Since Ian’s perception had already changed, being called to the backyard didn’t fill them with fear.
“Hmm, you all arrived early.”
Ian’s voice.
Behind him, two servants carried an armful of farming tools, and there was also a woman they had never seen before.
“Distribute these to them.”
“Yes.”
The servants who had accompanied Ian handed out the farming tools to those gathered.
Once everyone had received their tools, Ian spoke.
“Your task is simple. From now on, plow this field.”
“Plow the field?”
Ian had asked the head servant to gather those who had experience plowing fields, and they were the ones who had been summoned.
They looked bewildered.
Being told to plow a field out of the blue was naturally confusing.
“Young Master, there’s already a field in the lord’s estate, isn’t there?”
Of course, Ian knew that.
The vegetables served daily at the lord’s estate were all grown there.
There was no shortage of vegetables in the estate, so they couldn’t understand why he wanted to create another field.
But Ian wasn’t making the field to grow more vegetables.
“What we’ll plant here are medicinal herbs.”
Medicinal herbs? Why?
Even after hearing the explanation, they still looked puzzled.
‘Because they’re the ingredients for the potion to cure Hugo!’
Ian wanted to secure some of the ingredients himself by growing them in advance.
‘The price of medicinal herbs will skyrocket soon.’
As various medicinal herbs were offered to the ailing emperor, their prices soared.
The fact that the price of medicinal herbs skyrocketed just because they were offered to one person was absurd.
‘Since the emperor tried the medicine, nobles also started believing it was good for their health, leading to a shortage.’
It’s a laughable situation.
The nobles, who are extremely careful about their own health, bought all the medicine offered to the emperor.
That’s why the prices skyrocketed.
‘Once the mines are developed, we might be able to handle it, but for now, it’s definitely too much.’
That’s why Ian decided to grow the medicinal herbs himself.
“Um… Young Master.”
A maid cautiously raised her hand.
“Yes?”
“Plowing the field isn’t difficult, but managing vegetables and medicinal herbs are clearly different, right?”
Even different vegetables require different care, and medicinal herbs are undoubtedly more complex.
Of course, the servants here had experience farming and plowing fields, but none had ever grown medicinal herbs.
Naturally, they didn’t know how to grow or care for medicinal herbs.
But Ian didn’t plan to start growing them without a plan.
“The management of this field will be handled by someone I know who’s knowledgeable about medicinal herbs.”
The unfamiliar woman Ian had brought was the solution.
The woman the servants were seeing for the first time was none other than Rimil!
Ian had been thinking about who might know about medicinal herbs and remembered Rimil.
‘She used to be a mage, but after coming here, she worked as a herbalist, so she must know a lot about medicinal herbs!’
That’s why he called her here to oversee the medicinal herb garden.
After coming to Rosen with her daughter, she had no work.
When Ian asked if she would help cultivate the medicinal herb garden, she immediately agreed and started working here.
Fortunately, she knew how to manage the herbs Ian wanted to grow.
“You will follow Rimil’s instructions and manage this medicinal herb garden!”
More time passed.
Hubert now sat in the lord’s office chair, which Hugo usually occupied.
Jurdan handled most of the work, and Hubert had also become adept at managing affairs, so Ian’s workload decreased accordingly.
Still, Ian occasionally visited the office to see if there was anything he could help with, but Hubert would send him away, saying it was his own work and not something Ian needed to do.
To pass the time, Ian spent his days training.
Kwaaaaang!
His sword released a burst of aura, and the training dummies in front of him were shattered.
A burst of aura erupted from his sword, and the training dummies in front of him were shattered into pieces.
[Skill ‘Schrantz Swordsmanship’ Chapter 2 conditions have been met. Chapter 2 effects have been unlocked.]
[Skill ‘Mana Eruption’ has been acquired.]
<Schrantz Swordsmanship>
―A swordsmanship and secret technique passed down through generations in the Schrantz family.
―Chapter 1: Attack Power +5%
―Chapter 2: Maximum MP +100
―???
<Mana Eruption>
―A skill that explosively releases mana to deal significant damage to the opponent.
―Can be activated by using and maintaining an aura skill beforehand.
―After use, the aura skill is forcibly deactivated.
‘Even though the aura skill gets deactivated, this could deal massive damage to an unsuspecting opponent.’
This skill was far better than the ‘Instant Acceleration’ he had learned earlier.
At the very least, he could just reactivate the deactivated aura skill.
“As expected, you were born with talent, young master. You mastered Chapter 2 much faster than I anticipated. Truly, you have a gift for swordsmanship.”
Oswell was praising Ian after seeing him perfectly master Chapter 2.
Of course, Oswell wasn’t the type to flatter, so he was likely speaking his genuine thoughts.
However, Ian responded with a somewhat indifferent expression.
“Hubert said he mastered it in two months. Please don’t say such things when I’m being compared to him.”
It had taken Ian nearly four months to master it.
On the other hand, what about Hubert?
As the heir, he received proper training and assisted Hugo with his duties.
Yet, he still found time to train and master it.
‘Of course, I have less work to do, so it’s different.’
If Hubert had been in the same situation as Ian, he might have mastered it even faster.
‘As expected, hard work can’t beat natural talent.’
At just sixteen years old, Hubert was truly remarkable.
Born with talent and putting in the effort?
There’s no way to catch up to that.
‘Now I understand why the original owner of this body felt inferior to his younger brother.’
With a younger brother like that, it’s no wonder his pride as the older brother was hurt, and being compared to him by others must have been unbearable.
‘Of course, he probably didn’t remember his own mistakes and just hated being compared to others.’
Still, Ian had no intention of defending the original Ian.
The things he had done to his subordinates were nothing to be praised for.
Ian muttered to himself.
“Still, it’s a shame I can’t learn Chapter 3.”
Hubert was training in Chapter 3, but before he could fully master it, Hugo collapsed.
As a result, he too was stuck at Chapter 2.
“Once the lord recovers, you’ll be able to learn it. Don’t worry too much.”
Ian smiled bitterly.
All the servants working in the lord’s estate held onto that small hope.
The lord was famously robust and healthy.
It was shocking that he had fallen ill, but they believed he would surely recover and rise again.
However, Ian knew the truth.
‘He will never recover naturally.’
Ian knew that Hugo’s condition would only worsen, not improve naturally.
If there had been even the slightest chance of natural recovery, Ian wouldn’t have been so worried.
“Yes, we can only hope.”
But even though he knew the truth, Ian couldn’t bring himself to tell Oswell the reality.
And what good would it do to speak negatively now?
‘No need to be negative.’
So, Ian decided to keep the reality he knew to himself and bury it deep in his heart.
As Ian finished his training for the day and stepped out of the training grounds.
“Young Master Ian!”
A servant approached him.
“Young Master Hubert is looking for you.”
“What’s the matter?”
“He said it’s good news, but I was only told to fetch you, so I don’t know the details.”
“What kind of good news is he keeping secret to surprise me? Well, lead the way anyway.”
Thinking it was a good opportunity to share his own good news, Ian followed the servant to Hubert.
“Brother, Be joyful. The mining speed has increased, and we’ve received reports that we’ll be able to start full-scale mining within a month.”
Ian had come expecting good news, but this was beyond his expectations.
The speed was far faster than Ian had anticipated.
Originally, the mine development was expected to be completed around the time of the Schrantz Raid.
But now, it had been significantly accelerated.
“Do you know how they managed to achieve such speed?”
When Ian asked.
“It seems the dwarves assisting with the mining have made a huge contribution.”
Being a race deeply familiar with minerals, their ability to locate minerals was unparalleled.
‘I knew dwarves were like that, but still.’
Of course, some of those dwarves had previously worked in mines, which made it possible.
Still, even Ian hadn’t imagined it would progress this quickly.
It was a butterfly effect caused by their unexpected early arrival.
Thanks to the dwarves, mining could begin nearly a year ahead of schedule.
Now, all that remained was to ensure safety.
‘Ha, I’m already getting excited!’
Every dwarf accepted as a resident of the territory was a master craftsman.
Those who were originally carpenters could immediately return to their craft, as there were many houses to build.
But there were still those who hadn’t yet found their place.
Jewelers and sculptors, for example.
‘Once the village is fully established, they’ll also be able to return to their crafts.’
When that time comes, they’ll have the opportunity to showcase their skills.
Since the village was being built from scratch, their contributions would shine even brighter.
The larger the village grew, the more the pioneer village would become the most vibrant part of the territory.
‘As the cultural level rises, more tourists will come!’
And those tourists would spend money in the territory.
The wealthier the territory became, the more it could continue to develop!
The more the territory developed, the more benefits would trickle down to Ian.
‘And some might even be so charmed that they decide to settle here!’
Of course, the future wouldn’t be entirely rosy, but there was certainly potential.
Knock knock!
“Young Master Hubert. It’s Jurdan. Are you inside?”
Ian, who had been grinning while imagining a bright future, quickly composed himself at Jurdan’s voice.
“Yes, come in.”
With Hubert’s permission, Jurdan entered the office.
“What is it?”
“Young Master Ian’s birthday is in three weeks.”
“Has it already been that long?”
It was Ian who spoke.
Although he said that, he didn’t actually know the real birthday of this body.
He hadn’t been born in this body, and he didn’t remember the character’s birthdate.
He only vaguely remembered it was sometime in spring.
‘A birthday…’
It’s supposed to be a joyous day, celebrating the day one was born.
‘But there’s only one year left.’
Hearing that, he couldn’t simply feel happy.
It also meant there was only one year left until the Schrantz Raid by hostile families.
‘And Hugo’s lifespan is roughly the same.’
Hugo’s condition was worsening in real-time, with no signs of improvement.
His coughing had become severe, and he was growing increasingly emaciated.
Soon, he might even lose consciousness.
‘It’s about time for things to start happening in the imperial family.’
It meant that the time was nearing for the real struggle over the imperial throne to begin.
Honestly, it was surprising they had held out this long.
They must have been preparing for a long time.
‘And soon, the hostile families will start their schemes too.’
This period, when the imperial family was weakening itself and unable to exert influence on its surroundings, was the most dangerous.
The spies planted by the hostile families would be diligently gathering information and preparing their schemes.
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