Chapter 299 Discussion With Tonia
On the 4th day after waking up, Sara was having breakfast in her room when she was told that Tonia had arrived. She gave permission to the golems to let Tonia in and sent a maid to greet her. Since Rihito and Amelia didn't give permission, Sara was having another meeting in her room today.
"I didn't know you were feeling unwell, and I'm very sorry for that."
"I'm almost fully recovered, but everyone around me is being overprotective."
Tonia looked embarrassed, and Sara smiled a little wryly. At that moment, Maria brought in a new type of Elma that she had sliced.
"So, today we're talking about these, right?"
"That's correct. I heard these are a new type of Elma. I tried them, and each one has its own unique flavor and they were really delicious. To be honest, they taste better than our Elma, and I felt quite frustrated about it."
"Actually, I cheated a bit. Those Elmas were created by a fairy that controls plants."
"Could it be the dog-like fairy that visited our farm the other day?"
"Oh, Pochi visited you too?"
"They asked if they could grow Elma since your magic power seems to be overflowing. We had no reason to refuse, so we harvested a year's worth of Elma. I've made some Elma liquor with this Elma, and I'll present it to Miss Sara later."
"That's too much, we just let them grow on their own."
"Master Pochi saw the Elma tree that was about to wither due to its lifespan and called Master Mike to help restore it together. Since it has been a symbol of the farm since before I came to Grandchester, everyone in the family and the staff is very happy. They have also created many miracles, like turning saplings into mature trees that can be harvested. Please let me at least show my gratitude like this."
'Miracles... Fairy magic is definitely a miracle, right?'
"Pochi, Mike, if you're here, come out."
When Sara called out into the air, the two flew out energetically. Pochi still looked heavy, though.
"It seems you were very active at Harlan Farm. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"I heard we can have the Elma liquor made from the Elma you produced back then. I thought you would be happy since you both love to drink."
"Yay!"
"I'm so happyyyyyy!"
The two flew around Tonia, dropping sparkling particles of light on her.
"Eh!"
"Ms. Tonia, it's okay. That is a fairy's blessing. It only has a small effect like a little charm, but something good should happen for sure."
"How wonderful!"
Tonia gazed dreamily at the sparkling particles the fairies dropped.
"The light falls like snow. Soon, it will snow in the Grandchester territory too."
"Actually, it's my first time spending winter in Grandchester."
"Is that so? It will pile up quite a bit compared to the royal capital."
"I wonder how it is in the frontier area..."
"Are you talking about the southern edge of the territory?"
"To be precise, it's quite a bit northeast of the southern tip. The real southern tip has a vast forest."
The southern tip of Grandchester is also the southwestern tip for Avalon. Since that area is covered by a forest, the border with neighboring countries is unclear. If they develop and expand usable land, it would also lead to the expansion of Avalon as a country.
More specifically, about 500 years ago, a boy named Henry, born into a small Count family in the region, developed land near the Aklar Mountains, which expanded Avalon's territory. He received that land as the Grandchester territory from the king of Avalon at that time. This Henry is the founder of Grandchester, who holds the memories of living as Kazuya in his previous life.
The Grandchester territory is at a much higher elevation than the main regions of Avalon centered around the royal capital, and even after development, there were many hardships. Many areas are blocked by snow in winter, so it took a lot of effort for Grandchester to become prosperous. However, Kazuya is said to have overcome those difficulties with his past memories.
Because of this history, Grandchester is also known for favoring pioneers. Some farmers from other territories have even moved to Grandchester's development areas on their own.
In Avalon, it is illegal for citizens to move to other territories without permission. The reason for this is the 'head tax.' When Avalon's citizens turn 10, they are registered as citizens and must pay a certain head tax to the lord of the area they live in every year. In other words, the residents are a source of income for the territory, and if they move to another territory, it is a loss.
Of course, since taxes are collected, the lord has various duties to protect the people, such as defending them from outside enemies, providing food during famines, and cracking down on criminals. If the people feel they are being treated unfairly by the lord, there are institutions in the royal capital where they can file complaints. They can even appeal directly to the king.
For these reasons, moving to another territory requires proper notification and permission from both the original and new territories. The notification must state the reason for the move, and reasons like "marriage" or "death of a family member" are usually accepted. However, if a farmer writes that they want to "leave farming and move to another territory," it is almost never approved.
Originally, farmers who move to another territory without permission do not hold citizenship as Avalon citizens. Even if they develop land, they cannot register it as their own land. Also, since they are not under the protection of a lord, they cannot file complaints if they are treated unfairly.
However, in the Grandchester territory, there is a law that allows those who develop land under the pretext of "accepting immigrants from other countries" to register as new citizens of Avalon, even if they do not originally hold Avalon citizenship.
This unique rule in Grandchester is known to cause frequent disputes with other territories. This is because when farmers leave without permission, it is not uncommon for an entire village to move at once. About 20 years ago, it seems that all the villagers moved away.
However, life for these pioneers is never easy. There's no guarantee of success, and without a nationality, they can't even ask for help if they get caught up in crime. Still, many people keep moving to the Grandchester territory because their previous lives were even harsher.
"I've never heard that it snows that much near the settlement. Isn't the climate milder than this area?"
"Yes, I hope so. But that area has been hit by disaster."
"Disaster, you say, Ms. Tonia?"
"Yes, the rye we were growing got sick. We had to cut it all down and burn it before it could bear fruit. If we didn't, it could have affected the wheat we're growing in Grandchester territory. But I can't forget the look on their faces when I told them that."
"That's... not something you can just brush off with a simple word like 'unfortunate.' It pains me as someone involved in agriculture."
Tonia listened to Sara's story with a serious expression.
"Of course, my grandfather compensated them and planted alternative crops, right?"
"That's a silver lining, at least. The lord is very kind."
"The Sophia Merchant Guild also plans to send support wheat to the settlement."
'After all, we have plenty to spare.'
"I wish there was something I could do to help..."
"Of course there is. Because this Elma was harvested from the settlement."
"Oh my, what a surprise!"
Sara smiled brightly at Tonia.
"Miss Sara, did you perhaps stir my sympathy?"
"Just a little bit. But the ergot is a fact."
"I'm aware that you don't lie about such things. So, that means the settlement has quite a bit of Master Pochi's influence, right?"
Tonia's statement got a reaction from Pochi and Mike.
"That's right! I was the one who prepared the seeds and seedlings for alternative crops, and I definitely created the Elma field in the undeveloped land. Mike helped a lot too."
"Yeah, I also helped with preparing the soil and supporting the young trees' growth."
"We're also using bees for pollination."
Seeing the proud fairies, Tonia smiled.
"The power of fairies is amazing."
"Yes, their power can even affect the prosperity of a nation."
"Oh, but we can't do it alone. You humans need to form friendships with us and give us lots of magical power. In other words, it's the result of human wishes."
Mike gently landed on Sara's shoulder and explained while sitting there.
"But this time, I just happened to overflow with magical power, okay?"
Then, Pochi moved to the table, touched the Elma on the plate, and turned a piece into a single red rose.
"I'm not just doing what I'm told. I just want to do things that make my friends happy. Sara would surely be happy with Elma, right?"
"I'm really happy. Thank you!"
"But while I can create things, I can't manage them forever. To keep enjoying this delicious Elma, we need human help."
Tonia sighed at their impressive teamwork.
"So, in short, you're looking for our knowledge about growing Elma, right?"
"Your understanding is very helpful."
"If it were Miss Sara, you could have made it a lord's order."
"I wanted someone who would come to visit me on their own, interested in the new Elma. The results are different when you're forced by the lord and when you want to do it for your own benefit, right?"
"I feel like I was kind of tricked into this, but I understand your request, Miss Sara."
"I currently own the Elma fields in the development area, but if Harlan Farm is interested, I can sell it to you at a reasonable price."
"No, it's too far for the development area, so it's difficult for Harlan Farm. I recommend managing it directly under the Sophia Merchant Guild. For the first few years, we can send employees from our farm, but it might be better for you to look for new employees in the development area."
'Hmm... So, I need to recruit people who want to work in the Elma fields.'
"Oh, Ms. Tonia. Are you going to try propagating a new variety of Elma? I'm not sure if it will grow well since the climate is different there."
"Well, I guess we can help out gradually."
Then, Pochi jumped onto Tonia's lap and looked up at her.
"If you have any trouble with Elma, ask Sara. Then it will reach me too, and I might be able to help."
"It's reassuring to have Master Pochi lend a hand."
"Tonia has a pleasant magical power. You might not realize it, but there are many fairies around you. Fairies without friendship are vague beings, but the fairies who like your magic are watching over you and your farm."
"Well, that's nice to hear."
"Hehe. I heard something interesting. It seems the fairies like your Elma liquor. You should put a glass of Elma liquor on the little table in the brewery every day. They would be happy if you sometimes leave Elma brandy too."
"Wow! I will definitely do that!"
Back at the farm, Tonia quickly placed a glass of Elma liquor on the small table in the brewery. The next day, the glass was completely empty, and next to it was a small magic stone.
This habit was passed down through generations at Harlan Farm, and the occasional magic stone left behind was turned into accessories for daughters who got married or for brides.
Also, not just the farm owner's family, but many children born to the employees' families at Harlan Farm began to have the ability to see fairies. However, it would be over 100 years before a child with enough magical power to form a friendship with the fairies would be born.
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