New chapter of May Our Village be Happy is out (1/2 chapters)

 

 

Plow and Superhuman Strength

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As a result, Earnest turned out to be a merchant far more capable than expected. In less than three weeks since his first visit, he delivered to the Valentine territory a completed plow along with the remaining funds, after deducting the price of the plow from the proceeds of the spoils of war.

Having confirmed that he was indeed a man who could accomplish his work reliably, Mika entrusted him with the further conversion of the remaining spoils into money. He also placed orders for tools required for the reforms to come, as well as household items necessary to uphold the dignity befitting a lord’s household, items that needed to be repurchased because the former lords had carried them off.

Mika immediately set about making use of the plow that had been delivered. The season was late summer, and in order to sow wheat seeds in autumn, the land had to be tilled.

“Incredible.” (Villager)

“To think that the farmland, which until now had demanded such exhausting effort to plow, could be tilled this swiftly and this deeply.” (Villager)

“As expected of Mika-sama.” (Villager)

The gathered villagers exchanged words in astonishment. Before their eyes, Mika was tilling the farmland deeply by drawing the plow.

At the tip of the plow, where ordinarily an ox or a horse would be harnessed, Mika had bound a short log, and by employing it as a handle, he manipulated it through mind magic. As the log was pulled forward by ropes, the plow advanced, its blade furrowing the earth of the farmland.

The plow required someone to stand behind and steady it, and this task was undertaken in turns by the men of the village. At first, this role fell to Jeremie, a young villager, the very same youth who, on the night when Mika repelled the bandits, had first spoken the words desiring Mika to become their new lord.

“Truly, Mika-sama’s magic is astounding. You are the strongest lord of all.” (Jeremie)

“Ahaha, to hear you say that makes me glad indeed. No matter how many times such words are spoken, they always bring me joy.” (Mika)

“If someone like me suffices, then I shall offer you praise as many times as you wish. Mika-sama is the strongest!” (Jeremie)

Thus, praised from behind by Jeremie, Mika, in high spirits, continued to draw the plow. Without the brute strength of oxen or horses, the plow nonetheless advanced after Mika, and the farmland was steadily ground and turned.

In this world and in this era, iron farming implements had already spread to some extent throughout the Dariander region, and in the Valentine territory as well the tools in use had blades of iron, either wholly or at least at their tips. However, even when such iron tools were employed, the depth to which the land could be plowed by human strength had its limits. The labor required was vast, and the area that one farmer could manage remained restricted.

If a plow were employed with power surpassing human strength, the land could be tilled more deeply. Moreover, work could be advanced more swiftly, enabling the same number of people to manage far greater areas of farmland with far less effort. The harvest yield per unit of farmland would increase, and if the farmland itself could be expanded further, then the agricultural revenue of the Valentine territory would rise dramatically in the not-so-distant future or so Mika anticipated.

“Well then, I intend to continue plowing at this pace, but what are your thoughts?” (Mika)

Having driven the plow southward from the northern edge of the farmland close to the village, and then turned back northward, Mika halted once before the watching villagers to seek their impressions.

“I believe there is no issue at all. I had not imagined the plow’s effect to be so great. I find myself once again in awe both of Mika-sama’s foresight in making the introduction of the plow the highest priority, and of the power of your magic.” (Marcel)

It was Marcel who answered on behalf of all. Among the others there was no dissent. Rather, each of them voiced their agreement with Marcel and offered words of praise to Mika.

“Ahaha, thank you all. Then, let us continue to till as much of this year’s planned farmland as possible. By increasing both the harvest yield and the income, we shall save ample coin, and in time we shall be able to purchase a draft horse.” (Mika)

“Eh, Mika-sama intends to buy a draft horse, even though you can already handle the plow with your magic?” (Jeremie)

From behind, Jeremie raised his voice in surprise.

“It is true that by using my mind magic, I can till the farmland without the need to purchase an expensive horse. However, the area I can plow by myself remains limited. Alone, I cannot possibly plow all of this village’s farmland, and in such a case the remaining land would still need to be tilled by everyone else by hand, just as before.” (Mika)

Mika turned back and answered the question of the young villager, who seemed to have misunderstood.

“Moreover, if we continue to rely upon my magic alone for the work of plowing, then once I die, both the area of land that can be cultivated and the harvest that can be obtained will revert to what they once were. Even aside from that, if at the crucial season I should fall ill, or if I should be injured and unable to set foot upon the farmland, or if I should be required, in my capacity as lord, to leave the territory for official duties, agriculture itself would grind to a halt. For that very reason, I wish to establish a system of farming that does not depend upon me alone.” (Mika)

“I see now. As expected, Mika-sama is considering matters in ways far more complex than someone like me ever could.” (Jeremie)

Having listened to Mika’s explanation, Jeremie let out a breath of admiration.

“Jeremie, even supposing Mika-sama could indeed plow the entire farmland by magic alone, did you intend to rely forever upon the lord himself to till your fields? Mika-sama is kind, but such a notion would be nothing but overreliance.” (Marcel)

“Ah, that is indeed so. Forgive me, Mika-sama.” (Jeremie)

When Marcel pointed this out in exasperation, Jeremie, looking embarrassed, bowed his head to Mika.

“Ahaha, think nothing of it. In truth, as this territory prospers, I myself shall become ever busier with the duties of a lord. Once I am freed from the task of drawing the plow, I can devote both magic and time to other work, such as felling the forest. Tasks that a horse can perform in place of me, I would prefer to entrust to the horse. For that reason as well, I hope as soon as possible, within a few years at the latest, to purchase horses and introduce them into agriculture.” (Mika)

To build a territory where all might live in happiness, expansion of the land itself was indispensable. A certain scale of land was necessary to maintain prosperity, and the physical power required to defend it was proportionate to that scale.

His magic was the sole trump card that could expand the territory of the Valentine family by leaps and bounds within a single lifetime. To enlarge the territory as much as possible during his life was Mika’s foremost objective, and to devote all his efforts to that task, he had to graduate as soon as possible from the situation of drawing the plow with magic.

“Say, if it were Dimitri-san with his great strength, might he not be able to draw the plow with mere bodily force?” (Villager)

At that moment, one of the assembled villagers spoke.

“Ah, indeed, if it is Dimitri-san, perhaps he might.” (Villager)

“Among all the men of the village, none are larger, and his muscles are unmatched.” (Villager)

“No, that seems unlikely. Could it truly be possible?” (Dimitri)

Dimitri, who had been standing near Mika, responded to the villagers’ words by exchanging a glance with Mika.

“It sounds entertaining, does it not? Let us put it to the test.” (Mika)

Sharing the same curiosity as the villagers, Mika nodded and stepped aside. Dimitri then took his place before the plow.

“Hunghaaa!” (Dimitri)

When Dimitri pulled the rope tied to the plow, the muscles of his thick arms swelled yet further, and the plow shifted forward slightly.

“Oh! It moved!” (Villager)

“For one so large, it can indeed be done.” (Villager)

“Look at those arms, those muscles, how splendid.” (Villager)

“Waaah, Dimitri is amazing! So cool!” (Villager)

While the villagers cheered in excitement, Mika clapped his hands in delight. The plow, drawn by Dimitri’s sheer physical strength, continued to inch forward.

“Haaah! I can go no further.” (Dimitri)

After pulling the plow for a certain distance, Dimitri released the rope, placed his hands on his knees, and exhaled heavily as he spoke.

“As expected of my retainer. Surely in all the Dariander region, no other lord can boast of being guarded by a retainer so strong that he can draw a plow by his own strength. As his master, I could not be more proud.” (Mika)

“Hahaha, thank you. Though truthfully, I could manage only a little. It is nothing like an ox, or a horse, or Mika-sama’s magic, which can advance smoothly.” (Dimitri)

Having regained his breath, Dimitri looked back upon the furrow he had made and gave a wry smile.

“No, no, for a man to do this much is already more than enough.” (Villager)

“Setting aside Mika-sama’s magic, there can be no doubt that Dimitri-san is the strongest in the Valentine territory.” (Villager)

“Truly amazing, Dimitri-san! I envy you! How can one become so strong and so large as you?” (Jeremie)

“Well, that I cannot say. By eating well and laboring in the fields, before I realized it I had become this size. Perhaps one or two years before I reached adulthood, I had already grown to about this stature.” (Dimitri)

The villagers all praised him, and Jeremie asked in excitement. To such a question, which had no real answer, Dimitri scratched his head with a troubled expression. Mika, listening to the two of them, thought that both his height and his musculature must surely be the work of heredity, and thus not something Jeremie could easily imitate.

“Truly, you are amazing, Dimitri-san. Handsome and wonderful.” (Bianca)

“Hahaha, Bianca has been like this ever since Dimitri-san arrived.” (Villager)

“She has always said she liked strong men, after all.” (Villager)

The young village woman Bianca gazed at Dimitri with eyes full of rapture. Seeing this, the surrounding villagers spoke half in exasperation.

Bianca was 21 years of age, a little younger than Dimitri, and ever since the day Mika and his companions had arrived, she had been enamored of him. Moreover, she remained unmarried. Dimitri, receiving her ardent gaze, did not appear displeased.

As Mika gazed at the side profile of his retainer, he could not help but smile warmly. This man revered him as master and had devoted his life to following him. Mika wished for him to find happiness not only as a retainer but also as a man. For that purpose, Mika resolved to support him with all his might.

 

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