VI The Village Problems

"I took some rest after that day, training those guys... It's great that they learn quick, but Venit Ille has too many problems at the moment..."

His thoughts pre-occupied his mind which was looking at the piles of paperwork before him. "Here, Captain, are the village's many problems." Naturvege said, sitting beside him on the dinner table of his house. "Food, housing, people, to name a few, that pile is more of a complicated review of it." 

"Have you tried asking nearby cities or your kingdom's capital?" Hierd questioned. 

"We have, but unfortunately... No matter what we did, no reply turned our way." He looked grim saying that.

"How poor is your kingdom, Naturvege?" 

"Its not poor but our location being so far from the captial and other main cities makes it harder for their supplies to reach us, ultimately make it... More expensive of a trip."

"I see..."

"I don't fucking see, I know shit about these intellectual things, but with my power I might be able to do something about that."

"Magic."

"Magic? Captain?" Naturvege questioned.

"What is it to you?"

"A daily commodity, Captain, from fire, water, ground, and many other elements. Magic's... Magic's just a human trait, why?" 

"So maybe I can use it. But in the mean time, I shouldn't reveal my powers to them, but if I would, maybe only to Naturvege or even Alrife."

"Nothing in particular, I'll help with your village's problems, but in the meantime... Naturvege..."

"Yes, captain?"

"The footmen need physical training, gather all the squads and say that you will replace me in the meantime. I'll have a cart full of food after about three hours, I'll have Alrife deliver it by then. And if they misbehave, I'll find out and that one man will not get any food."

"Yes, captain."

"Ahem! I am acting in my purest form of intellect!" He imagined himself in a dramatic pose. "I am of such lordly presence!" 

Hierd flew out the village hall with a smile on his face, phasing past the chief walking towards the direction of the training field.

"Starting from phase I, food... Agriculture is a field I am not a master at... But I think I can rip myself a new ass here..." 

Hierd was occupied in his thoughts, but his outer appearance looked stern, manly, and rather aggresive looking. The bystanders that onlooked the lordly apperance and had backed away almost as if in impulse. 

"The village's farm (as Naturvege told me;) 'It's just north the village's only bridge on the stream, which is just down the main road.' I don't fookin kno the cardinal directions bruv. Mr. Voice, I want a book that teaches me about this."

[RESPONSE VAGUE]

Hierd sighed, "A book that teaches me how to travel in the wilderness without tools like compasses and other mechanical devices...?"

[REQUEST GRANTED: CAMPING GUIDE BOOK]

A book appeared on his hand, a bookmark piqued his intrest. It was on the fifty-seventh page, it was about how to tell the cardinal directions. 

"Thank you, voice." A small tear rolled down his left eye. After some minutes of reading whilst walking, he figured it out and coincidentally he was at the first step of the bridge. 

"Alright, alright. Give me sunglasses." He was just about to look at the sun but had fortunately remembered the sun's dangerous rays."

[REQUEST GRANTED: SUNGLASS]

He put it on and looked (not directly, but adjacent) at the sun. "So... The sun rose there... That's East. Then, north is on my left!" He proceeded to cross the bridge, there were many un-named paths but he took the one at the left. It was quite a ways off the village as the village wasn't near any large bodies of water, but just after the small plain and the small line of trees was the farm area. It was rather big and encumbered only the left side of the river bank as just right of it was the boundaries of another town. Except it was more richer than Venit Ille, the village.

"So the locals already know of my presence and I think the chief had already advised everyone that I indeed am of 'nobility.' And are training them, so coming here wouldn't be such a problem."

Hierd walked to the front gate of the first barn house. Walking on the front porch and then knocking on the front door. 

*Knock Knock

"Hello! Is anybody home?" Hierd shouted in calm manner.

"Hello there." Behind him, greeted a nice old lady, "What do you want, O' lord?" 

Hierd's 'flexed' body slacked as he saw the nice-looking old lady. "Please call me Hierd, I'm sure you've heard of me, madam?"

"Ah... Yes... Sir. Hierd, you were the kind noble that's helping us. Thank you." She sounded appreciative but as seconds ticked she didn't want to waste time. "Oh sorry! Please, please, come inside, I'm sure you have business with the farm." 

She went toward the front door, Hierd scooting over to the side to give her space to open the door. As she went in, so did he. "My husband and my scoodles should be home in a minute, so please sit down I will prepare some tea."

"Scoodles? Local term or maybe another name for her children?"

"Ah, thank you, thank you." Hierd replied in gratitude whilst sitting down on the dinner table chair. "Your husband's a farmer I take it?" Hierd asked.

"Ah, yes, yes." She responded as she made the tea, an aroma filled the dining room, one more distinct than what he drank at the chief's. "He's been a farmer ever since he was born!" She laughed.

"There's no use telling him to retire, the fields are his home, and it's my home too..."

She had just finished making the tea, bringing it then to Hierd. "Here, O' lord."

"Thank you." Hierd took the cup on his hands and took a sip. It was better than what he had at the chief's. Noticeably so. "What is this tea, madam?"

"It's Juvino de' suu Gott ni grace. A rather... Expensive expedenture, but I had persistance and my husband's heart for me to get it so..." She laughed.

"What the fuck, juuvini de sew Gott ni what now? That's like Latin, German, Spanish all in the same name. But guessing from that, and the taste, this shit's some expensive stuff, I feel bad."

"For you to give me such a thing when only I need the simplest of tea, I thank you, but my mind wishes to repay you in some way."

"O' lord, you don't need to do such a thing..."

"I feel I have to..." Hierd took another sip, appreciating the taste, aroma. Until a knock rocked the door.

"Oh! They're here O' lord. I shall unlock the door."

Hierd nodded. She opened the door, to be greeted by a big man, old in appearance and looked similar to the chief. Hierd got up from his chair and walked towards the man hugging his wife after the walk he embarked from the farmlands.

"Good Afternoon, sir, I am Hierd Die Grace."

He was shocked, very much so.

"Captain! For you to be in my house suprises me so!"

"Captain? For he to refer me as captain... Is he a part of the footmen? No, that's insane, he's a farmer right?"

"Ah right, sorry you don't know who I am. But please, let me first retire myself of my work garments before we continue."

"That is so." Hierd replied.

"Hey dad!" A voice came out of nowhere behind the man. "Can you finish early? We want to go back to the fields!"

"Yes, yes, I will. But I don't think I'll be early boys, so come inside and greet our visitor."

"Visitor?" They inquired, going in-"Is it Aunt Janelle agai--" they trembled, looking at the hunk of muscle which was Hierd.

"G- G-- Good... Afternoon... O' lord..." Two boys, seemingly in their fourteens, looked as frightened as would a mouse in cat territory.

"Good afternoon." Hierd replied, in comical 'jest.'

"Let's not wait at the door gentlemen!" She interjected, "Please O' lord, and... My dear, make yourselves home in the dining room."

"Quickly now, my Scoodles, to your rooms~." She said in a quieter tone to the two boys.

The man went into a seperate room, after a couple of minutes, he came out with a more fresh and homey room unlike the farmer-like dirty outfit he had going when first he came.

Hierd already sat on the dining room chair, the man had made his way to the dinning room with he sitting opposite Hierd's.

"I'm the chief's brother, Finne. You can call me Fin." He said with a jovial attitude. "I've watched and loved your way of commandeering the footmen, they were so unruly before. To think they would obey someone in such short a time... I'm impressed, Captain."

"Oh stop~ I know I'm just that good."

"I see, I thank you for your compliments. But what I'm here for is not about the footmen, instead for the food."

"I see, so you've come for our aid!? To this I can't thank you enough, captain!" A grin showed and widened, with his atmosphere being free. "The invention of the Kar98k, the food and other equipment! Surely your country, captain, can out rival the kingdom, nigh the world with your intellect! Is there a technology in your country that could help?"

"Well, I want to find out first before I could get the right things needed for the job, Sir. Fin, I want to look at your farm." Hierd said as he took the very last sip of his tea.

"Right' way, captain."

Hierd and Fin got up from their seats. Fin hurried to the door and got his hat. "Dear! Kids, We're going to the farm! Wanna come!?" He shouted.

Soon after, a rumble of four feet had rocked the stairs down. "Yes! We wanna go!" They looked to have completely forgotten the 'frightning' lord that was just beside Fin. Instead being blinded by the want of going to the fields.

Fin opened the door and out the four went. The boys ran forward and took first while the two men walked and stayed behind.

"Aren't they energetic?" Hierd asked in a light tone.

"Yes, they've always been. The fields are their playground, they love it, and naturally, I should care for it, so the beauty of the fields could last..." A pause, Hierd took it that the said beauty would last no longer.

"What's wrong?"

"The crop yields have weakened, and everything we've done hasn't worked. I haven't told the kids about it, but I feel even they have noticed."

"I'm no botanist nor farmer, but considering their era, has fertilizer even been invented yet? No wait, it should have been, farming dates back to them dinosaur days or some shit. Quite literally."

"Fertilizer hasn't worked?" Hierd questioned.

"Fertilizer, captain, what is that? Is that a cure for this sickness!?"

"Well what then did you use to make the crops better?"

"Ennomite, captain."

"I've yet to hear something like that..."

"I see, then..." He formed his thoughts. "Ennomite's something that fastens the growth and overall greatness of crops, making it look and taste delicious."

"I think I've found the problem..."

They neared the farmlands which was next to the clear river just yonder. The children were playing about in the farmland, being careful and avoiding stepping on any crops. Because of their playing, their shins looked dirtier-looking than mud could be.

"This... Ennomite." Hierd said. "If it fastens the growth of your crops, doesn't it fasten the decrease in the amount of fertility in the soil? If so, then Ennomite has been making your soil weaker!"

Fin was stunned, like a prophecy was revealed to him. They stopped in their tracks. "Such a revelation... I haven't even thought of it! Can that fertilizer help in reinvegerating the once fertile land?"

"I think it should. But it is not really a product, more of a byproduct so to speak. But it's effects should bring about more yield than before."

"I see, than how so can it be done, what is this byproduct, captain?"

"Feces."

"Feces?" Fin looked disgusted yet intrigued.

"Feces."

"What can it do?"

"You can collect the feces of your farm animals, put them onto your crops at spring and you shall see the results for yourselves."

"I... I see..."

"It's fucking weird, I know hold on, Fin, I'll get you something... I want a book about farming!"

[REQUEST GRANTED: FARMING BOOK]

Before it could appear in seconds, Hierd put his right hand onto his coat. Seconds after, an unexpectedly big and heavy book appeared.

"Here... Read its contents and understand the ways my country handles such a thing. I shall supply you with the many gadgets you will undoubtedly need when you are to complete it."

He was suprised. More so at the book than what Hierd promised. "Such a book! Are you to give and let me read it, captain!? I couldn't possibly..."

"O' please, don't be so humble, accept and read its contents. And soon you shall understand my words are not fiction."

Fin looked more than greatful for the 'gift' he got. Hierd looked at the small watch he had, it was approaching the first hour. "I need to go now, I thank you for your time Mr. Fin."

"The Honor's mine. Please, come back any time!" Fin said to Hierd walking away.

-A COUPLE OF MINUTES AFTER-

Hierd came back to the bridge intersection,

"I did the more 'harder' task first, the farm thing. But now comes the second, housing and the over abundance of people in the village."

Hierd walked towards the village.

"So Naturvege said that because of last year's... Auferstand- something, a neighboring village took refuge inside the arms of Venit Ille, which was more 'combat-ready' than them. But now, they live inside the newly built homes. So... Now there's a total of a hundred or so people living here, damn... I should begin by talking to them, right?"

Hierd made his way to the main street, where he was at an hour ago, a turn towards the newly constructed homes. The environment was lively, yes, but everyone did not look well, after all, the days of Auferstehen was nearing. And they were worried. Hierd came from out of the green, the walked to the nearest man.

"Good Afternoon."

He stood up, nervously so. "G... Goo' dafternoon, O' lord."

"Please be at ease gentleman." Hierd reassured the man. "I want to see your village's... Chief..."

"Ah, I see... Pl-- please, follow me."

Hierd let the man gather his belongings on the ground and as he went away, Hierd followed with.

The townsfolk were eyeing out the captain, Hierd, who looked and acted of nobility, and they did not dare to even approach him.

The man led Hierd into a big poorly made wooden house (akin to a barn house). The doors opened and a slew of men, women, children alike were sitting on the boarded-wooden floor.

"Holy shit, this scene looks like a gymnasium after an earthquake. Like a disaster had just fooken swept them... Well I guess a 'disaster' did sweep them."

"Where is your chief?" Hierd questioned him as the man had just stood there eyeing out the watching crowd.

He didn't reply but after a second round of him observing the twenty or so people, he had finally responded. "There! O' lord."

Hierd followed the man, the chief was minding his business with a pile of paperwork and a group of his own men.

"Good afternoon." Hierd initiated the conversation with the chief, of which paid him no mind until the man from before had merely tapped his shoulder.

"Is he deaf? Pen and paper should be more morally accepted than shouting to an old deaf man with a high position."

The men surrounding him hadn't mind but after he touched him, the chief had finally reacted. A jolt. He was astonished.

"Ah! The lordly man who showed that... That Car 908kay!

Hierd's inner self wanted to laugh but his body simply rejected such an embarrassment of a thought.

The chief had got up from his sat position, with a bright face, he said;

"I am Hadi, chief of Ridge Village."