-Chapter 11-
-POV Aemon Targaryen-
"Here are this year's accounts, my Prince," said Rogar Stone, a bastard of House Shett who had not been selected to become a Maester but had a high level of education, which was uncommon for a person who was not noble.
I took him on as my personal administrator, handling all the tasks I could not manage alone.
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-Sheep-
Sheep wool: quantity about 6 kg per shearing and one shearing once a year.
Sheep flock in 110 - 111 AC: 5,000 sheep (200 rams, 4,800 ewes)
Annual quantity of wool: 30,000 kilos of wool (one kilo of wool at 20 silver moons = 600,000 silver moons)
Quantity of sheep slaughtered in 110 - 111 AC: 1,000
Quantity of sheep sold in 110 - 111 AC: 1,000 (1 gold dragon = 1,000 gold dragons)
Quantity of sheep born in 110 - 111 AC: 7,200
Sheep revenue 110 - 111 AC: 1,000 gold dragons and 600,000 silver moons
-Goats-
Goat herd in 110 - 111 AC: 2,000 (100 bucks, 1,900 does)
Quantity of milk in 110 - 111 AC: 3,800 liters of milk, a large part of which will be converted into more than 500 kg of cheese (2 silver moons per 100g of cheese)
Quantity of goats slaughtered in 110 - 111 AC: 500
Quantity of goats sold in 110 - 111 AC: 500 (1 gold dragon per dairy goat)
Quantity of goats born in 110 - 111 AC: 3,000
Goat revenue: 500 gold dragons, 10,000 silver moons
-Cows-
Milk can be turned into butter or cream.
Cow herd in 110 - 111 AC: 1,300 heads
Quantity of milk in 110 - 111 AC: 25,000 liters of milk to be turned into a ton of butter (1 silver moon for 100g of butter)
Quantity of cows slaughtered in 110 - 111 AC: 50
Quantity of cows sold in 110 - 111 AC: 200 (2 gold dragons)
Quantity of cows born in 110 - 111 AC: 500 calves
Revenue: 10,000 silver moons, 400 gold dragons
-Oxen-
Ox herd in 110 - 111 AC: 1,000 heads
Quantity of oxen slaughtered in 110 - 111 AC: 150
Quantity of oxen sold in 110 - 111 AC: 200 (2 gold dragons on average)
Quantity of cows born in 110 - 111 AC: 500 calves
Revenue: 400 gold dragons
-Pigs-
Pig herd in 110 - 111 AC: 10,000 pigs
Quantity of pigs slaughtered in 110 - 111 AC: 20,000 pigs
Quantity of pigs sold in 110 - 111 AC: 80,000 pigs (1 large pig worth 1 gold dragon) x 2,000, (1 piglet worth 1 silver moon) x 78,000
Quantity of pigs born in 110 - 111 AC: 123,000 piglets
Pig revenue: 2,000 gold dragons and 78,000 silver moons
-Poultry-
Poultry flock in 110 - 111 AC: 40,000 poultry
Quantity of eggs: 300,000 eggs (1 copper star)
Quantity of poultry slaughtered in 110 - 111 AC: 200,000 poultry
Quantity of poultry sold in 110 - 111 AC: 500,000 poultry (500,000 silver stags)
Quantity of poultry born in 110 - 111 AC: 711,324 poultry
Poultry revenue: 300,000 copper stars, 500,000 silver stags
-Horses-
Horse herd in 110 - 111 AC: 4,000 (male-female ratio 50%)
Quantity of horses born in 110 - 111 AC: 1,484 foals
Livestock profits 110 - 111 AC:
Poultry revenue: 500,000 silver stags, 300,000 copper stars
Pig revenue: 2,000 gold dragons and 78,000 silver moons
Cow revenue: 400 gold dragons, 10,000 silver moons
Ox revenue: 400 gold dragons
Sheep revenue: 1,000 gold dragons and 600,000 silver moons
Goat revenue: 500 gold dragons, 10,000 silver moons
Total livestock revenue + livestock products 110 AC Royce: 4,300 gold dragons, 698,000 silver moons (23,266 gold dragons), 500,000 silver stags (2,381 gold dragons), 300,000 copper stars (204 gold dragons)
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I nodded as I saw the rising figures for this year. Upon my grandfather's death, I took control of all the affairs of House Royce and realized that what we had over other houses were pastures and animals.
The Vale was the natural environment for beasts like sheep, goats, and all sorts of other animals, so I decided to capitalize on this to create farms and stables with the sole objective of breeding only quality livestock.
At first, it was not easy because I had to buy livestock from all corners of the kingdom, and like most beginners in business, I was scammed several times. But little by little, I managed to gather all kinds of livestock with the best pedigrees possible.
I established stables, cattle farms, pig farms, and poultry houses everywhere. I also paid shepherds to keep my sheep in pens that I had built all over my territory.
The only mission of the serfs to whom I entrusted the management of these farms was to keep the farm in impeccable condition. Hygiene, food, and the 'well-being' of the animals were paramount because I wanted to breed quality breeds and create a brand that would be associated with my farms. The result was there; after five years of efforts to set up this business, I was starting to gradually reap the benefits of my investment.
"26,000 gold dragons," I said without enthusiasm.
"You don't seem satisfied."
I nodded and then said: "I am not."
Rogar began in a hesitant tone: "If I may..."
I nodded for him to speak, and he said: "You only invested barely 7,000 gold dragons in this business. Harvesting more than three times your investment is no small achievement."
I frowned but did not respond because although he was right and the household's annual expenses did not exceed more than 10,000 gold dragons, I was not doing this to become rich. I was doing it for power, and unfortunately, a business earning me 25,000 gold dragons a year would not give me enough power in the Vale.
'At least not the power I'm looking for,' I thought as I considered the new directives to follow this year for the expansion of my business.
"Rogar, I want more, so let's start by improving what we can for now. Take a pen and note what I am about to say," I said, standing up and putting my hands behind my back, leaving my place for him to write.
Rogar promptly did so, and then I began: "This year, we lost many animals to predators in the region due to some faulty pens. So I want a complete review of all the pens and barns and immediate renovation in case of any observed issues."
I waited a few seconds to let him note everything down, and when he looked up, I continued: "We have already established plans to improve irrigation systems for the pastures. I don't want to lose livestock because the quality of my fodder decreases during drought periods. We also need to continue purchasing high-quality rams and bulls to improve the genetics of my herds."
"What is genetics?" he asked, confused.
"Write 'lineage' instead, don't worry about that for now," I said curtly to keep him from breaking my train of thought.
"I want you to draft letters that I will send to my neighbors to buy land to increase the available space where my herds can graze. 80% of our poultry are chickens, we need to try to diversify them and raise poultry such as ducks and geese that are more prized by the nobility."
Once his pen stopped, I asked: "Did you note everything?"
He nodded, so I said: "Give me a quick summary."
"Renovate the pens and barns, improve the irrigation systems, add males with a good lineage to the herds, and expand your lands so that the animals can graze properly," he said, quickly summarizing all the points.
"Hmm, that's correct. Also add the construction of warehouses and cellars to store processed foods like wool and cheese."
"That's all?"
"That's already a lot, don't you think?" I said with a severe expression.
He looked like a deer caught in headlights, then I smiled and said: "It's just a joke, I always get you, and you fall for it every time."
He lowered his head, both relieved and embarrassed, then I said: "I won't send you back to your father if that's what worries you. You do an excellent job in my service, and I plan to train you to become my castellan when I am absent."
He quickly looked up, happy, but this time my severe expression was not fake as I brutally said: "Don't be happy because if you ever betray me, you will end up in Urrax's belly, be certain of that."
Urrax roared precisely at that moment, and Rogar turned his head towards the window to see Urrax flying in the sky.
Rogar knelt and said: "I will never disappoint you, I swear by the Seven. May the Stranger take me if I ever break my oath."
"I sincerely hope you won't," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder and gesturing for him to rise.