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IBHJ Chapter 224
🕑 Added 2023-04-23 23:03:53 +0000 UTCThe abundance of food that King Arthur enjoyed during the Little Ice Age was a source of great confusion for the other kings, who were puzzled as to how he managed to maintain such a well-stocked supply while others struggled to provide even basic sustenance.
Even Shirou's own knights were at a loss to explain the source of King Arthur's bounty, and the mystery of his ample resources continued to elude them.
Kay and Merlin were among the few who were not puzzled by King Arthur's abundance of food during the Little Ice Age. The former had collaborated closely with Shirou and was intimately familiar with his agricultural reform strategy, while the latter had been privy to Shirou's plans from the earliest days of his reign, having been hung up and beaten by him as part of his initial efforts to gain control over the country during the dream world.
Agriculture was at the heart of Shirou's grand plan. It wasn't just a nod to the traditions of past empires – it was deeply personal. When he first ascended to the throne, he had experienced crippling hunger. He vowed never to let himself or his people suffer like that again. That's why agriculture became the cornerstone of his rule.
Before Shirou, the Britons relied on a primitive two-field system to farm their land. They would plant on one field while leaving the other fallow. With only wooden tools at their disposal, they had no advanced techniques for taking care of their crops, and their farming methods relied heavily on manual labor.
Unfortunately, this meant they were at the mercy of the unpredictable weather, and their productivity was abysmally low. In short, their survival hinged on the whims of nature, and they were barely eking out a living.
Under his leadership, the kingdom underwent a farming revolution. By adopting modern scientific planting techniques and overhauling the farming tools, they were able to increase the yield of a single plot of land several times over. The introduction of the four-field system, along with methods like crop rotation and no-till farming, enabled them to plant crops year-round and make the most of their land.
With these innovations, they were able to develop new farmland and cultivate previously barren areas. As a result, all the cultivable land in Cornwall and the surrounding territories had been brought into production.
His agricultural reforms were so successful that they created an unexpected challenge: there were now more fields than there were people to tend them. However, he was quick to adapt to the situation. He abandoned his plans to build a cavalry force and instead used all the horses obtained through trade for farming purposes.
By repurposing the horses, he was able to increase the efficiency of the farming process and make up for the shortage of labor. The horses were put to work plowing fields, transporting crops, and performing other essential tasks.
While horses were not as adept as oxen at tilling the land, they had the advantage of speed and efficiency.
Despite not having precise measurements of the kingdom's increased production efficiency, Shirou knew that his agricultural reforms had been a resounding success. Since the first harvest, he had never gone hungry again or had to worry about food shortages.
Shirou also recognized the importance of preserving grain. He sold off the old grain at a reduced price to grain merchants in exchange for goods to be distributed in poorer regions. This allowed him to help those in need while also ensuring that the grain didn't go to waste.
As a result, he had no qualms about selling discounted grain to other kingdoms, or even providing them with full supplies. He was confident in the quality of his kingdom's harvest and knew that it could sustain itself and others in times of need.
"King Arthur is truly magnificent!"
"Quickly, we must recruit more soldiers and purchase horses!"
"Seize the land, seize the people! No one shall take away what is rightfully mine!"
Despite expressing their gratitude to Shirou, the kings wasted no time in mobilizing their troops and ruthlessly plundering the neighboring northern lands.
Londinium had already been captured and the Saxons had been brought under control. How could they miss such a good opportunity to seize more land?
It was around this time that rumors began to spread from some poets and bards, questioning the legitimacy of King Arthur's claim to the throne.
"What...? Arthur is a fraud?"
"That king isn't even the real Arthur?"
"What does it matter? We have our own ambitions to fulfill!"
"The world is vast, and expanding our territory should be our top priority!"
"His true identity is irrelevant now. Only fools would cling to such trivial matters!"
"Let's focus on taking down Vortigern first and foremost!"
Despite not knowing the source of the rumors, the kings dismissed them with a collective sneer. Two years ago, they might have cared about such rumors, and there were even some foolish kings who had gone to Camelot with the sole intention of ousting King Arthur. But now, with Vortigern on the brink of defeat and everyone preoccupied with expanding their territories, who had the time or inclination to care about such trivial matters?
If they were to address the rumors, they would first need to focus on toppling Vortigern and seizing his land. Only then could they afford to turn their attention to matters of lesser importance, such as the identity of the so-called King Arthur.
The kings were not alone in their indifference to the rumors. Even Shirou's followers showed little interest in the matter.
On the first day, the rumors had reached Shirou's territory. In response, the angered people of Cornwall took matters into their own hands and apprehended those responsible for spreading the false claims.
Some of the knights were outraged and demanded to punish the poets responsible for spreading the false rumors. Among them, Morgan's expression was the most complex, and she was the one who cursed the loudest.
As someone who knew Shirou's true identity, Morgan's feelings were conflicted. However, she could see through Vortigern's scheme and was not deceived by the rumors. In fact, she even considered helping to conceal Shirou's true identity.
After all, Shirou had promised to return the throne to the Pendragon family in due time, and Morgan herself had a rightful claim to the throne.
That was all there was to it, really.
The knights were eager to punish those who had besmirched the king's good name, but Shirou intervened and spared their lives. In a display of mercy, he even provided them with food and drink before releasing them back into the world.
Later, Shirou sought out Agravain and instructed him to send a group of bards to follow these individuals and return to Camelot. Their mission was to promote the beauty of Cornwall among the Saxons in Camelot, in the hope of dispelling the false rumors and restoring the region's reputation.
Agravain's eyes widened with understanding as he grasped the king's intention.
After several days of deadlock, Shirou saw that the situation was gradually stabilizing, and he decided to return to Cornwall with Merlin.
Upon reaching the palace, Merlin was startled to see Arcueid lying on the bed and trembled in fear. "Crimson Moon?" he gasped.
Shirou quickly reassured him. "No, she's not the Crimson Moon. She is my friend, Arcueid, a True Ancestor."
"She's your friend? And is she from the future too?" Merlin inquired.
"Yes," he confirmed with a nod. "She's still alive, but she won't wake up. Do you have any idea how we can rouse her from this state?"
Merlin pondered for a moment before responding. "If she's unable to wake up, it's likely because her consciousness is still trapped in a dream state. We may be able to awaken her by entering her dream and bringing her back to reality."
"Can you do it?"
Merlin nodded confidently, slightly miffed by the king's questioning. "My king, you shouldn't underestimate my abilities."
Shirou ignored him and said, "Then enter her dream."
"Well..." Merlin hesitated for a moment.
"What's wrong?"
Merlin hesitated, expressing his concerns. "It's not wise for me to get too close to a True Ancestor. Once I start interfering with her, accidents can easily occur."
Shirou turned his gaze towards the sleeping Arcueid and spoke with conviction. "Let me try."
Merlin was taken aback by the king's proposal. "Isn't that a bit inappropriate?" he protested. "She's a True Ancestor, and their dreams can be dangerous."
"Stop being so hesitant and just do it."
Merlin reluctantly complied, allowing him to enter Arcueid's dream.
Once inside, Shirou found himself surrounded by a sea of flowers in the dark of night.
