New chapter of May Our Village be Happy is out (2/2 chapters)

Current State of the Territory (2)

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In this world, in this era, to speak in very broad terms, the civilization and culture resembled those of medieval Europe as Mika remembered them from his former life. Due to the benefits of magic and the domestication of magic beasts, certain aspects such as the mass production of plant-based paper seemed more advanced, perhaps on par with or beyond the latter half of the Middle Ages. However, in many respects the degree of development appeared closer to around the tenth century, corresponding to the early medieval period.

That same situation applied also to agriculture. In the region of Dariander, the two-field system was common practice. Farmland would be divided into two sections, one half would be cultivated with crops, while the other was left fallow for the recovery of soil fertility, with the two alternating each year. This method, widespread in the land, was precisely the same as that of early medieval Europe in Mika’s former world. It was known by experience that repeatedly cultivating the same crops on the same land reduced yields, and this practice had arisen to alleviate that problem. However, in Mika’s eyes it was a method woefully inefficient.

To further increase the efficiency of farmland use, the introduction of the three-field system was desirable. This system divided the farmland into three sections, one for spring sowing, such as barley; one for autumn sowing, such as wheat or rye; and the last left fallow for recovery of soil fertility, rotated each year.

By this method, there was no risk of continuous cropping damage from planting the same crop two years in succession. Land could still recover fertility through periodic fallowing, yet only one-third of the farmland remained idle at any given time, so agricultural productivity exceeded that of the two-field system. Mika remembered from history that the three-field system had spread through Europe around the middle of the medieval era.

Rumor suggested that in certain parts of southwestern Dariander, attempts to adopt this three-field system were already underway. For that reason, Mika had once proposed its introduction to his half-brother. Yet his suggestion was brushed aside, for no one would heed the words of a bastard child with no experience in agriculture. “This method has been practiced for centuries; it is naturally the most efficient”, his half-brother had declared, dismissing the matter outright. That outcome was only to be expected.

Within the Valentine territory as well, it was the two-field system that prevailed. In this respect, Mika believed there was great room for improvement, based upon his knowledge of his former life.

Furthermore, the use of livestock in agriculture had not yet become widespread. Before sowing, if oxen or horses drew heavy plows through the soil, they could till deeply, thereby increasing the harvest. Yet such practices had not become common. Most farmland was still tilled by hand.

Although the use of oxen and horses for cultivation was known, few lands could afford to purchase such expensive animals. Even in Mika’s homeland of the Carossa territory, there had been no oxen or horses used for farming. In the ten days of his journey thus far, he had seen them only in prosperous lands such as cities or large villages. Of course, they had not yet been introduced within the Valentine territory.

In this respect, the development might be even behind that of the early Middle Ages of Mika’s former world. The cause, he suspected, lay in the fact that the breeding and mass rearing of draft oxen and horses was not yet common, and also that an alternative method of improving crop yields already existed.

That method was the use of magic stones as fertilizer.

Unlike ordinary animals, magic beasts possessed within their bodies objects known as magic stones. Indeed, animals possessing such stones were precisely what were called magic beasts. From these stones, mana was produced, which served as their source of power. Because of this, magic beasts were stronger, larger, or more intelligent than ordinary creatures, or produced more goods than ordinary livestock. Certain plants too possessed magic stones within them, granting special properties.

Incidentally, human magic users also possessed such magic stones within their bodies. The proof lay in an ancient record: a certain ruler had once ordered a physician to cut open the abdomen of a sleeping sorcerer and remove the stone within, after which the man was never again able to use magic.

Magic stones obtained from magic beasts or magic plants served as ingredients in medicines, but it was also known that if crushed, dissolved in water, and spread across fields, they increased crop yields. While the rarer and more powerful stones of formidable creatures were used for medicine, even the stones of domesticated magic beasts or common magic plants produced visible effects as fertilizer, even when heavily diluted.

When such fertilizer was used, even farmland tilled by hand could produce wheat yields five to six times the amount of seed sown. Considering that yields in early medieval Europe had been only three to four times the seed, this was remarkably high. That people could sustain themselves even with small plots tilled by hand had, ironically, hindered the spread of oxen and horses.

Nevertheless, the present state was still only “just barely enough to survive”. The harvest from agriculture by human labor alone was not so meager that people starved, yet not abundant either. In Mika’s homeland of Carossa, the people had lived lives without surplus.

It was the same in this village. The villagers often wished to eat more, but wheat alone did not suffice. Thus, they mixed into their bread the remnants of nuts after pressing oil, or acorns gathered in the forest, to increase the quantity. Mika desired to change this condition. He wished to enable the villagers to declare, “There is more wheat than we could consume, and more bread than we could ever eat”.

If cultivation with oxen and horses were introduced, yields would rise further. Combined with the three-field system, harvests could reach several times the present amounts.

Should that come to pass, the Valentine territory would boast agricultural productivity unrivaled in this world and this age. The people would become prosperous, and so too would the Valentine family, as lords of the land. With increased revenues and surplus crops, Mika could employ his magic to open new lands, expand the territory, and create a virtuous cycle of ever-growing wealth.

Having become lord of this land, Mika now bore the duty to enrich the territory and bring greater happiness to its people. Merely ruling a castle and territory was insufficient; unless he proved himself a better ruler and a superior protector, he could not say that his dream had been fully realized.

Thus, Mika resolved that here he would strive to introduce the three-field system, the use of oxen and horses in cultivation, and other reforms drawn from the knowledge of his previous life.

That being said, he could not implement everything at once. Step by step, he must advance.

“First of all, let us introduce the plow.” (Mika)

“…There are no oxen or horses for cultivation, yet you would purchase a plow?” (Marcel)

Marcel asked in perplexity, whereupon Mika answered with a triumphant smile.

“If I employ my psychokinetic magic, I can draw the plow with strength equal to or greater than oxen or horses. Should I succeed in producing harvests on par with animal-drawn cultivation, then the people will be able to obtain enough wheat to eat their fill of bread without adulteration. Moreover, if we sell the surplus, the revenues of this territory will increase, and life shall become more prosperous than it is now.” (Mika)

By adjusting the use of psychokinetic magic, one could not only lift and manipulate objects but also pull them.

When testing his magic, Mika had tied a rope around a rotting log he had found in the forest beside the road. He bound the end of the rope to the haft of Dimitri’s battle axe, then manipulated the axe with magic to pull the log, as though dragging a sled. The log had indeed scraped along the ground as intended.

Originally this had been an experiment to see whether he could draw a wagon without horses by means of magic. Yet if he himself acted as the substitute for a draft animal, then surely he could draw a plow as well. He believed the strength of his psychokinesis greatly exceeded that of a single horse.

“First of all, I would like to attempt plow cultivation in this autumn’s tilling. Should it succeed, then next year’s spring harvest will be greatly increased compared to the usual. If that occurs, then from next year onward life shall visibly improve.” (Mika)

“…I see. If you so declare, Mika-sama, then I have no objection.” (Marcel)

Since it was widely known that deeper tilling increased yields, Marcel displayed no resistance to the introduction of plows.

“However, I have heard that plows, while not as expensive as oxen or horses, still cost a considerable sum. I also heard that the former lords carried off all valuables when they fled. Would our funds suffice?” (Marcel)

“Ah, so that is indeed what happened. I thought as much, since this manor contained neither money nor fine goods.” (Mika)

“Truly, it seemed as though only this manor had been plundered by bandits.” (Dimitri)

Mika spoke with a wry smile, and Dimitri nodded with a sigh. Marcel muttered with a bitter expression, “That is most regrettable indeed.”

That very morning, Mika and Dimitri had searched through the lord’s manor and discovered clear traces that the former lords, the Dondo family, had taken away every piece of wealth.

In the chamber once used by Dondo for his duties, they had found a large chest with a lock, evidently a safe, but it was empty. From the bedchamber, clothes and ornaments were missing, as were books, iron swords, and chainmail. According to Helga, they had even carried off silver cups from the kitchen. The village’s only horse had been taken to draw their wagon.

Fortunately, bulky stores of food such as wheat and dried meat had been left behind, so those residing in the manor would not starve until next year’s harvest. Nevertheless, the fact that all funds belonging to the lord’s house, which ought to have been used for the sake of the village, were gone, was in ordinary circumstances a dire predicament.

“Yet I possess the spoils of battle that I obtained by my own hand. Should I sell them all, the funds will surely suffice until next year. The expense of purchasing a plow will not be a problem.” (Mika)

Mika spoke with a reassuring smile, to calm Marcel.

The mercenaries whom Mika had slain with stones when his psychokinetic magic first manifested had been fairly well equipped. Nearly half their gear had fallen to Mika as his share: iron weapons, chainmail, leather armor, helmets, gauntlets, and boots. Moreover, Dimitri had willingly presented almost all of his own share, save only his battle axe which he retained as a weapon, thus increasing Mika’s assets.

Furthermore, among the bandits Mika had slain with hurled logs the day before, the leader’s gear and clothing had been of fine quality, which could also be sold for coin.

In addition, both the mercenaries and the bandit chief had carried money. They possessed Romel gold, silver, and copper coins that had circulated since the days when this Dariander region belonged to the great empire. Due to rare magical treatment, these coins had not worn down and still retained their form. Though not common in rural villages, among lords and townsfolk they were recognized as portable wealth.

In Mika’s homeland, it was said that a single Romel gold coin sufficed for a city household to live modestly for a month. A silver coin was worth about one-twentieth of a gold coin, and a copper coin about one-twentieth of a silver coin. The values here should not differ greatly. Mika now possessed sixteen gold coins and about one hundred and fifty silver coins.

By selling the spoils and clothing in his possession, he would have quite a fortune when combined with these coins. The funds would certainly suffice to purchase the implements necessary for reform, such as the plow.

“Therefore, let us first rely upon a merchant, to sell the spoils of battle and order a plow. That shall be the first step toward the development of the Valentine territory. The Dondo family, as lords, must have had connections with merchants. Do you know of such matters?” (Mika)

“Yes. Several itinerant merchants visited this village to purchase wheat collected as tax, and to sell daily goods made in the cities. Among them, this is merely my personal impression, but there was a young merchant who seemed to me an honest and reliable man. He came about once every two months. He has not appeared for some time, so he may soon return. However, if banditry has increased in this region, perhaps he is waiting until security improves.” (Marcel)

“I see. Then let us for now wait for that merchant’s arrival.” (Mika)

There was still time before the autumn cultivation began. Thus, they concluded that for now, while tending to matters within the village, they would await the merchant’s visit.

 

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