Chapter 95 - Veronica

Chapter 95: Veronica

All the management personnel of the camp were gathered, and they discussed their future path in Gawain’s tent.

Amber was rather restless as she sat in the seat beside Rebecca. She would turn here and there to survey the surroundings from time to time as if searching for a chance to sneak out at any time. After noticing that Gawain had absolutely no intention of letting her go, she could not help but grumble, “Say, just hold a meeting if you want to, why must you have me here… It’s not like I understand those things you’re saying.”

“Keeping you within sight is mainly to prevent you from going out and being a nuisance to others,” Gawain responded casually; he ignored Amber’s expression of baring and gnashing her teeth in the next second. He went directly to the subject. “I gathered everyone because I wanted to first explain one thing — the crisis has yet to pass.”

Rebecca’s eyes instantly widened as she stared blankly at Gawain. “Ah? Haven’t we already repelled those monsters?”

“That’s the key.” Gawain shook his head. “We only repelled them once, but would they not come anymore?”

Everyone present gazed at one another, whereas the farmer Norris, who was at such an occasion for the first time, instinctively shrunk his neck. He wasn’t startled by what Gawain said; in fact, he hadn’t even paid attention to Gawain’s words. This down-to-earth farmer only felt especially awkward to be here, given his status. Every single person around him was someone he had to look up to in the former days, but they were now all seated with him. This made him exceptionally nervous.

On the other hand, Hummel, who was seated beside him, was doing pretty well. Although this blacksmith was also of humble birth, as he was responsible for smelting steel for lords year in and year out, he had lots of experience interacting with aristocrats. At present, he appeared to be perfectly calm and collected.

Heidi noticed Norris’s nervousness, but she did not say anything. Instead, she carried on with Gawain’s subject. “Ancestor, haven’t you already verified the integrity of the Great Barrier? Its self-repairing capability…”

“It has indeed repaired itself, but I’m not sure if it will be compromised again,” Gawain said. “Everyone, we have to be clear on one thing — although we have just resolved a crisis, it is far from an absolute, complete victory. The Great Barrier isn’t a creation of the gods. Even if it was a miracle, it was a miracle from seven hundred years ago. The monsters that wandered out from the Gondor Wasteland are enough to illustrate that this barrier isn’t almighty. Now, this barrier is aging, so we have to be prepared for the possibility of it malfunctioning again.”

Amber held her chin and muttered, “Then we should simply just run…”

“Where to?” Gawain glanced at the half-elf. “Once the Great Barrier collapses, the pollution will spread throughout the entire continent. Besides, do you think everyone is like you? Able to dart away several hundreds of kilometers at the first sign of trouble, and able to survive in some casual nook or cranny?”

Following that, he waved his hand. “I’m reminding all of you only because I don’t wish for you to let down your guard too much. I do not mean to say that the Great Barrier that has stood for seven centuries is about to collapse anytime. I’ve confirmed it the last time. Overall, it is still operating normally. The hole was probably just a ‘small problem’. According to the blueprint from those days and the general endurance of the elves’ creations, it is unlikely to completely collapse in the next few decades, so no need to be too nervous.”

The crowd present only heaved sighs of relief then, while Sir Philip went on solemnly, “Even if that’s the case, our victory has had a great deal of luck. If the enemy’s numbers had been slightly higher, if the effect of those traps had been slightly lesser, if those monsters had been slightly luckier when they set off the traps, the outcome of the battle would have been the total opposite. The constitution of aberrations is far beyond that of humans. Moreover, when their numbers are enough, just the auras they emit would be enough to kill all living beings within an extensive range. When their numbers increase by one, the pressures that the soldiers have to face is more than double. Our victory… isn’t that comforting.”

This honest young knight had undisguisedly vocalized his inner thoughts, and it also happened to be what Gawain wanted to say. “That’s right. We cannot be hoodwinked by this victory. Our camp remains very vulnerable in all aspects. Now, we’ve merely settled down here. We’re still far from gaining a firm foothold. That is why I called all of you together, to speak about my subsequent plans.”

Heidi spoke up curiously, “Subsequent plans?”

“Build walls, store up grains, increase population, increase production of steel,” Gawain said while tapping lightly on the surface of the desk. He then looked towards Rebecca, “How is the progress with baking ‘cement’?”

“Um… I’ve yet to succeed,” Rebecca said with slight dejection. “Actually there has been some progress. A type of porous rock extracted near the iron mine combined with clay has produced something very similar. But many tests are still required to determine the optimal ratio, temperature, and baking duration. At this point in time, since the furnaces’ have been putting almost all effort into producing crystals, the progress of ‘cement’ is very slow.”

In other words, she had already seen the light?

Gawain was rather pleased at heart. He looked at Rebecca who was a little lacking in confidence. “Not bad, having found the direction is the greatest progress. Your most important task now is to make the best use of time and come up with a truly usable cement formula, the faster, the better. In addition, the production of ‘Rebecca Crystals’ cannot stop. Retain at least a third of the furnaces to be baking crystals at all times, and set aside a group of people to specially handle the washing and selection. The newly built warehouse at the southwest of camp is yours. Use it to store those crystals.”

With that, he turned to Norris. “How about the land cultivation?”

The old farmer stood up instinctively but sat down slightly embarrassedly again. He was only done organizing what he wanted to say a few seconds later. “One hectometer of cultivated land has been opened at the eastern and western sides of camp respectively and planted with sweet-wood roots and fire-leaves. The magic of Lord Druid and the potions that he created were both especially effective. The speed at which the crops are growing is scarily fast. We might be able to harvest even before Frost Month arrives, and we would have a surplus after feeding everyone—”

Gawain cut Norris off. “You are the Agricultural Manager. You do not have to address people of the same rank as Lord. In fact, you do not have to address me that way either. Call me by my official title or aristocratic rank.”

Norris peeked a look at Gawain rather nervously and repeatedly agreed. “Yes, yes, Duke…”

Whereas Pittman who was beside him wore a glum face. “It’s so rare to have someone address me that way. Can’t you let me enjoy it for a few more days…”

“Duke,” Norris continued at this point, “there is one other issue that I hope you may permit.”

“Speak your mind.”

“The land on the northern banks of the White River, I hope they can be cultivated too,” Norris said. “I brought people to examine the land. The quality of the soil is great, and there are few pebbles as well. However, because there is a need to cross the river, it wasn’t included in the cultivation plan from the very start, but I believe it would be good to make use of that area. When the monsters attacked this time, a considerable number of people, the farmers especially, were worried about the land on the southern side of the White River. If we could cultivate another piece of land on the opposite bank…”

Norris stopped there, seeming like he didn’t know how to go on. A hint of restlessness and anticipation appeared on his dark and wrinkled face. Gawain responded to this very quickly, “I approve. The cultivation of the northern bank will be listed under the second phase of the cultivation plan. But before that, we have to build a bridge over the White River, relying on just a few logs won’t do… Heidi, note this down.”

“Next would be regarding population,” Gawain said while looking at Heidi. “What thoughts do you have about this?”

Heidi put down the dip pen in her hand and pondered seriously for a while. “Actually… the simplest way would be to buy serfs. On the whole, their background would be clear and clean. There’s not much need to worry about their loyalty, but this would require quite a sum of money, and we might not be able to buy enough to meet the numbers. Secondly, it would be good to take in refugees. As the harvests of the Southern Borders in recent years haven’t been good and conflicts have erupted many times between a few aristocratic families with fiefs, till now, there have been a significant number of refugees without definite residence. To the majority of the aristocrats, the extra population is a burden, and refugees from other territories are like livestock. Therefore, these people lead difficult lives between a rock and a hard place. They’re even ‘cheaper’ than serfs. Give them food, and they would follow…”

Speaking of this, Heidi could not help but shake her head. “But the problem is also very obvious. It’s difficult to check the background of these people. In the process of wandering everywhere, they have also picked up many bad habits of pilfering. If we have them enter the territory in large numbers, public security would become a big problem.”

Amber’s voice suddenly sounded pensively, “If abiding by the law promises a good and prosperous life, a good half of the bards and hoodlums would all try to find a job. They did not choose to be rats because they like to live in the sewers. Do you think anyone would choose a life of starving daily and getting whipped because they like to steal?”

Heidi watched Amber dazedly; this was the first time she did not retort this half-elf’s words. And Gawain commented coolly a few seconds later, “You were still thinking of stealing my stamp the day before yesterday. In the end, you were thrown out of the tent by me. Although what you said made a lot of sense, do you really have the cheek to be saying that yourself?”

“I was just joking with you. Did you have to go so far?!”

“Stop!” Gawain immediately waved his hand and cut Amber off. He thought to himself: that was close; one really couldn’t be unguarded at all when communicating with this disgrace to the elves; you’d never know that if you responded to just one comment of hers, you would involuntarily become a joker. “The expansion of the population still requires more planning. Hummel, share about the progress with steel…”

…

At the same time, upstream of the White River, a beautiful ship that had been completely painted white — with three sails open and the emblem of the Anzu royal family hanging from it — sailed steadily on the river. There were several smaller ships guarding its front and back.

On a side of that white ship, a special faint gold symbol could be seen. It was a circular ring radiating gold light, with two intersecting rays of light.

That was the symbol of the Church of the Holy Light.

In the entire Anzu, situations where the royal emblem and the symbol of the Church were present together were rare. Thus, this scene naturally attracted the attention of residents of Tanzan Town who were on the riverbanks.

The people of this ship had set off from the Anzu capital. After drifting for a month on the Duoergong River, then turning from the canal into White River, and sailing for another week, they finally arrived at this barren land at the borders of the kingdom.

This had truly been an arduous journey, but no one on the ship complained because a person who, given her status and identity, absolutely didn’t have to undergo this rocky journey was also on this ship. And this person had never made a single complaint.

On the upper deck of the ship White Oak, which belonged to the royal family, in a room specially meant for praying, the Saint Princess who had the title of ‘lady favored by the light’, Veronica, gradually opened her eyes.

She had long pale-blond hair. Her looks slightly resembled her brother, Edmund Moen, but she was even softer and more attractive. Being immersed in the path of the holy light through the years had her possessing a remarkably holy, pure, and firm disposition. Even if she was merely dressed in a plain white nun gown, an unapproachable aura lingered around her as if she was a deity that had descended from the sky.

Until minutes after she had finished praying did the utterly aloof, inhuman aura gradually fade from her body.

As if sensing the change in aura in the praying room, a timely knock sounded. A female voice with almost no changes in emotion sounded from outside. “Your Highness, we have arrived at Tanzan Town. Do you want to pull to shore to meet with Viscount Andrew?”

The faint glow in Veronica’s eyes slowly faded. She replied gently, “No, just send an envoy there. The Lord gave me a revelation. I cannot remain here. I have to hurry to the Cecil territory. There—there is something that The Lord has guided for me to see.”

The aura outside the door left. Veronica narrowed her eyes slightly. Holy light floated in her eyes again as if it could not be controlled.

She closed her eyes fully and entered meditation once more.

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