Chapter 101

"Come on, just a little more effort. You're almost there."

"Ugh...!"

At the southernmost edge of the world, in one of the most remote and untouched lands, visited only occasionally by a few adventurous explorers.

Somewhere in the Koloa region, a voice of encouragement and a strained groan could be heard.

The owner of the groan was a woman with reddish-brown hair and blue eyes.

Through the simple clothing characteristic of the Siraf Wetland, her taut muscles stood out on her forearms and calves.

A moment later, Meisa, who had been repeatedly sitting and standing while holding a rod, exhaled heavily and set it down.

"Haa, haa... I can't do anymore..."

"What a shame. I thought you could manage one more."

The young man helping her from the opposite side, Turan, clicked his tongue as he looked at Meisa lying on the ground and put the metal rod back in its place.

At first glance, it looked like nothing more than a long metal rod, but it was a magic artifact that Meisa had crafted herself.

Its effect was to increase its weight when infused with magic power.

For nobles of their status, tools like these were necessary to apply enough resistance to effectively train their muscles.

Of course, simply increasing the weight would cause one's body to sink into the soft ground, so they also had to use earth manipulation magic to reinforce the terrain.

"I think this should be enough physical training for now. Lately, it seems like your muscle mass isn't increasing at all anymore."

"Finally- Agh! Not so rough..."

As Turan firmly massaged her trembling calves and thighs, Meisa let out a sharp scream.

While reclaiming the wetland, they had taken the time to help each other train whenever they had the chance.

Since Meisa had previously only been able to train sporadically due to time and environmental constraints, her progress had been exceptionally fast.

Though she had naturally slender bones and couldn't develop a heavily muscular physique, her once delicate frame had gained a more defined shape, and her strength and endurance had noticeably improved.

At this point, her physical abilities were even slightly superior to Turan’s, when he wasn't activating any bloodline abilities related to close combat.

Of course, Turan himself had also become sturdier than before.

Since he had undergone an intense training session with Haram in the past, he hadn't experienced a dramatic transformation, but he had gained more muscle, making his physique even more masculine.

In contrast, Solif had already trained his body to its limits within House Varaha, so he would either assist in their training or go off to handle other tasks, as he was doing now.

Leaving Meisa to rest a bit longer, Turan leaped up onto the embankment and looked south, toward the land they had already reclaimed.

Beyond the horizon, an expanse of dry land stretched endlessly.

'We've really done a lot...'

It had been two and a half months since Turan and his companions arrived in the Koloa region.

Thanks to their increasing proficiency in using magic for reclamation, they had managed to reclaim nearly a third of the area they had originally planned.

If they turned the reclaimed land into farmland, it would be enough to feed hundreds of thousands of people.

Of course, the librarian had warned them that the soil in this region might not be ideal for farming.

Still, considering that this was the largest expanse of flat land not only in the Koloa region but across the entire Siraf Wetland governed by Lavitas, it was an astonishing feat.

'Honestly, there’s no reason for wizards of this caliber to dedicate themselves to wetland reclamation.'

People with the ability to establish a great noble house had no reason to invest their efforts in such trivial tasks.

Unless, of course, they were seeking the aid of the world's greatest healer.

But that didn't mean this work was completely meaningless or just exhausting labor.

Through the reclamation process, they were gaining experience in handling large-scale magic, and they also had the opportunity to train their bodies like this.

While traveling, it wasn't impossible to keep up with physical training, but it was never as effective as staying in one place.

Lost in thought as he gazed at the reclaimed land, Turan suddenly sensed a powerful magical presence from behind him.

Along with the powerful presence, there was also a faint one lingering nearby.

A moment later, Solif emerged from the northern swamp, waving his hand as he called out.

"Hey, Turan! I'm back!"

"I figured you'd be arriving around now. Nothing unusual happened?"

"What could possibly go wrong?"

Beside Solif, the knight Yoz followed, looking half-dazed.

Solif had gone to check on Yoz since it was about time for him to return, but it seemed they had run into each other and ended up coming back together.

Yoz appeared completely out of sorts, even as he was being pulled up onto the embankment by Solif.

"Gr- Great one, Yoz pays his respects."

"You returned that lizard properly, right?"

"Yes... More importantly, I had no idea that person was a noble..."

The reason Yoz was so shaken was that he had just learned that Solif, more precisely, 'Phil', who was currently disguised by the mask, was actually a noble.

Although Yoz was not like the ignorant commoners who regarded nobles as gods, he had nonetheless been giving orders and teaching a superior like a mere subordinate. Now that he realized this, how could he possibly feel at ease?

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

'If this gets reported, Lavitas will probably learn that Phil is actually Solif.'

Turan, however, was not particularly concerned about this.

The head of House Lavitas and Rida likely already had a rough idea of Turan and his companions' capabilities.

Unless they were complete fools, they would not choose to antagonize two nobles of near-family head rank and at least one noble of direct heir status, just to curry favor with a great noble house that was too far away to exert any real influence.

Especially when all three of them were wanderers with no fixed base, meaning they could go anywhere and retaliate freely without fear of repercussions.

"I told him not to worry, but he wouldn't listen. Stubborn knights like this are rare."

"Calling that stubbornness... Well, whatever. If you're not too tired from the journey, how about we start by checking out the reclaimed areas?"

"Yes, sir."

Perhaps because Turan and Solif remained composed, Yoz seemed to regain some of his composure as well.

Descending from the embankment, Solif spotted Meisa, who was drenched in sweat and resting, and asked with a sly grin,

"So, what did you two do while I was gone?"

"Worked on our bodies."

"...That's it?"

"That's it."

"Damn it, I even set things up for you two. What is wrong with you two?"

Hearing Solif grumble from afar, Meisa infused her training equipment with magic and hurled it at him.

"Eek!" Solif yelped and swiftly dodged.

The magic-infused weight crashed to the ground with a loud bang, causing the earth to crack.

*

When Yoz first saw the reclaimed land up close, his initial reaction was pure amazement.

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

"The ground is so firm and completely dry! I've never seen reclamation like this in my life!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Normally, newly reclaimed land is damp and soft, causing buildings to tilt or collapse easily. But this place is just like the land outside the Siraf Wetland."

Of course, this was thanks to Turan, who had taken the time to repeatedly use his Earthmover Bloodline and Rapids Bloodline abilities to harden the ground and drain excess moisture.

Naturally, he had not dried it out so much that no life could survive. He had adjusted it just enough to resemble a typical plain.

'Did I overdo it?'

He had followed the optimal wetland reclamation method he had learned from the librarian, but judging by Yoz's reaction, he might have made it excessively perfect.

If he had skipped the complete drying and compacting process, the reclaimed area could have been 1.5 times larger than it was now.

Though he felt a bit regretful, Turan quickly decided that it was better to do things perfectly since they were already putting in the effort.

When people eventually settled here, they would surely appreciate living on more stable land.

But Yoz’s admiration for the reclaimed land lasted only a moment.

As he quickly explored the surroundings, his amazement soon turned into sheer disbelief.

It took an hour just to walk from the northernmost point to the southern river that marked the boundary, and the entire expanse from the eastern end to the western end had been fully reclaimed.

"W-What is this...?"

"Why? Surprised by how big it is?"

Even as Yoz nodded at Solif’s playful question, his mouth was hanging so wide open that it seemed like his jaw might fall off.

"I-It's not just that! When I first took on this task, I thought it would take at least several decades..."

Well, considering the level of power they had invested here, even the army of a high-ranking noble house would not dare to match them.

Ignoring Yoz’s shock, Turan gazed over the vast reclaimed land and asked,

"So, do you have any advice for us?"

"Advice...?"

"Since the three of us are beginners at this, I figured someone experienced in land reclamation might notice things that need improvement."

Before they left, Rida had told them that Yoz had been involved in several reclamation projects, including draining swamps and wetlands.

At Turan’s question, Yoz hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"First of all, you need a way for the water to drain."

"A way for the water to drain?"

"Yes. The rainy season will arrive soon, and in the current state, water will start accumulating here. The land absorbing it naturally won’t be enough to solve the problem."

At Yoz’s advice, Turan and his companions exchanged glances and discussed.

"Should we channel it toward the river?"

"It has to flow to a lower area, so we should direct it downstream."

The reason the librarian had not mentioned this when they sought his advice was probably that he was unaware of just how much rain this region received.

Yoz continued to offer useful suggestions.

Rather than leaving the land barren, they should plant water-absorbing trees to regulate moisture. Instead of making the land completely flat, they should add a slight incline so water would naturally flow toward drainage channels.

"We’ll also need to settle people here."

"That much?"

"Sounds like a hassle to protect them."

At Solif’s remark, Yoz shook his head and began explaining. Strangely, his demeanor resembled that of the teacher in the past, instructing Knight Phil.

It seemed his old habits had not completely faded.

"The heat and humidity here promote rapid plant growth. If left unattended, weeds will quickly take over, attracting animals or even magical beasts, which could lead to the embankment collapsing. Generally, most animals avoid humans except for a few predators, so having a stable population living here would help prevent such issues."

"And how would they sustain themselves?"

"There are plenty of open-pit mines in this area. They could mine resources and trade them for food. Later on, once some of the land is converted into farmland, they could become self-sufficient."

As expected of someone experienced in reclamation projects, Yoz’s detailed explanations were quite reassuring.

"But can we really mine and sell resources as we please? Technically, this land belongs to House Lavitas, and we’re just a reclamation team."

Yoz nodded at Meisa's question.

"I have already discussed this with the family head and prepared a document regarding that matter. We have been granted the right to use the mine’s profits exclusively for the development of the reclaimed land."

Turan read the document Yoz handed him, and it indeed confirmed those terms.

Seeing this middle-aged knight’s outstanding competence, Turan began to see him in a new light.

He had always assumed that a noble as powerful as the head of House Lavitas would have his own reasons for keeping a knight like Yoz as a close aide. But this level of resourcefulness was beyond expectations.

‘I wouldn’t mind recruiting him as a subordinate if I ever decide to settle down somewhere permanently.’

Of course, since Yoz was already a direct subordinate of the Lavitas family head, he likely had no interest in working under a wandering noble.

After discussing the matter further with his companions, Turan decided to accept Yoz’s proposals.

*

By following Yoz’s advice, Turan and his companions’ reclamation project entered a new phase.

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

It took just a single day to construct a road 100 meters wide and approximately 60 kilometers long.

Afterward, Yoz, as a knight of Lavitas, personally negotiated with the knights of Koloa and began a large-scale recruitment of settlers.

At first, people were hesitant about the idea of establishing a settlement in the desolate southern wilderness. However, when they heard that the land was filled with open-pit mines and that settlers would be granted vast farmland, people soon began to gather.

"Can I really own my own farm?"

"The gods who heal the sick have proclaimed it. They wouldn't lie, would they?"

"I wouldn’t ask for more if I could cover myself in gold and jewels."

Additionally, Turan and his group had gained a solid reputation in Koloa City by treating the sick, which further helped attract settlers.

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

"Alright, this is my home now!"

"This spot is mine!"

"Bullshit-"

"What’s going on?!"

Using the trees that Turan’s group had pre-cut from the nearby wetlands, the settlers built homes, divided up farmland, and began mining the open-pit deposits, sparking all kinds of disputes.

Since settlers had come from various villages around Koloa City, they naturally grouped themselves based on their places of origin.

Fortunately, Yoz took command of a militia he had personally brought from Koloa City and managed to keep things under control.

Once their territories were settled, the settlers spent the following months clearing weeds, preparing farmland, and extracting gold, silver, iron, and copper from the open-pit mines.

As was often the case with untouched land, massive yields were possible with little effort, and the people sang songs of joy.

"Ah, I’m getting hungry..."

"Shall we head to the square? I wonder what’s on the menu today?"

One of the biggest issues that arose when so many people gathered was, of course, food.

This problem was even more pressing in the Koloa region, as well as the Siraf Wetland as a whole, due to their low self-sufficiency in food production.

Even if they sent large quantities of ore to Koloa City in exchange for food, there was not much available on the market.

They had also sent trade caravans to the northern cities, but it was clear that transporting food from there would take time.

However, the settlers did not have to endure severe food shortages because Turan implemented the same method he had used in Kalamaf.

"They’re coming!"

"Whoa... there are even crocodiles."

"It's a hippo! The hippo meat is ours!"

Despite the approaching animals, the settlers showed no fear.

They knew that these creatures were all under the control of a powerful wizard and would meekly offer up their lives.

"Head inside the embankment and wait."

Having recently activated the Ruler Bloodline he had acquired from Nagin, Turan could now draw out large numbers of animals hidden in the untouched wetlands with only a minimal consumption of magic power.

He could even control the types of animals being lured, excluding poisonous insects and other undesirable creatures with precise manipulation.

For settlers accustomed to living near wetlands, consuming frogs and lizards was nothing unusual, so this ability was not particularly essential.

Nevertheless, thanks to it, the settlers were able to hunt, butcher, and prepare their food with ease.

Before long, the settlement had expanded to include not only housing and mines but also restaurants, taverns, and even gambling dens.

Solif, from time to time, would take off his mask and sneak into these places disguised as a commoner, using them as a means to relieve the fatigue of being stuck in an isolated location and to find a bit of happiness.

"Wow..."

Even in the ever-expanding settlement, where new forms of entertainment were emerging one by one, there was one pastime that people enjoyed the most, climbing up the northern embankment, which grew wider by the day.

From there, they could directly witness the process of reclaiming the wetland. To the settlers, the magic that Turan and his companions wielded was nothing short of divine miracles.

How else could one describe the sight of hundreds of trees bursting into flames or entire swamps evaporating with a mere wave of the hand?

At times, when magical beasts leaped out from the burning forest, Turan and Meisa’s lightning would crash down with a deafening roar, making the settlers’ hearts drop in shock.

"O gods..."

Each time, the settlers on the embankment would prostrate themselves and offer prayers.

Just as humans in ancient times had once worshiped the Preah God Tribe.

Faith, after all, had always arisen in such a simple manner.

*

Three to four months had passed as they continued to expand and develop the settlement, finding enjoyment in the process.

By the time they had reclaimed more than half of the designated area, Turan stretched out his hand toward Bije, who was soaring down from the sky.

"You’ve worked hard, Bije."

[Hungry! Give me something tasty!]

"You didn’t like crocodile meat, right? How about steamed carp?"

[Yes!]

Chatting casually, Turan reached into the pouch hanging around Bije’s neck and pulled out a letter.

Meisa, who happened to be nearby, noticed this and asked,

"Ashiz again?"

"Yeah."

Even while being deeply engaged in the reclamation project in the south, Turan had not forgotten to send Bije to House Berk regularly to maintain communication.

Since Bije carried no passengers, she could travel between this southernmost edge of the world and the Takein Plains, near the northern frontier, in just about two days, making this kind of exchange possible.

Fortunately, all the replies he had received so far contained nothing but news of peaceful days.

Occasionally, Ashiz would send newly written theater scripts, which Turan enjoyed reading. Solif had even tried to gather actors to perform one of them but eventually gave up, realizing that while the settlement had grown quite lively, it did not yet have people trained in acting or possessing the necessary talent.

Turan leisurely read through the letter as usual, but his expression soon stiffened when he reached a certain line.

"Hmm..."

"What is it? Something wrong?"

"I’ll explain all at once. Sol! Come here!"

"Why? It’s my break, and I was about to go roll some dice."

Grumbling, Solif approached, and Turan gestured for him to sit before sharing the contents of the letter with his companions.

"It’s not confirmed yet, but there’s talk that House Aravion might start a war soon."

Upon hearing this, both of their expressions hardened, just like Turan’s.