Chapter 164: Winter Development Plan

Heidi’s worries were actually sensible in this situation, because in the outlook of the overwhelming majority, even in the reality of this era, winter only meant one thing: everything withered; life gradually dwindled; all work ceased. Humankind would store enough food and fuel before this, then stop work, return to their homes, and switch to a pure consumption state.

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Just like the animals that stored food in tree stumps in advance and hid in caves to pass the winter.

Such a way of living was decided by reality — despite the existence of all sorts of ‘magic’ which worked like black technology — that only belonged to the extreme minority of upper-class elites. The entirety of this world was still firmly bound to the soil. Serfs were the most basic producer of almost all societal wealth. Agriculture, as well as the various endeavors that have agriculture as their foundation, was the main production activity of this society. Once winter arrived, agriculture stopped; then, 80% of people would become idle. And the backward aristocratic code forbade these people from freely engaging in business or taking up any ‘side occupation unsuited to their identity’. Without the permission of aristocrats, civilians would be severely punished for even fishing in the river and hunting or chopping firewood in the mountains.

In addition, the food that most of the civilians could store up for winter was limited. It was to the extent that in the entire winter, they could only sustain a half-full condition, so they did not dare to waste their stamina to do anything that ‘broke the rules’ too. ——Every hot breath that they exhaled in winter was expending their reserve of physical strength (which wasn’t much to begin with) and could lead to them dying from hunger or the cold before spring.

However, at the Cecil territory, the situation was completely different.

The Cecil Cecil Clan currently had no extravagant spending of any form. This greatly cut down their expenses, while the new production model had ensured that they would be able to store up enough supplies before winter came. Pittman and the apprentices he had trained also guaranteed adequate food for the territory. ——Added to that, the rations purchased from Tanzan Town, as well as supplies from the King’s aid, residents of the Cecil territory didn’t have to take into account consumption in the winter at all.

Here, he had to mention the supplies from the King’s aid again. ——Gawain admitted, he had cheated Francis II a little here. This was because the agreement he’d signed with the King stated that the royal court would provide the provisions for the entire Cecil territory in the initial stage. He didn’t mention how many people the territory would be having and how much populace would be added in just a short term. Thus, he’d already fairly and squarely asked the royal court for supplies several times…

Having guaranteed food supplies, Gawain had plenty of jobs here.

Nothing to be done when winter had set in? That was the other territories; the Cecil territory still had lots that could be done. The steelworks was expanding its scale: two big factories were added beside the Mechanical Manufacturing Facility; the furnace-kiln area where Rebecca Crystals were baked had also been reconstructed into an official factory named ‘Magic Crystal Refinery’. On top of being used to bake Rebecca Crystals, a laboratory had been set up to experiment for what other new substances the various minerals dug from the Dark Range could synthesize. The doofus had to throw more than two hundred fireballs at the crucibles and small furnaces before she would be happy…

Other than these, the iron mine in the east and the territory’s countless building sites all needed manpower.

In winter, the ground became hard; water froze easily too. All construction-related work would progress very slowly, but this did not mean that construction work would stop. Although the ‘otherworldly cement trial product’ that Rebecca came up with had a relatively lower yield, it worked well in low temperatures. In addition, the territory presently did not have constructions of excessively large scale, so the projects at the various building sites would not stop. Moreover, there was a big project that was about to unfold.

As the White River entered its dry season with water levels falling, Gawain planned to build a truly sturdy bridge that could be used in the long-term to replace the current temporary bridge. In doing so, when spring came next year, the development work of the White River’s northern bank could smoothly begin.

He was even worried that even with those refugees in the wilderness, manpower in the territory would still be insufficient. ——After all, those people needed to be trained; at least at the very start, they wouldn’t be able to adapt to having a terribly powerful Magic Powered Engine turning non-stop beside them as they worked…

After Gawain had presented the proposals of these plans and sets to Heidi, the latter sunk into a long period of astonishment.

“How is it? Now you’re no longer worried that those refugees would have nothing to do, right?” Gawain smiled. “We have ample jobs to keep them busy for the entire winter. And in this process, everyone will get used to the Cecil territory’s uncomplicated new laws. In this case, are you still worried?”

Heidi quietly glanced at the proposals on the desk and inhaled deeply. “Worried about being exhausted to death…”

“…Cough, cough…”

At the thought that the pressure this granddaughter had to bear was rather considerable, Gawain could only comfort her. “Don’t worry. Viscount Andrew has tried to gather a group of down-and-out Knights, bankrupted merchants, and scholars and used money to get them to come work in the Cecil territory. I plan on putting half of them to teach in the night schools and give the other half to be your assistants. This way, when winter sets in, you’d be able to put up the skeleton of the internal affairs department.”

At this point, Heidi finally heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Ancestor…”

“Why does this sound so much like what those barbarian tribes from those years used to say,” Gawain commented with an odd gaze. “Back then, regardless of what they did, they had a habit of praising their ancestral spirits first…”

Heidi thought for a moment. “I’m unlike them. My ancestor can indeed hear me thanking him…”

“Then, your ancestor would lessen your workload, huh?” Gawain didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he looked at this granddaughter who rarely made a joke. “Alright, alright, get back to your work first. When the next batch of manpower from Tanzan Town arrives, I’ll take priority in selecting a batch of assistants for you. Would that do? Just don’t say things like ‘thank you, Ancestor’ in a pious manner to my face… I have psychological traumas from dealing with the barbaric tribes in those years. If you kept thanking your ancestors, I feel like I would become a spirit again…”

Heidi: “…”

Not long after Heidi left, Amber’s figure emerged from the nearby air.

Gawain swept everything valuable on the desk to his front with ease. Then he lifted his eyes to look at this half-elf bandit. “How is it? Are the two captured mercenaries willing to cooperate already?”

“Not yet. After all, you do not allow maltreatment of captives, so those two are still dawdling with the soldiers.” Amber staggered over to Gawain’s desk and pursed her lips when she realized there was no way to strike. “I say, are you really not going to consider tying those two mercenaries who simply won’t speak on a pillar and giving them a few whips? Such mercenaries are actually very easy to deal with. They may look malicious in front of the refugees, but if you take a heavier hand with them, they will obediently betray their employers right away. This is completely because you won’t whip them nor bribe them with money that they won’t speak up now…”

“The ones you’re referring to are mercenaries who can commit unscrupulous acts for a few coins, and these mercenaries are essentially at the level of an armed militia.” Gawain darted a look at this half-elf. “But those two that we captured… Did you not realize? A Grade 3 Knight and a Grade 2 Arcanist. There were also the low-rank Knight and Mage who were shot to death. Though these are all low-rank occupations, in the southern borders, they could be an army commander or ‘mysteries’ consultant for a feudal lord without much effort. If they went east, just by getting a share of a military achievement and currying favor with Silas Loland’s family, they could even rank amongst the aristocrats as a conferred Baron or Viscount. Yet they were willing to be mercenaries in such a remote place. Why do you think that is so?”

Amber thought hard. “For their dreams? Look, I’m such a formidable shadow master, and I even dug graves…”

Gawain never counted on this ultimate disgrace to have a decent answer. He listened as Amber continued muttering to herself after her nonsense. “There would indeed be powerful Beyonders amongst mercenaries, but such mercenary units often work in the north, near the Sacred Dragon Kingdom, or in the east, close to the Typhon Empire. This is because those places have no lack of danger and opportunities. The riches that they’re able to gain while taking risks or completing entrusted tasks are enough to make Beyonders choose this not-too-respectable path. However, the south has been peaceful for a long time. Mercenary units that work here often don’t amount to much in both ability and wealth. And for those mercenaries overseen by several Beyonders and who could even be equipped with Beyonder gear —— there is usually only one explanation —— they are a ‘hidden team’ that specially work for an aristocrat or a group of them.

At this point, Gawain smiled. “Such mercenaries are extremely strong psychologically, and they most likely have something they value or hostages in the hands of aristocrats, so they do not fear severe torture. Some whipping just isn’t going to work.”

Amber looked curiously at Gawain. “Then how are you going to pry open their mouths?”

“Pittman said he has a way, but he needs to prepare some rituals and ointments with special effects. That is why I’m not anxious.” Gawain glanced at Amber with a beaming smile. “Besides, I don’t believe you haven’t raked anything from those two mercenaries. I know your character. Usually, when I ask you to get ink from the storehouse, you can even drink up half a bottle of it on your way…”

Amber’s face instantly flushed red. “When have I drunk ink?!”

“I was just using a figure of speech, figure of speech. Understand?”

“Tch.” Amber made a sound through her teeth to express her displeasure. Then, sure enough, she began to feel around on herself with a conflicted expression. “Let me tell you, these are my spoils of war. You have to return it to me after you’re done looking…”

“What return? The rules that I’d just enacted prohibits plundering on the battlefield. Spoils of war are all to be handed over to the territory, and the credits given are standardized. Have you forgotten?” Gawain brought the various small articles that Amber had pulled out to his front to look through them as he spoke, “Don’t get sulky. You are my personal guard, and you still want to take the lead in breaking rules? Besides, it’s not like I’m not giving you compensation. You get rewards for services of merit… Ke, quite a number of things, huh? No wonder that soldier reported earlier that there were no valuable belongings found on those two captives… You actually got your hands on everything, huh?”

The corner of Amber’s eyelid twitched, her heart aching so badly as if it was dripping blood. She only felt slightly better after hearing Gawain’s promise of compensation.

Meanwhile, Gawain’s gaze had been abruptly attracted by a dagger amongst those trivial items.

On the handle of the dagger was a symbol that resembled the heraldry of a certain aristocratic clan.