Town chapter 67: Village and potatoes 1
A population of 10,000. I thought that achieving this was not difficult. However, the population didn’t even reach 4,000 people in seven years. How many beastmen will be residents of the new town here? When I think so, that expectation is too thin.
But I don"t want to wait. The capital city Dorisben, the big city has a population of 70,000. Of which 20,000 live as hard-of-minded people. Here I found hope. I will launch a new plan to relocate poor people to the village within my territory and achieve a population of 10,000. What is necessary for this is officially called Solanum Tuberosum. The often-called potato. Potatoes are native to the Andes Mountains of South America and naturally grow in highlands over 3000 meters. Naturally, they are strong against the cold and grows well in thin air. Even in the past world, once transported from South America over the sea it helped the population explosion of medieval Europe. It can be said that this is a crop that is appropriate for this place. It is used to raise the food self-sufficiency rate of the village and to attract people.
It was about early morning that I left the town with my escort. We put a horse on a horse-drawn cart, attach a carriage to the back and move with armored vehicles. The carriage was bought in the royal capital to carry pepper at the time of the previous land purchase. Armed with armored vehicles, we headed for the only village in the area.
When we get close to the human village, we stop the vehicle and change to the carriage. We hid the vehicle and left a few days of food. When the warmest time of the day pa.s.sed, we arrived at the village. There is a spread of fields and private houses are built on them. It is a village where there is a house for a lord. From a distance, it felt like it was a large village. Although, I don"t know many other villages. Nearby resides a house. I approached and quickly understood, the house is not in good condition. People don"t live here. The houses located outside the village are vacant and the surrounding fields are also deserted. It can be said that the decrease of the village population is obvious.
I proceed to the middle of the village. Indeed, the wheat field was spreading without the fact that the fields were rough when it came to here. Among them, there were those who stopped farming and stared at us like watching what we do.
"Is there a mayor? I am Baron Fujiwara, who has become the new lord of this area."
I said so in a strong tone that shows off my power. When becoming a n.o.ble, Elsa told me to be careful about my att.i.tude towards the common people. The fact that n.o.bles are scolded ensures the credibility of the country and if anything, the responsibility extends to the lord. Showing the dignity to the people on a regular basis is an indispensable duty as a n.o.ble.
"Y, Yes, wait a minute!"
To my words, the villagers rushed to the point of the situation. Perhaps they went to call the village chief. I saw an empty wheat field now. I don"t know if it"s good or bad. In the previous town I taught how to grow crops, but it was actually the beastmen who did it and I have never been directly involved in farming. So I asked the escort"s wolfmen how it was.
"It is not really productive."
"Is that so."
Wheat is resistant to cold. However, the fact that it is a poor crop seems to be that the land is still thin. Or is it a problem of soil acidity? It will take time until the villagers come back, so I [Purchase] [Acidity measuring instrument] and stab the soil. The number is 5.8. It is a weak acidity. I think that"s not bad for growing potatoes. Then, a question mark came to the faces of my escorts and were asking what I was doing. Up until now, there have been a lot of rough explanations for the wolfmen. I normally ordered them only what to do. But from now on it is different. I explained the acidity well and actually let them touch the [Acidity measuring instrument]. Although it is dubious whether they understood it, let"s just say that they looked interested. I think that"s fine now. After a while, the previous villagers came back with one man.
"I am Peter who is the head of this village."
A man who is medium-sized and unclean on the surface. I thought that he was young. Fourteen. No, in view of the fact that whales are showing more and more age, it may be considered that he is actually in his thirties. Such a young person is the village head. Is life in the village so painful that an old man can’t live in it? While thinking about that, I greeted the village chief Peter.
"I am Baron Fujiwara, who will rule over this village from now on."
I take out the certificate from my chest pocket and show it. He could read the letter and Peter looked over it and bowed, saying, "Okay, thank you."
"Have you heard that there is a hall where the former lord lived?"
"Ye, yes, but it hasn"t been used for many years and no one has lived there very much."
"Please guide me for the time being."
The first priority is to secure a place to stay. We headed to the former chief"s house with the guidance of village chief Peter. The sight of the village chief, turns toward me and my escort. It is a strange style to hide the skin as much as possible. It may be strange but they don"t mind. However, I am a n.o.ble and the village chief is a commoner. No matter how much he cares, the chief of the village had to refrain from unnecessary questions.
"They"re just my escort. Don"t worry."
When I said so, Peter bowed his head saying "I"m sorry," and he was no longer looking at the wolfmen. After that, we walked without talking. I saw several villagers along the way. There is also an old man, and it can be said that the idea of a living environment so painful that the old man could not live earlier was a stupid thought. The lord"s house, which should be called the innermost part of the village, was just past the farmhouses. As the story has been neglected for a long time, the outer wall is stuck with a blue coffin and the coffin is entangled. If there is such a western-style building in j.a.pan, it would be so creepy that it gets called a ghost house. Especially the size of the hall was spurring it. My impression is that I do not want to live here very much.
"It"s worse in the middle."
As if to have felt my emotions, Peter said so.
"Good."
The village chief"s hand opened a large door with rusted hinges that gave a loud squeak. The noise heard is like the roar of a wild mouse that hated the light. We step inside. Dim. The light was coming in from the gap of a window blocked by a wooden board, which made me feel a fantastic atmosphere. Even so, it"s dusty and it has a musty smell. It is not something that has been used very much.
"Emm..."
"What?"
"You can use my home if you like. I will gather the villagers and finish cleaning this house today and tomorrow."
"Hmm."
The sun will soon fall. As the mansion is in this state, there isn’t any other choice.
"I"ll accept your offer."
We moved to another place with the village head. The house of the village chief is nearly twice as large as the other houses. I watch how the family head of the village head moves out of the house with luggage in each hand. There is a child and it looks like a pretty big family. There is also an old man. When asking the village head where they go, there are vacant houses that are already cleaned, so they will move there.
"Then, please ask my daughter for later use. She will serve you so that we may not be rude."
After a light explanation about the house, the eldest daughter of the village chief remained. Poorly, she is shaking with her head down to me. The village chief said service. You must not say that word simply. It may contain more lonesome connotations. The fate of the village is determined by the lord. If so, what would I do as the village chief? That is what all this means. But unfortunately my moral idea is j.a.panese.
"No, I don"t need your daughter. Village chief, you come when you"re done telling everyone."
"Eh!?"
Chief Peter is surprised by my words. Why is he so surprised? I just want to hear the story. When I notice, the girl called Pena raises her face abruptly.
"I, I understand. I will do my best."
The village chief says that, with a slight redden on his cheeks and embarra.s.sment everywhere. His gesture is like a maiden. But it wasn"t cute, I just felt uncomfortable. So I finally understand. The village chief is misunderstanding.
"Don"t get me wrong! I just want to hear the story!"
The moment I said it, I thought it was over. But I have been upset. In this way, it seems like I"m fooling myself with my own words and I don"t really feel that way. Naturally, my face gets hot. The heart is also beating in a fast pace. I moved my mouth even more to solve the misunderstanding.
"No! I don"t like guys or anything like that!"
I feel like I"m getting stuck in the pot. I can"t see the faces of my escort. I took a quick walk into the house of the village head so that I would leave the place.
"Don"t solve your disguise. Let me know when the village chief comes. I usually love girls"
I went to the back room after leaving the escort who came into the house with me and ordered them. I"m embarra.s.sed. Shame still irritates me. When I sat down in the chair, I purchased【Manga】and turned the page to change my mood. It seems that DOKATER x DOKATER is on hiatus again. There is nothing wrong with it. Before long, Mira came to let me know that the chief Peter had returned. Other than that, it seems that she said something, but I didn"t listen.
"Come in."
I welcome the village chief in the room. Of course the escort are also there. The mayor looked at the escort and was apparently relieved. I will not say anything because it is already troublesome.
"Sit down."
When I ordered, the mayor kneeled on the floor. We are a commoner and a lord. It is impossible to sit in a chair at the same height.
"Let"s talk about things in the territory."
Then I listened to the story until the day pa.s.sed. There used to be a good lord here and lots of villages. However, when the former lord died and his bloodline ended, the villagers of each village went to the south in search of a warm and rich land. The crops are hard to grow here and the main industries are forestry and livestock. Therefore, each village lives on the land in the territory, moving to another area each time the trees go out and there is no concern for the land. When the registration of the lord was removed and the tax-bearing southernly adjacent lords also recommended migration to the south to enrich their land, the reason for staying was gone. The only thing left is this village where the lord lived. There was also a case where the lord made a living of farming and because of that, it seems that he thought that it was better than moving to the southern territories.
I also heard about the beastmen. When winter is near, it seems that the Elven clan will come to barter the village with a trap as to where they came from is unknown.
---Elves. I heard about them from Elsa and the beastmen and it"s the same knowledge which I know of them. An elf is a race with a white skin, long ears and a human-like appearance. However, they are not treated as human. They are the same as beastmen. There seems to be no talk about being a human´s s.e.x slave, as they used to be in the past. Because, humans don"t have the idea of using elves to satisfy their s.e.xual desires.
The doctrine of Lashia, which reigns on the continent, makes it a great crime to cross breed. Humans are absolute. Elves seem to have a very well-figured appearance, but since the doctrine of Lashia is the common sense of the people of this world, they don"t have the feeling of being beautiful. Since it is common sense for elves to be inferior to humans, it would be a monumental task to overturn that belief. Well, I would be lucky if I tried from an elf. It would be hard to imagine what would have happened without the doctrine of the Lashia religion. I really don"t know what to do with it. I asked about other beastmen as well, but I wonder if they are not near here. With the end of the day and the talk was over, the village head went out saying that it was not necessary to take care of food.
-------------------
The next morning I decided to go with the village chief to see the lord"s mansion. As we get closer, we can hear dignified voices. The villagers gathered and seem to do their best in cleaning the mansion. I think it would be difficult for them with me around, so I leave the place. Then, let"s a.s.sume that we finally get into the main subject.
"Village chief, there is something I need to tell you."
Having said that, I guided the village chief to the carriage that was disconnected from the horses. There is a full pile of potatoes inside. Of course, it is a kind, and thanks to its ability it has no pathogens.
"This is......?"
"It"s a potato. It"s a strong crop against cold and flimsy land. I"ll get this grown in the village from now on."
"This...... really?"
Hmm? Village chief Peter shows a bad response. Well, apparently the head of the village chief was cloudy.
"Can I take it in my hands?"
"Yes."
The village chief takes one potato in his hand and looks at it just as it is. His expression is still firm.
"Emm, that"s food, right?"
"Yes"
"That"s......it"s very hard to say, but we grow wheat here, so we don"t have to bother growing another crop......"
I see. It seems that the village chief is unwilling. Certainly, for those who are looking at it for the first time, this rough round crop is bad and they may be resistant to this food. If you don"t starve and die right away, it is a waste of effort to grow an unfamiliar crop. To reiterate, this land is a cold and thin land where crops are hard to grow. If it is not enough, you have to learn more by raising more. They cant afford to grow crops they have never seen before. But then the answer is simple. It is up to me to create that margin.
"I understand the village chief"s anxiety. For this year"s tax, I would like to plant this potato only in the amount of the harvest. I promise you I will not take any taxes from wheat and livestock"
"Is that true!?"
The color of chief Peter´s eyes changed. It is a very easy reaction.
“Yes, it is true”
For me who knows the taste of pepper trade, the tax obtained from one village is nothing more than money. It is cheap if you think of it as an investment in the future.
Then the explanation of potatoes began. From sprouting, soil preparation, planting, watering methods, sprouting and soil augmentation, harvest time, etc. Optimal temperature of potato is around 20 degrees. In cold climates, spring planting is basic and the time is not so good, but it can not be helped. This is like a trial. It seems that the village chief can read letters, so I handed him the parchment I wrote last night.
We stayed in the village for a week and left the village, after telling the village chief that we go around the territory.
◇
Two weeks after n.o.buhide first visited the village. In a room inside the royal castle of Dorisben. Something was delivered to the room under Lord Edenstam.
"Is this what began to be grown in Fujiwara´s territory?"
"That"s right."
A lot of brown and rough round objects roll on the desk. In some places, they have sprouts that make them feel a little uncomfortable. Naturally, after n.o.buhide bought his land, Edenstam had been spying on Fujiwara territory to explore the secrets of pepper. The result is this. He dug up some of the stuff that was buried.
“Hmm”
Edenstam grabbed a potato and looked at it, sometimes approaching with his nose and smelling it. When he felt tired, he put the potato on the desk again and ask the spy.
"And then how does this become pepper?"
It is a crop he has never seen. Cultivated in the Fujiwara territory and the color is also brown. So it was unavoidable to think that this potato was pepper.
"It seems that only the cultivation method is heard in the villager"s story"
The spy gave money to one of the villagers and secretly ask for details. However, n.o.buhide taught the village chief only how to cultivate. The village chief hadn"t asked how to eat it and he was not interested in it in the first place. Therefore, it is only the way of cultivation that the villagers know.
"The way of processing is just a secret. The Polo company, conducts the taste."
Edenstam grinds one"s teeth. But if that is the case, he has no choice but to investigate more. Edenstam takes a knife out of the desk drawer and cuts one of the potatoes. The inside is yellow and watery.
“Hmm”
Edenstam gently cared his white beard, as if dealing with his beloved hair. It is his habit when thinking.
"This skin is suspicious in color. There are some green spots, but it is brown. How can you actually eat this?"
With regard to food, it is a practice to use the tongue for inspection since ancient times. In this way, Edenstam and his spies cut the skin and ate all of the raw potatoes and then he tried to find the mystery of the pepper while doing various things such as burning. By the way, potato sprouts and planted skin have solanine poison, which anyone who is familiar with potatoes may know. The poison causes abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, dizziness and sometimes even death. It is a famous story that at the time of medieval Europe, they ate potatoes on the ships returning from South America, and because of the poison solanine, they called potatoes the devil"s fruit.
“Guuu〜”
A moaning voice is heard from a certain minister"s private room. On that day, two people were lying on the floor. That it is Edenstam and his spy of course, not to mention.
“Guuu, Polo Company"s plot〜!”
Edenstam spouts a roar of voice endlessly in bed. The voice was heard outside the room, even in the corridor.
In addition, Olivia, the young queen who visited the room to see Edenstam, said, "Oh?" as she found the potatoes rolling on the desk and boiled them.
Town chapter 68: Village and potatoes 2
"Good, lets dissolve. I will talk to chief Jiharu, so everyone should take a rest for today"
When we returned to the town, we stopped the vehicle in front of the [D-type warehouse] and I let the escort dissolve. Then, the children of the wolf tribe who were in the vicinity, said "Fujiwarsama!", "Fujiwarsama!", and came running here when they were playing on the roadside and saw the car. I was wondering why the talk was over.
"Fujiwara! 『Konichiwa』!"
"『Konichiwa』!"
"『Konichiwa』!"
The children spoke the word "h.e.l.lo" in j.a.panese. Do they want to give up, or do they want to use the words they just learned? The children greeted me in j.a.panese as they are proud of the results of their studies and were antic.i.p.ating to surprise me.
"Yes, 『Konichiwa』. Look, I"ll give you a 【Confetti】"
I call "Town data" by quick operation and [Purchase] [Confetti] and distribute it one by one to the children.
"Fujiwara, 『Arigatou』!"
A child who received [Confetti] thank me in j.a.panese this time. I stroke the head lightly. I feel very comfortable with the ears on the head. Every time I stroke their heads, they children narrow their eyes. Again the child is narrowing its eyes.
"Fujiwara,『Sayōnara』!"
"『Sayōnara』!"
"『Sayōnara』!"
"Yes, goodbye"
After saying goodbye in j.a.panese, the children returned to play again. They"re doing well. The stone is fast for children to swallow. They are learning j.a.panese with a sense of playing.
"You can’t lose."
I told so by my escort, who were watching the series of exchanges on the spot. Mira mutters, "Uh......" and the others frown. They are motivated but not good at studying. But I think this can’t be helped. Adults and children have different years of using words. If you learn something theoretically, it is better for adults, but for things that you have to learn to feel like language, a child is better.
"Well, even if you are not good at it, I hope you can remember it at your own pace."
To my words, Mira and the others were apparently relieved. In the first place, I don"t expect much j.a.panese language skills from Mira and the other guards. The job of the escort is to protect me.
Those who are not good at language learning will be asked to engage in non-technical tasks such as farming. This idea is by no means a downside, it’s just the right man for the position.
Besides, agriculture is an important task. If there is no one who does it, it is a difficult task. I have no respect for my occupation. Residents complement each other and move the body of town. Those who are excellent should get more evaluations, but that"s why we want to manage the town without trying to keep up with those who do their best.
However, I think it is quite difficult. The mind of a person is difficult, and if there is superiority or inferiority, the superior will be proud and the inferior will be in conflict. After that, the superior may attack the inferior to fulfill his self-esteem. It is only a desk theory that everyone can get along well.
But I don"t know if I don’t try. At least I am in a position to challenge. There is no way to give up before they do. Anyway, that"s one of the future tasks.
The escorts go to my house and I go to the lecture hall. In the auditorium, Chief Jiharu took the print I left behind and taught, and after waiting for a break, I told him that I returned safely. I dismissed the guards, then returned home and played with Catherine for the first time in a few days.
------------
The days of going back and forth between the village and the town continued until the potato harvest. At the same time, I connected a rubber-coated copper wire, a telephone line, between the village chief"s mansion and the town. All are manual. A large cylindrical drum of copper wire was tied to the truck bed, and the drum was turned to draw a copper wire, and the copper wire was buried in the ground to make it invisible. It was very difficult because the distance was large.
......The Wolf tribe. They are just being instructed, so it"s not too hard.
By the way, if you have [Ability to make a town] about this telephone line, you may think that it is not only to install by the ability in a town. [The ability to create a town] is the ability only in the town that is the [Home base]. In order to activate abilities outside of the [Home base], I must be nearby. For example, the prison built south of the old town. That should remain as it is. In order to sell that prison, I have to go near it.
This also relates to the condition of a population of 10,000, which is also a condition for the growth of [period setting]. Even if people were brought into the village in the area and the population became 10,000, it didn"t mean that the conditions were met. Because [The ability to create a town] recognizes it as a [home base] because it is a town where I and the wolf tribe live, and the village within the territory is not included in it.
Then, the question arises that it would not make sense to collect 10,000 people in the village. But it makes sense. By connecting the "home base" and a man-made structure such as a road, the village will become part of the "home base".
So, if I reach 10,000 people in the area and ¥ 1 trillion in funds, I intend to connect the town which is the “home base” with the village in the area by a road. There is nothing to fear when [Period setting] becomes [Now], and there is no need to hide the town. Even if there is anything, it can be screwed down with force.
By the way, it doesn"t make sense to connect the road to a village not under my control. Why this is, is awkward. [The ability to create a town] doesn"t even recognize trying to connect a village under the control of another person with a road. [The ability to make a town] is certainly my ability, but I feel that I can"t use it as I thought and I am being shaken.
Well, I have no choice but to give up on that ability. Anyway, when it became easy to connect the town and the village by connecting the telephone, I would be more likely to stay in the village as a human.
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About three months have pa.s.sed since we planted potatoes in the village. As Autumn deepened and the wind blew colder, the potato blossoms opened and finally phased out with the harvest. Under my direction, the villagers use the tools and dig up the potatoes from the soil. As a result, the potato harvest is about five times the starved seed meal. When I read a book on agriculture, it seems to be a disappointing figure for professional farmers, but let"s say it is good. Given the environment and the time of planting, it is a reasonable yield.
After that, it is important to make the villagers become familiar with potatoes. Therefore, today we will hold a potato tasting party. I have to teach the villagers how to eat potatoes.
We arranged the desks brought from each house outdoors and place the dishes on them. On the ground, I piled up stones in a circle to make an instant bowl, put a large pot with salt water on it and burned the bowl. However, under the village head, the villagers" facial expressions are not good. Seeing the potato, they have faces that disbelieves that you can eat such things. The only ones who were having an exciting look at this unusual event were the children.
I explain to the villagers that potatoes needs to be peeled and that there is poison in the skin that has been planted on the shoots and the sun. The reaction of the villagers are various, such as those who hear poison and roll their eyes and those who frown. They must have been surprised when they heard that the potatoes they usually eat are poisoned. However, it is too old to remember.
When the potatoes were peeled off, they were placed in a jar and dipped in the large pot that began to boil. After a while――.
"Is it okay now?"
I take a potato from the jar, place it on a plate and p.r.i.c.k the fork. The fork was stabbed with resistance and the potato broke in two from there. It is in a good state.
"Good, for a while. Pull up all the potatoes!"
The villagers pulled up the sunk jar with the sound of water draining with their hands. Under the fine weather, potatoes that were golden lined up on the desk. They are steaming like a hot spring and the smell is unbearable. My guards from the wolf tribe are also catching the smell with their noses. They expect it to be good, even if they have never eaten potatoes, because I have never given them something untasty.
And it can be said that the thinking of the wolf tribe is not wrong. Let"s say clearly. I like potatoes. Potatoes are the best and the fried potatoes are exceptional. I love potato salad, potato tempura and even potato chips. Not to mention alone, it goes well with various dishes. Curry, stew, croquettes, meat etc. Oh, but I didn"t really like only miso soup. But some people like it, so potatoes are still great. I guess there are no people who dislike potatoes.
"First of all, I will eat. If I eat it, everyone will start eating it."
After the declaration, as everyone stared, I put the fork into the potato split that was split in half earlier and took a bite. While enjoying the warmth in my mouth, I enjoy the soft crunchiness and the slight sweetness peculiar to potatoes and exquisite saltiness. The feeling of melting on the tongue. My mouth was full of saliva and I swallowed the slice.
"Delicious! Potatoes are the best!"
Although it is my real intention, I behave in a very deliberate way. It is usually something you don"t want to say. But this time there is a reason. I am a n.o.ble. Of course, I don"t think about the ups and downs in human values, but this continent"s values are not. There is an isolated upper and lower difference between a mere villager and me, who is a n.o.ble. If I, who is such a high-ranking person, eats potatoes and shows that it is delicious, it can be said that it is above all advertising.
"He, hey"
"Ah, ah, shall we eat? Because the lord eats just so well"
As I thought, some of the villagers who had been half-trusting felt something from me eating something delicious. Each one took a plate lined up on a desk.
“――!!? This is good!"
"It, It"s true! Good!"
One ate, two ate and eventually everyone became silent and ate the potatoes. Eating is one of the greatest pleasures. But what is the food of a poor village? Bread made with wheat, milk and cheese, etc. Their repertoire is small and it is inevitable that they will get bored with their daily meals. Therefore, the villagers were intoxicated with the new taste and the new texture.
“Feudal lord-sama”
As everyone enjoys eating, there are those who feel apologetic to me. It is village chief, Peter, who starts to speak.
"I"m feeling shameful from being suspicious of you, not knowing that potatoes are so delicious"
"You only saw its appearance. Don"t worry"
"Thank you for saying so, but what about this potato?"
"As I said before, potatoes are very strong against cold, that"s why they grow well on thin lands. I think they are crops that fit the area well. But there is also a problem. It cannot grow continuously in the same land."
Continuous crop failure. The pathogens and pests that favor planted crops are propagated by continuous cropping, causing diseases to the crops. In particular, potatoes are vulnerable to continuous cropping, and once planted at a place they can"t plant potatoes again there for two years. In addition, if the acidity is inclined to acidity, it will become a disease, and if it inclines to alkalinity, it will also become a disease. However, you can expect the harvest to surpa.s.ses such a demerit. I continued to speak to the village chief.
"If the amount of harvest is un.o.bvious, even if you have the number of seeds, potatoes will outperform wheat. Preservation is inferior to wheat, but if you are careful, it will last for half a year. I will use this potato to attract people and develop the village as a major production area for potatoes"
It is not a dream. Considering the situation in the country, it is possible enough. There is so much poverty in this country. On the other hand, the village chief was stunned by my words. It is a story without surprise. Knowing the value of a potato, my words may not be realistic. However, when I realized, the village chief was in tears slightly.
Why is that? I have been listening to various things while I was in the village. Young people aim for the south. They feel disgusted with the village life that never improves and dream of living in a city.
However, the bitterness of urban life was obvious when I heard from the merchant. There is no communication from those who left for the royal capital. Some can read and write and some not, but generally they wont come very far. When there is no contact in general, it is only that they are too poor or dead to get in touch.
This continent is a developing world where even family register management is ambiguous. It is different from the world I came from. So I understood the meaning of the village chief"s tears well.
"There is no time to cry. We"ll have some vacancies left by the next spring. And we"re going to build a new village near here"
Thus, my territory plan turned a gear again.
Town chapter 69: Elf 1
By the way, although potatoes were harvested safely in my territory, there were various things that happened during these three months. I need to talk about it.
First of all, teaching j.a.panese to the wolf tribe. After all, a big difference started to appear when learning the j.a.panese language. As living beings, superiority is the nature of the world and can’t be avoided. But those who were inferior were trying to learn j.a.panese as hard as possible. Their motivation is different. That"s why I feel that the proficiency level of j.a.panese in the wolf tribe is not remarkable as a whole. However, I am the first j.a.panese teacher to speak, and they don"t have any other teacher or person to compare. Therefore, the evaluation shall be limited to "feel".
My escorts are the least proficient in j.a.panese. It takes them more time to learn j.a.panese than to follow me and they already feel that they have to take care of me because they have the job as my escort. But this is conversely creating a good atmosphere. Among the escort team, Mira is an existence that can be seen at first glance from everyone and it is well understood to live together. The reason is that I thank her for saving me. I myself was certainly grateful, but I also commended Mira"s work as an example. She is the pride of the wolf tribe. She is not good at studying j.a.panese, so even if there are other people who are not good with j.a.panese, she cant be seen as below them. Even if she couldn"t speak j.a.panese, she worked hard on other things and was able to create strong foundations.
Next, let"s talk about the defense aspect of the town. I finally [Purchase] [Wall] to surround the town. So far, it was a matter of extension, considering the height of the wall and how wide, but I finally settled after a great deal of indecision. The height of the [Wall] is 10 meters. The hidden town will be exposed at a height higher than this. It was neither wide or narrow, so I set the width and depth so as to surround the minimum house and fields.
Also, on this occasion, I began teaching guns to those who defend the town. All the residents are soldiers. Because there are a small number of people who protect the town, it will be mostly non-children. When something happens, each one will fight with a gun. However, the handling of guns requires meticulous attention and training is more rigorous. It is impossible to ask me for the severity. Therefore, I taught how to handle a gun to chief Jiharu thoroughly. As for the rest of the wolf tribe, chief Jiharu is the deputy leader, and is strictly responsible for the gun instruction.
Even so, the work of chief Jiharu is tremendous. Serving as the tribe chief, being a teacher during my absence, and a gun instructor. He is very busy. In addition, it is also my responsibility. I am worried that he will become overworked and die. Well, the figure that laughs cheerfully saying "I will not lose to young people" is not something that makes me feel relieved.
I think so. When I become an old man, I hope I will be like Chief Jiharu. It can be said that I can"t afford to hide. However, considering the current situation, it is a good thing. But, if I consider the reason, I will not rejoice so straightforwardly. There will be a relief. But for now, life is difficult. Next time, let"s also give something delicious to chief Jiharu. I would like him to cultivate a British spirit by gastronomy.
Anyway, the work is concentrated on chief Jiharu alone. Though I thought that the son of chief Jiharu, who is considered to be the next chief of the tribe, could also be a teacher, I thought that he was being hesitant and it seemed that he was not good for it yet. The characters of this continent can be learned and read from chief Jiharu, so if he keep the print I wrote about the cla.s.s, Zoan should be able to play a good teaching role without any problems. However, when I stood in the pavilion, I felt tense, and Zoan"s limbs were shaking. The wolf tribe"s future may be dark.
――And so far is the current status until the potato harvest. Currently, it is about one week after the potato harvest. That night, I was receiving a telephone call from the village chief.
"Yes, there are no abnormalities here, so I hope to see you tomorrow as planned"
It will be winter soon. The fact that the elves are coming soon has meant that I have been stationed in the human village for a long time to meet them. After the phone call between me and chief Jiharu, those of the escort team who wanted could call their family. I went back to my room and under the bright light bulbs, I lay on the soft bed and read. The power generator for the [Light bulb] has been installed. Of course there are sweets and juices by the side. The rooms are heated and very warm. The best way to enjoy your life is to spend your rest time as comfortable as possible.
The mansion is so large that there are innumerable rooms, and it is also possible to give each person of the escort group a room and to take a rest in each room except those who have a duty. It is not good to overpack anything. Alcohol is not permitted, but like me, they are supplied with electrical equipment and other sweets and juices. They also have j.a.panese picture books for entertainment, which will help them learn j.a.panese.
Gatekeepers are hired from among the villagers at high salaries and the vehicles parked near the village are returned to the town for long-term stays. If we need a vehicle, I just call Chief Jiharu on the phone. In the event of an emergency, it is up to my ability to [Purchase] a new one.
As I was reading a book, I eventually became sleepy and closed my eyes. Thus the day in the village was over for today.
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"Fujiwarsama, it"s been a long time"
The next day, some people visited the mansion. I heard the name of the person who visited from the gatekeeper, but I knew that person for a moment looking at the face. The reunion for the first time in years. The face is not steep and has a very mild color.
"Reinsan?"
Elsa said she would pa.s.s on a reliable subst.i.tute when I split up with her last time. When I first met Reina, I still remember that there was a bit of awkwardness. Elsa also heard the circ.u.mstances during then. It was a story that Reina was a former n.o.ble and the aristocracy was still unbroken. Given that, it may be inappropriate for her to be here today. But, I believe in Elsa. I say that I can trust Reina because Elsa says I can trust her.
"Today, I come as an alternative to the owner of the company, Elsa Polo. I have a letter for you. Please check it out."
I received the letter from Reina, opened it and read it. The written statement states that a branch of the Polo company is to be made here as planned, that Reina will be the head of the branch and that if there is anything unknown about n.o.bles, I shall ask Reina. Especially the last section is appreciated. Until now, there was no problem at all, but if it comes, such as pepper or potatoes, it will be the relationship as a n.o.ble will increase in importance. Socializing. How far should I meet? I think it would be good if I could refuse all social activities, but I might be pushing on here from the other side; also, if I had too much withdrawal, I would not say, "I"m thinking of something I can"t do." It may be suspicious.
"I understand. Reina is going to stay in this mansion until the branch is made. There are many vacant houses in the village, so your companions can stay there. They are so beautiful that you want to live there."
"Generous arrangement, thank you very much"
"Well, you must be tired today. I hope you can take a break. I will hold a party to celebrate the welcome of the Polo company tomorrow"
---------------------------
Afternoon on the next day. The dinner party held in the small dance hall in the mansion. Those invited are not only the people of the Polo company but also the family members of village chief Peter and the main people of the village. From this, the Polo company and this village will be in a long relationship. It is obvious that the village chief and the villagers did not have a dress or the like, so I gave them a cheap [Kimono].
Then, among the partic.i.p.ants who gathered, there is a person who gathers a crowd. It is no one else than Reina. Reina"s dress looks elegant. Its normal for a former n.o.ble. Well, like a box made by a master craftsman, the dress and Reina match very well. Much like how a container and lid fit perfectly together.
It was a great treat and we had a lot of potato dishes at the party. However, I just let the wife of the village chief stand in the kitchen and cook as I directed. Peter was impressed by the potential of the potatoes and Reina turned into a merchant and asked me about the potatoes. As her face changed, I answer her questions one by one, thinking of Reina’s face, which was already vague.
We both drink delicious alcohol, eat delicious food and enjoy chatting with each other. It can be said that the exchanges between the villagers and the people of the Polo company are well deepened. We can see each other respecting each other and from now on both sides are likely to get along well.
Oh yes, there was one interesting thing. There is a 10-year old boy who is the son of Peter and his wife, who observed only Reina during the party and by doing so close to Reina, he had a very easy-to-understand behavior. Everyone watched as he was drowning in a simmering manner and everyone sent a warm look to the boy. It is obvious he doesn"t know anything.
Before the sunset, the party ended and three days later, carpenters came from the neighboring land from the south and began the construction of a company.
----------------------
Autumn is also the end of the year. Villagers came to inform the arrival of the elves. The scale is the minimum number of people to carry firewood. It may be because they don"t stimulate humans.
"Good, let"s go. Turn the carriage on the table."
I took the wolf tribe escort and headed for the open house outside the village which the village head had at hand. When the carriage approached the targeted house, many handmade wheelbarrows lined up in front of the house and the firewood was piled up there into a mountain. Next to the wheelbarrows, the elves who might have pulled it by human power. You can see it from a distance, white skin, light-colored hair such as gold and silver and long ears. Well, they’re elves. I told the village chief to talk with them in advance. In hopes to convince them that we don"t want to harm them.
In the eyes of the elves, I could see the vigilance against me who had climbed up in the carriage. Until now, there was no lord here. An obvious person of power has appeared there now. It would be strange if they are not alert. I got off the carriage with a strong awareness of acting in a stately manner. The one who approaches me is village chief Peter and one of the elves.
"Fujiwarsama, this person leads the platoon――”
Village chief Peter calls me. I controlled it by hand just as I didn"t need an explanation. I don"t even have to ask.
"I am Baron Fujiwara who is going to rule this land."
While introducing myself to the elf next to Peter, I was blinded by the face of the elf I saw nearby. There is no stain on the surface, as he has a smooth and firm white skin. The long silver hair is very shiny. He has long eyes and his face is so neat that you can not miss it. It"s a neutral face, neither male or female. Certainly beautiful. But at the same time, although it was beautiful, it was not something that had a downright affection, but it felt like it was a beauty that looked like an artwork. In this case, the village chief has a nice and friendly face and has a good caress. I was in the sight of village chief Peter, who is standing next to the elf, with such an impression.
"......I"m called Polif"
Elf――Polif is unwilling, but uses honorifics. The option of being deceived by humans is no longer considered as it has been excluded from the beginning.
"First of all, let"s get inside. The wind is cold."
I enter an unoccupied house with the escorts. There is only one large rectangular desk inside. Light leaks through from the window and the wind is strong. After me, my escort went into the house, followed by Chief Peter and Polif. We surrounded the desk without anyone saying something.
"You must have heard from the village chief. I will not do something to harm you."
"......Then, why are you here?"
The tone of the words makes it easy to see the enemy"s envy down inside. It would have been nice to leave it alone, but it was just as he said. But that reaction won"t make me angry. In the past, many human authorities have chased the beastmen, including the elves. There would have been countless miseries. The present me is also a human authority. I accepted that the elf"s att.i.tude was such a matter of course.
"Can you first see this before I answer that question?"
I through the stuff in my hand on the desk. It is a rough, round, light brown object.
"This is?"
"It"s called potato"
That"s a potato. There is no twist, here again it is a potato.
"Look, this potato is――”
I explained to Polif how good potatoes are for this place and how good they are. Polif gave a suspicious look from my explanation. But this has been experienced previously from the reaction of the villagers. So I need to prove it. I will try to show off what I prepared before I came here. I looked at one of the guards behind me. He holds a hemispherical silver lid, a plate with a dome cover. It is placed on the desk. When I opened the dome cover, white steam rose. The fragrant smell of b.u.t.ter tickles the nose and saliva naturally spills out from the mouth. On the top of the plate is a cooked potato with b.u.t.ter.
"It"s a cooked potato. Even though it"s cooked, I just put b.u.t.ter on the steamed potato. You should eat it"
Showing that there is no poison, I first eat it by taking a bite. Umm, still good. Potato and b.u.t.ter, the affinity between the two is the best. Then Polif also took a piece like me and put it in his mouth. Momentarily――.
“......Delicious”
Polif was watched and stared at. The words were so heavy that something resonated in my heart. It may have been a long time event. Another elf reached out, but the response remains the same. For them, it was a long time ago that they showed such a reaction.
"......So I didn"t get an answer to my previous question"
"This was the reason I came here. I just came to tell you elves is to get under my rule. Because you are in my territory, it is natural"
An obvious complaint comes from the beautiful face of Polif.
"Even if you rule over us, there will be no further gains. Here we cant expect the grace of the earth and the heavens will only give us hardships"
"Don"t worry. I will hand over potato seeds to you. As I said earlier, potatoes are good for this place. The food problem should be much better. Furthermore, I"m not going to take taxes so much that you starve. What is tax in the first place? It"s not a biting charge, is it? The lord receives the tax and uses that tax to manage the people"s well-being. It is only a tipping point such as the exploitation of the tax so that it is not able to live. I will do the job for you to receive taxes."
I said this, but I don"t expect any taxes from the elves. However, it is not known if there are beastmen everywhere before, and it is likely not to be thought very well externally at present by knowing the existence of the different races but not taking the tax. It is too special to live in the territory of the beastmen now. If I don"t keep taxes at least, I might be hit hard by the country and other lords. I also have the appearance of a lord in this country.
In addition, there is also a reason to want to attach a link to the elves as my territory will develop in the future. Depending on the number of elves, it may be a supplement for a population of 10,000.
And one more thing. In the future, in the worst case, I might be confronting the country. At that time, I was worried that the wolf tribe would not be enough.
"You want us to believe your words? Humans have only driven us out."
"There is no right to refuse. If you don"t like it, get out of my territory. But isn"t it too late to see if what I"m saying is true?"
To my words, Poliff thought silently. Looking at Polif who thinks firmly, the elves next to him say something. Before long, the mouth of Polif opened.
"......Understood."
"Polif!"
The elf next to Polif shouted his name
"There is no other way"
"But how are you going to explain it to the other tribes!"
What about me? Then I noticed the catch. It is the words ‘other tribe’. It sounds like they live with a tribe other than elves.
"I can only explain it as it is."
"......They"re gonna kill you."
"Huh, they"re not stupid. We should give priority to the prosperity of the clan over the temporary feelings."
"You underestimate the resentment from other people of our race. Their resentment is much deeper than us who have a relationship with humans like we do today."
I stopped their talk by saying "Wait". Four jewel-like eyes turn to me.
"What other clans? Elves are elves."
"......In addition to us elves, there are also different races."
"Hey!" Said the other elf. But Polif continues his words, ignoring it.
"We all live together to live. We come here to sell firewood because elves are the closest to humans because of the look"
When I heard that, I lost my words. In a place that was once called the cursed land, I created a town, where the beastmen lived across the tribal borders and holding hands together. Just as the situation is different, the beastmen lived close to each other in this harsh land.
Town chapter 70: Elf 2 (with map)
Map of the continent
Map of Dryad Kingdom
Map of Fujiwara territory
"I see......the beastmen are living together......"
I stared at the sky and muttered like a monologue.
"......What is it?"
"No, nothing. Emm, what was that?"
To my response, Polif leaks a mixed voice of suspicion and longing "Ha?". I will not give up on it. My mind was not normal, and I had forgotten even the words I wanted to say.
"No, that"s why you"re going under my control and the same goes for the other races, who you mentioned earlier, you live together."
Yes, it is a story that the beastmen are living together in this place. The moment I heard that, I was seized by something. It is a self-question what would have happened if I had not existed in that cursed land. It"s a shame. Even if such a thing is thought now, the past cannot be changed. However, my heart becomes painful.
"Fujiwarsama......"
Compa.s.sion was felt in the voice coming from next to me. It"s Mira. She is aware of my feelings. I thought it was very kind.
"Alright. I, I´m alright"
The first word was strong, but the second time I answered myself with firmness. Village chief Peter, Polif and the other elf are puzzled when I come back to my senses. I thought so. This is only understood by us.
"I"m sorry. I haven"t slept so much lately, so it looks like I"ve s.p.a.ced off."
"Ar, Are you okay? Or rather, you should better take a rest......"
Village chief Peter truly takes my lie and looks worried. On the other hand, I nodded with a smile.
"No problem, let"s keep talking."
The situation is being told from Polif’s mouth as if there was nothing. The other elf doesn"t like it, and complains to Polif by saying "Hey" or "Stop". However, he gave up sooner or later and only had a ugly face showing how dissatisfied they were.
A village where non-humans live. However, not all tribes live in one place. It is said that each of the large forests that have not been reached by people across the northern territories are being treated as castles. Polif doesn"t know the detailed number of all the tribes combined. However, it is said that it will reach a thousand. A Thousand. That"s a good number of people. By all means, I want them.
"In addition to us elves, there are: the rat tribe, lizard tribe, wolf tribe――"
At once, my heart jumped. The surprise might have gone out to my expression. Polif stops his words and sends a glaring look like "Whats wrong?" and I answer, "No, nothing." and urge him to continue.
But there is nothing wrong with it. ――Wolf tribe. When I heard that word, I managed to ensure that I would turn around to Mira and the others. Even humans are of many types. There were also people with faces like a hawk and those with faces like a crow. The wolf tribe is not limited to some members.
"――Pig tribe and cow tribe. All these six tribes live together in one place."
It seems that there are not only the wolf tribe but also the pig tribe. It was not possible to judge whether the six races were many or few. It may not be that all the beastmen aimed at the northern land called dragon"s horn their home. There should be some tribes who live and hide somewhere on the continent. Or there may be more beastmen here, just that the elves don"t know.
I think what to do. I want a population of over one thousand. But I didn"t want to break their existing lives. It is an insult to come back from the bottom of the chest again.
"......How is your life?"
"We hunt monsters in the forest, catch the fish in the rivers and then just do some farming. Nevertheless......"
"Is it not so good?"
As if to agree with my words, Poliff nodded. That"s right. If life is good, there is no way to come to this village. A relationship with humans would have been a tough decision.
The beastmen are living a tough life. Then, I thought that hope was not lost. There is a mutual benefit.
"I see. I will go and talk with them."
"Idiot! That"s definitely an act you should never do! Are you going to destroy us!"
Another elf shouted. No honorifics. Polif"s rebuke, "Hey" flew, and the other elf finally stopped.
"......Now let"s not hear."
Village chief Peter is also here, though it does not stick to the wording etc. I have to worry about the physical aspect.
"Thank you, but what he said is correct."
"Why. If you live here, you"ll know, but there are no settlements and no army in my territory other than this village"
"That"s why. It is easy to harm you. There are many beastmen who have a grudge against humans and if harm is done to you, a n.o.ble, the country will give its heavy back"
I thought about it a little bit and thought it was true. There was a human named me in the old town before. If I’m not conceited, I think that my existence had eased the hatred to humans of the beastmen in that town. Then, what about the feelings of those that have lived in poverty in the last seven years without borrowing human power? It is not hard to imagine that every time you feel poverty, the grudge against humans who took away the land you lived in increase. Resentment and hatred have long been ripened, and ought to be nothing. But yet――.
"I have an idea. Don"t worry. You can"t do any harm to me."
At night, in the midst of a dream, sometimes pictures appear. Cats, leopards, birds, racc.o.o.ns, deer, pigs, goblins and kobolds. The figures I spent time with. Even though betrayed, there may be a desire to return the hands of watch.
Polif says "Nevertheless," but I didn"t let him go any further.
"This is a decision. In the first place, the lord should not be restricted from acting in his own territory."
The lord is an absolute existence in the territory. This is common sense in this world. I couldn"t even hear the sound of screeching from Polif’s mouth and continued my words.
"Anyway, first of all, about the firewood. You"re going to trade it for wheat, right? Let the village chief prepare twice the amount"
"Bu, But then the village is......"
"I will pay the extra money."
"Ye, Yes, if that"s the case."
Under the direction of village chief Peter, wheat is brought in and loaded on the rickshaw on behalf of the firewood. Once bartering is over, Peter is no longer needed here. He got out of his seat and in the vacant house there were only me, my escort and the elves.
"How is it?"
I ask the guards who went outside from the empty house. The guards were wondering if there was any suspicious people around the empty house. Polif and the other elves look suspicious as to what they are doing.
"There is no sign of people around"
"Good. Mira, remove the cloth on your head"
To my command, Mira unfolds the cloth wrapped around her head silently. Mira"s head gradually is exposed.
"Ha......? No way......!?"
"A, Ah......!"
After a while Mira"s head was completely clear and Polif and the other elf widened their eyes and opened their mouths wide. Beyond their gaze, the testimony of a non-human――beastman"s ears stood out.
"You are a beastman......!!"
Polif spit it out instantly. I guess he didn"t imagine that my guards were wolfmen. It is an expression of disbelief.
"Lower your voice. Even though I confirmed it, I don"t know if someone is listening"
I have already confirmed that there is a spy in the village. The wolf tribe have good noses. At one time, they found a mole posing as a worker. Perhaps the royal palace"s aim is my pepper, but that person does not do anything because it is not likely to be worthwhile taking action here. I will keep him as long as there is no harm.
“Mira, that"s enough.”
Mira wraps the cloth around her head again. And I talk to the two elves who still have the color of surprise on their faces.
"I think you"ve got a little bit of credit for this, so what do you think?"
In order to go to the place where the beastmen live and to proceed smoothly, the cooperation of Polif and the elves is essential. It is because persuasion from a fellow person becomes a weapon more than anything. So I have to get Polif and his friends to trust us firmly. It is hard to be betrayed if it is not put under the control of me in the direction ahead.
"Ye, Yes. If this is the case, other tribes may also listen."
Polyff said, after he looked at the other elf. Having a beastman in my relatives seems to be extremely effective.
"Well, let"s go as you go home."
I unfold a map. Pointing 10 kilometers to the northeast, I point to a plain before the place where the rivers meandered a lot.
"Here......that"s right, wait for two days. After two days, keep the fire burn constantly. It will be a landmark."
The story was decided and we broke up. When I return to the mansion, I call chief Jiharu to explain the circ.u.mstances and give instructions to send a vehicle. As for the personnel, I asked chief Jiharu to come. Then I told Reina and left two wolfmen guards in the mansion, before we left the village.
Of course, Reina knows about the situation to some extent, so there is no problem leaving them in the mansion. I have concealed light bulbs and heating devices for a while, but since Elsa should have explained about the vehicle, the level of small electronic appliances is a further story.
When I joined with chief Jiharu, I changed from a carriage to a vehicle and headed to the meeting point with the elves. 5 [73 type large truck] cars and one [horse-carriage] car. We will talk with the beastmen, but we are in a position to be intimidated, thinking that we must also show some power. Before joining the elves, I 【Purchase】 two [4 pounds mountain guns] and made them pulled into the track.
――Now, two days after we left the village. We arrived at the meeting point with the elves as scheduled for the promised deadline.
"Mo, Monster!"
"Ru, Run away! It is a mythical beast!"
The response is as expected. The elves ran away, putting the wheat replaced in the village against the carriage as we are approaching in a row.
Even so, this surprise is a very nostalgic sight. I remember the reaction of the beastmen who saw the track for the first time. I was made to feel ecstatic. I thought it was a taste of cruelty, but when I turned to Mira sitting next to me, she smiled. Apparently I am not the only one special.
However, it will not go as it is. I immediately [Purchase] [Megaphone].
『Wait! Don"t run away! It"s not a monster, it"s me Fujiwara! I’m Lord Fujiwara who you met in the village! Don"t run away!』
The loud sound emitted from the megaphone echoed all around. If this is not accompanied by words, it might be the roar of a huge monster.
Then, Polif who actually talked with me understood the situation and ordered the other elves to "Stop". Those who escaped eventually regained their sanity and when they found out that we were not harmful, they gathered slowly next to Polif.
"What, this is......not a living thing......?"
"Humans are like this......"
The awe-inspired elves stared at the rows of vehicles that had stopped in a row.
"There are wheels....... A vehicle that runs without pulling a horse......? Fujiwarsama, what is this! What the h.e.l.l are you planning to do!?"
Polif cool words are hard to say. His expression is full of fear that he may have called in something that can not be brought in.
"I"m not going to do anything. I"m just going to talk a little."
But I responded to Polif without getting anything wrong.