Magic Herb Garden

In the time that followed, Rising Light Island once again plunged into a large-scale land reclamation effort.

With the 150 slaves sent by Neil Bergman, the reclamation progress increased dramatically.

In less than half a month, 1,200 mu of farmland had been developed across the entire eastern plain.

As the weather gradually warmed, Rising Light Island officially began its most important spring planting season of the year under James and Old Nob's leadership.

However, Roland's request for an explanation from Elizabeth received no response for a long time.

Yet during this period, the Black Knight Pirates and the Mandy Family fought another fierce naval battle in the northern Chaotic Sea Domain.

Although the battle ultimately ended in a draw, the Black Knight Pirates destroyed three small territories protected by the Mandy Family.

This left the Mandy Family furious after the battle, laying deep groundwork for their next great conflict.

Roland did not know much about the reasons behind this battle, much less whether he himself had played a role in prompting the Black Knight Pirates to wage war against the Mandy Family.

What he did know was that a war of this scale was not something he could take part in now. Even being slightly caught up in it was more than he could bear.

Thus, during this period, Roland devoted himself not only to brewing potions but also to building up his territory's military forces.

This included not only Ryan and the other eleven mages, but also the fifty slaves being trained by O'Neal and Artur.

Whenever Roland had time, he would go over to inspect them, winning their loyalty while also monitoring the intensity of their training.

And so, time slowly reached the half-year mark since Roland had first established his territory.

After another three months of development, Roland's territory was now smaller than Neil Bergman's in area, but its strength was not far behind.

Over those three months, the potion trade between Roland and Leslie had gradually expanded under Roland's control. His monthly income had slowly risen to more than 1,400 gold coins, in addition to the 500 gold coins remaining from Neil Bergman's compensation.

Roland bought another fifty male slaves and fifty female slaves, bringing the total number of slaves in the territory to nearly five hundred.

Furthermore, after three months of training under O'Neal and Artur, the fifty slaves had become increasingly strong. Two of them had even successfully advanced to Tier 1 Warrior through the Breathing Method provided by O'Neal, becoming professionals.

Upon learning the news, Roland immediately announced on the spot that their slave status was abolished and granted them freedom.

After the two successfully became free citizens, an uproar swept through the other slaves, making them throw themselves into training even more diligently.

Roland was naturally pleased to see this.

Although it appeared that granting the two free citizen status meant Roland had lost two slaves,

that was not actually the case. Though the two had gained freedom, it did not mean they could easily leave Roland's territory.

On the Saint Nor Continent, a noble's control over his territory was not reflected solely through slaves.

Even free citizens had to obey the lord's arrangements. If they wanted to leave the territory, they needed a travel permit issued by the lord. Without one, they might be seized by the ever-present slave catchers the moment they left and sold as slaves.

Therefore, even free citizens would never easily leave their hometown for another place before they gained sufficient status or strength.

Still, compared to slaves, free citizens undoubtedly enjoyed far higher status and treatment.

After becoming free citizens, their lives could no longer be decided by a noble's word under the laws of the Terra Kingdom. Even if they committed an offense, they had to be tried by the kingdom's court of judgment before they could be convicted.

Moreover, as free citizens, they had the right to marry, have children, and receive wages.

Thus, as long as Roland guaranteed them these rights, he would not lose two valuable laborers.

During the same period, Ryan and the other eleven half-grown children also developed rapidly.

Not only had every one of them successfully practiced the Meditation Method and become mages,

but with the aid of ample potions, three of them had already advanced to Level 2 Mage a month ago.

This finally allowed Roland's planned project to be put into action.

That was to establish a Magic Herb Garden within the territory.

A Magic Herb Garden was not fundamentally much different from ordinary farmland, except that it grew all kinds of Magic Plants.

On the Saint Nor Continent, as potion-making became increasingly important to the path of professionals,

many industries serving potion-making had emerged as a result.

Magic Herb Gardens were one of them, and an extremely important industry at that.

Eighty percent of the Magic Plants currently sold on the market were produced in Magic Herb Gardens established by nobles within their territories.

Without these Magic Herb Gardens, relying solely on Magic Plants growing in the wild would have made potion prices several times higher than they were now.

However, establishing a Magic Herb Garden was no simple matter. While it did not place demands on the land itself, the Magic Plants grown within could not do without the care of mages.

Therefore, although Magic Herb Gardens brought good returns, not everyone could cultivate them. At the very least, one needed mages under one's command.

Of course, mages could also be hired externally, but once one chose to hire mages, the profits produced by the Magic Herb Garden became far less substantial for the lord.

However, this was much simpler for Roland. Although Ryan and the other eleven mages were not high-level yet, they were already capable of tending to some low-level Magic Plants.

Today, taking advantage of the fine weather, Roland brought Alice, Ryan, and the other eleven mages to the foot of a small hill on the western side of the territory.

After Ryan and two others advanced to Level 2 Mage, Roland had already arranged for slaves to turn over and level the land at the foot of the hill in advance.

This was where Roland intended to establish the Magic Herb Garden. With summer arriving, the snow covering the hill had melted into clear water, gathering into a stream among the hills and flowing downward.

It not only supplied ample water to the surrounding land, but also noticeably increased the concentration of water elements nearby.

Thus, this was an especially suitable place on Rising Light Island for growing Water Flowers, the primary ingredient used to brew Water Element Resonance Potions.

As this was his first time establishing a Magic Herb Garden, Roland did not have much experience. Furthermore, Ryan and the others were still too weak to care for too many Magic Plants, so Roland only planned to establish ten mu of Magic Herb Garden this time.

First, Roland buried ten Low-grade Water Element Magic Crystals across the ten mu of prepared land.

Magic Crystals differed from the magic cores of magical beasts. They were a rarer mineral on the Saint Nor Continent, and the elemental energy they contained was purer than that found in magic cores.

They could be used in most magical experiments and were extremely valuable.

These ten Low-grade Magic Crystals alone cost as much as 200 gold coins.

And each Magic Crystal could only sustain one mu of Magic Herb Garden for a year before being completely exhausted.

However, compared with the income a Magic Herb Garden could bring, this expense was nothing.

Using Water Flowers as an example, one mu of Magic Herb Garden could grow roughly seventy to ninety flowers.

The difference mainly depended on factors such as the mages' expertise and the environment.

Based on Roland's estimate of the current environment in this Magic Herb Garden, if Ryan and the others were diligent enough, they could probably grow eighty Water Flowers at most.

Of course, to be safe, Roland only planned to plant seventy-five in the first year.

A three-month-old Water Flower was worth three silver coins, a six-month-old one was worth seven silver coins, and a one-year-old one could be worth sixteen.

In other words, one mu of Magic Herb Garden could produce Water Flowers worth 120 gold coins after one year.

After deducting the cost of the Magic Crystals, one mu of Magic Herb Garden could bring Roland nearly 100 gold coins in annual income at the very least.

Of course, that was only for Roland. Others still had to pay their mages. Even if the mages were their own subordinates, assuming one Level 1 Mage could tend one mu of Magic Herb Garden, their annual wages would still be around seventy gold coins.

But for Roland, Ryan and the others' compensation was naturally potions. Roland had not provided them with such abundant potions simply to support them for nothing.

Thus, these ten mu of Magic Herb Garden could now bring Roland nearly 1,000 gold coins in income every year.

That income might not seem like much, especially compared with potion-making.

But this was merely the beginning. As Roland became stronger, he would be able to brew more potions and therefore cultivate more mages.

The more mages he had under his command, the more Magic Herb Gardens Roland would be able to establish.

And the more Magic Herb Gardens he had, the more terrifying Roland's income would become.

For any power on the Saint Nor Continent, this plan would surely be difficult to achieve.

The very first step—how to cultivate mages in large numbers—was already a historical problem.

But for Roland, with his extraordinarily high potion-brewing success rate, it was nothing difficult.

Not only could he use up his excess potions, but he could also strengthen his Mage Regiment. It was truly killing several birds with one stone.

After burying the Magic Crystals, Roland casually clapped his hands and instructed Ryan and the others, "Ryan, from now on, you will live near the Magic Herb Garden. I will arrange for people to build houses for your cultivation."

After Ryan and the other two advanced to Level 2 Mage, Roland had intended to hide all of them away.

After all, it was no secret that they possessed Inferior Mage Talent. If their levels rose too quickly, it would inevitably expose Roland's potion-brewing success rate.

Therefore, Roland had no intention of revealing Ryan and the others until he became an Advanced Apothecary.

"Yes, Young Master." Ryan and the others naturally had no objections to Roland's orders.

"Young Master, I want to live here too. Although all the Mana in my body has been lost, I still have plenty of experience in caring for Magic Plants. I can help you teach Ryan and the others." At that moment, Alice suddenly spoke, a faint trace of anticipation in her eyes.

Roland was certainly unwilling to agree to Alice's suggestion. After all, who would want to live apart from an elf maid like Alice?

But when he saw the expectant look in Alice's eyes, Roland could not bear to refuse her.

In fact, he had noticed during this period that Alice held no goodwill toward any humans besides him.

Even with Ryan and the others, she had only reluctantly agreed to teach them because she was following Roland's orders.

So although Roland was deeply unwilling, he ultimately forced himself to agree.

"Mwah!"

Seeing Roland agree, Alice excitedly rushed to his side and quickly planted a light kiss on his cheek.

"Just that?" Roland covered his cheek, seeking more.

But Alice clearly gave him no such chance. In a flash, she dashed into the small hill and disappeared.