Like most commoners of this era (or "lowly peasants" as the nobility called them), Norris naturally felt an ingrained fear and deference towards the nobility. While the recent generations of Cecil viscounts had been notably benevolent, the instincts instilled in him over a lifetime kept him on edge.
Yet beyond his nervous and humble demeanor, Gawain noticed something in Norris's eyes that he rarely saw in other commoners: a spark, a liveliness that lacked the numbness so common among the oppressed.
Norris was anxious, humble, and fearful, yet not apathetic. His sunken eyes, lined with wrinkles from years of labor, still held a glimmer of intelligence.
No wonder Hety had found Norris to discuss farming. Norris wasn't just another peasant—he was a man with insight.
"What do you think of this land?" Gawain asked in a gentle tone.
Norris raised three fingers, placing them in a prayer-like gesture over his chest as he began speaking. "The Harvest Goddess Eve blesses this place. I never thought there'd be land fit for farming near the Dark Mountains. The terrain is flat, water is accessible, and the soil is fertile. There aren't too many stones in the earth either. I couldn't imagine a better place for clearing land."
"The Harvest Moon is already halfway gone, so there's no time left to plant rice. But we can plant sweetwood roots and fireleaf greens. Sweetwood can overwinter in the soil, yielding a good harvest by next spring, and fireleaf can be sown alongside it, using the sweetwood's fertility to grow quickly. We should be able to harvest it before the Mist Month. Next spring, the fireleaf roots and sweetwood vines will decompose into fertilizer, and we can plant grains in their place. As long as we get enough rain, there'll be plenty of food for everyone."
The crops Norris mentioned—sweetwood and fireleaf—were specific to this world. In fact, almost all flora and fauna in this world differed from those Gawain had known in his past life. He had to rely on the inherited memories of Gawain Cecil to make sense of these things.
From Norris's explanation, Gawain confirmed that this world's agricultural knowledge wasn't as primitive as he'd initially assumed. This farmer understood mixed-crop planting, using decomposed plant matter as fertilizer, and managing soil fertility. Although his knowledge was likely fragmented and based on personal experience, it showed that people here weren't just scattering seeds and hoping for rain.
Unfortunately, the memories inherited from Gawain Cecil were not comprehensive, especially in agriculture. The greatest pioneer hero wasn't omniscient, so Gawain had to depend on Norris's expertise.
He learned about the expected yields of various crops, which Norris explained one by one. Toward the end, Norris added, "These yields rely solely on the land's natural fertility and some plant-based fertilizer. This method drains soil nutrients. Even the best land needs to lie fallow every two to three years, so the yields aren't exceptionally high…"
Gawain frowned. He knew this world lacked the concept of "chemical fertilizers," and he hadn't yet found a way to produce them with local materials. Without an accurate periodic table, he doubted he could achieve it anytime soon. So, he asked, "How do you usually increase yields and maintain soil fertility?"
Hety answered from the side. "The best option would be the blessings of the Three Goddesses of Abundance: Eve the Harvest Goddess, Flora the Spring Goddess, and Gaia the Earth Mother and Goddess of Life. Their priests can perform many rituals connected to the earth and plants. But the Southlands are barren, not a major agricultural region, so most of their main temples are concentrated in the Holy Spirit Plain in the central territories. In our current state, it's unlikely we'd attract a priest's attention."
Sir Philip interjected. "There is a small Earth Mother chapel in Tanzan Town. Perhaps the priest there could help? I remember that in the past, our territory would send someone every three or five years to invite him to bless the fields…"
"That priest left for the Earth Mother's central temple in the Holy Spirit Plain to receive an 'enlightenment.' He won't return for another year," Hety said, shaking her head. "So we can't rely on him."
Gawain frowned thoughtfully. He hadn't expected the solution to turn to the gods.
He knew this world was full of gods and religions. Even during his years "hanging in the sky," he'd observed religious wars more than once. Though silent like a movie without sound, the religious symbols, towering churches, and sprawling temples made the situation clear enough.
This continent had been through vast changes and catastrophic events like the "Dark Mana Tide," yet religion endured, intertwining with mortal civilization like ivy on a wall.
Gods were woven into the fabric of this world's civilization.
As a traveler from another world—and one who had been observing from the sky for a long time—Gawain had a natural sense of wary detachment when it came to gods.
It wasn't that he stubbornly refused to believe in gods in a magical world. This world had magic, his two great-great-granddaughters could summon fireballs, and priests wielded undeniable divine powers. He couldn't deny the gods' existence even if he wanted to.
It was simply that he instinctively preferred not to deal with things that defied cognition, experience, and logic.
He had spent years observing humanity's wars and conflicts in the name of gods. Gawain Cecil, in his thirty-five years of life, had also witnessed priests wield divine powers—powers unlike magic. They required no practice of spells or mana techniques but were instead fueled by faith and the strict adherence to doctrines. Through self-discipline and particular spiritual gifts, people could invoke supernatural powers from the gods.
Legend had it that all divine knowledge and godly power originated from the ancient "Eternal Tablets," which were broken and lost after the First Expansion. Today, only a few major churches, called the "core denominations," kept scattered fragments of the tablets at their headquarters. Despite the tablets' fragmentation, the divine knowledge and power they granted continued to hold sway.
Yet, Gawain had never seen the gods themselves.
At least, they hadn't appeared on this continent, and in the heavens… who knew? He hadn't managed a successful backstroke in space, so he couldn't be sure if there was a bearded old man with a spotlight out there.
But regardless of where the gods might reside, Gawain preferred to keep his distance from forces that defied logic.
Magic could be studied through calculations and reasoning. It was supernatural, yes, but still analyzable. Divine power, on the other hand, required full faith and devotion, a complete alignment of one's mind and spirit with "divine inspiration" to grasp even a glimpse of it. This meant that to study gods, he'd first have to become a devout believer. But if he achieved that state… how could he study them objectively?
Gawain shook his head, setting these thoughts aside. In this poor, isolated land, attracting the church's attention would be near impossible anyway. He looked at Hety and continued questioning crop yields. "If we can't rely on the Three Goddesses of Abundance, are there other ways to improve yields?"
"Regarding yields… we're actually not lacking food, considering the condition of the land and the provisions King Edmund has provided for the first year," Hety replied thoughtfully. "With only about eight hundred people here, we can sustain ourselves."
"But we won't always have just eight hundred people. In fact, I'm planning to increase the population significantly by purchasing serfs and inviting pioneers…" Gawain shook his head, seeing that Hety didn't fully grasp the value of human resources. "Food security is fundamental, and we'll eventually face that challenge."
While Hety didn't fully understand the value of people, Norris certainly understood the importance of food. He pondered for a moment before responding, "If divine blessings are out of reach, another option would be to seek help from druids. Forest druids make alchemical potions that can boost crop yields. Though not as effective as divine blessings, their potions are excellent for preserving soil health. They also know plant-based spells that aid crop growth."
Gawain's eyes lit up. Now this was an approach he liked!
If druids could create alchemical potions to enhance soil fertility…
Could those potions be this world's version of "fertilizer" or at least something with a similar effect?
If the potions could be consistently produced through standardized methods, applied easily, and provide reliable crop yields, then Gawain didn't care what they were made of—he was calling them fertilizer!
Even better, this "fertilizer" seemed to also protect the soil!
Eagerly, he asked, "Where can we find druids?"
Norris looked uncertainly at Hety, who furrowed her brow. "That's another challenge… Druids are scarce in human society, mostly living in the western regions near the Mosswood. Around here… they're practically a rare species. Cecil has hardly had any contact with druids, so I have no idea where to find one."
Gawain's face fell, but Sir Philip added thoughtfully, "However, due to their heritage, druids have close ties with elves. Nearly every druid tradition can trace its roots to elven sources, including both gray elves and silver elves…"
All eyes turned involuntarily to Amber, who had been standing beside Gawain, her pointed ears twitching.
Gawain's face immediately soured. "Don't be ridiculous! This disgrace of an elf? What druid would associate
with someone who just—"
Before he could finish, Amber interjected, "Actually… I do happen to know a druid!"
Gawain stared, speechless. "?!"