Chapter 49
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: How to Make Land (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It hurts.
Not from getting punched.
Not from being tripped by a kick.
Not from being beaten with a club.
Yet it stung fiercely, numbingly, painfully.
That was Viscount Rionero Racona's sensation.
It couldn't be helped.
Right now, in this place gathered with over a hundred eyes and ears, he had been utterly exposed to a barrage of facts without any defense.
"Alright, then. Let us summarize. You are claiming that the southern half of the Marez Wetland is inherently part of your viscountcy, correct?"
"Of course."
"And thus, the southern half of the newly reclaimed Marez Reclaimed Land should become your possession, right?"
"That goes without saying."
"But there is a critical flaw in that claim."
"A flaw?"
"Yes. The fact that the Marez Wetland has been abandoned land for a long time."
"How does that make it a flaw?"
"Because it contradicts the Kingdom Land Law upheld by Her Majesty the Queen."
"......What?"
The viscount faltered.
Lloyd smirked.
"Kingdom Land Law No. 321. The Special Act on the Reclamation of Wasteland provides the basis."
"Land Law? No. 321?"
"Yes. It's the law that clarifies land ownership when abandoned wasteland is reclaimed. Shall we go through it step by step now?"
"What is this......"
"Article 1. Purpose. This law aims to promote the reclamation of long-abandoned wasteland and establish ownership of the reclaimed land."
"Listen to me?"
"Article 2. Definitions. Under this law, wasteland refers to land abandoned for over 100 years, where no one has resided regularly for at least one year, and no cultivation has taken place."
"Wait, let me speak first......"
"Article 3. Qualifications. Land that meets all of the following requirements shall be considered developed land. First, land developed with clear purpose, capital, and manpower. Second, land suitable for constructing buildings for stable human habitation. Third, land capable of sustained agricultural activity over the long term. Fourth, land from which crops designated by ordinance have been harvested at least once."
"Hey, hear me out first......"
The viscount hurriedly sputtered.
But such protests were swiftly buried under Lloyd's fluent recitation.
"Article 4. Ownership. If the developed land meets all requirements of Article 3, it is recognized as the property of the developer and can be registered in the kingdom's land registry upon procedure."
"......"
"Article 5. Kingdom Regulations. Matters necessary for the enforcement of this law shall be prescribed by kingdom regulations. That's it. If you want to hear it again, it's track one. No operator to guide you, so shut up and admit defeat."
"......"
Lloyd smirked.
The viscount was at a loss for words.
'What kind of guy is this?'
He stared at Lloyd with utter disbelief.
The eldest son of Baron Frontera.
The hopeless wastrel of the barony.
He had vaguely heard the rumors.
A guy who drowned in booze every day and caused all sorts of mischief.
Then suddenly, he'd gotten his act together, or so the talk went.
So he had underestimated him inwardly.
Even when this rumored wastrel blocked his path.
Even when he began countering his claims.
He figured a green kid like him couldn't mount much of a rebuttal.
He thought he'd shut this annoying brat up quick and go meet the baron.
But now, it was clear he was wrong.
'This guy's no pushover.'
No, far from it.
Rush in thinking he's easy prey because he's young?
He'd likely walk away without a single coin.
The viscount swallowed dryly.
'Was there such a law in the Kingdom Land Law? First time hearing it. But with that confident attitude, it doesn't seem like a complete fabrication. Could he have anticipated I'd come out like this?'
And prepared that law in advance?
A chill ran down his spine.
He suddenly felt goosebumps on his arms.
If true, this wasn't just someone not to underestimate—this was a terrifyingly thorough guy.
'Where did this monster come from?'
The viscount gathered his thoughts.
He couldn't back down like this.
The Marez Wetland was vast.
The southern zone, half its area.
A chance to swallow it for free, without spending a dime on development.
The viscount racked his brains desperately.
'Think. Find a hole in that green kid's words. A rebuttal that leaves him speechless...... Ah, that's it.'
A flash.
An idea suddenly struck.
The viscount's expression brightened.
He looked down at Lloyd with newfound confidence.
"The Kingdom Land Law, eh. Quite an interesting tale."
"Isn't it? The law is always fair, after all."
"Indeed. It must give even someone like me a fair shot. Just like now."
"What are you trying to say?"
"What else? This: You've developed this Marez Wetland, but you haven't met an important requirement yet."
"What important requirement?"
"Cultivation, lad. Cultivation. Heh heh heh!"
The viscount chuckled smugly.
The laugh of a beast spotting its prey's weakness.
"You just recited the Kingdom Land Law, saying wasteland needs to meet various conditions to be recognized as developed. One was harvesting crops at least once, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Puhaha! Proving you're just a greenhorn. Have you harvested any crops?"
The viscount beamed triumphantly.
The smile of one certain of victory.
'I win, you brat!'
Satisfaction swelled.
This young punk had tried a refined counter with the law.
And he'd turned the law's gap right back on him, leaving him speechless.
Or so he thought.
Until Lloyd let out a smirk—definitely, that was the case until then.
"This is fun. Crops, huh."
No hint of panic, just genuine amusement in his laugh.
Or perhaps the smile of one enjoying a foe's desperate flailing.
Lloyd grinned and spoke.
"I was just about to show you something perfect for this. Excuse me, could you move the horse you're on a bit to the side?"
"......What?"
"Two steps will do."
"What are you...... Huh? Wh-what?"
"There we go. Whoa, whoa."
While the viscount panicked, Lloyd reached out.
He patted the white horse's head.
Naturally took the reins and led it aside.
The white horse neighed softly and stepped two paces sideways.
It happened so smoothly, without giving the viscount time to stop it.
"What do you think you're doing!"
"Yes, yes, one moment."
The viscount protested, but to no avail.
Lloyd bent at the waist with a perfunctory reply.
Reached for the ground.
Hummed a little tune as he spoke.
"Whew. Good thing it's safe. I've been worried sick since you parked your horse right here. Afraid you might step on it."
"What?"
"See this?"
Crouching, Lloyd pointed at the ground.
The viscount's suspicious gaze followed Lloyd's finger.
And soon spotted it.
"A weed?"
"Wrong. Onion."
Lloyd grasped a clump of long green leaves protruding from the soil.
Carefully dug around it and pulled.
Pop.
A plump, reddish-brown bulb emerged nicely.
A delighted smile bloomed on Lloyd's face.
"Whoa, lucky you. Congratulations. You've witnessed live the historic first harvest from the Marez Reclaimed Land. No charge for the show—I'm not stingy. Anyway, this one's got a nice bulb. Heh heh heh."
"......"
The viscount's face went blank.
Lloyd brushed the dirt off the onion and offered it to him.
"There. Now the legal requirement for harvesting crops is perfectly met. What do you think? You came a long way—take it as a souvenir. Can't send a guest away empty-handed; it'd be rude."
"......"
The viscount didn't take the onion. No, he couldn't.
He just stared down at Lloyd in stunned disbelief.
The viscount's knights were equally dumbfounded.
No room even for anger.
Lloyd smirked.
He tied the onion to the viscount's saddle.
Like hammering nails into a closing coffin lid, he said crisply.
"Then take care on your way back. Haviel?"
His cheerful voice called to Haviel.
"A valued guest. Escort him properly on the way out."
"Yes. As you command."
Haviel stepped forward promptly.
The silver-haired knight had already grasped the situation thoroughly.
He knew better than anyone the preparations Lloyd had made for this moment.
After all, he was the one(?) who grew the onion.
'Phew. Onion farming was trickier than I thought.'
Haviel let out a light sigh.
It was during the height of the chain drainage works, probably.
The morning after drilling holes across the designated area.
Around when he thought his role in this project was done.
Lloyd had called him over.
And issued this command out of the blue.
'Grow some onions starting today.'
At first, he thought it was slang.
Maybe some special meaning he hadn't caught.
But no.
It was literally to grow onions.
Only after receiving the hoe and fertilizer Lloyd provided so meticulously did it sink in.
Naturally, he felt resistant.
He'd participated in the works so far for the territory's development.
But growing onions?
'I'm curious why you're assigning me such a task.'
This wasn't a knight's duty.
It was a farmer's.
Why make him do it?
At least he wanted to know the reason properly.
So he asked.
Lloyd smirked.
Answered nonchalantly, as if it were nothing.
But the content was far from trivial.
'The onions you'll grow from now on will protect this Marez Reclaimed Land.'
'......'
A meaningful statement.
One he couldn't just brush off.
Having heard that, he couldn't refuse the order.
There must be some intent.
A hidden purpose.
Thinking that, he obediently took the hoe and fertilizer. Planted the onions here.
Of course, it wasn't easy.
His first time farming.
'Who knew growing something from the soil took so much work.'
He was an orphan.
Lost his parents in the war at five.
If not for Baron Frontera's timely hand?
He'd have starved on the streets.
To repay that grace, he'd devoted himself to swordsmanship.
Efforts to keep his vow to become a sword guarding his liege.
Thus, he'd never gained experience in farming.
Onion-growing was the same.
'I got a lot of help from the farmers.'
Heard countless pieces of advice.
Quite a bit of nagging too.
Thanks to that, he successfully grew the onions.
And today, that one onion truly protected the Marez Reclaimed Land from the viscount.
'Did Lord Lloyd foresee this entire situation?'
Nothing else explained it.
The more he thought, the more impressed he was.
But now wasn't the time for admiration alone.
He had to play his part in Lloyd's meticulous yet brazen response.
"I am Haviel Asrahan, knight in service to Baron Frontera. I will escort you from here on your way back."
He stepped forward swiftly.
While the viscount floundered.
Bowed adeptly.
Before any rebuttal could form, he smoothly led the viscount's party.
"This way, please."
"Th-that......"
The viscount, finally realizing the full situation, trembled with rage.
But it was already too late.
Countless eyes and ears from the barony's Engineering Corps and beyond were fixed on him.
In that setting, he'd been completely outmaneuvered logically by that kid.
If he refused to withdraw now?
If he rejected the logic and lashed out in anger?
It would only shred his own dignity.
Tarnish his honor himself.
'I got properly done in.'
The viscount smacked his bitter lips.
Glared at Lloyd once more, then turned his horse's head.
Grinding his teeth nonstop as he retreated under Haviel's escort.
In the spot the viscount left, Lloyd wore a satisfied expression, and the Engineering Corps soldiers buzzed with pleasant murmurs as they watched him.
"Did you see that just now? Hear it?"
"Of course. Viscount Rionero Racona's face—oof."
"Fit to burst, didn't know what to do. Heh heh heh."
"Serves him right."
"Yeah. After we turned this muddy mess into something."
"Whew. Right? Land we made shoveling all day, and he tries to spoon it up for free."
"Total lack of conscience. And Lord Lloyd properly shut him down."
"Ah, so refreshing. Felt like a weight lifted watching."
The Engineering Corps members chuckled happily.
This land had been a total swampy mess.
Useless abandoned ground.
But who changed it?
They did.
With the shovels in their hands.
Countless sweats shed shoveling all day.
Earned through labor under the blazing sun.
No way they'd look kindly on the viscount demanding half for free.
Listening to Lloyd's debate with him, they'd cheered Lloyd on inwardly.
Naturally, Lloyd's victory felt like their own.
'Our young master is the best!'
Every soldier on site clenched their fists in unison.
Proud.
Elated.
Of course, the object of their pride and joy, Lloyd, scowled at everyone.
"What are you all staring at? See some new spectacle?"
Snap!
At the reprimand, the Engineering Corps moved in perfect unison. As if they'd never watched the debate, they resumed shoveling at light speed.
Having completed countless projects with Lloyd already, they knew his personality well.
'Heh heh, bonus time soon!'
Talks tough like that, but actually cherishes the Engineering Corps—our Young Master Lloyd.
Nags about working, but strictly ensures rest breaks.
And unfailingly hands out generous bonuses after big projects.
Thinking of the bonus soon to come, the Corps' shoveling turned gleeful.
In the rural corner of the eastern kingdom, Frontera Barony.
The largest-scale project in the territory's history neared completion.
Of course, people didn't know yet.
That this wasn't the end.
It was merely the start of an even grander development plan.
Thus, Lloyd didn't stop.
If until now was the time of reclamation,
From now on would be the time of pioneering.
Before wrapping up the reclamation with sluice gate construction, Lloyd proposed one plan to the baron.
The baron nodded readily upon hearing it.
The next day, the barony announced what was dubbed the 'Marez Reclaimed Land Migration Incentive.'
Thanks to that, the southern neighbor, Viscount Rionero Racona, who heard the details of the incentive, ended up hurling the onion he'd been fiddling with full swing at the wall of his office.