Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 379

I addressed the new civil servants, who were visibly unsettled and murmuring among themselves. “Alright, let’s continue the discussion.”

Clapping my hands to draw their attention, I saw all eyes turn toward me.

There was a certain intensity in their gaze—too strong to be mere respect.

It was good if it made things easier, but I’d rather they not look at me the way they would a religious figure.

A charismatic leader might revel in this kind of attention, but it simply didn’t suit me.

“This might be a bit of a dry topic, but bear with me. As I explained, this land development project isn’t just about measuring various indicators. We also aim to develop universally applicable methods that can be used in other land development efforts. That’s why transparency and reproducibility are crucial.” After confirming that everyone nodded in understanding, I continued. “However, developing these methods is only half of our responsibility. The other half is actually enriching this territory—making it prosperous and ensuring that both the landowner and the farmers working here benefit from that prosperity. The report I wrote dedicates a significant portion to discussing which areas should be developed first to bring wealth. It also details how adventurers can contribute to this effort.”

Taking a piece of chalk, I tapped it against the dark-painted wall and wrote:
‘From Where’ → ‘How’

“What’s required in the next stage of our discussions is what comes after prioritization—how to develop in a way that maximizes efficiency and prosperity. We need to establish concrete methods for achieving that.”

“But… we’re not agricultural scholars or farmers,” Claudio voiced his concern.

“That’s true. We’ll call on agricultural experts to examine specific techniques. Surveyors will be brought in to measure farmland, circuit judges to mediate land disputes, and architects to design watermills. However, before these specialists step in, we must first draft the overall framework for territorial development policies. That’s our role.” I then turned to a new official who could provide a relevant example. “Sara, what causes farmland to have poor harvests?”

“Huh? Umm, well, bad weather is a big one. And when monsters attack and trample the fields. Rain wasn’t as much of an issue, actually. Oh, and when labor is short during the busy season because of corvée duties, it’s terrible. Weeding has to be done daily when wheat is growing, or it won’t thrive, but people don’t always think about that. There are also times when crop diseases spread. In those cases, we either leave the affected fields fallow or plant a different type of grain. But that makes it harder to pay taxes…” Sara’s firsthand account carried weight.

“I see.” The other officials nodded intently, listening closely.

“It’s a very interesting perspective,” Papalino said. “But from what I gather, things like weather and crop diseases are acts of God. There’s not much we can do about them…” He sounded somewhat frustrated.

“That’s true. Sara, let me ask you another question. Do farmers always fall into hardship because of bad harvests?”

“Well… sometimes, but not always.”

“What do you mean?”

Sara hesitated for a moment before continuing. “Um… I don’t really want to talk about it, but… there are farming families that end up selling their children. It’s not usually a sudden misfortune that causes it, but a gradual decline. Some families start out with too little land, while others come from outside villages and don’t have people to rely on. These weaker households struggle more. The villagers can help once or twice, but if it happens repeatedly, they can’t keep offering aid…”

Hunger and poverty don’t strike everyone equally. They disproportionately affect the weakest members of society.

Even in small villages where people live together, their circumstances are not the same. There are those with more power and those with less. And it is always the weak who are sacrificed first.

“Doesn’t the church provide support?”

“For about a year, yes. But if they help the same family too much, other villagers start to complain. Other households also face hardships, like dealing with sickness in the family…”

“I see…”

The church’s resources serve as a safety net for the entire village. If a single family consumes too much of that safety net, it undermines its purpose. At a certain point, the church has no choice but to cut their losses.

The officials, now grasping the realities of rural life, looked somber.

“And one more thing,” I added. “We’re going to eliminate the hidden fields in villages.”

Sara’s eyes widened in shock at my words.