Chapter 5: Agriculture and Livestock
Cultivating or tilling the land.
Easy to say, but that work dreadfully required much effort.
First we had to cut the trees, then clear out the gra.s.s, and then dig up the hard soil and mix it with a large amount of roots that was left.
This way, the birth of the field would be established.
But the field was not the only thing necessary for the plants. Water would be also important.
In other words, I must draw water from the river somewhere.
Oh well, I would be using a land that would be near a river because I don’t want to do something so troublesome.
This was just an amateur way of thinking, but won’t we be able to do something like that in one year?
I mean I would be distraught if I can’t make them do it.
There was hunting, but I estimate it would be hard and difficult to feed 30 people with just hunting.
Conversely, agriculture alone would also be difficult.
There would be a need to do both.
But let’s get to the main aim first of where to till a land.
I don’t know what kind of land would be suitable for farming. I will even have to get permission from the Griffon if I can cut the trees on this forest.
It would be necessary to look for some other place if I can’t get permission.
“That’s how it is, what do you think?”
“This one doesn’t particularly mind it. This one’s territory is deep in the forest. As long you don’t damage that place, you can cut and burn the trees as you like.”
Surprisingly, I easily got permission. It’s a bit anticlimactic.
“Everyone of you really likes to scratch the land. This one won’t do such tedious things. Ah, now that I thought about it……”
“What, did you remember something?”
“If this one was not mistaken, humans made a village on this forest 30 years ago. It seems to have been abandoned because a plague was spreading. Which reminds me, those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds said it was my curse. That was completely vexing.”
The Griffon started to grumble and complain.
But it’s really important to me if that wasn’t the reason the village was deserted.
“If there was such a convenient place, then I have to go there first! So, where is that place?”
“Hmm…… This one is not really sure as the memory is quite old. Also, I don’t have any interest in those things. For now, hop on. You will probably discover it from the sky. Just give up if little one can’t discover it.”
The Griffon showed his back to me as it said so.
Well, riding it……
I will die if I fall.
“Hurry up.”
“I understand.”
Nonetheless, I don’t know when it will change its mind, and the lives of 30 people are on the line. I have no choice but to get on.
I climbed up at the back of the Griffon. I will have to change my evaluation of how big it is now that I have climbed this guy.
If I was appetizing, it would probably only take one gulp to eat me……
“Let’s go!”
“Uhii!”
A weird voice came out of my mouth.
The area around my abdomen was floating.
I don’t like riding roller coasters……
The Griffon steadily increased its alt.i.tude without paying attention to me.
I suddenly looked downwards.
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
“Hey, don’t be noisy. And don’t choke me!”
I reflexively strengthen my hold around the Griffon’s neck.
Flying without a lifeline was scary.
My teeth spontaneously made a clattering sound.
“…… What are we going to do it if I start leaking?”
“I will push you off.”
The Griffon suddenly stopped after such discussion.
“If this one is not mistaken, it was around this area…… there it is. Rejoice.”
I looked down timidly.
After all, I felt that my internal organs were floating.
But, feeling scared was worth it.
There were unnaturally few trees, and those ruins certainly looked like a house.
“We’re going down!”
“Waiー, too fast. Too fast!!!”
I screamed to the top of my lungs.
“Hmm. Still, the forest swallowed this place…… Oh well, isn’t this better than starting from the scratch?”
“Little one is right.”
The ruined village was on a considerably good location than I previously thought.
A river runs through the center of the village, with this, obtaining water would be easy.
Most pit-house were run-down, but there still seems some houses that will be usable if repaired.
As expected, weeds cover the fields, but it won’t be a problem if it was dug up. At least, it would be much easier from making it from scratch.
As for the fundamental problem of whether farming would be possible with only the strength of a child, I think it would be possible.
j.a.pan’s Handenshuujunohou would distribute lands to boys and girls aged 6 years or older. I’m certain that an area of 20 ares was written on the textbook.
I’m certain that a yield of one koku (amount of rice an adult male will eat in a year) would need one-tenth of a hectare (around 10 ares).
If a six-year-old child from ancient j.a.pan can plow 20 ares of land, we should be able to do it too.
Well, it might have been the parents that plowed it……
Still, each of them might be able to plow around one-third by themselves. It shouldn’t be possible for both parents to plow all the allotted farmlands if they had many children.
There would also be iron farming tools that an ancient farmer wouldn’t have.
Besides, I could probably acquire an ox or a horse later and let them plow the fields.
We can probably do it.
If we can’t do it, I’ll just have the Griffon help us. It would be very easy for this guy to dig up the field.
“This is great, thank you very much. With this, we won’t have to cultivate the land from scratch.”
“But it doesn’t mean this one cultivated it.”
“But isn’t it because of you that the people left this place?”
It was you my gracious Griffon. Without you, everything here wouldn’t have happened. Well, since it was this fellow who asked for my help, it is only natural for him to cooperate.
By the way, can I ask one question?
“What is it?”
“A famine had occurred, right? Did you know what caused it?”
That question had bugged me for so long.
I only knew there was famine because of what Tetora-chan told me, but there are many reasons for famine to occur.
Crop disease, pest damage by something like a locust outbreak, damaged dealt directly by storms, or crop failure due to climate.
I would make the same mistake if I start farming without understanding the reason.
It would be slightly insensitive to ask the children, so I tried asking the Griffon.
“From what the children told this one, it was probably crop disease.”
“Which crop got infected by the disease?”
“All of it.”
“Huh!?”
A disease that killed all crops? What theー that would be invincible.
“Did you just said everything? Everything from wheat to fruits?”
“It is as you said.”
What the h.e.l.l was that?
I would still understand it if it was a disease that affects similar crops like wheat and barley, but for another person to say that wheat and grape was affected by the same disease?
That’s like having a disease that can affect both human and a fish.
“This one too had doubt it and tried to consider something else. Will you listen?”
“Yes please.”
“This one think it’s a curse.”
Hearing it was waste of time……
“Why is little one looking at me like that? Curses are real.”
“Do you have evidence?”
“This one had a conversation with master.”
I wasn’t able to say anything back when I heard it.
Oh well, if reincarnation to the otherworld and divine blessing exists, there will certainly be one or two curses, it may not be even strange if I came across it.
But who cast the curse?
“Doesn’t little one comes from a species that loves to war among itself? Isn’t it ridiculous for one group to weaken the power of another group?”
“Yup, what you had said was correct, however…”
I doubt there’d be anything that would make them happier than a curse that could weaken enemy nations from afar. If there really was such a curse, it’d be a really convenient tool.
“For a curse to affect a really wide area, it probably meant there is a talented pract.i.tioner.”
“Are you impressed with it? Wouldn’t working on this farm meaningless if this was reduced to nothing by the curse again?”
“Huh? It’s probably going to be all right. Because the humans are cowards. I don’t think the curse was able to spread to this one’s territory and the territory near the forest. The curse cannot also be cast multiple times in succession.”
Is it really like that……?
This fellow knows more about the situation of this world than me.
If it says it’s all right then it’s probably all right. Probably.
“Well then, are we going to gather the children here now?”
“About that, it’s better for them to move out tomorrow. You won’t have enough daylight if you do it now.”
The Griffon said so while looking at the sun.
Right now, the sun was just past the zenith.
It was probably around 2 PM.
There was a considerable distance to the cave located south of here.
It would be different if it was an adult’s leg, but these are children’s legs. The day was coming to an end.
It would only take an instant if we ride the Griffon, but it would probably not like such heavy work.
And the children too will decline to ride it.
“Well then, hop on.”
“Sure…… Do I have to really get back on……?”
I went back to the cave screaming.
“This is it, this is our new home.”
“Ooooo!!”
The children shouted with joy.
“So, leader. What are we doing first?”
Ron-kun said.
“Leader?”
“Itー, it doesn’t particularly mean that I completely recognize you. Just a little. I will only recognize you a little!”
“Ron-kun…… Be more honest with yourself.”
Ron-kun and Soyon-chan began to quarrel in front of me.
It’s so fun to watch. But I, I haven’t shown any results yet. What is so good with just converting iron swords with iron farming tools?
While thinking such things, Tetora-chan whispered into my ear.
“Before you came, the group was all worn out. When someone voiced an opinion, they are rebuked by dissenting opinions but the dissenters don’t have an alternative plan. When a small child wants motherly affection and they throw tantrums and starts to cry, Ron and Oswald start to fight. That is, you have carried us all the way to where we are now.”
“Rather than feeling relieved, I feel sorrier for what happened to all of you before.”
I had a strained smile. I thought it was something anyone could do.
However, it was only possible on an adult level. A child can’t do it.
My idea about trading the iron swords was just common sense thinking, but Ron-kun seems to think it was a fantastic idea.
“You’re giving me too much credit. It was thanks to the Griffon that this village got abandoned.”
I mumbled.
“So, what are we going to grow?”
Roswald-kun asked me while scowling. Why is this child so overbearing……?
How can a kid be like this?
“I plan to do crop rotation farming.”
“Crop rotation? Is that delicious?”
No, it’s not delicious, probably.
“Explaining it roughly, we will grow Barley (Spring Planting) → Clover → Wheat (Autumn Planting) → Turnip, in this order for four years.”
Since the children said this season was now for harvesting wheat, we will, unfortunately, do the wheat next year.
The current season was the season to plant turnips.
“Why are you doing it in a tedious way?”
“Don’t you know that growing the same crop on the field for a long time will worsen the harvest? Clovers are really effective in revitalizing the field. This way we can grow crops all year round.”
I don’t know the exact details myself, but…
Because I learned it from history and geography, it’s likely my only small advantage from these children that grew up in a farming village.
I was also doing a little farming in the kitchen garden of the orphanage.
Roswald-kun was still tilting his head in puzzlement. It was an expression that shows he doesn’t understand at all. But I don’t have the confidence to fully explain it, so I have no choice but to let them experience it.
“Really, are we growing something else?”
“Probably something like grapes or olives. That is if it’s possible.”
I answered Gram-kun’s question.
Piecing together the information I got from the children, it seems that the climate around this area was like Mediterranean climate.
Therefore, I can’t honestly say that if Norfolk Four Course Method would be suitable. Fortunately, it’s still feasible because there was a river nearby.
That would be really suitable to grapes and olives. However, it takes time for the grapes and olives to mature, and I still doubt whether I can satisfy the appet.i.te of 30 kids.
While I’m on that subject, a slope with good drainage was suitable for growing grapes and olives. But the village is on a flat ground.
Since I don’t think I can grow those on a flat land, I will just have to do it in the future.
“Well then, let’s immediately decide on a plan……”
All at once, the children looked at me.
“Shall we repair the house first?”
I said it while pointing at the ruined pit-house.