Chapter 75: Current Situation

Sure enough, in the ruling panel's marketplace, Gwynnis discovered more newly unlocked options. This included revealing undiscovered ore veins on the territory, with the ability to choose the ore quality and mining difficulty.

Seeing this, Gwynnis fell silent. Were these ore veins already present in the territory, just undiscovered, or were they forcefully illuminated despite not originally existing? Gwynnis shook his head, finding this speculation pointless.

The crucial question now was whether to mine or not. Gwynnis currently had 5000 governance points. Illuminating a low-quality small iron ore vein directly would cost 2000 points. According to the description, this type of vein was buried relatively deep, suggesting more challenges in extraction.

Of course, there were easier-to-mine shallow veins, but they came at a higher price. For instance, a medium-quality medium-depth iron ore vein required 3000 points. Similarly, higher-quality iron ore had an even higher cost.

However, Gwynnis felt conflicted. Given the vastness of the North Territory, there should naturally be some ore veins, even if they were deeper or of lower quality. Was it worth exchanging for something that likely already existed?

Unless he exchanged for ores with lower probabilities of existing, allowing him to explore the natural veins on his own. This approach seemed to minimize potential losses. The dilemma, however, was whether Gwynnis truly had the capability to start mining now.

Firstly, it's essential to clarify that having ores is not mandatory for territorial growth, but it is a faster path. Considering his current strength, rash mining might lead to unnecessary trouble. If the ore quality was too low, extraction too challenging, and costs too high, it might be better not to mine. Low-quality veins could be explored without spending governance points, avoiding unnecessary losses.

Moreover, even if handed a high-quality shallow iron ore vein or precious metals like silver or gold, success in establishing a mine was not guaranteed. Mining requires abundant labor and specialized knowledge, resources Gwynnis currently lacked.

Having lost three hundred able-bodied men in the recent war, allocating enough hands for existing farm activities was already challenging. Drawing sufficient manpower for a new mine was out of the question. In this era, there was no widespread practice of hiring external labor. Nobles wouldn't be pleased if Gwynnis sought labor from surrounding estates, as everyone faced a labor shortage.

Unless Gwynnis was willing to share profits or even equity, there might be room for negotiation. However, once news of a high-quality mine spread, it could attract attention, making it challenging for a mere baron to manage.

What if Gwynnis completely abandoned agricultural production in the territory, converting everyone into miners

, and then secretly began mining? While this might partially solve the manpower issue, it could also raise suspicions externally. The transition could lead to speculation, and in the end, it might still be impossible to keep it a secret.

After all, without agricultural production, all food would have to be purchased from the outside, making it easy for others to control him. Regardless, giving up agriculture was not an option. While lacking ores might lead to poverty and slow development, lacking food could be fatal.

Gwynnis dismissed low-quality ores; exchanging for them would be a waste of points and painful. High-quality ores were attractive, but he might not be able to protect them. He didn't want to end up with an empty basket after all the effort, becoming someone else's stepping stone.

Did this mean that the hard-earned points were only for observation and not spending? Not quite. Governance points could be exchanged for rewards in the marketplace, essentially equivalent to money. Having money in his pocket was a win, wasn't it?

Taking a deep breath, Gwynnis calmed down. Mining was a must, but not at this moment. There were more pressing issues waiting for him.

Gwynnis had a premonition that after the departure of the Hafdani people, the situation in the Annan River Valley territory would not return to peace. The long-standing peace had been shattered, and the next phase would likely be one of bloodshed—a chance for someone to seize.

The first issue on the table was the food problem. The Hafdani invasion had caused widespread destruction—villages razed, peasants killed, and farmland left barren. Even those peasants who managed to tend their fields during the enemy's absence faced difficulties. Many wheat fields had intentionally been damaged by the Hafdani, exacerbating the issue.

In the western part of the Annan River Valley territory, under the trampling of the Hafdani, less than a third of the black wheat in the fields could successfully produce ears. Due to insufficient care, even matured crops would likely have reduced yields compared to previous years.

As a result, the entire earl's territory was likely to face a famine. Recently, strangers were often seen wandering near the Targas territory, not Hafdani but locals, perhaps from other territories. These people lingered near the wheat fields, fixated on the gradually ripening black wheat.

Although these individuals hadn't made any questionable moves yet, the mere presence of strangers near the wheat fields was enough to make the peasants wary. Some peasants took it upon themselves to guard the fields at night, vigilant against any suspicious figures.

Gwynnis felt a sense of unease. He sent cavalry to nearby territories to gather information and found that the situation was worse than he had imagined. Many neighboring noble territories had fallowed fields overgrown with weeds. Even where black wheat could be spotted, it grew crookedly, with small and sparse ears. In some places, the term "crop failure" seemed apt.

Once the remaining food from last year was consumed, what would happen to the peasants in these territories this year? While this wasn't initially Gwynnis's concern, the lands were interconnected, and trouble could find him if he didn't seek it first.

Currently, in a large area of nearby territories, only Gwynnis's wheat fields were flourishing, with the black wheat showing the best growth. Even in a year without disasters, many hadn't seen black wheat this beautiful. Every stalk was full and plump, emitting a fragrant scent. What would those impoverished foreign farmers think?

Envy. Definitely envy. As time passed, this envy might turn into resentment and jealousy. Though these people could maintain composure now, leaving when Gwynnis sent out cavalry, what about later? When they finished their stored food, and the entire family began to starve, could they still remain indifferent?

People who had nothing to lose might resort to anything. Nobody knew what these people might do. Moreover, those noble families that suffered heavily in the Hafdani plunder wouldn't sit idly. Not only could they not expect these nobles to restrain their own peasants, but these nobles themselves were the ones Gwynnis needed to be most vigilant against.

As summer arrived, beneath the calm countryside scenery, hidden currents were surging. In the last moments before the black wheat matured, Gwynnis needed to carefully calculate his moves.