The weather was clear as a warm spring breeze swept through the dark green forest; grasses grew, orioles flew, trees flourished, and everywhere was brimming with the vitality of burgeoning life.
'The element of 'Red' encompasses reproduction and vitality... Spring is the season that suits the path of 'Red'...'
Two fine horses were trotting one after the other along the flat furrows. Alan, who was on the horse behind, subconsciously mused.
He glanced ahead at a girl clad in hunter's clothes riding a chestnut mare that seemed just the right size for her.
"Ginny, slow down, grip the horse's belly tighter, don't fall off..."
The girl was Ginny, who came to Alan's land to play and hunt, at least nominally.
But in reality?
Alan felt she was actually craving the various delicacies he had 'invented'.
After all, she was a little foodie.
This made Alan worry about Ginny's future development and weight... though this concern quickly faded.
As the beloved daughter of the Earl ruling the Green Forest, Ginny had quite a competitive edge in the future marriage market.
There would be no shortage of knights and excellent men vying to please her, regardless of her appearance or virtues...
Thinking this, he suddenly found it quite boring.
"Recently, a few servants and maids in the castle were hanged by the Earl, and the rumors have settled down..."
Ginny seemed to mention it unconsciously, then her eyes gazed into the distance and saw the flat furrows.
Vast areas of land had been cultivated, and a few farmers were using peculiar plows to till the soil. Seeing the lord approaching, they tipped their hats in greeting from afar.
"Hmm? Alan, it seems you have adopted a different farming method here?"
Ginny's eyes lit up.
"Yes, I've invented a new type of agricultural tool called the curved beam plow. It can effectively turn the soil deeper and can be adjusted for both deep and shallow plowing, making it easier to turn and more labor-saving... Even without oxen, it can still be pulled by people."
Alan smiled and said: "Besides, I've prepared something called fertilizer, which should effectively boost this year's crop yield. If all goes well, this summer and autumn, my lands will have a bountiful harvest, and all the tenants will have enough food for the winter."
Ginny looked at Alan with admiration; this brother always had some whimsical ideas and was also kindhearted.
She couldn't help but say: "In the future, I want to use these on my lands too!"
After speaking, Ginny fell silent.
As a daughter, it was unlikely the Earl would divide land for her dowry, but there was hope for her husband's land, as she would be the mistress with the right to make changes.
"What? Is my sister already eager to find someone she fancies?"
Alan teased, then told a few more jokes, bringing a smile back to Ginny's face.
The two crossed the flat fields and entered the dense forest.
Ginny actually couldn't hunt yet, and after dismounting, her eyes were immediately drawn to the wildflowers and butterflies.
Alan, on the other hand, squatted on the ground, carefully examining various plants of this world, trying to identify them with his knowledge of herbal medicine.
"The materials for potion-making in the dream world are completely different from here, and I can only barely find some substitutes... and not necessarily find them."
He sighed inwardly.
The most fundamental difference between the dream world and the real world was the existence of spirituality!
Therefore, even if the potions were made strictly according to the methods from the dream world, their effectiveness was highly questionable.
Fortunately, Alan had plenty of white rabbits, white mice, and even criminals to try them out.
"Even if I can't concoct spiritual potions, I can still make some decent wound-healing and body-strengthening potions..."
"Although the limits of this world mean that potions also have limits, and the peak of an ordinary human body is an insurmountable barrier, as long as the efficacy is good enough, it's not bad. I can teach them to Albert... Let him switch professions to become a proper doctor, instead of just using bloodletting and emetics..."
While thinking, Alan dug up a medicinal herb.
It was entirely crimson, with serrated edges, and its sap even had a slight numbing effect.
According to Albert, it was called 'Blood Grass' and could be made into a hemostatic herb, although its effectiveness was not very good.
Alan had some plans to use it as a substitute for a material called 'Bloodthirsty Grass' from the dream world to create a potion that could enhance physical fitness.
Although it would certainly not be as good as spiritual potions, which could grant extraordinary constitutions.
But even a slight increase in strength and vitality would be a good result.
'Maybe... it could even become a legendary 'Knight's Elixir'...' he thought.
"Wow!"
At this moment, Alan heard Ginny's joyful voice: "I saw a rabbit, Brother Alan, let's have rabbit meat for dinner!"
...
By dusk.
Outside Blackstone Manor, Alan carried the sleeping Ginny, who had played all day, into a carriage and greeted the nearby knight: "Thank you for your hard work, Sir Alfred!"
Ginny, being a young lady, wouldn't act alone. She had guards whenever she went out.
However, her mother and brother didn't come, instead sending the Elderly Knight, which surprised Alan a bit.
"It's my duty."
Alfred punched his chest; he was not only a manor lord but also served the Sothos Family.
Of course, this meant that Theodore had to pay him an extra annuity every year.
For lower-ranked nobles, serving higher-ranked nobles and getting paid for it was not something shameful—rather, it was an honor.
"Then, please escort my sister back."
Alan waved, watching the team bearing the dark green banyan flag leave, disappearing under the sunset.
"How could a little girl like Ginny make such a decision? Seems like Lady Sonia is hinting at something... Wanting to ally with me against Colin?"
He turned around and entered Blackstone Manor, his expression playful: "As a fief knight, it's hard for anyone to take away my lands, no matter who rises to power. Why should I muddy the waters? Besides, if Sean takes power, what's in it for me?"
As for promises of sharing the Green Forest after success, whoever believed that was a fool. Lady Sonia wouldn't insult Alan's intelligence with such a scam.
"So, Ginny's visit is a move to subtly gain my favor?"
Alan entered the alchemy room, where there was a set of equipment he painstakingly assembled, including a balance, several rows of test tubes, measuring cups, etc... Glass was extremely expensive in this era and imported by merchants from outside the Green Forest, which once made Alan consider building his own glass workshop.
He skillfully picked up the prepared 'Blood Grass', placed it into the grinding mortar, carefully ground it, and then began the extraction...
After an indeterminate amount of time, a portion of a black concoction exuding a foul odor filled half a test tube.
"Let's begin the first phase of experiments, starting with small animals..."
Looking at the final product, Alan nodded.