Chapter 36
(Kyle Calendar
Year 504: Age 11)
Another Trump
Card
Translator : PolterGlast
"Today, there is
someone I would like you to meet, Takuhir-sama."
Raymond-san introduced
me to a woman who had a deep connection with me, even in the [previous
history].
The woman kneeling before
me, with deep green hair, looked slightly younger than I remembered.
"Despite her
youth, she is excellent. After being hired as a civil official trainee, I
personally trained her, and for the past year, she has been acting as the
deputy governor in the Teigun settlement."
"Miseri-san!"
"What! You knew
her?"
Oops, I blurted that
out involuntarily.
"Ah, I heard
about her from the mercenary corps... that there was an amazing woman with
green hair in the Teigun settlement..."
A lie, but it worked.
While Raymond-san
looked doubtful, I somehow managed to smooth things over, sweating cold
bullets.
"I was unaware
that you had already heard of her, but she was stationed in the Teigun
settlement to investigate and understand the local situation so that she could
be of service when Takuhir-sama governs the area in the future."
"So you had
already taken steps. That's a great help."
Yes, in the [previous
history], she was the one who supported me when I lost my parents and
Raymond-san to the plague five years later and inherited the Solis barony. She
supported me in domestic affairs.
She was the one who
supported the rapidly declining Estol territory after suddenly losing its three
pillars, supported me, who was ridiculed as the "lord without
authority," and stayed with me until the very end.
It was thanks to her
that the Solis baronial family (me) somehow managed to endure even after the
plague and the great famine. She is a great benefactor to me.
In the [previous
history], I first met her when she was 23 (and I was 15). So... she's 19 now.
The fact that she's
already showing her talent... Miseri is amazing after all!
Since this is our
first meeting in this timeline, I have to be careful.
The days I spent
desperately working on the domestic affairs of the Estol territory with her
flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.
"Takuhir-sama?
She will be returning to her post tomorrow, but would you please listen to her
report regarding the Teigun settlement with me?"
Ah, damn, I was
spacing out.
From there, I received
Miseri-san's greeting again and listened to the current situation of the Teigun
settlement.
＜Current Situation of the Teigun Settlement＞
"Initially, it
was a place smaller than a small village with a population of about 50 people, but
now, including the mercenary corps, it has become a small town with a
population of 300."
・Exists as a refuge and resting place for those
entering the Demon Realm.
・About 200 people have settled there as a frontier
settlement after the great famine.
・The Twin-Headed Falcon Mercenary Corps is also
stationed there in shifts as guards.
"Mount Teigun
itself is a steep mountain surrounded by cliffs and precipices, but there is a
triangular flatland in the middle part. It is not suitable for farmland, and
the settlement of farmers has already reached its limit. However, as a safe refuge
close to the Demon Realm, small shops and inns are lining up, and it is
beginning to find value.
Recently, the value of
products from the Demon Realm has increased, and the number of people entering
the Demon Realm is also increasing."
・Approximately 10 kilometers at the base and 5
kilometer in height.
・The town is located on a flat area and on the summit.
・Due to the increased population, it is not
self-sufficient, and trade is the lifeline.
・Many of the settlers live by working on construction
projects directed by the baronial family.
"The catalysts
obtained from monsters... that's that thing, right?"
"Yes, recently
the demand for catalysts within the territory has been unusually high..."
Raymond-san replied,
suppressing a laugh.
It's my fault after
all.
Catalysts, which used
to be too expensive to be traded much in the frontier, are being used lavishly
by someone, probably me, in the future...
"How is the
development of the town progressing?"
"Well, since we
don't have a large budget, we are doing it little by little using manpower.
However, it's still at a level where it's just barely livable."
That's right. I
brought it up three years ago when I was eight, and without a concrete budget,
Raymond-san has been steadily working on it as much as he could.
"You can trust
her completely. Please tell us your intentions for the future,
Takuhir-sama."
At Raymond-san's
words, I decided to lay out even the plans I hadn't told him yet.
"Please wait for
the large-scale development.
Once the official
budget is finalized, we plan to mobilize the earth mages and proceed with
development all at once.
Ultimately, I want to
make the Teigun area a city capable of supporting 10,000 people."
"Eh!"
Miseri-san, she's
clearly shaken.
Just hearing those
words... just hearing this, it sounds like a child's delusion, that's all.
While Miseri-san, who
looked quite surprised, was speechless, Raymond-san was grinning as usual.
I continued my
explanation.
"I don't intend
to build a huge city all at once.
First, we aim for a scale
equivalent to the town of Est, and the 10,000-person scale is the maximum
number, including stationed troops during wartime.
The permanent resident
population will be between 2,000 and 3,000.
In the future, I plan
to make the natural stronghold (Teigun) a base for the southern defenses.
Therefore, I want to
proceed with town planning on a considerably spacious scale.
Currently, we are
working here on securing the mages and civil officials needed for construction,
measures for farmland, including agricultural experiments, and consideration of
products."
・Cultivate experimental farmland and hire tenant
farmers to conduct experiments.
・There are also farming methods I want to try, and I
will proceed with experiments on them.
・I have ordered various kinds of seed potatoes, and I
will experiment with them as soon as they are obtained.
・We are considering industrializing beekeeping as a
unique industry.
・We will promote mine development and foster industries
related to mining.
"While these have
been the apparent goals so far, there are also hidden objectives.
Please understand this
as a confidential matter.
That land is a crucial
base for future defense, and I want to strengthen its defenses and develop it
as a city."
・I am concerned about invasion routes from the border
passing through the Demon Realm side.
・Similarly, I am wary of the neighboring territory
(Hiyorimi) and need a defensive base.
・I want to promote the development of the Demon Realm
starting from the fortress city.
・For safety reasons, I am also considering its
positioning as a military garrison.
I roughly explained
these points.
"Honestly, I
think what I've said so far sounds like a pipe dream. But I am working every
day to make it a reality."
"I have heard
rumors about you... but I am surprised."
Whether she was
dumbfounded, surprised, or both, I couldn't tell, but Miseri-san was speechless
and finally uttered a word.
"As for me, I am
interested in the farmland measures, the farming methods you want to try, and
beekeeping as an industry in what you have just said."
"The large amount
of junk that Bart brings back... the answer is in there.
I'll talk to you about
it when he returns.
Beekeeping is a way to
efficiently collect the valuable honey that is currently gathered by searching
for hives in the mountains and fields each time, in large quantities.
I'll talk to you about
it when the tools are ready and the time comes."
"I'm looking
forward to both. I'll be waiting."
Raymond-san looked
very happy about something.
We adjourned for the
day, but I asked Miseri-san to continue overseeing the Teigun settlement.
・Consider and organize the zoning based on my
intentions.
・Proceed with confirming water sources and water
supply.
・If seed potatoes can be obtained, implement trial cultivation
in advance.
I asked her to proceed
with these as much as possible after her return.
Eventually, I plan to
take Elan, Mary, and Sasha, who have studied urban planning, to inspect the
site and create a formal design, but until then, I asked her to focus on
gathering information.
Regarding the mine,
it's a story that only I know in this world.
In the [previous
history], after I became the lord, an iron ore deposit was discovered near
Mount Teigun when I was 17 years old.
The discovery of a
promising mine revitalized the Estol territory, and a road was built from Mount
Teigun to the town of Fran to transport the mined ore.
There was already a
well-maintained road from the town of Fran to the town of Est, connecting
Teigun and the town of Est by road.
However, in the
[previous history], the road I developed through this process was used by
Commander Weiss (Shogun)...
In any case, it was a
huge gain that Miseri, an excellent and trustworthy civil official, had become
my ally at this point.
My heart was racing
with excitement for the future development of the entire Teigun area.
For that purpose, I
need to earn money...
I'm still far from
having enough.
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