That evening, I entered the meeting with the three administrative soldiers.
As I listened to their opinions, I did my best to compare them with the modern knowledge I knew and guide things in a better direction.
“Alright, let’s proceed as planned.”
“Yes, Lord.”
The first decision was to strip the Village Chiefs of their Bailiff positions and have Deckard and Kane take over those duties.
Based on the Mansion as the center, Deckard would oversee Village 1 and Village 3, while Kane would manage the remaining two villages.
“First, both of you should visit each village and, of course, identify the residents, check whether the taxes the previous Bailiffs assessed were accurate, what professions people have, and how houses and land are divided.”
This was a step-by-step investigation to build things up from the ground floor.
At first, Deckard and Kane were curious as to why I was having them do such things.
But Kaishu, who was quick-witted, immediately figured out my intent.
“Are you perhaps planning to redistribute the farmland?”
“Yes. From what I see now, we have a lot of farmland, but much of it isn’t being utilized.”
Surprisingly, except for the villages, my Garrison was practically all arable land.
As long as we thought about expanding the scale of the villages, constructing the Road Network, and then turning all the remaining land into farmland, it would be possible.
Just by doing that, we could have double the current amount of farmland.
Of course, with the current number of peasants, there was no way to manage all of it, so I was thinking of pulling people from the fishing village.
In this world, if the Lord commands something, it’s usually carried out without question, but at the very least, I intended to ask for their opinions.
That’s why I told Deckard and Kane not only to conduct a population survey, but also to ask whether anyone would be willing to participate in clearing the farmland.
Once the first survey was complete, I would use the winter to start full-scale construction.
The construction, for now, was mainly about building up the Road Network—strengthening the road southwest leading toward Jakyung, and developing farmland along the route.
“I’m surprised, Lord, that you’ll be paying wages for the work, not forcing the Garrison residents to do it.”
Kaishu said this while looking at the paper he held.
They had thought I would make them work by force, without paying a single coin.
After all, most Lords took advantage of their people under the pretext of Garrison development. Considering such precedents, it was no wonder that giving payment seemed extraordinary to them.
And none of them were professional laborers, either.
“That money is for stimulating the Market Economy.”
“Market Economy?”
“Just hoarding money won’t activate the market. Think about the few Magic Artifacts Smith and I are planning to make. In the end, that money will circulate back to me. When the Garrison residents purchase something from us, for a better life, they’ll want to earn more, and then I’ll activate another business and pay them again.”
“If you do that, the peasants will abandon their farmland.”
That was Kane’s comment.
If the Lord doled out so much money, there’d be no reason to work the land. And it wouldn’t be just one or two who’d think that way.
“That’s exactly what you and I need to manage so it doesn’t happen.”
“I see.”
“It feels like our workload just keeps piling up.”
Deckard and Kane’s faces paled a little.
“Once you get used to it and things settle down, I’ll pick subordinates for you, so let’s just endure a bit for now.”
And so, we continued our meeting deep into the night.
***
Deckard and Kane started the population survey.
The two moved quickly for their investigation, and Kaishu sorted out what they brought back at my Mansion.
Still, with a population of 800 to survey, it wasn’t something that could be done in a single morning.
And since they also had to ask if people would work the fields if given land, things got even busier.
I told them not to rush, and in the meantime, I focused on teaching the Slaves.
Even though they gained some basic knowledge through my education skill, they were still lacking in many areas.
They had never maintained weapons or armor before.
Naturally, the one who got busiest was none other than Smith.
He wasn’t fully healed yet, so he couldn’t do heavy work, but basic repairs were possible.
He checked and repaired the swords I distributed to the Slaves, taught them how to care for their weapons, and even mended their simple leather armor.
Fortunately, Smith’s assistants, Atle and Wilson, not only had the basic knowledge, but were skilled as well, so even with 80 Slaves, repairs were handled quickly.
I raised the Slaves not just as ordinary Slaves, but as Combat Slaves.
Calling them soldiers was still a stretch, so this term fit best for now.
Besides, the Swordsmanship I was teaching them was none other than Darkrai Swordsmanship.
“With this level of advanced Swordsmanship, their growth will be rapid.”
Among the Swordsmanship techniques I know, it’s on a level that’s almost unbelievable.
Even if they picked up a sword late, with my education skill and Swordsmanship training, their growth would be swift, and before long, their skills would surpass most mercenaries.
“The problem is, I don’t know much about Military Tactics…”
All I know about Military Tactics is the Thirty-Six Stratagems, and even among those, the only thing I remember is ‘the best strategy is to run away.’
‘I need to get some books.’
There were other things I needed to purchase as well, but the problem was whether my funds would suffice.
There was one job that would earn money immediately.
While teaching the Slaves, I gazed at the distant Mountain.
Eighty Slaves, Jenny, and Irene, who were with me, all looked in the same direction.
“Tomorrow, we’ll do actual combat training.”
A week had passed since I started using my education skill.
***
The next morning.
The Mansion was bustling from early on.
They skipped the morning run and, instead, each person got ready on their own and busily packed their gear.
“Hurry up, move faster!”
“Are you still not done?”
“We’re finished over here!”
“Here too!”
The 80 Slaves, regardless of age, moved as one.
I had selected boys aged twelve to sixteen.
So it was easy for them to become friends, and having lived together for nearly two months by now, they had no choice but to become close.
After all, what were they? Slaves. If they didn’t look out for each other, there was no one else to help them.
That only made them stick together even more, so much so that calling them a single unit wasn’t an exaggeration.
Having done nothing but train so far, they were finally heading out for actual combat, so it was only natural that the morning was hectic.
Some hadn’t slept well and had bloodshot eyes, while others were too nervous to eat properly.
What they all focused on was the sword at their waist, the shield in one hand, and the leather armor they wore.
Each of them resolved to make an impression on the Lord, grow their skills, and officially become soldiers of the Garrison.
Their eyes burned even brighter than usual.
***
I watched them through the window of the Mansion.
“It’s chaos…”
I hadn’t expected that skipping the morning run and telling them to pack their gear and wait would make them so antsy.
Some were wrestling for fun to loosen up, others wasted energy doing pointless exercises, and some just wandered around, unsure what to do.
“Aren’t they cute?”
Irene hugged my neck from behind, pressing herself against my back.
She brought her face close to mine and spoke.
“Cute? What’s cute about a bunch of rowdy boys making a fuss?”
I unwrapped her arms from my neck and got up from the bed.
Irene, who had been hanging from my neck, got up as well and started helping me get dressed.
Since we were planning to hunt monsters today, I dressed more carefully than usual.
I put on leather trousers and a jacket over my underclothes, then donned my armor, and finally pulled on my plate mail.
Normally, I’d put on chain mail as well for safety, but that was for regular Knights; for a mage like me, this much was plenty.
And honestly, wearing more than that would just be a hassle.
Thanks to Irene’s help, I was dressed comfortably and quickly.
“All done.”
“You get ready and come out too.”
“Yes.”
With that, I left the Mansion and headed to where the Slaves were gathered.
They were ready, but didn’t know what to do, and their confusion was quite amusing.
That’s when it happened.
“Lord Solo!”
Suddenly, a voice called out. I turned my head and saw the person I’d been waiting for.
“Arnold!”
I ran toward him.
Grabbing both his hands, I rejoiced.
“Haha. I believed you’d come.”
At my words, Arnold released my hands, stepped back, and knelt on one knee.
“Arnold pledges his loyalty to Solo, Baron.”
Even if he had lost his name and retired as a Knight, I knew he was the most trustworthy Knight here.
“I, under the name of Solo, Baron, hereby appoint you as a Knight.”
I drew my sword and gently placed it on his shoulder, then withdrew it.
“Knight Arnold will serve the Lord until the day he dies!”
Arnold declared loudly.
He hadn’t regained his name yet, but he was no longer a retired Knight—he was a Knight in active service once more.
This was only the beginning for Arnold. Now that he’d started anew, it was time to race toward the end.
“Sir Arnold, I give you your first order.”
Thunk.
I pointed toward the Slaves with my finger.
“Those are your soldiers now. I leave them in your care.”
“Yes?”
I looked at Arnold’s confused face and smiled faintly.
Then, I turned and headed back toward the Mansion.
“Ah, finally I’ve shed a troublesome burden. Whew… What a relief, what a relief.”
I’d never commanded troops before.
But just as Arnold appeared, completed his Knight’s oath, and became my official Knight, I gave him his first order.
To lead the Slaves.
I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders.
But Arnold, still standing there in a daze, remained frozen in place.
***
It took Arnold less than an hour to organize the Slaves.
He divided the 80 Slaves into groups of ten and appointed a leader for each group.
“Oh…”
I remembered a system I’d once seen in a novel, where military units were organized with ten-man, hundred-man, thousand-man, and ten-thousand-man leaders.
Of course, my force was only 80 strong, so ten-man leaders were all we had, and Arnold was the equivalent of the hundred-man leader.
I was out of the count, Jenny was running errands, and Irene, with her still-immature Swordsmanship, wasn’t counted as a main force.
“Then, let’s depart.”
We left the farmland and headed toward the only Mountain in the Garrison.