On 27th May, Glorious Era 9720, the camp was relocated from over ten kilometres away, and Velin commenced construction work.
The lake at the heart of the initial domain was named Starprayer Lake by Velin, signifying the light of hope.
Bordered by the river, 1,500 acres were cleared north and south of Starprayer Lake. Rice was planned for cultivation near the lake, while wheat would be planted further afield.
Considering the lake's dry and wet seasons, farmland was deliberately cleared 600 metres from the water's edge.
Additionally, centred around the farmland, a village was established on each of the northern and southern sides.
Due to current labour shortages, Velin planned to prioritise development south of Starprayer Lake, deferring northern expansion until sufficient manpower was secured.
His castle had long been envisioned, to be erected in a strategically defensible position northeast of Starprayer Lake.
With insufficient manpower in the early stages, these matters were temporarily set aside. It would be no hurry to consider them once the village construction was complete.
Gazing at the sun overhead, Velin, clad in a shirt, observed the serfs' progress while conducting another on-site inspection. He identified gaps, made adjustments, and refined his plans.
He was the only one in the entire team capable of handling these matters. If he didn't attend to them, no one else would.
"We should be in the low-water period now. Come the high-water season, the river will rise by about a metre, spreading three hundred metres towards the shore. That means there'll be a three-hundred-metre-wide usable area between the farmland and Starprayer Lake during the high-water period." Standing on the riverbank, Velin surveyed the stretch, considering it suitable for constructing several fishponds to cultivate aquatic life.
Baird, standing by his side, observed the fishponds Velin was sketching on paper and inquired curiously, "My lord, why build fishponds here? Those fish won't yield sufficient economic value for us."
"For sustenance. Constructing this area will allow us to divert a tributary from the river's upper reaches. This channel will encircle the three-hundred-metre zone while connecting downstream, creating a flowing water system. This will provide our farmed fish with a far richer diet."
Velin traced a two-hundred-metre-wide channel three metres deep with his pencil, extending roughly 3.5 kilometres upstream.
"But, my lord, we lack manpower," Baird mused before stating bluntly.
"Then let the knights undertake the excavation. It will serve as excellent training. In this resource-poor land, we must rely solely on our own efforts."
Baird met Velin's gaze and fell silent.
He dared not offer further suggestions, sensing his lord might well order a spade brought forth and compel him to commence digging immediately.
Such matters were best left to subordinates. His own task lay in training thirty professional soldiers, striving to awaken magical potential in these gifted, robust freemen. Their transformation into apprentice warriors would bolster the domain's fighting strength.
Compared to the arduous path of knightly awakening, the warrior's path proved considerably simpler.
That said, a Bronze Knight could hold their own against three warriors of equal rank.
However, beyond a certain extraordinary tier, the gap narrowed significantly. By the legendary stage, the two became evenly matched.
Velin observed Baird's tactful compliance and nodded with satisfaction. He detested deliberate contradiction. Had he not been outmatched, he would have gladly given the fellow a sound thrashing.
…
Over the next five days, Baird threw himself into training thirty professional soldiers, while the remaining eleven knights of the knightly guard were conscripted to wield spades under the guise of 'training', commencing the excavation of the river channel.
Orlando and Hibrael, accompanied by the serf Kyle, immersed themselves in training whilst imparting the knightly awakening method and sharing their experience, striving to become the guardian knights their lord required, rather than those in need of protection.
The remaining forty-odd freemen, over a hundred serfs, and forty-three bandit slaves tilled the fields.
Even Velin trained diligently—both to uphold his dignity as lord and to better defend his hard-won domain.
…
On the morning of June 1st, all gathered in a timber-framed chamber for a brief meeting.
"My lord. " Baird, seated first to Velin's left, rose to report, "Thirteen of the thirty soldiers have awakened magical power, becoming trainee low-tier warriors. The remaining seventeen have all touched the threshold."
"Regarding the farmland, four hundred and fifty acres of wasteland have been cleared. We are still about three hundred and fifty acres short of the first-phase reclamation target you set. "
Velin nodded upon hearing this, satisfied with the task's progress, and motioned for Baird to sit.
From the outset, Velin had devised a basic plan based on the existing population.
According to his scheme, each freeman or serf would receive three acres of land.
Unlike serfs, freemen possessed 1.65 acres of private land where they could freely choose crops to cultivate. The remaining 1.65 acres constituted tax fields, requiring the cultivation of officially designated crops. The entire harvest from these fields was surrendered as tax, with a minimum yield requirement enforced. Any surplus belonged to the freeman, while any shortfall had to be made up by the freeman himself, ensuring they could not engage in underhanded schemes.
Serfs, however, possessed only 0.6 acres of freehold land, yielding crops barely sufficient for subsistence. The remaining 2.6 acres constituted tax fields, subject to identical standards as those for freemen.
Velin also devised detailed provisions for soldiers' pay.
A soldier's remuneration comprised three components:
First, grain harvested from 0.3 acres of tax fields.
Second, three silver coins per month.
Third, rewards for slaying enemies in combat.
This final provision also applied to serfs enlisted during wartime.
Subsequently, the knight seated first to Velin's right, a man of swarthy complexion, rose to report: "My lord, eight hundred metres of the Starprayer Lake waterway have been excavated, with two thousand seven hundred metres remaining."
"Excellent. Truly worthy of my knights. Press on. Once the waterway is complete, we shall commence the second phase of construction." Velin's face lit with excitement.
The eleven knights seated around him exchanged wry glances.
Yet discontent or resentment did not stir among them. Their lord's generosity was overwhelming—six low-grade magic crystals, sufficient for three years of cultivation. For digging this 3,400-metre channel, what cause for complaint could they possibly have?
"My lord, we currently hold provisions for six horse-drawn carts and fifty-six mule-drawn carts, totalling forty-two thousand six hundred kilograms of grain. At our current consumption rate of approximately two hundred and fifty kilograms per day, we can sustain ourselves for another one hundred and sixty days. This will see us through until the harvest."
After hearing Orlando's report, Velin began his summary.
"In another fortnight, we shall commence the second phase of construction. By year's end, we shall establish two settlements, cultivate three thousand acres of farmland, drive out the goblins within a thirty-kilometre radius of Starprayer Lake, and reach a population of twelve hundred."
"This shall be our future home. I urge you all to exert every effort in building our domain."
"Aye, my lord."
The meeting then adjourned. Those tasked with excavating the canal returned to their work, while others resumed training the soldiers. Each went about their respective duties.