Bradley paid no attention to the young Knight's amazement. He took out a ledger, opened it to a page, and began:
"Our current food reserves are as follows: one hundred and seventy tons of rye, seventy tons of potatoes, twenty tons of turnips...
With sensible rationing, these staples will feed two thousand people for three or four months."
Louis slowly surveyed the neatly arranged sacks of grain in the storeroom. The wooden crates were clearly marked and properly organized, all stacked in proportion, with gaps left to keep out moisture and rats.
"Very good," he praised.
Bradley continued leading the way and pushed open the door to the adjoining storeroom.
A smoky scent with a toasted edge wafted toward them.
"As for smoked fish, we produced twelve tons this season, with another ten tons of fresh fish stored in ice-water pits to keep them fresh," he explained as they walked. "To increase our winter reserves, we've switched to finer-meshed fishing nets. When the last schools migrate this autumn, we should still be able to catch quite a lot."
Louis nodded.
To keep the fishery sustainable, he had originally ordered them to use large-meshed nets and let the small fish escape.
But the situation now called for special measures. To meet the emergency, he had personally approved smaller mesh and an intensive fishing push to maximize the catch.
Farther inside was a small room hung with cured meat and dried medicinal herbs.
It was not spacious, but everything was arranged in good order.
Air-dried game hung from hooks on the walls, while cuts of butchered livestock sat on the shelves.
A few bundles of dried medicinal herbs lay in the corner. There were not many, but they would suffice for emergencies.
"These came from the rounds of hunting and slaughter before