Chapter 101
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 101
“Come on, just a little more. You’re almost there.”
“Ugh…!”
At the southern edge of the world lies a remote wilderness, a place visited only occasionally by the most daring of adventurers.
Deep within the Coloa Region, the sound of an encouraging voice and a strained groan echoed through the air.
The source of the groan was Meisa, a woman with reddish-brown hair and striking blue eyes. Her simple attire, typical of the Siraf Wetlands, left her limbs exposed, revealing the taut, bulging muscles of her forearms and calves.
After a final, grueling set of squats while hoisting a heavy metal bar, Meisa let out a ragged breath and dropped the weight.
“Haa… haa… I… I can’t do another one.”
“That’s a shame. I really thought you had one more in you.”
Turan, the young man who had been spotting her, clicked his tongue playfully. He watched as Meisa collapsed onto the ground before returning the iron bar to its rack.
Though it looked like a simple, elongated metal rod, it was actually a magic device Meisa had crafted herself. Its function was to increase its weight in proportion to the mana injected into it. To provide enough resistance to train the bodies of high-ranking nobles like them, such a specialized tool was a necessity.
Of course, simply increasing the weight would cause one’s feet to sink into the soft marshland, so Turan provided a assist by using Earth Manipulation Magic to reinforce the ground beneath her.
“I think that’s enough physical training for now. It feels like my muscle growth has plateaued lately.”
“Finally—ack! Gently, please…!”
Meisa let out a sharp yelp as Turan began firmly massaging her trembling calves and thighs.
While reclaiming the wetlands, they had spent their spare time helping each other train. Meisa, whose training had been inconsistent in the past due to time and environmental constraints, had made exceptionally rapid progress under these conditions.
Though her naturally slender frame prevented her from becoming overly bulky, her once-thin physique had developed the distinct, toned contours of a warrior, and her strength and endurance had increased noticeably. Now, her raw physical ability was slightly superior to Turan’s when he wasn't activating a combat-oriented bloodline.
Turan, too, had gained a sturdier physique. Having already undergone an intensive course with Haram, his growth wasn't as dramatic as Meisa's, but he had packed on more muscle, giving him a much more masculine, powerful build.
In contrast, Solif had already pushed his body to its limit within the Baraha family. He usually spent his time assisting the others or attending to logistical tasks, as he was doing now.
Leaving Meisa to recover, Turan hopped onto the embankment and looked south toward the land they had already reclaimed. A vast expanse of dry earth stretched toward the horizon.
We’ve really accomplished a lot…
It had been two and a half months since Turan’s group arrived in the Coloa Region. As they grew more adept at using magic for large-scale reclamation, they had already cleared nearly a third of their target area. Once the project was finished and fields were established, the land would likely produce enough to feed hundreds of thousands of people.
The Librarian had advised that the soil in this region wasn't particularly well-suited for traditional farming. Still, considering there was no plain of this scale in the entire Coloa Region—or even the whole of the Siraf Wetlands ruled by Lavitas—it was a staggering achievement.
In reality, there’s no reason for mages of this caliber to be stuck reclaiming wetlands.
Why would people with the power to found a major noble house spend their time on such menial labor? Unless, of course, they were doing it to enlist the help of the world’s greatest healer.
Naturally, this work wasn't entirely meaningless. Through the reclamation project, they learned how to manipulate large-scale magic and used their downtime to forge their bodies. While one could train while traveling, it was never as effective as staying in one place and pushing their limits like this.
As Turan stood lost in thought, surveying the reclaimed land, he felt a powerful surge of mana from behind him, accompanied by a much weaker presence right next to it.
A moment later, Solif emerged from the wetlands to the north, waving his hand and shouting.
“Hey, Turan! I’m back!”
“I figured it was about time. Everything go okay?”
“Nothing much to report.”
Following beside Solif was the knight Yoz, who looked half-dazed. Solif had gone to check on Yoz, as it was time for the knight to return, and it seemed they had run into each other and traveled back together.
Yoz remained in a state of shock until Solif pulled him up onto the embankment.
“G-Great One. Yoz offers his greetings.”
“Did you return that lizard safely?” Turan asked.
“Yes… but more importantly, I had no idea that person was a noble…”
The reason Yoz was so shaken was that he had discovered Solif—or rather, the man he knew as the knight ‘Phil’—was actually a high-ranking noble. Though he didn't worship nobles as gods like the ignorant locals did, he couldn't find peace knowing he had been ordering around and teaching a master who stood far above him.
In truth, Solif could have continued his charade if he wanted, but to use magic properly in front of Yoz from now on, he needed to reveal his identity.
Once this is reported, Lavitas will probably realize that Phil is Solif.
Turan didn't particularly care. The Heads of Lavitas and Lida likely already had an inkling of their group’s true power. Unless they were fools, they wouldn't antagonize two high-ranking nobles of near-Head level and at least one heir-level noble just to please a distant Great Family they could barely influence. Especially when those individuals were rootless wanderers who could move freely and act without fear of retaliation.
“I told him not to worry about it, but he wouldn't listen,” Solif said, shaking his head. “It’s rare to find a knight this stubborn.”
“I don’t know if I’d call it stubbornness… anyway, that’s fine,” Turan said. “If you’re not too tired from the trip, shall we take a look at the reclaimed land?”
“Understood.”
Perhaps because Turan and Solif acted so casually, Yoz seemed to regain some of his composure. Descending from the embankment, Solif spotted the sweat-drenched Meisa resting and asked with a mischievous grin.
“What did you two do while I was gone?”
“Built some muscle,” Turan replied.
“…That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“Damn it, even when I give you the perfect opportunity. What is wrong with you two?”
Hearing their bickering, Meisa channeled mana into her training tool and hurled it. Solif yelped and nimbly dodged. The heavy magic device tumbled through the air and hit the ground with a loud thud, leaving a visible crack in the earth.
*
Yoz’s first reaction upon seeing the interior of the reclaimed land was pure admiration. He repeatedly brushed his hand against the ground, letting out exclamations of wonder.
“The ground is so firm and dry! I’ve never seen a reclamation site like this in my life.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Normally, newly reclaimed land is so damp and soft that buildings often tilt or collapse, but this feels like the solid earth outside the Siraf Wetlands.”
This was thanks to Turan using his Earthkeeper and Shoal bloodline abilities whenever he had time to pack the soil and drain the water. Naturally, he hadn't made it so dry that life couldn't survive; he had adjusted it to match the consistency of a typical plain.
Did I overdo it?
He had simply followed the ideal wetland reclamation techniques he’d learned from the Librarian, but seeing Yoz’s reaction, it seemed he had performed the task more perfectly than necessary. If he hadn't spent so much time completely draining and packing the soil, the reclaimed area might have been half again as large by now.
Though he felt a slight pang of regret, Turan decided to look at it positively—if people were to live here later, it would be better for them to have high-quality land.
His admiration for the soil was soon replaced by shock as Yoz walked quickly around the area. He realized that the reclaimed territory stretched for an hour’s walk from the northern edge to the southern river boundary, and was fully cleared from east to west.
“No, how on earth…?”
“What? Is it so wide it’s surprising?” Solif asked with a smirk.
Yoz’s jaw hung so low it looked like it might drop off. “I-It’s more than that! When I took this job, I thought it was a project that would take at least several decades…”
Then again, the power they had invested here was something even the armies of high-ranking noble houses would struggle to match.
Ignoring Yoz’s astonishment, Turan looked out over the vast expanse and spoke. “So, do you have any advice?”
“Advice… you say?”
“Since this was attempted by three novices, I thought someone who has participated in various reclamation projects might see things that need fixing.”
Turan had heard from Lida before they left that Yoz had been involved in several swamp and wetland reclamation projects. At Turan’s question, Yoz hesitated for a moment before offering his professional insight.
“First, you need a way for water to drain out.”
“A drainage path?”
“Yes. The rainy season will be here soon. In its current state, water will pool inside. It’s not something the ground can just absorb on its own.”
Hearing Yoz’s advice, Turan’s group looked at each other and exchanged opinions.
“Should we have it flow into the river?”
“It needs to flow to lower ground, so we should aim for the downstream side.”
The reason they hadn't heard this from the Librarian was likely because he didn't know the specific rainfall patterns of this region.
After that, Yoz provided various other useful tips. He suggested that rather than leaving the land barren, it would be better to plant water-hungry trees, and that the ground shouldn't be perfectly flat but slightly sloped to allow water to run toward the drainage channels.
“It will also be necessary to move people here,” Yoz added.
“That many?”
“Sounds like a pain to protect them,” Solif commented.
At Solif’s remark, Yoz shook his head and explained, his demeanor shifting back to the teacher who had instructed ‘Phil’ the knight. It seemed his old habits were still ingrained.
“Because of the heat and humidity, growth is rapid. If left like this, weeds will run rampant, which will attract animals or lead to the emergence of magical beasts that could damage the embankments. Generally, except for a few predators, animals avoid humans. Having a large population living here is the best way to prevent that.”
“And how will they make a living?”
“There are many surface mines here. They can mine them and buy food. After some time, parts of the land can be converted into farmland for self-sufficiency.”
As expected of someone with extensive experience in reclamation, his explanations were fluent and reliable.
“But is it okay to just mine and sell the minerals?” Meisa asked. “Technically, this land belongs to the Lavitas family. We’re just the reclamation team.”
Yoz nodded. “I already spoke to the Family Head about that and brought the documents. It grants the right to manage assets, provided the mining profits are used for the development of the reclaimed land.”
Reading the document he presented, it was exactly as he said. Turan saw this middle-aged knight in a new light. He had wondered why the Head of a Great Family would keep a mere knight as a close confidant, but this level of resourcefulness was truly impressive.
I’d almost want to keep him as a subordinate if I ever settle down somewhere.
Of course, it was unlikely that someone who was already a direct subordinate of the Lavitas Head would want to work for a wandering noble. After discussing it further with his companions, Turan decided to accept Yoz’s proposals.
*
By following Yoz’s advice, the reclamation project entered a new phase.
The first task was to create a road leading from the northern boundary into the reclaimed land. It took exactly one day to create a road roughly one hundred meters wide and sixty kilometers long.
Afterward, Yoz, acting as a knight of Lavitas, personally negotiated with the knights of Coloa and began a massive recruitment drive for settlers.
At first, everyone was hesitant about the idea of setting up a colony in the southern magic realm, the most remote of remote areas. However, once they heard about the abundant surface mines and the promise of vast farmland, people began to gather.
“Can I really get my own farm?”
“The gods who healed the sick personally promised it. Surely they wouldn't lie.”
“If I can deck myself out in gold and jewels, I’ll have no more wishes.”
Furthermore, the reputation Turan’s group had earned by staying in Coloa City and healing the sick helped immensely in recruiting these settlers. As a result, within just a few weeks, thousands of people began flocking to the reclaimed land.
“Alright, from here on is my house!”
“This is my territory!”
“Bullshit—”
“What’s going on here!”
Using the wood Turan’s group had pre-cut from the nearby wetlands, the settlers built houses, distributed farmland within the colony, and mined gold, silver, iron, and copper from the surface mines. This led to all sorts of disputes, as the settlers, coming from various villages around Coloa City, had formed factions based on their origins.
Fortunately, Yoz managed to keep things under control by leading a militia he had brought from Coloa City. Once they were assigned their territories, the settlers began pulling weeds and creating fields in the areas reclaimed over the past few months, while others extracted minerals from the mines. As is often the case with untouched land, they were able to reap massive harvests with little effort, and the people sang songs of happiness.
“Ah, I’m getting hungry…”
“Shall we go to the square? I wonder what’s on the menu today.”
One of the major problems that arises when people gather like this is the food supply. This was an even more critical issue here, as the Coloa Region—and the Siraf Wetlands as a whole—had low food self-sufficiency. Even if they sent large quantities of ore to Coloa City to procure food, there wasn't much food available on the market to begin with. They had sent caravans to the cities further north, but it would clearly take time for them to return with supplies.
However, the settlers didn't have to suffer through a food shortage, because Turan used the same method he had employed back in Kalamaf.
“Here they come!”
“Ooh… there are crocodiles too.”
“It’s a hippo! The hippo meat is ours!”
The settlers weren't afraid as they watched the animals swarming from a distance. They knew these creatures would quietly surrender their lives under the command of a powerful mage.
“Wait inside the embankment,” Turan commanded.
With the Nagin Ruler-Tamer Bloodline activated, Turan could draw out massive numbers of animals hiding in the unreclaimed wetlands by consuming only a small amount of mana. He could even delicately control the types of animals he dominated, excluding things like venomous insects. Though, since the settlers who lived near the wetlands were used to eating frogs and lizards, such precision wasn't strictly necessary.
Regardless, thanks to this, the settlers could joyfully slaughter and cook the prey for their daily sustenance. Before long, the colony featured everything from residential areas to mines, dining halls, and even taverns and gambling dens.
Solif would occasionally take off his mask and sneak into these places pretending to be a commoner, finding his own happiness and relieving the fatigue of being stuck in an isolated place.
“Whoa…”
Even in the growing settlement with its various entertainments, there was one spectacle people enjoyed most: climbing to the top of the northern embankment, which grew wider and longer every day. From there, they could witness the reclamation process firsthand. To the settlers, the magic Turan’s group wielded was nothing short of a divine miracle.
How else could one describe the sight of hundreds of trees burning and swamps evaporating with a single gesture? Whenever a magical beast leaped out from the burning forest, the lightning from Turan and Meisa would strike down with a roar, making the people’s hearts skip a beat.
“Oh, gods…”
Every time that happened, the settlers on the embankment would prostrate themselves and pray. Just as humans in the ancient past had done upon seeing the Frea Divine Clan, faith was being born in the simplest of ways.
*
Three or four months passed as they enjoyed growing the ever-expanding settlement. By the time more than half of the designated area had been reclaimed, Turan reached out his hand toward Bije, who was flying down from the sky.
“Good work, Bije.”
[I’m hungry! Give me something tasty!]
“You didn't like the crocodile meat much, did you? How about some steamed carp?”
[Yes!]
While chatting, Turan pulled a letter from the pouch hanging around Bije’s neck. Meisa, who happened to be nearby, saw this and asked, “Is it from Asiz again?”
“Yeah.”
Even while immersed in the reclamation in the south, Turan didn't forget to periodically send Bije to the Berk family to communicate. Bije, carrying no passengers, could travel between this southern edge of the world and the Dakein Plains near the northern end in about two days, making this possible.
Fortunately, all the replies he had received so far spoke of peaceful days. Sometimes Asiz would send a few new play scripts, which were quite enjoyable to read. Solif had even made a fuss about gathering actors to perform them before eventually giving up. While the settlement had become quite bustling, it wasn't yet at the point where there were people trained as actors or possessing relevant talents.
Turan read through the letter leisurely as usual, but his brow furrowed when he reached a certain passage.
“Hmm…”
“What is it? Did something happen?”
“I’ll tell you both at once. Sol! Come over here!”
“Why? It’s my break time, I was about to go roll some dice.”
Turan gestured for the grumbling Solif to sit down and informed his companions of what he had read.
“It’s not certain yet, but there’s word that Arabion might start a war soon.”
Upon hearing this, the faces of the other two hardened, just like Turan’s.