden shrugged.
If he could use money cheats like in a tycoon game, why would he need to prioritize and choose?
'I feel like I've earned quite a bit of money, but it's always lacking...'
He let out a sigh, but what could he do? Money problems are the fate of a poor territory.
That's how life is.
A household that lived in abundance without envy can purely rejoice when they suddenly get money and buy what they want, but—
'When a household that lived in poverty gets extra money, they eventually have no choice but to use it to replace the household goods they've been putting off.'
Since there wasn't much in the North to begin with, it was a natural sequence to invest endlessly like this whenever money came in.
Still, he should be grateful that he was earning money and could change something, so what could he do?
"But, Administrative Officer, um, does it really cost that much money?"
"······?"
Aiden looked at Roland with an absurd expression.
What is this guy saying right now?
Of course civil engineering costs a lot of money; did he think it wouldn't?
'Was the talk about him studying well at the Capital Academy all a lie?'
At Aiden's narrowing gaze, which seemed to doubt his background, Roland quickly waved his hands in a panic.
"No, no. That's not it. It is true that it costs a lot in a general situation."
"If you know that, why are you asking?"
"Road construction isn't a typical construction project, is it?"
"...Huh?"
"Usually, in other territories, when they build roads, they mobilize soldiers and conscript the territory's residents for forced labor, so there are no labor costs... Is there perhaps a northern tradition I'm unaware of?"
Roland opened his eyes wide, looking as if to say, 'Oh my, I still know so little about the North.'
Aiden couldn't bring himself to say, "Do you think I know what you don't?" to his face.
"For now, please call Sir Biyan."
Still, if he could lower labor costs, he should try. It was an immutable truth that for any construction project, saving on labor costs alone would significantly reduce the budget.
***
"Of course. If it's road work, we should naturally pull manpower from our barracks, my Lord!"
Biyan, who had visited the office for the first time in a while, pounded his chest, telling him to just give the order.
"Are you sure there won't be any backlash from the soldiers?"
"Before you arrived, my Lord, we chopped our own firewood and farmed while training. Thanks to your grace, we can now focus solely on training without worrying about supplies, so how could there possibly be anyone who would dare oppose the great cause of the territory?"
"Ha... haha. I see."
He couldn't get used to hearing that the soldiers went to the mountains to chop wood and plow fields themselves. Regardless, the important thing was that he could utilize the soldiers.
"If we deploy not only the soldiers but also the prisoners from the jail to the site, we won't need to mobilize as many territory residents as you might think."
"Ah, the prisoners!"
He had forgotten. His free labor force!
Perhaps because he had subconsciously thought of the prisoners' significance as free entertainment rather than free labor since the start of the 'hanging' tradition in the North, he had completely forgotten.
Aiden clenched his fist and tapped the table once, and Jamie quickly rummaged through some documents and reported.
"This is roughly the current number of prisoners. Because many of the drifters cause trouble, the number of prisoners has increased compared to last year. If we bring back some of the violent criminals sent to the mines and put them into road construction— let's see—."
"Assuming we run two shifts, roughly seventy people per group."
"Yes, you are correct."
Roland also quickly added.
"If there are about seventy people per group, it wouldn't be a stretch to build roads in two places simultaneously. One team for expanding the roads near the Lord's Castle, and another team for constructing the roads connecting the outer villages."
"Hmm, hmm."
As Aiden nodded in satisfaction, Felix, who had been standing quietly behind him, also chimed in.
"Um, I've devised a few things I thought might be useful for the hot spring area construction, and I think they would be quite helpful for road construction as well."
He shyly pulled out a few sheets of paper with sketches, which looked like siege weapons to Aiden, who was a complete layman in such matters. Still, since he had already proven himself, Aiden gave the okay sign to try anything, and Felix smiled so wide his mouth seemed to stretch, looking happy. His name meant happiness, and seeing his life start to follow his name, Aiden found himself smiling along for no reason.
"Now, now. Then, organize everything needed—the rough plan, budget, construction schedule, and expected order quantities—and bring them to me."
"When should we have it ready by?"
"It would be best to start before the rainy season comes. Let's see, hmm—."
Gulp.
The three adjutants tensed up simultaneously. Biyan, feeling the tension of the adjutants that he could feel on his skin, straightened his back without even knowing the reason.
"I'd like it to be on my desk when I come to work tomorrow, wouldn't I?"
"······."
"······?"
The adjutants accepted it, and Biyan was flabbergasted. He thought that even building a single stable would require more preparation time than that.
Nevertheless, the adjutants sighed once as if they had expected this, shoulders drooping, and pulled the cord to call the maid.
"Yes, is there something you need?"
The adjutants vied to request what they needed from the maid who had entered as if she had been waiting.
"Something sweet, something that won't get sticky when you pick it up with your hands! Oh, and could you bring a blanket?"
"Please bring me some tea with plenty of peppermint leaves to wake me up completely. Oh, and since I'll be drinking it all day, make it plenty from the start."
"...Five sandwiches. The usual..."
The three adjutants sensed that going home today was out of the question. They habitually requested their respective overnight work supplies.
"Is there anything you need, Administrative Officer?"
"No."
Of course, Aiden had an expression that suggested he couldn't understand why they were making such a fuss preparing supplies to do something so grand.
***
"Shouldn't you be there for the first shovel?"
"Of course. I should go."
Thanks to the three adjutants being properly ground down, the construction schedule was set without exceeding just three days. Jamie, whose dark circles had descended to his cheekbones, was trying to write a report to reschedule Aiden's inspection, guzzling honey water and sandwiches as if they were the elixir of life.
"Forget it. We're busy enough just starting construction; holding a separate event just because someone came down from above will only inconvenience the people on-site."
"Still, we have to draw a commemorative painting."
"That's true, but... don't make it too cumbersome. Since I have to go far, it will be a burden."
"Far?"
"Yes."
"Ah, are you thinking of watching the first shovel for the outer roads, not the road near the Lord's Castle?"
As Aiden nodded, Jamie's face lit up.
"If it becomes known that the Administrative Officer is personally taking care of the outer roads, the residents will be very happy."
"I hope so."
In fact, politicians with gold badges making a fuss to show their faces at local events isn't just about begging for votes from residents or taking a single news photo. It's true that the subordinates who have to handle the protocol are dying, but it's even less about tormenting them. In the end, the essence is this: showing that I care this much about this event and project. Sometimes, just the pretense that a person in power is interested can bring direct benefits to some people.
Leaving Felix behind because he had to make the construction equipment to be used, they decided to move with just Jamie and Aiden for the first time in a while. The barracks had panicked and replied that they would attach soldiers, but at Aiden's words to put that surplus manpower into the construction site if they had any, they had no choice but to give up, biting the bullet.
"Whew. It's a forced march, alright."
"Still, since I'm moving with you, Administrative Officer, the speed is fast, isn't it? Hehe."
"Certainly."
Since it was a relationship where they didn't need to save face, they skipped washing, sleeping, and eating, and rode their horses for a long time. Having arrived even while braving sleeping outdoors, their appearances were disheveled, but they were able to arrive at the outer road construction site using exactly half the expected time.
Clang, clang-!
Kiyaaaaaaaak-!
- Fire, now!
Piiiiiiing-!
Kuweeeeeek!
However, the scene unfolding before Aiden's eyes seemed a bit far from road construction.