Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Becoming a Lord (3)
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After instructing the village heads on a revolutionary farming method that would turn the world upside down, a year had already passed since I began managing and governing this territory.
Many changes had occurred during that time.
The serfs initially rebelled en masse against the order to plant turnips on land where wheat had been grown and beans where barley had been sown.
At least, since I had promised the village heads that if this method failed, I would personally cover all the losses, they barely went along with it.
Additionally, before starting with the beans and turnips, I ordered them to scrape up the soil accumulated on the forest floor, spread it over the fields, and plow it in.
This way, they could achieve effects comparable to fertilizer without having to make it separately.
However, until the bean plants and turnip leaves visibly sprouted and shot up vigorously in people's eyes, they refused to believe it—no matter that it came from their lord who had returned their seized property.
In fact, they grew extremely resentful because I had extended their usual eight-hour workday to twelve hours.
It got so bad that as I passed by, I even overheard things like this:
"At this rate, maybe I should just start a rebellion! Not only are they making us work half again as long on the farm, but planting beans and turnips on perfectly good resting fields is just ruining them! Wouldn't it be better to chop off the young master's head and turn into slash-and-burn hill folk?"
The guy who said that apparently got flogged by the village head for excessively insulting the merciful Lord Siel—who had returned their seized goods and grain—without me even lifting a finger.
When I heard that, I was honestly shocked. Even after I promised that if it succeeded it'd be a windfall and if it failed I'd make them whole, they still harbored such resentment.
But a few months later, when it came time to harvest the beans and turnips, my nickname shifted from "that lunatic lord doing weird shit" to "the great lord who keeps us fed."
Though turnips and beans weren't as tasty as wheat, rye, or barley, the harvest at least got them through the barley shortage they had feared.
So, to secure maximum support from the territory's people, I proclaimed that I wouldn't levy taxes on beans and turnips just for this year.
As a side note, Ella—who had grown close with the villagers by then—was thrilled when I issued that order.
Soon after, they harvested the barley, and a few months later, the wheat.
As a result of rotating these crops, we obtained roughly seven times the food yield.
Seventy percent of it was turnips, but they were genuinely overjoyed to have their bellies full of turnips at least.
Some kids even came running up as I passed by, grabbed my hand, and said:
"Lord, you're amazing! Mom said thanks to you, we can eat three meals a day this year, and she was so happy!"
"She told us to thank you every single time we eat!"
"I want to become a great person like you someday!"
Of course, their parents came rushing over in horror at their kids approaching me so casually, trying to force them to kneel and apologize...
But I just stopped them and gently stroked the children's heads.
Being kind to kids like this, rather than shooing them away, would help with future governance.
Or rather, it just felt good to see people who had been starving half a year ago now thanking me profusely for letting them eat their fill, all thanks to modern knowledge I'd brought.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Master, Master~!! Time to get up."
Ella shook my body.
Normally, I'd open my eyes right away and ask, "Sleep well?" before getting up.
But today, I felt like teasing her a bit.
"No, five more minutes... just five more minutes..."
"Master..."
"No... really, just five more."
At that, Ella tugged at my blanket with a pouty expression and said:
"No can do, Master. You need to get up and have some bread. I've baked bread and made soup, so let's eat together. Baldt's waiting too."
"Alright."
I got up with a show of reluctance, changed clothes, and headed to the dining room.
As always, Baldt was there in the dining room with his blank expression, waiting for his meal.
"Ella, bread. No, meat too..."
"Yes, Baldt. Chicken alright?"
Hearing that, Baldt put on a sulky face and grumbled:
"Come on, I'm a nobleman at least, and the young master's the baron's heir—do we really have to skimp like this?"
"It's the young master's orders."
To an outsider, it might look like family members whining about not getting tastier side dishes.
When I first arrived here and told Baldt to eat with Ella too, she was terribly uncomfortable around him.
He might look like that, but as a knight, she was wary even if he just coughed while eating.
But after sharing meals for a month or two, they got friendly like this.
As I sat down to eat, Baldt looked at me with a serious expression.
I was already a bit annoyed about his side-dish griping while trying to eat, so I said in a slightly displeased tone:
"Let's just eat. It's a rare day off—no work—so let's relax."
Baldt replied in a disappointed voice:
"Yes, young master. But when do we get pork or beef...?"
"Not this year. Absolutely not. All the taxes from the serfs went to buying horses, cows, pigs, and carts."
"Isn't that stuff supposed to be the serfs' burden? They wouldn't even object if you ordered it, young master."
As he said, ever since I insanely boosted yields (sevenfold, no less) and ensured no serfs starved to death, they believed and followed my every word.
If I suddenly went mad and said, "The sun's rising in the west today, so let's go watch the sunrise over the western mountains," the village serfs looked ready to follow.
So no one would oppose me ordering a ton of livestock without consulting them.
Livestock would cost upfront, but feeding them turnip and bean stalks would raise them fine, and selling them later would turn a profit.
But to follow my plan, I had to front all the costs and buy the livestock first.
Because I needed draft animals to use the farm tools I was creating.
"So when are the livestock arriving? Baldt."
"I heard this afternoon. The village serfs have probably already built barns and stables for the new ones."
"Good. Things are going to plan."
Baldt sighed and said:
"Even so, what is all this? Young master. I might not mind, but you eating chicken every day? Baron Kroitel would sigh if he knew."
"Don't worry, don't worry. I'll smooth it over with Father."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Young master, the herald just came by and delivered a letter from Baron Excellency for you."
I took the letter from Baldt and opened it.
[I'm glad you're doing well in Windheim territory. Thanks to you, the retainers who worried when you skipped the academy are now relieved and praising my foresight.] [I also heard you invented a four-field rotation method that farms without fallow land. I'd like you to come at once and teach this new technique to the other retainers and nobles?] Once I finished reading, Baldt and Ella asked:
"Master, what does it say?"
"Young master, what's the content...?"
"Oh, Father wants me to share the farming method I'm using in Windheim. Eliminating starving serfs and boosting crop yields will prosper the territory, so he wants me to teach it right away."
I said it casually, but sharing this farming method with nobles outside our retainers could be a huge problem.
First off, compared to the massive yield gains, it takes little extra effort to implement.
Just add the labor of applying fertilizer, expand the cultivated area accordingly, and follow my instructions precisely.
But the results are tremendous.
By rotating wheat and beans—resting the soil by farming instead of fallow, doubling labor input—you reap over seven times the harvest.
That's why historians call this the "foundation of the Industrial Revolution" and say it was "the sole reason Britain went from food importer to exporter."
So if this spreads, food production across adopting territories would skyrocket.
The problem is, if productivity surges region-wide—including ours—wars would erupt over high-output lands, and Kroitel Barony could crumble overnight.
Meanwhile, our liege—the scumbag count—would demand massive tribute and a token garrison if he learned of our state...
Baldt spoke up as I fretted:
"Uh, young master? Something troubling you?"
I waved it off.
"Nah, no worries. Just that the livestock are coming soon, and I need to teach everyone how to harness and use them with the tools... Worried leaving for a bit might cause issues."
"I see."
"Yeah. Those tools are all my designs, after all. Only I know how to use them or what for."
Baldt dropped his suspicion and replied:
"True, who else would know how to work those bizarre things? Or that weird farming method. Even now, village heads come to you with questions they don't get."
"Exactly."
"So write it all down before you go, young master—everything on how to do it. Some village serfs can read, so detailed instructions and they'll manage."
Write it down? Spread it in writing?
Suddenly, an idea flashed in my mind.
If I ran with this, I could achieve all my goals.
Baldt, impatient at my silence, slammed the table.
"Young master! So instruct the village heads clearly on tool use and livestock distribution. We'll handle all the horses and cows, but you're gifting the pigs, right?"
"Right, Baldt. You're spot on. By the way, can you handle any administrative work?"
Baldt straightened up sternly.
"A valiant knight needs only to ride and read."
"Just write up usage and purposes, hand it to the village heads. They won't slack if I'm not checking daily."
And with that, I set off to answer the summons at the baron's castle.