Chapter 304: What Nilfgaard Supports
When "One-Eyed" Lugos said this, he naturally wasn't thinking of the peasants' well-being. Even the most forward-thinking nobles of the era were bound by their time and class. Lugos was simply concerned the farmers would create a disturbance for him.
Of course, the solution was simple: pack up the farmers with the land and give them back to the an Craite clan. But that was something "One-Eyed" Lugos would never agree to. Because in this era, population was everything. A lord's true wealth wasn't gold, but people. People meant economic revenue, reserve soldiers, labor, and so on. Population was the most precious resource. "One-Eyed" Lugos was already generous enough to cede some land to the an Craites. Asking him to bundle up the population and hand it over... he'd rather "pour" those laborers into the sea.
That's why he wanted to hear if this witcher—who always had an idea and didn't seem like a witcher at all—had any wisdom to offer. Lynn took another sip of his wine. He thought for a moment and an idea quickly came to him.
"Lord Lugos, have you never considered letting those landless peasants settle and develop the lands to the southeast of Thorn Flower Castle?"
"That... of course I've thought of it. But opening up new land requires tools, supplies, and coin. I'm afraid those landless peasants won't have the means." Even in Lynn's home world, it wasn't easy for a family to move from their original home to a completely foreign place and start a new life. Not to mention this world with its low productivity. The Drummond clan themselves came to Ard Skellig from Undvik, and the hardships of that time were well-documented. Because of this, "One-Eyed" Lugos had considered this idea himself, but he pessimistically believed that the landless farmers wouldn't even be able to gather enough coin for tools to work the land and seeds.
"Isn't it simple?" Lynn spread his hands. "As the lord, why don't you lend them the coin to buy tools and seeds? You could establish a system: for the first few years, you don't pressure them for repayment. Let them settle and find their footing. Once they're stable, they can pay you back a small portion each year, until the debt is cleared over the course of several years, or even a decade or more."
"Besides, you don't have to worry about them not paying you back. They are your subjects; there's no way they can run. Would they give up their own land just to avoid paying you back? Even if someone like that exists and flees to another clan's territory, those clans will only help you catch the fugitive." What Lynn said was common sense in his home world. But to "One-Eyed" Lugos, it was a priceless treasure.
Indeed. If he lent the farmers the coin, he wouldn't have to worry about them failing to settle the land. And since it was the lord lending them the money, he wouldn't have to fear them not paying him back. In a great mood, "One-Eyed" Lugos's gaze toward the witcher grew fiery. But don't misunderstand. This was just the Drummond patriarch, who believed in taking by force over toiling, experiencing the feeling of craving for a talented person for the first time. But it was just a fleeting thought. The Islanders disdained using schemes, and unlike the Continentals, they didn't have the mindset of "if I cannot use them, I must eliminate them."
The two of them continued to talk for a long while before Lynn finally departed the Jarl's Longhouse.
...
Early the next morning, Lynn left Kaer Muire, riding on Nidhogg, and headed toward Kaer Trolde Port in the north of Ard Skellig.
The Drummond clan also sent a team to Thorn Flower Castle. Their task was to set the entire castle on fire, then sprinkle salt over the ruins, and finally, build a new fortress on top of those ruins.
...
When Lynn returned to Kaer Trolde Port, and the hustle and bustle of human voices reached his ears, the witcher suddenly felt a sense of unreality. The Drummond clan's territory also had a port, but Holmstein Port was much quieter, not as prosperous as Kaer Trolde Port. What surprised Lynn was that when he appeared at Kaer Trolde Port, many people cast friendly glances his way. Some even greeted him enthusiastically.
It was only after he asked that he learned his deeds on Ard Skellig had spread. Recently, he had been like a tireless machine, rushing back and forth across the island, solving witcher contracts and dealing with monsters. If he encountered someone in need on the road, he didn't hesitate to help. Since he no longer worried about coin, he would save someone without asking for payment, and would simply ride away after confirming their safety. But what Lynn didn't know, or rather, didn't care about, was that his actions had built him a good reputation. The Islanders revered warriors, and a hero like him, who "helped others without seeking a reward," was even more a fitting subject for bards. Just like that, his story slowly spread across the island.
Even a few an Craite soldiers came before Lynn, respectfully inviting him to Kaer Trolde keep. To this, the witcher naturally did not refuse.
The an Craite clan's Kaer Trolde keep was built on a mountain overlooking the entire port. It left a deep impression on those who saw it with their own eyes. The legend says the one who built the castle was Hemdall and Heline's son, "Iron Jaw" Djimdal. He was also the ancestor of the an Craite clan.
Djimdal wanted to have all of the Skellige Isles within his sight, and to ensure that his brothers and the rulers of the other islands would not be harmed. So he used heavy iron chains to surround a mountain on the seabed, pulled it to the surface, and placed it on Ard Skellig. He used seven days to build the indestructible fortress on the mountain, which has stood until today.
If the weather was clear, from the high towers of the castle, one could even see all the Isles. Following the an Craite soldiers who led the way, he passed through a mountain tunnel, and finally, in the magnificent Jarl's hall, he met the an Craite patriarch.
Crach an Craite, known as the "Wild Boar of the Sea," was a staunch anti-Nilfgaardian warrior. What Nilfgaard supported, he would oppose; what Nilfgaard opposed, he would support. He brought fear to the Nilfgaardians. And Nilfgaardian women would use his name to frighten disobedient children.
However, this an Craite patriarch was much younger than the one in Lynn's memory, and the beard on his chin was not as thick. The witcher also recognized him. Crach was the red-haired noble who lit the small boat with a rocket at the funeral he had seen when he first arrived at Kaer Trolde Port.
As Lynn sized up Crach, Crach was also sizing up the witcher.
(End of this chapter)
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