Chapter 314 - 312: Guidance

Chapter 314: Chapter 312: Guidance

The moment Duane stepped into the living area, a foul cloud of air—a mixture of sweat, rotting food, and excrement—assaulted him, causing him to instinctively frown.

He quickly held his breath, just as he had when treating Viscount Charlemagne.

He couldn’t smell the stench anymore, but he could still see the squalor: pottery jars and moldy straw mats scattered on the muddy ground, shacks crudely built from reeds and sticks, and filthy cloths hanging haphazardly all around.

Not far away, the makeshift hearths the slaves had built from stacked stones were just as wretched. Scraps of wild vegetables and uncleaned fish bones attracted swarms of flies, which circled about, BUZZING loudly.

Duane couldn’t resist using the Flame Technique to incinerate them all.

Seeing this, Haien scratched his head in embarrassment and explained,

"My Lord, as you know, we brought over two thousand people in a very short time. We haven’t had time to build particularly nice living quarters to accommodate them all."

Duane looked at the stretch of thatched huts before him, which were countless times more dilapidated than any shantytown. He couldn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, associate them with the word "beautiful."

Haien continued, "In order to clear new fields as quickly as possible, I haven’t assigned many people to improve the living conditions here."

He then proceeded to tell Duane about the current rate of land reclamation.

"At the current rate of reclaiming four hundred mu a month, we’ll have nearly two thousand mu of paddy fields by the end of February next year. Before the spring planting, I’ll have everyone focus on preparing and sowing the fields. By the harvest in July or August, each mu should yield about three hundred jin. We’ll be able to just barely feed ourselves!"

’A yield of three hundred jin per mu... Even if all the rice was used for food, it would only be enough to last them a little more than half a year.’

’But if they also planted a late-season crop, and with the new fields cleared next year, they could become completely self-sufficient the year after.’

But Duane knew this was just Haien’s wishful thinking.

"That’s a fine ideal, but I’m afraid reality will be much crueler."

Duane glanced at the slaves toiling in the distance.

"With the way you have things arranged, forget next July or August—do you think even half of these slaves will survive the winter?"

With that, he walked toward one of the thatched huts ahead.

He could sense that someone was inside.

Sure enough, as he drew closer, Duane saw three people lying inside. They lay on a pile of reeds that served as a mat, with the muddy ground directly beneath.

He didn’t need to ask to know that these three slaves were ill.

Sickness was inevitable given the filthy conditions and intense labor.

"How many casualties have there been so far?" he asked.

Haien hesitated for a moment before telling him the truth without reservation.

"Eight slaves who were already in poor health have died!"

Haien complained, "That downpour came on too suddenly, and it was too intense. They got soaked, fell ill, developed fevers... and then they were gone."

"As for the number of slaves who’ve fallen ill at one time or another, it adds up to several dozen people. But they’ve all gradually recovered and been able to return to work."

At this, he looked at the three lying in the hut with a bitter expression. "But I’m afraid these ones... they aren’t going to make it."

Duane was well aware that reclaiming new land would bring casualties; it was unavoidable.

It was like the able-bodied laborers in the Silver Jade Territory who were bitten by venomous snakes and died from the poison.

But he didn’t want to lose all two thousand of these people here, especially not because of something as basic as their living conditions.

’No matter how you looked at it, these slaves were his property, and no one wasted their own property like this.’

’None of these slaves are too old. As long as they’re alive, they can work for me for years to come. I can’t let them die so easily!’

Duane signaled for Gaius to have two men carry the sick slaves out of the hut.

The three of them had pale faces and ragged breath; they were in very bad shape. Just as Haien had said, they certainly wouldn’t last much longer like this.

Duane gathered his Magic Power and began to cast.

After dealing with Priestess Sara and her group, he had searched her room and found her notes on the Holy Healing Technique, Holy Shield Technique, and Punishment Technique.

Perhaps Duane had convinced Sarah to secretly sell him these spells, but she had been killed before she had the chance.

Duane didn’t have the Light Attribute, but he could still use the Holy Healing Technique through Arcane Shaping.

A light descended, and in just over ten seconds, the listless slave’s Spirit was restored.

He froze for a moment, then immediately scrambled to his knees and began bowing his head to the ground before Duane in thanks.

Duane motioned for him to stand aside and began casting on the remaining two.

He had to admit, the effects of this special Magic from the Holy Radiance Court were truly impressive.

Soon, all three had recovered.

They were still weak, but at least they weren’t going to die.

"It’s nearly noon. Have someone prepare some rice porridge for them."

"Yes!"

Haien immediately called for some men and had them start cooking the porridge.

Plain porridge and wild vegetables were the main food for these people.

Of course, they occasionally got some meat or fish, like the large fish caught a while back, seafood from the coast, or hunted Demon Beasts.

However, these richer foods were mostly consumed by the managers, like Haien and Michele.

The most the slaves could hope for was a sip of broth with a few specks of oil in it, and even that was a rare treat.

Duane had no objections to this arrangement.

’After all, if even the managers couldn’t eat well, you couldn’t expect the work here to proceed smoothly.’

The group then left the living area and moved to an upwind location where the air was better. There, they began to seriously discuss the situation.

"At the last meeting in Forest Castle, I had Liss compile a report on sanitation issues throughout the territory—drinking water, living conditions, and the like. I believe you’re aware of it."

Haien nodded. He had still been in Broken Wave City at the time.

"My Lord did that to reduce the infant mortality rate and increase the territory’s population."

Duane asked, "And how effective do you think it was?"

Haien replied, "Your measures were very effective!"

"Not only did the number of surviving infants increase, but the overall number of people falling ill in the territory also dropped."

He glanced back toward the living area.

Haien, of course, understood what his lord was implying. It was simply a matter of choice: focus on development first, or focus on settlement first and then develop.

Duane said, "I know you’re eager to make your mark on this land, but there’s no need to be so hasty. After internal consumption, the Lord’s Mansion still has a surplus of grain to sell each year."

"So, my Lord, you mean you want me to build proper housing first?" Haien asked.

"You can do them at the same time."

Duane said, "The land reclamation must continue, of course, but I suggest you pull three to five hundred people to handle logistical support and get this living area in order."

"The first thing is to build latrines. You’re better at composting than I am, so how can you let all this potential fertilizer go to waste?"

"Second, when you build the thatched huts, you need to raise the foundations and dig proper drainage ditches around them. It can’t stay like this."

The hut from before had been a muddy mess, clear proof that neither of these things had been done.

In addition to these suggestions, Duane also instructed Haien to select a suitable site for a future town.

The new town should be modeled after the style of Dawn Town, which would eventually become an architectural style unique to Black Forest Island.

Haien jotted down the many points Duane had raised.

"I understand, my Lord. I will adjust the development plan according to your instructions."

Duane nodded. "It would be unrealistic to expect you to do all this alone. Didn’t you say you selected some capable people from among the slaves? I’ll be here for a while, so bring them to me."

"Also, when I return to my territory, I’ll have Liss and Jesse come over to help."

Liss, who was in charge of internal affairs, would come to provide guidance for a time before leaving.

As for Jesse, a Priestess of the Holy Radiance Court, Duane planned to have her stay here long-term, using her knowledge of Magic and Herbalism to care for the sick.

"That would be wonderful!"

Haien breathed a sigh of relief. Having trustworthy people to help was more than he could have hoped for.