The Child Farmers

While the large group was walking up to Otheman, he was having a serious conversation with his servants.

"Sir, everything here seems to be a far greater level of technology for farming than anything ever conceived! Some of the plants are completely unknown to the books we have, but here they are being grown like regular crops! The fruit trees seem to be the only normally grown plant! That said we didn't recognize three of them!"

"Hmm... these neighbors of ours are starting to seem more special than originally thought. Tripit how many Mana plants have you found?"

"Sir, I have discovered a very small garden that has several Mana plants. It appears to be the only place they had found with a decent amount of Mana. It seems to be very advanced as well as the garden seems to enrich the Mana plants which should increase their effects."

Frowning Otheman wondered aloud, "I heard he was a simple guard at a small city who left to make a living. Yet he started bringing various nutritious plants to sell after three years... Did he always have this talent or is this a heritage he found? Or did he always have this heritage and only now started to show its' usefulness?

*sigh* These are questions we need answers to now. If I become a duke I need to know everything about the nobles below me. And with how many things he has shown it is obvious he is a wildcard that just so happens to have made his home right next to us."

"Maybe he is like you sire?"

"No. His home is too simple. Everything around is like it is made to grow more effectively. He should have gotten so much land thanks to the land seeming to be bad for farming, yet he has shown that such land only needs the right techniques...

Harvis, tell me more about the technologies he has around. Is any suitable for our land? Is it even worth it, or would it be too energy-intensive? What are your thoughts."

"Well, sir... If I am honest, these technologies seem to fit this land perfectly, but if we simply transport it to our territory, the effectiveness should decrease by more than fifty percent! Even then it should be at least five times more effective than what we were planning originally. I think the best option is to have them design something that can better fit our territory."

"Hmmm... Troublesome..."

"Otheman! You have some time to talk?" Edmund called out to him breaking his contemplation. 

Despite not knowing exactly what to do about his predicament, Otheman didn't let it show as he smiled amicably and invited Edmund over, "Sure thing, How can I ignore the host of this lovely celebration? Come sit."

Soon he noticed it wasn't just Edmund as it was two adults and five children including his own son. Glancing at him he spoke to him with his eyes. His son quickly caught on and puffed out his chest and reassured him with his eyes. Nodding he focused back on Edmund.

"Haha! Well, I guess I should mention this has more to do with my children here. They seem to want to talk business with you. Haha! Well don't underestimate them too much, they are so smart they might even beat me!" Edmund spoke slightly embarrassed as he hadn't spoken much with this neighbor of his. Now the first time he is speaking he is having his children do 'business' with him.

Otheman was slightly surprised, but he turned to the twins who sat in the forefront with confidence. Glancing at his son, his son quickly spoke first as he knew he should.

"Dad I present to you the two people who can solve our farming problem! They have built the majority of the farms here! Ambrose focuses on building farms and Lily focuses on making the crops better!"

Otheman gives his son a skeptical look as he turns to the twin's father, "Are you okay with giving all the credit for the farms to your children?" Not quite agreeing or disagreeing Otheman asked.

Edmund put on a slightly embarrassed look as he explained, "Well... I only till the land and plant a few seeds here and there. The rest is mostly taken care of by Ambrose as your son said. As stupid it is to admit, I often get told off whenever I take care of the farms..." Scratching his chin he spoke while looking away slightly.

Ambrose on the other hand didn't forget to insult his father, "Told off? *humph* That is because you suck at farming. The plants were practically dying in your care."

Lily joined in as she supported her brother, "You even killed some of my experimental plants! You didn't let them mature before you harvested them and now they can't even sprout seeds! I took a whole season to make them as good as they were! Now everything was lost by your terrible farming skill!"

Seeing the twins talk down to their father Otheman looked shocked. Glancing at Edmund he realized the man was simply looking away trying to avoid his children's glares! What kind of father was this! More importantly, the advanced farms were built by children! They barely reached six years old!

Looking back at his son he decided to focus on what his son brought up before, "Umm... So what have you told them?"

"Everything!" Oath spoke proudly as he puffed up his chest.

Looking at his son in shock he wondered if he let him become too trusting. He simply hoped that his son didn't truly say everything. Looking at the twins who had stopped glaring at their father he noticed they were looking at him with curiosity.

Ambrose was the one who spoke first, "I do like farming, so I would be willing to build you your farms, but only if you allow me to build at least a quarter of them! Also based on what your son said you have a lot of servants, that are suitable to help with farming?"