Chapter 31: The Lord Administrator
Central Valley: 13:00 hrs. 05/12/1538
Today the steam donkeys will only work for half a day, the afternoon to be spent making everything seem more natural and ensure that no trace of the machines or the caravan are seen by the upcoming visitor.
Unscrewing the plows from the donkeys hurt the technicians as if they had been kicked on the gut, most of them dreading having to reinstall them at a later date. Meanwhile the villagers gathered to make it seem like they had slightly altered their method of growth to match the work of the machines at least visually.
The men were briefed on the peculiarities of the Lord Administrator and most agreed to stay in the warehouses for the whole day. A few would stay outside and would pose as construction workers or merchants.
Central Valley: 10:20 hrs. 06/12/1538
A man saw dust rising in the distance and ran to the central plaza and shouted, "Someone's coming from the main road!" the few people to witness him grew pale and nervous, one of them running off towards a nearby field.
The lead lady was overlooking the work her people were doing. Having corrected them multiple times yesterday the work they did blended seamlessly with that done by the steam donkeys the only difference being the speed. Many times had she recited her excuse to explain why they had changed the way to work this year. Hoping that it will convince the Administrator. A man interrupted her thoughts. "Mam, someone is approaching!" He panted. "From the main road…a dust cloud…it must be him." He communicated.
"How big was the dust cloud?" She asked praying that not many nobles accompany him.
"Medium I'd say, eighter a few nobles and a large contingent or a small contingent and many nobles." He said finally steadying his breath. "Tell everyone and ensure they follow the plan as explained." She ordered energetic looking at the plows in the field being pushed each by one person and pulled by a horse and two other people to make is move faster. One hundred meters (109,36 [yards]) behind them children walked spreading seeds on the ground.
'They actually are advancing faster than otherwise.' She thought before turning back to the village rehearsing her explanations.
10:40 hrs.
The Lord Administrator had finally arrived with a few nobles and a fairly large contingent composed of his private guards. To the dismay of the lady more smaller clouds could be seen on their way. The Administrator stepped out of his heavily ornamented carriage. He was a tall somewhat fat man. Grey hair adorned the top of his head indicating his advanced age counterbalanced by his well-kept grey moustache. He was wearing silk robes and other expensive apparel indicative of an administrator.
"Well, it has been a while since our last meeting." He introduced himself glancing off into the fields.
"Ever since bought my liberty." The proud lady stated while falling to her knees.
"Things seem off…" He kept glancing at the fields until he noticed what exactly was off. "You are changing the way of plowing?" He inquired in a slightly menacing tone.
"Yes my lord. But I assure you that we will meet and exceed our quotas." She stated confidently still on her knees.
"Rise!" He demanded looking dead into her eyes as she stood up not daring to look anywhere but his eyes. "What for?" He inquired not seeing any ill intentions.
"To increase production my lord. A new method is being tested and has so far proven to be faster than otherwise." She explained.
"If you wish to continue then I'll allow it just because I can see that you are indeed sowing faster than other farms. I will pay special attention to your output this and the coming years…we do not want any soil degradation." He threatened and took a deep breath, she nodded.
"But why change the way things have been done and proven to work for centuries? This is outrageous." A nobleman asked another.
"I would quite like to know the same, why are you so desperate to increase yield?" The lord administrator inquired.
"Because we would like to get better stuff for the children, maybe a teacher and some toys." She confessed.
"And this new method, did you think of it or is from outside?" An embolden noble asked.
"From a merchant, a potato merchant, he commented on how different the potatoes are grown as opposed to our grain and how potato fields are worked faster than ours. We spent the past months adapting what makes sense into our work."
"So it is from outside!" The embolden noble accused only to be shut down by the Lord Administrator.
"Has it worked? Have you not just started to sow early?" He asked wondering if an increase in production could finally give him the position of General Administrator that has secretly been vacant for 20 years.
"As of now it has. The soil is quite hard in these frontier areas, but the fields have been worked much faster than other years." She explained relaxing herself ever so slightly.
"Sir have you not heard that this method comes from those filthy potatoes?" A noble asked scandalous.
"Yes I heard and before you say it I also know that land elsewhere in the kingdom is of poorer quality." He replied to his annoying nobles and then asked the lady. "Have you taken the measures to ensure that there is no ground degradation?"
"Yes, we have respected the edict of fallows as specified. You can see the respective crop division there and the fallow field is the one behind you." She indicated. "We have also left small plots of unworked land in-between to allow an even more effective fallow when it corresponds as suggested in your latest edict." She concluded.
One nobleman whispered into the Lord's ear and he seemed concerned once again.
"The plows. Are they digging at the depth that is required?" The Lord asked.
She seemed slightly nervous and tried coming up with something that could excuse her.
"It's doesn't matter. Not this time but fix it before I turn up again." He threatened not really caring to keep up his grandfather's ludicrous edict but not wanting to seem too lax to the nobles.
"Anyways you mentioned a merchant, didn't you?" He asked as one of his assistants brought him a book of records that he opened and scanned.
"Yes, a potato merchant from the capitol. He has helped us by detailing the way the potato estates work their land and…" She explained but was cut off.
"There is no record of any such merchant coming this far north." He said coldly disappointed that she tried to lie.
"So a smuggler!" A noble man accused of the obvious.
"Or worse a cultist!" Another followed.
"Guards!" A problematic noble demanded.
"Wait he didn't come from the south…he-" She tried to explain but was cut off by an arm going around her neck. One of the guards caught her.
The Lord Administrator thought of a way to stop his chance of getting promoted from getting squashed. 'The penalty for lying to me is slicing off the tongue…but that only serves to scare serfs into submission…she and these people are free unlike the others…and far out of reach…such action will only radicalize them…if a rebellion where to start the other two administrators will use that as an excuse to get rid of me…However, if I let this be, then the nobles will realize that I don't intend to play into their hand and I might end up dead like brother…Please forgive me brother…I must get rid of all of them so the nobles don't cut my throat realizing my intentions.' He grimly concluded his mental gymnastics.
"What is going on?!" A man shouted. He was wearing eccentric cloth more accustomed of a city than to the countryside.
"That the smuggler, get him!" One of the nobles ordered the guards.
"Wait!" He yelled at the top of his lungs holding above his head a piece of paper with Sage Miklotov's wax seal and everyone fell silent.
'What is the capital doing here?' The Administrator raced through the possibilities as he approached the man to read the paper himself.
"So, you are a merchant…of The White Walers Company…never heard of it…and this is an admission of trade, establishment and exception of local rules and edicts." He read with a smirk hoping that a particular noble would be outraged.
"This is impossible. I bet that paper is falsified, Miklotov doesn't have the authority to grant such power to mere commoners!" The most annoying noble protested unsheathing his sword ready to cut down the man.
"Guards! It is strictly forbidden for anyone to question official documents coming directly from the capital. Disarm and arrest that man we all know the punishment for such action, but let's not draw blood on such a nice estate, we will deal with him later!" The Lord Administrator demanded now turning back to the merchant in front of him as one of his guards knocked out the noble with his pommel. "So, you are definitely a merchant but somehow weren't registered in any of the checkpoints on your way here. How is that?"
"I came from the north, there is an essentially abandoned road that we found and explored all the way here." The man explained.
"Odd, I don't seem to recollect that there is such road, yet the mud trails left by your carriages prove that you do come from the north." The Lord Administrator pondered on the possible implications of these news as his assistants scoured through the record books they had brought.
"We caught the rumors thanks to a guy that has a divine blessing to speak with animals." The merchant explained further looking into his eyes.
"You are speaking the truth. I would guess that you are constructing a trading post. I must warn that a large portion of the harvest belongs to me and that it can not be prioritized under your trade." The lord warned looking straight into his eyes in search of any possible intention to not obey.
"I have already been told so. Which is why I'm aiding these people in increasing their crop yields." The merchant turned towards the rest of the nobles. "The company's final intention is to turn this valley not just into the breadbasket of the south but of the whole kingdom, such prestige will most certainly be of interest for peoples like you." He explained to the nobles getting a few nods of approval but mostly disapproval.
"If you excuse me, I must discuss your situation with my subjects. Until we meet again." The Lord Administrator waved off noticing substantial unrest coming from the nobles.
As the Lord Administrator walked away a piece of paper was left at the foots of the merchant, it was from the Lord Administrator.
20:00 hrs.
It was almost sunset and the merchant was waiting in the main plaza of the village, by this time everyone was eating or preparing to rest. A perfect time to speak privately with the Lord Administrator who soon appeared and approached him.
"Thanks for assisting I really wish to ask for some more information." The Lord Administrator went straight to the point clearly in a hurry.
"And that is?" The merchant caught on to his hurry.
"Does the opening of this new road mean there will be finally oversight from the crown?" The Lord whispered.
"What do you mean? Isn't there already oversight?" The merchant asked baffled by the question.
"No, since the only way to access the valley is from the south due to some very dense forest and mountain ranges, this area is treated as a frontier territory where the law is what I and the nobles say it is." The Lord quickly explained.
"So would the crown exerting oversight be good or bad?" The merchant asked wondering what the correct answer is.
"It would be very good for me if it exerts authority soon. If not the unrest from the nobles might make me end up like my brother if I don't resist these changes." The Lord Administrator confessed.
"The Whalers have the backing of the hero Subaru and the royal candidate Emilia as well as good will by the sage council. If you so wish, then we will bring the rule of law to these lands. For a price." The merchant declared.
"I've heard rumors. Is it true that the whale is dead by his hand?" The old man asked.
"So this place truly is remote. Well, it is true, I saw it with my own eyes fighting alongside him, he has many titles, The Hero, Killer of bishops, Knight of Emilia, Liberator of the Sanctuary, Pacifier of Vollachia among many others."
"It seems like I found my candidate. Anyways, what is the price of bring their authority to these far-off places?"
"Purge the nobles that are wicked. You managed to get one, but I saw quite a few that could be behind my neck and permission for our company to construct uninterrupted and do as we wish as long as its lawful." The merchant proposed.
"I need to know exactly what you mean with do as you wish." The Lord Administrator inquired worried.
"I mean in increasing the output of these and eventually other fields to feed the north. We intend to use methods that you may not like." He explained.
"You can do as you wish as long as it doesn't compromise the crop yields or degrade the soil. As for the nobles, I know exactly who they are and have long been plotting to get rid of them, but I will need to see some knight patrols before acting." The Lord explained wondering if this will finally force the other two Lords Administrators to choose a General Administrator and wonder just how possible it would be for him to get such position.
Capital: 03:30 hrs. 15/12/1538
A group of mysterious people that had all covered their faces ran to a large building belonging to one of the many artisan guilds. This guild in particular has a contract with The White Whalers Company and used the nighttime to have mechanics lubricate, inspect and repair the machines they had bought. The person leading the group knocked on the door four times then knocked lightly a fifth. One of mechanics opened from inside.
"Finally, I was worried you wouldn't come. Here those crates are still not counted, get them outside quick." The mechanic indicated to the mysterious people who got to work as if they had done this already a dozen times.
Another man was watching from the rooftop of another building. "Poor fools" He whispered to himself.
Suddenly a group of mechanics come running down a hallway fleeing from something, the mysterious people are quick to disappear surprising the man on the rooftop.
"Fire!" One of the mechanics yelled to his colleague.
"What? Where?" He asked.
"On the engine floor, the coal started burning and nothing we could do stopped it!" His colleague replied going outside.
"That means the building is lost!" Another mechanic panted.
"Everyone find your team leaders, we must make sure that everyone made it out!" The shift leader ordered making everyone move with a purpose.
Macragge: 09:40 hrs. 15/12/1538
Subaru had received the news that one of guilds he was selling machines to had been burned to the ground. A total loss for the building and 4 people were caught in the fire all of them perishing.
"Damnit it the third time in a week." Subaru was frustrated.
"And it doesn't seem like negligence. These machines were brand new in fact." Beatrice explained also frustrated.
"Why would anyone be doing this on purpose Beako?" Subaru asked.
"Because they don't want my contractor to succeed I suppose, or the cheap stuff is undercutting their business or they have a grudge. Perhaps all of it I wonder." She stated thinking about just how little that narrowed down the list.
Emilia suddenly ran into the room.
"Subaru! Subaru! A report came from the south, the representative wants a knight patrol!" She exclaimed exited.
"And that entails me how?" He asked wondering what she had in mind.
"I want you to be part of the patrol, I also asked Ana to hand me Julius and a portion of the Iron Fang, Crusch will send Felix for the occasion!" She was really excited.
"Sure, I'll go, but why Julius, Felix and me specifically?" Subaru asked.
"You dunderhead. Because it's the first time since the Demi-Human war that a knight patrol will make presence in those lands." Emilia explained her plan.
"Two humans and Demi human group is a good way to bring those barbarians back into civilization in fact." Beatrice added.
"Beako don't be so harsh, they are probably just an abandoned part or the kingdom that's all." Subaru reprimanded her.
"My contractor doesn't understand. There is a reason there are no demi humans in those lands in fact they exterminated them during the war." She warned.
"That is true, but those where uncertain times." Emilia tried to correct Beatrice.
"As are these I suppose, don't forget that there is no King and that they know it." Beatrice warned.
"So Beako will you come with me to ensure that no barbarian tries to do anything bad?" Subaru asked Beatrice.
"You were considering not taking me with you?!" Beatrice asked alarmed.
"Never." Subaru said stern. "So, when do we leave Emilia-tan?" He asked Emilia.
"At least this afternoon, but the sooner the quicker, everyone is already waiting for you." She explained.
Next Chapter: Knight Patrol
AN: (Sorry for the short chapter, it was going to include the next one, but I made the "mistake" of watching Oshi No Ko before finishing this chapter and got mind fucked by the unexpected ending. I'm just having trouble concentrating on writing at the moment do to that series, next month you can still expect a chapter tho so enjoy!)