Chapter 301 - Chapter 15: Unannounced Reward
After parting with the people from Finis and Northern Gram who were heading to the northern lands, we go to the royal palace. Because we have to report.
Of course, I won't speak of the secret of the mound in the canyon, for which I exchanged a Vow of Silence.
I thought we would talk in the Audience Chamber, but we were shown to the usual banquet hall.
The dignitaries are all present. Today, Magdalena-sama, Roberts-sama, and Gladys-sama are all here, so the royals are all present, and on top of that, Bishop Phillips and Bishop Harris are also here.
For some reason, Marcelo-san has come bringing the baskets for Flora and Glory.
Apparently, he was called by the King.
"To organize what we've found out so far, there are five locations where Black Stones were kept. Excluding the one the Demon Lord had, there are three left: Morandine, Engrio, and Primordia."
"The name Morandine has newly come up."
Based on Eleanor-sama's report, Evans-sama is drawing marks on the map of the White Island spread out on the table.
The white square drawn in Uminohara was erased, and a black circle was drawn in. From the locations drawn, the white squares are likely the locations of altars and the black circles are the locations of Black Stones.
The number of places to go has increased by one. It's Morandine. It's one of the east coast countries, and until very recently it was an ally of Engrio.
"The Council of Lords will be held from the beginning of June. The King of Morandine has just been crowned and is a minor, but James-dono apparently has an acquaintance with him. We should be able to request cooperation."
The King seems to have some doubts. After all, there has been no connection that could be called diplomatic relations until now. On the other hand, a request for cooperation has already been made to Primordia, and it seems they have readily agreed.
"Are you going to talk about that at the meeting?"
Beatrix is asking Evans-sama. That's not something a commoner should hear.
"It's the behind-the-scenes part. Each country is planning to have talks with specific countries. We'll talk about it there. We also have to go to Engrio for investigation, but it's better to do that after the investigation into the Black Stones is finished to some extent."
"Is that so?"
"We want to send Jeanne to Engrio in as powerful a state as possible."
"Hmm. As I thought, Engrio is dangerous."
"Rather than that, it's about prestige. In Engrio, you might also meet people who have come from the continent. In other words, complete heathens. They are completely different people."
"Does that mean I lack dignity as I am now?"
Leave me alone. Strictly speaking, I'm not even twenty yet. I don't want to be compared with the Headmistress who became a Bishop in her teens.
"That's where I have a bit of a consultation with Jeanne."
Henry-sama looked at the King.
I have a bad feeling.
"That's right. Jeanne. You have been knighted by three countries. Moreover, you have been rewarded in Regnentes. In other words, you are promised appropriate treatment in four countries."
But they're all unofficial, and I might be kidnapped by Engrio, right?
It's better not to stand out too much, right?
"It's not just Jeanne. Each of the members of the Class of 175 is active in various ways, starting with the subjugation of the Demon Lord."
Beatrix is a knight of Finis and was also rewarded in Regnentes. Beowulf received a medal as a soldier of the Kingdom Army, and Bonnie as a scout directly under Adolf-san for the recent war. Lyudmila is starting to attract the attention of various countries as an agricultural researcher. Matilda is involved in the development of new prosthetic hands and legs as a member of the Nakanohara Guard machine shop. Mary, a knight of Finis, goes without saying, and her trade spanning various countries is gaining a reputation in each country. Will... I don't know what she's doing, but at any rate, she's directly under Eleanor-sama. She must be doing something amazing.
"In particular, Lyudmila's agricultural research, Mary's strengthening of cooperation with various countries through trade, and in addition, the various effects of Jeanne's magic are worthy of special mention. Normally we would award medals and grant reward money, but the activities of you lot are too deeply involved in the cooperation between nations, making public announcement difficult."
Just the disclosure of Will's range of action would make her a wanted person.
"That said, our country does not recognize the existence of nobles, so we cannot appoint you to knighthood either. Therefore, we want to grant special rewards with conditions, thereby expressing the nation's gratitude."
With conditions? Aren't rewards usually free? Will taxes be deducted?
Apparently, about two hundred serfs who crossed the border from Engrio immediately after the end of the war are being sheltered in the Flatlands. Registration as Sertorian citizens was finished during the winter, and they are currently living in simple huts built around the bandits' fortress. Teaching new agriculture to those two hundred people was the condition. In return, we can get the agricultural testing ground next to the farm of the Class of 175 in its entirety.
Four fields of fertile soil that are sufficiently cultivated! It would be eight hundred gold coins at market price. That's for free?
Yes! It must be the secret reward Beatrix and Mary were talking about. It's much better than a Knight's Staff!
When I tried to jump at the two, I was scolded to wait.
"Even if you say reclamation guidance, it's impossible for Lyudmila alone. In fact, I wonder if we can even satisfactorily look after the four new fields we're getting. Even now, we're only able to do it because we're getting help from the Jaeger Corps."
"That's right. If we were becoming landlords like in the village in Regnentes, it would be one thing, but it's quite difficult with just us."
Beatrix and Mary entered negotiations. I have to leave it to them.
"This is where the second condition comes in. Currently, the Jaeger Corps is stationed at the testing ground disguised as workers, but that area will be the exit of the highway coming through the mountains from the Nakanohara plains, and with the mining site for silica, there will be inns and shops, making it a bustling place. We want you to allow them to continue to be stationed there. Since we will increase the number of people to some extent, we will build huts where several people can stay overnight."
In other words, they will plow the fields for us.
"It's a substitute for a hideout. Well, in that case, seven fields' worth should be fine."
If the bandits are there, we'll be able to gather and enjoy banquets as before. One of them always goes up to the watchtower to keep watch on the surroundings. Instead, the number of people has increased before I knew it, and five or six people are always eating and drinking together. Since they bring the game they've killed as souvenirs, we're putting out Angelica-san's home cooking and mead.
"It's fine. It'll be helpful if you do that. After that, it's the reclamation guidance for the Flatlands. Does this also have a second condition?"
"Lyudmila is making a textbook, right? I've seen that textbook, and it seems you have to divide the fields you have into at least four. In that case, those who only have small plots of land won't be able to secure enough profit. But, for example, if we assume the entire Flatlands is one large plot of land, what do you think would be a good way to divide it into four?"
"Um, how do we do that?"
Beatrix looks at Mary. After all, Lyudmila isn't here.
"When utilizing large plots of land with new farming methods, I believe it's necessary to secure a division of labor under the instructions of a specific leader. Using the textbook, we'll have the people participating in the work fully understand when, where, and what they must do. On top of that, they'll need to acquire the necessary agricultural techniques for each occasion and cultivate the land they are in charge of. In other words, they are contract farmers, so the landlord who is the employer must provide sufficient wages."
It comes out smoothly. She must be egging on the wealthy man in Regnentes to spread the new farming methods.
Mary said that since it also involves securing grazing land for clover and turnips, people to look after the livestock will also be needed. Besides, various other occupations will be needed, such as blacksmiths who handle agricultural tools, transporters, mages for agriculture, waterwheels for grinding flour, and oven shops for baking bread. It's like managing a village. Only a noble with a territory could do it.
"Hmm. In other words, you're turning the two hundred former serfs into tenant farmers. But even if they get reclamation funds and are tax-free for three years, what happens after that? Don't they usually buy or rent land and make it their own farm? Won't they just scatter?"
"No, this time because of the war, the plan was significantly delayed, and it was late to designate it as a national project. As a result, the number of people wishing to move in was not favorable. We decided to make the entire Flatlands a testing ground. It will be directly under the control of Nakanohara Town. Those who want to purchase their own land will have to save up funds and buy other land."
"Other land?"
"That's right. It's along the highway in the northern part of Higashinohara."
"Are you going to start reclaiming that area too?"
It's the place that is our main target. If possible, that land would be better than the fields in the Flatlands.
"It's a story for the future. It's precisely because we are looking ahead to the reclamation of that land that we are making this request to you lot."
Apparently, they are going to stop reclamation by simply felling trees. They seem to have decided on a policy of considering the greening of the entire Northeastern Forest as soon as possible by cooperating with Serena and Renata and replacing green trees and black trees. Coordinating with the spirits also seems to be our role.
Serena and Renata also seem to think that it's better to harvest the black trees, and they probably won't complain if they are exchanged for green trees. I don't know what kind of use there is for black trees, but let's have Lyudmila and Matilda research them.
"But just that won't give Jeanne any prestige. There are still more conditions, right?"
The meddlesome mage is asking the King.
As expected, the King nodded as if he had been waiting to be asked.
"This time, with the cooperation of the Royal Capital Great Church and the Higashinohara Great Church, it has been decided to newly establish the Royal Medical Research Institute. Since we have to gather plague patients and various other sick people, it will be installed in a place far from human habitation. It's near the agricultural testing ground in the Royal Capital region. We want Jeanne to be the Vice Director. By the way, the Director is planned to be Bishop Phillips."
It seems the groundwork has already been finished, and when I looked at Bishop Phillips, he smiled.
"Um, do I have to move to the Royal Capital?"
"No, you can stay as you have been. You can move if you want to. In that case, we will prepare a house here."
"If I don't move, will I be commuting?"
"Let's see, maybe about once a month."
The King and Bishop Phillips were looking at each other and nodding.
"That's quite loose. Is that okay?"
"We're going to try the magic water on various illnesses, but as long as we have the magic circles and scrolls, it's fine. Jeanne herself can stay as she has been."
Since they're going to recruit researchers from various countries, just having the title will give me prestige.
Since I'm a priest, I won't get a salary, but they'll apparently pay for my food and accommodation in the Royal Capital. That said, it'll likely be a banquet, so it should be quite luxurious.
"The problem is the confirmation of the effect. We have to know what kind of illness it's effective for and to what extent, but we humans don't know. Flora, although you can't perform treatment like Dune, wouldn't you know the effect? If you can cooperate, we're thinking of hiring an Alraune as a researcher along with the agricultural testing ground."
How about it? Marcelo-san, who was asked, looked at Flora.
Flora clung to me, so I held her shoulder.
"What does Jeanne think?"
"It's okay. Bishop Phillips is a kind person."
This must be what it means to have joy and anxiety mixed together.
When I patted her shoulder, she looked toward the King.
"I can't say anything for sure without asking my companions, but probably okay. But I want the Director to meet my companions and talk with them once."
"I don't mind. I would certainly like to meet them. It doesn't matter if it's the Alraunes living in Nakanohara or other groups living in the Dryad's Forest. In any case, it's fine if I ask the Marcelo Company to handle the contract all together, right? The magic of the Ancient Priestess, the power of spirits, and us humans. Let's all work together and achieve things that couldn't be done until now."
Strength was put into the hand that was gripping Flora's sleeve after hearing Bishop Phillips's words.
"What should I do? Should I stay with Jeanne as before? Or would it be better to move to that facility?"
Bishop Phillips looked at the King.
"Flora can also stay as she has been. Actually, we are also planning to build a branch along the highway that currently passes through the western edge of the Northeastern Forest. We haven't finalized the details yet, but we plan to have Jeanne and Flora cooperate there as well."
"Then, if that experiment goes well, will you reward us again?"
The cheeky mage is asking, but I want to hear this.
If possible, if I can get land in Higashinohara in exchange for all the fields in the Flatlands, I'll have nothing to say.
"If the results are better than we expect, naturally it will be a target for reward."
"How much? Give us a guideline."
"If you can produce results equivalent to the land where Beatrix is the landlord in the operation of a large-scale farm, that is. The period is, let's see, the three years when reclamation funds are provided will be the preparation period, then the fourth, no, fifth year, and the sixth year."
"Seven bags of wheat per field for two consecutive years. Fine. And we can expect a commensurate return, right?"
"If the Flatlands goes well, next we'll have you do the same thing on an even larger scale in the Northeastern Forest. Naturally, the return will grow larger accordingly."
When Beatrix looked at Mary, Mary thanked the King with formal etiquette.
The deal is closed.
"Flora, did you hear? Let's do our best."
Flora, who hugged me, pressed her face against my chest.