Myriad's Conquest 7 Inspection

"By the way, Rogar. About that merchant, you've mentioned before. When was the last time they visited?"

Adrian spoke to Rogar as both of them toured the Seastar's domain on foot.

The villagers are busy with their newly a.s.signed task, and since most of them had a task that requires them going outside the village. The village now is almost empty, only several woman and children, who are still in the middle of cleaning up the beetles' remains, could be seen loitering around.

Rogar thinks for a while, before grinningly replying, "I think, it was two months ago, lord. Hehe, that particular merchant was this village's guest of honor, she always came here regularly as long as the wind is favourable. We usually trade our salts, woods, and sometimes copper if we had it for tools, clothes, smoked meat, and coins."

'She? A woman, huh... Interesting.'

Women owning a business in the modern world might already become too common and norm. But it's rare for them to exist during ancient times, just like in this Gloria's world.

"From where did she come exactly?"

This merchant might be the only instrument that can connect Seastar Village to the world outside, especially markets. Therefore, Adrian is h.e.l.l-bent on inquiring any info about this merchant.

"She came from Rheidos, lord. It's an island city-state near Eires eastern coast. She's probably would be visiting again in about 2 or 3 weeks..."

Hearing Rogar's word, Adrian lost in his thought, '2 or 3 weeks? That's good... By that time, we already produced enough higher quality salts... And I need to inquire about Eires's market and economic situation from her... s.h.i.+t! I have so much idea, but this village is too remote from anywhere... Eish.'

Although being located in this remote island freeing Seastar from the threat of being occupied or conquered by the more stronger territory, the downside is this village was too far from any sizeable market. Trading with other villages around the island's northern area is basically useless as Rogar already said that those villages didn't have any specialties at all. What was produced by those villages, Seastar could also produce it.

And as most of those villages positioned inland, it's obvious that they couldn't produce salts, so they need to buy it from outside. But what do poor villages need salts for? Salt is basically a luxury good. Seastar could only export it to wealthier cities in the mainland.

Besides, Adrian also had several ideas that could increase Seastar's attractiveness. It's imperatives to gain that merchant's cooperation. But Adrian also needs to be careful as to not let Seastar attracting too many attention. Lest people with ill intention barging in.

Adrian didn't speak further. Both he and Rogar continue their walk to inspect the Seastar's surrounding domain.

***

The Salt Pan is the first place Adrian visited, it was located at the white beach that stretched from the river's mouth all the way to the southwest direction. There, Adrian had a conversation with the head of the salt pan, Gina. She said, there are several units of salts that were ready to be transported to the village, it's the batch that was harvested just before the beetle's attack. And as Adrian has expected, their quality was indeed bad.

Adrian did not know that the salt's quality was actually the norm in this world, and people would still buy it. He already got used to the pristine and high-quality salts back on earth, so he couldn't be blamed at all.

Gina also mentioned that they already implemented the new harvesting technique, therefore, the quality of the next batch should have improved.

Next, Adrian decided to inspect the copper mine. The mine was situated inside a cave within the rocky cliff formation. A smelter existed just outside the mine is really traditional and ancient, but from the looks of it, it was still functional. Overall, the mine isn't perfect but Adrian is satisfied with it.

He will make the mine running again, and this time it would be permanently, once he had enough manpower.

Afterward, he goes to both the logging camp and the quarry. Since the workers in both places are usually working as both loggers and stone gatherers, they didn't have any difficulty when they started working again. Which also resulting in the operation of both places to be running flawlessly. But Adrian might a.s.sign more manpower to both places, as currently, the logging camp and the quarry weren't running at their maximum potential.

Adrian also plans to increase more wheeled carts because the quant.i.ty that the village possessed wasn't enough to handle all the resources that need to be transported. And it's also terribly useful for future constructions project.

It seems both Guido and Dorhok would be very busy in the upcoming days.

The only problems were, there were no horses or buffalo in this land. The horse is extremely essential stuff. Adrian already asked Rogar about it, but he didn't even know what horses exactly is. Which making him shocked. Adrian could only put the matter aside for now.

Since he had finished inspecting all of the important places, he and Rogar returned to the village.

Along the way, Adrian asked Rogar, "What do you think of our current village?"

Rogar glanced at Adrian before smiling radiantly as he replied, "It's marvelous, lord. Although it's still far from being perfect. I can feel it's going to be better than before, hehehe. Even the villagers felt the same too. I bet."

That is right. Rogar felt an unknown aura, that feels somehow fresh and energetic, exudes from all the villagers. The way they do their job now is vastly different compared to the past. They were more diligent and earnest. Apparently, the yesterday event forcing them to change their whole mindset.

Initially, Rogar and the villagers did not have much expectation and ambitions towards life. They already content and satisfied with their modest and humble life. But the beetle's attack almost destroyed their entire village. By then, they realized their life is actually extremely fragile, and it could end easily.

They all thought they couldn't stay like that forever. Especially since Adrian and Zilong arrived. Even though these people are ordinary and poor, but their not stupid. They knew that their new young lord had big ambition. Judging from how he ordered the village to be rebuilt quickly. He wanted the village to become bigger and better.

That is why, they were eager to follow him, not only for the goodness of the village but also for their own life. They desired a better life and they want to achieve something as well.

Moreover, their lord is really different from typical n.o.bles they mostly heard of, in which their character was arrogant, obnoxious, greedy, and a coward. But their lord wasn't like that at all, he instead was amiable, kind, gentle, he smiles frequently, and he didn't keep his distance from the villagers. Making him extremely approachable.

As a consequence, their loyalty belongs to him.

Adrian smiled as he spoke, "Well, I promise you. It's going to get much better."

Rogar slightly bowed while maintaining his radiant smile.

"Ah! Yes... I've been baffled because of it since last night. Do you actually have a family, Rogar? A man in your age is supposed to already have grandchildren, right?"

"Yes, I do in fact. While my wife already pa.s.sed away a few years ago, but I still have a daughter. She's married though, and currently living with her husband in another village, 25 km east from here."

"I see... Do you visit her much?"

Rogar scratched his head in embarra.s.sment, "Not really, lord. Traveling that far on foot... I don't think my old bones could remain attached, hahaha. But my son-in-law often came to this village, so I'm mostly asking him about my daughter well being..."

Before Adrian could reply, he saw from a far distance that the fences are already erected halfway circling around the village. While the day was still at noon.

Adrian could see that the fence's appearance is quite st.u.r.dy and strong. It's obvious Dorhok and the workers did not construct it carelessly.

Adrian nodded as he was satisfied, "Dorhok is really good, huh. In just short of time, the fences already 50% completed..."

"Hehe, Dorhok was renown in the surrounding area. When this village and my son-in-law village decided to build a bridge on top of the river between our two villages. He was in charge of the project. That orc was too talented in constructions..."

Adrian glanced at Rogar while mischievously spoke, "Well, I'm going to make him even busier, then."

Hearing that, Rogar laughed, "You should, lord... No! You must make him working nonstop... That orc is actually a lazy b.u.m if there was no construction around... Hahaha."

***

Back inside the village, the villagers, who all of them are women, already finished cleaning up the beetles remains. The remains were immediately burned on an empty s.p.a.ce in the west side of the village. The villagers also gained 400 carapaces, which was immediately stored in the warehouse.

According to Guido, he could make at least 200 sets of armor from those carapaces. And the armor would offer more protection than bronze and leather armor, but it wouldn't be as good as armor made from iron.

Adrian already knew from the system explanation yesterday, that ironworks in Gloria was still in its infancy. This was applied throughout all of Gloria's region. So in most places, people still mainly use bronze-made tools. The entire Gloria is basically the same as Earth's late bronze age.

It's not like iron wasn't known at all, but their use is simply unpopular and the technologies, as well as the technique to process them, aren't very up to date. Iron-made tools are simply too economically inefficient to be ma.s.s produced, currently.

Magic weapons are an exception. As most of them are an inheritance from ancient times. Or they were originating from other worlds within the Myriad's Realm. In addition, magic weapons were mostly forged from rare materials that almost impossible to find such as Mithril, Orichalc.u.m, Adamantine and many more. For example, Adrian's Epic-grade Gloria's Defender was created from Mithril.

But on this current stage, the beetle's armor is already more than enough. Hence, Adrian ordered Guido to quickly produce this armor as many as possible.

The women's troupe then started preparing lunch in the outdoor kitchen, while Guido brought Adrian and Rogar to his smith. The smith's building is still very much intact, but it might need some renovation. Guido's smithing equipment also survived and Guido didn't need anything at all to start running it again.

The three people begin to clean the building for a moment. Then, Adrian gave several manual such as Bronze Smithing Manual, Iron Smithing Manual, Material Processing Manual and Advance Smithing Manual to Guido. These manuals contained many smithing techniques that were simply beyond the current capability of this world.

After Guido had read them all. His body trembled heavily, and he quickly kowtowed towards Adrian on the ground. He even started wors.h.i.+ping him. To Guido, Adrian is now not only his liege, but he was his G.o.d as well.

But Adrian actually didn't want to simply give the manuals as those manuals are just too important and cost him lots of System Dollar. He merely lends them, so that Guido could copy them.

Guido frantically ransacked his already destroyed house, that was attached to the smith, to search for parchment and quills. Causing Rogar to be flabbergasted.

Seeing that, Adrian shakes his head while he gave Guido a pen and several pieces of paper that he brought within his backpack from the earth. Guido was fascinated a little by the pen and the papers, but he didn't have time to think of both as he needs to copy the manuals.

It didn't take a long time for Guido to copy the manuals, because he did it furiously. Guido returned the manuals while he kept the pen as Adrian said it was his now.

Since Guido only needs the carapaces and some copper ore to make the armor as well as some woods for the blast furnace. He could start making the armor directly as the materials are available in the warehouse. Hence, Guido immediately restarts his smithing equipment with Rogar helping him.

Next, Adrian decides to check the militia unit training at the field on the east side of the village.

There, he joins with several children on watching how Zilong trained the unit.

Zilong trained them in a manner that professional military use to train their new recruit. Which emphasized more on imparting the basic knowledge of formation, teamwork and coordination. He also trained them physically, by making them do sports activity such as jogging, push up, sit up and carrying a huge log.

While both Zilong and Adrian are proper soldiers, they came from a vastly different era. But it looks like the most basic training of professional military seems to be the same no matter what era you are from.

There are only 10 militias in the unit. But it's perfectly balanced as the village's total population is only 60 people. All of those who joined the militia are young man below 25 years old. Each of them is br.i.m.m.i.n.g with a fighting spirit and raging motivation.

They were still ragtag of undiscipline bunch as none of them was a soldier before. But they will become something different once Zilong is done training them.

Seeing that Adrian is watching them, Zilong let the recruits to rest for a while. While Zilong himself walks towards Adrian.

Zilong cupped his hand while he approached Adrian, "Milord. Is everything alright?"

Adrian waved his hand and said, "Everything's alright. I just came here to watch... Those recruits... They look good..."

"Hah! They're still a bunch of kids... But don't worry, milord. Two or three days later, they'll be ready."

"Good. And now, I need you to create a plan regarding the militia a.s.signment once they were ready. Be sure to make the plan as detailed as possible. You have to include, the defense of several vital objects around the villages like the fence's perimeter, the copper mine and especially the salt pan. Can you do that?"

Hearing his lord's order, Zilong replied seriously without a shred of hesitation, "Yes, milord. I will present the plan for you to review tomorrow."

"Alright... And let those recruits get their lunch first, they're looking like they almost died, you know."

Zilong gently smiled as he replied, "It's fine... It's better to push them as much as they can in their first training..."

Adrian merely shrugged in response.

***

In the evening.

Adrian stood near the river's south bank on the west edge of the village, where the fence's last section was just finished being constructed.

Dorhok and several workers approach him, and Dorhok spoke with a proud tone, "I've already told you right, lord. Now, the fences are completed."

Adrian nodded his head, "Not bad... Hahaha, nicely done." then, he took out several drawing and gave them to Dorhok.

Dorhok eyes were bulging as he stares at these drawings, he could only ask hesitantly, "This! Lord?"

"Relax... That's the project you have to construct starting tomorrow. But I can only give you seven people while I'm gonna sent the other five from your group to the quarry and the logging camp... So... What's your opinion?"

Dorhok contemplates for a while before he replied, "These projects require lots of stone and woods, especially timbers... Are you sure we have enough, lord?

"That's why I've already sent people to the logging camp and the quarry so that they can start gathering stone and woods again. Don't worry, we still had enough resources."

Dorhok then felt relieved after Adrian a.s.sured him, "Very well, lord. I think we workers could manage the projects. We'll be working on it."

"Great... As for now, let's get back to have our dinner." Adrian beckoned the workers to return to the village.