60. Farmlands

The farmland was a practical sprawl, divided into neat, rectangular plots, it stretched as far as the eye could see. Kai let his eyes roam around the field for a few seconds and noticed it was filled with wheat crops mainly with other minor crops laid out in a few patches. He could see serfs and other workers by the field, eyeing him with curiosity, but not daring to walk towards him. Instead, they choose to bow their heads and keep working, glancing at him in between. Trees covered the furthest boundaries he could see, but the yield attracted his attention. He stepped forward, feeling the gentle warm breeze that had hints of coldness to it. The outskirts of his territory were divided into smaller plots. These plots were loaned to serfs, offering them a chance to farm their own land and keep a significant portion of the harvest. On the other side of the manor, closer to the heart of his domain, there were plots with different ownership structures— deeds of property granted to families for their achievements, allowing them to build a more permanent stake in the land. Though, it was far less common. It had been a few months since he had become Arzan and hadn't bothered to check up on the farmlands more than once. Even then, it was mostly to get them to grow particular herbs that they could use to make soup. Now, he wanted a far more permanent solution to their worries of food shortage and the first step was to inspect why the farmlands haven't been yielding good crops, despite the soil being good for farming. As Kai and Killian surveyed the fields, a sense of unease settled upon them. He felt himself shifting his feet, trying to mask the frown that made its way to his face. The wheat, while tall and golden, lacked the vibrancy of a healthy crop. The stalks seemed thinner, the heads less full, a hollowness that was clear to anyone who looked at it. In between the wheat, other crops fared no better— wilting vegetables, and stunted legumes, all painted in a palette of sickly yellow and brown. A sinewy man, his forehead drawn with worry lines deeper than any plough could carve, followed them. He bowed low, his wrinkly yet firm hand gripping a worn straw hat. "Lord Arzan," he said."I am Ubert, steward of the fields and the one who handles most things here. I'm honoured you have come to check up on the fields." "Ubert," Kai acknowledged, his voice mirroring the man's seriousness. "Thank you for meeting us. Things look a bit hectic from afar,” he said, trying to understand the situation better. Ubert’s eyes flickered towards the farmland. Something beneath the mask he put up almost showed itself, but he soon gave a broad smile. “Things have been, so-so, Lord Arzan. But we’ve hope in Goddess Thalassa. Will your lordship take a tour? See the crops closer?” Kai nodded. “We'd appreciate a tour of the farm." Ubert smiled, his gaze lingering on the troubled fields. "Of course, my Lord." As they walked, Kai peppered Ubert with questions. The harvest last year, Ubert explained, had been dismal. Crops had withered and died, their potential choked out. The farmers, despite their best efforts, had little to show for their labour. As the crops weren't of quality, they weren't able to sell them to merchants. Tons of them had to be disposed of too, giving them one problem after another. "We've prayed to Goddess Thalassa," Ubert said, referring to the deity associated with water and fertility, "but the rains haven't come. The land itself seems… tired." “Had the problems only started popping up last year?” Kai asked, looking at Ubert who shook his head. “No, it's been going downhill for a few years now. We used to have one of the biggest harvests in the whole Dukedom before, but it's a thing of the past now. The previous lord, may his soul rest in peace, gave up on finding solutions to our problems in the last phases of his life,” Ubert said, looking at the sky before lowering his head towards the fields. “We tried getting fertilisers and other solutions from merchants that might help us, but it was all in vain.” Kai could only nod to his words. He knew everything was true since Francis had said similar things and he could see the crops for himself. Just the view made him wince internally. What exactly is the problem here? Is it the soil or something else? He knelt beside a sickly stalk of wheat, his brow furrowed in concern. He ran his fingers through the dry soil, his senses tingling with the faint hum of life beneath the surface. But something was odd. As he pushed his mana into the soil to inspect it, he only felt faint traces of mana in the soil. Normally, it could be explained as normal crops also tend to use miniscule amounts of mana in their growth, but the wheat didn't seem to be absorbing the mana. It hardly looked good and if they would have taken so much mana, they would have shown signs of corrosion on them. He inspected more stalks and moved forward, trying to find what was draining all the mana. Then, he paused. A pungent odour tickled his nose. He spotted a small, spindly plant with purple flowers nestled amongst the wheat roots. He plucked it out, his eyes widening in realization. "Ubert," he said sharply, holding up the plant. "What is this doing here?" Ubert squinted at the weed. "Oh, that's Stinkweed. We plant them around the crops, my Lord. They keep the pests away with their strong smell. They're quite effective and easy to maintain." Kai shook his head, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. "Effective, yes," he said, "but for what? They're also leeching nutrients and mana from the soil, choking the wheat. That's why the crops are withering!" He looked at Ubert and noticed the confused look on the man’s face. He clearly had no idea what the weed actually functioned like. On another note, Kai couldn’t believe they let Stinkweed into the farm and held them there for this long. No wonder the field was about to die. It wasn't like the weed wasn't used for pests, but the logical way of using them was to plant and remove them after two weeks before they could grow their roots to start absorbing mana and nutrients. He inhaled deeply and shook his head. “I- I didn't know about it,” Ubert said, a hint of guilt in his voice. "Well, Stinkweed is indeed effective at keeping pests away, Ubert. They're used in smelling bombs for a reason— that pungent odour is quite repulsive to insects. But here's the problem." Kai crushed the Stinkweed between his fingers, releasing a stronger burst of the foul smell. "While they deter pests, they also have a nasty habit of absorbing nutrients and even mana from nearby plants. They're essentially stealing the life force the wheat needs to grow." Ubert's face contorted in disbelief. "But… how? We've been using Stinkweed for years! There was a terrible locust problem two seasons back, and these were the only things that saved the crops." Kai nodded in understanding. "I see. But a temporary solution shouldn't become a permanent problem, Ubert. The Stinkweed might have saved you from the locusts, but they've been slowly weakening the soil ever since. Get them out of here, all of them. We'll find other ways to deal with the pests. If you actually want to use them, remove them before they can grow their roots." His gaze swept across the vast expanse of the fields, a plan forming in his mind. S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The golden wheat, while not quite a sickly yellow, lacked the vibrant green of a healthy crop. They needed water, and relying solely on Goddess Thalassa's whims wasn't going to cut it. "We need a more reliable irrigation system, Ubert," Kai declared. "We can't keep depending on the rain for our harvest. I'm pretty sure you make use of the river, but we need to utilise it better,” he said, looking at Ubert who was listening intently. "We can divert some of that water, channel it through the fields… imagine, a network of irrigation canals, bringing life-giving water directly to the crops." Killian who was silent the entire time spoke. "Building irrigation channels would take time, my Lord. We'd need to gather materials, hire labour." "We have time, Killian," Kai countered. After seeing the plants suffer and knowing the troll it took on the economy, he didn’t want to ignore the problems that he could solve. "And with the Stinkweed gone, the next season's harvest will already see a significant improvement. But in the meantime, Ubert.” He turned to the farm steward. "I have a proposition for you. Are you open to trying something a little unusual?" A flicker of surprise crossed Ubert's face at the last part of his sentence. "Unusual plants, my Lord?" he echoed, scratching his head with a calloused hand. "Indeed," Kai said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "There are a few plants I know of, with shorter harvest times, perfect for the next season planting. They won't yield massive quantities, but they'll provide a safety net, ensuring we don't face food shortages." Ubert, while sceptical, nodded in agreement. He seemed like he wasn't familiar with these "unusual" plants, but the Lord's word held weight. Besides, anything was better than another year of meagre harvests. Kai nodded back and got back onto his inspection, his mind buzzing with possibilities. The nutrients and mana from the soil had been sucked away by the Stinkweed and it would take a while for them to replenish on its own, so he probably would have to push his own mana into the soil, making sure to make it unexpected, so the soil could absorb it well. It wasn't a hard job and he guessed he would be able to finish it in a week. He glanced at Killian, then back at the vast expanse of the field. An idea began to take root as he looked at a few areas that weren't being used yet. "Killian," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “What do you think about using a section of the land for alchemical herbs and magical plants?" Killian raised an eyebrow. "Alchemical herbs, my Lord? Here? Wouldn't that be a bit unconventional? I doubt the serfs know how to grow them." Kai grinned. "Unconventional, perhaps, but with the right planning, it could be incredibly beneficial. Imagine a steady supply of rare ingredients for potions and enchantments, readily available right here on our doorstep. It would not only bolster our own resources, but could potentially become a source of trade with other regions." Killian stroked his chin thoughtfully. "An interesting proposition, my Lord. Certainly worth considering. But wouldn't it require significant investment in terms of magical wards and security? We would also have to get seeds and look into how to acquire plants such as those." Kai’s mind was already running a mile at the thought. He was about to reply when their conversation was cut short. A strange sensation prickled at Kai's skin, a ripple in the very air itself, a surge of raw mana. Before he could even react, Killian looked at him. "My Lord?" Killian's voice was sharp with urgency. "What is it?" Kai didn't answer. His gaze snapped upwards, a plume of smoke rising into the otherwise clear sky. And then came a sound that sent a jolt of lightning down his spine— a loud, screeching roar that echoed through the fields. Without a word, Kai launched himself forward, a powerful wind spell propelling him with unnatural speed. What the hell is that?! He sprinted through the fields, rounding a bend and bursting onto the streets where onlookers were also staring at the spot the smoke was coming from. Just by looking at it, he knew where it was. He took a few more turns as the wind around his legs propelled him forward, his body barely keeping up with the speed as he nearly fell on a turn. Still, he kept running and soon, the view of the main gate came in front of his eyes. His heart plummeted into his stomach as he gazed upon the structure that now lay in ruins, a gaping hole torn through its centre. Smoke and dust billowed into the sky, obscuring the view of what lay beyond. And amidst the chaos, a monstrous figure emerged from the wreckage, its silhouette casting a grotesque shadow across the land. - If anyone wants to buy my patreon or join my discord server, here are the links.  Patreon for 15 chaps: /extra26 Discord: invite/nc3hVSCP2n