Shepherd Wizard (Novel) - Chapter 101

Chapter 101

“Come on, just a little more effort, you’re almost there.”

“Ugh…!”

In the southernmost end of the world, a remote wilderness visited only occasionally by adventurous explorers.

Somewhere in the Koloa region, an encouraging voice and strained groans could be heard.

The owner of those groans was a woman with reddish-brown hair and blue eyes.

Between her simple attire typical of the Siraf wetlands, one could see the taut muscles of her forearms and calves.

A moment later, Meisa, who had been repeatedly sitting and standing while holding a rod, finally set it down with heavy breaths.

“Hah, hah… I can’t, can’t do any more.”

“That’s a shame, I thought you could manage one more.”

Across from her, the young man Turan who had been assisting her clicked his tongue at the sight of Meisa lying on the ground and placed the metal rod back in its place.

This object, which appeared to be just an elongated metal rod, was actually a magical device created by Meisa herself.

Its effect was to increase its weight when magical power was infused into it.

Such tools were necessary to provide enough resistance to train the muscles of high nobles like them.

Of course, simply increasing the weight would cause them to sink into the soft ground, so using earth manipulation magic to hold the ground firm was an additional measure.

“I think we’ve done enough physical training for now. It seems your muscle mass hasn’t been increasing at all lately.”

“Finally-ah! Please be gentle…”

When Turan firmly kneaded her trembling calves and thighs, Meisa let out a scream.

During their wetland reclamation project, they had been helping each other train their bodies whenever they had time.

Meisa, who had previously only trained halfheartedly due to time and environmental constraints, showed particularly rapid progress.

Although her naturally thin frame prevented her from developing bulky muscles, her once slender body had gained feminine contours while significantly increasing in strength and endurance.

Now her physical abilities even slightly surpassed those of Turan when he wasn’t actively using his combat-oriented bloodlines.

Of course, Turan had also developed a sturdier body than before.

Since he had already undergone an accelerated training regimen with Haram previously, he hadn’t improved as dramatically, but he had gained more muscle and developed a more masculine physique than before.

In contrast, Solif, having already trained his body to its limits in the Baraha family, would either help with their training or, like now, be off doing something else.

Leaving Meisa to rest a bit longer, Turan leaped onto the embankment and gazed southward toward the areas they had already reclaimed.

Arid land stretched all the way to the horizon.

‘We’ve really done a lot…’

It had been two and a half months since Turan’s group arrived in the Koloa region.

As they became more skilled at using magic for land reclamation, they had already reclaimed nearly a third of the planned area.

If they were to create farmland after completing the reclamation, it would be enough to feed hundreds of thousands of people with plenty to spare.

Although there was advice from the librarian that the soil in this region wasn’t particularly good for farming.

Considering that there was no plain of this scale in the entire Siraf wetlands, let alone the Koloa region, it was truly a monumental achievement.

‘In truth, there’s no reason for mages of our caliber to be devoted to wetland reclamation.’

What need was there for people with the ability to establish a major family to be involved in such tedious work?

Unless, of course, they were seeking the power of the world’s greatest healer.

Of course, this work wasn’t entirely meaningless or just hard labor.

They were learning techniques for handling large-scale magic during the reclamation process, and as now, they could also train their bodies.

While they could certainly train physically while traveling, staying in one place like this was more effective.

While lost in these thoughts as he gazed at the reclaimed land, Turan sensed a powerful magical presence approaching from behind.

Plus a faint presence right beside it.

A moment later, Solif emerged from the wetlands to the north, waving his hand and shouting:

“Hey, Turan! I’m back!”

“I thought it was about time you returned. No problems?”

“What problems could there be?”

Next to Solif was Knight Yoz, who appeared somewhat dazed.

Solif had gone to check if Yoz had returned as it was about time, and it seemed they had happened to meet and come back together.

Yoz continued to appear disoriented even as Solif dragged him up onto the embankment.

“Great, great one. Yoz greets you.”

“Did you return that lizard properly?”

“Yes… but I had no idea that person was a noble…”

The reason Yoz was so shaken was because he had discovered that Solif, or more precisely, “Phil” who was now disguised with a mask, was a noble.

While he didn’t view nobles as gods like the ignorant locals did, he was still uncomfortable realizing he had been ordering around and teaching someone who was his superior in status.

In truth, Solif could have continued pretending to be a knight if he wanted, but to properly use magic in front of Yoz from now on, he needed to reveal his identity.

‘I suppose once this gets reported back, Ravitas will learn that Phil is actually Solif.’

Turan didn’t particularly care about this fact.

The head of the Ravitas family and Rida probably already had some idea of the power of Turan’s group anyway.

Unless they were fools, they wouldn’t antagonize two quasi-family head level nobles and at least one noble of heir-to-major-family caliber who were far away and difficult to influence.

Especially when they were all wanderers without a permanent base who could freely move around and take action without fear of retaliation.

“He wouldn’t listen even when I told him not to worry. It’s rare to find such a stubborn knight.”

“I don’t know if we should call that stubbornness… Anyway, if you’re not too tired from your journey, shall we tour the land we’ve reclaimed so far?”

“As you wish.”

Perhaps because Turan and Solif were so calm, Yoz seemed to have regained some of his composure.

As Solif came down from the embankment, he saw Meisa resting covered in sweat, and with a lewd expression asked:

“What did you two do while I was gone?”

“We worked on our bodies.”

“…That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“Damn, even when I provide the opportunity. What’s wrong with you two?”

Hearing their conversation from a distance, Meisa infused magical power into the training device and threw it at Solif, who quickly dodged with an “eek”… The weighted magical device tumbled to the ground, creating a crack with a loud bang.

***

When Yoz first saw the inside of the reclaimed land, his reaction was one of amazement.

He repeatedly ran his hands over the ground, exclaiming in wonder.

“The ground is so firm and dry! I’ve never seen reclaimed land like this before.”

“Is that unusual?”

“Yes. Newly reclaimed land is typically damp and soft, causing buildings to easily tilt or collapse, but this place is like land outside the Siraf wetlands.”

This was, of course, thanks to Turan who, whenever he had time, alternated between using the Earth Guardian Bloodline and Stream Bloodline abilities to compact the soil and extract water from the ground.

Naturally, he hadn’t made it completely uninhabitable for living organisms, but had adjusted it to be similar to an ordinary plain.

‘Did I try too hard?’

He had followed the ideal wetland reclamation methods he learned from the librarian, but judging from Yoz’s reaction, it seemed he had made it unnecessarily perfect.

If he hadn’t completely drained the water and compacted the soil, the reclaimed area could have been 1.5 times larger by now.

While he felt somewhat regretful, Turan soon decided to think positively—that it was better to do a perfect job.

After all, if people eventually lived here, they would prefer better quality land.

After briefly marveling at the condition of the reclaimed land, Yoz’s amazement soon turned to shock as he walked around quickly to survey the area.

It took a full hour to walk from the northern end to the southern river boundary, and he confirmed that the land had been fully reclaimed from the eastern to western ends.

“No, this is just…”

“What? Are you amazed at how vast it is?”

While nodding at Solif’s question with a grin, Yoz’s mouth remained so widely agape it seemed his jaw might dislocate.

“It’s more than that! When I was assigned this task, I thought it would take at least several decades…”

Indeed, the power they had invested here was beyond what even a decent high noble army could muster.

Ignoring Yoz’s shocked expression, Turan looked at the vast expanse of reclaimed land and asked:

“So, do you have any advice for us?”

“Advice… you say?”

“Since we’re just three beginners attempting this, I thought someone with experience in various development projects might see things that need improvement.”

Turan had heard from Rida before leaving that Yoz had been involved in several marsh or wetland reclamation projects.

In response to Turan’s question, Yoz hesitated briefly before offering some suggestions.

“First, you need drainage paths for water.”

“Drainage paths?”

“Yes. The rainy season will come soon, and in the current situation, water will collect here. It’s beyond what the land can naturally absorb.”

At Yoz’s advice, Turan’s group looked at each other to exchange opinions.

“Should we make it flow to the river?”

“Since water flows to lower ground, it should go toward the downstream area.”

They hadn’t heard about this when consulting the librarian, probably because he didn’t know how much rain falls in this region.

Yoz continued to provide various useful suggestions.

He advised that rather than leaving the land barren as it was now, it would be better to plant trees that absorb a lot of water. He also suggested that instead of making the land completely flat, it should have a slight slope to allow water to drain toward the drainage channels.

“It would also be necessary to relocate people here.”

“To that extent?”

“Seems annoying to protect them.”

At Solif’s comment, Yoz shook his head and explained, his demeanor resembling that of the teacher instructing knight Phil.

Apparently, he too still retained his previous habits.

“Due to the heat and humidity, growth will be rapid, and if left alone, weeds will flourish. This will attract animals and magical beasts that might damage the embankments. Generally, since animals avoid humans except for some predators, having many people living here would prevent this.”

“How would they make a living?”

“There are many open-pit mines in this area, so they could mine and trade for food. After some time, they could cultivate part of the land for self-sufficiency.”

His explanations flowed smoothly, demonstrating his experience with development projects and inspiring confidence.

“But is it okay to freely mine and sell the ore? This land technically belongs to the Ravitas family, right? We’re just the reclamation team.”

Yoz nodded at Meisa’s question.

“I spoke with the family head about this matter and prepared a document. It grants the right to use mining revenue specifically for developing the reclaimed land.”

Reading the document he presented, it indeed contained such provisions.

Impressed by his unexpected competence, Turan viewed this middle-aged knight in a new light.

He had wondered why a family head would employ a mere knight as a confidant, but this demonstrated truly remarkable capability.

‘I might even want to keep him as a subordinate if I ever settle permanently somewhere.’

Of course, someone who was already a direct subordinate of the Ravitas family head would likely not want to work under a mere wandering noble.

After further discussion with his companions, Turan decided to accept Yoz’s proposals.

Following Yoz’s advice, Turan’s group entered a new phase in their reclamation project.

The first task was to create a road connecting the northern boundary to the reclaimed land.

It took exactly one day to create a road one hundred meters wide and approximately sixty kilometers long.

Afterward, Yoz, as a Ravitas knight, negotiated directly with the knights of Koloa to begin recruiting settlers on a large scale.

Initially, people were reluctant to join a pioneering settlement in the southern magical frontier, but they soon gathered when told about the numerous open-pit mines and the promise of extensive farmland for the settlers.

“Can I really get my own farm?”

“The gods who heal the sick have proclaimed it. Surely they wouldn’t lie.”

“I’d be content just to be surrounded by gold and silver.”

The reputation that Turan’s group had gained by staying in Koloa City and healing the sick also helped with recruiting settlers.

As a result, within just a few weeks, thousands of people began flocking to the reclaimed land.

“Good, this is my house from here!”

“This area is mine!”

“The hell it is—”

“What’s going on here!”

Using trees that Turan’s group had previously cut from the nearby wetlands, the settlers built homes, distributed farmland within the reclaimed area, mined the open pits, and created all manner of disputes.

This was because settlers from various villages around Koloa City had formed factions based on their places of origin.

Fortunately, this was somewhat managed by a vigilante group that Yoz had brought from Koloa City.

Having somehow received their allotted areas, the settlers spent the next few months removing weeds, creating fields, and mining gold, silver, iron, and copper from the open pits in the areas that had been reclaimed.

As is common with newly developed lands, people sang songs of happiness as they reaped abundant harvests with minimal effort.

“Ah, I’m getting hungry…”

“Shall we go to the square? I wonder what food they’re serving today?”

And one of the major problems that arises when people gather like this is the matter of food.

This was an even more crucial issue considering that the Koloa region, and indeed the entire Siraf wetlands, lacked food self-sufficiency.

Even if they sent large quantities of ore to Koloa City to procure food, there simply wasn’t much food available in the market.

They had sent merchants to cities further north, but it would take considerable time for them to return with food supplies.

However, the settlers didn’t have to suffer from severe food shortages, because Turan used the same method he had employed previously in Kalamaf.

“Here they come!”

“Ohhh… there’s even a crocodile.”

“Hippos! The hippo meat is ours!”

The settlers weren’t afraid of the animals approaching from a distance.

They knew these creatures would docilely surrender their lives under the control of a powerful mage.

“Wait inside the embankment.”

Having activated the recently acquired Nagin’s Dominator Bloodline, Turan could draw out large numbers of animals hiding in the yet-to-be-reclaimed wetlands with minimal magical power expenditure.

He could even perform delicate operations like controlling which types of animals were dominated, excluding poisonous insects and the like. Although this wasn’t particularly necessary since the settlers, having lived near wetlands, were accustomed to eating frogs, lizards, and similar creatures.

Nevertheless, thanks to this ability, the settlers could happily butcher and cook their prey for daily sustenance.

Before long, the reclaimed land featured not only residential areas but also mines, restaurants, and even taverns and gambling halls.

Solif would occasionally remove his mask to pose as a commoner, secretly frequenting such establishments to relieve the stress of being isolated and find his own happiness.

“Wow…”

Of all the entertainments that emerged in the growing settlement, the one people enjoyed most was climbing onto the northern embankment, which expanded daily.

From there, they could directly observe the wetland reclamation process, and the magic wielded by Turan’s group was truly miraculous in the eyes of the settlers.

How else could one describe the sight of hundreds of trees burning and swamps evaporating with a single gesture?

Occasionally, when magical beasts burst out from the burning forest, Turan and Meisa’s lightning would strike down with a thunderous crash, making people’s hearts skip a beat.

“Gods…”

Whenever this happened, the settlers who had climbed onto the embankment would prostrate themselves and make wishes.

Just as humans did when they beheld the Freya god-clan in ancient times.

Faith tends to emerge in such simple ways.

***

After three or four months of enjoying the development of the ever-growing settlement, when just over half of the designated area had been reclaimed, Turan reached out toward Bije who was flying down from the sky.

“Good job, Bije.”

[Hungry! Give me something delicious!]

“You didn’t like the crocodile meat, right? How about steamed carp?”

[Yes!]

While chatting, Turan took out a letter from the pouch hanging around Bije’s neck.

Meisa, who happened to be nearby, saw this and asked:

“Is it from Asiz again?”

“Yes.”

Even while focused on the southern reclamation project, Turan hadn’t forgotten to maintain communication by periodically sending Bije to the Berk family.

This was possible because Bije, carrying no passengers, could travel between this southernmost corner of the world and the northern Dakein Plains in about two days.

Fortunately, all the replies received so far had consistently reported peaceful days.

Sometimes Asiz would send a few new play scripts, which was quite enjoyable to read, and Solif had even tried to gather actors to perform them before giving up.

Despite the settlement becoming quite prosperous, it wasn’t developed enough to have people trained as actors or with related talents.

As Turan was calmly reading the letter as usual, he frowned upon reaching a particular passage.

“Hmm…”

“What is it? Has something happened?”

“I’ll tell you both at once. Sol! Come over here!”

“What? It’s break time and I need to go roll some dice.”

As Solif approached grumbling, Turan gestured for him to sit down and informed his companions about what he had read.

“It’s not certain yet, but there’s talk that Arabion might start a war soon.”

Upon hearing this, the faces of his two companions hardened just like Turan’s.