Volume 1: «Preparation»
Chapter 34: «Gryphon Eyes (Part 1)»
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It was January of the year nine hundred and fifty-eight. During this time, much has changed in Agdar; in addition to external changes, there was a great deal of internal change. The people who lived here began to see the world somewhat differently...
Before the arrival of Aaron and the construction of Guldar City, they lived a slow and unhurried life, worrying only about how to get their food and satisfy their most basic needs. Once in a while, someone would break out of the general mass and dream of something more, but for the rest, a peaceful, albeit very limited, life was enough. One can understand the inhabitants of Agdar, crossing the Moldar Gorge one can find himself in a much less hospitable place...
Yes, there are many prospects behind the mountains of Uldar, you can get an education, open your own business, and there's even a small chance to become someone who won't be forgotten in a couple of years. But here's the problem, it's dangerous there, you can meet some bandit or robber, you have to worry all the time and think about how to twist yourself around. In general, you have to twist like a frying pan...
And at home, in Agdar, it's safe... The Bach clan is competent and noble enough, doesn't force anything, and doesn't overtax...
The young boys try to break out of this safe cage, which makes them go against the will of their parents. Only when they grow a little older do they realize that they were wrong, their dreams veiled their eyes from the harsh reality...
Much more people live beyond the Uldar Mountains than in Agdar, uneducated hunters and fishermen don't give a damn there... The only ones who have a real chance to settle down there are the users of magic energy, as even the most worthless knight is better than a common man...
The mentality of the inhabitants for the past couple of months greatly changed, now few people want to leave the lands of the clan Bach, almost all of them understand that Agdar entered into some new era, promising a much larger, and most importantly more reliable, prospects...
Aaron has done everything possible for this, increased the population at the expense of thirty thousand slaves, built the necessary infrastructure in the form of roads, which connected the scattered settlements, while significantly reducing the danger and time of movement between the settlements of Agdar. Gave jobs by opening many different businesses, as well as education, allowing the local uneducated inhabitants to learn to read and write.
Much was not yet completed, but even this was enough to make the inhabitants of Bah clan lands realize the horizon of opportunity that opened before them. Many young people moved permanently to Guldar, which continued to be built and expanded. Along with the purchased slaves, who were only officially slaves because they were not treated as such, they helped to build the city and became the first workers in the city's enterprises.
Most of the population, however, still lived in Tilveril, Oakwara, and Horkwel, which was more than satisfactory to Aaron. He even had a separate plan for the development of these settlements, primarily to create a strong agricultural industry in Agdar.
Perhaps this is not really his expertise, after all, he is more versed in matters related to magical energy, but even so, not being a complete fool, Aaron is more than well aware of how important it is to provide food for the population... No matter how many magical tools and various weapons were produced in the factories in Guldar City, it still wouldn't be enough in times of war if the vigilantes were malnourished.
In many things that concerned primarily the reforms he had made, he had benefited from the knowledge he had received from Andrei, for he lived in a much more advanced world. His knowledge was not detailed or professional at all, but even the general concepts and basic information was more than enough to develop and improve many things.
At first, Aaron had considered knowledge from the other universe to be nothing more than interesting research material, he saw no concrete practical use in it, but now, after a rather long period of time, his own misconception became apparent to him... Perhaps this knowledge did not make him stronger personally, but it helped him to broaden his horizons, allowed him to look at the world and many things going on in it from a different angle, as if from the side...
— What are you thinking about? — Ilmira asked, distracted by the papers that were piled on her desk.
— Nothing," said Aaron, who had grown and matured considerably in recent months, looking a little older than his years. — I've been thinking about how much power and dazzling power can be...
— You have strange things to think about," the woman commented with a furrowed face. — Maybe you should take your mind off it. For a child who has not yet awakened, you are too busy...
— No, thank you," Aaron grinned wryly. — If I don't keep an eye on things, there's a good chance I'll miss something...
— I don't know, things seem to be working out now," Ilmira disagreed. — See for yourself, everything seems to develop naturally...
Walking up to the window, she pointed to the people who were busy doing various things, despite the cold weather. They are hustling, chatting, and improving Guldar together...
— It's only an illusion, once you reach a certain point, it always seems that you can relax, Aaron snorted. — Only an illusion is just that, an illusion, its purpose is simple, to deceive, to replace the true understanding with a false one...
— You look like your father," Ilmira smiled. — Your paranoia is worse than his...
— Obviously, being a prisoner hasn't taught you anything," said his son. — Our world is not a friendly place, full of dangers and enemies ready to turn on you at any moment. They don't even need a special purpose for it.
— Ronnie, you're a little gloomy today," Mother sighed back. — Is it because of that project you've been working on for the last three months?
— Yes and no," Aaron answered with a roll of his eyes. — Well, it's complicated...
— Don't worry, sooner or later it was bound to happen, — Ilmira said comfortingly as she stroked her son on the head. — You can't live your life without failures, next time you will succeed, you'll see...
— What do you mean? — Aaron asked, smirking slyly. — And who said I had failed?
The woman froze involuntarily on the spot and then, wide-eyed, she asked again:
— Did you really do it?