The Genius Engineer's Legendary Territory Design - Cultivator (3)
Rumble-rumble-rumble…
As a machine optimized for tilling, its speed was pathetically slow.
So he converted the wide cargo bed he had built for truck use into a temporary cart, loaded the cultivator onto it, and hitched the whole thing to the Black Terahole R1.
"Father probably won't lend me the Brutal Force, so I'll just have to go with this."
"Will it be of any use?"
"It'll guzzle mana fuel, sure, but what choice do I have? Gotta deliver what I was paid for."
He had received a full ten thousand gold. He ought to make it worth that much, right? Honestly, with that kind of money he could build ten cultivators and still come out way ahead.
But he couldn't haul that many, so just one for now. And he was pretty busy these days. Once he wrapped up his current projects, he planned to secure a factory site for mass production.
"Will you be all right alone? I could accompany you."
"No. Then who'd watch the lab? You know what a disaster it'd be if something went wrong with the generator, right?"
For the power plant construction he had already stripped the nearby hills bare. Soldiers were stationed in the area, but if a magical beast or monster showed up, even they would be in danger.
"If a magical beast appears, don't fight—just run. Got it? Request help from the family and the knights will come…"
"Worry not. I shall protect the laboratory and the power plant without fail."
Andersen answered with a faint smile.
Robon felt needlessly uneasy. A broken generator would only be a headache—but Andersen was irreplaceable. The thought of him getting hurt or worse was unbearable.
"I am more than capable of defending my own person."
"Well, you were in that Demon Slayer Unit of the Empire, right? So you know how to handle them."
"Indeed."
"All right. I'm counting on you."
After entrusting the place to Andersen, Robon hauled the cultivator down toward the manor. There he ran into Wendy, who was out cruising around in the Black Terahole R1.
"Don't tell me…"
"I'm coming too. Hehe."
"Did Mother give you permission?"
"Yep! I told her I had to protect my big brother and she said okay."
This little pest was clearly planning to skip every training session and study period again, using him as the excuse.
For Robon, though, it was a good deal. No matter how well-trained the family soldiers were, they couldn't compare to knights—and Wendy was said to be strong even among the knights.
"Fine. Let's go."
"Yay!!"
It would also be his first time heading to Lobel, so he was a little tense. If those knight brats started something, having at least one knight of his own around wouldn't hurt, would it?
"I want to drive!"
"No."
"Tch."
They hitched the iron cart to the Black Terahole R1 and loaded the cultivator on top.
Vrooooom!
The Black Terahole R1 strained a little under the weight, but there was nothing for it. Just hang in there a bit longer.
"We're off!"
Besides Wendy, four household knights and a full unit of soldiers tagged along. The family had insisted they couldn't look shabby arriving at Lobel and had assembled a rather flashy procession—which felt heavily burdensome.
It'd be better if it was just Wendy and me going quick…
The extra numbers only slowed them down and made the trip more stifling, but he understood. This was the culture of the world, and the family had its dignity to maintain.
"Oh… is this the pilot district?"
"That's right."
As they descended into Iron Hall and passed through the central plaza, soldiers and builders were bustling about. Streetlamps and transformers were going up along the roads, while selected houses were being fitted with lightbulbs and electric meters inside.
Territory folk had gathered out of curiosity to watch. The rumor that you could freely turn on bright lights even at night had already spread through all of Iron Hall.
But the fact that you had to pay for it weighed heavily on them, so there weren't many volunteers.
"Why wouldn't anyone do this? Are they stupid?"
"You think they're like you? Those people have to take mandatory electricity education, pay half the installation cost themselves, and if they leave the lights blazing and get hit with a massive bill, life gets hard…"
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. That's why we're running the pilot. To show them. That electricity will make their lives better—and that the fees aren't as crushing as they fear."
As they rolled through the streets, residents recognized him and called out greetings.
"Young Master Robon! Thanks to you we don't have to worry about drinking water anymore. We're so grateful!"
"Our son drank the clean water and his illness cleared right up!"
"Because of Young Master Robon, my husband who works in the mine never stops praising you. Really! We're so thankful. Please come visit our shop sometime. We want to treat you properly."
"I'll definitely stop by."
He moved slowly, listening to each of their stories one by one. Engineering was the discipline that changed lives—and for it to advance, you needed to step into those lives yourself.
Even just hearing their stories this way, there were things you could understand secondhand.
"I wish my birthday would hurry up. I want to drive too."
"Just hold on a little longer. When the time comes I'll make you the absolute star of the show."
Like a street racer tearing down a night road lit by streetlamps.
Upon returning to his family, Erdin was summoned by the head the moment he arrived and headed straight for the grand council chamber.
As it happened, the vassals had gathered to discuss the plans for the coming year.
One year had ended; the bitter winter had passed and the spring sun was shining down.
Erdin wondered: did these people even understand the farmers' hardships?
When he opened the door and entered, every gaze in the room fixed on him.
"What is that disgraceful appearance, Erdin?"
"My apologies. I was ordered to attend the moment I arrived."
The vassals' faces hardened. His filthy state made him look less like a noble and more like a serf. From the smell, he clearly hadn't even washed properly; they shot glances that said to get him out quickly.
"Go make yourself presentable and return."
"Yes, my lord."
Erdin went straight back, let the maids help him soak in hot water, washed thoroughly, and re-entered the council chamber looking clean.
"Sit."
"Yes."
Seated around the great round table, each man offered his opinions on how the house should be run this year.
No one asked Erdin for his views. They had never expected anything from him to begin with. He didn't grow impatient. He waited calmly, certain that in a meeting this long he would get at least one chance to speak.
"We must increase the number of knights, expand the training grounds, and improve the supply of armor and weapons. We must be ready for the next time magical beasts run rampant."
Arnold put forward his proposal.
"Support is already sufficient. And you know full well that raising knights is no simple matter."
"That is precisely why we must begin preparing now. Moreover, Lahem has prophesied a great disaster this year. To prepare for it we should seize more of the farmers' crops as reserves."
"That must never be allowed."
Erdin seized the moment and cut in.
"If disaster is expected, we should reduce taxes rather than raise them, lightening the farmers' burden so they can survive the winter."
Arnold's face twisted.
"Foolishness. Only when the lord is wealthy can the people endure. When they suffer, we simply provide relief."
"Brother, do you even know how hard they have it? Do you know what specific difficulties they face? Are you saying that while knowing?"
"Why should I need to know that much? There are people beneath us who manage them."
"Of course—!"
"Enough!"
Alfred silenced them both with a shout.
"What is the meaning of this during a council?"
"That boy is spouting nonsense—"
"Brother's ideas are nothing but empty desk theory—"
"Erdin. The results of the ten thousand gold you took last time have yet to appear. What became of it?"
Erdin's eyes wavered. Seeing it, Arnold smiled in triumph.
"So you simply handed money over to the Blædwin family."
"The promised period has not yet expired, has it?"
"Spring is nearly upon us. Not much time remains. What could possibly change now?"
"Ten thousand gold is an enormous sum even for Lobel. You are not unaware of that, are you, Erdin?"
Arnold piled on the pressure, sensing victory. When the head of the house joined in, Erdin floundered—until a long-bearded administrator stepped in to defend him.
"There is still time remaining. Let us wait a little longer."
"Who can say? News may yet arrive from the Blædwin family."
"Indeed. Robon Blædwin may well bring some new invention."
Following the administrator, even one of the elders—the former finance officer—spoke up.
Erdin's eyes went wide.
"Very well. The promised time has not yet run out."
Alfred regarded Erdin with a glint in his eye and brought the meeting to a close.
Afterward, Erdin and Arnold met outside.
Arnold lifted one corner of his mouth and prodded him.
"You idiot. Do you really think you can produce something worth more than ten thousand gold?"
"I can."
"Just stay cowering like always. One bit of help from the Blædwins and you've gotten yourself thoroughly inflated."
Arnold made no effort to hide his fury. Erdin felt anger surge for a moment as well, but forced it down.
"Better to achieve real results with the Blædwins' help than to flail around accomplishing nothing like you, Brother. Don't you think?"
"We'll see how long that mouth of yours keeps running."
As the cold faded, the heat inside the family only grew fiercer.
At the center of it stood the confrontation between Arnold and Erdin. The direct younger brothers of Lobel, uncertain which side to take after Erdin's sudden change in attitude, were still deliberating when disaster struck.
Without warning, an unknown plague left every ox needed for plowing languishing and sick.
The farmers who had spent the entire winter nursing those oxen began to wail in despair.
"What are we to do? Everyone, propose countermeasures."
An emergency council was convened in Lobel.
"Should we not first identify the cause of the plague?"
"What good would that do even if we found it? What about this year's farming?"
"We'll have to throw more manpower at it."
"What about reducing taxes?"
Various opinions flew. Erdin listened to them all, then spoke of the things he had heard while living among the farmers.
"The oxen's role is to plow the fields. Even if we pour in more labor, covering that much land will not be easy. It would be better to focus on crops that do not need deep plowing—barley, oats, beans—and leave half the fields fallow so the soil can recover."
Unlike the others, his measures came out smooth and confident. The senior retainers looked at him in surprise.
"Not bad. When did you learn so much about farming?"
"Before returning to the family I spent several weeks living with the farmers. I wanted to understand their lives. I heard a great many things while I was there."
Soft murmurs of admiration rose here and there. Vassals regarded him as if he were someone unexpected. Erdin felt dazed by the looks and reactions he was receiving for the first time in his life.
"I never imagined you harbored such deep thoughts, Erdin."
At the head's praise, Erdin's face brightened—
"The date you promised is nearly here! Erdin. Are you prepared?"
Arnold stepped in as if determined to shatter the mood.
Erdin clenched his teeth.
"That is—"
At that exact moment, as though waiting for the cue, a commotion erupted outside.
"What is it?"
When the head asked the steward, the man checked the situation and reported,
"Someone has arrived from the Blædwin family."
Erdin cheered silently.
Yes! He came after all!
At the same time Arnold's face crumpled like paper.
"Erdin, did you summon them?"
"Yes. To show the results of the wager we made."
"Bring Robon Blædwin in."
"Understood."
A short while later, Robon and Wendy entered the grand council chamber.
Wendy looked around the luxurious Lobel chamber with soft exclamations of "Whoa…", while Robon stood before them with a somewhat flustered expression.
Robon's eyes met Erdin's.
What the hell is this all of a sudden?
I'm counting on you. I can count on you, right? Right?
Robon roughly grasped the grave atmosphere and finished reading the room.
"It seems you're all gathered because of a problem that's arisen in the territory. I've brought a way to solve it."
"At Erdin's request, is that so?"
"Yes. Erdin himself asked me to build a machine for the farmers."
Erdin panicked. That had never happened.
"Y-yes. That's right."
But he agreed on the spot.
"Curious? Follow me. I'll show you a whole new world."