Planning

Louis held his head as information about the fief kept churning through his mind.

He began drawing up plans for the Red Tide Fief's future industries based on what he already knew.

After all, relying solely on the intelligence system and waiting for windfalls to feed nearly a thousand people was unrealistic. The Red Tide Fief needed stable industries of its own.

Once he had sorted through the information, he raised his head and looked at Silco. "I'll talk. You take notes."

Silco fought to stay alert and nodded instinctively.

"Send these hundred fishermen to the riverbank immediately." Louis tapped the winding river on the map with his pen. "First, build a temporary dock and get the fishing boats ready in advance so we can resume fishing.

"There aren't many fish right now, but once the water warms up, large schools will head upstream to spawn. When that happens, our catches will become one of the Red Tide Fief's most important food sources.

"In the future, we should also consider establishing fish farms along the river.

"If we can successfully raise fish suited to cold waters, we can develop our own aquaculture industry instead of relying entirely on wild catches."

"Understood." Silco wrote down the lord's key points one by one.

"Besides fishing, we can't neglect farming and animal husbandry.

"We currently have over four hundred farmers. Their focus should be on clearing land." Louis traced a line across the cooler part of the geothermal zone on the map. "We can use hot spring water to thaw the ground. Get the irrigation system ready in advance.

"The soil here isn't particularly fertile, but if we make good use of the geothermal zone, it won't be much worse. Plant rye and potatoes for the first crop. They're cold-resistant and can grow on this land."

"Understood."

"As for animal husbandry..." Louis paused, recalling the livestock in the fief. "We have too few animals right now. The cattle, sheep, and reindeer we already have simply aren't enough for large-scale breeding.

"I'll arrange for people to buy more livestock in Frost Glaive City. We'll also establish a dedicated livestock area to develop animal husbandry."

"Understood." Silco kept nodding. Though exhausted, he carefully recorded every instruction.

Next, Louis drew a circle around the Red Tide Fief's forest on the map.

"We have over fifty experienced hunters. Besides their daily hunts, they can scout the edges of the forest. Keep magical beasts away, and don't let any unknown forces slip in."

"Finally, there are the craftsmen we brought from Frost Glaive City. The leatherworkers should prioritize winter clothing, the blacksmiths should make farming tools, and the carpenters should build houses.

"We can also establish a workshop and bring all the craftsmen together so they can cooperate. Have them take on apprentices as well, forming a complete production chain."

Louis spoke quickly. Every sentence sounded like a decision he had already worked through countless times in his head.

Silco had never thought much of lords.

The nobles he remembered were hypocritical and arrogant, their mouths full of virtue and morality while they worked their subjects like livestock.

His first impression of Louis had been little more than a softhearted good man.

But now he was beginning to change his mind.

This lord wasn't merely kindhearted. He also knew how to use the resources at his disposal.

This fellow is pretty impressive. Admiration stirred in Silco's heart.

And so Louis put his plans into action one by one, and the Red Tide Fief officially got moving!

Bonfires lit the busy figures, cooking smoke curled upward, hunters readied their gear, fishermen began repairing boats, and the ring of craftsmen's hammers echoed through the air...

Under Louis's direction, this land, silent for so long, slowly awakened.

Spring arrived quietly, but most of the Northern Frontier remained covered in lingering snow, making it impossible to break ground.

The land beneath Louis's feet, however, was different.

The soil was soft and moist, carrying the distinctive vitality of spring.

This was thanks to Louis ordering hot spring water channeled into the fields a week earlier, using geothermal heat to thaw the frozen soil.

Now, the ground that had been frozen all winter had finally softened. Barren land once unsuitable for farming was gradually brimming with life.

"Is this really land in the Northern Frontier?"

A farmer scooped up a handful of soil. Feeling its warm dampness, he couldn't help marveling aloud.

At his words, the people around him bent down to touch it too, their faces filled with delighted surprise.

"The hot water really thawed the ground!"

"We can actually plant crops in early spring in the Northern Frontier!"

Excited voices rose and fell across the fields.

Of course, using hot spring water to thaw the soil was only a stopgap measure. Its salt content was high, and repeating the process too often could turn the fields into saline-alkaline land where nothing could grow.

Once conditions allowed, they would still need to grow crops in greenhouses.

Beside Louis stood a middle-aged man whose clothes were covered in dirt and dry grass.

His name was Mick, and he was the Red Tide Fief's agricultural officer.

Mick had originally been just another slave, unremarkable and poor with words.

Without the daily intelligence system, Louis might never have noticed that among those slaves was a man highly skilled in farming.

He had an extraordinary talent for cultivation, and his understanding of soil, crops, and climate bordered on instinct.

When Louis found Mick, announced that he was freeing him from slavery, and appointed him the Red Tide Fief's agricultural officer,

Mick could barely believe his ears. It was something he had never dared dream of.

He was awkward with words and didn't know how to express his gratitude. Instead, he quietly buried himself in work in the fields, giving it everything he had.

Today was the day to plow the Red Tide Fief's fields and apply basal fertilizer.

Mick scooped up a handful of moist soil and gently crumbled it between his fingertips, smiling in satisfaction.

He looked up at Louis and wiped his rough palms on the hem of his clothes. "My lord, everything is ready."

"In that case, let's begin." Louis nodded.

"Everyone, start plowing!" Mick ordered loudly.

The order was swiftly carried out. Hundreds of farmers bent down and drove their iron plows deep into the soil.

"It's so soft!"

"There's even warmth coming out of the soil!"

The softened ground delighted many of the farmers who had worked the land in the Northern Frontier before.

And all of it was thanks to Louis's ingenious idea.

The people's admiration for Louis went up by another +1.

Watching the farmers diligently plow the fields, Louis asked, "Is the fertilizer ready?"

"It's been ready for a while!" Mick waved a hand.

More than a dozen wooden carts slowly rolled into the fields, piled high with dark fertilizer that gave off a strong, pungent smell.

This was the special basal fertilizer Louis had ordered collected and prepared as soon as he arrived in the fief.

It was made from a mixture of human and animal manure, straw, fish innards, and clod powder, an alchemical product.

The manure and straw provided basic nutrients, while the fish innards were rich in organic matter.

Clod powder not only greatly increased fertility but also effectively kept pests away, giving the seeds a better growing environment after sowing.

The fertilizer's pungent odor spread through the air, stinging their noses.

Some people frowned, but no one complained.

Even Louis, their lord, showed no sign of distaste.

After all, they all knew that only this fertilizer could bring them a better harvest.

The farmers spread the fertilizer over the plowed soil in an orderly fashion, then used hoes to mix it in evenly so the nutrients could thoroughly penetrate the ground.

"We can sow in four days." Mick pressed the soil underfoot, looking satisfied.

Louis stayed for a while, then turned to leave once he had confirmed that everything was in order.

It wasn't because he disliked the fertilizer's pungent smell. His daily intelligence system had updated with three fairly useful pieces of intelligence that needed his attention.