Chapter 88: Tak.u.mi changes job to Village Chief? Finis.h.i.+ng our first dungeon exploration without being troubled by the Zealots, we returned to Volton. A short while after, on a day we planned to take slowly, a summons from Margrave Volton arrived.
「Sorry for calling you out today.
Without delay, I have a concern I want to request of you, Irumdono. I wonder if you are aware that the southern side of my territory, all the way to Triaria Kingdom, is an undeveloped land uninhabited by people?」
「Yes. If I"m not mistaken, since it is a ruined region with many monsters, I hear that it is land ignored by that Triaria Kingdom.」
「In the past, there was a time when Triaria Kingdom invaded to claim the territory, but they failed and the country went in decline. This was 600 years ago. And so, while it"s not like I can"t ask others aside from Irumdono, may I ask you to pioneer a village in an area 100 km south of Volton?」
「…………Umm, didn"t I just hear from you, the Feudal Lord, that this is a land that no country wants to be involved with, though?」
When I said that, Margrave Volton laughed.
「I"ve heard the report on the outer walls of Bohd Village. Didn"t you create st.u.r.dy protective walls in no time? There is a location with a river and a spring 100 km straight south from Volton. I want you to start developing a community centered on those water holes.」
In the past, with Triaria Kingdom included, there had been no successful reclamation of this land because the high monster encounter rate is high, so many people are mobilized to build a base, which in turn calls more monsters in.
「Were they not able to put up a barrier?」
「Irumdono, there is no barrier magic user able to put up an extensive barrier.Even so, at 150 km south of Volton, perhaps because there are still few monster nests in the area, the number of monsters inhabiting it are not much different from the outskirts of Volton.」
「Then why has it not been used?」
「Honestly speaking, it"s not worth the cost.
That area is undeveloped so if soil is not maintained in good condition, agriculture is not possible. Furthermore, there is no path from Volton to it either.」
Hearing the detailed discussion, there"s more to this conversation.
「The residents of the former reclamation villages are informed that they will be exempt from taxes for three years in the new village. However, they"ve already shut down a reclamation village once, therefore it is not possible to entrust it to them as it is.」
When I asked why the reclamation village failed, apparently it was that, hard enough as it is to reclaim land, the heavy taxation of foolish n.o.bles had caused it to shut down.
「In the place 100 km south of Volton, rather than call it a village, I would appreciate it if you to make a fort.」
Triaria Kingdom has a previous offense of going so far as to detour through the savage land surrounded by the three countries to invade Yggurle Kingdom, so Margrave Volton stated that there is significance in fortifying the defenses from the south of Valkyra to its west.
「If they detour to Yggurle Kingdom, they would pa.s.s near the planned reclamation village. The migration and guarding of the reclamation people will be left to us.」
There"s no way I can decline if they"ve planned it this far.
「From this period until things go, to some extent, as planned, Irumdono, you are able to commute to and from your house in Volton with your carriage, no?」
Certainly, it is possible with the current Tsubaki.
「………… a frontline fortress?」
「Ouh, so you understand. Even Triaria will be constrained when our country constructs the fort.」
I was told that when we enclose it in protective walls and complete the ca.n.a.ls and waterwells, the reclamation people will be transported.
If there"s 2000 soldiers, with the families of knights and reclamation people, it would be a legitimate town.
「It"s future talk. Please keep that in mind.」
「Haa, then please include road construction work into the budget.」
「Ooh! So you"ll also undertake the road construction. Alright, a budget will be issued by the Margrave Volton house as well. If all goes well, we must also make a road to Lomaria Kingdom, after all.」
From the planned land reclamation up to the frontier town of Lomaria Kingdom is apparently 300 km in a straight line.
「We must have His Majesty make negotiations with Lomaria Kingdom.」
The discussion keeps getting bigger and bigger.
Returning from Margrave Volton"s castle, I had the girls listen to the today"s discussion. And although it would be a day trip, it would be better to have food provisions, so Sophia and Maria went shopping. Laeva and I, after checking location of the unnecessary rocky mountains in the vicinity, had discussions on the blueprints of the town as we drew it.